參與京奧義工時為了能夠參與而慶幸,從未為了想得到任何回報或獎賞,因為"能夠參與"已經是最大的榮幸.結果在過程中得到了難能可貴的友誼和經歷,突破自己的滿足感,觀眾和各方對義工們的稱讚和對奧運的一份尊敬尊重.還帶了一隻迷羊回教會...!
昨天在網上新聞讀到金融海嘯和經濟衰退漸漸地在英國醞釀出一股後悔當初申辦奧運的氣氛.而有幸可以在北京奧運中有所參與的我,到今天在文化中心外看到奧運五環時心中仍然有一份感動.
奧運和殘奧期間其中一個有趣體驗是收集和交換pins.
本來只打算收藏從EqCo得到的pins(去年的測試賽pin,torch relay pin和歡歡馬術pin),並沒有想過會買.
有一天on完duty,敏敏送了一個UAE pin給我.那是一位spectator送的,令人喜出望外.加上看到有些volunteer身上掛著一些很特別的pins,也想體驗一下這種文化交流,結果自己也買了幾個pins加入了"Pin Pin黨"的行列..^^
Pin Pin黨中有一些特別狂熱的,視線總會無意識地scan過每一個擦身而過的人,看看有沒有pins.又有一些sepctator,一打開身上的掛袋,一百幾十個扣在黑絨布上閃亮奪目的pins頓時展現眼前,令人嘆為觀止.
在交換回來的pins當中,最喜歡的是和一位楓葉國女士交換的雪花形狀2010 Vancouver冬奧pin.喜歡它的原因除了因為它漂亮外,更因為過程中與這位女士的交流,有別於單純"以物換物"形式的交換.
事情在奧運結束後浮面,是幸,是不幸呢?
看見天際泛紅,又聞說有颱風迫近台灣,大家都想在這PG馬術最後一晚終於要下雨了. 
This day is the only day competing at HKB. While the venue opened for spectators from 6am, we were required to arrive before 3am. Taxi is the only mean to get to the PTI. With the volunteer uniform on, the taxi driver recognized that I was a volunteer. After a short conversation, he told me that he is a volunteer worker of St. John. However, due to the limited number of entrance permits, he could not take part in the event. He asked a few times whether I can get reimbursement for the taxi fare. I believe if I could not get it back from the EqCo, he would have given me a free ride. It is so delighting to meet someone who shares the same passion for the event.
This day is also the only day that rained during the whole event. For an outdoor event, it might sounds discouraging, but in fact it is much welcomed. The 5000+ meter cross-country course with all those jumps is physically very demanding for the athletes and the horses. It is also very harsh for spectators to stand and walk around the mostly unsheltered venue for a few hours. The rain has brought down the temperature by a few degrees. Well, some might feel annoyed with the rain, but it is better to have many getting heat stroke.
It was cool to see spectators amused and excited by the performance of the athletes and the horses (most tribute to the horses, probably). My duty was marshal around jump no. 16, the Great Wall. It was a combination jump of 3 in a short U-shape course and attracted many spectators.
To us HK people, we of course were looking forward to the performance of Hua Tian, the 18 years old representative of China. I was waiting to take his photos at jump no. 16 but then decided to also take some galloping shots when along the pathway between jump no. 7 & 8, which is the other end of the area I was keeping. Right after I've taken this, he fell off the horse at jump no. 8..... R said, "It must be u.. What have u done??" (.....)
聽同事說在機場有兩部印相機可以將手機裡的照片加上奧運主題的框架免費印出來.
" 養兵千日,用在一時",奧馬義工,雖沒有預備千日,我們這班Batch 2義工從去年5月開始培訓,經過test event到今天,也差不多有500天呢!今天,終於正式"上崗"了!
