My First and Definitely Not My Last SFL International

Should I go or not go to Ski for Light? I wondered as the week drew nearer and nearer. It wasn't because I thought I wouldn't have a good time or that I was nervous. It was more that I had just started a brand- new job after graduating from college in June, and I knew that, if I took the week off work to go to SFL, I wouldn't be able to take off two weeks in July to be staff for an organization that I love; however, in the end, I thought, "what the heck." I had received a generous amount of financial assistance, I hadn't gotten to go to ski week last year because of COVID, and I was ready for a brand new adventure. Plus, my good friend, Nancy Stevens, has attended for many years, and I have heard how fun and inclusive the event is. I figured I was ready to take the chance.

Right from the beginning, I felt very welcomed and at home. There were so many very nice and helpful people from the Sons of Norway to accompany us to the shuttle waiting area and to assist us in getting to the restroom. It was the same once we got to Snow Mountain Ranch. Everybody was so helpful with getting my luggage and me to my room.

Nancy had texted that she had someone to introduce me to: That someone turned out to be my roommate, which was really funny. That was great because she was another skier around my same age, and we ended up really hitting it off. We are definitely good friends now.

Another funny thing that happened that night was that I met and got to know my guide, Susan, before dinner: We actually ended up sitting at the same table for the meal that night, which I thought was such a funny coincidence when they announced that we'd been paired as a team for the upcoming week on the snow.

The skiing was great! We had awesome weather and snow conditions. Plus we could ski from where we were staying, which was a great treat for me, as I don't get the chance to do that often. Susan and I hit the ground running. After getting my skis from the Nordic Center, we went to the skills sessions to brush up on some technique, as it was only my fourth time on skis. Once we got some good tips from Betsy, we hit and completed the 5 K trail. It wasn't long before we were doing the 10 K. I felt like I had a good grasp of the diagonal stride, but I was having some trouble doing the hills. I had an impromptu session with Nancy and after that, we were off to practice hills. What I really appreciated about Susan was that she was up for anything I wanted to do or practice. We had a lot of laughs and great in-depth conversations. Thank you so much, Susan, for being my guide!

In addition to the skiing, the off snow activities were also great. Nancy was doing a presentation, so I thought it would be good for me to go and support her. I knew some about her Switzerland bike ride from conversations we had had over the phone, but it was really cool to hear a really in depth presentation about it. I also enjoyed the singing circles. Nancy was leading the one on the second night, and I didn't want to miss that. I have heard her sing and play before and she is amazing. I am not a singer, myself, as I don't know a lot of the words to songs, but it was fun to just go and listen and sing when I could. On Thursday evening, I came out into the lobby and heard music playing. I decided that I would go and sit and listen for a while. Before long, it turned into a real jam session. I loved listening to Sarah Tyriver playing the fiddle. It was really cool, too, because we turned cups with beads inside them into percussion instruments. It was a lot of fun and I am glad that I went and stayed. I almost wanted to not go to dinner? but food was important, too!

At the end of the week, I came away with a couple of wins I had not expected going into the event. First, Susan and I took the prize in the Poker Run, which I thought was a fun and different event. It was a treat to win a nice CD and pair of socks. Second, I received the Jan Haug Award for just being my authentic self? and really enthusiastic about cross-country skiing. I want to thank Ski for Light from the bottom of my heart for this award? and for a brand new pair of skis. I am truly humbled and proud to have won this honor, and I also thank all of those who had a part in nominating me for the award. I will get good use out of the new skis, poles, and boots for sure.

I had such an uplifting experience, and I will definitely be back next year! Until then, I wish all my new friends a good year ahead!