Welcome to Paris! The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics is scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11. Paris 2024 will be GW University’s 15th visit to the Olympic Games, attending since 1992. This year, 26 students will travel to Paris to learn, engage with, and see a “behind the scenes” of the business of the Games.
You can follow our journey below by reading posts from all students on their experience in Paris.
Prior to traveling to Paris, the GW students had a unique opportunity to visit the French Embassy to learn more about the expected impact of the Olympic Games on France and the strong relationship between U.S. and France. With a number of sport events taking place across the country, the impact is spread to other cities beyond Paris. Follow along as we share about our experience in Paris!
You can read more about the experience here: https://gwtoday.gwu.edu/gw-students-head-paris-2024-summer-olympic-games
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À bientôt Paris 2024
Attending the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games was a transformative experience that exceeded all my expectations. The lessons I learned, the people I met, the skills I get and the sustainable practices I witnessed have all left an indelible mark on my academic and professional journey. Reflecting on this experience, I am more motivated than…
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It’s almost time to close this chapter and start a new stage
As my journey at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games comes to an end, I am filled with a deep sense of gratitude and reflection. This experience has been nothing short of transformative, offering countless opportunities for personal and professional growth. The lessons learned, the people I met, and the memories created will remain with me…
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The journey is going great!
This is week 2 at Paris 2024 Olympic Games and my time has been an eye-opening experience filled with invaluable insights and opportunities for growth. As the weeks unfolded, I found myself immersed in a unique blend of learning, cultural exchange, and hands-on experience that has profoundly shaped my understanding of global events and their…
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Post-Program Reflection
Back home sitting in my apartment back home, typing on my laptop, it still feels unreal. Just a week ago, I was in Paris, and it seems like yesterday I was finishing my last shift at the USA House. The memories of my time there are still fresh, and the impact of this experience is…
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Sue’s Post-Program Reflection – My First but Not the Last Olympic Games: The Best Start to My Journey at GWU
Paris is a city painted in vibrant colors, with Impressionist clouds that float like bubbles, endless green fields, and slowly turning windmills. It’s a city where artists are always performing on the streets. But this summer, Paris became the focus of the entire world as it hosted the Olympic Games. And for me, after more…
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Sue’s Closing Thoughts: Stealing Moments of Leisure to Absorb the Historical Flow of Olympic-Infused Paris
During the Olympics, I managed to steal some moments of leisure, playing the role of a solo, commando-like tourist, dashing through Paris’s iconic landmarks: the Arc de Triomphe, the Palace of Versailles, the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, and the Eiffel Tower. Paris, with its deep historical roots, left a profound impression on me. Walking through…
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Post-Program Reflection
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are an extraordinary display of sport, culture, and solidarity. As a volunteer and observer, I have had the privilege of witnessing the magic of the Olympic Games firsthand, and it has left a lasting impression on me. One of the most striking aspects of the Paris Olympic Games is the…
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Post-Program Relection
Paris is a world-renowned cultural capital, and hosting the Olympics in a fascinating city with so many historical sites, culinary delights, and artistic treasures is a rare experience in itself, and one that I was fortunate enough to be a part of. The experience was more than just attending a world-class sporting event; it was…
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Closing Thoughts of Paris 2024
“Competitive sports are a tragedy in themselves.” There’s a saying that has been recently widely shared on Chinese social media. It warns people not to fall too deeply in love with competitive sports because, in the end, athletes grow old, heroes turn gray, and the injuries they endure take a toll. The gifts that athletes…
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Closing thoughts on the Paris 2024
When the curtain came down on Paris 2024, I couldn’t get over the fact that it had all happened so fast and so unbelievably. I couldn’t believe that I had actually been a part of an Olympic Games, from start to finish. From the moment I arrived in Paris with so much excitement and anticipation,…
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Post-Program Reflection
It still feels unreal that I was in Paris just five days ago. Since being home, I immediately had to go back to work and haven’t really had the time to reflect on my trip. As my last official blog post, I’ll take the time to share my reflection with you all. Paris itself was…
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THANK YOU AND FAREWELL, BUT NEVER GOODBYE
A Reflection of All that has Happened I have been in the States for four days now. I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss the chill of air conditioning when entering a building on a hot summer day or the energizing sip of ice cold water in 100℉ weather. But I also…
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Post-program Reflection of Paris 2024
It was a busy and fulfilling trip as I got to see several aspects behind the scenes of the human event of the Olympics, with field trips to OBS, MPC, HOC, sponsor events, and Olympic hospitality programme, as well as guests who have been in the sports industry for many years to share their experiences.…
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Progress midway through the Paris Olympics
As the 2024 Paris Olympics begin, I continue to marvel at the depth and breadth of the experiences this program offers. Watching the Games, interacting with guests, and volunteering at Team USA House have given me a unique perspective on the operational and emotional aspects of the Games. One of the most impactful experiences was…
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An Unforgettable Experience: Reflecting On My First Olympics
I was first introduced to the Olympics Games back in the summer of 2008 during the Beijing Olympics when I was only 8 years old. These were the first Olympics I can consciously remember watching, and they were one of my favorite Games ever. Following the legendary performance of Michael Phelps, a fellow Marylander, like…
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Paris 2024 : First Impressions!
Today marks my fourth day in Paris and it has been an interesting ride thus far! It is my first time in Europe and the sheer difference in architecture and layout compared to my home continent of Asia has been striking. I believe that one of the best ways to experience a new city is…
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THE HUMANITY OF THE GAMES
More than Sport You may find that my peers also write about humanity, the spirit of the games, etc. While there are many factors to this, it all started with our professor, Terrence Burns, giving us a presentation on the ethos of the Games. Terrence introduced many of us to the Celebrate Humanity ads voiced…
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A Journey of Transformation: Reflecting on My Olympic Experience
Over the course of 18 days, from July 25th to August 11th, I embarked on a journey that transformed my perception of the Olympics. My roles were diverse—I was a volunteer, a student, a tourist, and a sports fan. But by the end, I had become something much more: a true believer in the Olympic spirit.…
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AROUND THE WORLD IN 17 DAYS
Spreading Hospitality and Culture The Games are much bigger than sport. There are 10,000+ athletes from over 200 countries in (mostly) 1 city for over 2 weeks. If it was just about sport, the interactions between fans and competitors would be marginal. But it isn’t. The interactions speak louder than words. In addition to the…
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Progress of Paris 2024
During my time in Paris, I enjoyed visiting different exhibitions and pop-up stores between lectures and work, and Paris 2024 offered a unique opportunity to experience the city in a vibrant Olympic atmosphere. One of the most exciting events was the various Houses of Nations held in La Villette, which was transformed into a ‘Park…