My Semester Abroad

I heard something about the World Cup, but really, by the looks of things around here you would have no idea it was going on. That sentence might just be the understatement of my lifetime. To say that soccer is an integral aspect of life for the Argentines is not unfair to say. There is enough emotion running in this city when the two local rivals, River and Boca, play each other. I cannot imagine what it will look like to see all that emotion combined, rooting for one cause. The next several weeks will be truly an experience.

For the first game I went to a Restaurant/Bar with some friends to partake in the festivities. There were 5 televisions in a relatively small space, but the owners apparently wanted to make sure that people could view the game from all angles. The crowd was mostly foreigners, except for two very excited Argentine pre-teens who somehow managed to get their hands on a beer mid-way through the game. Once the waitresses noticed this three of them came to chastise the girls and took their beer away. This, however, did not take away from their excitement and passion about the game. They would jump up, scream, hug each other and were almost in tears with each Argentine goal.

After the game was over my friend Adam and I headed over to the Obelisco, one of the most famous monuments in Buenos Aires. It is also conveniently the location for the congregation of fans and the celebration of a soccer victory. This party was amazing! There was a band there with an assortment of brass instruments and many drums, the crowd would spontaneously break into song, everyone dancing, singing, lighting firecrackers, and just generally having the time of their lives.

The next Argentine game is Friday morning; I imagine that many people will be skipping work and school to watch the game, and hopefully partake in the celebration festivities afterwards!