More World Cup stuff- sorry!
Dear All,
Maybe I was a little hasty to declare the weekend over at the end of my last mail. It in fact still hasn't finished and is due to go down in History books as the longest weekend ever (now totally nearly three weeks- you do understand that I don't mean this literally- the weekend in Korea is the standard Saturday/Sunday combo that is the norm the world over- rather the spirit of the weekend lives on). Monday was early to bed for all of us that had stayed late in Gwangju but we made up for in on Tuesday by going Slovenian hunting that night and arriving home in the wee early hours accompanied by another Slovenian t-shirt and a hat. Not bad. Wednesday night was party night as today (Thursday) is a National Holiday (something to do with soldiers dying as far as I can make out from what my students tell me).
But before the Slovenian hunting we also watched the fantastic Korea v Poland game. The local department store had laid on a big screen outside and, bless their little cotton socks, free beer!!! (time to note a big difference between the Koreans and back home- everyone left before the free beer ran out! Now imagine that back home) It was a good match and if you try and imagine the euphoria as Korea won then multiply it by ten you are just about there. One of our Canadian friends got interview by the local TV network as he was wearing a Korea shirt. The Koreans are such a fantastic bunch of people that we were more than happy to share this moment with them. More so because I should have been in class I guess. Not that I was skiving- I had actually been about to walk into the classroom when Tim told me that there was a big TV in the end room to watch the match on. My students really didn't believe me when I told them that there was no class and they could watch the match instead!! The little darlings' faces just lit up and off they scampered. I went down to the room with them to make sure that they were all settled (what a little mother hen I am!) and one of them turned to me:
'Teacher, where are you going?' 'I'm to the bar, of course, Kevin!' mumbled under my breath
and off I went to watch the footie with my mates. So it was a great time from start to finish really.
But I have to write a bit about watching a World Cup match now as I didn't really get much beyond my mate and the bug in his ear in the last mail. It was really really exciting to be walking into the stadium and they let off balloons and stuff which was cool. I think that there was dancing too but I was in the toilet at the time (story of my life!). The stadium was shiny shiny new and everything was sparkly and clean. All of us were completely taken with the whole thing. We joined in rousing choruses of 'ola ola ola etc' and energetically participated in many Mexican Waves (I DID THE MEXICAN WAVE IN A WORLD CUP STADIUM DURING A WORLD CUP MATCH- I THINK THAT MIGHT JUST BE THE COOLEST THING EVER!!!). Then the game started and it all seemed just like a bunch of boys running around on a pitch (which I guess it is when you think about it!) but it seemed so different from watching it on the TV. Then I worked out why it felt so odd- there was no commentary. Even though we only get the Korean commentary over here there is always a stream of talking over the top of the game- not when it was live. Once I realised what was wrong I was able to settle back and enjoy the game. It was the business!
So much so that I am off to Daegu at the weekend to watch another one- this time Slovenia v South Africa. And not because we were completely taken with the Slovenian fans- they were lovely and told us to come to Slovenia and gave us t-shirts, flags, hats, beer etc. No, not because of that, as if I would go to all that trouble just because the Slovenian fans are a little on the hot side and there are only 5 eligible bachelors in Mokpo, no not at all..... I hear that the South African fans are a bit cute too!!!!
Love Footie mad Helen
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Maybe I was a little hasty to declare the weekend over at the end of my last mail. It in fact still hasn't finished and is due to go down in History books as the longest weekend ever (now totally nearly three weeks- you do understand that I don't mean this literally- the weekend in Korea is the standard Saturday/Sunday combo that is the norm the world over- rather the spirit of the weekend lives on). Monday was early to bed for all of us that had stayed late in Gwangju but we made up for in on Tuesday by going Slovenian hunting that night and arriving home in the wee early hours accompanied by another Slovenian t-shirt and a hat. Not bad. Wednesday night was party night as today (Thursday) is a National Holiday (something to do with soldiers dying as far as I can make out from what my students tell me).
But before the Slovenian hunting we also watched the fantastic Korea v Poland game. The local department store had laid on a big screen outside and, bless their little cotton socks, free beer!!! (time to note a big difference between the Koreans and back home- everyone left before the free beer ran out! Now imagine that back home) It was a good match and if you try and imagine the euphoria as Korea won then multiply it by ten you are just about there. One of our Canadian friends got interview by the local TV network as he was wearing a Korea shirt. The Koreans are such a fantastic bunch of people that we were more than happy to share this moment with them. More so because I should have been in class I guess. Not that I was skiving- I had actually been about to walk into the classroom when Tim told me that there was a big TV in the end room to watch the match on. My students really didn't believe me when I told them that there was no class and they could watch the match instead!! The little darlings' faces just lit up and off they scampered. I went down to the room with them to make sure that they were all settled (what a little mother hen I am!) and one of them turned to me:
'Teacher, where are you going?' 'I'm to the bar, of course, Kevin!' mumbled under my breath
and off I went to watch the footie with my mates. So it was a great time from start to finish really.
But I have to write a bit about watching a World Cup match now as I didn't really get much beyond my mate and the bug in his ear in the last mail. It was really really exciting to be walking into the stadium and they let off balloons and stuff which was cool. I think that there was dancing too but I was in the toilet at the time (story of my life!). The stadium was shiny shiny new and everything was sparkly and clean. All of us were completely taken with the whole thing. We joined in rousing choruses of 'ola ola ola etc' and energetically participated in many Mexican Waves (I DID THE MEXICAN WAVE IN A WORLD CUP STADIUM DURING A WORLD CUP MATCH- I THINK THAT MIGHT JUST BE THE COOLEST THING EVER!!!). Then the game started and it all seemed just like a bunch of boys running around on a pitch (which I guess it is when you think about it!) but it seemed so different from watching it on the TV. Then I worked out why it felt so odd- there was no commentary. Even though we only get the Korean commentary over here there is always a stream of talking over the top of the game- not when it was live. Once I realised what was wrong I was able to settle back and enjoy the game. It was the business!
So much so that I am off to Daegu at the weekend to watch another one- this time Slovenia v South Africa. And not because we were completely taken with the Slovenian fans- they were lovely and told us to come to Slovenia and gave us t-shirts, flags, hats, beer etc. No, not because of that, as if I would go to all that trouble just because the Slovenian fans are a little on the hot side and there are only 5 eligible bachelors in Mokpo, no not at all..... I hear that the South African fans are a bit cute too!!!!
Love Footie mad Helen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
posted by Helen @ 5:08 PM
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