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Liu Meiqun: A unique 20th birthday

My name is Liu Meiqun and I'm a Hakka person from Guangdong Province. I work at a Citic Bank in Shenzhen. When Beijing won the bid in 2001 to host the Olympic Games, I was 13 years old. I made a wish then: to go to Beijing to watch the Olympic Games. Now, seven years later, my wish has come true, in part. I've made it to Beijing, not as a spectator, but rather as a participant! I have been chosen as a member of the volunteer team, and I'll be an operator at the Beijing Olympic spectator call center where I will provide information support in Cantonese. I will turn 20 on July 19. The 95 days that I will serve as an Olympic volunteer will be become the most splendid page in my life story.

At around noon on July 14, I turned on the radio to listen to some music. I turned the radio dial for better reception and suddenly heard the news about Beijing successfully bidding for the Olympic Games just the day before. When I turned on the television, I saw clips of the entire nation in jubilation. My heart beat faster, as I could also feel the joy; I couldn't control my tears. From that moment, I secretly wished that I could go to Beijing to see the Olympics.

2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007…the next seven years were years of growth for me; they were also years of hope. In May 2008, when my Olympic dream had all but disappeared, news that BOCOG was recruiting language service volunteers gave me hope again. Without an ounce of hesitation, I applied to become a volunteer and did all I could to prepare for each step of the selection process. When I found out that I had been selected as a volunteer, I could not hold back my tears of joy.

On July 1, the 12308 spectator hotline was activated. Nowadays, I sit at my desk wearing my headset, waiting for the next spectator to call so that I can enthusiastically say: Hello, Thank you for calling the Olympic spectator call center! My name is Liu Meiqun, and it is my pleasure to serve you. How may I help you?

The first time I answered a call from a spectator, I was extremely nervous and scared out of my wits. My hands even shook as I typed. Even though I had already held several customer service jobs in the past, the Olympics were different. Before, a customer's evaluation only affected me, and if I didn't do a good job, I could just change jobs. Now, we represent the image of the entire Olympic Games, so I couldn't compromise the image of the Olympics. That's why I have been studying hard to increase my knowledge, and I hope that I will be able to better service Olympic spectators.

July 19 will be my 20th birthday. During the day, I will fulfill my duties at the call center. Then, at 3 p.m., I will quietly celebrate my coming of age with my coworkers. For me, the quieter the celebration, the more "real" and memorable my "Olympic birthday" will be.