Okay Opening Ceremonies Friday night gave me goose bumps. I know that sounds silly. A 45-year-old man getting goose bumps about anything? What a dork. A gal I know is fond of telling me, “Welcome to Dorkville. Population you.”

It’s true. And I have been Dorkville mayor since my youth. Here’s some perspective to clue you in. As a teen I would sneak under my covers at night with a flashlight to look at, um, some, let’s just say something with beautiful scenery that really intrigued my young male mind. One night one of my sisters silently crept in and suddenly pulled the covers back. Imagine my shame and her shock. I was studying maps. United States, Europe, whatever I could get my hands on. Dorkboy is born!

I’ve spent the better part of 10 days getting to know the Italian people. They are warm and kind and have hearts of gold. When you ask for directions on a sidewalk a crowd gathers and they all debate which is the best way to get me where I want to go and when they’re done they all point a different direction.

When I say I’m sorry for not knowing their language and call myself, “Stupido Americano,” they say “No no no no stupido Americano. Americano good.” Even when they haven’t a clue who you are or where you are from they want to help you. They stand behind you in a grocery store checkout line and watch you fumble through a pile of what looks like monopoly money trying to come up with an intelligent combination of colors to get the amount right and they don’t huff and complain. They smile and giggle and try to help. All of them. They come from other checkout lines to help.

They are some of the sweetest, most gracious people I have ever met. So when the Opening Ceremonies started I was happy for Italy and for all Italians. What a proud moment for lovely people.

We watched it from the NBC workspace here in Torino. It’s a cavernous room full of American journalists. In the back behind some dividers is the driver bullpen of about a dozen local Italian college kids who drive us to our story shoots. They have TVs in the bullpen but they all came out to the main media room staring at the ceremonies on a giant 8-foot screen hanging above all our heads. They stood shoulder to shoulder, smiling ear to ear, their wide open eyes reflecting the screen, their faces beaming.

It was a beautiful moment in a room full of jaded journalists. Bravo Italia!