#6 Volunteer or spectator, job or opportunity?

If you ask me headline question - volunteer AND spectator and more than opportunity.

Accreditation with pins

Why come to Olympics just to work? Maybe I am so in love with sports, but c'mon, you cannot just come to Olympics to work and obey the orders from supervisor, whom is by the way among paid stuff. You get your Olympic clothes and accreditation, and you don't use it at all? They didn't pay us anything except for that clothes, food on working days and transportation. But where are the tickets, volunteer parties, getting to know each other? That only depends on a person and his intentions to make new friends, meet new people and maybe because of that, once explore the world. If I met volunteer not from Brazil on ticketing in front of Arenas, it was easy to go in, but usually there were Brazilians afraid of closing their eyes just to let me in to watch some matches, afraid to ask someone the same question at other venues. I thought that we volunteers should help out each other - especially because some tickets were really expensive, but OK, lecture for next time for me. That was the only negative part of volunteer experience, otherwise it was amazing to be part of the games. 

Rio2016 everywhere (Deodoro park)

There are a lot of positive things about being a volunteer. First of all, making new friends from all over the world. Also there is one great thing for being a volunteer - you are part of big machine, which is needed to work smoothly, that people from other end of the world can enjoy the games on TV or as spectators live at venues. And you can see closely, how many parts has this machine, how does it work and what can go wrong. The most important thing everywhere is that everything has to be perfect for TV. 

Few Slovenian volunteers (5/10+)

There were volunteers from more than 100 countries, so there were also more then 10 Slovenians (I still do not know, if I met all of them). It is really nice to meet some people from your country with same thinking, plans and love for sports. We already decieded to make some meeting soon, of course with caipirinhas and Brazilian music. And with some of them, we already turned our compass towards Japan and Tokyo2020. 

The best fans on the world with Sara Isakovic

As a spectator I have really special experience, I visited a lot of sports, but supporting Slovenian athletes here in Rio was really amazing. For great atmosphere at table tennis, sailing and handball, I joined four amazing people from Trebnje and surroundings (Thank you Čarli, Mlaki, Kuri and Jerry) - we have been so loud and supporting for Slovenia, that we made it to New York Times, all Slovenian TVs and newspapers and all over the internet. If few Slovenians can make big part of Future Arena screaming "Dajmo Slovenci" then anything is possible. Dissapointment after Slovenian team lost quaterfinal match against Denmark was huge, but at that moment they were better and now they are Olympic champions. It was seen, that we were breathing with a team. But this is sport, this is the past, now we should go for the new wins in future. There was a lot of joy, celebrating Slovenian medals.

sLOVEnia

Slovenian olympic committee prepared some celebrations and hanging out with our athletes, celebrating their successes and there was also oppourtunity to meet some important people from Slovenian sport organization. So I hope, that meeting them was good deal for the future, maybe already for Tokyo2020. I will be there for sure, but still do not know in what position. Only one thing is certain, in summer 2020 I am travelling to Japan.

Last time in olympic park 

From Rio with love, 

SR