Many Olympic Teams (mostly from Europe) create hospitality houses at the Games, which are open to the public. I had the opportunity to visit several, including the Swiss House and Canada House. It was a great opportunity to meet folks and try food from another country – all without needing to leave Korea! I grabbed lunch at the Swiss house in their outdoor village and watched a competition with others on the big outdoor TV screen. I will admit, I never would have considered lounging outside in the cold until the Swiss introduced me to its many perks.
In another area of the city, I visited the Canada House, luckily on s’mores night! It was an interesting experience to partake in a familiar activity provided by different country. Perhaps this event reminded my peers and I that folks from different countries can share common cultural bonds, even if it is not apparent at first. While roasting marshmallows at Canada House, we began chatting with a few Canadians, sharing origin stories, our roles at the Olympics, and how the Games can be improved moving forward. Sugar ended up serving as a mechanism to facilitate discussion with new friends and make new memories; noted for all of life’s future challenges.
For more info about the various nation houses, check out this link:
https://medium.com/road-to-pyeongchang/olympic-hospitality-house-list-pyeongchang-ultimate-guide-to-pyeongchang-2018-cee00632a2c3
