Guides of the week (last week)

Good afternoon blog-readers!

Last week we named two people from our group, Esten and Forrest, Guide of the Week. Here comes a delayed post dedicated to them. From now on we plan to have a weekly post announcing the guide(s) of the week, including a video or written statement from them. We have thought about putting a suggestion box in the lunch room, so that fellow guides/staff can give us tips on guides that they feel have stood out, as well as advice or other input to this blog. What do you think about that?

Anyway, here is introducing the guides!

FORREST KONG

This guide of the week has been a true inspiration to his peers. Born, raised and working as a school teacher in Ningxia, Western China, he is not the average guide in our group. During our training period, Forrest held a moving powerpoint presentation to all of us, showing how he by chance got to know some Norwegians through his school in Ningxia, and thereby has contributed a lot of time and energy to his friendships and Sino-Norwegian relations. Forrest´s unique dedication to Norway and Norwegians has really enhanced everyones motivation to be proud of- and promote Norway to our visitors. Forrest is also a really hard-working guy, who happily shows up to work voluntarily on his days off(!!). In short, his overall enthusiasm is a true source of inspiration for all of us.

ESTEN ALEKSANDER EDNA

This guy is full of energy, and always has a big smile on his face. His signature yell "Juhuu yes azz" is a popular "energizer" among us guides. We feel that his bright spirit is immensely contagious and really contributes to the atmosphere of the group.

He is also an excellent hugger, he has even managed to make most of the Chinese guides addicted to his hugs (Generally speaking, Chinese are not as accustomed to close body contact as us Norwegians). And if that wasn´t enough, we have recently discovered that he is also an amazing cook! This guy, together with assistant Dixie, spent his whole day off work cooking dinner and baking, and invited all the guides over to his apartment for a soirée of excellent food and a showing of ultimate romantic chick-flick "The Notebook"! This happened after last week´s "Guide of the Week" prize, so we can´t say that he is totally out of the running this week either. Most of the girls have recently attempted to propose to him, but with little luck:/

Esten´s statement:

First of all I want to say it's a great honour for me to receive this price and I'm very happy about it. I feel that we the guides, are are a very interesting gang with a wide variety of backgrounds, culture and unique skills. It's as we're turning into this big family in which everyone are looking out for each other and where words as commitment, positivity and caring set out as core values. When I look at our team, all I see is inspired friends ready to do their best for Norway. So I know that anyone of us can be the guide of the week.

My hope for the Expo is that we will cooperate and find a common team spirit, which will turn out to be the STRONGEST of all the pavillions at the Expo. A spirit that each and everyone of us constantly are willing to fight for. My belief is that you can build the biggest, most advanced, most innovative or the most outstanding pavillion. But again that is only a building. What people will remember, is in what way the pavillion is presented to them, and the people they interact with in doing so. In that simple way I think we can obtain the biggest success of all, the success of human relations. When expo is over, That is what I really think people will remember. The success is easily within our reach. It's just up to all of us. Thank you!!!

Juhuu! Yes Azz!

That´s it for today! I will try to post some of my first expo experiences soon, am currently enjoying a few days away from the limelight.

On behalf of the two Ts,

Tori