I do not want to leave Sweden without giving a proper “thank you” to everyone that has helped create an amazing experience for me because I have been overwhelmed by the amount of support I have received since I arriving here in Sweden! I have been stopped in town to talk about the team and it’s success or to talk about my experience in Sweden! I love that I have come to a community that genuinely cares about how I’m doing and how the team is doing. Many people have found me on facebook just so that they can tell me how excited they were about the season, or to give our team praise. I cannot tell you how much it means to me that I have come to a community that rallies around our team! Mark is second to none! Thank you to everyone that took the time to speak with me! It has meant the world! What an incredible unique and wonderful town!

I’d also like to thank the sponsors of our team! I know that we gained a lot of support from sponsors throughout the season, and that means everything to us! There would be no team without our sponsors, which means I would not be here! This experience has been amazing, and I know that it has been made possible because of the financial support we get from all of you! Please, keep continuing to give- every little bit helps a lot!

I definitely need to thank Marbo and the people that scouted me out and organized getting me onto this team. I had a lot of trouble getting overseas because I was a little bit of a gamble. I hadn’t played professionally before and came from a mid-major school, where it’s hard to judge whether or not the talent will be quite good enough. I had been sitting at home in a call center job for a month just waiting for any team to give a short little guard a chance! I am so happy things worked out the way they did! Thank you so much for taking a chance on me! I know you never know what you’ll get, but I’m glad that the team seemed to be such a good fit for me!

A BIG thank you goes out to my teammates and coaches! Wow! What a great season! It has been wonderful getting to know you guys on and off the court! I’ll never forget this season or this team! We weren’t always the prettiest team, but we fought like hell, so it was always fun! Each and every one of the players brought something unique and important to the team! My experience here would not have been the same without any of you!

Some girls and I had a fika to say goodbye

Lastly, I would like to thank Gisella, Magnus, Jaqueline, Alex and Elliot. This family has taken me in and made me one of their own. They’ve been there for me since the day I got here (I took a nap on their couch after not sleeping the entire night). Ever since I’ve gotten here, they have provided me with a comfortable environment. I feel like family when I am with them- and when my parents came, they felt the same way! They’ve even taken me into their home for the past 3 weeks and let me experience a true Swedish lifestyle! I am so fortunate that I was able to connect with this truly special family since I got here.

Mark truly is an incredibly unique and amazing place! I’ve never been in a place where I feel so safe and comfortable! Everyone has been sure to give me a smile. You have all touched me and made my experience wonderful!

I leave on Friday. I have a very bittersweet feeling in my gut at the moment. I am excited to be reuinited with my friends, family, boyfriend and dog back at home, but I really love the life and relationships I have built here and am sad to leave anything behind.

Can't wait for this dog to attack me when I walk in the door!

Thank you so so much for a great first season abroad!

I loved playing for this team!

WOW! What a week! I am so excited that our team was able to pull of wins in Solna and Luleå! We really showed some toughness in those wins!

The win against Northland was especially exciting since it sends us straight to semis! I don’t think anyone expected us to win there, so it’s always exciting to surprise people and deliver a win in a really tough place to play. We handed Northland their first loss in their home gym all season long!

A picture of Johanna and I that showed up in Monday's NSD newspaper (In Luleå)

Aside from the game, Lulea was a great time. It’s always a lot easier to enjoy a road game when you get a win! Sunday after the game a few of us took a little stroll out on the ice in one of the fjords. It was my first time every being out on a frozen body of water, which is surprising since I live in a place that gets pretty cold and icy and my house is right next to a lake! It was a cool experience, though. I got to see people ice skating, skiing, snow mobiling, playing hockey, curling, and other things on a large pathway in the ice. I had a great time just enjoying the win and experiencing another part of Sweden with teammates.

A picture I took of a man and his dog while out on the ice on Sunday. I'd never seen one of these sleds before.

Right now there is a lot of buzz about our team and we are really enjoying it! I don’t think anyone really counted on us being in this position, but we’ve created it ourselves through hard work! We absolutely couldn’t have done any of this without our incredible fans, volunteers and sponsors! Mark is truly an amazing community where people have come together to help us win games. I am so proud to be on your team and am so glad I’ve been able to be a part of all of this!

We are really excited to move straight to semis, but we also know that we have two games before we get to that point. Although it’s nice to have the pressure off of winning, we still feel like it’s important to use these next two games to get better. It’s really a great opportunity for us to play hard with no pressure!

Thanks for reading and I hope to see everyone there tonight against Solna at 19.00 in Kinnahallen!

I haven’t written a blog for awhile, so I thought it was about time to catch you all up on what’s going on with Mark basket!

We have still been playing tough- pulling out a lot of ugly wins… but WINS! Beating Jarfalla by only 1 point was a bit of a disappointment, but WE WON, so in the end- that’s what matters. My high school coach used to say “Whether you shoot a fly with a gun or swat it, it’s still dead.” I think that quote sums up our games. Whether we win big or we win small, the fact that we are finding ways to win is what matters!

Honestly, I think that instead of focusing on the Jarfalla game, a lot of us were looking ahead to playoffs. Everyone is really excited to be in the top group and we’ve been working really hard in practice. You can tell this team is not satisfied with fourth place- and I love that we are constantly striving to get better. Everyone is really excited about playoffs, including myself!

Our game tomorrow is going to be HUGE! We are ready for Northland to come back to Kinnahallen and give the crowd something to cheer about! I really hope we get a lot of people in the stands the next few games, because we need everyone cheering and helping us out during the tough playoff schedule!

In other news- I have been out exploring lately! Last Wednesday I took the train to Varberg to explore the fortress and watch the sunset over the ocean. I live about 16 hours away from the nearest coast in the United States, so it’s really an amazing feeling to be able to take a short train ride to see it. I wish I could be here during the summer months when it’s a little warmer.

Sunset in Varberg

The fortress, on the other hand, was very cool! I was a history major in college so anything old like that is so cool to me! There aren’t places like that in the United States, because it’s such a new country.  I loved just wandering around inside and out and admiring something that I don’t get to see every day.

Standing in front of the fortress.

Then, on Saturday, I had a wonderful trip to Gothenburg with Stina and Johanna! I was feeling a little homesick so they took me out there to eat Pizza Hut and drink Starbucks! I had a great time and stuffed myself with pizza and coffee! We also went shopping, but I didn’t get anything- the styles are a little different here than I’m used to and the only thing I found that I really liked was a pretty long and thick sweater, and I’m trying to be conscious about what I can fit in my already full luggage on the way back to the United States. I will try to buy at least one item of Swedish clothing before I go home, though!

Johanna and I enjoying some Starbucks! Yummmmmm!

Alright, that’s all for now! Hope to see everyone at the games in Kinnahallen on:

Wednesday, February 21^st vs. Northland at 19.00

Saturday, February 25^th vs. Telge at 16.00

Wednesday, March 7^th vs. Solna at 19.00

Thanks for reading!

It’s probably about time for me to write a new blog. I know I have to mention the loss last night. It was sad, but I think we fought back at the end. Although the comeback came a little late, I think the last few minutes are something positive that we can build off of. We definitely did not have a very good game rebounding wise, but the things we did wrong are very fixable. I need to be smarter on my shot selection, because missing 21 shots in a game is never acceptable. The good news is that we have plenty of time to work on these minor adjustments before playoffs. I feel strongly that we’ll get another chance at Telge and I’m excited for that opportunity.

What I really want to focus on in my blog today is VISBY! We had an amazing 106-101 win (there are a lot of different scores in the papers, but that was what was on the scoreboard at the end of the game). We really worked hard and fought back, even though our defense wasn’t the best. We have so much heart on this team to win games like that. It wasn’t pretty, but we got the win!

The scoreboard after the game.

The game was great, but what amazed me even more was the town of Visby. It was incredible! The wall, the ocean, the houses, and the church ruins were all amazing. I live in a small city in Des Moines- and there is nothing even remotely close to what I saw in Visby. It is truly a unique place and I would love to go back sometime…maybe in the summer when it’s not so cold! I was a history major in college, but have never really had the opportunity to travel and see old places like that. I was in awe the entire time I was there and had a blast.

Me standing over Visby and the ocean.

We walked around a lot and took in the sites, but we also went out and ate at local restaurants. Everything I ate was amazing, which is good- because I am one of the pickiest eaters you’re likely to meet. After the game we went to a restaurant that had a live band playing American classics. I had a great time singing songs with my teammates and enjoying their company.

The next day some of us went out to this little crepe place. It was soooooo tasty! I had the chocoalate crepe which included chocolate sauce, melted white chocolate, almonds and ice cream! YUM! But again, the best part was enjoying the company of my teammates and getting to experience a fun little place in a truly unique and historic town.

My delicious chocolate crepe

Visby actually got me really excited to see more of Europe. After the season I plan to see my friend and teammate at Drake, Lindsay Whorton, who studies at Oxford University in England. I’ve never really traveled outside of the United States (except Niagra Falls in Canada and resort towns in Mexico), so I am really excited to explore older towns and take in the history of Europe.

So yeah- to sum up the blog, I had a great time in Visby and it’s just another thing to add to the list of great experiences since arriving in Sweden!

Here is a gallery of the pictures I took while in Visby:

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

Alright, my parents have told me that I just MUST write a blog about my Swedish ancestry… yep, that’s right- along with every other Northern country in Europe, I am also part Swedish! Haha! Apparently my grandmother used to have a Swedish “välkommen” sign in her house. I vaguely remember it, but always assumed it was German.

My Grandma Marie and I when I was a little girl. She was half Swedish.

So here it is:

My great great grandparents (mother’s mom’s side) were from Gothenburg, Sweden and they imigrated to the United States in May of 1893. My mother has found a manifest from Ellis Island (in New York, where all U.S. foreign immigration used to be done). On line 113 (The 7th line in the picture) of the document you will see John A. Larsson, my great great grandfather. His wife, Christine Larson also came over with him.

The seventh line down is my great great grandpa, John A. Larsson

John A. Larsson was born in 1859 and Christine Larsson was born in 1869. My mother is not positive, but she thinks John’s middle name was Arvid, since her grandfather’s name was Harry Arvid Larson and her Aunt’s name was Arvid LaJune Larson. American’s often drop extra letters in their name, which is why the spelling of the Larsson family is now l-a-r-s-o-n. For example, my Uncle is Italian and their last name used to be Fargoa, but they dropped the A to just make it Fargo.

It looks like other family members eventually followed from Sweden to the United States. John’s aunt, Maggie Bangston and cousin, Andy Bangston, lived with them according to some census records that my mom dug up.

Okay, so this is probably either the most interesting blog post of mine, or the most boring depending on your interests.

Who knows, maybe we are related!? If anyone knows that they have relations to a Larsson family and can dig up some information, I would love to meet some distance cousins while I’m over here! However, I do know that Larsson is an extremely popular name- but you never know!

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Hello again!

Thought today I would post a little bit about the similarities and differences between here and where I am from, Des Moines, Iowa

Similarities:

People: Des Moines is a very welcoming place. People are generally kind to one another and wave to their neighbors. I’ve noticed the same Midwest hospitality here that I see in the United States. It’s so amazing that I can move 4,500 miles away (about 7,200 km) and find people that are so similar to the people that I am around in the states. It really does feel like home here!

My mother and Gisella acted like they'd known eachother for 10 years!

Weather: I am not a California girl. A lot of people have asked me if I had ever seen snow before I came here. YES! I’ve actually probably seen more. I even sustained an ankle sprain that held me out of 4 games my junior season in college- from slipping on the ice! Haha! The climate is similar, but it actually gets a little bit colder in the winter where I’m from.

My dog, Jazz, playing in the snow in Iowa.

Basketball: Although there are some differences in the rules and the court (lane is wider here and the three point line is further out), the basketball is mostly the same. Unfortunately the small differences (8 seconds in the backcourt, over and back from out of bounds) have gotten me a few unnecessary turnovers, but luckily they haven’t cost us any games! The coaching philosophies are similar and most of the practices and workouts are similar.

I love playing with this team! They are amazing!

Differences:

Transportation: The public transportation is WAY better here! We don’t have a very good bus system in Des Moines and no railways for transportation of people. The railroads are all used for coal or other resources. Our cars also seem to be a little bit bigger in the states. Most families have a pick-up truck or van and a car. My mother and I both have large cars and my dad has a big pick-up truck. Lastly, we DO NOT have roundabouts in Des Moines, unless it’s in a very small neighborhood. It was confusing for my parents to drive in the intersections here, but entertaining for me!

Me when I was 16 on top of my first car. A 1989 Buick Le Sabre- which is a pretty big car.

Style: From clothing style to architecture, things are just a little different. Wallpaper is really popular here, where painting your walls is more popular where I’m from. The roof shingles are all horizontal in Des Moines and most of them are gray. A lot of the shingles are vertical here and many of them are red. And as for clothing, I had never seen a one piece sweat suit before I came here, but now I’m thinking I need to get one! Haha!

Food: The chocolate is so much better here! I really love Marabou and most of the things I’ve tried here. Now the challenge is not to eat too much of it! As for the other food: I’m getting used to it. I am extremely picky- so it’s been a challenge… but I’m finding things I like. I am not a big fan of fish (I live about as far away from a coast as you can get) so I haven’t tried any seafood here. I really love Risifrutti! I need to get someone to sell that in Des Moines! There are also not nearly as many restaurant chains that I’m used to here.

Bought this wonderful loaf of bread in Kinna! I ate it all in one day! YUM!

Elevation: I come from Iowa, one of the flattest states in the United States. There are small hills, but none of them are rocky. You can look out and see for miles, where here there always seems to be a hill obstructing my view. It’s amazing here, though. It’s beautiful to see all the houses lit up on the hills at night. I’ve never really seen anything like that before.

A picture of me on a week long bikeride across Iowa. Notice the cornfields in the background.

Animals: This one is kind of strange, but I thought it was worth mentioning. We have a lot of cats in the United States… but not THIS many! Haha, luckily I love cats! I’m just surprised by how many are walking around freely… Also, we do not have moose or reindeer, just like you do not have skunks or raccoons.

Great! I hope you enjoyed reading! As always, if you have any questions or comments be sure to leave them!

Tonight we handed Northland their 2nd loss of the season in Kinnahallen! It was a great game! We fought so hard and worked together for 40 minutes. Our team has so much heart and is so scrappy, and I believe that alone will help us go far this year. I had so much fun playing today, but I am extremely sore and tired right now!

We are the hottest team in the league right now, which is a good thing and a bad thing. Yes, we want to win and keep on winning. It gives us confidence and it’s pretty obvious we can win any game we play, as long as we step out onto the court with the right mentality and we work hard for it.

The only reason that being so hot is bad is now we are THE team to beat. We have a target on our back and people just want to beat us that much more now. Does this target bother me? No. I think we can handle it. We are a team that is very good in not getting caught up in the “hype,” but instead we just go out and play hard every game.

I absolutely love this team and how we play together. We are unselfish and everyone buys into their roles on the team. I am SO happy that I could come and be a part of this team and this town. It has been a great experience so far and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season holds for us!

This win means so much to us, but it’s pretty obvious that WE weren’t the only reason for the win tonight… The fans were incredibly energetic and helped us gain the edge. There’s a reason they call Kinnahallen “Hell,” and it’s because our fans are amazingly loud and get into the games. As players, it gives us all of the energy in the world and I’m sure it’s discouraging to the teams that come in here! Please keep coming and keep cheering!

I’d also like to thank all of our sponsors for being such a huge part of our team. They have done a lot for the team, including giving me the opportunity to come over here and play. I have loved my experience so far here in Mark and I know they have a lot to do with the success of our program!

My parents would also like to say thank you for all the hospitality that they have been shown while in Mark. They love it here and are sad to go back to Des Moines, Iowa tomorrow. Thank you so much for being welcoming to them, it really means a lot to them that their daughter is in such a warm and inviting place…

GREAT win! I have a great feeling about this team!

For stats, visit www.basket.se

Hello everyone! For those of you who do not know me yet, my name is Kristin Turk and I am new to Mark. I came here on December 1^st of last year to join Mark basket.

So far my stay has been very pleasant. I have an apartment to myself in Skene and am really enjoying the town and the people of Mark. Everyone has been extremely nice and welcoming to me and I feel right at home here!

To get started, here is a little bit about myself:

Full Name: Kristin Martina Turk

Did I mention that I'm a little silly?

Parents: Kevin and Susan Turk (They are in town this week, you may have seen them at the games)

My parents on their 30th wedding anniversary.

Siblings: 1 brother (Brad, 25) and 1 sister (Kelli, 28)

My sister, brother and I out in the snow.

Pets: My parent’s dog, Jazz

My favorite dog in the world!

Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa (not to be confused with Ohio)

College: Drake University (in Des Moines, Iowa)

My college logo.

Birthday: April 29th, 1989

College Major: History

Hobbies: Making jewelry, baking and running.

Favorite Food: PIZZA and anything sweet (except licorice)

I am starting this blog because I want to give everyone a little bit of insight about my experiences here in Mark and how basketball is going. This is my first time in Europe and there are so many differences and so many similarities in how things are here compared to where I grew up in Des Moines.

Right now, I would just like to talk a little about how the game went last night, against Kvarnby in Gothenburg. Although we did not play our best game of the year, we did a great job of controlling the game the entire time. It wasn’t the prettiest game we had played since I’ve been here, but we are a team that has found a way to win this year. In basketball, it doesn’t really matter if you have the best game of your life or you play horribly, what counts is that your score is higher than the other team’s at the end of the game. Yes, the game is ugly, but we are a team that has played in a few ugly games since I’ve been here, and we always seem to pull out the win. When the game was over, we had won by 19 and Ashley had 30 points and I had 29. It was truly a team effort, though. Everyone contributed by getting points, rebounds, steals and assists.

I love the way our team plays together and shares the ball. Everyone is extremely invested in the program and doing well, which is why we have been so successful. I am very proud that this team has chosen me to come over and play for them. It has truly been an amazing experience so far and I have no doubts that I made the right decision to come to Mark.

Please, if you have any questions or comments for me, post them! I will be sure to post back! I have become very familiar with Google Translate if you want to post your comments in Swedish! Haha!

Thanks for reading and have a great day!