So, we're back in the US and I think we have all finally adjusted to being back in classes.  It's very sad to think that just less than 2 weeks ago we were still walking around Beijing and having our last meals at Lush.  The first week or so of classes was brutal while trying to get used to the time change.  I probably only stayed awake for longer than 15 minutes in about three of my classes those first few days. 

Everyday I am still getting asked about my experiences in China as I bump into friends for the first time this school year.  It was one of the best times of my life and I never know how to explain well enough to people without sitting them down for a few hours to talk.  I hope as I continue to add a few last posts to this blog, my friends and family at home that I have not yet gotten the chance to talk to will be able to read and understand just how amazing this trip was.  I not only learned a bunch of new and interesting things by working in a field that had never been of any interest to me, but I also managed to meet some truly amazing people and have formed relationships with some that will last forever.

I knew taking this trip to Beijing to work at the Olympics would be a "once in a lifetime" experience, but I never imagined how wonderful it would actually be.

In exactly 24 hours from right now we are scheduled to be taking off from Beijing Capital International Airport en route back to the United States. It's a difficult feeling to describe because I feel as if I have learned so much about myself as well as a culture that is so different and yet so similar to the one that I grew up in.

When I first arrived in Beijing, the culture shock was indescribable. There are so many little things about China that are just so different from America. Nothing was familiar and I had to be incredibly flexible in order to fully adapt to life here. However, when I finally was able to adjust to the ways of Beijing, I was able to have the most incredible experiences of my life.

One of the best moments of my time here came during the opening ceremonies of the 2008 games. I was standing outside of the National Stadium waiting for all of the athletes to start the long procession into the stadium when I struck up a conversation with a 19 year old student at Beijing Foreign Studies University. The conversation began as any other. "Where are you from?" "What are you doing for the Olympics?" "Who's your favorite NBA player?" etc. etc. 

When the athletes started marching by we started talking about our expectations for the Olympics and how excited we were to get the games started. He was so proud for China to be hosting its first ever Olympics and was so honored to have world class athletes from all over the planet in his city for the first time. I told him that this was my first time in China as well and how honored I was to be so welcomed here and to be given the opportunity to volunteer at the Olympics. 

The fireworks started shooting out of the top of the Bird's Nest and more athletes came walking by. I was unable to conceal my excitement and looking around at everyone else on the Olympic Green, they weren't either. I turned to my new friend and told him, "This is the greatest thing I have ever seen!" I will never forget what he responded with. He simply smiled and replied, "Welcome to China."

The Olympics is an interesting experience. It causes so many problems for the host city, but at the same time can do wonderful things for it as well. As China emerges as a superpower among nations, the spectacular success of the 2008 Olympic games will be such an important aspect of its emergence. While I was here in Beijing to work, I did more learning. I learned about myself. I learned about so many other people. I learned about another country. I learned about more things than I can even count. For the past two months, Beijing was the most amazing, interesting, fun, and watched city on the planet. I am so honored to have been even a tiny part of the Beijing Games of the 29th Olympiad.

After years of planning, hard work and dedication the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is over. Today was a weird day in Beijing. People were walking around much quieter with their heads down. It seems as though the whole city is in a bit of a shock. What do we do now that it's over? Especially for me and the rest of us here at IC we wonder what is the city going to do now that the games are over? Yeah we all understand that life will go on. The Games weren't the only thing going on in Beijing. It just seems weird to me for there to be a Beijing without the Olympics. 

In a way I am sad to think about leaving the city in two days. It has been such a journey and adventure for me here. I have learned so much about my own strengths and weaknesses as well and as the strengths and weaknesses of my friends and classmates. I wrote in an article earlier this trip that I came here one person and I am leaving another. I have been able to meet people from around the world - all kinds of people. The Olympics is the most global event I have ever experienced and the memories and relationships I made here will stay with me forever. I have never been more proud of myself as when I reached the top of the Great Wall of China. I have never rejoiced as much as when the American Sabre women swept the podium. And I have never felt such pangs of sadness as when China's favourite athlete injured himself before his race even began. This has been an incredible experience for me. At times I have been frustrated and upset with the differences in cultures. Others I have been horribly homesick and mad that I had to be here for two whole months. But now with just two days left to go I have nothing but good memories and friendships to hold on to. 

Knowing that I am only 21 years-old and I have already worked at one of the most influential and important events in the world is astonishing. This trip is only the jumping off point for myself and everyone else here. I know that I will always look back on this trip with a smile on my face. I also know that no matter what I do with my life, career wise and personally I will use lessons I learned while here in Beijing. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to come and experience the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and I can only thank those who helped me get here. 

My job as a fencing flash quote reporter finished on August 16th so I had a lot of free time on my hands to experience Beijing both during the day and at night.  So after a little bit of exploring and spending many a Chinese Yuan, we heard about a few places that all of the athletes and celebrities like to go to at night.  The three places that came up the most were the Volkswagen house, the Heineken (Dutch) house, and Budweiser’s "Club Bud”. Sponsors during the Olympics really make it their job to market their product in the best way possible.  Many have set up interactive buildings all over the Olympic green to market, while these three decided to go a different route.  The “houses" and "clubs" are set up to give the athletes a place to celebrate their wins, cheer up after their losses, meet other athletes, and just have a good time by relieving themselves of the pressures of competition.

So after some deliberating about which place to go to, a few others and I decided that Club Bud sounded like the most fun.  Club Bud was originally a part of the Beijing Agricultural Exhibition Center which Budweiser rented out for the games and turned it into one of the hottest places to go in Beijing.  When you walk in on your left is the dancing aspect of the club with loud pumping music courtesy of a DJ. It has a huge dance floor with podiums placed on the perimeter of it where people who want to show off a little bit more of their moves (or lack there of) can dance. Across the way is a lounge area, with yet another DJ, plush sofas and a special V.I.P spot in the middle. Through the lounge guests can reach an outdoor terrace, complete with pool, another DJ, love seats all around, and artificial grass and rocks to give the feel of a real outdoor tropical experience.

This all sounded great to me however the problems I had were that I didn't have a ticket into the club, I was not a celebrity, and being an Ithaca College Intramural Sports Champion didn't quite count as being an athlete.  But after my opening ceremonies experience marching with team USA and finding my way into seats five rows from the court at a USA basketball game ( courtesy of Dr. Guan), I thought that nothing had stopped me from doing what seemed impossible beforehand so why would it start now?

I headed over to Club Bud at around 11 P.M. because the doors had opened at 9 and everybody knows that the important athletes and celebrities always come late to things like this so they can make as big of an entrance as possible.  Upon arriving at the gate I started thinking of a game plan about how to get in. I stood outside the gate waiting for something to come, when finally it did.

A few of us briefly started a conversation with an Australian guy waiting outside and mentioned how difficult it is to get in and how I tried to get tickets but had fallen short.  He said his buddy was an Australian rower and was coming out to get him in and could probably get us in as well; bingo!  As his friend the rower walked towards the gate and was talking to security, the Australian guy helping us yelled, “Hey, four Americans too.”  The somewhat puzzled rower quickly caught on and pointed the four of us out to come in as well.  Once through security we thanked both of them for their help and headed into the club.

After a few hours of wandering around, the mood of the club shifted with some new arrivals. In walked Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Matt Grevers, Cullen Jones and a few other friends and teammates from USA swimming. They walked straight into the V.I.P. area so they wouldn’t be bothered as much. The problem with this was that the V.I.P area was smack in the middle of the lounge with only some rope to block it off.  It basically put Michael Phelps and company on show as a spectacle.  Everyone in the club had surrounded him on all four sides taking pictures of him with flashes everywhere.  He motioned to his friend that he he wanted to get out of there and they left for a V.I.P corner on the outside terrace.  

The night ended with a few of us eventually sneaking into that area and snapping some great photos of Mr. Phelps. As the club was closing and Phelps was leaving I managed a quick handshake with him to congratulate him ( Brant somehow got two handshakes).  All in all the night was pretty amazing and we got to meet some cool people, and we eventually got tickets for 2 more nights where we met and saw people like softballer Jennie Finch, volleyballer Kerri Walsh, boxer Evander Holyfield and soccer player Ronaldhino.  What an end do a great Olympic experience.

The news has just been posted on the internet: FLASH: S. WANSIRU OF KENYA WINS MEN'S MARATHON GOLD MEDAL AT BEIJING OLYMPIC GAMES AT 2:06:32

It is 10:00 PM (EDT) in Cortland, New York.  I have just spent the last three hours watching NBC's coverage of the men's marathon, traditionally the last event of the Olympic Games.  It's been 35 years since I ran my last competitive marathon, but I still get excited (and nervous) when I can watch this great test of endurance.  This time, I will know the Olympic course route. The race will cover ground I walked on two weeks ago.

This is going to be a difficult race.  At the start, it is already 76 degrees and the humidity is over 50%.  Even worse, it is sunny.  As the race progresses I am impressed that NBC has somehow managed to keep Bob Costas unseen and unheard.  The race is actually being called by competent announcers who respect all the athletes, thus their description is remarkably free of the painfully obvious jingoism of the previous 14 days.

What is surpising (and sad) is how few people are lined up along the marathon course.  The Chinese fans are supportive of all the athletes, but this event deserves more.  As Wansiru enters the secure area near the Bird's Nest, the cameras show just how few people are on the Olympic Green and the stadium is only half full.

As Wansiru runs the last few meters before entering the stadium, my eye catches one incredibly ridiculous American at the fence separating the athletes from the others.  This young man, in his YALE t-shirt and sun glasses, is jumping up and down pointing to himself, preening for the camera.  Wansiru, who is only 21, actually gives this foolish tourist a look of disdain.  The moment is gone in a flash. I will remember it forever.

The marathon, in spite of the modern commodified sporting envrionment, always seems to rise above it all and state simply the creed of all legitimiate athletics: "It's not the triumph, but the struggle."  But this moment last only a heartbeat.  After all, the closing ceremony is only 12 hours away and the Olympians have to be pushed aside for the staging and the lighting and marking for China's (and the IOC's) next opportunity for self promotion and advertisement.  There are bills to be paid, ratings to be achieved, target audiences to be reached.

It will all be over in less than a day.

Sadly, "no one" will watch that next great Olympic Festival, the Paralympics, starting a week from now in the same venues. Here in the United States we will have moved on . . . the baseball season is winding down and, even more importanty, we are READY for some football.