Give IT UP

The past couple of months I have been doing a series of challenges with my family and friends giving up habits or pushing ourselves to do things we really hate to do. Like procrastinating, going to the gym, drinking more water and eating less junk food. It is not only a way to stay healthier and live a less stressful life but to be happier in general. When we achieve the little goals we set for each other we feel a sense of accomplishment. We also can not wait to tell the others what we have done and how we managed to not eat candy for two straight weeks! It is a great way to stay in contact with friends and family, because living in Sweden makes it a little bit tougher to communicate with everyone back home. Having these "goal" emails to look forward to everyday gives me something to think about each day, and teach myself and everyone else some accountability. So for the people that read my blog, I challenge you to give something up for ten days. I promise you will feel a great sense of accomplishment afterward and be hooked to try another challenge for the next ten days after that. Much Love, Kels

France

After being in France for over a month now I have really come to realize just how much I LOVE America. It might be all the English speaking friendly people, the clean sidewalks to stroll down, the air conditioners, or maybe just the sense of knowing what is going on around me.

Don't get me wrong I enjoy living in Nice on the French Rivera. Most of the people I have met are great and willing to put up with my lack of understanding. Im usually referred to as "the american girl" which is fine. Most of the people here can already tell by looking at me that I am NOT from around here. Usually when I pass people on the streets they try to say hello to me in English right away, which is impressive! 

I was lucky enough to get cable last week, most channels are in all French EXCEPT I do get CNN so thats refreshing.. Just what I want to watch everyday… (unfortunately my TV broke again so its been quiet around my apartment for a few days) which is o.k. 

Last week my Mom was able to come visit me! It was so nice having her here! She was great company and I miss her a lot already. We went to Monaco one of the days she was here, it was a lot of fun andI want to go back soon. I am already looking forward to her return.

Our first game is in 10 days in Paris, I am excited for the season to begin! 

Until then

Au revoir,

Kels

Summer Lovin'

     Although it is summer and there are plenty of things to do like go to the pool and being outside with friends, I think about the upcoming school year and begin to wish I was going to start another year as well. Not so much for the schooling part (oops:)) but just so I can play basketball as a Cyclone. As much as I hate to say it, and believe me when I tell you I never though I would say this I will definitely miss the excitement of the start of basketball in August and early pre-season workouts. 

     On that note, since I wont have anyone pushing me to "make" me get into shape I somehow have to motivate myself to get into shape on my own. That alone presents its own challenge itself.

     Although I am not quite certain what my future holds I plan on enjoying my  summer to the fullest and grabbing every opportunity that comes my way!

The First of Many Firsts

My journey has begun! I woke up This morning at 4:30 a.m. in anticipation of my 6 a.m. flight to Atlanta, Ga., my home for at least the next two weeks. During my flight from Des Moines to Milwaukee I really thought about my future and what I have in store for myself. It really sunk in that I have an amazing opportunity ahead of me. The thoughts of meeting new people, living in a hotel in a city I have never been to, training with some of the best women's basketball players in the world and doing all this without my friends as family near me seems unreal! The more I think about it, the more excited I get about the things I am going to experience and the things I will try for the first time.

I was lucky enough to have my parents drop me off at the airport this morning, it was hard to say goodbye and not cry, (like I said my journey is beginning and makes us all realize how our lives are quickly changing from the way they were and ever will be again). My mom was nice enough to pack me with plenty of magazines for my first flight. However I'm not sure my mom or I was "magazine" prepared for my five hour layover in Milwaukee when I arrived. I was bored quickly, and we all know how uncomfortable those airport chairs are. This layover nonetheless, was a great time to create my first blog. Also I am not sure if you enjoy it as much as I do, but I love to people watch. And what better place to do so than an airport? It's a prime place to just sit back and see the people of our world.

Sometimes I ask myself if other people watch me, and wonder what my story is and why I am traveling. I am convinced they do. I know I do it all the time! You wonder why a lady is wearing stiletto heels and a mini skirt to get on a stuffy plane, you notice that someone's shoe is untied or if a person's zipper is down on their pants and ponder whether to tell them it's down or let them find out themselves eventually (No one wants to be called out for leaving their barn door open in public on accident)! On the other hand maybe you strike up a conversation with someone and learn all about them, it is amazing the amount of information people will disclose to a perfect stranger. Just today for example I sat next to a man that told me about his engineering job at Kiewit in Omaha, his mom and dad's dog bandit, who died recently, and his ALL leather suit he only wears on his speed racing bike on "race day" for protection. Now who said an hour and half flight to Milwaukee was boring?! ;)

As you have read, my day has already been eventful and surprisingly it is not even 8am yet! I am going to enjoy every day of my opportunity as it is my last because you never know when that opportunity may be gone. For right now, I plan on experiencing as many "firsts" I can.

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined."

-Henry David Thoreu

Yours truly,

Kels