Closing Ceremonies

I wanted to write this while the memories are still fresh and I can really express how I am after my time in Singapore.

Due to jet lag, (that has been kind to me so far), I am awake at 11 PM and I feel as if it is the prime of the day. Therefore, I am taking advantage of this, to write some thoughts about the first Youth Olympic Games.

I have wondered about how to start this post. I have tried to imagine many different beginnings, but when I run out of routes I realize that I am just attempting to discover an alternative to the way I really want to start. This is because it may not be the most exciting intro, but it is how I feel I can most authentically encapsulate the YOG, and I am at a loss of how to do better.

I want to gush about the people that I met.

Let me start with my fellow Young Ambassadors, all 29 of you. You are incredible people. I learned something from every single one of you. And with a handful, I had some of the times of my life. I suppose now you know there’s more to me than frozen winters, more elegant Canadian gifts than maple syrup and that my French is actually alright, despite not being Quebecois. From you, (among much else), I know that Islam has many faces, to be aware of the 1, 2 or 3 kiss greeting, that so many things are possible and of course, laughter is never out of place, in any language.

Of course, there were the Canadian athletes, all 60 of them, each with their different tools, swagger, style and charisma. It was a delight to wake up every morning and see all the faces, so poised, relaxed and smiling. I swear that I’ve never felt attached to the performances of so many athletes all at once. And I enjoyed every minute of that attachment, even if it mean disappointment or occasional heartbreak. There was too much joy to let any of that be a mark on the experience.

I truly believe that we are the product of our experiences. The texture of our surroundings, the impressions of our environments and the slow shaping that comes from our reality. This is never more apparent than in a Games situation, where people from all around the world are made to be neighbours, separated by the floors of buildings instead of borders and seas or culture and language.

It’s peaceful there. It’s friendly. We traded pins, we spoke about home, we embraced after only hours apart. It didn’t matter at all what sport, what family name, what race. We only cared about heart and soul. It kills me to think that it only lasted 12 days. I wish it could be longer. I wish that at the very least we will always remember how we were for these days in August. I hope that the shimmer of Singapore 2010 will stay buried somewhere, in everyone’s being, and in times when our humanity is tested, in whatever manner, we draw upon that light, and allow it to spread into the world again.

So I will thank everyone who made this experience special, including an amazing Canadian mission team, Carol, Brian, Dory, Dinah, Chris, Riley and Emily. The International Olympic Committee for envisioning the Youth Olympic Games and the Singaporeans for executing them beautifully.

There were many objects tied to the Games. The CEP booths, the venues, the dining hall, the transport cars.
In the end it was the energy and spirit of people that made Singapore 2010.

I thought this might be a finale, but I feel like it is only a start, to something that I hope will continue forever and ever, and it most certainly will, for me.

This is my first Mission Team experience at a Games and as I sit here on day 9 of competition I realized that over the past three days I have learned a serious lesson.

Games go by fast.

What a flurry over the past few days! I have been from venue to venue, throughout the day and into the evening. It is interesting that in times like these, when there is so much energy, positivity and passion surrounding you, it is easy not to notice things that might be very apparent in everyday life. For example the time, what day it is, how much sleep you got, when you last ate…haha, pretty much all those regular habits that we take for granted back in reality. During Games time, this all goes out the window. You can basically live off the positive energy.

That time we won the World Cup

Last night was special. Chat with Champions, one of the Culture and Education Program’s staples, featured a talk from 4-time Canadian Olympian Charmaine Crooks, as well as 4-time medalist Angela Ruggiero. These women are leaders in sport for many reasons, they are also incredible speakers. One of the nicest moments was when our rhythmic gymnasts all stood up in unison to ask a question, they introduced themselves one by one, (by the way there isn’t one of them in the triple digits of weight), and then said, “Can you sing us a song?” In addition to being heavily involved with worldwide sport, an amazing athlete and business woman, as well as just a down to earth nice person, Charmaine can sing! But not without a show! She invited the girls onto the stage, and live web streaming across the world, our five miniature back up dancers doo wopped while Charmaine sang. It was classic.

In the past few days I have seen swimming, athletics, gymnastics, diving, basketball and canoe/kayak. Sometimes as many as three sports in one evening! I love watching live sport so much. I am always so excited to go and cheer on our Canadian athletes.

One thing has caught my attention. The Youth Olympic Games are about youth athletes. But the Games are powered and supported by other young people, and this makes the experience authentic, and important. There is a Young Reporters program, where talented young journalists have the opportunity to develop, learn and gain experience. Many of the purple shirted volunteers at the Games are young, including announcers at events, and venue marshals. There are of course the Young Ambassadors, who are everywhere. Young people are the fabric of these Games, and it is amazing to feel and see the special results that take place, on the field of play and surrounding it.

I can tell you this, this Games has proven that our generation has the potential to sculpt a better world. There are athletes from 204 NOCs, there are Singaporeans, there are Young Reporters/Ambassadors, there are other volunteers from around the world. Together, we are the Youth Olympic Games, and together I hope we can prove that we are the future, that we can overcome the challenges in front of us. Because there are many. I have more to say about this, but for now, I will leave it at that.

A few days remain, and I go to sleep each night, giddy with anticipation for the day to come. Tonight is no different.

The best Games time base camp here!

Yesterday we were reunited with our fellow Young Ambassadors, from all around the world. It was pretty exciting, I honestly have never met another group of such inspired, wonderful and amiable people. It was amazing to see everyone again!

Young Ambassadors!

We were reunited with another group as well, the drumming team, who re-taught us our rhythm for a performance at the WOWcome session! Haha, it was news to all of us, but hey, it’s a lot of fun and honestly…I think everyone really enjoyed it! Even if it meant overcoming a little bit of shyness!

Backstage with Maysam, the Jordanian Young Ambassador

We all finally met Maysam, the Jordanian Young Ambassador who was not able to join us in March. Maysam and I both had “tom” drums, and so we connected over our mutual drum beat haha, not to mention our occasional missed beats. Well, at least mine!

The entire Village square was PACKED with athletes, for at least 100 yards. It was incredible. The energy was like nothing else. I mean, imagine 3000 athletes, a dark night with amazing lights, and an impressive stage at one end. Definitely something to remember.

The night ended with a little dancing, and different definitions of what that means. Just watching the young athletes was interesting and no doubt entertaining!  There were Brasilians, Iranians, Italians, Russians, and more, all sharing their moves. Haha, legendary interactions occur when a group of excited teens from around the world try to dance with each other!

BUT, the Young Ambassadors were no exception…

Hamza and Danka burnin' the house down!

The view from the NG Farrell offices

Sitting in the office this morning waiting for a repair to our Telus internet, (what a disaster), I thought I would write an update.

It’s been busy around here at NG Farrell Marketing. On Friday, we moved to larger offices, this time in Gastown’s historic Petrina block. The building was one of the first resurrected after the Vancouver fire, built in 1888. Looking out my window, I can see the aging space between the brick factory buildings on Hastings, and the early century tops of our W Cordova neighbours.

Amid this history, there are spots and dots of modernity, a lit “Exit” sign here, a telephone cable line there. In one of the windows, of the largest pile of brick I can see from my window, there is a yellow computer desk. The cables running down the back like thick black hairs.

Back inside the office we have arranged our space, with empty pockets asking to be filled.

Sean sits across from me, with is mid-2000 iMac, a green Myrtle tree, next to a beige IKEA chesterfield. He is framed by the exposed red sand brick, and looks like a screen shot from Ally McBeal, or Friends. I don’t think he prefers one or the other.

I am still waiting for Telus. The longer they take the longer this is going to go.

It’s been a busy time for NG Farrell. In a few short days I’ll be Singapore bound, with the rest of Team Canada. En route for the Youth Olympic Games.

Just bought a new Blackberry, to make sure I can tweet, Facebook, blog, live from the Games.

Our Canadian athletes are going to be amazing. I get this feeling that it will be a great success.

Buses. There are a lot of buses on this street, going to have to get used to the urban roar through our windows.

Telus is here. If you are reading this, it means they fixed our internet.

Singapore 2010.

If this doesn’t mean anything to you right now, it will in less than 3 months.

This is because Singapore will be the site for the first EVER Youth Olympic Games!

August 14 – 26, 2010.

26 sports, over 200 countries, thousands of athletes, coaches, support staff, officials, volunteers, sponsors, media.

It’s the Olympics folks. Just for Youth aged 14-18. And it’s going to be really special.

Canada is sending a team of over 50 athletes. The absolute best youth athletes our country has to offer. Just like Vancouver, they’re going to be reaching for the top of the podium.

Strong and proud Canadians, unafraid to stand up next to the best in the world, and confident enough to beat them all.

I am going to go help them out. Anything I can do, because as much as this generation of athletes will forge a new definition of Canadian confidence, we’ll also be classically humble and helpful, as always.

Follow the dream right here. There will be a Facebook group and plenty of tweets, just for the Canadian Youth Olympic Team, launched in the next week or so.

The other cool thing is that the athletes will get the chance to take part in the Culture and Education Program, aimed at teaching athletes about Olympism, Skill Development, Healthy Lifestyles, Social Responsibility and Expression.

Go Canada Go – Allez Canada!

Learn more:

http://singapore2010.sg/public/sg2010/en.html

http://www.olympic.org/en/content/YOG/

I was getting out of bed today and wondering…why? I have plenty of reasons. What are yours?

Is it the fear that something will not happen if you don’t?
Or is it the excitement of what WILL HAPPEN if you do.

Follow me as I go to Singapore for the Youth Olympic Games ambassador’s seminar!

http://www.callumng.com or @callumng

Instead of writing, here’s some talking…

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.

Don't end up like Pooh

Last week I was at the Centre for Performing Arts here in Vancouver to see Matt Good and re-live the good old days. (By good old days I mean 4 to 6 years ago, I’m 24, c’mon the “good old days” are relative).

Sitting in my balcony seat, the lights went down and out strolled Mr. Good himself, guitar in hand, to my applause as well as that of my brother and his friend. Plainly, we were stoked.

Then I reached for my phone.

Why? The music was about to begin? Yes, but may I remind you that this is a twitterable moment. Or Facebook status-worthy. Or even worse, “textable” to any of five or six friends that I could think of in that moment.

As I felt for the plastic device somewhere in my jacket pocket, and the first chord resounded through the theatre I all of a sudden paused. There was this shudder in my very core, and I experienced what I’d like to call smart phone seizure.

What was I thinking!? If my first impulse during a kick ass moment is to grab my iPhone or Blackberry, THERE IS A PROBLEM!

I am guilty. Yes, more than anyone, I am guilty of twittering out.

I spend time in a key moment of my day, whether it’s watching the morning news, having a cup of coffee with a friend, or chatting with some buddies over drinks. At least 20 seconds of every 5 minutes is spent blackberrying out, hunched over my little device, fingers flying.

It’s estimated that approximately 20-30% of our waking hours are spent directly interacting with our smartphone device. Think about it, phone calls, texts, e-mails, Facebook, the internet, Twitter…

…the point of the matter is this: the cultivation of our daily life experiences should be transcribed in our memories, through laughter, smiles and joy. Even adversity, sadness and hardship should be given the same respect and balance of attention. Try to eliminate the digital pauses that we plunk inside of what are otherwise fabulous moments. Because if we don’t let that happen, we’re all going to become lost in a flutter of multi-directional information exchange that just doesn’t allow us to stop, breathe, and appreciate.

Thanks for reading. I’ve got like eight e-mails and four texts waiting for me, gotta’ go read them…