(First, I would just like to say thank you to all the people who have wished me luck and dropped comments to me the last few days. Yes, I do read them and yes, I appreciate them very much!)
The first few days here were a complete blur. After my 12 hour flight to Beijing and something like 15hr time change, we were rushed through an airport met by so many reporters! Though track and field isn't that big in the US, everywhere else in the world it is. We were met by so many people and camera's I felt like the Patriots or Lakers coming to a Super Bowl or NBA Championship (but a little cooler because this championship happens only every 4 years!)
Once in China it was all first class for us. We were taken through our very own customs and processing, and then taken to a secure part of the airport where no one could get in. Once through we were taken by bus in its very own "Olympic" lane by police escort to the Olympic village.
On our way to the Olympic village the Olympic venues seems to just rise from the earth in the middle of this great city. The city itslef is very large and looks very much like our own cities, but different....hmm. Because most everyone being Chinese, haha, that would be obvious. But there are little hints of their culture in the middle of the modern, American looking things from people pushing those small carts to wearing those hats (forgive my lack of understanding when I refer to them as cone hats), to just some of the architecture.
The Olympic venues, such as the bird's nest (the track and field stadium), and the water cube (the aquatic center) are magnificent and breath taking. They are light giants and seem completely out of place. I felt a chill run down my spine and a flutter in my stomach full of antipation and excitment for when my chance would come to compete in front of the WORLD!
Near the stadiums, is the Olympic village. It is what the names says, a village. Inside the new structure are towers that house the thousands of athletes from all ove the world. Each tower holds a different country and it decorated with each flag and signs. Our unfortunatly is not because they said it will become a target... not a comforting thought. But the security is great! Also, on the site is our very own dinnnig all complete with food stations each having courses from a different area around the world and if that doesn't do, we have our very own 24hr McDonalds for FREE!!! haha
I would say more about the village but I was only there for a night before leaving for Dalian, but I will tell you more when I head back ont eh 13th to prepare for my competition.
On to Dalian. Some of you may wonder why I am here and not Beijing, but the reason is track and field rented out it own beach resort so we could train and prepare for the competition in solitude...or style.
So here I am at Dalian, our very own beach resort. The people here have been AMAZING. Though most do not speak much English, they all say "hello" and want your picture and autograph and will do almost anything to help you. They are so helpful and polite. It is like you make there day by asking for their help. I've picked up a few words like Ni hao and she she which is hello and thank you and that seems like all you really need here... but please don't leave me somewhere in the city becuase I will starve to death and never find my way home.
We are surrounded 24hr a day by armed guards even though we are the only ones here at the resort. There are even secret service in the trees and grasses around the area and i'm not sure if that makes me feel more secure or less... There are even these guards that stand on a box under a shade that don't move or make eye contact for hours... it's neat to watch to see if they move, but they never do... Not my sort of job, but to each his own.
When we go to training facility they shut down the whole driving route and give us 2-4 police car escort to and from practice. They are very serious about our safety here. I look out the window to the city as we drive and it is different from the US not in the style of buildings, but that they all look old and rusted. Some empty, some falling apart, but not really any that are well care for. It's like everything was new and at its peak 20 or 30 years ago and then never kept... There are high tower apartments and the bottom are the shops on the first floor and out front. But the guardens and very well kept. It's like the whole facilities and roads are surrounded by park.
We are training at the Chinese national training facility. it's pretty cool, and completly set off from everything else. There are three throwing areas with three throwing circles in each for the long throws as well as a complete indoor track and outdoor track. We see lots of the Chinese team training but we just smile to one another becuase we don't speak Chinese and they don't speak English, but we are all friendly.
Back at the resort we have our very own American chef who prepares all our own meals (very good!), a medical staff complete with massage and chiropractor as well as a small pharmacy. We really did bring a piece of home with us.
Um, what else can I tell you? It's so hot and humid here. All I do is sweat and shower. We drink so much bottled water and power aid. I'm taking at least 4 bottles at practice and then another 6 during the day! Big giant bottles. Oh, and the toilets are a little different from the ones back home... they are like holes in the ground... You don't sit on them, you squat over them. Ha ha and if you are wondering, yes I have already tried it out! When in China...
Well that's all for now, don't want to bore ya too much. I'll let you know more about training and things in the next few days. Enjoy the states. I'm having a great time here and really excited for the next couple of weeks when I get to represent you (the US) in front of the whole world.
Zai jin (good bye)
