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Hello again!

If everything goes according to plan, I am scheduled to arrive in Stockholm, Sweden on March 5th! Luckily, my Dad has some business to take care of in Sweden, so he kindly offered to help me move into my new place (it also doesn’t hurt that he speaks the language  ). The flight is about 8 hours, so that means lots of reading and iPod listening on my end…I don’t know what it is, but for the life of me I cannot sleep on planes, so this overnight flight is going to be a doozie!  The only stop we have on the trip is a layover in Copenhagen.  If you didn’t already know, I have dual citizenship in the US and Denmark.  My Dad is still a Danish citizen, and because of him, I was able to apply for Danish citizenship as well.  Since I am a citizen of Denmark, I belong to the EU, which means I can travel anywhere in Europe without a Visa…pretty helpful for this whole playing soccer gig  .  After we arrive in Stockholm we have a two hour train ride before we reach Borlänge.

As you know, they speak Swedish in Sweden…apparently its a Germanic language, just like English, so in hindsight it SHOULD be easier to learn, but I find that hard to believe.  Hopefully when I get there I will have time to sign up for Swedish classes…it will give me something to do, and it may be a way for me to meet some other people besides my new teammates.  By the way, if you were ever wondering what Swedish sounds like, pleaseeeee don’t go off Sesame Street’s version of the Swedish Chef…totally not correct, but funny none the less. Check him out on youtube!

Other than that, nothing else is new here.  Training is going well, except for a HUGE snowstorm that closed Loyola University down for a week.  I'm currently training with the Loyola University Women's Soccer Team down in Baltimore, MD.  We had two blizzards in four days, and since Maryland isn't used to all that snow, they had to close school for a whole week.  I still got some training in, but it's definitely better working out with other players than by yourself!  Countdown to Sweden is 16 days, and I can't wait!

Well that's it for now...till the next time vi ses senere!

Moles

Hello everyone…I decided to start this blog to let people know back home what I’m up to in Sweden. Just recently, I got the opportunity to play for a team called Kvarnsveden IK, located in the Dalarna region in a little town called Borlänge. If you look below on the map, you can see that Borlänge is in the middle of Sweden…meaning COLD winters and mild summers. Luckily, I’ll be arriving in Sweden on March 5th, so hopefully the coldest weather will be gone by then!

Unlike Baltimore (that's where I've been living the past 5 years) , Borlänge is definitely not considered an urban area.  Its is in the middle of the country with lots of open terrain and huge lakes!  Just about 10 minutes outside Borlänge is Lake Runn, one of Dalarna’s biggest attractions. Lake Runn is home to a 55km bike path, kayak adventures , golf courses, and of course boat tours!  There are plenty of cross-country ski trails and downhill slopes also about 10 minutes away from Borlänge, so I’m sure I’ll be keeping myself busy when I’m not on the pitch.

But enough about the area I’ll be living in, lets talk about the good stuff…soccer. The club I’m playing for, Kvarnsveden, is entering their second year in the Swedish Division 1 North. During their first year in division 1 they came in fourth, a huge accomplishment for a brand new team to the league. Hopefully, with hard work and dedication the team can rise up to the top division…but only time will tell.

It’s pretty crazy to think about all the little things that need to be taken care of before I leave (doctor appointments, international driver’s license, etc). And, oo yea, can’t forget that I have to move my entire life out of Baltimore and into my parent’s basement…that should be pretty interesting . Not only do I have to move out of my apartment in Baltimore, I also have to start packing everything up and getting it ready for my big move!  All I can say is those space bags you see on the infomercials are really going to come in handy when I try to fit my entire wardrobe into 2 suitcases! But, no matter how much stress and anxiety comes from moving overseas, nothing can express how excited I am to start playing again!

Working as a graduate assistant coach this past year at Loyola University in Maryland has given me the opportunity to keep up with my training and fitness at an extremely high level. I couldn't have asked for a better situation to prepare me for the months ahead. I'm sure, at times, It's going to be tough and frustrating to get used to the Swedish style of play, but I'm hoping all the hard work and time that I've put in over the past year will pay off in the long run!

That's about it for now...till the next time vi ses senere!

Moles