Post-Olympic reflections
17 days of madness. It's over now, and I'm definitely feeling the symptoms of withdrawal.
Up till the day before the games began, I didn't care about any of it--I thought I would watch it on and off like I usually did with the previous Olympics.
It started with the day I woke up at 4am to go with my family to Port Moody to cheer my brother on, as he was selected to be one of the torchbearers. To those who know me well, I like my sleep. A LOT. I was extremely reluctant to get up so early, and even contemplated just sleeping in and forgetting about it, but in the end, family loyalty won out, and I dragged myself out of the warm cocoon that is my bed. I was assigned the task of snapping pictures of my brother carrying the torch, and while I failed spectacularly at it (with the rain and the crowd, etc.), the moment I saw the previous torchbearer pass the flame onto my brother's torch, there was a sudden understanding of the hype and enthusiasm that surrounded the Olympics. The flame started its way from Athens and continued its path all the way till it reached us here in Vancouver. How many hands had it passed? How many hopes had it inspired?
From that point on, it felt like I was sucked in by gravity into the Olympic black hole. I stayed up late into the night watching the rerun of the opening ceremony, spent countless hours glued in front of the TV (or two even, at times, not to mention the laptop!) watching event after event, and ventured downtown three times within the seventeen days in an attempt to check out the cauldron, the pavilions and such. I normally avoid crowds like the plague, I hate lining up when it gets too long, and I could count the number of times I went downtown in the past year in one hand.
...but yet, I did the exact things I supposedly hated because of the Olympics. It's insane.
There's something magical about being part of a collective experience that united the people. It wasn't just limited to the locals too, but it spread across the entire country of Canada, and need I mention the number of our American neighbours and international folks who were equally enjoying it all? Sure, there were tons of controversies at the start, like the uncooperative weather, the death of the Georgian luger, the protests that violent criminals took advantage of, and the slow trickle of medals in the beginning days that led to VANOC apologizing for the Own the Podium program... But aside from the tragedy of Nodar Kumaritashvili, the problems either resolved itselves or were dealt with accordingly. Notice how the protests died away in the sweep of cheers and "O Canada!" across the city? It felt like I was underdressed when I went out, not wearing at least something red and white!
The games were a remarkable success, and it rallied Canadian spirits across provinces like nothing else could. We went from fearing our medal count to owning the golden part of the podium, not to mention the immensely satisfying men's hockey gold. Now, the sentiment of "proud to be Canadian" is surely echoing in the majority's hearts. We showed the world that Canada is a welcoming place filled to the brim with patriotism, good-will, and humour.
O, Canada! Our home and native land...
P.S. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are my Olympic OTP too. SO CUTE! ♥ While jing is crushing on Charles Hamelin, I might just be off to the side thinking Cheryl Bernard is hot. XD
I think the Olympic cheer threw my cold into the back alley, but once the games are over, it's rearing its head with a vengeance...felt like I had a mild fever during the night, and I'm rarely down with fevers. ;w; The games had been surreal and dramatic, and it'll take a little time to adjust back to daily life. What a transformation these 17 days had been! I'm happy to have basked in the enthusiasm of witnessing the games right here in hometown--it's definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Up till the day before the games began, I didn't care about any of it--I thought I would watch it on and off like I usually did with the previous Olympics.
It started with the day I woke up at 4am to go with my family to Port Moody to cheer my brother on, as he was selected to be one of the torchbearers. To those who know me well, I like my sleep. A LOT. I was extremely reluctant to get up so early, and even contemplated just sleeping in and forgetting about it, but in the end, family loyalty won out, and I dragged myself out of the warm cocoon that is my bed. I was assigned the task of snapping pictures of my brother carrying the torch, and while I failed spectacularly at it (with the rain and the crowd, etc.), the moment I saw the previous torchbearer pass the flame onto my brother's torch, there was a sudden understanding of the hype and enthusiasm that surrounded the Olympics. The flame started its way from Athens and continued its path all the way till it reached us here in Vancouver. How many hands had it passed? How many hopes had it inspired?
From that point on, it felt like I was sucked in by gravity into the Olympic black hole. I stayed up late into the night watching the rerun of the opening ceremony, spent countless hours glued in front of the TV (or two even, at times, not to mention the laptop!) watching event after event, and ventured downtown three times within the seventeen days in an attempt to check out the cauldron, the pavilions and such. I normally avoid crowds like the plague, I hate lining up when it gets too long, and I could count the number of times I went downtown in the past year in one hand.
...but yet, I did the exact things I supposedly hated because of the Olympics. It's insane.
There's something magical about being part of a collective experience that united the people. It wasn't just limited to the locals too, but it spread across the entire country of Canada, and need I mention the number of our American neighbours and international folks who were equally enjoying it all? Sure, there were tons of controversies at the start, like the uncooperative weather, the death of the Georgian luger, the protests that violent criminals took advantage of, and the slow trickle of medals in the beginning days that led to VANOC apologizing for the Own the Podium program... But aside from the tragedy of Nodar Kumaritashvili, the problems either resolved itselves or were dealt with accordingly. Notice how the protests died away in the sweep of cheers and "O Canada!" across the city? It felt like I was underdressed when I went out, not wearing at least something red and white!
The games were a remarkable success, and it rallied Canadian spirits across provinces like nothing else could. We went from fearing our medal count to owning the golden part of the podium, not to mention the immensely satisfying men's hockey gold. Now, the sentiment of "proud to be Canadian" is surely echoing in the majority's hearts. We showed the world that Canada is a welcoming place filled to the brim with patriotism, good-will, and humour.
O, Canada! Our home and native land...
P.S. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir are my Olympic OTP too. SO CUTE! ♥ While jing is crushing on Charles Hamelin, I might just be off to the side thinking Cheryl Bernard is hot. XD
I think the Olympic cheer threw my cold into the back alley, but once the games are over, it's rearing its head with a vengeance...felt like I had a mild fever during the night, and I'm rarely down with fevers. ;w; The games had been surreal and dramatic, and it'll take a little time to adjust back to daily life. What a transformation these 17 days had been! I'm happy to have basked in the enthusiasm of witnessing the games right here in hometown--it's definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.