It's DEFINITELY Who You Know!

Hmm. I’m not really sure if what just happened to me actually happened. But now I think I can finally write about what I’ve been not wanting to jinx for a month!

A day or so before spring break, I got a call from my mom’s best friend/college roommate, Caron (and she told me she reads this, so hi Caron!). She knows that I’m trying to get to the USOC, and realized that she (sort of) knows somebody who she thought might be able to help. I don’t really remember the specifics of all of this, but she used to live in Atlanta, and still goes down there every year to do a run. I think it was last year that a friend of hers took her to another friend’s house (maybe? I could be totally making this up).

But ANYWAY, the guy’s house she was at is named Svein Romstad. He’s the Secretary General of the International Luge Federation (FIL). Hearing that title might not mean much to most people, but remember the Georgian luger that died on the first day of the Vancouver Olympics? Svein’s the guy that was doing all the press conferences on TV about it!



Under the circumstances, it’s kind of unfortunate that I recognize him. And even more unfortunate that it’s exciting and cause for me to be happy. But it really is, I promise!

Caron got in touch with him, and he said he’d be willing to talk to me and help me out (awesome point #1). So I emailed him, and he said if I had a name of whoever was in charge of the internships I applied for, he could try to talk to them. Or if not, he said he’d write me a recommendation letter (awesome points #2 & 3).

After returning to consciousness, I told him that I couldn’t find any names so, oh darn, I’d have to settle for a letter of recommendation.

BUMMER. (/sarcasm.)

Some time went by after that – I think there was a meeting coming up, or something like that, and he’d talk to someone for me there. A week or two ago, he emailed me that that was cancelled, but he’d be going out of town soon for an IOC meeting. And he said he’d try to talk to the director of communications for the USOC, if he was there (awesome points #4-11).

The other day, I get another email from him. He said he’d spoken to the CEO of the USOC, Scott Blackmun, about me (awesome points #12-87). Svein said he wanted a letter of recommendation sent to him, so were there any points in particular I wanted him to mention (awesome points #88-103).

After returning to consciousness, I emailed him back, saying that I WANT THIS SO BADLY (though maybe a smidgen more eloquently), and attached my resume.

This morning, I got another email from him, saying he forwarded Scott Blackmun my resume and the recommendation he wrote for me (awesome points #104-237). The letter is on the official FIL template and everything!

This afternoon, I get a call from a number that came up as “unknown” – when I had my interview with USA Swimming (which I don’t want to talk about and jinx, but I do think it was a plus that I knew the names of swimmers other than Michael Phelps), that number was “unknown” as well, so I answered.

And it was the USOC.

(Awesome points calculator explodes.)

I don’t even remember the name of the guy who was on the other end of the phone. I was just so floored by the words “United States Olympic Committee” that I might’ve blacked out for a second. But HOLY HELL, CAN YOU BLAME ME?!?!?

He said he wanted to follow up on the “correspondence,” and asked during which semester I was interested in interning. I said the summer, and he told me they’re already closed (damn). But I told him I had an interview with USA Swimming, and he sounded impressed – he looked through the database of interns that were already in the system, and nothing’s been put in for Swimming yet, so he said it still may be me!

He told me I’d get an email either way, and then… that was kind of it. The call was less than three minutes long, and after I hung up I just sat there for a second, rather dazed.

Did it really happen? This whole saga doesn’t sound like something that would happen to me! I feel so regular, and this is… not. So, so, SO NOT.

I hope the mystery man on the other end of the phone talks to the good folks over at USA Swimming and puts in a good word for me! :D

At this point, though… I’m scared to even say it. I think this really improves my chances for the future, even if I don’t get anything this summer. I have another letter of recommendation under my belt – from somebody AWESOME, again! – and can name drop! Oh, this went straight to the CEO of the USOC, no big deal.

…Really? Is this my life? Might I actually be doing things RIGHT?!