The Centennial Games Express

The first group of the Chinese Olympic Team arrived at the Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport around 2:30pm EST. Mr. Jizhong Wei, General Secretary of the Chinese Olympic Team, heads the six-person group to prepare for the arrival of the rest of the delegation. This is Mr. Wei's fourth Olympic Games. A volleyball player in the late '50s, he is an experienced, energetic and influencial leader for the Chinese Olympic Team.

The accredidation process went quite smoothly at the Atlanta Welcome Center. By 3:30pm, we are ready to leave the welcome center and enter the Atlanta Olympic Village. Unfortunately, three of the nine luggages failed to show up at the departure center where they are supposed to be. After almost two hours, the three missing bags were finally found in the airport. According to an Atlanta Welcome Center official, the bags were missing because some bag handlers in the airport like the yellow tags attached to the bags and decided to cut them off and keep them as a sourvenir. Unfortunately, these tags are criticle to the AWC personnel because the yellow tags contain identifications of the ower.

Once the luggages were all found, we boarded a shuttle bus provided by ACOG and headed to the Olympic Village. It was a smooth ride all the way to the residential zone where the Chinese Olympic Team resides.

Despite of the lenthy travel, the group immediately went to work. Their work ethic and dedication to success is truely inspiring! Here are some pictures!

Izy (middle) welcomes Mr. Jizhong Wei (left). Associate Envoy Chen Hu (right) is the Officer of the Day.
Izy (middle) welcomes Mr. Zhang Quansheng (left) and Ms. Zhou
Pateniently waiting for luggages
Boarding the bus to the village (I)
Boarding the bus to the village (II)