In pursuit of homecooking

At the second and final session of headquarters training today, I learned more details about my job as a flash quote reporter. I will work at the volleyball venue for a few days before cycling starts, as long as the Organizing Committee can provide me with the additional credentials needed to enter the venue. When track cycling starts (one week into the Games), I will serve as a FQR for it until the Olympics ends. At each event, I will use my background knowledge about the sport (I better start learning about cycling!) to form specific and insightful questions to ask the athletes in the "mixed zone" (a designated press area) immediately after they compete. I will then transcribe these quotes into a database from which agencies such as AP, Reuters, NBC, BBC, etc. can draw quotes.

The ONS and Infostrada Sports (an organization that compiles sports data and biographies) staff who led the training also had us participate in team-building activities. They reminded us that though none of us will earn acclaim for our work here, we provide a crucial service to media outlets and will need to rely on each other to gather good quotes. To consummate our bonding, Leroy, Patrick, Chad, Krystyna (our manager), and I had to gather on stage (with a handful of other groups), tie our ankles together, and complete a synchronized jumping race across the stage. Second place for our group!

After training, we stopped for lunch at a pizza buffet. I decided to pass on the pizza and brave buying a yoghurt at a Chinese pantry. Three hours later, I still feel fine! Most of us have had only mild problems with the food and water here. Many of us have even had no issues with brushing our teeth with tap water. But we all crave Western food! The Chinese food we've had has tasted delicious for the most part, but we've had to "bolster" our diet with a few stops at McDonald's. Tonight those of us working cycling plan to eat dinner with our ONS manager, Krystyna from Australia. She found a supposedly-tasty place called Steak and Eggs that should satisfy our hankering for home cooking. We are classy!