Nicole's Olympic Odyssey Reflection

I had only been to Europe once. I visited Spain after my Junior Year of High School. I had never taken a class about the Olympics, nonetheless the class connected to this trip. I entered this trip unsure if I had even been approved to be a Sport Management minor. (Don't worry I found out while in Switzerland that I got approved!) I was going to visit new parts of Europe, to learn new things, and to understand one of my favorite parts of sport better. I definitely achieved this.

I made friends on this trip I will never forget. Shoutout to Staci, Candace, and Lia, my roommates who put up with me and my drama throughout this trip. Shoutout to Jack for being my partner in crime throughout the whole trip. Shoutout to the group as a whole for all the inside jokes and amazing memories I will cherish forever.

My favorite aspect that defines this trip is we delved into the Olympics across time:

• London represented the present. We saw stadiums used just 5 years ago and began to understand the importance of legacy. Charlie, our speaker at the Faraday House, also explained the larger-picture implications of the games on the poorer areas around the stadiums. This made the games feel more real and more important than just their enjoyment of sports. 
• France represented the future. Meeting with the Paris bidding committee was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Their athlete-centered approach with an awesome logo and a 50/50 gender work environment felt so modern and refreshing. I was able to understand from a marketing perspective what they focus on when bidding including local sponsors and the importance of garnering support from the city. I can agree with the statement we all walked out of that experience rooting for Paris to win the bid.
• Greece represented the past. With so much rich history related to the Ancient Games and even the Marble Stadium and the 2004 Olympic Park, there was so much to take in. For the more recent games, the stadiums clearly showed their age based on the economic crash. This also showed the different ideals the IOC was focused on before sustainability was a big push. We also learned that you can find remnants of Ancient Athens anywhere in the city.

Switzerland has its own importance as the heart of the Olympics as a whole. Without Lausanne and the IOC, there would be no Olympics in the first place. I learned so much on this trip, I don't know how my brain will remember it all. I had some good food, stayed in some interesting hotels, and can't wait to share my knowledge and memories with others in the future.