Hello, my name is Tilly and I am a kayaker.
Some of you may know me as a keener; others might know me as a member of the crew club, in Cornwall. Or of the Canadian team. Some of you might have met me at a few competitions, or on the Ottawa. Some of you might just know me as Tilly, or you don’t know me at all! If that is the case, let me present myself: I am Tilly Martin, 16 years of age, and I have been paddling for 3 years now, although it wasn’t till last year that I’ve really become passionate about it. My favorite color is red, but I also like yellow. I like shrimps and my favorite kind of pizza is Hawaiian. I practice karate since I was 5, and it is a truly a sport I enjoy. I am now a black belt. I am also now in Norway, for 1 year, as an exchange student
Having this new adventure waiting for me across the ocean really got me thinking: “What crazy trip did I just embark myself on?” a whole new, scary, big, exiting, unknown, amazing adventure. But as I stepped on the plane, I couldn’t help but to forget about the anxiety all over my body and only feel the good butterflies flying around in my stomach. I was going to be completely independent for the first time; in a whole new country, with a new language, new people, new home, new friends, new school. And as much as I was afraid stepping on that plane, as much as I was wondering why I was doing this, why I always needed to be crazy, I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time. Imagine this lifetime opportunity! I was able to grab it, and follow it to this experience that is going to be unforgettable. I am lucky, fortunate and grateful.
As I stepped of that plane in Oslo, and the whoosh of cold air, mixed with the scent of the sea brushed across my face, I realized I was also ready. And I know it will be hard, I know I will have days where I will hate Norway and all the Norwegians on the planet. I know I will cry that I will miss home. And I know I have to be aware that I cannot always plan for me to feel this way on a certain day, in a certain place. I can’t expect that a new challenge will rise up that I didn’t see coming. I can’t expect that; but I can be ready for it.
Because being ready for any kind of challenge, even on the river, is really important. In the case of kayaking, the key is to paddling efficiently and with confidence. During this summer, I ran a rapid called “ST Chute, at Garvin’s Rapids, on the Ottawa River. I have run this rapid a few times before, and every time I was able to paddle it well. This run, the water level dropped just a couple inches, just enough for the current to have a stronger pull on the right side of the rapid. I didn’t push myself hard enough left, and ended up in the right hole of ST Chute. (For any of you who haven’t seen it, or have been in it; you do NOT want to end up in there.) Needless to say I got beat up for quite some time, having no idea at all where I was, and where I stood in the hole; it was just a big white blur of chaos. Unable to breath, I pulled my skirt only to be pulled down. I don’t remember much, only to see everything was black. So I suppose I was fairly deep. I knew the current pushed 2 ways; to the left and to the right, as a big undercut island was below. I also knew that the undercut was on the right. What I didn’t know was what way to swim to avoid the undercut, as I didn’t even know which was up or down. I stayed curled up in a ball, avoiding injuries and allowing the current to push me out of the hole. Strangely, I wasn’t even thinking about the lack of air. It only occur to me that I haven’t breathed at all until I resurfaced; but still, panicking and gasping for air wouldn’t have been the best idea at that moment. I still dint know if I was close to the undercut. Once my head pooped up and I figured out where I was and where I was heading too, I realized that I was heading right for the island. As I hit it, I hugged the closest rock and pulled most of my body out of the current. I couldn’t let go, and I was only hoping for someone to come and get me, trying to control my breathing. It wasn’t long until my coach, Stephen Wright, and my keener friends came to help me. It was only until I was in the safe eddy, away from the current and the island, with my friends, that I allowed myself to break down and cry.
Because it is so important to keep yourself focused and controlled in the moment. If not, you can do one wrong move, and it can cost you dearly. You have to be able to think clearly and know what you need to do.
Karate has thought me this skill very well. By doing it for 11 years, I know that the control of my mind is just as important as the control of your body; when you punch, or kick, or when you throw a move on the wave, or when you boof a jump.
And that’s how I can be ready for whatever unexpected challenge ahead. Know what you need to do, and only focus on that. Cooking a Canadian meal for your host family, for example; it would look really bad to start crying in front of them because you don’t know what a typical Canadian meal is. Relax. Breathe. Focus.
I will be continuing kayaking and martial arts during my stay in Norway. Kayaking because it is my passion. Karate because it is my most important and valuable tool that, not only helps me in my kayak, but also in my everyday life, and now, more than ever, in the toughest challenge yet; Norway.
There are a number of exercise that don’t require going to a gym or getting a special trainer for to make yourself ready, concentrated and more aware of your surroundings. Like, for example yoga and meditation.
Live. Try. Focus. Breathe. Be ready.
I am ready. Ready to take on whatever challenge would be next; a new language, a new school, new food, new friends. I am ready.
I wasn’t waiting to go to Norway; Norway was waiting for ME to arrive. Haha, just kidding.
Cheers ,
Tilly
ps: I wasn’t able to upload all the pictures I wanted, so the pictures can be found at http://www.dropshots.com/crew#albums/Til…
Have a good one!
