One Final Post...

The Olympics are over but we (USOC staffers) are still here ensuring everyone departs Sochi on time (and with all of their luggage…there is a ton) and getting everything we brought here (dozens of pallets) packed up. These last few days are always super busy but also go by so fast! We are looking forward to some rest and relaxation!

I’ve seen many people comment on Facebook about how they wish they could go to an Olympic Games. YOU TOTALLY CAN! There are many opportunities to attend the Games whether it be as a spectator, a volunteer, an employee or even as an athlete! I’ve been to three Games now where I had to pay my own way and each trip cost about $3,000 total per person. The amount included my flight/travel, accommodations, meals, tickets and souvenirs. The key is to find an affordable or even FREE place to stay. Start planning about 2 years ahead and telling all of your friends and family that you are looking for a place to stay during the Olympics…you’d be amazed at how people come out of the woodwork offering to help you! In my opinion, every person on this planet should experience the Olympics at least one time in their life. It truly is a life changing experience and I promise, you won’t regret it! Please don’t hesitate to contact me with questions or advice!

Also, for those of you who haven’t heard, the 2014 Paralympic Games begin on March 7^th and NBC has announced unprecedented TV coverage of the events! Be sure to tune in and enjoy round 2 of Team USA’s quest for success!

Finally, I wanted to end my blog with the reason why I get for work every day. Here is the mission statement at the United States Olympic Committee:

To support U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes in achieving sustained competitive excellence while demonstrating the values of the Olympic Movements, thereby inspiring all Americans.

Team USA may not have won the medal count or even the gold medal count but they have proven sustained competitive excellence time and time again and, equally as important, displayed that excellence in the right and inspirational way. Sportsmanship, camaraderie, ethics, the pursuit of success and respect for others was displayed in many different instances here. I am very proud to work for Team USA and to be an American.  

Thank you all for following my blog over these last few weeks and for loving the Olympics as much as I do!

Until Rio, sincerely,

Julie

Team USA preparing for the Closing Ceremony.

Team USA walking to the Closing Ceremony

My Goddaughter, Jordan's, medal table. She makes me so proud!

This one is for my Aunt Marcy...the red headband made it to Sochi!

View of the mountains from our housing block.

The rings at the Bolshoy arena. 

Team USA luggage

And more luggage...

And more...

Lynn, our village director, and I

The best credential I ever had.

Baby Miller and I are sad to leave but looking forward to getting home and spending time with Justin!

The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat…

There have been many ups and downs in the past few days in our coastal village and while losing is really, really hard, those of us supporting Team USA need to bring our smiles each day no matter what. And so we’ve been focusing on the positive and marching forward.

With that in mind, below is an example of what our team has been working on:

We like to call this ‘The Storm’ – a form of organized departure chaos! And that is just what is happening on Sunday and early Monday morning! We’ve been told that 43,000 people will be departing from the Sochi airport on Monday…it will be a miracle if we get all of our people AND their bags out on time without any issues!

I also wanted to add a short list about the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that we hear all of the time in our office. Hopefully you’ll get a kick out of some of them:

·       * How do I rent a bike?

·       * Do you have any tools to fix my bike?

·       * Do you have any extra toilet paper?

·       * How do I get a guest pass for the village?

·       * How do I get to the USA House?

·       * How do I get up to the mountains?

·       * I locked myself out of my room. How do I get back in?

·       * I live in the mountain village. Do you have a room that I can stay in

           tonight?

·       * Can I swim in the pool?

·       * I was throwing a football and it landed on someone else’s balcony. How

           can we get it back?

·       * Is my Nike stuff here yet?

·       * Can I swim in the Black Sea?

·       * My TV stopped working. How do I get it fixed? 

·       * How can I adopt a stray puppy?

Enjoy the last few medal events this weekend and the Closing Ceremony!

Julie

Found this sign in the village...a day just for Northern People! :) 

Roses blooming in the village! Crazy to see roses at a winter games!

We asked Simon Shnapir, pairs skater and now Olympic bronze medalist in the team event, to stop by to show us his medal. SO COOL!

Simon's medal up close! Trivia: How much does each medal weigh?

Our men's hockey team bikes parked inside of the Bolshoy. I thought this was pretty cute.

USA vs CAN men's hockey game...we were not happy with the outcome of that one but are hoping for a bronze medal tonight!

My friends came to visit us in the Village! Courtney, Me, Nicki, Carlee and Audrey!

USA! USA! USA!

USA! USA! USA!

The last few days have been busy! I was able to go to the USA vs RUS men’s hockey game a few days ago. It was epic! I hope you all got to watch at least some of it in the early morning hours in the States. It was very loud in the arena – even Baby Miller was bouncing around wondering where we were! J It sure was a great feeling to win that game! Now we need to focus on getting into the gold medal game just like the women’s hockey team!

I also was able to attend Meryl Davis and Charlie White’s gold medal performance last night in ice dance. It was awesome to see so many years of hard work culminate into a gold medal! The reward could not go to more deserving and humble people!

I wish you all could be here to help us out-cheer the Russians. We’ve been hearing a lot of ‘RUS-SEE-A’ (this is how the Russian fans pronounce and cheer for Russia) rather than ‘USA-USA-USA’!  

Shout out to Westview Elementary School in Apple Valley, Minnesota! Thanks for following the blog!

And a second shout out to Mr. Johnson’s students in Nashwauk-Keewatin, Minnesota! I received your question: ‘Do you have a bodyguard or other protection at the Olympics?’ Here is my answer: ‘Great question! Yes – sort of! I don’t have anyone specifically assigned to me but Team USA has special people here to help keep us safe. The USOC has two employees who are actually former government secret service agents who help coordinate all of our security and then we have several state department agents who are here and assigned to each team and venue, including the village. We feel very well taken care of!'

Enjoy the last week of the Games!

Julie

USA vs RUS men's hockey game!

It was so exciting!

Lots and lots of Russian fans

3-2! Go USA!

Our little bike workshop! Our NOC Assistants putting together bikes for the men's hockey team. Imagine lots of fairly tall guys riding around the village on these little bikes, carrying lime green Sochi backpacks and ringing bike bells...that is our hockey team! It is quite the scene here! :) 

An all female marching band walking around the Olympic Park.

A special reception at the USA House for the International Skating Union (ISU). That is the president of the ISU speaking. 

The Nike store at the USA House.

A worker changing a light bulb on the Bolshoy arena.

A clock projected onto the Iceberg arena in the Olympic Park.

The Bosco store (the souvenir store) in the Olympic Park. I haven't been inside yet because the line is always out the door! 

One of the massive food courts in the Olympic Park.

This one is for my dad - this is the view from our office space. The Black Sea is on the other side of the security fence. If I actually had a good throwing arm I'm pretty sure I could throw a rock into the water from our office!

Meryl and Charlie waiting for their scores.

Meryl and Charlie receiving their flowers. They will receive their medals later tonight at the Medal Plaza in the Olympic Park.

Whoo-hoo!

USA! USA! USA!

Land of the free, home of the brave

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I hope everyone has been enjoying the Olympics! Things have slowed down a bit here which has allowed us to get out and about to some events. I have lots of pictures to share so be sure to check them out below.

A special treat was having the opportunity to attend the medal ceremony last night for the men’s freestyle skiing slopestyle event where we SWEPT the podium! It was so amazing to see not one, not two but THREE American flags being raised and hearing our national anthem loud and clear. I am very proud to be an American!

Shout out to all of the students in my hometown of Hibbing, Minnesota who are following the blog! I hope you are enjoying the Games!

Until next time,

Julie

The Shayba area - home of women's hockey. Trivia: What does 'shayba' mean in Russian?

USA women vs Canada

Look who I ran into...curling Olympian and Minnesota native, John Benton! John is here commentating the curling events for NBC. 

Amazing view of the park and the mountains from the Shayba arena.

I got to go to The Olympic Club! It is much fancier than the village! I went there for a special Proctor & Gamble reception. 

Mom and baby dolls at The Olympic Club. :) 

What has become known as the 'Disney' hotel. 

Because we honestly can't remember what day it is!

Amanda and I's desk

The athlete lounge in the village. 

I wasn't the only one who decided to bring her baby to Sochi! This is Victoria. She is volunteering for the organizing committee and is 5 months pregnant! :) 

The bank in the village. 

Our coastal village operations team. 

Fisht stadium during the day - home of the Opening and Closing Ceremony.

More Minnesota folks! I ran into the Zezel and Shuster families before heading to curling!

Team USA vs Team Great Britain

Short track speedskating!

My good friends and huge Olympic fans, Carlee and Courtney, are here volunteering at the USA House! It was so great to see them again and hang out at a few of the events in the Olympic Park!

Carlee being interviewed by the Wall Street Journal!

This was the job Kate and I did in Athens!

USA men vs Slovakia

My friends and I again at the men's hockey game.

My little cup of vanilla ice cream! I just loved how cute it was!

Long track speedskating at the Adler Arena!

Olympian and speedskater Bonnie Blair speaking to some of our donors. How cool for them to watch long track with the great Bonnie Blair! 

The Iceberg Arena at night - home of figure skating and short track speedskating. 

The Adler Arena at night - home of long track speedskating. 

The flag guys bringing out our American flags for the medal ceremony!

The medal ceremony for the snowboard women's halfpipe!

The medal ceremony for the freestyle skiing men's slopestyle!