Ye Fei, a volunteer assistant to the US Olympic team, says that the most exciting part of her work at the Olympic Village was getting to know elite athletes. During the last two weeks, she took every opportunity to teach the athletes about Chinese language and culture. Her most famous student was Kobe Bryant, whom Ye reports is now able to greet people in Chinese.
She also treasures the friendships she formed with the other 11 Chinese volunteers serving Team USA. "We are like a small family here," Ye says. For Ye, the greatest reward was experiencing the Olympic spirit up close and personal.
USA's Kobe Bryant celebrates on the podium after the men's basketball gold medal match of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 at the Olympic basketball Arena in Beijing. [Agencies]
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Born in Beijing into a family of legendary Peking Opera performing artists, Ye moved to Hungary at the age of 2 with her parents, whose work involved conducting cultural exchange programs in the country. She then moved again with her parents to the United States at the age of 13, when her parents were invited to teach at Yale University.
Having grown up in multiple cultures, she is nevertheless crystal clear about her own identity. "I am a Chinese. And I consider myself a very patriotic person," says Ye.
Since 2001, when Beijing was announced as the next Olympic host city, Ye decided that she wanted to participate in the Olympic Games as a volunteer.
Her high school years prepared her well for this role. Ye is proud of her Chinese cultural heritage, and she started an Asian Cultures club in her high school.
An avid sports fan, Ye also enjoyed various sports, including swimming, tennis, ice skating, and track and field. A straight-A student throughout her high school years, she also gained extensive volunteer experience in her local community.
In recognition of her high academic and athletic caliber and her devotion to community service, she was granted the prestigious President's Award in 2005 upon her graduation from high school.
Now at the age of 21, she is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism at Syracuse University, where her legacy of leadership continues with a position at the university's student union.