Second to last day

Tomorrow will be the final time I put on the blue Adidas volunteer uniform that can be seen quite readily everywhere. It will definitely be a bittersweet moment, as this entire experience could quite possibly be the wildest thing I've ever done. It's been nearly three months since I've been home (had a foot on US soil), and I think I'm finally starting to feel homesick. This in no way takes away from anything that has happened in my time in Beijing.

I've been a part of something so special, so unique and so exhilarating, that while I do feel this urge to finally return home, a very large part of me wishes I could continue working.

I remember the first few days, where as a whole us Purdue students bonded through four hour long bus rides to the Great Wall and sewage treatment plants. The next few weeks included excursions to different places of interest in Beijing, which included a lot of bar searching and hazy taxi rides back to the CUC. When work finally started, I was with nine other classmates learning about the differences between the sprint, keirin and madison events of cycling track. I remember wanting to try my best as we feverishly jotted down quotes and prepared intelligent questions to ask the athletes.

I still recall the confusion that came with being switched out of cycling to volleyball. The disappointment of not being with my friends, but the excitement of working at a new venue with a new sport. I remember my first interview with an Olympian, a twenty-five year old Egyptian setter who was practically just as excited as I was for the games.

I remember sitting in my bed watching the opening ceremony, with my mouth gaping with awe as somehow thousands of performers managed to move in-sync to create some of the most visually impressive sights ever.

I remember arriving back at the dorm at two or three in the morning everyday due to the working the night shift. I remember the craziness of the crowd when the Chinese teams introduced prior to every match.

Tomorrow will be the the gold medal game for the USA women, and it'll be the last day for me to create some final memories.