With the Merlion, Singapore's official "mascot"

There are few experiences in my life that have moved me as much as the 6 days last week.

Last Friday marked the end of only one small part of what will be an incredible story to cherish in our collective memory and share with others both over the next 5 months and throughout the Games in August.

I have 33 new friends, each one with their own beautiful culture, sense of humour, passion and love for the Olympic values.

This week has changed me, in the way I carry myself, the way I relate to others. I have learned more from my 33 new friends in 6 days than I could ever have imagined. I am so thankful and happy that it is difficult for me to properly articulate what it means to have met them.

All I can hope is that my effort to put it into words will attest to the grandeur of the past week.

We all arrived in Singapore tired and unsure of what to expect. The jungle-like setting of NACLI on one side of Singapore was the site of all the Cultural and Education Programmes that we will be promoting to the Youth Olympians come August. This was everything from career workshops to island adventures.

With my buddy Nghi. Just like "knee!" he would exclaim

I was fortunate enough to try a handful of fruits that I had never seen or touched including jack fruit, guava and durian. I am sure that most of the YAs will agree that durian ranks somewhere between moldy sandwiches and street gum in terms of taste and texture. But hey, different strokes right?

In those first two days, one of the most valuable experiences was an informal exercise where we each explained our understanding of “culture”. Everyone can define this term, but what it really “means” is completely different. And wow. What a beautiful example of how diverse backgrounds can paint a variety of pictures, and when you line them up, nail them to the wall, all in one spot, what a breathtaking cultural mosaic this constructs.

The next big highlight was an intimate conversation with Dr. Jacques Rogge, the IOC President. The comment that echoed throughout the group was that Dr. Rogge might be one of the most influential persons in the world. He heads the Olympic movement, and worldwide, who doesn’t like the Olympics? This was a really cool experience. His vision for the Olympic movement is to promote the values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect to an earlier age group, the strong motivation for the Youth Olympic Games, (YOG). I asked him why he felt that sport was such a compelling vehicle for spreading these values. (Of course the philosophy grad. asks a question of this nature). His answer was simply, sport joins us, it allows us to play together and to grow together. Most of all, he finished with the comment, “Sport is fun”. Simple wisdom.

With IOC President Jacques Rogge

It was a hectic week. We slept very little, and spent all day in meetings, activities or on trips. What I can say is that the people of Singapore are perhaps the most energetic and excitable of any group I have ever encountered in my travels. To be truthful, at first it was overwhelming. But after 2 days, my South African friend Devon and I chose to embrace the energy, and by the final day I was honoured to have been welcomed so warmly to a city-state that will bring nothing but their best to the Youth Olympic Games.

When it is all said and done, as I sit here in my office on a rainy Vancouver Monday, I am missing my new friends from Singapore. Both the YAs and CEP Champs that welcomed us. I cannot wait to bring back our Canadian athletes, both for the athletic success they will no doubt achieve and the beautiful friendships they will hopefully create.

So long Singapore, but just for now