Day 15 – Thursday 2nd August

Today I arrived to a list of things the morning group had started that I had to finish after they had left.  The Venezuelans were so proud of Ruben, spending most of the day clicking through news articles and photos of him on Google and Facebook.  This is so big for this country.  It really offers some perspective on our expectations (and achievements) in Britain.  I managed to see the Gold Medallist once today.  I didn’t ask for a photo – we’ve been told very strictly not to bother people for photos.  I wish I had though.

My first instruction was to try and find Artemio to pay for something called ‘Hot Beds’ which, here in the Village, is where an athlete leaves early and another replaces him or her in the bedrooms, so the cleaners have to clean and make the beds off-rota.  However, translating this to ‘cama caliente’ was, seemingly, wrong.  Some of the Venezuelans started to giggle, and Yamelys and Carlos explained that it meant something a little more x-rated.  Oops!  In stitches I went down to the Resident’s Office to tell them and I think it made their day.  I stood with them to watch Britain’s man win a heat in the Velodrome before heading back to the office.  As always, Elida told me to ask Artemio about paying because she didn’t want to pay for it, and Artemio told me to ask Elida.  Finally, he told me he’d to it tomorrow.  I’m not surprised.

All the while this was happening, Fran (the guy I took to Gatwick yesterday) asked me to take his wife and daughters around London tomorrow.  Eagerly, I agreed to do it, out of shift, so as not to abandon my colleagues.  He agreed to a 4-hour tour, then for me to leave them at a museum.  This really excites me – I love tourist-London and it would be so exciting to do this for people so new to Europe and London.

Another day at London 2012.  Coming home to find that Team GB had won so many more medals just added to it.  It’s a shame I keep missing them, but I just love being a part of it!