I am sorry to say that both Olympics have ended which is a little sad. The Paralympics were fun to watch on the TV and especially in person. Also, all the really helpful volunteers will no longer be present to answer questions. They were a very reassuring sight and even if they did not know where such and such was they sure did try.
I went to three different events. The first was Judo which was picked rather randomly with the tickets that were available. It turned out to be a great choice becuase it was at one of the smaller venues and we got to see the medal ceremony. The atheletes were visually impaired and the goal was to get your opponent on the ground.
The event was especially exciting because we were next to a group of French fans who had to out shout a whole stadium full of people chanting CHINA! The female gold medal match was between France and China. Very exciting!
This man was posted to keep the rowdy French contingent in line. He was not entirely successful and is watching the match on the huge screen above our heads.
None of my pictures of the actual atheletes came out very well. They just sort of look like people shaped dots. So I decided not to post them.
The next event was on the Olympic green which (guess what) is enormous. I mean humungous. The tennis courts were at the top of the green and there were several preliminary matches going on simultaneously. The atheletes in their special wheelchairs were fast and powerful.
The last even I attended was in the Bird's Nest. Would you believe it is smaller than it looks on TV? Well, if you believe that then I have a bridge I would love to sell you. It is like a cathedral of smooth steel. The vastness of it is breathtaking.
The family pictured is at the very base of the Bird's Nest which gives you a little idea of the size.
The cultural awareness for people with all kinds of disabilities was heartening. I am not sure how the infrastructure will permanently adapt to these changes but at least it is a major start. For instance machines in subway stations to move wheelchairs up stairs and brail on handrails. The covereage was also quite extensive and interesting.
7 comments:
I LOVE the Bird's Nest - my favorite sports stadium since the Coliseum in Rome. Glad you got to attend several para events olympic events- and- I hope your classes are going well! What did you decide to lecture on Monday night?
Laura D.
HEY! I love your wall-e pictures! And I'm very glad you got to see the physically impaired olympics :P.
hope your class went alright. hope they enjoyed their lecture. i hope you dont have to drink another mystery cup of antibiotics.
someone called me today and for a second it sounded like you and i was all.. "nooo.... i miss karen".
I love the Wall-E pictures as well!!! Sounds like you had a good time, and just like everyone else, how did your class go???
The first class went pretty well. At least I think so. There are only 10 people in the class and people spoke in class so that is good. I try and keep my vocobulary clear and fairly basic in order to avoid misunderstanding. It felt really good to be teaching after waiting so long. There is a holiday in the first week of October but after that classes will resume.
Did you actually get to meet Wall-E?
Glad to hear classes went well. Are you as hard on them as you are on Winthrop students? :)
Stacie
I hear you're going up the mighty river for 4 days and will also climb the wall - hey, all we have here is politics and Palin. So, no contest. Cookies had flee treatment and then got sick - very eventful as you can see. How are the boys? All 3 of them?
great pictures Karen, the 'egg' is fabulous, dream-like, one wants to go in. I wouldn't mind an egg to get into for a while right now.
talk to you soon? L., Clara
(i just posted this on another date - what's wrong with me?)
I am not as hard on my Chinese students (yet) until I get my cultural footing so to speak. Students were using cell phones in class and I did not yell at them.
Even though it is exciting to be here I miss you all and think of you often.
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