University of Wyoming Nordic Ski Team

Traveling is one of the most unique and educational experiences. Here however I feel like I am on one of those little cart-rides at the zoo. You have a tour guide that explains as you pass you each animal. “And here we have a Slovakian train station. You can see the ticket booths to the right and the convenience store to the left. Please proceed down the steps to wait for the next train…” There are benefits to this type of travel. It is comfortable and less stressful. In our case, we get to share the experiences with the rest of the team and feed off each persons enthusiasm. It is safe. It is also, in my opinion far less rich in terms of cultural education because we are still surround by people that share our culture. We aren’t forced to try to communicate with the person selling tickets at the station to figure out what time the train leaves and how long the ride is. There is no moment of panic and confusion when you get off the train and think, “huh where do I go now”. You don’t have to single handedly navigate the city and some how get your huge bag to a place where you can leave it safely and preferably also sleep. This is hard and sometimes not enjoyable but it brings you closer to the people on the street, the woman working at the desk in the hostel, the language.

            This is a different kind of travel. Not only is it short and organized, we have the huge purpose of racing. In this sense the trip is more about the culture of skiing then the culture of Slovakia. As we stood at the opening ceremonies I realized that I have probably never been surrounded by so many people of different nationalities. We wondered about how Russia and Ukraine were getting along but it seems like this event has the ability to bring people together. In this way I think it is representative of all sporting events.

            The reading we have been doing on global warming  and the interviews we are conducting for the class also shifts the focus of the trip. We may not be getting a direct cultural experience but the way that we are looking at the environment and the effect that this event has on the area is much more in depth. It’s interesting to see how my mind suddenly connects observations to elements of the reading and what we are leaning. For example I find myself wondering if the intense winds storm that this region experienced in 2004 or the recent pine bark beetle infestation was attributed in part to global warming. I find myself analyzing their style of housing in terms of environmental impact and comparing it to ours.