Opening Ceremonies!

Hi all,

We marched last night in opening ceremonies, and as I write this you are hopefully able to watch them on NBC.

I just want to pass along the message that the Chinese people have done an amazing job. Their spirit is truly the Olympic spirit. They are dancing in the streets; they are dancing everywhere, shouting "welcome to Beijing!" Everywhere you go, you know that most of them cannot speak English, but it seems that every citizen has learned that phrase.

Whatever the news reports might say about questioning whether or not China should have hosted these Games, just know that the first hand report is that the people here "get it". I am so happy for them.

I hope that comes through in the tv reports. It is wonderful to experience this.

Love,
Sheila

Ni hao from Beijing!

I just arrived yesterday in Beijing, after processing in California for two days. We checked into the Olympic Village about 15 hours ago (right now it is 3:45 p.m for you on Wed., and it is 3:45 a.m. Thursday for me). I have been wide awake since 2:30 this morning. It is no surprise that my 16 year old teammate is sound asleep as if we are on the time zone that is perfectly natural. The old lady is wide awake and the 16 year old is sound asleep....this is my life in pentathlon:)

Since the dining hall is open 24 hours, I took full advantage of that. I went in and had a very healthy salad (Katherine, you would be proud of me), and I had a McDonald's hamburger fries and McCafe latte with that salad (does that negate the healthy salad?)

I had the entire 10,000 seat dining hall to myself, and I walked around the Village after eating. I had the entire Village to myself. This is the most beautiful Olympic Village I have ever seen. It has meandering streams running through it. You cannot take a completely direct straight line path to most places from our building. It is set up with the Feng Shui (spelling?) feel. Just beautiful.

Also, they are making this the first "green Olympics", so it is posted everywhere to be conscious of doing our part. The bowls, plates, etc. are biodegradeable, and the trash bins are all sorted for recycling.

Last night I had dinner with the swim team. My college coach, Jack Bauerle, is the head Olympic Women's Swim Team coach, and it was great to see him. There is a bit of a feeling of "home" when you see people you really love half way around the world, and Jack is one of those people. Of course I did not want to take up much of his time, since they begin the swimming in two days. I ate last night with Dara Torres, the 41 year old swimmer in the news. She is great. It is nice to have someone around who knows what the 80's were like :)

On the flight over we were with the tennis team. Venus and Serena Williams, as well as Lindsay Davenport, were on the flight. I felt badly that the modern pentathlon team was in first class and that they were all in the back in economy.

I am having fun, but of course I miss home. Take care.
Sheila

P.S. One of these sentences is a lie!