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For the past month I have been fortunate enough to participate in one of the greatest events in sports the world has to offer and I will never forget my time at the 2018 Pyeongchang games!

I applied to be a volunteer at the games while watching the 2016 Summer games in Rio back home, and thinking, “It’s a long shot, but it doesn’t hurt to apply.” The volunteers make up the majority of the workforce by providing good service at the arenas, the bus stops, the information centers, the ticket booths, the parking lots, and even the laundry rooms! Those workers you constantly saw on TV wearing the red and grey winter jackets, those were the volunteers. It’s a massive and diverse group of people from all corners of the world who are willing to serve not for money, but simply for the experience. I’m very proud to have worked alongside them and made so many new friends from around the globe!

My job was working in broadcasting at the Gangneung Curling Centre, where we held all Curling events: Mixed Doubles, Men’s Curling, and Women’s Curling. I was completely unfamiliar with the sport of curling before coming here, I even took a one-day class at a local curling club just to learn the basics of the game. It requires a lot of physical flexibility, accuracy, and most importantly a chess-like mind for strategy, thinking 3 steps ahead of your opponent. And after watching the best athletes in the world every day for 3 weeks, I’ve fallen in love with curling! Why is it I see professional arm wrestling on TV all the time but I only see curling every 4 years?! It’s really a fantastic sport for people of all ages and athletic abilities that only requires a will to learn and a little sportsmanship. And in the end, I got to see the USA Men’s Team make a huge comeback to win the gold! Go Team USA!

Although now I can look back and be proud of what I’ve done here, the year and a half leading up to this winter was filled with worries, questions and doubts as to whether going was the right decision. There were so many times when I thought it wouldn’t be worth it, that I would be uncomfortable, lonely, I wouldn’t know the language, and I’d be miserable. On more than one occasion I had seriously considered dropping out of the program. But to quote a favorite comedian of mine, Kumail Nanjiani, “Being a fish out of water is tough, but that’s how you evolve.” Many of my excuses were valid ones. It would be uncomfortable, it would be lonely, I wouldn’t know the language, but I also knew that even if everything goes wrong, this experience would undoubtedly challenge me to be a more hardworking and humble person.

From the moment I arrived in South Korea, I was a fish out of water. My fears of being uncomfortable in many ways were correct and the start of my trip was far from easy. But it wasn’t until I accepted my situation that I began to adapt! What was uncomfortable becomes comfortable and what was difficult becomes easier. You are forced to find patience in unfamiliar situations, and that patience is what sticks with you long after you are finished. Being adaptable is a skill in itself. It’s a practice I’ve tried to make routine, a practice of refusing to make excuses and trusting that God will make it work for my good. It often means dealing with issues and overcoming fears, but I will become a more patient, humble, and happy person in the end.

My journey to Pyeongchang was a risky one, but I’ve gained invaluable experiences and life lessons that will stay with me for years, and I plan on continuing to take risks like this for the rest of my life! Thank you to the staff, to the hardworking volunteers, and to the lovely and welcoming people of South Korea!

 -Ryan Roe