China Pride

It's nearly impossible to underestimate the depth of patriotic pride that many Chinese are feeling right now.  Many have traveled from across China and even across the world to be part of history during these Beijing Games, whether or not they have tickets.

I spoke with one man from Jiangsu Province who spent seven years traveling to all of China's provinces and 233 cities around the country picking up garbage.  He believes that beautifying the streets and demonstrating civic responsibility is the best way for him to "show people from all over the world that the Chinese people want a civilized, harmonious games."

Over four hundred thousand Beijing volunteers have been assisting Olympic visitors in every possible way, whether they’re helping to maintain the scoreboards, or simply showing people how to find the bathrooms.  

A small group of three hundred international volunteers have also been assisting with the Games.  While the language and cultural barriers have been a challenge, they’re enjoying the proverbial once-in-a-lifetime experience.

You can get a better taste of the Olympic excitement from the video above.