I was waiting for the bus to go to Porte de la Chapelle, the venue for the Paris 2024 Olympics badminton events, to watch H S Prannoy's singles match when I met a young volunteer. She asked about the venues I intended to go to and offered to accompany me to Porte de la Chapelle.
'I'm Fatima', she told me. She is 21-year-old and hails from Ivory Coast, the homeland of legendary African footballer Didier Drogba. When I asked her about Drogba, she spoke in an excited tone. She was surprised when I told her that Drogba is very popular in my home state and has many fans there.
Does your country have two names? I asked her. "Yes, my country's official name is Republic of Cote d'Ivoire," she responded with a smile.
Fatima was born in Italy. Her father is a construction worker. The family moved to London some years ago and currently she studies at the University of London. She will complete her degree course in 2006. She is planning to go to Switzerland to do a five-month internship programme after the Olympics.
A karate black belt holder, she is a good swimmer too. An ardent fan of legendary American swimmer Michael Phelps, Fatima's dream is to become a teacher.
"When Paris was chosen to host the 2024 Olympic Games, I really wanted to be a part of the event. I applied for the Paris 2024 volunteer programme via online. I did some part-time jobs to fund my trip to Paris. In Paris, I stay with my uncle who runs a restaurant on the outskirts of the city. The Games organisers offer free meals to the members of the volunteer programme. Free transportation is also provided to travel from one venue to the other. Volunteers need to bear all other expenses," she added.