Why did I start blogging?
An indispensable condition for the development of a person is going beyond the comfort zone. Despite having a successful career in my home country – Russia – with a high stable salary, the best social package in the country, a corporate car, business class flights and other privileges, they still could not distract me from searching for something more.
Moving with my family to another country – Andorra – was a big challenge. I was 36 years old. The idea of creating our own media station, away from political complications, with the possibility of independently deciding what, how and when to write, was the dream of a professional journalist who graduated from one of the most prestigious universities of Russia: Moscow State University.
One of the great advantages of living in Andorra is the ability to practice outdoor sports all year round. From this, in fact, it all began. I cannot say that before I was indifferent to sport; I had a membership card in a fitness club, in the summer I loved riding a bike … But in Andorra, the sports lifestyle had a big impact on me. And by sports, I mean mountain sports. It was in Andorra where I started skiing and then practicing ski mountaineering (I’m still a beginner, but I’m looking forward to winter to keep practicing). It was in Andorra where I tried mountain biking and road cycling too. All this happened thanks to new friends and colleagues whom I met here. I started to attend sports events more often as a journalist and photographer, and gradually began to participate in them by myself.
My camera was, and remains my integral companion: I created photo reports about the most important sporting events that took place in Andorra and around: the Tour de France and Vuelta stages, the World Mountain Bike Championship, The Ski Mountaineering Championship, cycling and auto racing championships and many others local events.
It was becoming more interesting from a professional point of view.
Journalism allows you to ask questions and get answers. And the journalist them chooses the interlocutor. I love my job for that! Since the start, I managed to communicate with some of the best athletes in the world and people involved in organizing sports events. For example: Freeride World Tour CEO Nicolas Hale-Woods; one of the strongest athletes in the world in mountain climbing Laetitia Roux; the first Catalan who reached summit of Everest Conrad Blanch; the first woman in the world who conquered Everest from both sides Cathy O’Dowd; former captain of the Russian team of cyclists who brought a lot of big wins, Joaquim Purito Rodiguez; the French car and motorcycle racer Cyril Despres; the world’s only professional rally-racer with disabilities, rising to the podium of the winners, Albert Llovera; winner of the world downhill skiing championship Bastien Montes; Vuelta organizer Kiko Garcia, French skier, world champion in alpine skiing in 1997 Luc Alphand; and many more … All these interviews are published on all-andorra.com.
Each of my interlocutors opened up a new world for me – a world of boundless possibilities; a world of emotions from happiness to bitter disappointment; a world of faith in yourself.
My life changed. I began to think differently.
This year, for the first time, all-andorra.com started media cooperation with the organizers of sports events. I took pictures, collected material and did reports. In the heat and cold. In the rain and hail (in the mountains in the summer it is quite common). And it was good to see our logo on the podiums.
The desire to connect my future professional career with the sport’s world grew day by day. My new goal went beyond sports journalism. This year I started studying at STAPS, the University of Sports in France, which focuses on the study and practice of mountain sports. Here are the names of the most famous athletes who studied at STAPS: Kilian Jornet, Marc Pinsach, Jean Margaret (Solomon runner), Oriol Cardona, Nil Cardona, Fanny Babou, Lara Grangeon, Aristide Begue (biathlon)…
I chose the faculty of “Sports Management” because it will give me all the necessary knowledge in the field of preparation and hosting of sporting events and “after parties” for people with inexhaustible energy and great potential, regardless of age, gender, social and financial situation.
I will also study the methods of sports psychology and dieting aiming to seek answers to questions of internal and external motivation. Here are the topics I plan to cover:
1. The human form and its relation to modern sports 2018-2019
2. Sport psychology
3. Creation of companies and firms affiliated with sports
4. Sports Communication
5. Sports in the mountains: safety, technology and specialization (cycling, rock climbing, skiing, mountaineering, hiking, canyoning, diving)
6. Sports marketing
7. Sport and society
8. Sport and Law
9. Financing of sports events
10. Sports: modern technology and research
11. How to make a successful sports project
12. Sport: multilanguage
13. Sport and nature
14. Diet
I will receive information from primary sources – from university professors, athletes and professionals who know their subject not only in theory but also in practice. And I will be happy to share my knowledge with you – with those who love sports and want to be strong – physically and morally.
All texts, as always, will be available in three languages: French, English and Russian.
Here is my profile on SN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andorra/
Here we go 🙂
See the full blog here
