Radom, Poland
Aug 4-13, 2006
Many weather delays emphasize other vital aspects of the CONTEST, namely the comraderie! One day I was seated in the Wifi Lounge engrossed in email, only to become aware of the many languages going on around me. Reminiscent of the bar scene in Star Wars - including some of the odd creatures! We have met so many wonderful new friends from all around the globe. Donnie has made friendships and neither party speaks English. Donnie with his babbling Klingon, and his new friends, many with only Polish. :)
Looks like a family picnic! With airplanes...
Hans took Donnie off on a wander for over and hour, for which Mary Ellen was most grateful.
Donnie and five year old, Polish speaking Dominik Kowalik, young Ambassadors walked hand in hand up the line of tents, and back down in loops around. The place was large, and safe, but filled with "well meaning adults" who were mostly cautioned against feeding the boy! Tending to D5 in this environment of over stimulation was a challenge. Days back at the hotel were needed to reel him back in. The game started as "kicking the ball" back and forth until DOnnie changed the rules to MINE! Mine! Mine! Followed by "Hey! Why won't anyone play with me?" Soon it was off to a distant field to let him scream it out - well out of earshot of the pilots! The boys lungs are infamous!
Team Manager Julia crtiques Mike "Spanky" gallaway while he does the earth bound practice of his Freestyle Sequence. As much as we chide and joke about him, Spanky did himself proud scoring a 76% in the "Free". DOnnie has learned to say "Spanky Cooties" as we kid the not so young lad about his quest for females and "Peh, peh, peh" in reference to cigerettes and that pinch between the cheek and gum. Yuk!
The USA team has knit itself into a tight and supportive group. No prima donnas. All cheering and routing for the best from each and all! Then, we all slam the French...
What a super group of people. We have enjoyed the comraderie of new friends from Poland, Germany, South Africa, Ukraine, Ireland, Australia, Spain, Great Britain... I now I'm leaving some out! It's been a spectacular (and exhausting) experience.
A "sitter", young Brian Johnson fromww Nashville was contracted the watch the room after DOnnie was asleep last night. Don3 took M.E. out with the "grown ups" to a dance club. And we sweat amongst the 20 somethings with our mates in tow. A much appreciated break from kid duty.
LOTS of weather delays, low clouds "in the box" and the occassional downpour made for a contest more about waiting than flying. SO it goes. But none of us would trade the experience!