I'm not glad or relieved, but grateful the matter was taken out of my hands.
I didn't get a volunteers role at the London Olympics.
I had pinned alot on going back to the UK to give my time freely as a volunteer, after all it's a once in a lifetime experience, OK, so I won a competition to go to Barcelona Olympics in 1992, so I guess I'd used my quota of good, but still.
When I registered as a volunteer I had no idea I would be moving to South Africa by the end of the year, but we put some major life changing plans on hold and some serious money aside for me to have this chance.
I've always volunteered, at primary schools, football clubs, cubs, sea cadets for fundraising, school fetes, donated items and with that I've also given not only my time freely but my money.
It's not free as a volunteer, costs involved range from phone calls, stamps, fuel to printing. You may choose to donate unwanted items or exchange birthday gifts as donations for fetes and raffles, but, as I've discovered recently it all mounts up.
When do you stop putting the odd extra item in your supermarket trolley for the Santa Shoebox, donating winter clothing and blankets to organisations/individuals and buying things you can't really afford to help make people's lives better?
There are 2 organisations I've been involved with since I arrived in South Africa. The Santa Shoebox appeal and KWO I give my time freely, I give the facilities I have available such as my printer, sewing machine etc, but then I give my printing ink, cost of materials etc and I've reached a stage where this week I've been working almost full time for them raising awareness, fundraising (still waiting to hear back) and purchasing items needed to enable me to do this. I can't work here in South Africa and I need to build by CV ready for our eventual return to the UK, but more than that I need to feel valued and to give something back. But I can't work full time for no pay and then spend money that I don't earn trying to do just that little bit more to help out. I'll burn out, I'll run out of resourses and I could end up feeling resentful.
So all in all it's not such a bad thing that I missed out on the Olympics, this country needs volunteers more than alot of others. So in hindsight the money I would've spent flying back to the UK to be a part of something huge, has been better spent here, actually changing the lives of others. And I know that come the celebration days with @santashoebox when we hand out the gifts we've collected and see the smiles on the children's facces, that this is where I belong, not with large cooperates, making money off the Olympics. But from now on the extra time I spent shopping for items I can't really afford will be spent tackling those organisations that can and ask them to share some of their profits back among those in genuine need.
If you can help in anyway please leave a comment on my blog or tweet me @chickenruby or at the very least click on the two organisations addresses to find out more about what they do and help to raise awareness @santashoebox @kwo_org
Showing posts with label london olympics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label london olympics. Show all posts
Friday, 10 August 2012
Saturday, 28 July 2012
Opening Ceremony Explained? I may be British but I still don't know
As a British Expat in South Africa is it my job to explain the Olympic Opening Ceremony and defend the homeland? Or do I just tell everyone who asks that actually I thought it was pants and no I haven’t a clue what was going on?
I have a short attention span and I find it difficult to sit for any length of time, same reason I rarely go to the movies.
Yes, I was upset I didn’t get the role of a Games Maker at the London 2012 games and I didn’t really want to watch the ceremony for that reason. But I do love the Olympics and will watch the athletes with enthusiasm and cheer on both Team GB and South Africa. I did the same at Barcelona in 1992, when GB weren’t competing it was SA all the way. The atmosphere in the stadium back then was electric and since that day the Olympics has never been able to top those games in my opinion.
I had a ticket for the technical rehearsals for the London games, which due to my current location, I gave to my son back in the UK to use. He said it was fantastic, amazing and refused to tell me what was going on as he knew I’d not watch it.
So hubby and youngest sat down last night at 10pm our time and I joined them and after half an hour I was bored. I didn’t ‘see’ where it was going, the twitter feed was more interesting, so off I went for a bath and fell asleep on the bed.
I went down stairs to wake up hubby and send youngest to bed and I rejoined the ceremony at the point where the teams came into the stadium.
Now that bit I like and I was looking forward to the lighting of the torch. My money was on Redgrave and I hoped for a simple lighting of the flame. I couldn’t have been more impressed if I’d tried.
I love the fact that DSTV had very little commentary and I could hear all the stadium announcements in real time, so really got a feel of what it must’ve been like to have been there.
But there are some things that puzzled me, make me cringe and this morning at the Golf Club I was the British representative for Danny Boyle, The Queen and fellow Brits.
I think the bit where The Queen welcomed James Bond to the Palace will become the greatest TV viewing moment ever, but really Mr Boyle, you should have left it there.
‘No I don’t find Mr Bean even slightly amusing; it is not representative of British humour’ Thanks BBC Entertainment for broadcasting to your expat audience that, ‘allo ‘allo, Keeping up Appearances and 8 year old episodes of Who wants to be a millionaire? giving the impression that we all love it.
Maypoles? I’ve not danced round one since I was in primary school and then I got kicked out the group because one of the boys kept curtseying at the end instead of bowing so my career as a pole dancer was short lived. In fact I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Maypole since that day in 1979.
Paul McCartney? ...
Arctic Monkeys? Someone forgot to do a sound check.
And what was with the house? The teenagers and mobile phones? Youth of today, well at least they weren’t looting.
I was a little concerned that Danny Boyle was in charge of it all and thought it would be a bit ‘dark’, but I think he did a good job especially with all that money he had to spend. I tired of the Andy Carroll reference on twitter, it didn’t even relate in the slightest to what was going on. The endless tweets about it being a party political broadcast on behalf of the Labour Party paid for by Cameron and Clegg. BTW where was Clegg? Have you all been asleep for the past 15 Blair years?
And I certainly don’t think the Boyle should be knighted for his part in all this in the same way none of the organisers should be. They will all make a fortune on the back of this for many years to come. Those titles should go to the Games Makers.
And today the Olympics start, well they began on Wednesday with the football. I’ve sorted out my TV viewing guide to watch the athletes and to ensure I don’t miss all my favourite events.
It’s a shame the opening and closing ceremonies have become such an important part of the games and I’ll probably watching the closing titles the same way I viewed the opening ones. In between I shall sit back and watch and enjoy all the medals, the triumphs and the tears. Now the hype is over I can move from my disappointment of not being a Games Maker (cross my fingers I may still get asked to do the Paralympics) and really enjoy the Olympics.
I hope you enjoy them too.
Oh and please don’t question me when they play the wrong anthem or run the wrong flag up the pole...I really can’t answer.
I have a short attention span and I find it difficult to sit for any length of time, same reason I rarely go to the movies.
Yes, I was upset I didn’t get the role of a Games Maker at the London 2012 games and I didn’t really want to watch the ceremony for that reason. But I do love the Olympics and will watch the athletes with enthusiasm and cheer on both Team GB and South Africa. I did the same at Barcelona in 1992, when GB weren’t competing it was SA all the way. The atmosphere in the stadium back then was electric and since that day the Olympics has never been able to top those games in my opinion.
I had a ticket for the technical rehearsals for the London games, which due to my current location, I gave to my son back in the UK to use. He said it was fantastic, amazing and refused to tell me what was going on as he knew I’d not watch it.
So hubby and youngest sat down last night at 10pm our time and I joined them and after half an hour I was bored. I didn’t ‘see’ where it was going, the twitter feed was more interesting, so off I went for a bath and fell asleep on the bed.
I went down stairs to wake up hubby and send youngest to bed and I rejoined the ceremony at the point where the teams came into the stadium.
Now that bit I like and I was looking forward to the lighting of the torch. My money was on Redgrave and I hoped for a simple lighting of the flame. I couldn’t have been more impressed if I’d tried.
I love the fact that DSTV had very little commentary and I could hear all the stadium announcements in real time, so really got a feel of what it must’ve been like to have been there.
But there are some things that puzzled me, make me cringe and this morning at the Golf Club I was the British representative for Danny Boyle, The Queen and fellow Brits.
I think the bit where The Queen welcomed James Bond to the Palace will become the greatest TV viewing moment ever, but really Mr Boyle, you should have left it there.
‘No I don’t find Mr Bean even slightly amusing; it is not representative of British humour’ Thanks BBC Entertainment for broadcasting to your expat audience that, ‘allo ‘allo, Keeping up Appearances and 8 year old episodes of Who wants to be a millionaire? giving the impression that we all love it.
Maypoles? I’ve not danced round one since I was in primary school and then I got kicked out the group because one of the boys kept curtseying at the end instead of bowing so my career as a pole dancer was short lived. In fact I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Maypole since that day in 1979.
Paul McCartney? ...
Arctic Monkeys? Someone forgot to do a sound check.
And what was with the house? The teenagers and mobile phones? Youth of today, well at least they weren’t looting.
I was a little concerned that Danny Boyle was in charge of it all and thought it would be a bit ‘dark’, but I think he did a good job especially with all that money he had to spend. I tired of the Andy Carroll reference on twitter, it didn’t even relate in the slightest to what was going on. The endless tweets about it being a party political broadcast on behalf of the Labour Party paid for by Cameron and Clegg. BTW where was Clegg? Have you all been asleep for the past 15 Blair years?
And I certainly don’t think the Boyle should be knighted for his part in all this in the same way none of the organisers should be. They will all make a fortune on the back of this for many years to come. Those titles should go to the Games Makers.
And today the Olympics start, well they began on Wednesday with the football. I’ve sorted out my TV viewing guide to watch the athletes and to ensure I don’t miss all my favourite events.
It’s a shame the opening and closing ceremonies have become such an important part of the games and I’ll probably watching the closing titles the same way I viewed the opening ones. In between I shall sit back and watch and enjoy all the medals, the triumphs and the tears. Now the hype is over I can move from my disappointment of not being a Games Maker (cross my fingers I may still get asked to do the Paralympics) and really enjoy the Olympics.
I hope you enjoy them too.
Oh and please don’t question me when they play the wrong anthem or run the wrong flag up the pole...I really can’t answer.
Thursday, 26 July 2012
They gave me an answer
On Monday I asked 'Why won't they give me an answer?',
And today I got my answer.
In fact I got 3 answers. 1 reply to an email dated 5th July, another one I sent on the 20th July and a response to a telephone query. Please note that all 3 answers read the same word for word and did not actually address the questions I raised, other than...'do I have a role or not?'
So I have my answer and it's NO, well actually it's not a NO, it's a ......
'We emailed you in May to tell you that we were entering the final stages of our Games Maker recruitment programme. We are now getting back in touch as promised, to update you on the situation.
We’re continuing to work through the final stages of our main recruitment programme, allocating applicants to roles in over 70 different teams within London 2012 as they become available.
At the moment we unfortunately do not have a vacant role that we are able to offer you.
However this does not mean your application has been unsuccessful. The process of filling roles is continuing, and we will carry on making offers from now until the Games as needed. In particular, we still have a number of Paralympic roles that we will be offering over the coming weeks.
So we may call on you to join the Games Maker team at short notice and quickly get to grips with a role. If we do contact you about being a Games Maker, we will of course make sure that you get the necessary training, information and uniform to carry out your role.
However we do understand that you may prefer to leave yourself free to do other things during the Games, and no longer want to be considered for a role. If so, all you need to do is to log in to the Games Maker zone and click ‘withdraw’ under My Application.'
Yes they emailed me the 4th of May, 4 days after they said they would. By that time I had given up on a role at the Olympics, when I applied I was living in the UK, and as the Olympics got nearer I was starting to wonder about the cost of it all, flights, accomodation etc and especially after my Dad's heart attack and additional flight home, finances were getting a bit tight.
Here is an extract from the email sent on the 4th May.
'What this means for you is that you are one of around 20,000 applicants who we know have the skill, determination and passion to be a Games Maker – and we hope to offer you a role in our final round of offers. However we cannot make this offer until a space becomes available due to more roles being required or another applicant rejecting their offer. If you do get an offer, you will receive all the necessary training and uniform in time for your shifts.
We know that this will mean a few more weeks of uncertainty for you as you wait for your offer. We are very hopeful that by the end of June we will have been able to offer you a role, and if not we will be in touch by then to let you know about further options to be involved in London 2012.'
Well they didn't get back to me by the end of June, in fact they only got back to me 32 hours before the Opening Ceremony and that was after I'd kicked up one almighty stink.
And today I got my answer.
In fact I got 3 answers. 1 reply to an email dated 5th July, another one I sent on the 20th July and a response to a telephone query. Please note that all 3 answers read the same word for word and did not actually address the questions I raised, other than...'do I have a role or not?'
So I have my answer and it's NO, well actually it's not a NO, it's a ......
'We emailed you in May to tell you that we were entering the final stages of our Games Maker recruitment programme. We are now getting back in touch as promised, to update you on the situation.
We’re continuing to work through the final stages of our main recruitment programme, allocating applicants to roles in over 70 different teams within London 2012 as they become available.
At the moment we unfortunately do not have a vacant role that we are able to offer you.
However this does not mean your application has been unsuccessful. The process of filling roles is continuing, and we will carry on making offers from now until the Games as needed. In particular, we still have a number of Paralympic roles that we will be offering over the coming weeks.
So we may call on you to join the Games Maker team at short notice and quickly get to grips with a role. If we do contact you about being a Games Maker, we will of course make sure that you get the necessary training, information and uniform to carry out your role.
However we do understand that you may prefer to leave yourself free to do other things during the Games, and no longer want to be considered for a role. If so, all you need to do is to log in to the Games Maker zone and click ‘withdraw’ under My Application.'
Yes they emailed me the 4th of May, 4 days after they said they would. By that time I had given up on a role at the Olympics, when I applied I was living in the UK, and as the Olympics got nearer I was starting to wonder about the cost of it all, flights, accomodation etc and especially after my Dad's heart attack and additional flight home, finances were getting a bit tight.
Here is an extract from the email sent on the 4th May.
'What this means for you is that you are one of around 20,000 applicants who we know have the skill, determination and passion to be a Games Maker – and we hope to offer you a role in our final round of offers. However we cannot make this offer until a space becomes available due to more roles being required or another applicant rejecting their offer. If you do get an offer, you will receive all the necessary training and uniform in time for your shifts.
We know that this will mean a few more weeks of uncertainty for you as you wait for your offer. We are very hopeful that by the end of June we will have been able to offer you a role, and if not we will be in touch by then to let you know about further options to be involved in London 2012.'
Well they didn't get back to me by the end of June, in fact they only got back to me 32 hours before the Opening Ceremony and that was after I'd kicked up one almighty stink.
Monday, 23 July 2012
Why wont London 2012 just give me an answer
Over a month since I wrote this post, 2 weeks after the Olympics ended and 2 days after the paralympics begin and my application as a games maker is still 'under review' how hard is it to send out an email to say 'thanks'
I don’t expect to be given a role as a games maker at this stage in the day, but I do expect some communication from London 2012. If I am offered a role it will cost me the best part of £3000 in flights, accommodation, travel and living expenses.
I volunteered as a Games maker for the London Olympics 2 years ago. Since then I’ve been told I have an interview, moved to South Africa, had a telephone interview. Not been notified by April 30th as promised, instead sent an email on May 4th to say, please be patient ‘we’ll let you know by June 30th’.
During that time my application for the main games was withdrawn, it took until July 5th to have it reinstated. The same day I received another email to say ‘thanks for your patience we will be in touch’
Since then I’ve emailed to which I’ve only received an automated response and telephoned to ask for further info and to explain I’m based in South Africa, I need to book flights, accommodation all, if still available, at considerable cost to myself.
I’m not expecting a role, I’d just like to know what my situation is. On Friday 20th July, I was informed I’m one of about 100 people still waiting to be allocated a role and may get an offer of the Paralympics. Today 23rd July I’m told that the area I’ve been assigned to has been notified of my keenness and the unanswered emails have been addressed with the relevant department. I am now on my 3rd Case ID number since July 2nd.
The games maker zone has not been updated, I check regularly, that’s how I found out my application had been deleted. There is no contact.
I have now missed out on the opportunity to purchase tickets for the London 2012 Olympics as I could not afford to fly to the UK for the games and then either stay for 6 weeks if I got offered a role at the Paralympics or pay for a return flight should I be notified late in the day. My adult son in the UK is attending the technical rehearsal tonight with a ticket I was given as a sweetner.
I’m not expecting a role; I am concerned that I may have missed out on a role while my application showed as withdrawn. My husband has cancelled an important meeting in Europe due to the uncertainty of a role at the Olympics as we have no child care or family in South Africa and cannot afford to pay for the children to return to the UK at the same time.
I’ve had 600+ hits on this blog since 5th July. 163 hits on this blog since 20th July. Yet I get no response from London 2012. Can you help?
I don’t expect to be given a role as a games maker at this stage in the day, but I do expect some communication from London 2012. If I am offered a role it will cost me the best part of £3000 in flights, accommodation, travel and living expenses.
I volunteered as a Games maker for the London Olympics 2 years ago. Since then I’ve been told I have an interview, moved to South Africa, had a telephone interview. Not been notified by April 30th as promised, instead sent an email on May 4th to say, please be patient ‘we’ll let you know by June 30th’.
During that time my application for the main games was withdrawn, it took until July 5th to have it reinstated. The same day I received another email to say ‘thanks for your patience we will be in touch’
Since then I’ve emailed to which I’ve only received an automated response and telephoned to ask for further info and to explain I’m based in South Africa, I need to book flights, accommodation all, if still available, at considerable cost to myself.
I’m not expecting a role, I’d just like to know what my situation is. On Friday 20th July, I was informed I’m one of about 100 people still waiting to be allocated a role and may get an offer of the Paralympics. Today 23rd July I’m told that the area I’ve been assigned to has been notified of my keenness and the unanswered emails have been addressed with the relevant department. I am now on my 3rd Case ID number since July 2nd.
The games maker zone has not been updated, I check regularly, that’s how I found out my application had been deleted. There is no contact.
I have now missed out on the opportunity to purchase tickets for the London 2012 Olympics as I could not afford to fly to the UK for the games and then either stay for 6 weeks if I got offered a role at the Paralympics or pay for a return flight should I be notified late in the day. My adult son in the UK is attending the technical rehearsal tonight with a ticket I was given as a sweetner.
I’m not expecting a role; I am concerned that I may have missed out on a role while my application showed as withdrawn. My husband has cancelled an important meeting in Europe due to the uncertainty of a role at the Olympics as we have no child care or family in South Africa and cannot afford to pay for the children to return to the UK at the same time.
I’ve had 600+ hits on this blog since 5th July. 163 hits on this blog since 20th July. Yet I get no response from London 2012. Can you help?
Friday, 20 July 2012
Get your arse into gear
This is the email I sent to London 2012 this morning. Click here and here for other blog posts relating to this shambles.
I'm very disappointed that you have not replied to my email below since sending out an auto response on the 5th July.
I do appreciate you are busy what with the Olympic Games approaching in less than a week. But I too am also busy with a family, volunteer work and living 6000 miles away in South Africa.
I need to book a flight, arrange child care, find somewhere to stay, all at considerable expense to myself (as it is to all the other games makers) to enable me to volunteer my time of around 10 hours a day for 2 weeks plus travel time.
I hope you appreciate that despite feeling 3rd place having not already been selected as a Games maker, I'm still here, pathetically hanging on to any shred of hope that after 2 years of waiting you might want or need my services.
All I ask is that with only 1 week to go after 10 years of planning, is that you should be in a position to know by now if you have enough games makers and at the very least have the decency to make regular contact with those of us, just hanging around, putting our lives on hold on a whim that someone at London 2012 might actually think 'oh yeah, we need to let those poor people know and thank them for their dedication'
Please do not send an automated reply. I think it's probably about time a human got in touch.
I look forward to waiting for your response, but I am not hopeful.
Regards
Suzanne
I'm very disappointed that you have not replied to my email below since sending out an auto response on the 5th July.
I do appreciate you are busy what with the Olympic Games approaching in less than a week. But I too am also busy with a family, volunteer work and living 6000 miles away in South Africa.
I need to book a flight, arrange child care, find somewhere to stay, all at considerable expense to myself (as it is to all the other games makers) to enable me to volunteer my time of around 10 hours a day for 2 weeks plus travel time.
I hope you appreciate that despite feeling 3rd place having not already been selected as a Games maker, I'm still here, pathetically hanging on to any shred of hope that after 2 years of waiting you might want or need my services.
All I ask is that with only 1 week to go after 10 years of planning, is that you should be in a position to know by now if you have enough games makers and at the very least have the decency to make regular contact with those of us, just hanging around, putting our lives on hold on a whim that someone at London 2012 might actually think 'oh yeah, we need to let those poor people know and thank them for their dedication'
Please do not send an automated reply. I think it's probably about time a human got in touch.
I look forward to waiting for your response, but I am not hopeful.
Regards
Suzanne
Thursday, 19 July 2012
Thursday, 5 July 2012
Why I'm disappointed with the London Olympics
So you volunteer to work 10 hours a day for 2 weeks our more .
You fill in application form, submit and wait.
Tah dah...an interview, but since then you've moved 6000 miles away.
You call and explain you're in South Africa on a visitors visa and you're still available...yes, it's ok, you're still a British Citizen, so you arrange a phone interview....June 2011.
They call, explain what will happen and the interview will last 30 mins....60 mins later you come off the phone, confident you've covered everything, then they call you back... 'would you be interested in a leadership role?'. You'd be happy directing traffic.
So you wait, a trip back to the UK, family and friends come to visit, endless questions... ' Have you heard?' ... Cut off date is April 30th, you check emails daily, weekly, hourly.....refresh, refresh, refresh...you follow #gamesmaker, people tweet you, they have their offer...and the deadline passes.
You receive an automated email 'thank you, busy time and all that'
Basically you're on a waiting list. You're second choice, just incase anyone drops out...OK I can deal with that...You'll know by June 30th...
You need yo make plans, your Husband needs to know what's going on so he can plan his European trip, you can't both be out the country and leave the kids for 2 weeks.
You check on the games maker website in case you miss an email....your application has been withdrawn....wtf? You call,'it's ok we will reinstate you' but have you missed your chance? How? When? Why? You're reassured you'll be reinstated and an email it's sent to the relevant department. That was May 23rd, you call again on May 28th and June 8th and finally on July 2nd. They email you July 5th to say you're now reinstated.
But it's past June 30th and you still haven't heard, so you resign yourself that you're not wanted then July 4th another automated email to tell you you're now 3rd choice and please be availabale at short notice...you need 72 hours to arrange your flight, get someone to collect you and find somewhere to sleep for 2 weeks, as cheaply as possible as you blew the money you saved on your trip back to see your dad after his heart attack last month.
Just how short is short notice? The games start in 3 weeks.
The system of selecting volunteers does not take into account individuals needs, obviously they can't consider every single child care or dental appointment requests, but they have failed to acknowledge that people may have flights to book, may need to ask for time off work.
After all you're offering your time and services for free, well not for free actually, you're not only going to work 10 hours a day, but you're taking time off work, paying your costs to get to zone 7 of the London Underground, find accomodation etc.
Has anyone told you the Olympics are on in the UK in July, August and September? Flights, accomodation? If they are still available they are going to be damned bloody expensive.
You fill in application form, submit and wait.
Tah dah...an interview, but since then you've moved 6000 miles away.
You call and explain you're in South Africa on a visitors visa and you're still available...yes, it's ok, you're still a British Citizen, so you arrange a phone interview....June 2011.
They call, explain what will happen and the interview will last 30 mins....60 mins later you come off the phone, confident you've covered everything, then they call you back... 'would you be interested in a leadership role?'. You'd be happy directing traffic.
So you wait, a trip back to the UK, family and friends come to visit, endless questions... ' Have you heard?' ... Cut off date is April 30th, you check emails daily, weekly, hourly.....refresh, refresh, refresh...you follow #gamesmaker, people tweet you, they have their offer...and the deadline passes.
You receive an automated email 'thank you, busy time and all that'
Basically you're on a waiting list. You're second choice, just incase anyone drops out...OK I can deal with that...You'll know by June 30th...
You need yo make plans, your Husband needs to know what's going on so he can plan his European trip, you can't both be out the country and leave the kids for 2 weeks.
You check on the games maker website in case you miss an email....your application has been withdrawn....wtf? You call,'it's ok we will reinstate you' but have you missed your chance? How? When? Why? You're reassured you'll be reinstated and an email it's sent to the relevant department. That was May 23rd, you call again on May 28th and June 8th and finally on July 2nd. They email you July 5th to say you're now reinstated.
But it's past June 30th and you still haven't heard, so you resign yourself that you're not wanted then July 4th another automated email to tell you you're now 3rd choice and please be availabale at short notice...you need 72 hours to arrange your flight, get someone to collect you and find somewhere to sleep for 2 weeks, as cheaply as possible as you blew the money you saved on your trip back to see your dad after his heart attack last month.
Just how short is short notice? The games start in 3 weeks.
The system of selecting volunteers does not take into account individuals needs, obviously they can't consider every single child care or dental appointment requests, but they have failed to acknowledge that people may have flights to book, may need to ask for time off work.
After all you're offering your time and services for free, well not for free actually, you're not only going to work 10 hours a day, but you're taking time off work, paying your costs to get to zone 7 of the London Underground, find accomodation etc.
Has anyone told you the Olympics are on in the UK in July, August and September? Flights, accomodation? If they are still available they are going to be damned bloody expensive.
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
When all you can do is wait
Interview via phone in June, informed I'd hear by 30th November
Email sent February to ask why the delay, informed will be notified by April 30th
Phoned UK on Friday, told 'still in the running'
Today is April 30th, no email, website not updated and application still under review.
I do hope this isn't a sign of impending disaster with The London Olympics.
It's a poor show, there are 100's of people on twitter in the same situation, lots of us living abroad, needing to arrange flights home, organise child care. people in the UK to arrange their leave.
Should I give up? Accept I've not been sucessful to be a Games Maker at The London Olympics? Email them? (again) keep refreshing emails? keep logging in? checking UK papers? (online) Checking the official web, facebook and twitter accounts?
I was anxious last week, now I'm angry....please don't spoil this for me.
UPDATE
5th may
Yesterday I received an email to say basically, I've not been discounted, I'm still in the running I'll know by the end of June.
Oh Hello, 3 weeks before the games start? Accomodation? Flights? Guess what? the Olympics are on in London, whats the chances of getting affordable accomodation? Any accomodation?
Not to mention sorting out the kids here, hubbies work? he is now not scheduling any travel in July, August and September and I have a friend on standby for the school runs in the afternoons.
I'm finding the whole situation embarrassing....answering questions with 'no obviously I'm just not good enough to be a games maker....no I haven't hear....no I don't know how I'll feel....relieved? disappointed? excited? even if I do get a role now, I'll fell second place, do I want to feel like that?
A little bit of research has led me to discover I'm not on a reserve list, they sent a seperate reserve list email. I haven't been told NO, all the NO emails have been sent out. So just what does my email mean? So another email has been sent, an automated receipt received this am and i wait to find out what THAT email means.
In the meantime I've stopped myself from deleting the application, I so want this opportunity....and the more of you that do delete yours out of frustration the higher my odds are of getting a role.
Friday, 27 April 2012
Waiting for the Olympics
Ages ago I applied through my employers to be a volunteer at the London Olympics...I ticked every box for everything and sat back to wait.
100,000 people were to be interviewed from 250,000 applications.
My interview was scheduled for June...panic, family visiting, expensive for a flight back to the UK and 'did I still qualify?'
Yes I did and I still do, despite living in South Africa, I'm only on a visitors visa and hubby on an inter company transfer and I've reassured them I can and will be in the UK as soon as they want me.
I tweeted about my questions and a lovely woman told me I could have a phone interview and gave me contact info so I could arrange it and I had my interview in June. It lasted an hour, then two further call backs to ask if I was available for both games and would I be interested in a leaders role.
The answer was yes and I'm sitting waiting.
I emailed in February and had it confirmed I'd know by April 30th. It's the 27th today, I caved in, I called the UK...nothing.
I have a 7 in 10 chance of getting a role...I need to know as soon as possible so I can start my twitter campaign...
...garden needed to pitch tent for xx weeks, in exchange for house work and child care
100,000 people were to be interviewed from 250,000 applications.
My interview was scheduled for June...panic, family visiting, expensive for a flight back to the UK and 'did I still qualify?'
Yes I did and I still do, despite living in South Africa, I'm only on a visitors visa and hubby on an inter company transfer and I've reassured them I can and will be in the UK as soon as they want me.
I tweeted about my questions and a lovely woman told me I could have a phone interview and gave me contact info so I could arrange it and I had my interview in June. It lasted an hour, then two further call backs to ask if I was available for both games and would I be interested in a leaders role.
The answer was yes and I'm sitting waiting.
I emailed in February and had it confirmed I'd know by April 30th. It's the 27th today, I caved in, I called the UK...nothing.
I have a 7 in 10 chance of getting a role...I need to know as soon as possible so I can start my twitter campaign...
...garden needed to pitch tent for xx weeks, in exchange for house work and child care
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Enough is enough...no more moping
I've had it up to here with waiting for other people to get back to me.
I've had enough of companies failing to get back to me, individuals letting me down, by their lack of thought, effort and just dam right lies.
But no more...
I've been depressed, I've been ill, I've shouted, I've complained (telephone, email, letter and in person) I've cried.
And today it stops.
I've given up with my complaint against Vodafone for their complete lack of customer care, refusing to respond to emails, phone calls.
I will not dignify Britannia Movers with replying to their latest email that started....'without prejudice' and ended with 'we contacted the agent in the UK, they said they had no problems' so that's alright then.
I'm resigned to the fact that I don't have a volunteers role with The London2012 Olympics (if anything is offered now it will be accepted)
I'm not going to the Doctors for advice and guidance, they can give me pills, refer me for therapy, but they can't take away how I've felt for the past year, they can't magic me up a job (no one can, the laws of the country make it almost impossible for me to work her). No one can remove the damage that has been done to me as an individual from all the above.
It's my responsibility I've allowed these things to get to me in the absence of anything else in my life (work, study, friends)
I will continue with my quest for compensation with HSBC after I recieved a letter of apology for the fact their advisor and literature mislead us.
I will continue to chase Barloworld Toyota for my tyre pressure guage, even if I have to pay for it myself.
I've got out of bed, I've dressed, I've photocopied my passport to take to the police station to get finger printed so I can get my police clearance check and then I can call some organisations that people have recommend and start the voluntary work.
I'm going to sort Daniels provisional licence out, book Alex his scuba diving lessons, Go to visit the offices of Discovery Med Aid and ask them exactly how this bloody scheme works adn I'm going back to UNISA to find out what course I can study that is relevant to what I've already done and to living here. I've contacted the Open University to find out how/if I can continue with my studies.
But first of all I shall start with a cup of tea, after all I'm British and that's what we do in a crisis.
I've had enough of companies failing to get back to me, individuals letting me down, by their lack of thought, effort and just dam right lies.
But no more...
I've been depressed, I've been ill, I've shouted, I've complained (telephone, email, letter and in person) I've cried.
And today it stops.
I've given up with my complaint against Vodafone for their complete lack of customer care, refusing to respond to emails, phone calls.
I will not dignify Britannia Movers with replying to their latest email that started....'without prejudice' and ended with 'we contacted the agent in the UK, they said they had no problems' so that's alright then.
I'm resigned to the fact that I don't have a volunteers role with The London2012 Olympics (if anything is offered now it will be accepted)
I'm not going to the Doctors for advice and guidance, they can give me pills, refer me for therapy, but they can't take away how I've felt for the past year, they can't magic me up a job (no one can, the laws of the country make it almost impossible for me to work her). No one can remove the damage that has been done to me as an individual from all the above.
It's my responsibility I've allowed these things to get to me in the absence of anything else in my life (work, study, friends)
I will continue with my quest for compensation with HSBC after I recieved a letter of apology for the fact their advisor and literature mislead us.
I will continue to chase Barloworld Toyota for my tyre pressure guage, even if I have to pay for it myself.
I've got out of bed, I've dressed, I've photocopied my passport to take to the police station to get finger printed so I can get my police clearance check and then I can call some organisations that people have recommend and start the voluntary work.
I'm going to sort Daniels provisional licence out, book Alex his scuba diving lessons, Go to visit the offices of Discovery Med Aid and ask them exactly how this bloody scheme works adn I'm going back to UNISA to find out what course I can study that is relevant to what I've already done and to living here. I've contacted the Open University to find out how/if I can continue with my studies.
But first of all I shall start with a cup of tea, after all I'm British and that's what we do in a crisis.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)