GW at the 2018 Olympics

It is my last day in this extraordinary city and I want to express my gratitude. I never though that I could grow so attached to a city in only three short weeks. Without the Olympics, I probably never would have come to Pyeongchang. Luckily the Olympics gave me the opportunity to experience the rich culture, eat the incredible cuisine, and meet some extraordinary people. This trip has been eye-opening. It makes me proud to be studying tourism and continue to help people experience different cultures.

Before today, the last time the US Women’s hockey team won a gold medal was in 1998. I was fortunate enough to attend the final gold medal game between the USA and Canada where all of this changed. The crowd was incredible. People were cheering loudly and very engaged in the game. After the 3^rd period, the teams were tied with two goals each. This meant that they would decide the winner of the game in a shootout. I have never seen this before and it was one of the most stressful things to watch. Ultimately, the US came out on top and took the gold. After this, they performed the medal ceremony. This win was extremely emotional for the US players and fans alike. It truly made me proud of my country.

Last night I had an amazing time watching Elana Meyers win a silver medal in the bobsled competition. It was my first time going to the sliding center and I was excited to see how popular the venue was. There were many different discipline athletes cheering for their country and it created an exciting atmosphere. We were able to cheer for Elana alongside her husband, father, and many other US athletes. Many Koreans were there cheering with us for the USA. We even made Elana a sign that her husband asked to give to her after the race. The night ended with a visit to the Germany house which was beautiful and a great way to end a great night.

Seoul is an incredible city and I feel fortunate to have had the chance to check it out (even if it was just for eight hours). My tour guide was my good friend’s brother who is currently serving in the US military stationed in South Korea. The day started with exploring the Gyeongbokgung Palace. It is crazy that a temple so old, massive, and beautiful is located right in the middle of the city. While there, we stopped in the National Folk Museum of Korea and I was able to see “Wintering,” a special exhibit for the Olympic Winter Games. After that, we headed to the Seoul tower and I was able to see all of Seoul from 236 meters in the sky. After that, we went to the Korean War memorial. It was awesome to see all of the different tanks, planes, and memorabilia from the war. Then, we crossed the street to the army base located right in the middle of Seoul. The US is in the process of shutting down this base, which makes sense because the Korean government stands to make a lot of money by developing that prime real estate. I will definitely be coming back to Seoul in the future. 

Transportation shifts are the longest most tiring shifts that we need to work for data collection. Luckily, while working these shifts, I have been able to work alongside and become friends with many volunteers. The volunteers at the Olympics are absolutely amazing. They are all willing to help answer my questions and are excited to become my friend. I have had many dance parties to keep warm (many of my shifts ended at 11:00 pm in extremely low temperatures) and gained many Instagram followers to stay in touch after the Olympics. I feel fortunate to have met such incredible people.

 

I ate the most delicious Korean food I’ve ever had yesterday at the Haslla Art Gallery Mr. Lee, a GW student’s father took us out for lunch in celebration of the Lunar New Year. We ate delicious food and drank a rice wine. It was my first time having rice wine, and I know I will have to track down in the US (it was so amazing). There were many courses ranging from salad to chicken soup and everything in between. What’s more, the location of the lunch was at a beautiful art gallery in Gangeung overlooking the water. The Gallery itself featured beautiful works of art. It was truly a lunch to remember. Thank you again to Mr. Lee for a fantastic afternoon.

Today I truly felt the power of the Olympics. I was standing alone when a father and his daughter came over to me. The dad explained that his daughter has been learning English in school, and it was her dream to talk to a native English speaker. The girl was absolutely adorable and we had a very nice conversation. Her dad expressed his gratitude and it really made me think about the power the Olympics has. This little girl had the opportunity to meet somebody different than she had ever known, and I had been granted the same opportunity. During the Olympics, it is easy to get caught up in the sports, medals, and shows, but it is important to realize just how important the little interactions can be. While it was a short interaction, it helped bring the Olympics back into perspective to me, and for that, I share my gratitude to that father and daughter.

While watching speed skating, some classmates and I noticed a few familiar faces in the stands. It turned out to be none other than Al Roker, Hoda, and Savannah. It was crazy to see them in the upper level sitting among the regular spectators. After the 2^nd group finished, we went over to say hello to them. All three of them were very gracious and took the time to talk to us and even take a picture with us. We had seen them filming for NBC in the park, and interviewing Shaun White earlier in the week. Something cool about the Olympics is that you never know who you will be sitting next to. Many people from all over the world are sitting in the same arena, and most are happy to chat before the start of the event.

 

 

As much as I've loved my time in Korea, I'm very happy to be going home. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything, but I am exhausted. I feel so lucky to have been part of this program and to learn so much about the Olympics, organizing groups, sponsors, and so much more.

 

Before heading back to Seoul, I was able to attend the Figure Skating Exhibition Gala. This was so fun to be able to see performances by so many of the top figure skaters in the world. This event isn't scored or judged, so it was awesome to see the figure skaters have fun with their routines and be creative, since there weren't strict rules to follow. My favorites were the Canadians and Spanish (look up videos of their routines to see why!).

One of my favorite things while I've been here was to collect and trade pins with other visitors. I think I got a pretty good collection and hope to be able to add on to it at future Games.

Jessica and I spent our final day in South Korea in Seoul.  One of the sites we wanted to make sure to see was Gyeongbokgung Palace. Located on the north side of the city it was the royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty. The Palace was originally constructed in 1395, however over the years many of the buildings have suffered damages that required reconstruction. We were surprised to see how expansive of an area the palace occupied, over 100 acres. We enjoyed walking the grounds learning about the various buildings and also seeing many young Koreans dressed in Hanbok, traditional Korean clothing. We agreed that Gyeongbokgung Palace is a must see for anyone visiting Seoul.