Facts & Figures 2

As promised, here's part 2 of the Olympic Facts & Figures. Actually only facts, but that shouldn't spoil the educational value of this posting.

- Most used word over here is "Malaka". It is mostly frequented by taxi drivers when they're cut off by some other road hazard. I guess it is best translated in English as an antomical part used by your intestines as an 'exit'. However, it is also used as an intimate greeting among friends... (?!?)

- Most of the volunteers are female. Actually, most of the organisation is female. When asking whether this was on purpose, I got two answers. My manager explained that unemployment is quite high for girls who just finished their universities, so applying for a job at ATHOC was a very popular move. The other explanation was that Greek men are very lazy and don't like to work. Let's put it this way: in my experience at the desk, both explanations seem valid...

- The volunteer canteen at the Village serves only Greek food. This is quite a shame as an international event like this seems to be the perfect opportunity to serve a different culinary experience each day. The quality? Not good. The mousakas and souflakis are so bad that my local colleagues refuse to call it Greek food. Yesterday I actually had breakfast in the village for the first time. I think the pancake they served was actually used as a discus the night before in the stadium.

- Everything is quite Greek here. Signs, notices and daily volunteer newsletters in the Village are written in Greek. Last week, ten minutes before Pieter van de Hoogebands golden race I got stuck in the toilet. The door wouldn't open from the inside. After making a lot of noise for 3 minutes, someone came to open it for me. How stupid of me! There was a sign on the door saying not to lock it as it wouldn't open from the inside. If only I could read Greek...

- And yes, the televisions in the athletes appartments only show Greek stations. So these days all non-Greeks athletes are learning everything there is to know about wrestling. If only they understood Greek...

- The placing of the NOC's in the Village is done geographically. So all Caribbean delegations are located in the same block. Holland is stuck in between Germany and Belgium. Brazil and Argentina are brotherly next to each other and the British are an island by itself far away from the continent. Nothing new here... ;-)

Roberto

PS: Oh yeah, before I forget. Regarding the ongoing story of the bodypainted relay team: They've now told me they probably wouldn't do it anymore as some athletes were wondering whether it would distract themselves from a good performance. Or is this just an excuse used to avoid having the news leaking out? We'll see very soon...