The Pyeongchang Winter Olympics 2018 - well, actually, any Olympics really(!) - should give inspiration to anyone considering sharing a property, particularly with relative strangers.
Why? Well, there's the small matter of the Olympic Villages, where, for this Winter Olympics, some 2,952 athletes from all over the world have taken up temporary residence to compete in 102 events over the next two weeks.
Some, such as the UK's Lizzy Yarnold, have used their time sharing to harness their focus to achieve truly great things - in Lizzy's case, back-to-back gold medals for the 2nd Olympics in a row. And if the Skeleton event doesn't scare you, you must be made of rock...
Where are the 2018 Olympic Villages exactly?
One is in the mountainous Pyeongchang region comprising eight 15-story high-rises for the athletes competing in snow events, plus coaches and team officials.
The second is in the nearby beach resort town of Gangneung for arena athletes, such as hockey players and ice skaters, and coaches and team officials. Gangneung is also home to the Media Village for the numerous journalists in town!
What's it like to share in an Olympic Village?
In sum, the experience must be a mix of contrasts. No-one could doubt the services thrown in - ranging from restaurants with a variety of world cuisine, 24-hour gyms (of course) and houses of worship to post offices, air hockey and video games and a relaxation room - but there's definitely a 'cosy' aspect to it all too.
The actual bedrooms contain just basic furnishings and, curiously the vast majority of athletes share rooms with other team mates! Usain Bolt, when he was competing in Rio, got his own room, but he was very much the exception. Additionally, without elaborating further, it's an open secret that many athletes choose to share with new people for other types of rendezvous...(!)
Sharing photos with the ever-present photobomber...!
One character which always gets to share at any Olympics, photos at least, is the mascot. This time he's called Soohorang. Described in one media report as "[The] alarmingly adorable, plush-toy-friendly mascot of the Pyeongchang Games".
Soohorange was apparently modelled after the white tiger, Korea's guardian animal, and the word "Sooho" means "protection".
We're not all destined to perform in a huge event like the Olympics, but it's hard to disagree that at their best, they're a beacon for what can happen when people cooperate. Truly a top athlete is only as good as the considerable team and infrastructure behind them. And sharing your energy, whether in sport or just in sharing a home, can lead to wonderful things. Start your journey towards home ownership: join Share a Mortgage for free, today!
