It's been a long time since i last posted on my blog & quite a lot has happened... but i will try to be brief!

With less than a week to the end of Winter Games, i have been to the Opening Ceremony; worked less (hey! i'm not slacking but it's usually the case during games time...); watched the Men's Single Qualifying & Final for Luge live at Cesana Pariol competition venue; had more rounds of cappuccino/hot chocolate/marocchino at the village's cafe; followed almost every competition on TV; attended some hospitality functions...

The Olympic Games is a great working experience for me & with that, there are more expectation of my involvement in the next Summer Olympic Games - Beijing 2008! As a matter of fact, i will be relocating to Beijing to start all preparation work as soon as April 2006. It's 2 weeks more for me before i end my work in Torino & begin my holiday plans to travel Milan-Venice-Florence-Rome-Milan before heading home on 17 Mar. So if you do the calculation correctly, it would means that i will be home only for 2 weeks before leaving again - this time permanently for a longer period... Not exactly the ideal situation but that's how it is... Although i'm hoping for some extension where i could spend more time in town.

It has been snowing quite heavily the past few days - much to the relieve of many people... Why? Because if you have been watching the Olympic outdoor competition, you will see the atheletes skiing on ice & mud instead of fresh snow - which looks quite apathetic on TV... Haha!

A new countdown... to holidays... to coming back home.

Lost in time

So! Today is Saturday. Beautiful weather with sunshine & only -5 degrees. Did i just say ONLY?? Well, having gotten used to the cold weather, i think -5 degrees is quite ok - especially when i now don't wear thermals anymore... *steady sia...* =P

Anyway, woke up this morning & i asked what day is today? And my room mate said "Saturday" & i was like "ok... really lost touch of the days... because we have to work EVERYDAY, ALL DAY..." Kinda envy my friends back home who are enjoying their weekends... Oh well, i am having fun here too! =)

Highly Favoured

1 week to the official Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games 2006 in Torino!

Work in the mountain village is quite interesting - especially when i get to meet & know quite a lot of friendly people from all over... USA team; Australia team; Canada team; China team; France team; etc... Not the athletes but their National Olympic Committee team. Most of the athletes are checking in to the Olympic Village this weekend & early next week.

In Christ, i am highly favoured - as He gave me quite good connection with people within my organization as well as the Torino Olympic Committee team. Such connection is very crucial to help me get certain things done just by picking up a phone! You know how things are with the Italians... To God be the glory!

Managing the Bardonecchia Village is rather easy - compared to my colleagues who are working in the other 2 venues... I have a very cosy work place (a 20 ft. container), quite equipped with a PC, internet connection, fax machine, tables, chairs, shelves, and more to come... Of course the PC that TOROC provided are controlled - no MSN installed... Therefore, won't be able to see you all online... Though i could bring my laptop along but i don't want to risk it being stolen as i am hardly in the office/container...

Weather is still quite cold *duh! it's winter games mah!*. So during some free time, i would always be at the cafeteria: drinking coffee/water & listening to the live band playing! Very relaxing & it feels as though i am sitting somewhere in Italy, enjoying my holiday - but the moment my phone rings, i'm brought back to reality. It's time to WORK! hahaha...

Someone introduced me to a drink call Marcocchino = which is coffee + milk + chocolate + nutella on the rim of the cup. Taste quite nice! Cost 1.50 Euro for a fairly small cup, so... expensive! Still, i'm always heading to the cafeteria for 2-3 hot drinks in a day.