Olympic Mania

When I was a little girl, I dreamed of becoming a professional figure skater. They just looked so graceful gliding along on the ice. This was perhaps the only sport that I really took seriously as a young girl. But now, as a somewhat experienced international traveler, I have come to appreciate the Olympics on a whole new level. It is quite neat, in my opinion, when one is able to watch the Olympics and identify a personal acquaintance from each country represented in a certain event. Such was the case a couple of nights ago as Nicole, Olivia, Lucia and I went to the exercise room to get a little exercise and watch the men's downhill skiing. From an outside view, it must have been quite humorous to see four girls crowded around a little TV (watching EuroSport, of all things) watching intently as a couple of Austrian guys appeared to converse lightly, not seeming to take the sports too seriously. I must admit that it took me by surprise that Euro Sport would be in English, but who knows these days. As soon as I saw stars and stripes down the arms of a skier, I knew that it was the US's turn. Not only was it Bode Miller who stood at the top of the hill, but he was sporting my lucky number 8. Bode managed to hold the gold place for a brief while, only be be pushed out of the way by the Swiss. The Canadians were struggling quite a bit, which I was sure to point out to Olivia. (Need I mention that the US defeated Canada in the hockey?) There happened to be a skier from Spain as well...what are the chances of that? Just for Lucia. Then, of course, all of the Swedish, Norwegian, and Austrian competitors hold a little more significance in my mind. I must admit that I am a little envious of the Canadian students from last semester who are lucky enough to witness the events up close and personal. I have decided that it is one of my life goals to make it to an Olympics games one of these days, one of these years, somewhere, somehow.