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RHIAN'S SOCCER JOURNALS:

FOOT LOOSE & FANCY FREE IN BEIJING 21st August 2008

Hmmm!! ... I guess I can ask to be forgiven for the break I have taken in writing my journals. I do apologize though, as I am sure everyone is curious as to what the team has been up to since our loss against the USA.

I think there have been quite a few rumors and reports back home that we were kicked out of the Olympic Village and no longer made welcome, and more of this sort. None of this is quite true.

After we were eliminated in Shanghai, we flew back to Beijing and were without rooms there for a few days. The reasons for this are complex, but basically what happened is that when a team is eliminated, they normally have 24 hours to leave the Olympic Village and the Games. However, we had previously arranged with the Canadian Olympic Committee to stay until the end of the Tournament.

A misunderstanding meant that there was a slight mix-up between the COC and the Beijing Olympic committee, and this was not a major issue, except that both groups thought the other was arranging accommodation. Obviously, when we returned to Beijing, the lack of a place to stay was a big headache for some of the organizers, but we as a team were barely inconvenienced.

The COC worked overtime and they soon arranged hotel rooms for two nights, before finding us housing back in the village. We are now not with the other Canadian athletes. Instead, we are housed on the floor of the Olympic Village beneath the Iraqi contingent, and on the floor above the Rwanda teams, and we are one house over from the Kingdom of Bahrain athletes.

I find these arrangements very cool. Even though we are slightly removed from the other Canadians, we are in the Village and this is fantastic. Staying in the Athletes Village allows us to fully experience the Games, and our location has made that experience all the more exotic.

The sting of our semi-final defeat is still pretty painful, so we try to avoid the soccer elements of the Games..... only the women's soccer elements though. We have had to make an exception for the Men's game as most of us found ourselves attending the Argentina/ Brazil game a few night ago,

The game was a remarkable experience. I am not one of those lucky people who has been to numerous international, professional soccer games. Instead, I tend to watch from home on the television, and I try to conjure up atmosphere by having people come round. All of this to explain that to actually be in the crowd at the Men's Olympic semi-final was a dream come true for me. The Argentineans have amazing skills, and Messi is someone I wish every lover of soccer could see. He really is that good. Ronaldinho is amazing as well, but Messi is in a class above him: Sorry Brazilian fans.

As you might expect, we have all been trying to see and do as much as possible in these last few days of the Olympic Games. So far, I have managed to attend softball, water polo, diving, rowing and track and field. In short, I have been everywhere.

Despite all the excitement, I am looking forward to coming home soon and seeing family and friends. However, I am ensuring that I make the most of every opportunity that is being given to us here. Sleeping is for the weak