MY GLASGOW 2014 JOURNEY - Part 2: Becoming a Clyde-sider

This is a street sign indicating one of the most famous parts of
Glasgow. Within just a 10 minute walk from George Square
was the Glasgow 2014 Volunteer Centre, located on Albion Street,
where I got interviewed for the Clyde-sider role.

I am writing a series of blog entries about my Glasgow 2014 experience. In the first of my blogs, I spoke about how I got interested in the Commonwealth Games and how I wanted to become a Clyde-sider volunteer. We continue on from the point where I put my application in to volunteer for the event.

So fast forward the clock to last summer and I remember that the process of the interview or the build up to the interview and the interview itself was very well organised, the place was very well staffed [that was the Glasgow 2014 Volunteer Centre] and there were many, many people from everywhere in Scotland and beyond who came to Glasgow to get interviewed for the chance to become a Clyde-sider and I wasn't too nervous. I was pretty relaxed. I was actually more nervous about another interview that I had scheduled for the afternoon of that day in Highland Perthshire in a place called Blairgowrie and I wasn't really wanting to get too nervous about this morning interview I had in Glasgow.

I got on well with the gentleman who I chatted with (initial person I was interviewed by before my main interview) and they checked my documentation and other things as well and I remember going downstairs to this basement like floor [in the aftermath]. It wasn't like a typical basement. It was quite glamorous and it was well organised and there were a lot of decorations around signifying that the event was coming. And I remember my interviewer (for my main interview) was a lady from Kirkcaldy, where I live, and it was quite incredible actually. I don't know if it was just a co-incidence, it probably was!

I remember she asked me questions along the lines of how would you be suited to becoming a volunteer, what can you bring, are you looking forward to the Commonwealth Games and all that kind of thing. I don't think these were the exact questions that she asked in that exact manner or wording, but it was just questions to try to get to know about me and actually build a picture up of me and whether I was suitable to become a Clyde-sider. So I was basically just doing the usual thing that somebody does at a typical interview saying, "oh I'm enthusiastic and I'm excited and I cannot wait for the Commonwealth Games".

And I was just being all positive and what not. And I thought it went relatively well. So I was quite happy when I left, which is a rarity, because I tend to come out of interviews and start carrying out a post-mortem on how badly I've done. So I was quite chuffed actually and I was very, very happy and I went on to my other interview in Blairgowrie.

It was a number of weeks before I found out that I was offered the chance to become a Clyde-sider. So I accepted the offer and I was absolutely thrilled and very, very chuffed and very lucky as well, because the fact was there were around about 50,000 applications for only around 15,000 places or roles for Clyde-siders.

I felt incredibly lucky and very honoured that I was picked to become a Clyde-sider for the Commonwealth Games.