http://maigoc2007.sports.sina.com.cn 2007-11-01 MAIGOC
During the 2AIG, the Beijing Olympics Games Organising Committee is sending its volunteers to Macao for promotions at the Headquarters Hotel, taking the chance to introduce the volunteer program of the Beijing Olympics and, more importantly, to learn from the Macao 2nd Asian Indoor Games Organising Committee about the details in all aspects. Manuel Silvério, Chairman of MAIGOC, extends his warm welcome to the Olympics volunteers. When trying to have a closer look on how they are going in Macao, the chairman encouraged the Beijing volunteers to share not only experience with their counterparts in Macao, but also memories, good and bad.
Earning nothing but a sense of pride
Going through interviews and trainings, Xu Guanglei started his voluntary journey for the Beijing Olympics with the “Good Luck Beijing” activity in August under the hottest weather in Beijing. As the liaison officer taking care of the Egypt team in the activity, Xu started his daily schedule from 8:00 in the morning and did not call it a day until midnight. Sometimes he had to work until the small hours for picking up his guests at the airport.
“Sometimes I had to pay myself for the breakfast if I was late to the staff canteen, let alone being well paid for the job. It is not easy, yet I feel very happy to be part of the grand event in my country,” said Xu.
“Of course there were boring occasions. I had to spend one hour on the bus to go to meet the athletes even on the out-of-competition days.” The young man agrees being a good volunteer is not any easy, while uncertainties always come as the biggest challenge. Voluntary somehow means sacrifice of personal interests, say, leisure time. “I lost 6kg after the 14-day testing period in Beijing,” he continued.
Working hard for no pay, surprisingly Xu said, “When it’s too much and felt fed up, I simply refreshed myself by thinking of many those who suffered even much more. Being a volunteer is a training for one’s abilities of patience and contingency.”
Initiative that Counts
When being asked about his work experience, Xu emphasized that it is initiative that counts. “It relates to workload and chance of exploration,” he said, “keeping silent and sitting still will not earn you any job experience, and finally makes voluntary meaningless.”
“All volunteers are equally treated without pay. Then why some of us are always busy while the others feel bored and keep complaining? If you want to grow experience, you need to go for it.”
Xu boldly confesses he is an initiative volunteer, which is probably one of the reasons that he is given the chance to join the Asian Indoor Games in Macao.
MAIGOC make possible the exchange
On top of yesterday’s lunch banquet that MAIGOC hosted to the members and volunteers from BOGOC, the Macao organising committee particularly arranged an opportunity for experience exchange for the volunteers of both sides. Silvério pointed out that volunteers are crucial in organising large-scale events. Sporting games of any kinds highly depend on volunteers. The volunteer program for the 4th East Asian Games started as early as June 2003 and has recruited more than 17,000 volunteers for different work fields before its opening day in 2005. In fact, some of the volunteers have been working since the 4EAG in various large-size events hosted in Macao. To take good care of the volunteers, each department in MAIGOC has designated a coordinator to do proper arrangement, who is always ready to support and guide the volunteers to solve any problem.
There are a total of 6,100 volunteers now working for the 2AIG this year, working for the grand event in Macao selflessly.
