I thought I would take a moment away from camp life to discuss world events... well that's a lie, I'm going to take a moment to discuss world events and their relation to camp.
So many Americans have come up to me and asked why I have left England while the Olympics are on and to be completely honest I never really thought about it. It never really hit me that the Olympics were going to be in England also I have only ever watched bits and pieces of them anyway so I didn't really think it would be a big deal.
It first hit me on the day of the opening ceremony I was in a shop talking to an American who had asked me that very question and I was saying how the Olympic torch had gone down a road parallel to mine. Suddenly I got this longing feeling, I knew my family had been out to see it and my friends, I pushed this away with the thought I was in America though and it was alright. A day or so later (who knows anymore with camp time) we were sat waiting for a show to start in Terrace (the outdoor theatre) and they played a bit of the opening ceremony. J K Rowling appeared reading something I couldn't here there were baddies from around great literature, suddenly Mary Poppins descended (well more than one), Mr Bean was just, well Mr Bean, and I realised, the Olympics is in England! My home country, the strange mad country it is and I am in a country which doesn't drive on the right side of the road, spells things wrong, uses the wrong words for everything and can't make chocolate.
We get updates on the gold medals and all but it feels like we are so far away from it all. I now understand the months of hype the patriotism, I feel like a parent who has missed their child's first steps. Britain is making history and I am not there, even the fact that it has been raining here doesn't make me feel at home anymore. I'll always be the person who was out of the country for the Olympics and I thought I was alright with that... now I am not so sure.
(Also best story from the Olympics so far http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-19132479 made me miss the good ol' city of steel).
ROS!!!! I am going to be you hero, a dear gentleman friend of mine (I'm sure you know which one I am referring to) has recorded the opening ceremony, a few of the highlights and the closing ceremony of the Olympics for me and is putting them on DVD, I'm sure I can copy them for you, you and your fellow camp america friend from uni could have an olympic day as I intend to with my fellow Hong Kong goer! I hope this pleases you almost as much as if I had sent you chocolate. xx
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