The Olympics Make Me Emotional.

For as long as I can remember (in other words, before I was born) the South Koreans have been the leaders in archery, winning the Gold in the Olympics since 1980. But this year the Chinese cracked the Korean weakness, cracking under pressure. The Koreans are so good that in the past no one came close and they never felt the pressure of a one-point win or loss.

But this year China gave them a run for their money and won the gold, putting South Korea in second and third place. Because of the time change I woke up and watched the replay coverage online from NBC. I have to stay I was next to tears when Zhang Juanjuan climbed up on the platform and knelt down to get her gold medal from the official. If China can beat Korea, we can do it too.

From The China Daily paper:

"After brushing aside all three South Koreans in her way to the Olympic victory, two-time Olympian Zhang foiled reigning champion and No. 1 seed Park Sung-Hyun's effort to defend her title with a 110-109 win in the final.
"Today's competition was very hard. I had to to face three South Koreans, all the best in the world," said Zhang.
"But I was ready to challenge them, each of them. The gold is just a reward and encouragement for Chinese involved in the sport of archery," she said. "The honor is not just for me, but for all those related to the sport. Many years' efforts from our team resulted in the gold medal."
In the semifinal, Zhang just defeated world record holder Yun Ok-Hee 115-109. The score of 115 was also an Olympic record tying result.
"To my victory, I think that's for the sake of the cheers from my home crowd," said the new champion. "My confidence and composure also played an important role for that."
Before Zhang's victory over Park, South Korea had never allowed the women's individual gold slip away from them since the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
The individual silver was not enough to meet South Korea's expectation. "Silver is good, I value my silver. But it would be a lie if I say no regret. Of course, I'm regretful. I need to get better prepared for next time," said Park, who was also in her second Olympics after Athens' double gold medals four years ago.
"Of course, it's the winner always has the say. I do regret of the result. I think I can break those archers before me, but not this time. It's a good experience for me and for other South Korean archers in the future.
"It's Ok not to win. In this way, the newcomers will get less pressurized. Our archers in South Korea will compete in better mental conditions and get better results," added Park."

So it looks like the Koreans will not let this happen again but unless they learn not to fold, I see more golds in the future for non-Koreans.


I've been shooting since I was around seven, no one is exactly sure when I started. I can't remember a time when my family wasn't involved in archery. At this point, I don't shoot much after an injury to my shoulder. It's pretty painful for me to shoot, even though I really want to. I tried to shoot this summer but ended giving up in tears. It's pretty hard to sit in an archery range all day and not be able to do something that is such a large part of my life and my family's life.


Anyway, yesterday I got to hang out with my friend Ray who I get to see only about once a year. We were best friends in high school and drove to school together everyday for the last two years. When other friends and I went out separate ways for whatever reasons, Ray was always there!

So I was pretty excited to see him for lunch. We went to TGIFriday's and enjoyed a nice lunch with a horrible waiter. Talked about what we've been up to and what we're both studying. I felt like I was talking too much but Ray didn't seem to mind, not that he ever really did though! He's in a five year program for Engineering and stayed to do research this summer with a professor.

After lunch we went to ColdStone Creamery, where I had some amazing raspberry sorbet. Then went to the store and relaxed and talked. We also listened to the Savage Love podcast because Ray was a little confused about how my last semester ended . It still makes me smile.

I also got an email from Jacques Louisin, my exchange coordinator. Housing is all set and I think I might be able to arrive one day early to my dorm instead of couchsurfing with another Montpellier III student.

Now that I don't have babysitting in the morning, I can get things done that I want, like exercising or figuring out the last things I need for France. Or even working on my French. I'm a little bit worried about my French because my skills have greatly decreased since I left school. I don't get to speak it here at all because I don't know anyone that has enough language skill to hold a conversation in French. I have a few friends that took French with me or took it in high school but none of them have enough to have a conversation that's anything more complicated than tourist stuff. Hopefully the Paris week will help me with a more gradual transition into French versus the other exchange students.

They're all arriving in Montpellier directly from their homes on the 4th. Then we have to do all of our meetings and planning things that day and the next in French, along with applying for the Carte de Sejour and all that. I think taking a week in Paris to adjust to the time change and be gradual put into French will be better. Well I hope!

I'll be with a bunch of English speakers and then be surrounded by French otherwise. Hopefully it wont be like my family's trip to Montreal, where everyone spoke in English to us automatically.

The treadmill is calling...