Ski for Light was one BIG unknown frontier that I was determined to explore, and it opened me to a whole new world.
My guide trainers, Roger Young, the skier (and dancer!) and Ray Charles Harrisson; a great man and visually impaired skier, who described with such ease his own experience of being blind, were the first ones to open the door.
After training, we were teamed up with our skiers; and that first moment I met with Tom Torvie will forever remind me of my own impairments!
Tom, partially blind, made my week a blast! "Turn left, no, no, turn right! Not that left!" Not always knowing which one of us was guiding, we both enjoyed cross-country skiing! And Tom, with great understanding, forgave me my lack of experience. " Tom, we're coming to a hill!" "Yes, Eija, it would help if you told me if it's uphill or downhill." "Kinky curves, let's go; we gonna love it!" Finally both agreeing!
Yes, we learned to communicate, with clues we both understood. It was not me being his eyes; it was Tom guiding me with such ease that I was finding new ways to look at the world around us.
Never before have I felt such happiness in my life. SKI FOR LIGHT is about sharing the experience of skiing, having fun, growing and learning! And "seeing" a glimpse of the world of a visually impaired skier, is something I would never exchange for anything.
I want more of this experience. There will be more to come! I will learn more and I will give more of myself in Green Bay in 2004!