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Jin Dongri (right) and Zheng Weiwei, a Chinese master student at a French university, stand in front of an Olympic billboard. [Wang Jing] |
Jin Dongri's sweet smile has earned her a new title at the Beijing Games.
The youngest overseas volunteer of the Olympics will proudly bring home to Britain the nickname "Sunshine" as dubbed by audiences and fellow volunteers.
"I have heard too many unfair words like silent and shy when describing Chinese abroad," said Jin.
"I'm afraid many foreign people have no idea Chinese girls have the cutest smile."
The 18-year-old Beijing-born ethnic Korean moved to Europe eight years ago and currently studies at a British high school in Cambridge.
Jin, who speaks Chinese, English and German, has kept busy during the Games translating Chinese humor for western audiences - and flashing her contagious smile.
Jin was one of the 17 lucky overseas Chinese volunteers selected by BOCOG to serve at the Bird's Nest.
She was up against 27,546 other applicants.
The volunteers need to cover their own costs so Jin wrote some articles for an online British magazine before arriving to earn money for her summer vacation in Beijing.
But just because she's on summer holiday, doesn't mean she's not working hard.
Jin and her teammates spend at least four hours a day serving audiences - standing with their backs toward the live sporting events.
"It means responsibility for me," said Jin. "I am at the live venue, but I will have to watch TV to follow my favorite basketball event when I am back home."
"I will tell my friends in the United Kingdom what a meaningful summer vocation I have experienced in Beijing," said Jin.
"Many of my British friends have asked me to bring them some souvenirs like my volunteer clothes."
A total of 74,615 volunteers from 98 countries and regions are serving at the ongoing Olympic Games, statistics released yesterday showed.
(China Daily August 18, 2008)