Yesterday, as previously announced and still in good time, I received my schedule for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Of course, one feels honored and almost privileged to be involved in such a major event. Fortunately, I received the schedule while sitting down, so I only had to get my gasping under control.
The information I received so far has been more than vague, and some misinformation had crept into my mind. In the end, every problem is solvable if you know what it is.
So far, there had been talk of 10 assignments that the average volunteer would have to complete during the Olympic Games. It was also said that we should work a maximum of 4 days in a row to ensure rest periods. That makes sense when you consider that there are only 4 shirts in my uniform bag, which will naturally need to be washed at some point. I do live in the Île-de-France, the Paris region, but on the very outskirts, just a few hundred meters from the border with the Loiret department. However, it’s still too far to spontaneously go home for a few hours to throw the shirts in the washing machine. My shifts almost all start at 2:30 PM and end at 10:30 PM. The train schedules for the Olympic period are not yet known. It’s doubtful that special trains will be deployed to the countryside to enable volunteers to get home.
The work schedule for the Games begins on July 15, 11 days before the opening ceremony on the Seine, and ends on August 15, four days after the Olympic flame is extinguished.
My first assignment is not until July 20, and, as far as I can interpret, it will be my task to accommodate the (hopefully German) athletes. Since my English skills were intensively tested during the job interview, my area of responsibility could extend further.
In the following 24 days, I will be on duty 21 times. The first round is only for three days, one day off, followed by three rounds of six days each with one day break in between.
Fortunately, I have good friends in Paris who want to host me during the Games, otherwise I would face a major logistical problem. Accommodations are not available at normal prices and are hardly affordable for an average person. I also claim the right not to drop everything at 10:30 PM just to somehow catch the last train. After all, I want to enjoy the Games.
The schedule for the Paralympics looks similarly packed: 13 out of 16 days. Here, the shifts will end at 9:30 PM, and only once do I have to work five days in a row.
So, it’s a full program, and I’m looking forward to the days in Paris. Let’s be honest: The days will be exhausting, but I can’t complain either, since my wife and my Parisian friend haven’t been selected so far.
