Olympic impressions

Update here on the buzz of the Olympic Torch.

I didn't go out and see it all for myself but I have to say the whole thing is quite impressive. I did see a bit of it from the office window. For those who don't know my office is on Sansome and Jackson street. My building is right in front of the Pyramid building. I believe when at the time when the route was drastically altered there were a large amount of protestors disoriented. At that time they spread out amongst the streets. I saw a large group of protestors go down Jackson street. Some went left and others went right. But it seemed most were lost.

Unfortunately I did not take any pictures of my own of this event. The ones posted here are taken from SF Chronicle online. As we all know there were a lot of protestors. I have been watching it Live on CNN without audio in my cubicle.

Yes, a big part of me wishes I were out there capturing it all. I will try not to fail on the next big event.





*Joy

Historical mind bending torched

Hello,

So I am still working Part III of my series of choosing a ESL teaching job abroad (Korea). In the meantime just wanted to mention how today is the day when the Olympic torch passes through San Francisco.

I have to say the weather outside today looks really nice for the relay. However there is a storm brewing elsewhere that may cause a ruckus. Of course, we all know what that is, why it is the protestors.

On the frontpage of the San Francisco Chronicle today the Torch protest is top news. I have been kind of shamefully too busy to pay attention and digest properly why people are protesting the Beijing Olympics. But from what I understand it has to do with China's treatment of Tibetans both in the past, present and future. From my perspective I feel that these protestors are using the Olympics as a way to gain support for their cause.

I think it is a just cause and that these people should use the lime-light for the purpose of finally getting some justice.

I work with a Chinese American 40 something and two 60 yr-old Phillipino women. The buzz between them about this protest is that they are for it, but they contend to stay in their cubicles and type away their lives. Basically hearing the 40 something chatter away about Tibet and what-not is better office chatter than her usual "my-children-blah blah blah, and did you know that soy can kill you!?"

Anyways I wish I had brought my camera to work because I could have taken some snapshots during my lunch break. Ah well!

I would like to add that I think it will be more interesting and perhaps more educational for me to see protests going on in Korea. Which, by the way has its own history of protests. I too was kind of shamefully suprised when I learned that other countries protest wrong-doing. Of course this was just another moment in my life when I became less ignorant.

;)

Joy