The Olympics. You can’t get away from it. Everywhere you look Jessica Ennis is bearing her incredible abs, Tom Daley’s showing off his wares in the tightest speedos imaginable and Mo Farah’s running further than most people travel to work in less time than it takes to eat a bowl of cereal.

Pre-Olympics, I’ll admit, I was one of those ‘not bothered about London 2012, it’ll only ruin my TV viewing for the summer’ cynics, but after the incredible opening ceremony put on by thousands of volunteers and watched by over 27 million people in the UK (pretty much half the population), it was hard not to become completely captivated by the Great British Olympic Spirit.

Add to that the fact that all the TVs in my office (I work at ITV, so there’s a lot) are now permanently showcasing all the best Olympic action (even though it’s all on the BBC. Slightly awkward), I am now a fully-fledged Olympic enthusiast! So much so in fact that I’m considering pitching the idea of ‘Annual London Olympics’ to President of the IOC, Mr Jacques Rogge.

As I write this Great Britain is third in the medals table behind the formidable forces of China and the USA and I couldn’t be prouder. Not at all bad for a little country. A little country with a BIG heart.

So imagine my excitement when, after answering a question on Twitter from @WEXO, I won a pair of tickets to the Olympic Beach Volleyball! Are you imagining the excitement? OK, now double it.

The question and answer that won me the tickets and my Olympic experience

So after a quick ‘how do we get there and who’s playing’ bit of research, I decided, as it appeared to be Men’s volleyball, to take my mum along with me. After all, she’d enjoy seeing young, fit, men in shorts leaping around in the sand far more than my boyfriend would.

Friday evening rolled around and Mum and I were greeted by the lovely Robin and Ben from WEXO at a wine bar in London. Two glasses of champagne later (thanks boys!) we set off across Trafalgar Square toward Horse Guards parade and, after a minor ticket hiccup, we were into the Olympic venue.

My first thoughts were how much the venue reminded me of a music festival, with an electric atmosphere, overpriced food stalls, and portable toilets (although these were by far the poshest portable toilet blocks I’d ever been in, complete with sinks and hand dryers!). And the festival atmosphere continued right into the evening. The volleyball was amazing and my team (Brazil, because mum and I tossed for it and I got Brazil whilst she got Spain) won! BRAAAAAAAAAZIL! There’s that excitement again.

There were several Mexican waves occurring at regular intervals, music and chants and the whole crowd was really into the spirit of the games. After the first match we located some more food and wine (why is it that at events like this you always seem to be ten times hungrier than at any other time?) and returned to the stands just as the second match was about to get underway. Russia vs Austria. Womens. Oh. Having told my boyfriend he “probably wouldn’t be that bothered about coming because it was all men’s volleyball”, I had a feeling he wouldn’t be too happy finding out that Mum and I were now watching gorgeous women in bikini bounce about in the sand. So naturally I text him a photo of the scene so he could see what he was missing.

The evening went by in a flash, both Mum and I had the time of our lives and I am extremely grateful to WEXO for giving me the change to get my hand on tickets to an Olympic event. So, to anyone who thinks Twitter is just full of celebrity stalkers and statuses about what people have had for breakfast, think again, I’ve won competitions and found jobs, advice and the WEXO website though the site.

Anyway, thanks once again to the WEXO team for an amazing experience, I’m now off to find out how the Brazilian’s are getting on in their Olympic Beach Volleyball journey.

Come on BRAZIIIIIL!

Vicki Greenfield

30 days until the Olympics. Whilst the rest of London is busy organising the chaos that will encroach upon our daily lives we ask 2 of our WEXO recruits a few questions on working at the biggest sporting event in the world:

The best thing about working at the Olympic Games:
Being able to say: “I worked at the London 2012 Olympics”.

The athlete you’d most like to meet…
Jessica Ennis (I love her!)

What you would change about the Olympics?
I would bring back Rugby Union and Baseball to the Olympics, two huge world sports I feel should be a part of the event.

Stephen – Deputy Venue Logistics Manager, Lee Valley White Water Centre, Herts

The best thing about working at the Olympic Games:
I think the London Olympics will carry a lot of historic value and I am honoured to be a part of the biggest sporting event on the planet.

The athlete you’d most like to meet…
I would love to meet Usain Bolt because he’s the fastest man in the world and Chris Hoy since he walked away with 3 Gold medals at the last Olympics – a model of a great sportsman.

What you would change about the Olympics?
The Olympic viewing tower. I think it looks like a 6 year old has got hold of some meccano and tried to make a rollercoaster. Oh and the weather, let’s hope it holds out!

Henry – DVLM, Olympic Hotel Centre, Stratford

Some home truths about the Olympics:

* Gandhi once covered the Olympics as a newspaper reporter. The 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. We have no idea why – since it was right in the middle of his campaign for world peace – but he did.

* In 1900, in France, winners got paintings instead of gold medals. Gold, silver and bronze medals weren’t given out until the third modern Olympics, in 1904. The French gave the winners paintings because they believed they were more valuable.

* The first Olympic drug suspension wasn’t until 1968. At the 1968 Mexico City games, Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall, a Swedish pentathlete, was suspended because he tested positive for a banned substance. That substance: Alcohol. He drank several beers before the pentathlon… which was against the rules… so he was suspended.

Facts courtesy of: 11points.com

WEXO and STEP have organised paid internships and training programmes with UPS at the London 2012 Olympics for over 60 graduates.