My Experience Volunteering at the Winter Olympics — Post 1
World leaders can learn from watching the volunteers at the Olympics.
In fact, they should learn from them.
I’ve never seen a group of widely disparate people come together so quickly, so unabashedly, so resolutely.
In the last 48 hours, I’ve met volunteers from Canada, Slovenia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, England, Russia, Australia, Italy, Japan — and of course South Korea.
I’ve met people pursuing all kinds of careers — a journalist, a broadcaster, 2 hoteliers, many teachers, a dentist, several bankers, a coach, a construction engineer, a programmer, a brewer, a chef, and dozens of students and retirees.
The volunteers span all ages — from 18 to 80.
Yet despite the differences, the volunteers seem to act the same. The volunteers approach each other with smiles and warmth and open hearts.
Our conversations start the same way…
- My name is ________. What’s yours?
- Where are you from?
- What will you do at the Olympics?
- At which venue?
- What do you do at home?
And the conversations blossom from there.
Everyone is genuinely interested in meeting everyone else.
Why?
We share a common purpose — to contribute to make the Olympic Games a success.
We share a common interest — the love of the Olympic Games.
We share a common motivation — to be a part of something historic, something monumental.
We have no personal agendas beyond making new friends, trading a lapel pin, and scoring a free ticket to the Opening Ceremonies or a hockey game.
We don’t politick or jockey for position — we’re all in this together.
We don’t hide or use information — we freely share what we know so all volunteers can benefit.
Our training officially started yesterday. But by the start of the first session, friendships that had budded in the last 24 hours were multiplying exponentially — a network of goodwill spanning the globe like a vine.
Our hearts are already knit as one. Those Olympic rings mean something to each of us now.
And when we receive our uniforms tomorrow, we will be welded together.
Visibly.
And indivisibly.
We awoke to snowfall for the second day of training — and the campus is abuzz with excitement. It’s palpable.
The snow adds a blanket of beauty to an already gorgeous spot of the world.
We know this is good for the Games.
And, on a personal note, I don’t have to shovel it. ☺
Look for Me at the Winter Olympics
I’ve been assigned to the Olympic Sliding Centre venue to help with victory ceremonies for the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton events. I’ll be providing support to the medalists.
My daughter told me I’m hip. That made my day.
I’m pretty sure that the cameras won’t ever be pointed at me… but you never know. So keep an eye out for me.
And I’ll be writing about my experiences at the Olympics on The Mission. If you want to follow my adventure, then just follow me.
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