Anyone with a television, computer, or access to a newspaper has probably heard about today’s General Motors IPO (initial public offering) — said to be the world’s largest IPO to date. The stock (NYSE: GM) is already up 6% from its initial public offering price of $33. So why am I writing about an IPO on TTT? Well, one of GM’s newest vehicles is the Chevrolet Volt, which happens to be loaded with tech, from a dual-LCD dashboard to a USB-enabled audio system, allowing you to control your iPod through car’s standard controls. Oh, and it also runs entirely on battery power, costing an average of $1.50 per daily commute, according to GM. General Motors CEO Dan Akerson was on hand to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange, and I happened to be walking by as he was walking out (that’s Akerson climbing into the driver’s seat of a 2011 Camaro). I apologize for the quality of the photos — I may have been in the right place at the right time, but I didn’t bring my camera to the gym, so I shot all of these (more below, and on the next page) with my BlackBerry.

Visiting executives typically load into cars parked within the secure area of the NYSE, but GM chose to use that space to display their vehicles, so Akerson had to walk out the front gate and around the corner to Broadway on his way out of the Financial District.

Click the “read more” link for more photos!

The all-electric Chevy Volt.

GM CEO Dan Akerson climbs into a Chevy Suburban on Broadway a few minutes after greeting media in front of the New York Stock Exchange.

My good friend Robyn has called this place home for the last year, serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in nearby Pampas de Hospital, a town of 4,000 that only has running water for a few hours each day, and two paved roads (one of which was recently completed). Cuerpo de Paz placed Robyn in Pampas as a health volunteer, teaching community members about the dangers of AIDS and (a bit) about American culture. This is the real Peru.

As I sit in the bus station awaiting my malodorous chariot to the developed world (Guayaquil, Ecuador) to catch my flight back to the States, I see life in the third world pass me by. After just five minutes at the station, it’s clear just how much I take for granted—I see mototaxis rushing customers around town for 1 sol (about 33 cents), corrupt policemen making their rounds, a pair of emaciated dogs, and a small herd of chickens. I see a man crossing the busy Pan American highway while holding an infant and digging for nasal gold (picking your nose is perfectly acceptable in Peru). I see homes with walls of bamboo and mud. I see countless kilos of refuse. But I don’t see tourists.

The city of Tumbes is no tourist destination—in fact, several guidebooks (and plenty of Internet resources) specifically warn against stopping there! Bus passengers pass through on their way to Lima, some 20 hours to the south, but few people who end up in Tumbes do so intentionally. Think Tijuana, but without the Gringos. The city is dangerous (Robyn wouldn’t let me out of her sight the entire week), but my journey to this developing city makes me appreciate the opportunities we have so much more. I know quite a few people, like myself, who would benefit from living here, if only for a week.

Robyn’s site, Pampas de Hospital, is even further removed from the Western world. Her host family shares a bathroom with several neighbors, filling the tub once a day so the neighboring families have enough water to bathe (using a bucket), drink, and use in their kitchens—which would surely violate every NYC health code imaginable. The schools teach English, but I didn’t meet anyone actually able to speak the language, and some students drop out in their early teens, though attrition rates continue to drop. Uneducated children will stay for life, while those fortunate enough to attend college or technical school will be the first to leave, taking their knowledge and valuable skills to Lima.

But this simple, luxury-free lifestyle brings the town together, with a community unlike any found in the States. The people of Pampas are among the most generous I’ve ever encountered, opening their homes to me, making sure I was full enough to burst (Robyn’s family killed a duck in my honor), and making it clear that my visit, let alone Robyn’s, wouldn’t be forgotten. I showed them pictures of Manhattan, as they looked over my shoulder in awe. We are so incredibly fortunate to live in a country where potable water comes from a tap, where people celebrate diversity, where vegetables make it to the dinner table each and every day.

While I wouldn’t suggest vacationing in the city of Tumbes, the department (like a state in the US) as a whole is incredible. Nearby Punta Sal is quite possibly the most beautiful beach town I’ve visited, and the town of Mancora, while technically in the neighboring department of Piura, is swarming with surfing Westerners, there to take advantage of incredible swells and excellent weather year round. If you’re in need of a “serious wake up call,” consider dropping by the city of Tumbes for a few days. I’m sure Robyn would be more than happy to show you around.

Q: Well, how was Beijing? Should I go?

A: After spending two months living in Beijing, I’d hesitate to recommend the city to tourists looking to soak up Chinese history and culture. Sure — there’s plenty of that in Beijing, but there’s so much more to China that you won’t be able to see through Beijing’s environmental and propaganda haze. I came to tolerate life in the city towards the end of my journey, but only because the Olympics were in town, and many familiar Western conveniences became available, such as an Apple Store and Cold Stone. Unless you speak Mandarin, communication with locals is almost always impossible. Some are learning limited English, but are unable to pronounce words correctly due to a lack of native speakers to practice with.

For photographers, Beijing can be a great place to shoot on clear days, but unfortunately, the sun only breaks through the clouds every so often. If you’re only in town for a week, you may not have a single day without a hazy blanket to get in the way of you and that perfect shot. The Chinese make incredible subjects, and are generally more open to photographers than Westerners. Unfortunately, I think much of this comes from a fear of confrontation, especially when they’re unable to communicate with the foreigner behind the camera.

Q: What was it like to work at the Olympics?

A: I can’t even begin to describe the Olympic experience – it was so incredible to be able to work alongside the world’s top photographers, reporters, and athletes. Just being around the athletes was a thrill – there were so many, from almost every country in the world. There were also plenty of opportunities for staff and journalists to mingle with athletes outside of the competition venues, especially towards the end of the Games.

During the first week of competition, I answered questions for photographers at the road cycling course (and ended up doing quite a bit of computer troubleshooting as well). A few days after road cycling, I transferred to indoor volleyball, where I worked as a flash quotes reporter, interviewing athletes in the mixed zone alongside reporters from around the world. Often, we had to work through translators — it was really an experience unlike any other.

Q: Can I work at Vancouver 2010 or London 2012?

A: Honestly, I’m not quite sure. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) required the Beijing Organizing Committee (BOCOG) to hire native English speakers from overseas only because very few were qualified in China. Fortunately for the next Winter and Summer Games, that’s not the case — both will be held in countries where English is the official language. If you’re an expert with relevant experience, feel free to contact VANOC or LOCOG for more information about joining their staffs during the Games. I’d certainly recommend giving it a shot — working at the Olympics is an experience like no other.

I have a few regrets about my experience in China. Some are less significant, and were only realized when I read the United Airlines magazine on the flight back to the States. I can’t believe I spent two months in Beijing and only visited half of the locations they suggested in their cover article. I never made it to the restaurant, Made in China, but I certainly heard great things. My biggest regret, however, is not taking more time to travel around the country. I visited Shanghai and Tianjin, and made a side trip to the suburbs with Vincent Laforet, but I really wish I had taken more time in the beginning of my trip to explore other parts of the country. Some friends flew to see pandas in their native habitat near Chengdu, or visited the Terracotta Army at Xi’an. I’d love to visit China again at some point in the near future — but I don’t think Beijing will make it on my itinerary.

This marks my final post to Behind the Lens at the Beijing Olympics. Thanks for visiting, and feel free to continue sending questions or adding your comments to individual posts.

This wasn’t my first sunny day in Beijing, but it was probably the clearest. Visibility was unrestricted, with a clear view of the mountains surrounding the city. Today’s weather definitely had a positive effect on locals and tourists alike — everyone seemed to enjoy the sunlight, and the Olympic Green was more packed than ever. Throughout the day, I overheard visitors crediting yesterday’s rain for the clear sky today, but past rains have not yielded such incredible results. I have less than a week left in China, but I’m hopeful that we’ll have another day as incredible as today before next weekend hits.

With less than 24 hours to go, it’s unlikely that the conditions will improve significantly in time for the start of the Games. There have been several clear days since I arrived in early July — two or three when you could even see the sun and hints of blue sky — but today was certainly not one of them. The picture below was taken this afternoon from Tiananmen Square. The thick haze makes it difficult to capture details and colors, even from just across the street. If you’re in Beijing for the Olympics, take advantage of a clear day to photograph the city — you’ll find plenty of photogenic buildings and people everywhere you turn. But if you have no choice but to shoot on a hazy day, try using manual focus, and use exposure compensation to underexpose by half a stop or so, as the haze will likely throw off your camera’s meter.

A new subway line (#10), already packed to the gills on opening day, will help Beijingers get to their destinations without clogging the motorways. Dedicated Olympic lanes aren’t reducing pollution, but provide an artery for permitted vehicles to zip past traffic while on official Olympic business.

Meanwhile, according to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. athletes are considering wearing facemasks while in Beijing. The article states that the U.S. Olympic Committee has already begun distributing masks to its Olympians. I’ve actually been surprised by how few people I’ve seen wearing masks in the city — only two so far. The first was spotted at the Sanlitun Apple Store opening, worn by a Korean celebrity, and the second I noticed during a visit to the Beijing Zoo.

With the exception of the first couple days, I haven’t had any
issues with the air quality, though if my chances of winning a gold
medal were inhibited by difficulty breathing, I’m sure I’d consider
wearing a mask too.

Thanks, Bert, for the tip.

Just because the Fourth of July holiday isn’t officially celebrated in China doesn’t mean I plan to let it go unrecognized. My t-shirt for the day proudly (yet tastefully) displays an American flag, and my friends and I plan on checking out the expat scene this evening to see if any other Westerners are celebrating the accomplishments of our founding fathers. Happy Fourth! Please enjoy a hotdog for me; I imagine the closest I’ll be able to find here are some scorpions on a stick.

Edited 7/4/08 12:04PM: OK – I take that back… we just got lucky yesterday afternoon — the haze was awful all day today.

It’s not terribly difficult to breathe, though the air feels very heavy. I can definitely see how this would be a problem for athletes — I look forward to day-to-day improvements leading up to 8/08. My airport shuttle drove past the “Bird’s Nest” yesterday afternoon, but the haze made if difficult to capture a clear image. A curves adjustment in Photoshop was needed to cut through the smog.