Ticket sales have exceeded expectations. POCOG’s goal was to sell 80% of available tickets. They exceeded that by 120% when the Games opened.
I have bought tickets to a few events, but POCOG has started allowing those with credentials to attend for free. If a ticket holder arrives, we need to find another empty seat. But so far it has worked out that I haven’t had to move.
I have attended curling and ice hockey this way. I didn’t attend the events I bought tickets for, but am sure someone else claimed my seat, so I consider it a wash.
Admittedly, it has been a bit slow with my volunteer shifts, so this is another nice peek for the volunteers.
I was able to join three volunteers at the Biathlon Centre to interact with student groups.
I thought there would be more of a program (explain the sport, practice English, etc.) with respect to accompanying them. But we were there to encourage them to cheer on the athletes.
There were several groups we visited throughout the stands.
It was a nice day, and the first of several warm days. The past 2 it has been in the upper 50s/lower 60s. It is supposed to rain today (Thursday), but then start cooling off again this weekend. Not ideal conditions for snow sports.
The check-in/check-out process is very quick. We enter the room, scan our badge and leave. But the Passion Crew management team has been finding creative ways to engage us.
Today, they had a finger curling game. We had to try to flick one of three bottle tops into the house. A consolation prize was a piece of candy.
I had the opportunity to attend Opening Ceremonies on Friday night. The weather leading up to them had been very wintry – snowy and cold. Officials were worried about no-shows and empty seats, so those with credentials were invited. If a ticket holder arrived, we would have to give up our seat and find another empty one. Luckily, that didn’t happen to us.
One of my roommates is on the Ceremonies Team and helped seat athletes after the Parade of Nations. He said the military and other workers had to clear the entire stadium of snow at least twice. I have to say, as a spectator, you never would have known there had been so much snow.
Having watched the Olympics Opening Ceremonies from home, I was very curious how the LED posts at each seat may have impacted the spectator experience. I thought, “how could they not get in the sightlines of the audience?”
I have to say, I was surprised I hardly noticed them sitting in the stadium. And it made for a more dynamic experience.
It was a fantastic program and I was happy to have been able to attend.
I felt exiting the stadium went very smoothly. But we bottle-necked under the colorful lighted canopies waiting for a bus.
We waited about an hour before we got out from under it and to our bus. Looking around a bit, I’m not sure what other option they had for loading the buses. The light display and music helped keep us entertained.
One of the challenges for the volunteers is shuttle transportation, both to our work shifts and to see any of the events.
The transportation routes aren’t set up such that I know I am on Route #12 and there is a bus once an hour on the :15. I just know I’m on Route #12 and that there are 3 times in the morning I can catch a bus, then no more until late afternoon.
This is great when I go to my shifts, but not when I’m done at 2. If I want to go to an event afterwards, I don’t have an easy option. I can’t just take Route #27, for example. And once I get to the venue, there are limited options back to Sokcho without having to pay $100 one-way cab fare.
Some individuals are being assigned shifts without transportation scheduled. I have a shift next Saturday at 2 p.m. but the last shuttle leaves at 9:30, so I’ll have about 3 hours to kill before my shift starts.
If there are alternatives, they aren’t being communicated. So, we’re having to be very go-with-the-flow, which some volunteers are having a hard time with. Especially those in accommodations in more remote areas where there isn’t much to do.
I have been assigned to the International Media Team in the Main Press Centre located in Alpensia.
We help staff the News Desk, answering questions the media have about the Games and monitoring what the international press is reporting.
Our functional area manager (FA) also told us that once the Olympics started, there were fewer requests as the reporters were all out “chasing athletes,” so the volunteers didn’t have much to do.
For the Paralympics, they are trying to coordinate outings with school groups to some of the events, including attending medal/victory ceremonies. This is in an effort to promote sport to the younger generations. The outings will likely start the second week of the Games. We are also being sent to some of the events to attend and post to our social media accounts.
During our move from Welli Hilli to the Hyundai Soo Resort in Sokcho (about an hour north of the Alpensia mountain cluster), we received our uniforms.
First, we had to present identification.
We then went around the corner to receive our printed credentials/badge.
We then turned the corner to try on pants, fleece jacket, and ski jacket. They had sample sizes for us to try on. We wrote down which size fit, then tried on boots. After writing that size down, we took our form to the checkout where they gave us our individual articles of clothing. In addition to the above, we received a backpack, knit hat, gloves, and long sleeve t-shirt). It was important to take your time to ensure accurate fitting, as we only get one.
Omega also made available Swatch watches available to the Paralympic volunteers to complete our ensemble. It is a fairly efficient operation!
Our training was held at the Welli Hilli Resort, located a little ways west of PyeongChang. We stayed in the attached Shinan Youth Hostel. The rooms slept 5-6 on mats and a heated floor. I was pleasantly surprised by the comfort. Meals were served in the cafeteria.
After training, I took a short walk around a pond in front of the property. When I came back, I was able to get my picture taken with Bandabi, the Paralympics mascot.
Our final day of training included an overview of the Paralympic sports, basic safety, and gender equality.
The short videos and explanation of each sport got everyone excited. However, tickets may be very tricky to come by. The POCOG goal to sell 80% of the total available tickets has been exceeded by 130%; they’ve sold 275,000 so far. Tickets can be found, but Alpine and Biathlon have both sold out. As have Korean and USA ice hockey and curling matches.
The basic safety training was interesting only in that it was led by an individual who didn’t speak English well. There were also a few phrases that got lost in translation in the volunteer guide. For example: “After checking the vehicle stopped, go where the vehicle is moving.” What was meant, is that it can be hard for a car to stop without sliding in wintry conditions, so make sure the car has come to a complete stop before proceeding. I was also surprised when they attempted CPR basics in less than 10 minutes.
The discussion on gender equality was interesting in that it didn’t just focus on income disparity, but also gender roles. For example: London 2012 was the first to have all-male medal assistant teams to carry medals and flowers at medal ceremonies. POCOG has also established help and report lines regarding sexual violence. They emphasized not being a bystander, but be proactive in reporting incidents.
Zhao, Lee, Biersner - Paralympic Volunteer Training - March 4, 2017
Hello! My name is Mitch Biersner. I am an alumnus of the M.T.A. program and previously traveled to the 2006 Winter Games in Torino with Dr. Lisa Delpy Neirotti as a student. Currently, I am a meeting planner for the American Society of Radiologic Technologists in Albuquerque, NM.
I am one of a few individuals connected to the GW program volunteering at the Paralympics. I arrived in the PyeongChang area late on Saturday, March 3.
Training is being held at the Welli Hilli Resort, which is a short drive west from the Paralympic venues. We are staying at the connected Shinan Youth Hostel.
The focus of today’s training was on volunteerism, customer service and understanding individuals with all abilities. We had good discussions that helped ground us for our upcoming assignments.
“Ari-Ari” is a saying that means “make a road where there is no road.” We are encouraged to find solutions to help create a meaningful experience for everyone during the Games.
I have been assigned to the International Media Relations Team and will be working in the Main Press Centre in the Alpensia resort area (where the cross country and biathlon events are taking place). I, along with many other volunteers, will be housed at the Hyundai Soo Resort in Sokcho (about an hour from the MPC, north of Gangneung), located along the northeastern coast.
We were privileged to have some welcoming comments from POCOG President Lee Hee-beom. Current GW sophomore, Zhiqiu Zhao, and I were able to have our picture taken with him.
I look forward to sharing my experiences with you.
Ari-Ari!
Zhao, Lee, Biersner – Paralympic Volunteer Training – March 4, 2017
