World Cup 2010, as most of you know, begins today. The tagline, which we have been hearing non-stop on TV and radio advertisements since we arrived here in January, is Feel it! It is here! But we as volunteers have been joking that the real tagline is 'Hear it! It is here!' And the culprit for that: my archenemy, the vuvuzela (pictures to come). The vuvuzela is a horribly obnoxious horn that South Africans are obsessed with blowing nonstop. I wish I was exaggerating when I say this, but sadly I'm not. Wednesday was the last day of school before Winter Break (conveniently scheduled for the entirety of World Cup) and it was deemed Vuvuzela Day. Every student got one, and these devilish horns have not left their lips ever since. Yesterday, the first full day of no school, I heard horns blowing from 7 am until I was finally able to fall asleep at midnight. I don't think these people are even stopping to breathe in between horn blasts. Now instead of greeting or talking to each other, villages are simply blowing these horns as an all encapsulating way of communicating. It is hard not to get caught up in the excitement surrounding WC, but I kind of feel like the grinch because I get so angry at the vuvuzelas and their masters.
Anyway, if interested, there are a lot of good articles on NYT and BBC news about the fervor surrounding WC, and what it is actually going to mean for the residents of South Africa. Most South Africans cannot even afford to go to the games, regardless of the reduced prices for SA citizens (and Americans with 2 year visas) because the cost of transport, food, and lodging has skyrocketed to ridiculous amounts. Those small vendors who sell on the side of the streets (who I've alluded to during Pension Day) aren't allowed to sell outside of the stadiums, expensive permits have to be attained and so many are going to lose out on business during this month. But, as you can guess with the vuvuzelas, all the way out here in the village people are just excited to watch the games on TVs (yes, people may not have shoes but most everyone has a TV) and sport their Bafana Bafana jerseys and blow their stupid vuvuzelas for the continuation of the next month. So, I'm interested to see what happens.
Let's go USA!
Congrats to South Africa in their tie with Mexico in opening round! Am totally clueless which team went in the favorite...but certainly great when the host country does well!
ReplyDeleteThat said...go USA :-)
So exciting that you are there on the ground during the World Cup. Do you remember the Women's National soccer game we attended in Fullerton, the boys with airhorns behind our seats and Lauren's response? Might not work as well in a foreign country! Miss you and love you Emmy!! Momma