Games spirit puts hundreds in a volunteering mood

Those who have had a taste of the Games find them hard to resist

A month before the opening of the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 He Liu left China to study in Britain and thus missed the chance to experience the Olympics in her own country.

Chinese volunteers to serve in the Rio Olympics pose for selfies before leaving for Rio from Beijing July 22, 2016. [Photo by Feng Yongbin/chinadaily.com.cn]

Four years later she partly made up for the missed opportunity in London, where the Olympics were also held, shortly before she returned to China. And in London she took part not just as a spectator but as a volunteer, too. And she is not done yet. She is now about to take part as a volunteer in her second Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro.

"Once you do it, you really get addicted to it," says He, who works for a consulting firm in Beijing.

China is just about as far as you can get from Brazil on the planet, but that has not deterred more than 200 Chinese volunteers to the country for the Olympics and Paralympics.

"Some friends couldn't understand why I was doing this, saying that it's so expensive and just so far away," says He, who paid about 8,000 yuan ($1,200) for flights.

"Some also tried to talk me out of because of the security and safety issues. But I really don't want to let this chance go. I love being part of the Games. There's nothing more exciting than such a big event."

In Rio she will be a language services volunteer.

Above all, she had to persuade her boss to let her have 25 days off work; she normally has just five days' annual leave on top of public holidays.

"A lot of the local volunteers I worked with in London got great support from their company and had no pressure at all.

"In China, many employers are still learning to appreciate this kind of thing. I'm afraid some people will have had to quit their job to become volunteers. I'm so happy my company finally agreed to give me time off."

Lu Zhimin, 24, is another keen Olympic volunteer, after having had a taste of the Games spirit at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing in 2014.

Lu and more than 100 volunteers in the same group in Nanjing enjoyed the experience so much that they wanted to work together again in Rio.

A month after the Youth Games, the Rio Olympic Committee opened online applications for volunteers and they applied. Eleven made the final cut.

"I am very excited to make it," says Lu, who has just graduated from university and plans to start job hunting after he gets back from Rio.

He says he is grateful to Taihu University of Wuxi, where he studied international economics and trade, for paying his air fare, about 9,600 yuan.

Lu says he will be working on transport in Rio, ensuring that shuttle buses are on time.

"I've received the roster, and my shift is from 2pm to 11pm. It won't be an easy job, but I am fully prepared."

His parents voiced concern about the Zika virus and tried to talk him out of going, he says, but eventually were happy to respect his wishes.

"Safety always comes first. I believe I can take good care of myself while serving the Olympics."

He has also applied to be a volunteer at the FIFA World Cup in Russia in 2018 and plans to attend the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, a few months before that.

"My ultimate goal is to be the volunteer at Winter Olympics in Beijing and Zhangjiakou in 2022. I will be 30 years old by then and I can't think of a better way to celebrate it.

I may then retire as a major events volunteer. But who knows? Let's wait and see."