i love the olympics. i always have. i love all the flags, the colors, the music, the different faces, and of course, the sports. i love watching two teams play and thinking about how they have so much in common despite so many differences. they are no doubt similar in their elite athletic status, their dedication and their drive. yet, their day-to-day lives, diets, languages and core beliefs may be polar opposites. after living in both japan and the us, this realization hit a new level as i watched those two countries face off in the women's soccer final.
when i was little, we used to watch the games as a family...and i used to mimic the athletes, the divers, the judo and soccer players and synchronized swimmers. but my favorite were the gymnasts. while my mom made dinner i would frolic around the family room. jumping off the edge of the couch or "balancing" on the panels of the hardwood floor. my parents would pretend to be judges from different countries and throw out scores for my performances. the russian judge was always the toughest to impress.
i have only ever watched the olympics in the states with my family. so, when the olympics rolled around this year, i was interested to see what the atmosphere would be like in japan. my mom sent me a package with more usa stuff than i've ever owned in my life, i think just to make sure i remembered where i originated from. while kiana and megan were in town, we watched a bit of the games, though it was always japan competing (shocker) and usually sports we weren't interested in.
we started talking about the countries we were going to, and what their take on the games would be. i was eager to see. would cambodia have one olympian that they all worshiped? did vietnam even send any olympians? what sports were popular in thailand?
so, i did some research and some observing. every time i saw someone watching the games i took a picture. it became my own little project. unfortunately, i only have a few pictures from cambodia and vietnam, because by the time we got to thailand the games were over.
but here you go, the london 2012 olympic games as seen by cambodia and vietnam. enjoy!
[japan]
when i was little, we used to watch the games as a family...and i used to mimic the athletes, the divers, the judo and soccer players and synchronized swimmers. but my favorite were the gymnasts. while my mom made dinner i would frolic around the family room. jumping off the edge of the couch or "balancing" on the panels of the hardwood floor. my parents would pretend to be judges from different countries and throw out scores for my performances. the russian judge was always the toughest to impress.
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| some things never change. photo taken in ha long bay, vietnam. inspired by london 2012. |
we started talking about the countries we were going to, and what their take on the games would be. i was eager to see. would cambodia have one olympian that they all worshiped? did vietnam even send any olympians? what sports were popular in thailand?
so, i did some research and some observing. every time i saw someone watching the games i took a picture. it became my own little project. unfortunately, i only have a few pictures from cambodia and vietnam, because by the time we got to thailand the games were over.
but here you go, the london 2012 olympic games as seen by cambodia and vietnam. enjoy!
[cambodia]
number of olympics attended, including london 2012: 8
total number of athletes sent: 6
sports: swimming, judo, running, taekwondo
medals: 0
-from london2012.com
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| a cambodian poster supports 22 year old swimmer, ponloeu hemthon. |
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| women's volleyball. |
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| sary had on women's volleyball as well. |
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| women's volleyball. brazil vs cuba, i believe. |
[vietnam]
number of olympics attended, including london 2012: 14
total number of athletes sent: 18
sports: swimming, judo, running, taekwondo, gymnastics, shooting, wresting, weightlifting, rowing
medals: 0
 |
| women's gymnastics. |
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| women's gymnastics. |
[thailand]
number of olympics attended, including london 2012: 8
total number of athletes sent: 37
sports: swimming, judo, running, taekwondo, boxing, running, badminton, weightlifting, cycling, archery, sailing, canoe slalom, table tennis
medals: 0 gold
2 silver
1 bronze
[japan]
number of olympics attended, including london 2012: 21
total number of athletes sent: 305
sports: most of them.
medals: 7 gold
14 silver
17 bronze
[united states of america]
number of olympics attended, including london 2012: 26
total number of athletes sent: 539
sports: most of them.
medals: 46 gold
29 silver
29 bronze
london calling,
kate
[up next...]
thailand
p.s. take a peek at michael phelps' olympic photo...pretty different huh?
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