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When I walked in Hilton, only short few minutes free, I began getting busy. First, helping board members S. Lynch, the Olympian medlist in 1996 in Gymnastics. He looks so cute(concluded by all of girls here :), like a college person, if you do not know him, you can not imagine what he has been done in his life and in USOC. Soon, the highlights of today just jumped in one after another.
First, I met Dr. Kissinger, who still has his lovely voice(if you are the sound track producer, you will know how cool his voice is, deep low solid!). He is the legend I learned many times from books, TV and documentory. When he really stands in front of me, I look at him respectfully and say "Nice to meet you, Dr. Kissinger, thank you for what you have been done to improve the relationship between China and U.S., Enjoy the games!" You can tell how much he has been proud of what he has done in China over 20 years ago. Clearly, he is getting old :( but has a clear mind. my goodness, I am in the meeting with Dr. Kissinger! no interested in whatever other people's preferences in politics, I just meet the person who is every special invovling in Chinese modern history.
Then, I need to go to 2nd floor to straight out some preplanning process for all USOC board members and translate for the director of marketing in USOC. Here, I met Williams sisters. Ye, it would so hard not to recognize them. They look so casual. Since I am in duty, I can not go jump there and talk with them too long, but I tell them that I am looking forward to see their performance. They are very friendly. oh, help, is the taller one Venus? or the shorter one? (I should be thankful that I do not translate english for international tennis olympic committee!)
While I finished my translations tasks, I need a break, walking through lobby, here, a tall man walked by, looking so familiar, I walked by, then turned around saying "Ross??" he turned and gave me a big smile, said "ye, how are you?" "oh, you are Ross!!" (Jacy, if you are reading this post, I will credit you with this recognization. When you and Kristen were crazy about
Since this is the opening ceremony day, it is crazy busy here, wishing we have many heads and free hands around. Stephonie asked me to cover her front desk for a second, sure, I can do that. Here came a family, old couple with a pretty pretty girl. It turns out that he is John Dane, the oldest sailing teammembers in U.S. sailing competition in QingDao. He and his family came to pick up the opening ceremony tickets. We began chatting for a long time. They are so easy going and their daughter asked me a lot of Beijing tours and shopping places. Later I got him sign on my special 08 Olympic Journal and had a photo with him. Go John in Sailing!!
While I am about to go for lunch, the US Judo Oympic Committee CEO and Chairman asked me urgently to help them out to rent a car for them to go to opening ceremony and pick them up when it is done. Usually it belongs to transportation, but transportation does not have any vechcles for them. They asked me if I could help. I do not know but I would hate to say no to them. So, I give a try. Good thing is that I finally persuade one drive to take this task. Have to let you know that today, no one wants to work but stay home for opening ceremony. Only taxi and public transportation can get close to bird nest, but rarely you can find a taxi drivers around today. I told the driver that he drops them off and go home to see the ceremony, then come back to pick them up when the ceremony is done. Later, they were so happy with the driver's service and they got way easy to come back than any other USOC higher officials, even board members. I am so glad it all works out!
Finally I got home. I am longing for some good Chinese food, see, my aunt got it all for me here:
Tonight, all USOC staff are invited to Club Bud having opening ceremony party at 7:30p.m. I got on the road, rarely seeing people. here, in Beijing, not many people around at this time, nearly impossible in normal days!
soon, Carlotta, Erico and I found out that we really do not like this place. It does not have much Olympic spirit, the TV volumes are down and people keep bragging about their house, car, fashion products.... come on, this is in China, the Olympic ceremoney in Beijing. I can not stay any longer to hear those sort of "social conversation", somehow vividly reminds me of the scene from
There are many huge huge screens for us to watch, various food and drinks available free for us, most of all, we cheer, laugh, scream and jump up and down when we see the show. This is an incredible show. Please watch it! It worths you time well.
Here is Jean, the director of development of USOC. She delivers me a good news that Old Navy CEO got the tickets and asked her to thank me for getting all this happened. He plans to save the letter I wrote in his scrapbook, ha!
Since Raph Lauren is the offical US team clothing sponsor, today some USOC staff is required to wear this RL wool vest, you can imagine with the 37C degree and humidity, a T-shirt is already too much, how can you add one wool vest on tope of a long sleeve shirt. Seriously, they all look like models coming down from France fashion model T-stage. I should have taken more of their vest pictures. We have jokes about this vest through the day, some like "if I am a goat, I want to be 'hairless'", "you are looking at a melting snowman in 200 degree!", I keep showing my symphothy, until one said "please give me your clothes and we trade!". no way, who care which brand, I like my breeze :)
downstairs USA house store area, people shop crazy, like Christmas time, here, will generate profits over 1 million in a week!
sorry, shopping is so not my thing, I am heading for more fun. Watching ceremoney makes me having tears, just so emotaional and happy for my country, for the opportunity to have Olympics in Beijing! I will always always remember this moment, very worthwhile, and forever fondly looking back.
Here is Carlotta from Italy. The Italian name of Carlatta means Charlotte in English. Here are two Charlotte, having a lot of similar personalities here. She keeps inviting me to go to see her in Italy. Finally, I told her that I will do so next year. So, I guess I will have that trip before I plan anything else :) I really like this girl, open-minded and love the adventures.
Silly Erico, Carlotta and cute Annie
Sue(teacher from CA), Melissa(Ad. Marketing from Minnesota) and I
We are all not drinkers, see, the top Bud bar on the roof has nobody :)
While I am wondering, watching the ceremony, I got by the coffee place. ye, I do not drink coffee in U.S. now, but I somehow miss the smell, so, I sat there and watched TV, then I met a guy named Shaun Jordon, ye, him!! We chat and joke around, but I have no clue who he is. See, this is what I concerned before this trip, afraid of not recognize those Olympian. A friend told me that they are just normal persons, true. I have no clue until I saw his tag "The Olympian", then I said that I will copy his name and go home to google it! Now, I can not imagine that I said that to him. He did not get bothered and keeps talking and making jokes with me.
After the ceremony, I walked back to my aunt place. On the way home, I called the Judo CEO who has got his ride back Hilton. good, job well done.
By the time I got home and watched the after ceremony interviews, it is about 2:30a.m., I need to go to sleep, work at 6:30a.m. ouch!
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