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Mei Jie: Touring around 10 European Cities as an Olympic Journalist

I am the principal of Xinhua No. 8 Primary School in Huadu District, Guangzhou. From March 23 to April 10, 2008, I was a member of an "Olympic Global Search" Journalist Group that went to Europe for a 10,000 km, 10 city trip. During the trip, we had the opportunity to interview people who had witnessed significant moments in Olympic history. I also participated in the London leg of the Olympic Torch Relay.

As the timing of our trip coincided with Easter, I asked the students in my school to help me paint Easter eggs. The more than 200 eggs, which were decorated with everything from Fuwa and the five-ring Olympic logo to Chinese-style paintings of natural scenery, would serve as gifts for our European friends.

Traveling with the eggs was not easy. To prevent the eggs from getting crushed as we flew from city to city, the eggs were protected by layers of paper scraps and thin film inside a large cardboard box. It was worth the effort; the eggs were very well received. Each time I'd finish an interview with an Olympic celebrity, the interviewee would say, "Mr. Mei, the interview is over now, isn't it time for gifts?" They held the eggs lovingly—as if like they never wanted to let them go.

Thanks to the "Olympic Global Search" program, an ordinary citizen like me had the opportunity to experience historic moments like a real journalist. During my trip in Europe, I interviewed three torchbearers and three times had close contact with the Olympic Torch -- the "Cloud of Promise."

Fu Ying, the Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom, was the 28th torchbearer in London. I interviewed her the night before the London leg of the torch relay. Although I was unable to see the relay because of work, I read the ambassador's account of the event. I could see that she had done what she had promised: represent the strength and health of the Chinese people.

The second torchbearer I interviewed was Bo Jian, the 27th torchbearer. He is an ordinary sports teacher from Anshan No. 2 Middle School, but has earned the nickname "loving daddy" because, at the age of 34, he's adopted or sponsored 24 kids. When he learned that I, too, was a teacher, we immediately felt like old friends. We took a photo together under the flag of the Beijing Olympic torch relay and shared with each other about our teaching experiences.

My third torchbearer interview was with Kelly Holmes, who won two gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and was the 80th torchbearer in London. I majored in English, so after spotting Holmes, I quickly approached her and introduced myself. She was surprised at first, but gave me a warm welcome. She said she was excited to run the last leg of the Olympic Torch Relay in London. I said that as the next host of the Olympic Games, the city of London would receive much more pressure than any one individual. She replied, with a knowing smile, "I believe that the Beijing Olympic Games will be a great success."

My six-year-old son and I share a birthday on August 7, one day before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. Since the Games take place during summer vacation, I have bought four tickets to Olympic events. This will be our special way of celebrating our birthdays.