AHOY AHO!!!

AHO is the Olympic abbreviation for Antilles Hollandaises which refers to the beautiful island group of the Dutch Antilles. As most of you know, the place I call 'home'.

From the start I have been waiting impatiently for the CDM (Chef de Mission) of AHO to arrive at the athletics desk to enlist his delegation. I've attended to CDM's from the most exotic locations (who's ever heard of Vanuatu?), but still no AHO. All my colleagues have been instructed to leave AHO for me in case they appear when I'm not at the desk. They all had my mobile number on 'hot standby' for that purpose.

One day passed, two days passed... still no sign of AHO. The first thing I did when arriving at my desk at 06:20 (!!!) yesterday morning was to check whether AHO had dared to show up during my day off. They didn't. Third day passed and today my fourth day was coming to an end when all of sudden.... my mobile rang during my lunch break! AHO's Chef de Mission was there!

I dropped my fork and knife, abandoned my moussaka and ran back as fast as I could. I think I even qualified for the 200 meters race which will be held somewhere next week.

At the desk my wonderful Greek colleagues have been brilliant in delaying him in order to give me the opportunity to 'handle' him. My first line was a loud "Bon Tardi". He looked up in great surprise and responded with a relieved "Hombu, ta bon pa tende un tiki papiamentu den e luga aki".

The rest is now officially part of history. Volunteer Roberto stood at the basis of the Antillian participation in the Greek Olympics...

Roberto (AHO)

PS: He didn't give me a pin... yet... I hope!