To put it briefly: I would never have thought of volunteering for the Olympic Games on my own. My wife, on the other hand—a patriotic Frenchwoman, sports enthusiast, and well-informed—registered on the site https://www.paris2024.org/ to apply as a volunteer.
Since a joint vacation in 2024 was now impossible, I followed my wife like an obedient sheep and applied alongside 300,000 other people. At the same time, Marie secured tickets for various Olympic sports events, pushing a nice beach vacation even further out of reach, regardless of whether we are selected or not.
As a foreigner, I was assigned to the international team, unlike my wife. As early as mid-August, I was invited to a video conference to test my foreign language skills. Five candidates were invited, but I found myself in the video conference room only with the moderator and a lady from Barcelona. Marie discreetly—and perhaps a little enviously—followed the conversation from our kitchen.
We were asked about our motivation and had to explain why we were particularly suited to be volunteers. At the same time, we were told that our task would primarily involve taking care of VIPs, who, in my worldview, do not exist. Specifically, sports ministers were mentioned—a position that does not exist in Germany but falls under the responsibility of the interior minister, currently Nancy Faeser. During the conversation, the moderator switched arbitrarily between English and French, which did not pose any major difficulties for either of us.
With 300,000 applicants for 25,000 positions, there is a certain chance that neither Marie nor I will be selected. However, since I am fluent in French, English, and German, and live on-site—eliminating the issue of accommodation—and was the very first to be interviewed, I don’t see myself as completely without a chance. The worst-case scenario, though, would be if only I were selected and my poor wife were left out.
Between September 20th and the end of December, we should be offered a "mission," which we will have 10 days to accept or decline. Whether and how things proceed, I will write about here in my little blog.
