The Republic of Korea

A few days later, I am quite sure that there isn’t any way of describing Friday night. But I will try. It was more exhilarating and magical that I could ever have imagined. Upon arrival at BC Place, there was an electric atmosphere among our little group of placard bearers. We have all developed a degree of camaraderie and so it was nice to share the evening with some familiar faces.

The few hours in holding flew by, and before we knew it we were lined up ready to accept our placards and march into our ready position. To be honest, all day I was anxious, but as soon as I was in my costume everything changed. I was just excited. I mean, what did I have to be nervous about, I had to walk in a circle and I’d done in about 20 times.

About an hour before show time, there was a rumble down ring road in BC Place. It wasn’t Gretzky, it wasn’t Steve Nash. They had already elicited a cheer hours earlier. This time, it was a country. It was Greece. The athletes.

For the next hour or so, the athletes poured into the building, each with their own anxiety and nervousness. Before long it was time to cut in between them, and line up on the inside of ring road. The athletes actually cheered for us! I can imagine the wonder at seeing those “frozen” placards all labeled with the countries about to walk the floor.

I practiced my Korean in line, and by the time I was united with my team, The Republic of Korean, and the flag bearer Kang…I was ready. Rounding the corning to the entry point, with blue and silver light spilling onto the ramp, I couldn’t help my heart from literally pounding through my chest. The choreographers waved me up to the standby point and I proudly raised my placard into position, I could feel the air coming off the flag behind me and then, “whoosh”, down drops the arm of the stage manager and off I go.

It wasn’t so much the noise of the crowd, the lights or the grandeur of the stage. For me, it was leading a group of athletes into the beginning of a beautiful moment. It was being a part of an experience I never had myself, and sharing their abundance of joy and pride.

It was amazing.