Anything 2008 Beijing Olympics

[Guest]

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[saabnet]

Hey, this is our very first Olympics in HD, so I think we'll be watching again quite bit. Have to say that we didn't follow the games closely in Athens even after what we thought was a riveting and beautiful show put on by the Aussies in 2000.

I was going to reply to Cloudia, but figured this didn't exactly fit in the PayPal thread, so I've started a separate Olympics thread.

A new ongoing interest in the Aussie/US currency exchange rate is one of the gifts that Kiva has brought me though, second only to helping me develop such an interest in so many different countries and people around the world.

I was going to mention, similarly, that because of my loans and keeping track of them on my own KivaMap, I was pleasantly surprised to know where so many countries were as the athletes marched into the Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing.

-Scott

[Eli]

 I was pleasantly surprised to know where so many countries were as the athletes marched into the Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing.

-Scott

I agree, watching the march of the nations had more meaning for us since we had more of a global connection thanks to Kiva and our loans.  Beyond the United States, we have always rallied behind Canada since my sister is Canadian, and then added in Australia since I have an Aussie brother-in-law.  So having three countries in which we cheered definitely increased our Olympic enthusiasm over the years.  Now that we have 43 more potential countries, I just can't imagine how exciting it will be!  Go Mali!  Go Dominican Republic!  Go Togo! (Not to mention cheering on our KF's countries too!)

I have an idea for those of us 'into' the Olympics.  If a country wins a medal and is listed on Kiva, we could sponsor a loan from that country. 

So far there are no medals going to Kiva Countries:
http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/GL/95A/GL0000000.shtml

[Diane R]

EXCELLENT idea, Eli, I love it!  I'll keep watching this thread for ideas of countries to highlight for a new loan.

I had the same sense of one-world-ness as you two did, watching the athletes file in last night.  My younger son was with me, and we both had more interest in the smaller country delegations than ever before: we knew where the countries were on the maps before they were shown, and we *did* mention several Kiva loans to each other when some of them passed by.

Being part of Kiva has enhanced my life in more ways than I can begin to count, when I was really here to lend to others hoping to enhance *their* lives.  How remarkable.

--Diane.

[Eli]

Kiva Countries Participating in the Olympics:
Afghanistan
Azerbaijan
Benin
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovenia
Bulgaria
Cambodia
Cameroon
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Dominican Republic
El Salvador
Ghana
Guatemala
Haiti
Hondorus
Indonesia
Iraq
Kenya
Lebanon
Mali
Mexico
Moldova
Mongolia
Mozambique
Nepal
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Pakistan
Paraguay
Peru
Rwanda
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somoa
Sudan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Togo
Uganda
Ukraine
Viet Nam

EDIT:  Medal winning countries will be bolded as time goes on.

[saabnet]

(Indonesia)

Why is Indonesia in parenthesis?

Thanks,

-Scott

Edit: Well, it's not, Scott, that's why! :-) ;-)

[Eli]

Why is Indonesia in parenthesis?

Thanks,

-Scott

Fixed

[lizhongkai]

Thank Scott for creating this thread.  I'd like to join in.

Today I was touched by two female athletes, Natalia Paderina from Russia and Nino Salukvadze from Georgia, silver winner and bronze winner.
They kissed and then received medals together, both standing on the second step, although their contries are fighting each other.

The Russian athlete Natalia said their friendship has been kept a long time, once they were both in Russian team at the same time.
The Georgian athlete Nino said they are friends and they also have many friends from other counties.
source: http://news.qq.com/a/20080810/001157.htm (in Chinese)
DianeCharlie has provide one in English.   

[wthepoo]

Thank Scott for creating this thread.  I'd like to join in.

Today I was touched by two female athletes,one silver winner and one copper winner, from Russia and Georgia respectively.(Sorry I cannot spell their names.)
They kissed and then received medals together, both standing on the second step, although their contries are fighting each other.

The Russian athlete said their friendship has been kept a long time, once they were both in Russian team at the same time.
The Georgian athlete said they are friends and they also have many friends from other counties.
source: http://news.qq.com/a/20080810/001157.htm

Thank you very much for this story and photo - just a pity I could not read the source Could you tell me which sport they were competing in? I must have missed this on TV this morning.

Best wishes from Germany,
Wolfgang.

[Diane R]

The two women, Natalia Paderina from Russia and Nino Salukvadze from Georgia, took silver and bronze in the women's 10m air pistol competition.  (The gold was won by a Chinese woman, Gu Wenjun.)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/aug/10/olympicsshooting.olympics2008

--Diane.

[wthepoo]

Thank you, Diane!