Closing Ceremonies Finish with Finesse

There’s a mood of mixed emotions, as the Beijing 2008 Olympics come to a close.  On the one hand, people in China are absolutely thrilled by the Games’ success. 

Not only did China win more gold medals than any other country, but the Games were also without any major security incidents. 

Some of the biggest controversy seemed to be the ages of China’s young gymnasts, which is a huge relief for organizers.

Despite the small glitches, Chinese citizens have been extremely proud of their nation, and rightfully so.  The extensive improvements throughout the city of Beijing alone in just eight years have truly been remarkable. 

Now that these preparations have culminated, however, there’s also a sense of sadness.  Seven years of blood, sweat, and tears have been poured into the past sixteen days, and there’s still a lingering sense of, “now what?”

On the one hand, people will soon return to business as usual, but on the other hand, things will never be the same. 

The sweet taste of Olympic success has left people hungry for more.  All of these Olympic preparations have shown China, as well as the rest of the world, that citizens here can achieve a higher standard of living, cleaner environment, and even win more gold medals than ever before. 

So the question remains: now that the Olympics are over, what will China do next?