The days of wearing the mighty, mighty Olympic volunteer uniform have begun. We've been reporting to work at the Laoshan Velodrome every day this week to receive more thorough training for our positions as flash quote reporters.
It is awesome.
We've been learning piles and piles of knowledge about track cycling and its athletes; we've also been running through the flash quote procedure: Interview athletes/take notes in mixed zone, and in less than 10 minutes, sprint like hell to workroom and pound quotes into computer system. The flash quote reporters will be with the press about five feet from the track, with only a short wall of thick-paned glass separating us from the races. We also may get stuck behind the stage like big goobers during the medal ceremonies, in all our fanny pack and bucket hat glory. It is predicted that some records may be broken this year.
Today we got to watch the Chinese cycling team while it performed some practice laps. I may be a dork, but it gave me goosebumps. The reality that I'm part of the Olympics this year is finally sinking in. Up until this point, the fact I was in China was exciting enough. Now the Olympics? I'm going to pop. We have the day off tomorrow, but back to work on Saturday and pretty much for the rest of the time here. I can't wait.
It's a little bit past the halfway point of this trip to the Peoples' Republic. I have a big "3.5 weeks of China" blog cooking up in my head, but right now I am exhausted.
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