Although the work was tiring, some of us working long days without breaks, it was well worth it.

Sometimes we would be only a few centimeters away from the athletes, and present for everything that took place, including medal ceremonies and any controversial incidents that occurred.

The most exciting night was the last of the Olympics, when a Cuban athlete competing in the Taekwondo was ruled unfit to continue. In a rage he kicked the referee in the head.

This event made news around the world, and I chased him through the mixed zone to ask him questions, not surprisingly he didn’t stop.

I wanted to work every day, all day being so close to the action left me on a constant high.

At the end of our shifts we would file into a taxi longing for a shower and our beds.

However one day we were very lucky to make it back to the University in our taxi.

At first everything was normal and we were just driving along, until we stopped at a set of traffic lights.

I was in the front, and noticed all the other cars take off but us.

I looked at the driver only to see him fast asleep next to me, stunned I tapped him on the shoulder and loudly said, “Hey wake up”.

He jumped, giggled and off we went. The girls and I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but eventually laughed all the way home.

This experience is a great example of the Chinese people, very casual, perhaps a little too casual sometimes!

As soon as the Games began it seemed they were over, and we were finally able to let our hair down.

Our Olympic accreditations meant we could get into VIP parties and we were soon dancing with athletes from all over the world, including Stephanie Rice.

The holiday mode kicked in once again, but this time it was twice as good, I could now speak a lot more mandarin and found it much easier to get places and do things.

The group had become so close, always partying together, and spending time with each other.

In the last few days it hit me that I would be going home in three days and I wasn’t ready, so I tried to do as much as possible.

At night I would dance until the sun came up, then we would visit the places we had missed earlier on the trip.

The locals made my experience all the more memorable and enjoyable, with the young children coming up to us welcoming us to Beijing in their best English.

Although us Aussies are considered some of the friendliest people in the world, I have never seen Australian children going up to strangers welcoming them to our country.

I saw some of the poorest people living in conditions we would not dream about here in Australia, but they still managed to smile.

It made me realise once again that we are so lucky to be able to call Australia home, but I would visit China again in an instant.