Everyone told me what a great experience Norway would be; I had a lot of good information about the schedule of events; in short, I was well-prepared. And yet, what I gained from this experience was truly unexpected.
As I write this, a rather amazing toothless old troll sits on my computer, surveying my every move, and reminding me, as trolls do, to stay on track and not be tentative about it. Or was that my guide? More in a minute!
When Larry first told me that I had been selected to be part of the official team, I was stunned and delighted. But it wasn't truly real until I stood there in Green Bay with the other three members of the team. I had the privilege of being guided by the incomparable Richard Epstein, and of sharing the experience with Art Bunn and Donna Permar. I also truly appreciated the support and good wishes I received from so many SFLers, and I felt as though I took many of you with me.
The weather and snow conditions reminded me a bit of what we had this year in Green Bay, and I must say, the tracks were by far the best I've ever experienced. As I said, my guide was the old troll, Utnar, aka Richard Epstein. One of our drivers from the King's Guard described Utnar as "the evil, giant troll who preceded humans." I haven't yet found any details about old Utnar, but I'm still researching. However, the modern-day Utnar (Richard) certainly never missed an opportunity to correct or perfect my technique and my attitude; he demanded the best of me at all times, and he sometimes actually got it! One of the highlights for both of us was the 5-kilometer race. Somehow, our teamwork was just clicking that day, and we spent the last kilometer or so challenging and being challenged by a sixteen-year-old Norwegian girl. No, she wasn't in my class, but at that moment, she provided exactly the competition I needed. After a series of maneuvers, she and her guide wound up between utnar and me; her guide was hollering and encouraging her in Norwegian; Richard was hollering instructions over their heads to me, and it was exhillarating for all four of us. The result was not a medal, but it was my best race ever. And to make it even sweeter, Donna Permar and I discovered that we had both skied that 5K in just over 34 minutes, and we each placed fourth in our respective classes. Now that's teamwork!
Other highlights on the snow included picnics with different people, including two delightful young Dutch skiers, the hot drinks that appeared along the ski trails, cheering on Robin Smithtro who just keeps getting better, and the experience of the much quieter waxable skis. But it was probably the final race which gave me the most learning.
Weather conditions had changed a bit; it was quite windy, so what is normally a 20K race became a 15K. For me, everything felt different that day, and somehow, I just wasn't quite on my game. Richard and I discovered at the last minute that our skis weren't waxed for the conditions, so we hurried back to the waxing tent, which was very busy. As a result, we missed our official starting time. Fortunately, we were allowed to have a manual start, but I was a little thrown by it, I must admit. So, my start was not all that it might have been. But remember the troll? No, it wasn't my best race, but I hung in there and finished much stronger than I started. I learned in my muscles that no matter how difficult a goal or project may be in the beginning, it is achievable if you just hang in there long enough. And yes, support is essential. Richard never gave up on me; he prodded, pushed, coached and encouraged me right across the finish line, and I truly owe the stronger finish to both of us!
Off the snow, I just loved being surrounded by all the different languages. Being a language nut, I practiced my Danish a lot, and took some ribbing from the Norwegians who tried to teach me some Norwegian pronunciation, But as they put it, I "just couldn't get that potato out of my mouth!" Speaking of language, Donna Permar, who hails from North Carolina, delighted many people with her accent. One day, she was casually chatting with one of the young soldiers at the waxing tent when he turned to his companion and remarked: "Now she really talks country!"
Finally, I absolutely loved meeting people from different countries, and this trip rekindled my love for language and culture. I have now started a couple of wonderful correspondences, the result of two quick, casual conversations; and while sightseeing, I truly loved the opportunity to experience the Norwegian soul through art and history.
After this trip, I honestly feel as though I have regained some of my edge, and reclaimed part of my life that had been a bit on hold! Thank you, Richard, for your great skill and life wisdom; and thank you, thank you, Ski for Light, for giving me such an incredible opportunity.And yes, I came home with both my eyes!