The World Cup

Watching the final match of the World Cup today was totally delightful, despite the constant hum of the vuvuzelas. I was thinking back to when Analee and I were driving to Soweto, less than a month before the first game of the World Cup, and they were doing construction everywhere to try to get ready. The airport wasn't ready. The roads were terrible. And everywhere you looked there were giant plastic footballs ready to be installed, just hanging out on the ground.

Then I started thinking about Zambia, when my friend Heather's good friend Thelma took us on a "tour" of the compound she lived near, and that she has to walk through to get home from her job at the mall. We caused quite a stir - three white girls, two with giant cameras and sweet Thelma pointing things out. There was a pick up football game going on in an open field, and kids everywhere were yelling, "Mezungus" or white skins at us and requesting that we take their "snaps." I nearly created a riot when I complied to the snap request, they went absolutely crazy seeing their pictures.





Thelma told us that in preparation for the World Cup, her electricity was shut off during high use times, like 6-9 pm, so that they could channel it down to South Africa for the preparation and to actually accommodate the need during the month. I'm thrilled for Spain, but I think I'm more thrilled for Thelma, her aunt Sister Rose and the rest of their family that they can use electricity during peak hours again now that the World Cup is over.


My favorite thing is his Obama kite.