I've been feeling it for a few years now [I live in Vancouver, near one of the skiing venues], what with road and building and venue construction and all the associated local news and planning and such. Really feeling it now with road closures, lots of interesting foreigners in the city, massive security presence, transportation challenges. Pretty head-spinning stuff to be living in. The sheer logistics is incredible. There is SO SO SO much more stuff going on here than 'just' the Winter Games - free concerts and events, theater and protests, famous people and the "Cultural Olympiad". My SiL is volunteering and she's been doing her volunteer training for this for the past couple of years.
Sure, the positive impact of the Olympics on the host city is debatable, and there are tons of people who think the money would've been better spent on health care and education and homelessness etc etc... the mood here is like walking around in a daze. But it has been pretty smooth - it's clean here, the biggest expense [from what I understand] is improving the dangerous windy highway between Vancouver and Whistler [a two hour drive] which is fantastic, and there hasn't been any real inconvenience for people living here until now. Olympic tickets, especially for the medal events, are expensive and a lot of them went to lottery because so many people wanted them. I won't be going to any events because I will be working extra hours - I work just a few blocks from the Olympic Village - but I am going to cheer for my fellow Canadians so much I am sure I will lose my voice.
Ya, a lot of it sucks, ya, it's political and so much bullshit, and ya, there are lots of protests planned here and backtalk and grumblings and whatnot. It's nowhere near perfect but it's a helluva experience. Go Canada! :)
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Sure, the positive impact of the Olympics on the host city is debatable, and there are tons of people who think the money would've been better spent on health care and education and homelessness etc etc... the mood here is like walking around in a daze. But it has been pretty smooth - it's clean here, the biggest expense [from what I understand] is improving the dangerous windy highway between Vancouver and Whistler [a two hour drive] which is fantastic, and there hasn't been any real inconvenience for people living here until now. Olympic tickets, especially for the medal events, are expensive and a lot of them went to lottery because so many people wanted them. I won't be going to any events because I will be working extra hours - I work just a few blocks from the Olympic Village - but I am going to cheer for my fellow Canadians so much I am sure I will lose my voice.
Ya, a lot of it sucks, ya, it's political and so much bullshit, and ya, there are lots of protests planned here and backtalk and grumblings and whatnot. It's nowhere near perfect but it's a helluva experience. Go Canada! :)