Aussie Aussie Aussie, oiy oiy oiy!

This entry is to be continued, but I wanted to post a few pictures of the Olympic event Jane, Howard, Kelsey, Jason, Christina, Val, Alysha, Chris and I watched this morning: Men's Beach Volleyball--Australia vs. Angola. We sat in front of a excited group of Aussies, and their enthusiasm for their team rubbed off on us Americans. In no time, many of us learned to shout their cry, "Aussie Aussie Aussie, oiy oiy oiy!"

The Aussies beat the Angolans in two swift games. Maybe the US should adopt a similar cheer.

Event tickets!

I have tickets for beach volleyball and track & field!!! The two Chinese officials who flew to the US and conducted the quote-reporting test and debate that allowed US college students like myself to work at these Games have arranged for international volunteers to see the two events. Lucky for me, I have off work the day of beach volleyball. We haven't received information as to which matches we'll see. I don't know much about the favorite teams, rivalries, etc. of beach volleyball, but a few weeks ago I knew none of these about cycling either. Now I feel familiar with many aspects of the sport.

I don't believe I can attend the track & field events, as many important cycling events take place the evening of Aug. 16, the time our tickets would allow us into the Bird's Nest. But, who knows, maybe a stroke of luck will allow me to see the events of the night: women's 800m, 100m, javelin throw and shot put and the men's long jump, 100m and hurdles.

I would have loved the chance to go inside the Bird's Nest. I had hoped to watch the opening ceremony in it, but volunteers did not receive tickets to it. Instead I watched the ceremony from inside a restaurant that aired the NBC broadcast. The performances transfixed me(!), until waitresses kept walking in front of the screen and students from other universities kept getting up to go to the bathroom and walking in front of me. Oh well, I still saw most of the ceremony, and what I did see wowed me!. As Paul, the owner of the restaurant said, "No one can put on a show like the Chinese!"

The majority of the Purdue group and students from

the University of Delaware watching the ceremony

朋友 = friends

Me and Li

I'm making friends! The group of volunteers I work with at the Velodrome consists of, well, mostly Purdue students, but three of the volunteers are Chinese: Eric, Li and Rita. I love talking with them, hearing stories about their lives in China. I've gotten to know Li more than the others, as I met him early on in our FQR adventures. Li attends the Communication University of China (where I stay now) and studies International Economics. He hopes to work in Shanghai when he graduates.

We have become film and literature buddies.

Li's a movie buff. A few days ago he introduced me to the movie Cinema Paradise. I loved it! He also recommended the book, A Year in Provence. His good track record has convinced me to check it out. Many young Chinese eat up Western pop culture. I'm happy to hang out with someone who can introduce me to non-mainstream-Western entertainment.

Rita is my controversial issue buddy.

We're sitting and chatting about innocuous issues before work today and, out of the blue, she asks, "Have you seen the L Word?" I told her I hadn't, but I'd heard of the series, which revolves around a group of lesbian women and gay men. She proceeded to ask me about how Americans treat gays and what rights they have. She said being gay in China is "forbidden." Her gay friend can never tell his parents about his sexual orientation. He's 30 years old and his parents are still trying to marry him off. She said though that young Chinese people accept gays much more than their parents.

I'm used to foreigners ask about American politics, but I didn't expect a questioning about gay rights... I suppose I'll count it as a cultural experience.

Appearance of the cycling stars

All I can think about is the amount of food in my stomach! We just finished celebrating Andrea's 23rd birthday with an indoor picnic of pizza, cream cheese, peanut butter sandwiches, cereal (yes, with real milk) and all sorts of other American comfort foods. But I promise, though food is a favorite blog topic, our lives here do not revolve around food.

We hung around the Velodrome today from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (or should I say 17:30, as China uses military time) waiting to interview athletes. However, most athletes were practicing for the first time on the track and wanted to avoid distractions, like talking to journalists. I wasn't able to interview any athletes, but I did see some of my favorite cyclists and Team USA members training!! Rebecca Romero (GBR), Theo Bos (NED), Chris Hoy (GBR), Sarah Hammer (USA) and Jennie Reed (USA) worked out at the Velodrome. 

Theo Bos

Chris Hoy

Sarah Hammer

Jennie Reed

Gaping mouths and dreamy eyes greeted many of the popular cyclists, especially Theo Bos. One 30-something-year-old Japanese reporter admitted with a giggle that she wanted to interview Bos "because he's cute!" Gaping mouths greeted other cyclists for very different reasons, too. One German athlete sported quads bigger than my waist. He could barely walk. I was just plain scared of and for him.

Oh, I almost forgot, the torch relay reached the Velodrome and I got to pose with the torch!

Colombians and Intriguing Cyclist #1

Blogging sometimes becomes a difficult task. I've written home about most of my initial reactions and have tried to look for cultural details and share anecdotes about my day. I wonder, what would you readers like to hear about? Have I ignored an aspect of life here or failed to delve deeply into another? Let me know what you think!

As for work today, I watched the Colombian cyclists train. They were all about business, the four riders circling the track for maybe an hour at a fast speed and in a tight line formation. Every few minutes, the leading rider would move to the outer track area, slow down, and move to the position of fourth rider behind his other teammates. I believe the training prepares the cyclists for the Team Pursuit event, in which four riders circle the track in line, the leading rider dropping to the back intermittently to take advantage of the lack of aerodynamic turbulence to regain his strength. Check out the video below for an illustration.

Cyclists from Uruguay also trained this afternoon. A few FQRs attempted to interview them. The cyclists hesitated to speak with American reporters, but eventually offered a few statements.

So far, I have yet to see any of the track cyclists who intrigue me most. At the moment, Rebecca Romero of Great Britain holds my attention, likely because I have a special place in my heart for rowers. Romero won a silver medal in rowing at Athens. "Disillusioned with rowing," she planned to retire from the sport and pursue a career in marketing when a British coach approached her about cycling. She dominated tryouts for the sport and soon found herself reigning as World Champion in the Team and Individual Pursuit races. If she medals here in Beijing, she will become the first British woman to win Olympic medals in two different sports.

Tomorrow, the number of countries represented at the Velodrome should increase. Check back then for details about additional athletes I admire and others I see circling the track in my midst.

Extra American, hold the cheers

Mmm, Snickers and Doritos and Kerouac's On the Road. I'm feeling extra American today. You know what else makes me feel extra American? The arrival of other foreigners to Beijing. The athletes have come! I missed seeing the Colombian cyclists circle the track this morning, but did witness their camera crew exit the Bicycle Cluster. Later I had a chance to chat with a few members and coaches of the Russian team. They asked me how to find the Athlete's Stand in the Velodrome. I said I had no idea. They asked if I instead knew how to make coffee. AH, HAH!!...... hah? I also saw an athlete and a coach (I presume) in Netherlands' garb shopping for specialty foods.

Where before I simply felt Caucasian in a city of Asians, I now feel distinctly American. With the surge of incoming athletes comes a surge in my national pride. I love China, I love the people from other countries I have met here, and I'm thrilled by the idea of meeting cyclists from all over the world (it's happening tomorrow, woo!!). But when the competition heats up and the races start, I'll be cheering, "U-S-A, U-S-A!!!" (if only, because I am a journalist, loudly in my head).

Oh no, my Vitamin C's failed me

After weeks and weeks of watching my comrades fall ill to colds, stomach problems, and fatigue while I've somehow maintained good health, I've finally caught something. Inevitable. I knew it. I have a sinus infection.

Oh well, I've dosed up on Sudafed (thanks, Lauren!), so I should survive and flourish once again. Meanwhile, I'm using the extra downtime to reflect on the weeks I've spent here, more closely observe my current surroundings, and think ahead on what I want to do when I return for this fall semester and what I want to do, oh, basically with my life (AHHH!! Scary.).  About one-third of my lifelong to-do list thus far consists of travel goals. An immediate goal: I want to visit Missoula, MT, maybe even camp there.

Hmm, this tangental blog may or may not reveal insight into Beijing life... Thanks dizzying Sudafed! I should probably settle into bed now.