I never thought I would go home with a stack of used tickets from this Olympic Games. We were told numerous times that all tickets were sold out as soon as we arrived in Beijing. Thousands of people had waited in line for almost two days in hot, humid weather to buy their tickets. The Games are officially over and I can gladly say that I have seen about eight or nine different events, including a large amount of America’s new favorite sport, fencing. The most significant event I witnessed was probably Usain Bolt winning the one hundred meter final and crushing his own world record.

But now the 2008 Olympic Games are over and the Olympic Green is back to looking like a ghost town. Venues are empty, stores are closed, and the torch is out until the Paralympic Games begin on September, 6^th.

Working for the Olympic News Service helped me realize a few different things. First, I discovered that journalists are actually a different breed. They will do anything and everything to get the information that they need, and for the most part, they will step on anyone in their way. I had been told this before but you cannot actually understand this until you have been in the mixed zone or in the press tribunes with some of the Italian journalists. Another thing I learned is that majority of the time being prepared to interview an athlete is less important than just thinking on your feet and allowing the athlete to verbalize what they are thinking. Both of these things could probably be said in a classroom numerous times but not truly understood until you are in this environment. I also realized I made the right decision in staying away from studying journalism as my major. 

Back to the States in two days.