Coca-Cola has a lot to do with the Special Olympics, and for the FIFA World Cup, they sponsored a match for the Special Olympic Athletes to participate in, the Unity Cup. Before one of the quarter-finals games, the Unity Cup Team plays a short game against each other. Half of the players are Special Olympic Athletes, and the other half are celebrities, including ex-soccer players, the actress from Crouching Tiger Hidden Draggon, basketball players and President Zuma of South Africa! All the guests came in the day before the game. Since this isn’t the same as our Global Hospitality Program, we weren’t in charge of running it, but we lent a few people out to help with the transportation aspect of their program. The first day they were here, they had a busy schedule with practices and dinners. I was at the hotel, though, still preparing for our program, fixing the transo escort script, once again. It was a hectic day around the office, but everything ended up fine and completed.

Today was the actual Unity Cup. Working in this industry, everyone always expects chaos and changed plans and flexibility, but I would have to say that today was the most chaos that I have ever seen! The other team that was supposed to be organizing the event was doing pretty much everything except for organizing. So we were thrown into the chaos with 5 staff who knew absolutely nothing! Loading the buses in the lobby was even a struggle. The guests were waiting nearly an hour to board the buses. Since we were taking the players under the stadium and through the players tunnel, all of our buses had to be swept, scanned and sniffed by dogs. We were traveling in a convoy to the stadium, so we had to wait for everyone to load and get on their correct bus before anyone could depart. I was standing in the lobby controlling their guests, but it was extremely difficult. I’m not the type to be completely oblivious to what is happening, so today, when I had no clue what was happening, I felt really bad telling the guests that I had absolutely no clue! What happened was there was one person in charge of this whole operation, and she didn’t tell anyone else her plan. so everyone who was helping knew nothing of what was going on, and there was no one to ask because the one person running around was impossible to find! But needless to say, after all madness, we did get the guests and players successfully to the game! I was sent to take care of the people in the box suites. Coke had two suites, one for the chairman and his guests and one for the celebrities. All I was supposed to do was stand around with a sign when they were coming, and then I could watch the game from the box! I really liked seeing the Unity Cup game. The players were so amazing and good! One actually scored with a bicycle kick! It made me want to work with the Special Olympics more. The actual game was also so incredible, just seeing anything from up there! It was Germany vs. Argentina. The first half was so exciting and the fans were going wild, until Germany pulled ahead and won with a 4-0 lead! Despite the blow-out, it was still amazing to be in the stadium. Everyone was either dressed in argentina’s baby blue or germany’s white and black. At various times, each group would start their own cheer; Argentina fans were singing songs and their cheers echoed throughout the whole stadium! It was so awesome!

Leaving the stadium was another hectic ordeal. It was nearly a joke how unorganized someone in the event planning industry can be. But it really showed me how wonderful our team of staff is, for when we run the show ourselves, every small detail is smooth and taken care of.

Monday June 28, 2010 & Tuesday June 29, 2010 & Wednesday June 30, 2010

The past two days, we have been training the staff. Today is the first time that we met who we will be working with for the next two weeks! It is always exciting seeing who you are working with for the first time. This time, though, its is quite different. All the people who we are working with are from the same office, so they already know each other. This is nice for them, but it’s a different environment to be in when you only know a few other people.

Luckily, we didn’t have to go to the first day of training, since this is my third training with the transpo staff. Instead, we created the talking points to give to everyone. Being a bus escort, it seems easy enough that you have to talk to your guests and tell them about the city, departure details and the event that they are about to see. Yet when you are standing in front of a bus with thirty adults looking towards you for direction, it is surprisingly nerve-racking. So Allyson and I created some mock speeches to help everyone learn what to say and memorize the necessary points.

The next day, we had to go to airport to learn that area. But after that, we went to the stadium. There was actually a game going on, so we could practice our procedures with the actual crowds and people. It went really smoothly, which is always reassuring. But the managers the whole time were still extremely worried. Unlike the Olympics, if you mess up on this program, there is no time to recover; it is only a week of work and we only go to every place only once. So the training is the only real place to practice. For us, it was simple, since we had already done this job for a month at the Olympics, but for the others, who are still learning exactly what the program is like, it is difficult to ensure oneself that they are adequately prepared for what is ahead of them. with this, the managers have been extremely stressed out and worried about. But I guess when arrival day comes and the guests are on site, the real test will come!

After our training at the stadium, we were able to stay and watch. It was Spain vs. Portugal, and the winner would advance to the quarter finals. It was really exciting to be in the stadium again and experience the game atmosphere once more. It still amazes me how crazy every one is about soccer and their teams! The whole stadium was red, being that both teams were red. We were by a group of people from Spain at one point, and they were singing songs and cheering for their team the whole time! People from Brazil were also there, waving their flags for their country, even though their team wasn’t even playing. It was really very exciting. Spain ended up winning 1-0, but it was so exciting!

On Wednesday, it was only supervisor training. We just ran a few errands and sat in other the training while we were working a on few other things. Its weird being in cape town rather than Vancouver. In Vancouver, we would work and then go around the city and experience the Olympic atmosphere. Here, though, its not safe enough to walk around and roam about the city exploring the streets. So we have just been helping around the office to ensure that everything that we can do is done. So while we have shifts, we pretty much are just hanging out with everyone all day and are on call if anyone needs help.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

The past two days have been spent in preparation for the program. We received our shipment and had to offload the truck. Except, the truck had no loading dock, so we had to cart all the boxes down, through the parking garage, back up the ramp and into the room. With the whole team helping, it ran smoothly, but with around 200 heavy boxes to offload and organize, it took about two hours of hard work and 20 people! Yesterday we organized all these boxes and double checked all the uniform bags for the several hundred guests and staff. It was an all day project, but something that is necessary to ensure that every guest receives exactly what they asked for!

Since the local staff arrives tomorrow for orientation, we had to help the managers prepare their presentations and manuals. After going through the process in Vancouver, we understood what was necessary to teach and what we needed to train the staff with so that they have their scripts for the bus down. This program is different, with only less than a week of work in Cape Town, there is no time for a learning curve for the staff. Unlike Vancouver, where if you mess up the first wave, you have three more to recover, here you only get one chance. So this training and preparation before the event is absolutely necessary.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Cape Town is distinctly split between classes and living conditions. The townships are where the black people were restricted to during the apartheid, and so now it has stayed that way. Unlike in America, where neighborhoods are intertwined with one another, here everything is clearly sectioned off. The township that we went to, Langa, had clear boundaries from the rest of the land and is an area where only blacks live. Langa is one of the larger and older townships. We went through it with a local guy who runs tours to benefit his community and help out the other people living there. With just my dad and I, we were able to get an authentic experience, as he brings us around all the locals and shows us what the township lifestyle really is like. It is stunning what small donations, such as a dollar, can do, and with our small contribution, we fed three families! There are about 65,00 families living in this township, but by a family, they mean anywhere between 9 and 30 people! We got to see their houses, and their living conditions were really stunning! The nice houses were about 3 by 4 meters… this includes a kitchen, a living room and about one bedroom. Most of these houses have been passed down through generations, so the families have been living in the same place for years! Our guide, MC, lives in the same house as his grandmother was born in. when he was growing up, he had 27 people living in his house, including cousins, uncles, aunts and grandparents. In the township, families depend on one another and treat their neighbors almost as if they were a part of their family as well. The poorer parts of the township was really shocking. The apartment looking buildings were set up as if they were dorms. In each room, there were three beds. But this room did not belong to a single family. Each family would own one bed, and that is where their whole family would sleep, or on the floor around that. So in each dorm-like room, there would be three families living there! Looking at these living conditions, I could not believe that these were actually peoples lives! Growing up in these circumstances, the children know nothing different; and to compare their lifestyles at home… And yet, these children are out in the streets playing ball and entertaining themselves in ways that Americans would never know how to do. Without technology and our advancements of society, these kids are still just as happy and cheerful as anywhere else. Yet, as everyone faces hardships, it is amazing to see what people can endure. These families are fighting to survive and feed their kids. Their soul purpose of work is to put food on the table, not to buy the latest sports car or best new piece of technology, the kids here know nothing of that sort. It really made me realize how lucky we are as a nation to have the standard of living that we do.

Our guide also showed us the local attractions for the townspeople. They have this food called smiley. These are sheep heads that have been boiled and grilled for people to cut in half and eat. We did not have a chance to try it, but to the locals, this is a great snack. Instead of eating potato chips and soda, these people enjoy a smiley. We also got to see the local bar. No women are allowed in here, but he took us to show us what it was like. They brew their own beer, and pouring it into a bucket, MC had us try it and then they passed it around to all of the locals, sharing it with everyone. It was very interesting to see the local rituals of their culture.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Cape town is the most southern city of Africa, but today we went to the most southern part of Africa. We drove down with one of our local friends to the South Cape where the Cape of Good Hope is. It is between an hour and a half to two hours drive south of Cape Town, but to get there you drive past a bunch of little towns, most of which are on the water. It was a beautiful day today and the beaches and cliffs were so spectacular! Driving down to the cape, it was mountains and bays all the way along the road. About 15 minutes outside the city, it didn’t even look like there was any city nearby, with all the rural sites. Our friend showed us all the surfing beaches, hiking trails, mountain biking areas, sailing bays and many more little charms within the wilderness. It was absolutely stunning! I could definitely see how someone could love living right outside of Cape Town!

We went to one point, overlooking all the Cape Flats. Our friend told us about all the different parts of town and what they were like. There are three highways running east, west. On the eastern coast, by False Bay, there are distinct housing classes. On to the south of the first highway, the land backs up to the foothills, where there are a few vineyards. This area is very prosperous and the land is beautiful, with a lot of acreage for a few houses. In between the next highways, the housing is still decent, but not quite as nice. Yet, beyond the northern highway, the land is littered with small, rundown houses and shacks. I found it so shocking how distinct the separation between the classes were, and it made me realize how special America really is. seeing the countryside today, I could definitely see how anyone would love to live in this part of Africa. Yet, it is so weird to me to see how distinct everyone is clicked into their own social groups and classes. I feel like living here you would be so limited to remain within your class and social image. To me, this feels as if you are restricted within society and denied the freedom to truly be and express who you are, or to change and explore different lifestyles.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

We went to Robben Island today. When in Cape Town, this is by far the most important tourist site to see. It was really moving and well done. We took a tour out to the Island to see the prison which held the political prisoners during the apartheid, including Nelson Mandela for 18 years. We started the tour by getting a tour of the actual prison. One of the former inmates gave us the tour, and it was very powerful coming from him and hearing what he had to say about the jail. We saw Mandel’s cell and heard the stories about how the ran the prison and separated the inmates accordingly. They kept the leaders separated from all of the other prisoners, for they feared that they would organize something, and the truth is, they were leaders at heart and still tried to lead people while they were in prison. Depending on what each prisoners’ status was, some were allowed to study, but others weren’t even allowed contact with the outside world. Every letter that came into the camp was censored, so that they knew nothing of what was happening outside the prison. The prisoners were also separated according to race. There were no whites in the prison, but the blacks were treated different from the “colored” people. The colored people consisted of everyone who was neither white nor black. The colored people had different meals and were fed more than the black people. It was really stunning to hear about this. At the end, when the tour guide was telling us his personal story, I realized what an amazing place Robben Island really was. The inmates referred to it as a University, not a prison. People learned to read and write and were educated in this prison. Upon their release, many people went into power and led the country, like Mandela. Not only this, but the people who were released went on fighting for peace, not hatred. Even though they were locked up in cells for years on end, they did not want war or division, they wanted peace and unity. It was powerful hearing him explain this to us, hearing how affected the inmates were and how strong their belief was, for peace and unity within their country.

Upon returning to Cape Town, our mindset and atmosphere changed just a bit, for the US was playing against Algeria. We had to win this game to ensure that we would go onto the next round. We went to a bar to watch. Until the 90^th minute, the game was still tied nil,nil. But when we scored in the 91 minute, the bar went wild. People were standing on tables, stomping their feet, screaming and cheering, all in spirit of the US! It was so exciting to be cheering for our country half way across the world and be with fellow Americans who shared the passion for our country! Despite most of America, the rest of the world really is crazy about this game, football!

For dinner, we went to a well-known South African place, Mama Africa’s. they had a live band that was so much fun and was decorated in an African style. We tried crocodile, kudo, springbok, venison sausage, and ostrige! Amazingly, they were all so good! It was fun to be in the African culture and try the exotic food.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Today was shark day!!! South Africa is known for their great white sharks. If anyone is a Discover Channel addict, they know Seal Island… well that’s where we went! We got up well before dawn, drove to Gordon’s Bay, met up with a group and headed out to Seal Island. It is a tiny island in the middle of Gordon’s Bay where thousands of seals live and feed. The waters surrounding this island are extremely deep, over a hundred feet. Since the island is surrounded by steed drop-offs, it allows the sharks to hang out in the deep waters and attack the seals from the dark depths of the water. Because of this, the sharks come flying out of the water and attack the seal, breeching and launching their whole bodies out of the water. The sharks around this island are between 3 and 5 meters and are massive animals. This is one of the only areas where great whites breech. Only three boats are permiteted here and all of them are small, so we were lucky to have gone to this area.

After about 30 minutes of trailing a seal decoy behind our boat, a shark attacked it. The shark came mostly out of the water and ate the whole foam seal, only to spit it back out seconds later. It was incredible to see such a beast alunch its body out of the water. I was sitting on the top of the boat, ready with my camera to capture the sight, but when the shark finally came out, we all were so startled that it was near impossible to capture the shark! As we started to chum the waters, we put in the cage. A few sharks came around and circled at different points. There were such incredible animals and massive! I still cannot get over their size! The waters were merky, as usual, but while I was in the ice-cold water, I was able to see the shark from several feet away! it was so awesome! The great white sharks really are vicious animals. I would never put myself in danger of these beasts after seeing their powerful attacks and incredible speed! It really was amazing to see!

Tonight was the last Bafana Bafana game. We watched it at the plaza on the Waterfront. It was absolutely packed. We were standing in the very back and everyone kept pushing in order to get a better view of the large screen. Policemen were shutting off the balconies and everyone was standing up on tables, posts, railings, anything to better their view. Vuvuzelas again sounded in the background of the entire game and everyone was in yellow Bafana jerseys. People sang “Shosholoza” and cheered whole-heartedly for their beloved home country. It was so excited just to be around the crowds during a game like this. Even though they didn’t advance to the next round because of only a few goal difference, everyone was so proud of their country and embraced their win.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Africa. well, South Africa. It definitely is an experience. Flying here, over the course of two days, I had no clue what to expect. I had a picture in mind, of the African desert, safari animals running around the vast landscape and tribes men. But no, I knew I wasn’t going to experience Africa like that, especially with the World Cup. Yet I had no clue which Africa I was going to experience.

Flying here, we stopped in Senegal. Landing in the night, the whole land was pitch dark. Only the airport and a few streets were lit up, absolutely nothing else. But leaving, the land was cluttered. Littered with shacks and buildings packed next to each other covering ever bit of land. it was interesting to see, where there were so many people and so many houses, yet not one light.

However, Cape Town is very different. Walking around the city yesterday, I had to keep reminding myself that I was in Africa. There is a huge European influence here, and it is very apparent. Walking through the city, some areas feel like you are in Europe. Only when you look around you and see the people are you reminded that this is, in fact, Africa.

The people here are so nice. When you talk, everyone can tell you are from America, because of your accent, but they are so welcoming and friendly. Throughout the city, all the World Cup fans are crazy! Baring their country flags and jerseys, they walk around blowing Vuvuzelas and cheering. The whole city echoes with the sound of the Vuvuzelas and every store and street corner is filled with the plastic horns. Throughout the city, there are big-screen TV’s and fan parks for everyone to watch the games. No matter who is playing, each game draws a crowd. Groups of people gather around various TV’s, glued to the screen, watching intently and cheering for various football teams. The whole world is crazy about football and the world cup. However, the whole city is overly passionate for Bafana Bafana! From the flight attendants to the workers at the hotel and tons of people in the streets, Bafana Bafana jerseys can be seen everywhere! The yellow and green shirts stand out against all else and the cheers and songs for their team echoes throughout the city. The country is so proud to have the world watching them in order to show off their culture and success!

Yesterday, our first day in the city, we strolled around the city then went up to Table Mountain. This rock plateau overlooks the city and much of the Western Cape. We took a cable car up to the top. It was busier than ever, but the day was incredible! We could see the shoreline and all of the Cape Flats. It was unbelievable to be so high above the city, overlooking the 5,000 foot drop into civilization. We could see the stadium, parts of Robben Island and all of the city. It was absolutely beautiful!

This afternoon, we went to the Portugal vs. North Korea game. It was amazing seeing the players in person, and it was even more incredible to see the fans. The entire game, vuvuzelas were blowing and people were cheering, chanting “Ronaldo” or “Chritiano” whenever Ronaldo had the ball. With soccer, its lucky if you get to a see one goal… However its unbelievable if you get to see more… well we saw seven! Who would have thought that any game would have seven goals in it, let alone by one team. It was so exciting to see Portugal win 7-0. Everyone in the stadium was cheering for Portugal, so the crowd was insane with every goal! Football fans are so passionate about the game and their team. Before and after the game, the streets rang with vuvzelas and cheers. The city was alive and the Portugal fans were celebrating their victory wildly.

We came down a week before my work started, so that we could enjoy Africa, soak up the culture and get the most out of our time here. It is definitely a prime opportunity to learn about their culture and a different part of the world and lifestyle. With every adventure and every experience, I learn more about the world, and in turn, learn more about myself and my role in our world.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

            Well I guess that’s it. Today I woke up, pack my last few things, said the rest of my good-bye’s and then was off. Its weird leaving some place after you have been there for a month. It seems like it just flew right by, but at the same time, when I think back to my arrival day and all that has happened since then, it seems like an eternity. When I think about the people that I met and got to know so well, it feels like I have been in Vancouver a lot longer than a month. And yet, when I think of back home, it seems like my life there paused, waiting for me to return. There is absolutely nothing I would ever trade for this experience. No one could ever give me something great enough to compensate for what I gained with this trip. And at the same time, no one can understand exactly what I experienced… except for the people that I worked with. It is just such a process that you have to be here to see it first hand. No matter how much I write and how much I tell people about it, I know there is no way for me to explain it except by saying you had to be there. The people I worked with, I’m sure, feel a similar way. We lived together, ate together, suffered together, laughed and cried together… and we were each other’s lives for the past month. And what we see and what we do in this business is so different from anywhere else. Its like we were living in our own little world where the things in life that normally matter, like sleep and personal priorities go by the wayside as other problems become instantly more important. There are just so many moments that we share that no one else can ever understand. And in the same way, there is no way for me to even attempt to relate it back to all my friends. The whole experience is just so surreal.

            And now, as I sit on the plane heading back home, I don’t know what to expect. Leaving everyone for a month and talking to them once a week at most, I am not sure how the transition back to the life of a high school student will be. The past month I was the one helping everyone out. My job was to direct the guests and general public through the city and help them with whatever they needed. And in this process, I learned a new city and gained some new freedom. And now I am supposed to go back to school and be the one who adults tell what to do. I have to be the one being directed, rather than the other way around. And, which I think is hardest of all, I have to go back to being a high school student. I have to relearn how to relate to people my age and understand the problems they face, most of which are so unnecessary in real life. I got so used to working and then going out and being in the city; exploring and enjoying the Olympic atmosphere all hours of the day, having something else new and exciting with every day to come. And now, my life returns to the routine of school, homework and sports.

            As I talk about the hardships of going back home, there definitely are some things that make me excited to go back. But probably, the most important things I’m excited for are the simple things, like a washing machine and home cooked food. But also, I never realized how much my life revolves around sports. I miss playing my sports and having something fun to do every day while getting exercise! I would have to say, walking around a city for hours a day is not the same as playing water polo! And of course, I miss my friends!

            Yet, no matter how much I can’t wait to see people back home; I still don’t want to leave. It was just such an amazing experience that I am reluctant to face the fact that it is over! I realize that I am so lucky to have this opportunity, and I cherish every moment from it, even the hard ships and sleepless nights. But these are the things that really make you feel alive and take in everything there is! if I could do it again, I would have to say I would do everything the exact way I did. All of what I have gone through I know, will shape the rest of my life! it is now, that I question what I really want to do with my future. Being in this business and seeing what I was able to see, it makes me want to do this the rest of my life! I just enjoyed so much all the people I met and worked with and all the moments we shared together. When people say that there are life-changing experiences, I know what they mean… and this is one of them. Although I know right now I haven’t even realized all that I have gone through, but in the weeks and months to come, when I think back on this month in Vancouver, I know it will affect me in a way that nothing else can. And I know I will miss it too. All the fun and excitement I had is something that I will always think about and carry with me. And when I yearn to be back and at the Olympics again, I know I will have the memories to live off of.

            I am just so thankful to have this experience. When I was in Vancouver and people discovered that I was a high school student (I tried to hide my true identity from people as long as I could!) all they could ever say is that I was so lucky and this was such a good experience. And I could not agree more with them. I realize that I am lucky. Hardly any other high school student gets the opportunity to leave school for a month and go work at the Olympics. And I could not love this opportunity more! I just hope everyone who ever helped me to gain this opportunity knows how much I appreciate it, because I know that I can never thank them enough!

            I am sad that it is all over. I am going to miss everything about the Olympics and Vancouver. From the beautiful city and people I met to the Olympic events, all I can feel is joy as I leave this place behind. I only hope to stay in touch with my new friends and visit this wonderful city again (in the summer as everyone says its gorgeous!). And as far as this kind of work, I hope, and I will work my hardest to make it happen, that I get another opportunity to work in this field again in the near future. But as of now, I guess I have to face reality to return to my life as a 17-year old high school student. And with that, good-bye Vancouver Olympics and good-bye to the wonderful land of Canada! I hope to relive this dream again!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

            My last day. It wasn’t all that exciting, but it was still fun! I woke up pretty late, sleeping in after the party. Then I helped around the office. Everyone was packing up and breaking down the rooms. There was a lot of stuff, since they had shipped everything in to start with. Yet, it took a week to set up and only a day to break it down! There was packing, boxing, labeling, counting, and shredding… and then that was pretty much it. A few of the managers are staying a few extra days to finish up several things, but with the stuff that I could help with, they were pretty much done. And after all day of cleaning up, we were left with a room filled with boxes and some empty offices.

            So after I helped, everyone wanted a few things from the Super Store, thinking that the line would be gone and all the Olympic stuff left. So I went with one other person and we went out on a shopping assignment. First, though, we grabbed something to eat. We went to the vegetarian restaurant, Naam, again. This time I got a veggie burger, and it was so delicious. Then we went to lululemon. We had to exchange a sweatshirt for someone. I just love that store, so it was fun. And after that, we headed to the super store. Yet, there was still a line around the block! It was so weird to see, because everywhere else in the city, it was completely dead! It was like this was the only thing remaining from the Olympic atmosphere. Instead of waiting in line, we went up to the 5^th floor where the team apparel is. And that is when we found out that the US Ralph Lauren clothing was 50% off! We had always loved the puffy vests that the athletes wore; yet they were so expensive! We rummaged through all the clothing and managed to find only two vests. So we took those. Then, I called my mom and pretty much the whole office was sent up to store, to finish up the shopping. We stayed and helped all the guys pick out clothing for their families and kids. It was really fun actually! Everyone was still looking for the mittens, yet they were completely sold out by now! I did manage to find one pair that a security guard was holding, and bought those. Yet even the workers were astounded that I had found them! After about 3 hours, we headed back to the hotel… with a lot of shopping bags and money saved (since we spent so much to begin with!).

            Then we all went out to dinner… our final dinner together, since most people are leaving tomorrow. It was sad saying goodbye to everyone, after we had lived with one another for a month straight! Yet, we all are counting on seeing each other again in South Africa for the World Cup this summer, so there was a sense of ease with out heartfelt good byes.

            And then I had to pack… and that was a challenging feat on its own! Luckily, we got duffle bags here, or else I would have had no shot at getting everything home. But even with the extra duffle bag, with all of my gifts and souvenirs that I had bought, I barely was able to fit everything! It was weird packing up everything that I had lived with for a month, but I guess it forced me to face the fact that I was leaving!