Around Maun Town: Viva Espana: World Cup Fever

Ok, I know it's a bit late to be writing about the World Cup, but I started this blog 6 months after I moved to Botswana and I've done some pretty cool things over the last half year. So I will be updating everyone of my shenanigans in a belated fashion.

First up: World Cup. I don't know how I would have survived June without the biggest sporting event in the world. As you may have noticed from my last post, I'm a hockey junkie. Never cared much for football, or is it soccer, I don't know anymore! But as I struggled to meet people and to build a social life for myself, football (as I've decided to call it), help ease my transition. Pretty much every night of the week, I would head out to a local pub or restaurant to watch a game. Any game. I really didn't care. Since Canada has no team, I decided to cheer for my adopted continent. I cried with the rest of the continent when Ghana came so close to moving on to the semi-finals. I felt almost as devastated as when the Sens lost in the Stanley Cup finals. Seriously.

I'd thought about going to a game but I kept wavering because of the cost, the travel expense and the lack of a buddy to go with me. Then my friend Knight called on a Thursday evening saying he had tickets for Saturday's quarter-final match between Spain and Paraguay and invited me to come along. After a few phone calls to find accommodation (thanks Andrew), I booked a flight on Friday and Saturday morning, I was off to Joburg.

IT WAS TOTALLY WORTH IT!!!!!

We went straight to Nelson Mandela Square where we were greeted by the colours of the world. Spaniards, Dutch, Mexicans, Germans, Americans and a whole lot of other people proudly displayed their country colours by wrapping themselves in flags, painting their faces, donning hats. It was patriotism at its best.

Knight and I quickly decided we were cheering for Spain (my choice was based on the good looks of #14 Xabi Alonso) and proceeded to purchase some Spanish flags and draped ourselves in them.

As we were walking through the mall, we heard some cheering and clapping and turned to see team Ghana walking through the mall! Fresh off their devastating defeat the previous night, the team was given a hero's welcome as people from all over the world cheered, clapped and expressed how proud they were of their effort. It was beautiful. I almost cried.

The game was just as awesome. Knight told me we had good tickets but I didn't realize how good they were. As we walked into the stadium, we were directed to the lower level. We then started walking down the stairs, searching for row x. As we continued to walk down, I turned to Knight and asked him where exactly we were sitting. He told me to keep walking,

We stopped eight rows from the pitch. EIGHT ROWS!!!! Oh and we were sitting in about the centre of the football pitch! I could hear the players talking to each other. So amazing.Thank you Knight!