Day 32 [7 Days To Go] - Green Nightlife

Hey Everyone!

Overnight, Laura and I went onto the Olympic Green to get some snapshots of the area at night. It was pretty spooky because there was hardly anyone on the subway and the Green was pretty much empty...but we got some wonderful shots! Below is some of the stuff I shot!

Ted

Day 31 [8 Days to Go] - Box to Go

Hey Everyone!

I was waiting for a 'lost in translation moment'. I had been waiting for one talking with local Chinese and keeping my eyes pealed for poorly translated signs. Tonight, we went to a dumpling restaurant along subway line 10. It was a hike to get there, but a friend had been earlier and said it was really good. The menu had every dumpling you could imagine, and you could get them dyed different colors if you wanted to as well. At 1 yuan a piece, we went dumpling crazy and ordered 60! Unfortunately, the server only brought out 42 dumplings - but it was plenty for dinner.

My friend Aja was hoping to take two batches back to a friend at Renmin so we got the menu out again and told the server. We added the important phrase: "Box to go". She didn't understand. We kept repeating the phrase: "Box to go"- this time using hand motions depicting an imaginary box. She seemed to understand and we went about finishing our dinner.

The extra dumplings arrived...on a plate. We all sighed and I told the lady again, "Can we have a box to go?" She seemed to be saying it was on its way, so we waited. It was 10 minutes before I got up and grabbed a box from the stack I had seen across the room. We piled the dumplings into the box and got up to leave. The server seemed alarmed and we immediately thought maybe we had to pay for the box (you have to pay for bags at the grocery store). We handed her money, but she didn't accept it. She made us sit, but we weren't sure why were being held against our will. She pulled out a menu, turned it to the back page and pointed to something in Chinese. We all immediately thought we had ordered something by accident, but we had already paid and everything was accounted for. The server then cleared the table and placed a single dish in the middle. It looked like squares of...something drenched in syrup.

"Ba-su-doo-go" she said. It took a second, but soon we realized the grave communication error that had just taken place. We laughed so hard people at other tables started looking at us. The server must have realized what was going on because she was smiling too and a group of them had shown up to watch. The English phrase "Box to Go" sounds a lot like the fried potato with sugar dessert titled "Ba-su-doo-go". We couldn't stop laughing as we left and it was the funniest thing that's happened in China since I arrived.

There's something to be said about going out and truly experiencing the trials and tribulations of an authentic restaurant where no one knows English. This was one of those times.

Ted

Box to go vs. "Basudoogoo"

Day 30 [9 Days To Go] - Food for Thought

Hey Everyone!

Back to work today! We opted out of taking the new line 8 to the Olympic Green because people said it was more of a headache than a convenience. Security at the Olympic Green was on HIGH alert today! We scanned our credentials into a terminal that had a camera attached to it. Our bags went through medal detectors and we were frisked. Everyone was very nice about the whole experience! To get into the NIS, there was another set of security measures we had to go through. As a helicopter circled overhead, I realized how tight security has become. The grounds have changed, too. There's a mores sense of urgency and professionalism. It's been really neat to see how the city and venues have started coming together. Every day there is something small added - an Olympic poster here, a new podium there. I just saw an article on CNN about how the Chinese are trying to curb pollution by implementing more restrictions on traffic and power plants. The past few days the pollution hasn't been too bad. It's actually been cool outside! I did notice the week before that I had a constant sore throat - maybe from particulates in the air? The rain really helps to keep the skies clear and I hope we get a good wash right before the Opening Ceremonies!

I spent the day at work looking up research for the male gymnasts. I will be working for most of the male competitions and compiled a database of all the athletes from the different countries. It took awhile, but I think it will help in the long run.

I thought it would be fun to show you how we are eating at the NIS...not your normal food court. Also included is a panorama of the Olympic Green Common Domain a week before the Games. You can see the Today Show set is really making progress and they already have the jib (crane) assembled. The stereo system has been running on the grounds and you can hear the famous "We Are Ready" song playing. More people have arrived on the Green and many are taking this "calm before the storm" as an opportunity to take pictures with the Bird's Nest and other venues. Can't wait until the Olympic spirit fills the grounds!

Ted

Day 29 [9 Days To Go] - The Saddle Cantina

Hey Everyone!

I spent the day catching up with more odds and ends. Today was my second day off. I met a Chinese friend for lunch today and we ate at a new restaurant right near our hotel. There's always new and exciting places to eat!

In the evening, all of the gymnastics ONS volunteers traveled by subway to The Saddle Cantina, a Mexican restaurant across town. The small, two-story restaurant looked like hacienda in Mexico. Strings of white lights strung across the outdoor porch and Mexican music played to add to the ambiance. It was a nice change from the bustling streets of Beijing. Sally, our international manager, invited us out to the restaurant for drinks: first round on ONS! It was a lot of fun to hang out with everyone outside of work. I got to talk with all the managers and the Chinese students who have been helping us at NIS.

Here's a picture of me, Sarah and Sally!

Didn't party too much cause I have to go to work!

Ted

First for the first time

I am going to take a break from the Beijing talk for just a minute to tell of something that happened today that has never happened before. First I must tell the backstory. Twenty two years ago today my grandfather's only daughter gave him the birthday gift of a lifetime. On July 30, 1986 at the age of 55, my grandpa welcomed twins grandsons into the world.

For 21 years I have had to listen to my older brother (all five minutes older) brag on how he was older than me. This year however, for the first time ever I celebrated my birthday before him. Thanks to the help of being 13 hours ahead of North America's Central Standard Time, I was 22 before my brother was. While it might not have been the Big 2-1 or even Sweet Sixteen, my 22nd birthday will be a momorable one as I was the first this year.

Happy Birthday Brian and Grandpa Dale.

Hockey Anyone?

Today I continued my training at the Olympic Green Field Hockey Stadium. While it has been the same old same old every day, last Saturday I got the opportunity to actually play hockey on the field. Our Olympic News Service Reporter Fidz and our Sports Information Specialist Andy taught the field hockey crew how to actually play. It's like most sports, watching from the grandstands is much easier than actually playing.

A beautiful day in the neighborhood!

Today was the nicest weather we've had for the entire trip. I'm actually staring out my window at BLUE SKIES!!!

I left the hotel this morning at 7:30 and couldn't believe the breeze was so...cold? I can't speak for those who work at the Olympic Green, but the Triathlon venue was stunning. No smog to dim the bright green mountains and no oppressive heat to fry the pavement...it was perfect! I checked the weather on INFO2008 and it said it was clear skies, low humidity and a temperature in the low 70's with a cool breeze.

I forgot my camera at the hotel this morning and wanted to kick myself for it. Today would've been the best day to get a panorama of my venue. I really wish I could share the sight with you. We've been training for almost two weeks, but none of us realized how stunning the mountains are with the Great Wall in the background. I hope I get another chance to see it so I could share it with you.

I have another 5 days off. I plan on walking the perimeter of the Olympic Green to get some pictures of the venues. It'll be good exercise and will hopefully give me a good view of what Beijing has been up to the past 7 years!

I finally got tickets for the Bird's nest!!! Jason, a Missourian photographer, and I each decided to spend the $90 US dollars on tickets to the Men's Track and Field finals on August 23rd. It's the most anticipated event of the games because world records are always broken. I was so excited last night when our order was confirmed that I had trouble going to sleep! I was a little groggy at work, but it was well worth it!

Take Care,

Mark

Day 28 [10 Days To Go] - Authentic China

Hey Everyone!

The second shift of volunteers worked today which meant I had the day off. I had been waiting for a day where I could just catch up with odds and ends. I spent the day writing emails and taking care of "housekeeping" jobs like laundry. I hand-washed my uniform (in the sink) because some people said it would not be a good idea to take it to the cleaners.

In the evening, I went out with Lynette and some of the Chinese volunteers from the NIS. We left the main street in front of our university and traveled down some backstreets. It felt like I was in a different part of China. Vendors were selling fruit on the streets and kids were playing in parks. We ate at a restaurant called "2.2". Ordering family-style, we ate tofu, chicken and a fish soup that I wasn't too thrilled about. It all came to about 25 yuan a piece - that's about $3! I talked with the Chinese students about all sorts of things like what they thought of Barack Obama and their opinion of the food at NIS. They all liked Obama and were interested to see what my opinions were. The food at the NIS didn't sit well with them. They said it was pretty bad, and I would have to agree. Hearing them say the food wasn't good made me feel a little better. It was another dive into Chinese culture and cuisine!

Ted

Day 27 [11 Days To Go] - Sniffing

Hey Everyone!

Instead of heading to a church Sunday, I worked again. I can't describe how weird it feels to never have off on the weekend. Our work schedule has us working weekends. We have a day of work and then a day off. We are all on our new set of work rotations so now I work one day and then have two days off. We returned to work after the lockdown to find an army of dogs outside the NIS. They had gone inside and smelled all of our lockers the day before. The day consisted of a lecture in the morning and flash quote simulations in the afternoon. Our supervisors pretended to be famous athletes and tried to trip us up with mixed zone scenarios. We took quotes and asked questions and then went through the procedure to get them into the computer system.

Many people have asked whether China will be ready for the Olympics and whether they can pull it off. Within the past few weeks, it's been interesting to see how the city has transformed itself. Security has increased. Police officers at the entrance gate to Renmin (the university where we are housed) have begun requiring ID to get inside. Posters and placards are everywhere in the city promoting the Games. For me, the atmosphere is electric with anticipation of things to come. Everyone can see the Games in the distance, and it's almost too hard to wait. City volunteers are everywhere - in the subway helping people get to their destinations and on the city streets giving out Olympic information.

I see the volunteers in the blue uniform almost everywhere I go. We are an army of workers all with the same goal. Every time I wear my credentials, people stare. It's a great conversation starter and the Chinese are always fascinated to see an Olympic worker. I feel like everyone in the city is proud that Beijing is hosting the Games. On the flip side, the government has set up places around the city, mainly in parks away from the venues, where people can come and freely protest. Many are saying it's a way the government is showing it's not-so-strict control.

Here's video of "We Are Ready", a theme song of the preparation for the Olympic Games. (marking the 1 year countdown) It can be heard everywhere...and is a bit cheesy. Almost everyone you meet has said this phrase. I believe the hard work and dedication to the Games will make Beijing 2008 a complete success!

Ted

Day 26 - Melody

Hey Everyone!

We were off again due to a lockdown at the NIS. It was a scheduled day off to give security a chance to close off the venue to sweep through the entire building. A couple of friends and I took the opportunity to go to the YaShow Market - similar to the Pearl Market where you can buy knockoff brand clothing, purses and souvenirs. Later, we stopped to eat lunch at Subway which tasted exactly like back home.

One of the staff members from the University who is here with us set up a social event in the evening. At 7PM, we headed to Melody, a karaoke bar close to our campus.

Karaoke is extremely popular here in China. KTV, a big karaoke chain, is all over China. The inside of Melody was ultra-modern decked out with bright lights and marble floors. The rooms were amazing. Each was equipped with two wall-mounted plasma screen TVs and a "stage" area. There was a good sound system on the wall and it even had a disco ball. A computer in the corner had a database of hundreds of songs from which you could choose. Once selected, the music started to play and the words appeared on the screens.

I don't think the music videos to the songs were legal to use, so instead, random shots of the countryside or farm animals were the backdrop for the lyrics.

It was especially random to hear an Usher song and watch a sequence of shots of a llama on the TV. Microphones were passed around. A bunch of people also ordered drinks and food to liven up the party. By the end of the night, we were all singing our hearts out and having a blast.

Ted

Fighting for Olympic tickets!

Hi everyone! I'm Lynette and this is my first blogpost on our KOMU blog. I'm an international student from Singapore and I also lived in Hong Kong, before coming to the states for college. So, I've had the advantage of being able to communicate in Chinese with the locals. And knowing Chinese is really helpful when it comes to ordering food and buying Olympic tickets!

Round 1:
As Ted has mentioned on the previous post, four of us left our hotel at 6am to line up for tickets. Danielle (another Mizzou student) and I went to the Workers' Stadium to get football tickets. We wanted to get tickets for Men's Football (soccer) preliminaries with Nigeria vs Argentina and Serbia vs USA.

As we arrived, we found out that probably about 1,000 people camped out here last night and were lining up in the plaza outside the stadium. We joined a line of about 200 people outside the plaza and thought our chances were pretty good.

We anxiously waited for the ticket office to open at 9am. However, the line did not move until about 9:30 or 10 and each time we only moved 10 steps forward.

As waiting in line was boring, people began to chat with each other. The people around us were very interested in Danielle and I. They asked a lot of questions about the United States, including things like the education system, culture and food. They were also very interested in our experiences in China, asking if we had visited the Great Wall and Forbidden City etc. They also mentioned Chinese officials should visit western countries more often, so that China can improve her systems and have better development in the future.

Another interesting part was all the rumors that spread around. Usually when people leave the ticket office, the crowds would run up to them and asked what tickets they bought and how many were left. Then, it turned into all sorts of rumors such as all women's tickets were gone, all men's were gone and all cheap tickets were gone. Different "sources" gave different answers and there weren't any ways to verify the information. But finally, the official word came down that all men's tickets were sold out.

Finally, around noon, they've cleared all the people waiting inside the plaza. The fences you see in the middle of the picture lead right into the ticket office. But here came the problem: without a line to follow, people just pushed and ran through the plaza, and dashed into the fences.

When it was our turn to run, the guards suddenly decided that it was too chaotic and attempted to restore order. They formed a chain surrounding us and we were trapped in the worst condition. People behind us were trying to push forward, while guards went into the crowds trying to form small groups of people. I felt like being in a sauna while I was trapped in the crowd. Everyone was sweating so bad and it was extremely stuffy.

So finally, after an hour or so, the guards managed to organize us into lines and let people into the fences. Then it took us another 15 minutes before they let us into the ticket office.
On the left: the crowd that we were trapped in
On the right: people lining up inside the fences in groups of tens


We finally got our tickets!! We got tickets for women's preliminaries on Aug 12, with Nigeria vs Brazil and Canada vs Sweden. Since we waited in line for so long, we decided to treat ourselves with the best tickets, which in fact wasn't too expensive. They cost 150 yuan each, which is about $20.

Round 2:
According to the schedule, the ticket sales would be spread out into four days. My next target, volleyball on Aug 13 or 15, would be on sale on July 27. But as I woke up this morning and read the newspaper, the officials thought the crowd was too big already and started to sell all remaining tickets early. (They finished selling tickets for events inside the Olympic Green at 3am) Therefore, I hurried to the volleyball venue - Capital Indoor Stadium.
The line seemed to be very long! It circled around the plaza and streched into a tunnel outside the stadium.


It took us quite some time to find the end of the line. But, probably with the experience from yesterday, the line moved quite quickly and smoothly. It was also spacious throughout the line.
It was quite sunny, so some local students folded hats with their newspaper.
These few local students were very interested in America and Hong Kong as well. We chatted during our wait and we got seats right next to each other.
I got tickets for both women's and men's volleyball. I would be able to see the home team, China, competing in men's volleyball. The wait today was about 3 hours and each ticket costs 80 yuan, about $11.

Day 25 - People Soup

Hey Everyone!

My alarm clock went off at 5:00AM this morning - not for work, but for a chance to buy Olympic tickets. The fourth phase of ticket selling began this morning at 9:00AM. The remaining 250,000 tickets for Beijing events went on sale Friday, and some are predicting they will be sold out the same day.

Some friends and I planned out or attack the night before. We left at 6AM from the hotel and caught the subway. We split up from there: two of us hoping to get beach volleyball tickets and the other two looking for football tickets. Ashley and I headed to the venue site for beach volleyball. It took an hour just to find the place. Once we did, we had to go through several security checkpoints just to get to the line. The crowd was huge...so long we couldn't see the end. For all we knew, it wrapped around the stadium. We learned that there were six ticket offices corresponding to the six chutes that people were gathering in. We were ushered into one of the chutes and began "the wait". Not surprisingly, it was the most humid day yet in Beijing. People were all around invading all personal space. Standing became tiring and we sat down - first brushing away street trash and then putting down a piece of paper to sit on. It was HOT. I was sticky from the humidity and the enormous number of people trapped in the heat. Many times throughout the wait I seriously thought about leaving, but we had come so far and stayed so long we HAD to see it through. Making matters worse, there wasn't a breeze.

We didn't move for more than an hour which gave me the opportunity to do a lot of thinking and observing. Two women started fighting over something intense and the police had to break it up. One man had tucked his shirt into his underwear - a fashion no-no and - I'm sure - an uncomfortable decision for the day. By 1:00PM, five hours later, we got to the front of the line. (Nothing compared to the two days some people waited for opening ceremony tickets, but it was still tough.) Here's the kicker: each chute corresponded to a specific box office which sold tickets for specific dates. We wanted tickets for the 17th, 18th or 19th, but the booth we were directed to was only selling the 13th-15th! We tried moving over to the correct booth, but weren't allowed. We bought the tickets for the 14th and hoped for the best. It turns out, we will be okay and will be able to make the event! The other group grabbed women's football (soccer) tickets, so we are going to that event, too! The morning was a true test of patience. We passed, but a retest probably wouldn't yield the same results.

Check out the video - notice how the novelty wears off as the hours melt by.

Ted

BOCOG Training

During the past week, we’ve spent most of our time at BOCOG Training, which we are required to keep confidential. However, they released our schedules, and I will be a flash quotes reporter for the Olympic News Service. I’ll also be working alongside BBC, British Broadcasting Corporation, taking quotes from the athletes as they’re interviewed.

The Beijing News came one day to training to interview some of the volunteers. Ted and I were interviewed from our group. Here’s a link to the article, even though it’s written in Chinese.

http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/olympic/2008/07-23/039@072024.htm


And the final members of the U.S. women's gymnastics team have been named...

• Chellsie Memmel
  
• Samantha Peszek
  
• Alicia Sacramone
  
• Bridget Sloan
• Shawn Johnson
  
• Nastia Liukin
  

(Three alternates were chosen: Jana Bieger, Ivana Hong and Corrie Lothrop.)

Day 24 - Schedules Released!

Hey Everyone!

We completed another day of training today. We finished the day with another team-building game. This time, it was a ping pong balancing relay race. The Chinese students were really competitive and the Americans joked that the reason why the winning team came out on top was because they only had one American on the team to slow them down.

We also got our work schedule for the Olympic Games. I'm scheduled to work in the Broadcast Mixed Zone. Basically, I'll be grabbing quotes from athletes as they come off the field. After coming off the floor, they have to walk to the broadcast area (a row of partitioned spaces in the arena - see picture) and walk by all the television companies. This is the opportunity for the tv stations to grab the athletes for one-on-one interviews. Then, the athletes will go down to the Press Mixed Zone (where newspaper and other ONS reporters will get the chance to talk with athletes). I'll be working with the NBC team. The reporter for NBC NewsChannel is the main anchor at the NBC station I interned two summers ago. Small world! Anyway, our team is on rotation shifts and we will work alternating days. The last few work days (17-20), we will be working every day. Looking forward to focusing in on our tasks!

Ted

"Yeah, that's the ticket"

Friday morning at 9 marked the time when domestic tickets could be purchased for the Olympic Games. A news release said that around 250,000 tickets would be available. Thinking that I might have a shot to score some gold medal baseball tickets at face value (150 RMB or a little over 20 dollars), I thought I would take a chance.

Along with KOMU's Mark Welsh, Trinity Nelson and three others, we packed our bags for an overnight stay. After making a quick stop at the Wal-Mart Super Center to purchase stuff to sleep on, we made our journey to the ticket office located south of the Olympic Green. Some wanted swimming tickets, some handball, some track and field and others gymnastics. At Wal-Mart we recieved the news that only diving, baseball and one other sport would be available on Friday morning. Upon arrival, I felt optimistic about my shot at getting tickets to baseball... then I saw the masses.

It's tough to explain with both words and pictures the amount of people we saw. Mark joking said over a million, Trinity claimed 75,000 and I said I thought somewhere between 25,000-30,000. In lines that snaked back and forth, people played cards, drank beer, ate dinner and chatted with friends. People were sitting on lawn chairs, laying on yoga mats and sleeping on newspaper. The lines appeared endless.

We exited the train station and thought we would beat the mob, but we were wrong. Some of us joked that arriving 14 hours before the ticket office opened would guarantee us tickets saying "we wouldn't need to be there more than a few hours before 9." The truth is we needed to be there much earlier. After talking with some of the people in line, I found out people had been there since noon... on Wednesday.

So it's a little depressing not to get Olympic tickets, but it was quite an experience to see the energy of the Beijing Olympics. For three niche sports, the people of Beijing skipped work, sat out in the sun and waited and waited and waited. I would love to see baseball at the Olympics as this year marks its final go, but I honestly think I am not as deserving of them as some people here who are willing to fight the weather, potential line jumpers, screaming kids and boredom.

People once called me a little crazy sitting outside Best Buy for Black Friday. If I am crazy for waiting a couple of hours for three dollar DVDs, are these people crazy? I don't think so. They have waited seven years for these games. What's another 48 hours.

Day 23 - A Major Headache...

...Literally.

Hey Everyone!

Last night was probably the worst night I've had in Beijing.  For some reason, I just couldn't get to sleep.  I've been having headaches the past two days, but this morning, I was aching all over.  I almost didn't get out of bed.  I'm not sure if it's the way I'm sleeping, lack of sleep or stress (most possible case), but it hit me hard.  I got ready and dragged along to work this morning.  I felt okay during work.  We participated in two emergency evacuation sequences which involved the entire volunteer staff - I'd estimate about 1,000 of us - going up to the highest seats in the stadium.  We were then released and had to walk to an exit.  I'm guessing this is to see how the traffic flow works during a mass exodus.  It was interesting.

Ying Yao, the ONS manager, took us on a tour of the Olympic Green in the afternoon.  We got to see the north side lake.  As we were leaving the area, music began to play and water started shooting out of the lake.  Our shock turned to amazement as we realized it was the hourly water show.  Cameras immediately whipped out.  We also saw the IT building in charge of computer operations.  Appropriately enough, it was shaped like computer chips.  At night, green lines run down the side of the building like the Matrix.  Tease for photos to come?

A scavenger hunt was next on the agenda.  We met with a whole bunch of ONS people and photo assistants.  It was the first time the Americans worked with the Chinese on a team-building activity.  We had to run around the stadium and find weird items like how many lockers were in the Press Workroom.  It was fun working with our Chinese counterparts.  The winning team (not me) was instructed to get up in front of all 200 of us and give a brief speech on how they felt about winning.  It was hilarious and touching at the same time.  Matt and Danielle, both from our group, seemed awkward and we all got a good laugh out of that.  One Chinese girl said it was a miracle the team won because she does not have a lot of confidence and she will remember this day forever.

I left work with a headache and ate in the bistro downstairs.  Right now, I feel bad, but I think sleeping will help because I feel really tired.  Hopefully tomorrow, the headache will be gone.

Take a look at the buses we have to take to get on the Olympic Green.  NO personal space.  Also, here's a sample of the Olympic Green water show.

Ted

Day 22 - Editing

Hey Everyone!

Training was pushed back to 2:00PM Tuesday.  It was nice to wake up leisurely.  We again ate in the courtyard I got some french toast - again, just a bit different.  I think the toast was deep fried and it was served sans syrup.  The new subway line 10 opened recently which takes us directly to the Olympic Green.  Line 8, which actually takes us into the Olympic Green, won't open until the 25th.  Training was normal, basically. We listened to another lecture about flash quotes and did a mock flash quote interview.  It's the stereotypical scene - a bunch of us in a big huddle shouting out questions to the incoming athlete.  The "athlete" (Sally) would play out different scenarios: an athlete that didn't talk much or an athlete who talked too fast.  We had to cope with the situation as it developed.

The evening was spent editing a promo for KOMU.  I've been working on a one-minute piece that will go on our blog - and maybe on television - as the games get closer.  I estimate it took about 30 hours from start to finish.  I'm pretty happy with the result and can't wait to show you guys soon!

Ted

Time to Tri(athlon) Something New

Hi everyone! I'm official!!!

I started my training today at the Triathlon (tri) venue. It is located an hour north of Beijing, in the middle of nowhere! Honestly though, it's really nice to be in the mountains, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The tri venue is built on the side of the Ming Reservoir, although I found out the reservoir is to hold water for the defunct "Nine Dragons Amusement/Water Park." The tri offices (a.k.a trailers) are mixed in between the merry-go-round, lazy river and ticket offices for the old amusement park.

As you can see, the field of play (FOP) is still being built, but is almost done. It's going to be amazing when they finally get there. The blue mesh that you see is astro-turf (per se) it's the transition between the water and the cycling and the cycling and the running parts of the race. It's fun to walk on!

I was given preliminary access to the INFO2008 intranet. It is a private network for journalists that has our flashquotes, athlete biography, medal counts, and anything else you'd need as a journalist. The system was initially built for the 1996 Atlanta games, and has been updated every year since.

I'm off again for the next week. The triathlon specialist is busy this week and can't meet with us to teach us about the sport. To the right is the Mixed Zone at my venue. I'll be a Flash Quotes Reporter (FQR) during the triathlon on August 19 and 20. Now, I have to find something to do until next week!

Mark

Day 21 - Three Weeks

Hey Everyone!

Today, we had the day off.  This schedule we're on is totally throwing my body off balance.  We have random weekdays off but work the whole weekend.  We are scheduled to work tomorrow, but not until 2 in the afternoon.  Today was spent catching up on emails and working on small projects I haven't had time for during the week.  There's a courtyard bistro behind our hotel that we recently discovered.  It has American food - something we all have been craving.  The french fries are great, but a little greasy.  I've noticed this with a lot of the Americanized food here: there is still a Chinese twist.  It tastes just a bit different.  Nevertheless, it's a nice break from the normal Chinese cuisine.

Correction: I guess Brian Williams and Bob Costas will NOT be broadcasting from this tower!!  The Broadcasting Tower is for views of the Olympic Green.  According to the Today Show guy I met, Nightly News will broadcast from the BICC on the other side of the Bird's Nest.  I took a trip over there but couldn't find exactly where it was.  That's my next mission!

Ted

Day 20 - Balancing Act

Hey Everyone!

Training again!  Unfortunately, due to BOCOG guidelines, we aren't and won't be allowed to go into detail on what we are doing at the NIS.  We continued training and met some Chinese student volunteers.  Lunch was interesting - a different catering service took over and we received tv dinner-like trays full of different Chinese dishes separated in small compartments.  In the afternoon, we ran a simulation to see how the athletes will come through the mixed zone and if there were any traffic issues to deal with.  Success!

In the evening, we went to see The Chinese Acrobats - a must-see attraction if you're in Asia. The acrobats are strong physically and spiritually which helps to focus on the Chinese philosophy of inner strength.  Sarah did a great job describing the sights of the night.  It was truly amazing.  The show started with laser light show that produced 3-D images throughout the space of the theatre - too cool.  Throughout the night, it was one act after another of amazing feats including balancing acts, diving through hoops and body-bending extremes.  Riding a bike is simple enough, but the Chinese acrobats took it a step...ten steps...further.  Assistants would bring out strange apparatuses and you were thinking "What are they going to do with that?"  They pushed it to the max with everything.  A part of me was nervous because everything they did could have turned into a disaster if gone wrong, but I'm sure they spend hours and hours practicing.  I walked out of the theatre excited but also stressed...it was intense watching them!  They pulled it off very well, though.  So glad I went!

Ted

Chaoyang Theater Acrobatics World

Tonight I attended the most incredible show I’ve ever seen in my life! Chaoyang Theater, located in Beijing, focuses on acrobatic performances. It was designated as the Tourist Performance Site by the Beijing government. After the late 1980s, Chaoyang Theater underwent a period of adjustments, adding singing and dancing into their performances. I literally couldn’t believe my eyes! There were contortionists, gymnasts, and people with the most incredible balancing skills. I was amazed at what the human body can actually achieve. I’ll try to get some video posted soon because words cannot even describe what my eyes saw. If you are ever in China, you cannot miss out on this show!

Sarah

Checking out some of the venues

As Sunday marked one of our last free days before the games begin, I decided I would take the 50 minute subway route through three transfer stations to the Wukesong Baseball Field. I couldn't get super close so as for the field conditions, I have no opinion. The venue itself however doesn't look like much. While I was delighted to finally see something that resembles baseball in China (I haven't seen anything at all), I was a little let down on the venue itself. Athletics has the super cool Birds Nest and the Water Cube and Worker's Stadium, but Wukesong Baseball field looks like a high school field on steroids. I guess I can see why the Beijing Games will mark baseball's last hurray at the Olympics.

Also on a baseball note, it's too bad the US National team wasn't looking for at least a few more right handed pitchers. The crop to pick from this season was pretty weak according to a Baseball America podcast. The team included one college player in San Diego State's Stephen Strasburg passing on Missouri's Kyle Gibson. Currently the team has one open spot so the chance to see another Mizzou athlete in Beijing is still a possibility.

I also took some time to check out the basketball arena. It looks as if it has bamboo around it. Pretty interesting looking. I tried to get as close as I could to the venue, but guards and a fence kept me from getting closer. From what I have heard from many of the locals, they are anticipating the first game USA plays against China. It should be interesting. I believe it is August 10.

Day 19 - Transportation Woes

Hey Everyone!

The weekend started with more training at the NIS where we spent the day going over more procedures and protocol for flash quotes (FQ).  Later in the afternoon, Doreen, one of our Olympic supervisors, took us around the Olympic Green. I was magnetically pulled towards the Today Show set again and got to talk with an NBC freelance employee who was setting up the studio.  Mark, from Hong Kong, gave us a quick tour of the set and told us to come back when they air and bring signs.  We think Matt, Meredith and Al will start broadcasting the eve of the Opening Ceremonies, 

but I think a lot of us are going to try and get down there the Monday after due to our work schedule.  To the right, is the newly unveiled Line 10 - one of the lines Mark said just opened up.  It's calm and peaceful...for now.

In addition to giving us access to our venues, our accreditation gets us free metro and bus transportation around the city.  We decided to check it out and found the Beijing transportation system does not like us.  The bus ride back from the Olympic Green was like being at a crowded party unable to move.  It was hot and the smells on the bus were extremely strong.  One of my friends had to get off the bus because the driver wasn't the smoothest stick shift operator.  But we didn't have to pay - if it's truly worth it.  Using the metro is a different story.  Usually, you get a one-pass card to use.  With our accreditation, you have to show it to the ticket booth and they will give you a card for free.  

However, recently, they've been waving us to just go through the corral.  The problem is, the person at the corral ushers us back to the ticket counter.  One worker was so exasperated, she took off my accreditation pass and pointed with it to the ticket counter.  An argument between the woman and the ticket officer ensued and ended with the upset woman sheepishly saying "sorry" as she let us through.  I'm sure as the Games get closer, public transportation will become more interesting.  It will be neat to see how the city accommodates the people.

To the right: some musicians were putting on a show on the metro as we were coming home from dinner.

Ted

Let's get this party started!

In the last week, I have noticed a great transformation in this city! When we arrived on July 2, Beijing was still sorting out the final kinks before spectators arrived for the Olympic Games. In the last 7 days, this city has really started acting like the host of this summer's Olympic Games.

At 2pm yesterday (Saturday), three new subway lines FINALLY opened. The original open dates were set for 6-8 months ago. The Suzhoujie station is only a 5 minute walk from our hotel, which can get us to any point in the city for 2RMB (30 cents). I used to rely on taxis or the bus to get me to the other closest subway station--15 minutes away. As Ted mentioned earlier this week, our Olympic accreditation passes allow us to travel the subway for free, a welcomed perk :). The three new lines include the Olympic line (it runs under the Olympic Green), the airport line (fast-speed train from downtown Beijing to terminal 2 and 3) and our commuter line. In the past two years, Beijing went from two subway lines to 7 (with two more opening....???)
The city has also put up billboards and signs in the middle of its' highways with the Olympic logos and "One World, One Dream" slogan. Tourists are obviously here for one reason, but Beijing wants to remind its people that they must be on the best behavior too! Recently, the Chinese government published rules for its people to stand in lines (my favorite) and drive better. Better...I thought safer would've been a better word :)
(Photo Courtesy Larry Powell)

Similar to past games, Beijing designated one lane in every direction, on every major highway as an "Olympic Lane" to transport any dignitaries, athletes or volunteers to and from the Games quicker. The lanes were painted last weekend with the Olympic Rings. I tried taking pictures while we were in our bus, but the pictures didn't turn out.

Today is the day all Beijingers haven't been looking forward to--the start to more regulations on their mobility. Today is July 19, which means that all odd-numbered cars (determined by the last digit on their license plate) can drive. Tomorrow, July 20, all even-numbered cars can drive. MSNBC reports there are 3.3 million cars on Beijing's roads, and removing half each day will cut down on emissions, but more importantly traffic!

As I glance out my window, the sky is slightly hazy with a few clouds. Yesterday, we had bright Carolina-blue skies with big fluffy clouds--made it feel like home!

Have a great weekend,

Mark