Together Again...Are you ready?

Hey everyone.  I just wanted to do a quick post telling you what's been going on lately. 

Monday was amazingly awesome.  I had a blast with the Students Live crew when we all got together for a tour of the Olympic Press Centre at Canada Place and a lecture by Theresa Lalonde of CBC.  The Press Centre was amazing.  All I can say is that the press is going to be comfortable for those 2 weeks.  They have everything there!  Fom a built in McDonalds, to a laundromat, to a huge press coonference room, this building was amazing.  We had a great time getting showed around and learning about what's going to be happening there during the Olympic Games.  I feel very fortunate to have had a tour of the Press Centre, and I'll get a picture up soon. 

We had a lot of fun together on Monday.  We came up with our little catch phrase...."Are YOU ready?, and filmed a quick little video ad to showcase what we have been and are going to do.  I encourage you to check it out at http://www.studentslive.ca/. 

When we got together, we also found out our event placement.  What events we will each be individually covering during the games.  The anticipation was very high in the room.  I am very pleased with my events.  I have the honour of going to the:

-The Opening Ceremonies
-Womes Hockey (FIN vs. RUS) 
-Mens Snowboard X
-Victory Ceremony on the night of the above.

I am so happy with all of my events and I can't wait to get started. 

Thats all I have for now!  I'll update in a few days so stay tuned!

Talking with a Volunteer

This morning I had the chance to interview a lady who is volunteering at the Whistler Olympic Park during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Lynn Ledgerwood is one of thousands of VANOC volunteers who are making theses Olympic Games work.

As stated before, Lynn Ledgerwood will be stationed at the Whistler Olympic Park where she will be checking people in. Lynn didn't think there were going to be any jobs at all during the Olympic Games, but a couple of summers ago she started getting e-mails about becoming a volunteer. She was apprehensive about volunteering during the games because of her age and range of mobility, but she found out they were also looking for pre-games volunteers. Pre-games volunteers included being an interviewer or host. Interviewers interviewed potential volunteers for the Games and hosts helped with information and such as. Through pre-games volunteering, Lynn found out that there were many jobs during the Olympic Games that she could do as well.

Lynn has done many training sessions with the other volunteers of "Team 2010". "I don't really like buzz lines or catch phrases." Lynn expressed to me in our interview when she used the phrase loosely. Lynn has enjoyed these training sessions. "I've seen more of my old friends in the past couple years then I would've imagined." She said brightly.

When asked what she would most like to get out of this, Lynn told me she loves meeting new people. "The people part is really exciting." Along with volunteering, Lynn and her Husband have also offered there home in Whistler as housing for the families of athletes. They are most enthusiastic to house the Mckeever family whose son, Brian, is a visually impaired cross country skier, and their daughter, Robyn, is his guide.

I asked Lynn what her over-all opinion of the 2010 Olympic Games are. She thought for a minute before answering. "I think the games give elite athletes a chance to push themselves. I don't like the idea of "owning the podium" and this kind of security is a detriment, but I believe that since the Games are coming to our community, we need to do all we can to make them a success." Words of wisdom.

I'd like to thank the Ledgerwoods for opening their home to me and agreeing to an interview. I enjoyed getting their views on the Games and I was interested in finding out what kind of role the volunteers are playing during the games. I learnt that without these volunteers, the Olympic Games would be an impossible feat.

Green Olympics.....?

I understand that the 2010 Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Games are being made out to be the "Green Olympics". That's all well and fine, but I do have a few questions for VANOC.

Je comprend que les Jeux Olympiques d'Hiver 2010 sont supposé d'etre les "Olympiques Vert". Ca c'est bon, oui mais, j'ai quelques questions pour COVAN.

I travel Highway 99 almost everyday and I always see countless numbers of those white VANOC cars. It's great that they were purchased from a Canadian company (GM), but why is it every time I see one, there is only one person in it. And it's not like they are all going different places, usually they are all headed to one destination. Without fail, every time a see an Olympic vehicle(s), they're never car pools. How many carbon emissions is that?

J'ai traversé la route 99 presque chaque jour, et chaque fois, je vois les dizaines des autos blancs de COVAN. C'est bon qu'ils était acheter d'un compagnie canadienne (GM), mais pour quoi, que chaque fois j'ai vu un, il y a seulment un personne dedans? C'est ne pas comme ils vont toutes aux les lieux diffèrentes, habituellement ils vont a un destination. Sans choué, chaque fois je vois le(s) vehicale(s) Olympiqes, ils sont jamais des pool de transport. Combien des emmisions de carbon est-ce que c'est?

The other day I was in my local tourist station the Adventure Centre. I went into the gift shop to see what kind of Olympic merchandise they had. Needless to say, they had a lot! What shocked me was none of it was made here in Canada. It was all from China. How strange. Now I understand that it would be hard to get everything made in Canada. Still, does absolutely everything have to be made in China? I can't even imagine how much pollution was emitted into the air from the airplanes that brought it all here.

L'autre jour j'étais dans mon station locale de touriste (Adventture Centre). Je suis allée dans la magasine pour voir les produits Olympique il ons eu. Ils ont eu beacoup. Qu'est que me choqué étais que rien de ces produits était fabriquer en Canada. C'était toutes fabriquer en Chine. Comment étrange. Je comprend que c'est probablement difficile d'avoir toutes les choses fabriquer ici. Mais, est-ce que toutes les choses besoins d'etre fabriquer en Chine? Je ne peux pas imaginer tous la pollution qui était émis dans notre l'air a cause de toutes les avions qui ont amener les produits ici.

BC Place generators. Enough said. People are not only complaining about the sound, but the pollution as well. It is prominent in the air how many toxins the generators are giving off. Generators are the convenient way to go, but haven't people been researching for years alternate power sources. Solar Power for instance?

Les générateurs de Place BC. A dit assez. Les personnes n'ont pas seulement se plaindre de son, mais la pollution aussi. C'est tres evident dans l'air toutes les toxines the générateurs se produit. Les générateurs sont commdem mais les peuples ont faire du recherche sur les source de puissance diffèrentes pendant les années et les années. Pouvoir Solaire?

The Olympic Games have many pros and cons and sadly this is one of the cons. I know that it is impossible to not make some sort of carbon foot print with and event so big, but I also know it isn't right to be calling the 2010 Olympic Games the "Green Olympics". Compared to past Olympic Games this maybe much better, but when so much pollution is still being put into the air it isn't green at all.

Les jeux Olympiques ont beaucoups des pros et cons et trisement ca c'est un des cons. Je sais que c'est impossible de ne pas faire un trace de carbone de quelque genre avec un evenement si grande, mais je sais aussi que c'est ne pas correct de dire que les Jeux Olympiques 2010 sont les "Green Olympics". Comparé a les Olympics de la passé oui, c'est mieux, mais quand les quantités de pollution si grande sont émis dans l'air, c'est ne pas vert de toute.

Interviewing a Reporter

Today I had the chance to be interviewed as well as interview a reporter for my local newspaper. Though it is intimidating to interview a reporter, It was a really positive experience.

Aujourd'hui j'ai eu la chance d'etre interviewé de meme que faire un entretien avec une journaliste de ma journal local. Bien que c'est intimider de faire un entretien avec une journaliste, c'était un experience très positif.

Zoe Szuch is a reporter from "The Chief" newspaper which is Squamish's weekly newspaper. She graduated from college with a degree in Political Science and decided that journalism was the career for her. She has been a journalist since she graduated from journalism school in 2006. "The Chief" is not the first newspaper she has worked for. Before moving to Squamish 3 months ago, she worked at a local newspaper in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Zoe only reports for "The Chief".

Zoe Szuch est une journaliste de la journal "The Chief" qui est la journal hebdomadaire de Squamish. Elle est gradué d'université avec un degré en Sciences Politiques et a decidé que la journalisme était la carrièr pour elle. Elle a été un journaliste depuis la temps qu'elle a gradué d'école journalism dans 2006. "The Chief" n'est pas la premiere journale elle a écrit pour. Avant qu'elle a demenagé au Squamish il ya 3 mois, elle a travaillé a une journal local de Medicine Hat, Alberta. Zoe seulement fait les articles pour "The Chief".

Since she arrived only 3 months ago, Zoe doesn't get to cover much of the Olympic Games. She'll get to cover some of the local events surrounding the Olympic Games. I asked if VANOC had given the newspaper any guidelines like they did Students Live for blogging. She informed me that they learnt how to identify events and places in journalism school which is cool. Zoe is going to be the only reporter in Squamish at the time of the Olympic games so that our newspaper can still keep the community informed on local news as well as Olympic news.

Puisque elle est arrivé ici il y a 3 mois, Zoe ne peut pas couvert les Jeux Olympiques. Elle va couvert les evenement local où les Jeux Olympiques sont envolues. J'ai lui demandé si COVAN leur donner les guides specifique comme ils nous donner pour Students Live. Elle m'a dit que ils ont appris comment identifié les lieux et les evenements dans l'école de jounalisme. Zoe va etre la seul journaliste dans Squamish durant les Jeux Olympiques pour que la journale peut garder la communauté informé des evenements de Squamish de meme que les nouvelles des Jeux Olympique.

I'd like to thank Zoe and The Chief newpaper for allowing me to interview her as well as be interviewed. It was a great experience and I hope to do it again soon.

Je veux remercier Zoe et la journale pour me permis de faire un entretien bien qui recois un entretien. C'était un experience très bon et j'espere que ca va arriver encore bien-tot.

Lack Of Snow....

With the Olympic Winter Games in less than a month, the lack of snow may cause an issue... They have currently shut down Cypress Mountain because of this problem and Whistler hasn't been getting it's fair share this year either. Cypress Mountain employees are scrambling to make snow. They have used gallons and gallons of water to make the stuff, but if the temperature remains the same... they could be in for a slushy/muddy surprise.

Avec les Jeux Olympiques dans un mois, il n'y a pas beaucoup de neige. Ca peut poser un probleme... A ce moment Montagne de Cypress est fermer a cause de ce probleme. Whistler n'a pas eu beaucoup aussi. Les employés de Cypress sont très ocupée avec la fabrication de neige. Ils ont utilisé des gallons d'eau pour fabriquer la neige, mais si la temperature ne change pas... ils pourraient être dans pour une surprise fondue et boueuse.

This is a recent photo I took in Whistler. There is snow...but not as much as usual for this time of year.....fingers crossed!

Ca c'est un photo que j'ai pris dans Whistler. Il y a neige... pas autant qu'il y d'ordinaire a pour cette saison....bon chance!

Whistler

A couple of weeks ago my mom and I hopped into the car and did a day-trip to Whistler. We had a few missions to complete in doing this spontaneous trip. We wanted to take a look at some of the Olympic Venues, see how much snow they had... compared to Squamish... we have none, and ,of course, go to the Great Glass Elevator Candy Shop... you can't go to Whistler without making a stop there. We were successful in all missions. I took photos to share with everyone as well.

Il y a 2 semaines, ma mere et moi avons decidé de conduit jusqu'a Whistler pour le jour. On avait plusieurs choses a faire dans ce coyage spontanie. Donner un coup d'oeil au les lieux Olympique, Voir si ils avaient beacoup de neige...comparé a Squamish...on a rien, et aller a le Great Glass Elevator Candy Shop...tu ne peut pas aller a Whistler sans aller là. On avait de sucès dans toutes nos affaires. J'ai pris quelques photos pour partager avec vous aussi.

This is the first picture I took. This is near the entrance of Whistler. It gives tourists directions to the Whistler Olympic Park as well as the Callaghan. Since most of the venues were closed I couldn't get nearly as many pictures as I would've liked. I'll keep trying to get more pictures!

Ca c'est las premier photo j'ai pris. C'est près de l'entrée de Whistler. Ce donne les touristes les directions aux la Parc Olympique de Whistler et la Callaghan. Beaucoup de les lieux Olympique était fermer, alors je n'ai pas pris beaucoup de photos. Je vais essayer de obtenir plus!

Keep checking back for more pictures from my adventure. While I'm at it, I'd like to share a photo from my own town with you. I'd like you to meet Sam...the giant logger/Olympic enthusiast. He is usually used to advertise for the local Logger Sports, but VANOC got him some Olympic mittens and a toque and now he's there for the world to see.

Revenir plus tard pour plus des photos de mon aventure. Pendant que j'ai fait ca, Je veux partager un photo de mon ville avec vous. Je veux vous rencontrer Sam... la bucheron / enthousiaste l'Olympique. Il est usualement utilisé pour faire de la publicité pour notre "Logger Sports", mais VANOC l'a donner les moufles et un chapeau Olympique et maintenant, il est là pour la monde a voir.

PS: As I mentioned above, we went to the Great Glass Elevator during our trip to Whistler. I just wanted to show you guys what we got while we were there......

na na na na na...I got candy and you don't.....hehehehe.....

PS: J'ai mentioné dans le commencement de cette poste que je suis allé a le Great Glass Elevator pendant notre voyage a Whistler. Je veux partager avec vous qu'est qu'on a obentu là....

na na na na na...J'ai les bon bons et tu n'as pas.....hehehehehe......

A Day of Searching

Today I spent the day searching for certain things in my town that said "Olympic Spirit". I visited many different places and took a lot of pictures. Surprisingly, with the exception of a few places, I'd say my town doesn't really have much Olympic spirit. It's something we'll have to work on in the next 41 days. My adventures led me to my neighbours house, where they actually decorated their Christmas tree in VANOC colours. If that isn't spirit, I don't know what is. I'd say my community needs to take a lesson or two from them.

Keep checking back here for the photos I took today. I'm going to include them in my upcoming posts.

Aujourd'hui, j'ai traversé ma ville pour trouvé les choses qui ont dit "Esprit Olympique". J'ai vu beaucoup des endroit et j'ai pris beaucoup des photos. Avec l'exception des quelques places, je peut dit avec confiance que ma ville n'a pas beaucoup d'esprit Olympique. C'est quelques chose on a besoin de travaille sur pendant les prochain 41 jours. J'ai visité