When I learned I was going to South Korea with a press credential to photograph the 2018 Winter Olympics, I exclaimed to my good friend, "can you believe it?" He replied, "actually I can, you were only born with a horseshoe up your a$$!" Ha! When I think about some of the things that I've been fortunate enough to experience in my life, I have to admit, his comment gave me pause, then a slight nod of agreement.
I should back up a bit before I go any further. My brother-in-law is a professional sports photographer. He's been going to the Olympics for at least the past forty years. About three weeks before the beginning of the games, he called me and explained that his colleague had a family issue and couldn't make it to South Korea He wanted to know if I could go in his place...are you kidding me? DUH!!! But, my passport had less than the requisite six months of validity remaining and a federal government shut-down meant I couldn’t renew it. Luckily, the shutdown only lasted a day (just as in sports, sometimes the threshold between personal triumph and tragedy is pretty narrow) and I got my passport narrowly in time to travel to Pyeongchang.
Attending the Olympics was simply one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Having a press credential gave me unbelievable access as well as treatment. Watching world-class athletes in-person, up close, simply lifts the spirit. It's hard to believe what some people can do with their bodies and I admire their skill, dedication and perseverance. Also, there were thousands of volunteers and their enthusiasm, dedication and willingness to proudly represent their country was inspiring. I often walked around the Media Village at odd hours and there were always volunteers dutifully standing at their assigned positions, despite the terrible midnight cold and windy conditions. And, needless to say, I loved being around other members of the media. Their dedication and enthusiasm at all hours of the day and night was also inspiring and I had a lot of interesting conversations with journalists from all over the world.
Speaking of journalists, I have to say, a couple of times, I had a good chuckle at my situation. I took more than 2000 photos and I didn't want to leave the task of editing them all when I got home. So, I frequently went to one of the media centers in between sports events. Upon entering the room, I found a spot and plopped my gear down, trying to look concerned and slightly worried. Other journalists gave me a sympathetic gaze, "ah, yes, another poor comrade struggling to meet a deadline." Ha! Out of sympathy, I imposed deadlines on myself to load fresh content for my friends on Facebook! Pathetic?
On my last evening, on my way to an Incheon Airport hotel, I spontaneously got off the train in Seoul. As the train pulled into the city, I wasn't certain where we were. I tried talking to two young South Korean men but I needed quick answers, before the train departed the station. As we struggled to communicate, a Korean American woman visiting from Boston, came to my rescue. Once off the train, she helped me figure out where to store my luggage and how to navigate the city. She told me which neighborhood I should go visit with the limited amount of time that I had before I had to get back on the train to the airport. I was very grateful for her kindness. Regarding Seoul, what a vibrant city! As Arnold said, "I'll be back." Thank you to all the South Koreans I came across. You represented your country amazingly well during the 2018 Winter Olympics, thank you!
