My first press conference experience in Beijing was unlike any other I'd been to before - but with Chinese characteristics.

Two China Daily Web site journalists and I jumped into a taxi and made our way through the traffic. Thankfully we arrived right on time, received earphones for the English translation, and went into the press conference room to look for seats. Everyone turned to look as we walked in, but I am starting to get use to this.

The earphones were my saving grace but it was hard to concentrate as I was hearing Chinese in one ear and English in the other. My eyes kept darting around to the many photographers and video cameras rushing around to get pictures.

The press conference unveiled the logos for the Paralympic Games next year. There are 20 for the various events, including wheelchair basketball, archery, and swimming. But before the announcement, the officials showed examples of previous Paralympic pictograms. There was Barcelona in 1992, Sydney in 2000, Athens in 2004 and even Turin in 2006. But where was Atlanta in 1996? It was skipped for some unexplained reason.

The pictograms were introduced without too much fanfare though the photographers snapped away for a while. I was very surprised that more questions were not asked after the initial statements were made. I am used to reporters asking about every detail and trying to be as shocking as possible with their questions. Maybe they were shy, or maybe the unveiling was just not a hot topic.

The pictogram images they designed showed the rigor and passion of the Paralympic athletes. On the way to the press conference I wondered what the difference was between the Paralympics and the Special Olympic World Summer Games, which will be held in Shanghai this fall.

According to the Special Olympics Web site, www.specialolympics.org, the Special Olympics is an international nonprofit organization that helps people with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit and productive members of society through sports. They offer year-round training and competition in 30 Olympic-style sports for children and adults.

Meanwhile, the Paralympics are elite sport events for athletes from six different disability groups: amputee, cerebral palsy, visual impairment, spinal cord injuries, intellectual disability and a group which do not fit into the aforementioned groups. The Parlympic Games are held after the Olympic games and have their own emblems, pictograms and slogans - but are still very similar and consistent with the theme of the Olympic games.

I also thought it was important that the pictograms pay homage to Chinese culture and needs to represent the people and their history. It is, after all, the Beijing Games. In the English translation, the pictogram designs were described as "beautiful, soft yet strong", and "easy to recognize, remember and use."

What I am learning more and more is that the Olympics Games is not just about the sporting events. It's about the process of taking the spirit of the games and making it a reality.