Here’s an excerpt from an email Tori send to me months ago, soon after the competition:
I love how our interest in jump rope connects us to other parts of the world. The South African team welcomed everyone with enthusiastic hospitality. Meeting the jumpers from the hosting nation was an absolute honor! Their smiles are infectious and their generosity, refreshing. It was also very exciting to see friends from many different countries that I haven't seen since the world championship in Toronto two years ago. It is a great feeling to converse with a person who has a very different life than you.
Also, I was very impressed by the skilled jumpers from many different countries. Australia did a wonderful job and has some of the top jumpers in the sport and both South Africa and Korea have come such a long way in the past two years!
As for touring Cape Town, the area was beautiful. One of the first days we arrived I went on a tour with part of Team USA. With a guide, we were taken around the city and other places including a penguin reserve and Cape Point, the southern most point in Africa. I also went to the Spire Reserve and got to pet a cheetah!
I also was fortunate to join another group of jumpers from the states and a German jump rope team to do an Outreach Jump Rope clinic in a township outside of town. There, we performed for about 400 students, taught them how to do some jumping, and we were able to talk to them. It was very interesting to see how the kids there live. I liked being able to see their daily activities and compare it to what we are used to. It was a very rewarding. I always welcome this opportunity to meet with others and share information of our different cultures. No matter where I go in the world people are more the same then they are different.
It was a wonderful trip and almost hard to believe that I was there. The places that jump rope takes me is *Unbelievable!* I only wish my brother could have been there with me.
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2 comments:
Tori, I'm so proud of you! I have watched JUMP on TV so many times and every time you touch my heart. Just this past weekend, I was in Flat Top, WV and I actually started asking people if they knew you or if they knew what city you are from. My hopes is to meet you some day. Keep up the good work!
Tori!
I have watched JUMP every time that it has been on TV. You have touched my heart. Your strength and will to succeed will always carry you through life. Keep it up! I was just in Flat Top, WV January 29th through 31st and I was asking around for you. I would love so much to meet you in person. You are definitely a role model and I hope that my 5 grandaughters grow up to be just like you.
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