Mexico City’s Mayor
I awken from the daily daydream, and am in one of those moments where every second is as shockingly alive as possible.
I am back in Mexico, on the stage at a press conference for the closing ceremony of the Pista Del Helio (I think my powerslide last time I was here got me invited back).
The mayor of Mexico city, Marcelo Ebrard, sits down next to me, and a phalanx of cameras start chittering like a swarm of pixel devouring insects.
How did this my life place me here? What???
I’m invited to be one of about 8 people to say a few words, including Eric Kraan, a figure skater from Russia, the Mexican National Figure skating champion, and the Mexican hockey player who won the Red Bull crashed ice qualifying round.
All of us speak, then the Mayor takes his turn addressing the crowd. I don’t understand Spanish, so I watch his body language. This guy is smooth, engaging. I’ve seen a couple of top politicians up close, this guy is a true pro.
As he returns to the line, I ask him, “You spend much of your life in front of cameras, in events like this, do you get less nervous than you used to?”.
He replies:
Yes, it has gotten better over time, but the problem is, those cameras keep chasing me.
We looked back out towards the swarm of hungry lenses, and the open mouths of TV cameras & newspaper reporters scribbling furiously in notebooks.
Eric Kraan leans over to me and says, “hey Andrew, I just wanted to let you know, the translator introduced you as an Olympian.” Eric winks & says “congratulations!”
Oh… my… god….
Filed under: from the coffee shop
Andrew,
The journey that comes with our great sport is indeed a colorful, joyous one.
Enjoy my friend
Dang! look at you up there with the big dons, I mean dogs!! Looks like you had another great time! oh and did you get some beautiful spanish girl’s numbers?… just wondering, cuz it looks like there were a few…. haha see you mon!
Wow there you and Eric are standing for a photo next to the Mayor of Mexico City not on the back row or the end of the front row NEXT TO. I am pretty sure no Olympic skater can say that! Congratulations!
Hello! Now, you got my email!
keep in touch!
Was nice hanging out!
just for the info of blog readers, the person who just commented is the person on the other side of the mayor from me, Ana is Mexico’s top female figure skater, and skated well at the world championships last year.
also, she is really an awesome person, Jess & I spent some time with her.
That’s an amazing experience, and outside of your small group, nooobody has had the same! Congratulations on earning the invitation and having a great time with it!