THIS YEAR, WE’RE ATTENDING THE OLYMPICS!

As you read this, there’s a good chance I’m in South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics! You may remember that my eldest daughter, Shelley, is a schoolteacher for the Department of Defense. She’s been teaching third grade on a base in Seoul, South Korea for some time, and it just so happens South Korea is hosting the XXIII Olympic Winter Games.

My daughter scored tickets to a speed skating event, ice dancing, and the women’s figure skating finales. My wife is a huge fan of ice skating, so that last one was a must-have. Shelley also got tickets for the U.S. vs. Russia hockey game two days before it was announced that Russia would be barred from competing. Don’t worry, she got a refund. Once Shelley had the tickets, I booked our flight to South Korea. The whole trip was my wife’s Christmas gift, and when I surprised her on Christmas Day, she couldn’t have been more excited.

Our family loves the Olympics, and especially the Winter Olympics. Watching gives you a reason to sit in front of the TV and not feel guilty about it. Plus, there’s a certain sense of patriotism. It’s incredible to see athletes from across the globe come together to compete, but there’s no denying it’s fun to see our red, white, and blue colors at the top of the podium.

A lot of broadcasts will share an athlete’s personal story and show the challenges they’ve overcome. You start to feel like you know them in a way and you want to see them win even more. It’s exciting to watch an athlete compete when you know all the struggles they’ve faced and how far they have come. Sometimes they don’t win — they might not even place — but no one can say they failed. They made it to the Olympics! That incredible feat alone is worth being proud of.

Getting to sit in the stadium during the Olympics will be awesome, and I’m excited I get to visit South Korea again to spend time with my daughter. I had a lot of fun when we visited last spring. Apart from the crazy neighbor to the north, the trip was nothing but good times. Getting to know the culture, history, and people of South Korea was a great experience. Shelley is planning on being transferred to Germany or some other European country soon, so I never thought I would go back. When I realized the Winter Olympics were in PyeongChang, just two hours away from Seoul, I knew I couldn’t let this opportunity pass us by.

For years, we have watched televised broadcasts of the Olympics, and like most people, my wife and I have talked about how fun it would be to attend in person. Who thinks they will actually have the opportunity to go? We’re so excited to be there to cheer for the incredible athletes. Our seats in the arena are pretty great, too. If you happen to catch the women’s figure skating finales on TV, keep an eye out for me in the audience.

I will be the one “decked out” in the USA bling!

P.S. Go, Team U.S.A.!