Saying Goodbye to Beijing

The Olympics are over. Last night, all of us went to a former Purdue student's house in the suburbs of Beijing for a cookout and to watch the Closing Ceremony. I am definitely sad that this experience is over. I have thoroughly enjoyed Beijing for seven weeks and if I had the chance to stay longer I would. My job of gathering quotes for the media was a lot of fun and I learned a different perspective when it comes to large events operating.

I have no more volunteer duties. Today is my last full-day in Beijing. I don't have any big plans for today but I am sure I will spend plenty of time trying to pack everything I bought into my suitcases that were already busting at the seams when I got here.

I hope all of you enjoyed my blog and I think I will add a couple more updates once I get back to the States with some other material that was a bit controversial to add while here in Beijing. My plane leaves Beijing at 3:45 p.m. and I will be heading to Newark, New Jersey, before heading home to Indianapolis.

Life Outside of Cycling

When it comes to covering other events at the Olympics for the Olympic News Service, it's just not a possibility for us because we were assigned cycling. There are other international volunteers working at other sports, such as basketball, gymnastics and athletics. Some of the other schools that I know of that are here volunteering are Emerson, Missouri and North Carolina. I am not sure how the Beijing Organizing Committee decided on where to put each university, either. Also, because of the high security, our credentials allow us access to our venues only.

That's why when I was recently given the opportunity to follow David Neville's competitions at the Olympics I was stoked. Neville is a member of the U.S. Track and Field team. He graduated from Merrillville, Ind., and the Northwest Indiana Times, a paper I have done correspondence work with in the past, wanted coverage of his events. He runs the 400-meter dash and is part of the 1,600-meter relay team. So, before and after his events I have been interviewing him and his parents about the event and his results. On Thursday, he dove head-first to barely win Bronze in the 400-meter dash and tonight he helped his relay team advance to the finals.

I have been elated to have the opportunity to cover an Olympic athlete even if it is from my dorm room at the Communication University of China.

Headlines from Olympic Cycling

CYCLING TRACK COMPETITION COMPLETE

My world of cycling track ended quickly two days ago exactly the way it started - with Great Britain winning medals. Chris Hoy (GBR) became one of the first British athletes to win three Gold medals at the Olympics in a century with his Individual Sprint win. I was little bummed everything on the track was over. In the last six weeks I had grown to enjoy it and wished there was a bit more competition.

FIRST DAY OF BMX IN THE OLYMPICS

As one would imagine, BMX Cycling was really busy during its first day of official competition in the Olympics. I got to see some time trials for the men and women, along with the quarterfinals for the men. During the quarterfinals, there were tons of crashes and the Americans did really well. Mike Day (USA) won all three of his heats, while Donny Robinson (USA) and Kyle Bennett (USA) also advanced. The second and final day of BMX didn't happen. Beijing was rain-soaked this morning and the competition was pushed back until Friday morning (Beijing time).

MOUNTAIN BIKE BEGINNING

With two days of cycling competition left, mountain bike starts up. Mountain bike seems cool but it's not spectator-friendly. The only portion of the track that is viewable is the final 30 seconds. I have not done any research on any teams so I don't know who is going to do well, but I do anticipate a lot of standing around with little competition to watch. Also, the first stages of competition are going to be on the heels of the delayed BMX so Friday (Beijing time) is going to be a really long day.

A Look at the Volunteer 'Lunch'

I blogged earlier about the "lunch" that we get as volunteers. It's a bit difficult to enjoy.

What you see above is the tray of food after I ate. This photo actually makes it a look at little more colorful. This plastic container is given to us at a ridiculous high temperature along with a piece of fruit (which I will talk about), three bottles of water and a Coke.

With this particular lunch, I ate the middle out of my rice and about half of the upper left-hand corner. I think it was beef. The middle dish is a seaweed and corn dish that has been obliterated.  On the far right is, I think, beef that has bones in it and pieces of fat. The bottom left is, I think, chicken with some green vegetable. For this lunch, I took the assumed-beef and put it on my rice that I cover with some spice sauce that is offered. On most days, it's about 10 spoonfuls of substance. It is just enough to make yourself think you're full. But don't forget about that piece of fruit. The bananas we have gotten have been good but when it is a staple just about every day they get old quickly. Some times we get what I call "greens." It supposed to be an orange but it is green. It's really difficult to eat but it does the trick some times.

I don't want anyone to think that I am starving because all of you know, I don't starve. Ultimately, lunch has given me another great appreciation for other meals.

More Headlines from the World of Cycling

MORE BRITISH DOMINATION

It's clear that Great Britain got where it needed to be to dominate this year's Olympics because no other team is even close to the Brits. They set a world record in the Men's Team Pursuit, added the Women's Individual Pursuit medals and advanced three people to the final eight in the Women's and Men's Sprint semi-finals. The final day of cycling track is today, August 19, and it could wrap up the most dominated cycling track year ever at any Olympic Games. What's scary is who can imagine what the Brits will do at home in London in 2012?

NO BRAKES?! THAT'S RIGHT, NO BRAKES

If you haven't heard or noticed, the bikes in cycling track don't have brakes. The result is less weight on the bike for a quicker ride and more danger. That's why when you see one rider go down, usually the whole pack goes with him. Sure, there is little time to react but they don't have the option of stopping. To slow down riders move up the track and to stop they use railings and coaches.

CRAZY CRASH

The Women's Points Race opened up Monday (Beijing time) with some intriguing storylines: Would Great Britain medal with Rebecca Romero? Would American Sarah Hammer battle for a medal after disappointing in the pursuit? Could the roadie Vos get the Netherlands a gold?

Well, within the first five minutes of the race Hammer got cleared out in a brutal crash. The points race has about 30 riders on the track and it gets a little crowded around the turns. One of the riders moved up the track into another rider and down they went. The two of them skidded down the track and enveloped Hammer, among others. Hammer did a flip off her bike and immediately grabbed her shoulder and started sobbing. Japan and Germany also lost a riders from the crash.

FINAL DAY OF CYCLING TRACK

Today (Tuesday Beijing time) marks the final day of Cycling Track. (I have two days of BMX and Mountain Bike after this.) The final day is going to be far from boring. Chris Hoy (GBR) is in line for his third Gold medal in the Individual Sprint and I get my first live look at the Madison. The Madison is an event where riders "fling" themselves to gain momentum during the race. The odds of a crash are immense, so the video I am posting of it should be fun.

FIRST TASTE OF BMX

I went in early Monday (Beijing time) because training for Cycling BMX has started. The competition begins Wednesday (Beijing time) morning. Wow, what a different world BMX is. The atmosphere is completely different from the Cycling Track. For instance, there are people walking around with mohawks, tattoos and piercing instead of bikes that cost close to US$100,000. I am sure the BMX bikes aren't cheap but life is a lot more easy-going. I am excited to experience my first BMX competition and I will have plenty of photos and video for you to enjoy.

My First Days Experiencing Olympic Competition

Whew!!! My first two days of competition at the Laoshan Velodrome are over and it's been crazy. For Friday and Saturday, I was scheduled from 15:00 to 21:00. If you factor in traveling to and from the venue, I am in uniform for about eight hours. In those hours between the two days I have tons to share. For that, I am going to break this blog into headlines that will cover everything.

GREAT BRITAIN IS GOOD AT CYCLING

All of us who learned the world of track cycling in a matter of weeks knew the British had some talent but they have dominated the track so far. Many media members and cyclists are shocked that it has been so one-sided. The Brits have won six medals, three of which are gold, in the four events that have concluded and Sunday features are gold-medal match with two Brits. (That means they have another silver and gold coming their way.) Their muscle-man Chris Hoy has two golds and will try for his third in the Men's Individual Sprint in the next couple days.

NO SIGN OF THE AMERICANS

Aside from the Men's Sprint Team that made the top eight, the U.S. hasn't done anything. Gold-medal favorite, Sarah Hammer, was extremely disappointed with her effort in the Women's Pursuit. Hammer didn't make either medal ride-off and wasn't real sure why she didn't perform better. "It just wasn't my day," Hammer said. Also, the feel-good story of Taylor Phinney, the 18-year-old product of two cyclists, ended with no medal chance. The last shot for a medal is on the shoes of sprinter Jennie Reed, who is a medal favorite.

BIG CROWDS TURN OUT

The Laoshan Velodrome has benefited from two really good crowds. The Europeans love their cycling and it's showing. The crowds have been dominated by the Netherlands, France and Great Britain. A fan aspect that is cool in track cycling is you are really close to the action. Quite a few athletes have interacted with fans when riding by in celebration and that is always a fun aspect for fans.

PLENTY OF CHAOS ON THE TRACK

It didn't take long to witness my first crash in track cycling. During the first heat of Team Sprint qualifying on Friday, a Polish cyclist went down. A track cycling crash is a lot worse than one might. The cyclist is wearing a skin-tight rubber suit and the track is silky-smooth. The result is a sliding cyclist that doesn't stop for some time. The rubber suit then burns off from the friction and the next to go is the cyclist's skin. Saturday yielded another crash but this time it enveloped Theo Bos (NED), who is one of the track stars. Bos didn't use the re-run opportunity in order to save his body to battle for the Individual Sprint crown.

FLASH QUOTE REPORTING HAS ITS BATTLES

My job is to be a flash quote reporter, which means I gather quotes from athletes immediately following events. Like many things in life, it's not that simple. There are two areas where I can be to collect these quotes, the radio/television broadcast zone or the print reporters zone. For most of the medal rounds, there are more than 100 people in the zones. All of those people have a specific objective and tight deadlines, including the flash quote reporters, so things can get a bit crazy at times. Also, as everyone knows, most athletes operate in their own way. Just because one athlete wants to go talk to reporters doesn't mean the next will. A lot of these battles give myself some excitement and thrill in doing the job.

Bamboozled???

Absolutely.

I thought about writing this blog and not writing this blog and decided I would openly criticize digitally altering part of the opening ceremony fireworks and lip-syncing one of the performances with a different singer.

If you haven't heard, The Beijing Times broke news several days ago that the giant footsteps that opened the broadcast on 8.8.08 were digital. Why? Because the "haze" would have prevented viewers from seeing the fireworks on that night. Apparently the fireworks were actually launched but what billions of people across the world saw were fireworks

 created on a computer. In today's world, everything is about perception. So, if you are going to replace actual fireworks with digital fireworks without telling anyone, it will create doubt for many, many other aspects of life. I feel dumb because I thought the giant footsteps were one of the most special parts of the opening ceremony. I know why it was so impressive now. Apparently, NBC broadcasters referred to the a

lteration but I am not sure if their mention of it made it clear to viewers. I know the English-speaking broadcast I watched did not say anything about the footsteps being altered.

Secondly, to have a different little girl lip-sync a song during the ceremony is absurd. I can understand having a little girl lip-sync during the actual performance because she could get scared or something but have it be the same girl. Again, if you give people reasons to doubt things you are doing then it can lead to more doubts in undeserved areas.

I hope these were the only aspects that weren't "real" and I wish it wasn't that way. The opening ceremony was amazing and would have been with "hazed" out fireworks and the other little girl.

Olympic City

Here in China, CCTV rules the airways for broadcast television. And as you would expect, CCTV has five to six channels devoted to Olympic coverage. Combine that with two days off from work and you get loads and loads of Olympic Games viewing.

Thankfully, the USA vs. China men's basketball game is dragging me to a Western-style restaurant this evening because I have been useless the past 36 hours. In that time I haven't showered and I have only left our building to go get a newspaper and some noodles from the local mart. (Don't judge me, please.) I think the five weeks of basically no sports viewing made me thirsty for competition.

Of course most of the coverage is centered on Chinese athletes but when there are so many channels showing events, I have been able to watch events I have never seen. Here's a list of what I have watched.

– Archery

– Artistic Gymnastics

– Badminton

– Basketball, men's and women's

– Beach Volleyball

– Cycling Road

– Diving

– Equestrian

– Fencing

– Handball

– Judo

– Rowing

– Sailing

– Shooting

– Soccer

– Swimming (I saw Michael Phelps cry during his first gold medal ceremony.)

– Table Tennis

– Volleyball

– Weightlifting

That's 19 events. It would be awesome if NBC or any of the cable networks teamed together to give you the ability to see so much Olympic coverage at once. Of course, that is a bit unrealistic in the States.

Breathtaking Opening Ceremony

If I were part of the opening ceremony crew in London, which hosts the 2012 Games, I would be hating life today. After seeing what Beijing did last night for it's opening ceremony it's hard to think it can be topped.

I was fortunate enough to see a rehearsal of the event last week but there were numerous parts of the event that were not included in the rehearsal I went to.

– The beginning of the ceremony was insane. Giant footprint fireworks? Are you kidding me? Who does that? Apparently, the Chinese. That was awesome. On my way to "Steak and Eggs," an American diner here in Beijing, to watch the ceremony the streets were empty. Now I know why. The opening ceremony featured fireworks from across the city, including 29 giant footprints. I knew fireworks were going to be part of the show but a show across a city is unbelievable.

– Everyone was aching to know about the final torch lighting. Despite the act taking a massive amount of time, it was incredible. The giant torch that is attached to the Bird's Nest was not there a week ago. In fact, it wasn't there days ago. And to have someone dangling from the sky run across the top of a stadium is incredible, too.

I have never been a person to watch all of the opening ceremony for every Olympics but when I was watching this one I felt special. I don't know if it was because I saw a rehearsal or that I was in the same city as it or that I am a volunteer working for these games. Watching the ceremony finally unfold in front of me as a volunteer who saw a rehearsal in Beijing will be with me forever.

I hope everyone who watched the opening ceremony got a little taste of how crazy this country and city have become about the Olympics. It is clear that the Chinese are going to do everything possible to make these Games special and they deserve a lot of credit. Buckle up for what is going to be some great competition and memorable moments.

10 Things I Miss from Home ...

... Correction, six.

I have been in Beijing for more than four weeks and there are definitely specific aspects of life that I am craving. I tried to think of 10 but I couldn't. I think part of the reason why I couldn't is because I enjoy being in China.

6. Cell Phone

When we arrived in Beijing, the Olympic committee gave us a Chinese simcard for our phones but my Sprint phone doesn't operate on a simcard. The simcard allows for communication in China. I have the option of using my normal plan on my phone but that is ridiculously expensive and not worth it. I don't think I need one right now but there is something about having a cell phone and being connected to everyone you know. Having the ability to send text messages at all hours of the night is also fun.

5. Deli-style sandwiches

Don't laugh. This is for real. There are many factors why this makes the list. Bread is not something that is common in Beijing. The closest thing you can find without going out of your way is a roll that tastes like nothing and has the feel of a packing peanut. Secondly, most people don't own refrigerators. So, having lunch meat, cheese, mayo, mustard and lettuce on hand is rare. I hope you're happy because now my mouth is watering.

4. Taco Bell

I miss something that I was knee-deep in for four years of my life while in high school. Imagine that. For me, T-Bell is easily my favorite fast-food restaurant and it encompasses a style of cuisine, albeit fake Mexican, that isn't common in Beijing. Pizza Huts and KFCs are every where. Taco Bell? Nope. There are only three in all of China. Yes, I googled it one night to see if I could satiate the group's craving for Cheesy Gordita Crunches. Unfortunately, the nearest one to Beijing is about an hour plane ride away.

3. Drier/Iron

On most days we are lucky that the washer finishes all cycles. I am not kidding. Usually, I spend about five minutes after each load (a load equals no more than eight articles clothing) ringing out the water. When I'm lucky, the machine doesn't even attempt the spin cycle and I find my clothes bathing in a washer full of water. Either way, they have to drip dry. Combine the drip drying with rock solid water and you get laundry that's been starched for free. This has to be the most unexpected item to make the list. Never in my life did I think I would miss a drier and an iron.

2.The Piano Bar at the Neon Cactus

I promise I'm not an alcoholic. This place is just that fun. Thursday nights just aren't the same without being able to enjoy my favorite 32-ounce cup of rum-and-Coke in one of the most fun atmospheres I have ever encountered. Bruce Barker and the Doctor provide laughs that last for days and I have missed those. Fortunately, my birthday is the day after I get back in the States and it happens to be on a Thursday.

1. The Chicago Cubs

I could be missing the summer of history. I know, I know, there's always next year but this could be the year. And with the 12-hour difference catching games on the Internet isn't easy. Instead, I end up glancing at the score and checking the standings. All I want is a little Bob Brenly and Len Kasper in my life right now. I think this may be good training for if-and-when I move out of the Midwest and lose Comcast, which shows loads of games. For now, keep the Cubbies rolling, Joey, Scotty and Timmy. And hopefully when I get back we can sing a little "Go Cubs Go!"

English News in China

The news for English-speaking and reading people in Beijing are limited as one would expect. There are two avenues I have discovered to utilize for domestic and international news. The first is the China Daily. The China Daily is the National English Language Newspaper. The second is the international channel produced by CCTV (China Central Television).

Of the two, I have used the China Daily more often. So, I thought I would run through some of the headlines and talk about the type of coverage the readers get.

In Wednesday's edition, the lead story was Olympic related with the headline "IOC: Air is safe for one and all." The story is accompanied by a photo from the opening ceremony dress rehearsal that took place on Tuesday night. The story, as many have in the recent weeks, utilizes positive comments made by the International Olympic Committee and the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee. For the most part the story is balanced but the issue of pollution still remains a popular topic in Beijing.

The other stories on the front are a follow-up on the terror attack in the western part of China, an update on Iran's nuke situation and President Bush's visit to South Korea. For the most part, these stories read unbiased and present multiple sides to stories. Many of the questionable aspects of the stories relates to quoting government sources. Most criticism toward China is focused on the government controlling news and entertainment. So, when a story about pollution in Beijing quotes government officials, it draws skepticism.

Ultimately, I have realized that having the ability to openly criticize the United States' government is a blessing.

A Day In the Life of a Foreign Olympic Volunteer

I have talked a lot about cycling and the Olympics but I don't think I have given great details on what my days are like here in Beijing.

5 - The sun begins to creep through the curtains that aren't really good at their job. Depending on the night before, the sun may or may not disturb my sleep in the morning.

7 - My roommate Chad hits the snooze button for the first time.

7:30 - Snooze No. 2.

8 - A morning shower is a must because starting the day without being 100 percent clean will result in an odor, for sure. Unlike in the States when you get a nice cool breeze on a 80 degree day, Beijing is an oven where you are constantly surrounded by stifling heat.

8:30 - Even though we don't have to be at the Laoshan Velodrome for another two hours, we have to allocate plenty of time to commute in a city this size. During morning rush hour, there is a line to enter the subway station. Then you have to go through a security check that has appeared recently and get a ticket. And then the real fun begins. Boarding a subway car in Beijing when it is busy is something all humans should do. Essentially you push the person in front of you until you are on and then hope the door doesn't close on you. Thankfully, the subway is free for Olympic volunteers.

10:20 - After the hour-plus subway commute and some walking, we arrive at the venue.

10:30 - Most days at the venue begin with an easy transition into the day. The real work doesn't begin until after "lunch."

11:30 - The description of our "lunch" that I think fits best for this was told to me on my first day at the venue. "The food is incredibly bad because they tried to make Chinese food Westerners would like, so the Chinese volunteers don't like it and it's not anything like what Westerners like." I will say that we can rely on three bottles of water, a Coke and a piece of fruit every day.

12 - Staking out at the track watching athletes practice is a primary practice. The goal here is learning how athletes ride the track and interviewing athletes after they get done training. So far, I have spoken with riders from Columbia, China and Uruguay.

15:30 - We are free to leave if we want. If not, there are athletes still on the track and plenty of cycling studying to be done.

18 - Shower No. 2. This is a must after spending an entire day in Beijing.

18:30 - Dinner has to take place earlier than normal because of the "lunch" at the venue. Depending on the mood, dinner may be Chinese or some Western-type food.

23 - I find myself going to sleep earlier than at home too. I think between the heat and long days I get exhausted easier.

I used the 24-hour time because that is life in China. Also, my evenings may also include blogging, basketball and drinking.

Some Leftovers

In the four weeks I have been in Beijing blogging I have accumulated some thoughts that don't need a whole blog post. So, here I am throwing together all of those things.

Chinese Money

The bills in China are vibrant. Many of them feature more than four colors and the designs are significantly different. Every bill does feature former chairman Mao's face. Many people on the trip enjoy the Chinese money more because of the color. I am indifferent about the appearance of America's money.

The Black Pearl

As a teammate of Yao Ming's it may not come as a surprise that the Chinese know who Carl Landry is. What surprised me was that the Chinese have dubbed Carl Landry the "Black Pearl." I have talked about the NBA to quite a few locals on the subway and the "Black Pearl" is well-known. As a whole, Kobe Bryant is the most popular player for the locals.

Training Starts Up at the Velodrome

Tuesday marks the first day of official training at the Laoshan Velodrome in Beijing. I am scheduled to be at work at 10:30 a.m. and the day should offer many interesting details with the presence of athletes. Throughout the last week there have been very few athletes around the venue.

Beijing Zoo

My trip the city's zoo offered many different experiences. I got to see several panda bears, a couple inside and a couple outside. All four of them were pretty lazy but it was interesting seeing one of the world's most famous animals. On the other hand, there were quite a few animals in spaces that most Americans wouldn't be comfortable with. Lions, tigers and elephants were confined to much smaller homes than any seen at zoos in America.

Beijing's Pollution

If you haven't heard by now, Beijing has pollution. But I am not sure why so many people are getting caught up with this. Beijing has more than 17 million people and with any large city there is pollution. I think China is getting more flack than most host countries because it's China. If the Olympics were in Los Angeles, there would not be as much negative media attention as it relates to pollution.

United States' Presence in the World of Cycling

When Americans think about cycling there is one person who comes to mind, Lance Armstrong. And given that the road race in the Olympics is only two days of competition and awards only three medals, there is much more than cycling on pavement in the Olympics.

Most of that action with cycling in the Olympics takes place on the track. This year that track happens to be inside the Laoshan Velodrome, which is south of the center of Beijing. Despite the lack of coverage and interest of the sport in the States, cycling is popular across the world and several Americans have a shot at winning a medal.

The first big story for the Americans is on the men's side in the individual sprint. If you follow the Olympics even just a little bit, you will hear the name Taylor Phinney guaranteed. Phinney's story is golden for media. He is the son of two former Olympians, the youngest rider to ever compete in an Olympics for the States and he has the talent to snag a medal this year. Also, his father is battling with early-onset Parkinson's, which he was diagnosed with in 2000.

On the women's side, there is Sarah Hammer and Jennie Reed. Hammer retired and watched the 2004 Games on TV but came out of retirement and was the World Champion in the pursuit in 2006 and 2007. She is expected to battle Rebecca Romero, of Great Britain who recently became a track cyclist after being an Olympic rower, for gold this year. Reed is the States' shot at a medal in the women's individual sprint. She is expected to medal and could bring home the gold.

This photo is of American Taylor Phinney, who is the youngest American cyclist to ever compete in the Olympics.