Wow! That’s me back home from Delhi and what a week it has been! I can only explain it as the biggest roller coaster ride of my entire life.

 

Left for Delhi early Tuesday morning, met up with the rest of my travelling group in the Glasgow City Chambers where we were given our travel uniforms and some essential travel documents. Travelled to London and then onto Delhi. Everyone was excited to say the least and it was great meeting up with everyone again after having not seen them for a week since Bootcamp finished.

 

We arrived in Delhi late on Wednesday morning and received our all our necessary accreditations for the performance. It was quite daunting to be escorted through the airport by armed guards but everyone took it in their stride and some even had their pictures taken with them. The armed guards also escorted us to our hotel.

 

After arriving at our hotel, there was a lot of security to get through but this didn’t dampen our spirits. I think it only added to the whole occasion and made us all feel even more important!

 

After lunch we had our first experience of the stadium and we walked on to the field of play. It was hard to believe that we were actually going to perform the next day in the stadium to a live audience of 60 thousand people and a televised audience of over 1 billion people.

 

We were warmly welcomed by the organisers and all the Indians taking part in the closing ceremony. It was a long day and at 10.30pm we arrived back at our hotel in time for dinner and then bed.

 

Thursday morning and performance day was here.

 

Our day started at 5am and between 5am and 10am we had showered, breakfasted, and arrived at the stadium, again there was soo much security to get through, however everyone was efficient and this got done fairly quickly.

 

We had a full rehearsal after our arrival then we got to watch rehearsals for the closing ceremony which was great as we wouldn't be able to see it in the evening.

 

The weather was hot hot hot and made all the waiting about almost unbearable but we were constantly being given water to drink and eventually when we all realised that there was going to be a lot of waiting around we all rallied around each other, played games, and generally just kept each other's spirits up. After a late lunch it was time to get our costumes on and all of a suddenly we were there, in the vom's, just waiting, panic set in and a lot of people where worried that their ear piece wouldn't work, that they would miss their cue's or drop their props however it was a very emotional time as everyone was reflecting on the month that had been, and the journey that had brought them to this moment in time, we were no longer friends we were now members of this fantastic family that had been brought together by the one thing we all have in common and that is the passion they share for their country and their culture.

 

Waiting in the blackout area while the speeches were going on was really scary, to say the least. There was just the anticipation of performing a great show to keep us focussed. Then suddenly we were there, on the field of play, performing on behalf of fellow countrymen, bringing a whole flavour of Scotland to Delhi and what a show it was! The atmosphere was astounding, the air was filled with sheer energy and excitement and before you knew it, it was all over. I thought to myself, was that it?  Surely not! I didn't want it to be over! I just wanted to hold that amazing sense of pride and feeling that I have just experienced I know will be with me forever.

Back at the hotel we were given an amazing reception and we all watched the Ceremony play back, which was absolutely amazing even to the point that we were all going through our cues out loud whilst watching the performance. I just felt that I didn’t ever want this amazing experience to end.

 

Having arrived in Delhi airport early Friday morning, the first news headline we saw was "Glasgow Steals the Show". We all bought the paper to take home. I think the newsagent sold out of papers in the first half an hour of our arrival.

 

The plane journey home was long, despite this everyone still felt fantastic and made it through the journey still on a complete high. We arrived home in Glasgow at approximately 11.30pm and then home by 01.00am

 

How could I sum up this totally amazing experience?

 

As I said at the start, it's like being on the biggest roller coaster ever. You get on not knowing what to expect, you are scared out you wits, you want to get off but you can't because you are gripping so tight with your hands you knuckles are white. Then, all of a sudden you are on your way and before you know it it's over and you have just had the most fun ride of your life.

 

Would I do it again? Of course I would!

 

I can't wait till 2014. I know that Glasgow will put on the most amazing Games ever. I sincerely hope that I can help in some way and would definitely  recommend that everyone get involved if they can.

 

Gina

It has been an amazing at Bootcamp so far.  There is so much to remember, and such a lot to do in such a short space of time! However everyone seems to be coping extremely well and we are on all on schedule for the Delhi 2010 Flag Handover Ceremony.
 
The only problem has been the totally unpredictable Scottish weather!  There’s a surprise! The weather is making the sculpture cast job a bit tricky, this is the part of the cast who are handling the giant props that are the centrepiece. However they have all coped admirably with the wind, the rain and the odd late evening rehearsal.
 
The early mornings are proving to be really hard for me as i need to go to work before i go to boot camp and this means a 6 o'clock start at work in the morning.
 
Everyone has been fab at motivating each other and the crew have given us really fun warm up's in the morning to get us all in the right frame of mind. The conditioning pogramme is quite simple but very effective.
The hardest part of boot camp is trying to remember everyone's names. We have now started calling each other by bib number! I have gotten to know all the people in my team relly well and so far the banter is amazing we have truly become one big large family.
 
The physical damands are not too bad. However I did manage to sustain a hamstring injury which is basically a pain in the wotsit however everyone has been very understanding, sympathetic and very supportive
 
Sometimes we are required to sit by the side lines whilst other groups push on but this is only because the sculpture cast work really well together and have moved on so quickly.
 
Team managment, choreography, Steve Boyd, the head choreographer and cast coordinators are so organised that everything just seems to fall into place. It is great working with such an amazing  world class team.
 
I don't think that anyone truly knew what was expected of them and some people may have thought that this would be an easy ride and a holday to India … this is  definitely is not the case as Steve would say "we tell ya it to you once, and the rest is up to you". This is soo true! You need to keep yourself up to date with everything that is going on and really stay focussed.
 
I am committing a lot of time to this project and have had to make a making a lot of sacrifices in terms of juggling work and family commitments.
 
But the real truth of th e matter is, to be representing Scotland, and Glasgow in  particular is such an amazing honour and i am so glad that i made the decision to apply to be a cast member. I am forming lots of friendships and i know that this experience will quite literally sculpt a new chapter in my life. I know that this experience will stay with me for a long time to come.
 
Gina Beck
Very proud Cast Member

I really don't know what to say, I’m ecstatic that I have been chosen to be a cast member for the Handover Ceremony and I am extremely pleased that I’ve been given the opportunity to tell people about it.

I actively encourage people to volunteer as it is a great way to gain experience and meet lots of new people. Today I met people from Glasgow 2014 and 2 film crews and it was an absolute pleasure.

Being a volunteer for what used to be Culture and Sport Glasgow (now Glasgow life), gives me access to lots of events that are going on around Glasgow and the opportunity to work as a volunteer at these events, the Delhi Handover Ceremony was no different. I received an e mail from David Bickley of Glasgow life telling me that the Delhi Team where looking for volunteers to travel to India and take part in the Handover Ceremony as part of the closing ceremony. I emailed him back to say it sounded like a great opportunity and would definitely consider it.

I later received an application pack from Cristina Armstrong which was, to my surprise really easy to fill out.

After that it was just a waiting game. Before I knew it I was invited to Orientation where I met all the people who would be putting together the routine, from the choreographer to costume designers, to the team doctor and all the other support workers involved. It was then that it became a reality - it was scary, nerve wracking and exciting. Organising paper work, learning choreography and costume measurements were just a few of the things involved in the day Orientation.

A week later I received an email to say that I was part of the cast, however it still didn't seem real that I, Gina Beck of Drumchapel , would be going to Delhi to represent Scotland at such a prestigious event. Shocked, ecstatic, scared, excited and worried are a few of the feelings I had at the time. I was, however, very, very pleased to be given such a great opportunity.

Having to give up so much time for Bootcamp and Delhi took a lot of consideration, but with the support of my family, friends, all the kids that I work with, their parents and my work colleagues, I decided that I couldn't give up this once in a life time opportunity. I know it will be hard work both physically and mentally, but I am up for the challenge. I'm looking forward to working with Nathan and all the other cast members. I know I will form lots of new friendships and I will be depending on all those new friends to help me through the whole Bootcamp experience, as I will them.

Every one asks me why volunteer for something that will incur a loss of earnings, spend less time with my family and less time coaching the gymnasts at Drumchapel sport Centre? I tell them, it’s not always about the money. Sometimes it's nice to do something that will endeavour to enrich the lives of many people, especially the young people of today.  My family are as important to me, as I am to them, and they fully encourage me to take part in this experience because they know how passionate I am about the kids I teach and everything that I get involved in.

The kids at Drumchapel Sport Centre are fantastic and all think that this is an amazing opportunity and have been very unselfish in encouraging my decision to go to Delhi (even though it means that there will be less training time for them). One day I hope that they find themselves with the same opportunities that I have been given. I will fully support them and encourage them to volunteer, whether it be on a small scale or a massive scale such as Delhi. I always tell them:  with some guts, determination and a good support network, anything is possible. 

The greatest reward of all is knowing that I have been chosen to represent Scotland, my community, my family and friends and the city of Glasgow. I will endeavour to do this to the best of my ability.