The beginning of an end. -An account of the YOG drama

I look fat T_T

I deliberated over what my first image for this predictably long post should be.
Should I post an abstract image depicting what I had been through for the last two weeks?
An image of my feeling right now?
Or just throw up a sunset shot because I have access to fabulously awesome fantastic sunsets and they always work as a first image.
Instead, I decided to use the image of the Argentinean bastard basketball player and I(:
No we don't look like a cute couple because he is younger than me but you got to love his body.

With the exception of the really random post I made last week, I had not been sharing about my YOG experience besides the few whom I had been keeping in touch with. So I shall reply the most common question I got in the many emails from you guys. "How was YOG?"
I don't think I will be accounting it day by day as you guys would probably die reading so I shall take you through the highlights of YOG, my thought process, feelings and conclusion(:

I can haz two badges8D
Yes yes one from Argentina.  Only for me(:

 For starters, this entire event gave birth to many weird abbreviations. So a conversation with the volunteers might go something like:

1)The NOCs and IOCs are coming please standby! ARMs with their LARMS are on their way as well.
2)Just enter through the CEP Back Of House
3)The YOV VS is just over there.
4)The FOPs are out of bounds to all YPs.

Translation:
1)The athletes and the olympic committee are coming. The athlete role models with their liaison officers are on their way as well.
2)Enter through the other side
3)The Youth olympic Village's village square is just over there
4)Young photographers are not allowed in the field of play.

Of all the abbreviations, I hated 'CEP back of house' the most.
As I am in a freaking stadium. Where is the damm house you are talking about?

a few abbreviations I might use would be:
YOG = Youth Olympic Games.
YP = Young photographers
CEP = Cultural education program

As mentioned in the previous post, YOG had been a giant mess, and probably a huge waste of resources. I was one of the skeptics. Sitting back in my computer chair complaining, whining and making a hell lot of noise about how screwed YOG is going to be.
I laughed about the food the volunteers ate (some 6 long beans and a disgusting piece of chicken), complained about the translation 'guides' we were given and was basically cursing and swearing that I must had been out of my mind to have volunteered instead of flying to London for Y's wedding.
I was proven wrong. I had fun.

Oh hai there sunset shot<3

Looking at that purple shirt hanging across my room, really brings back fond memories of the fun times I had as a YP. As though it just happened yesterday well it did happen a few days ago, all who don on the purple shirt would be the centre of attraction everywhere we go. Children would point at us probably because we looked like Barney and heads would turn. This Barney army of twenty thousand are not paid, wore one of the year's most disgusting T-Shirt designs but without a word, there seems to be a common bond between us. Call it nationalistic pride, whatever. We just did our duties no matter how much we complained, we actually enjoyed it!
We could be sitting in the same MRT and we could strike a conversation about NOCs, IOCs and whatever abbreviation the government came up with.
Half the time when I talked to someone wearing the Barney shirt, I never actually got their name, never remembered their faces and would probably never see them for the rest of my entire life. We just worked silently making sure that the entire event was as successful as possible. Like Ninjas in the shadows would probably be one of the best phrase to describe us:3

My job as a YP is to collect as many food vouchers as possible get portrait shots of the athletes I am assigned to. Putting aside the extremely screwed up schedule, whereby more than half the time, I had no idea where my athletes were. I covered all three cultural and education program which is something like  a program that lets you experience Singapore.
Screw Hort park and Marina Barrage. I went to Outward Bound Singapore in Ubin FOUR TIMES 8D
Yes TWK I went to OBS 4 times in two weeks! are you jealous 8D

Hold my hand~

I got tanner. Its probably not noticeable and would probably be gone the moment I start school.
In OBS, I really enjoyed the interaction I had with the athletes. They could be gold medalist or screwed up their competition really badly but to see the bonding between countries who could not speak a word of English was simply amazing! Besides the problem of language barriers, I saw a Japanese girl becoming fast friends with a girl from Finland and they do not even speak a common language! I saw friendships and trust formed and it was really interesting to see how they supported each other to complete an activity in OBS.

Flip the mat.

Build a raft:3

I met journalist and reporters from the top Japanese newspaper agency and more than 10 tongues were spoken on that tiny island of Ubin. I had fun.
Screwed schedules aside, the games here were world class. Yessu. Its not some happy school event but these are the faces you would be watching on television in the future. These are the guys who sweat it out for every medal, survive building a raft, flipping a mat and climbing the inverse tower at Ubin. These are the guys whose English are as good as my Chinese but within this short span of time, I learnt so much about their country, people and their language! I would probably never wear that Barney colored shirt again and its pretty overwhelming for me that the many friends I made during the games are back in their home country.
In the end, I had fun.
A screwed fun.
A tired fun.
An exhausted fun.
A fun fun.

Now that the flame was extinguished and the flag passed on, the next YOG in China is going to have some really big shoes to fill in(:
Congrats Singapore, You really outdid yourself(:
A salute to the Barneys purple army who made this possible. I am proud to have stood amongst you.

<333

Alrights. Back to my life.

I went down to Mulligans on Thursday with S and E and I am glad they enjoyed themselves 8D bye bye Ms American pie. Drove my chevy to the levy but the levy was dry~
Whenever I looked at the singer's side profile, I am always reminded of M! It must be the hair. Anyways, that guy has a really great voice! VAL! When are you free~~~

Drinks and being diagnosed with some allergy aside, I will be heading down to Cambodia in 2011 March. Yessu. After a year of hiatus, I will be off this island. So those interested in tagging along, this is not a shopping trip. So I, U and D I doubt you guys would be interested in braving the sun with me 8D
I would need a guide in Cambodia! So those who are in that area please drop me an email. I am looking at the temples and basically stories of Cambodia's culture. I would probably head down to Katmandu as well if budget allows so I will be waiting for your emails!
Its really exciting! 8D
Kelong trips will be back during the monsoon seasons. I shall leave it to R to plan for it but yessu its ON!

Alrights. Ending my post with a few random images.

I swear Juliet looks like a guy without faceup as she has really manly features!

While Heidi looks like a monkey... I think it is because her ears are set really far back!

My monkey and manly girl:3
This post is shorter than I thought:3 Probably because I am still trying to sleep off the effect of the drug which is making me really sleepy>.>
Next time, I shall think twice when the doctor says the side effects of the jab would be drowsiness.
Screw that as at the rate I am going, I will be in a coma soon.

Oh and do visit my photo blog <- (click click)
I finally updated it 8D

Tag replies:

Spy: Wah team leader sounds really fun 8D

Kino: haha thanks! She is out for faceup now<3