The Winter has gone!

The temperatures have finally risen and the sun comes up beautiful sometimes. It has finally been possible to cycle outside and I can start to feel the spring coming.

These last weeks have been plenty of work both in school and trainings. The free time hasn't been much but that's what makes it funnier and and I've been using every gap to do some extra work that will make the difference. It has been hard to keep going with it but that's just a matter of a strong mind working every second. 

I've been feeling very well and each week I feel that I'm stronger than before. This brings also more responsibility on working even harder than the day before.

Sweden has now a beautiful shiny sun and that is finally bringing a happy and warmer environment that everyone was hoping for. 

Of course I'm looking forward to go back to Portugal but this time I can tell you that I start getting used to my life here in Sweden.

Week I had the winter break (Sportlov). As usually I thought I would have time for many thing but the truth is that between sleep and work out there wasn't much time. I did spend a day skiing in Romme alpin and I think it was great, but the funniest was seeing how happy swedes from all the ages are doing their winter sports. This was also the first time that I watched Winter Olympic games, funny but it doesn't get to the heels of the Summer Olympics.

After the break school has started and the schedule is back to normal. This weather makes people happier and funnier and gives me an extra "push" to my trainings outside.

Half an year in Sweden!

It has been 6 months since I came to Sweden! Yes, that much!! When I got here I couldn't think how would I survive here for this much time, but I did.

I have had many thoughts about it and I've felt great here and as bad as I could be. Changing school, sport, life and friends is not something easy to do in life, but that's how you search for a better life.

I'm loving my new school, having lessons in english gives me opportunities everywhere around the world. My classmates are great and the fact that we are from 15 different countries has only made it even better.

The training has been hard and adapt to this new conditions was difficult in the beginning. My brother's fellowship has been great and together we are training very hard every day.

I've had some competitions that went pretty well and I'm looking forward for some more.

Life here has been very varied, visiting new places, meeting very different people and tasting swedish food (not nice to eat).
Here are some pictures that describe my time line in sweden:

 My new place to live...

Getting here in the summer for some first "discovery" bike rides

 WTS Stockholm a unique experience with the best in the world competing

The cold autumn got here and the colors look gorgeous!

 

The First snow arrived in October

Enjoying the Höst lov in Helsinki with my dad

In November I had my first triathlon competition and victory in Sweden

The training kept hard, while the sun was shining but the temperature was low.

Enjoying the last cycling tours before the snow threw us down to the spinning

Getting use to long swimming sessions was hard...

 And the first trainings in the real snow, -10°!!

Coming back home on Christmas time to kill all these: "Saudades"

A special day: 17th of January when I finally got age to go to high school in Sweden :)

Spending it in London just made it perfect!

 Going in the coldest study visit to Stockholm with my classmates.

And the day that snowed so much that cycling home was impossible! It was a very cold and funny experience. 

16 in London!

Last friday, the 17th of January it was 16th birthday. Doubtless a really different one, spent in Sweden and England.

I used to spend my birthdays with my friends and family, people that knew me and people that made me happy everyday. This year, though, was completely different. I was very happy that my friends in Portugal remembered, but I missed them even much that day. Anyway I spent it in my new home (Sweden) with my new friends and I can say it was better than I though it could have ever been. It was funny and an amazing experience.

My day was kind of busy:I woke up at 5 am to swim and then I went to school, at 4pm I was in Västerås Airport, ready to go to London. At 9pm I was finally in one of the greatest cities in the world.

Now the funny stuff: I spent the weekend in London and it was a big shame that it was so few time. I did half of the things I had planned to do and I didn't do any shopping!!! While in there I visited:

- Sherlock Holmes Museum (which I'm a great fan of so I just loved it!)

- The Science Museum (it took me 4 hours to see 1/4 of the museum, I hope I'll go back to the most interesting museum ever)

- I walked a lot in London to see the Big Ben, The Parliament House, The Tower bridge and the London Eye.

The funniest thing was of course running in the Hyde Park.

Here are the best pictures:

I'm now back home and ready for a lot of study and to keep fighting for my dreams.