Your chance to be an Olympic torch bearer!
Calling all foreigners! If you are above 14 years of age, have lived in China for at least a year, and will be here till at least the opening of the Olympic games next year, this could be your chance-of-a-lifetime to be an Olympic torch bearer! As with all things in China though, you will be put through a very rigorous selection process, so aspiring torch-bearers, please make sure you fulfill the following five BOCOG torchbearer selection criteria:1. Promote the relationship between China and other parts of the world in their professional fields of economics and trade, politics, culture, sports, or science and technology;
2. Love Chinese culture and history;
3. Be devoted to communicate information of a real China to their native countries;
4. Uphold the Olympic spirit of constant exploration and pursuing excellence; and
5. Contribute to the building of a harmonious society.
An Internet vote will pick out 100 candidates who will then proceed to the next round to be determined by a selection panel.
Think you can run those 400 meters without fainting? Then log on to this page, submit a photograph of yourself looking nice and fit, and write a 500-word essay entitled “China and I”. But remember:
The essay should cover a true, touching part of “my story in China” and a statement of the reason “why I should be chosen as an Olympic torchbearer.”
And oh, by the way, all essays need to be in English. Read: No German, no French, no Spanish, no Italian, no Japanese and no Korean (don't ask us why). And to all the Esperanto aficionados that have been reading this blog, sorry to disappoint you, but no Esperanto as well.
