Editor’s note: Christina MacLean had the experience and opportunity of a lifetime, volunteering at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Whistler. Born and raised in Shelburne, where she has family and friends, she’s a resident of Brampton, where she and husband Ian have two children, Ben 16 and Molly 9. She works with the Region of Peel in waste management.

By Christina MacLean

As I write my final article I have to admit I made a faux pas, can you believe that?

In a previous article I said that Britt Janyk was coached by Todd Brooker. Nope! Britt is coached by Rob Boyd. Don’t know how I could have confused those two fellows as they don’t look at all alike. Sorry guys.

My Olympic Adventure; was more than a WOW factor, but I don’t have words to describe it. I’m still processing all that has happened, the people I’ve met, the job that I performed, the events I saw, it is still unbelievable that I was one of 25,000 volunteers for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

On the evening of Tuesday February 9 when I arrived in Whistler, I read my horoscope in the National Post: “Be open to expanding connections with foreign agencies, people from afar, or other countries”. Yes I was open; yes I met people from both afar and from other countries.

The first few days besides getting over the jet lag I was on sensory overload. I had never been to Whistler, so between taking in the awesome views of the majestic mountains, skiing, walking through Whistler Village, doing my stewart job, meeting new people and trying to grasp the whole Olympic experience, it was absolutely mind boggling and sometimes overwhelming.

Was my stewart job difficult? I didn’t think so, but like any customer service-based position we had our moments with the media, coaches and course crew when you had to use your tact, happy face and “I’ll check with my supervisor”.

Was it exhausting work? Not in the terms of being physically exhausting. The Course Crew and Slippers who prepared the course had physically exhausting work and I have a whole lot of respect for those workers. My first week was exhausting in that I was up at 3:30 or 4 a.m. to get to the mountain for uploading and then returning home at 6 p.m. when I would eat dinner, watch some Olympic coverage through squinty eyes and then crawl into bed for the next day.

My Homestay host, Nancy was the best and I enjoyed being met at the door by her dog Angie. Nancy made me feel at home. I met many of her friends, her brother and family, her two sons and future daughter-in-law, had a tour of Whistler’s new library, visited the new aboriginal museum and learned some of Whistler’s history when we were out and about.

I was also impressed with my Team Leads, Ben and Tracy. They were able to take a crew of approximately 40 men and women, most of whom they had never met or worked with before and assign them to various stations down the mountain.

Despite the ever-changing guidelines, we were able to work with little issues and what issues did come up Ben and Tracy handled with expertise. The members of the team that I worked with were fantastic and I came away from the experience making many new friends, though we never were able to get a game of Wizard going. I’ve already sent several e-mails out and became “Friends” on Facebook with others.

I met coaches and athletes from France, Switzerland, Canada, Senegal, Cypress, India, Great Britain, Peru, Pakistan, US, Germany, Mongolia and Estonia to name a few. I even managed to get a few pictures of the athletes some including me with them.

While trading pins, I met people from Brazil, USA, Mongolia, many RCMP officers (whose pins I love the most), Montreal, Russia, Singapore and the manager at the local Starbucks where I got my nightly Earl Grey Tea Latte.

This Tuesday, I received an e-mail from a couple from California whom I met and gave pins to, reading: “Malcolm and I met you in the Weasel tent and we had a lovely chat. We wanted to thank you and your daughter for our gift and showing your Canadian Olympic spirit. May all our spirits continue to burn. All the best, Holly Kuchar.” I can’t say how thrilled I was to get this e-mail.

I had other interesting experiences along the way. I got to ride in a brand new Piston Bully Groomer as well as a short ride up and down the mountain with one of the workers on a snowmobile.

Then there was a little girl with long blonde hair about eight years old in the Olympic Store telling her Mom that the pin she held in her hand was a small souvenir. I piped up that it was the best souvenir around. I suggested she ask her mom to get her a lanyard to place that pin on, as a pin was a permanent memory whereas a shirt or toy would get lost or she’d grow out of it. I pulled out four packages of pins, one for her and her siblings.

Her mother looked at me and mouthed “thank you”. As I leave I hear the kids asking each other what pins they got in their package.

Another experience was when I was on my snowmobile tour in the Callahan Mountains. There were eight of us, of whom four where from Australia. While we were at the summit, I looked at all that fresh, pristine snow and decided a snow angel was a must. One of the Aussies asks me what am I doing and the next thing I see is the four Aussies jumping in the snow, making snow angels and laughing.

On my last day while walking around Vancouver, I enter a pavilion that has a display with all the before and now of hockey, skating and curling equipment. I watch as this group of five are trying to figure out the curling brooms. I approach them and tell them how the curling broom is used.

I learn that four of the group are from Singapore and the fifth is their translator so I spend a few minutes answering questions about the brooms. Five more packages of pins leave my hands.

I watch the women’s gold medal curling in the Manitoba pavilion. I end up standing with approximately eight people from Vancouver who know little to nothing about curling. Our conversation starts quite simply with “what’s the score?” and when I tell them the score they ask me how I knew that. I educate eight more people on this the great sport of curling.

Finally, on the way to the airport, I handed two packages of pins to a Russian doctor and athlete. A gentleman on the Skytrain comes up to me and says that pin trading is really quite big at the Olympics. I said it sure is. I asked him if he had any kids and he did, aged 7 and 9. I pulled out two more packages of pins and gave them to him. His response, besides thanks, was, “But don’t have anything to give you.” I replied, “It’s not always about giving, sometimes you can just receive.” As I got off the train, I said, “have a great day”.

My Olympic Adventure has ended but the memories and friendships I have made will last a life time.

Would I do it again? Absolutely, without a doubt. In 2014 will I go to Sochi, Russia? Probably not, I think my next adventure should include my entire family.

I want to thank the paper for allowing me to share my Olympic Adventure with family, friends and the Dufferin community. I also want to thank my husband, Ian, the kids Ben and Molly for having their own home adventure and we all survived. Missed you guys lots; but I’ll love you forever.