This week I have been like a kid waiting for Christmas, counting the sleeps to the start of the SWC. Watching teams arrive on TV and seeing the increasing number of people starting to feel it I have to say has given me goose
bumps. I have heard some people say that the SWC is not that big a deal, so what “blah blah blah”.
Well let me tell you that it is a big deal, there are 195 countries in the World and with the 2010 tournament there have been 19 tournaments from 1930 (missing out 1942 and 1946 for obvious reasons). 17 countries have hosted the tournament (
Italy and Germany have both hosted it twice) and now we are one of them, the second biggest sports event in the world is being 
hosted in my country, “that is just FRIKKEN AWESOME”.
Monday and Tuesday I was really starting to feel the vibe but it was not until Wednesday when my sister called me from Sandton and left me a message that said. “I am part of history” and then all I heard was noise from the thousands of people that had gathered and at noon opened up wit vuvuzela’s and song to show their support for Bafana and the country. In Port Elizabeth the area I work in was shaken awake with the
sound of vuvuzela’s and car horns, it was awesome to hear. Can you believe on news 24 there are some people saying that the team should not have been on the bus parading like that because they have not won anything. I disagree they have won the support of South Africa and to me it was only right that they acknowledged that support.
Thursday was like when I was a kid, the day before Christmas, I would be excited and hardly able to contain
myself for the next day, as you knew it would be a happy occasion, you would receive toys and be with your family and share in a lekker day.
Friday was a really proud moment for me to sit and watch the opening ceremony and to know that this great country of ours is hosting the top 32 countries in the world and that Billions of people are watching from all over the world. Our offices closed early and even staff that in the past would not have supported Bafana Bafana got in the mood, buying SA shirts and really soaking in the whole event.
Bafana did us proud in the opening game and should have won, but if you had of said 1 years ago we would be leading Mexico with 11 minutes to go and that we would draw the opening game then I believe many would have carted you off to the loony bin. Even my wife who is generally not that enamoured with sports was shouting for the boys and enjoying the moment. Was a good result for us that France and Uruguay drew 0/0 in their match.
Not only can “I FEEL IT”, I have EXPERIENCED IT, I have attended a SWC match in my own country and I cannot tell you how proud that made me feel, My wife, my brother in law and 8 other work colleagues watched the Greece vs. South Korea game (yeah not the best 2 teams in the world) but it was chance for us to savour a SWC game in our own city, “when will w
e ever get the chance again”?. The stadium was 3 quarters full (this was never going to be a sold out game, but what an atmosphere, the people where awesome, I now can boast that I started a Mexican wave in a World Cup stadium (“Frikken Awesome”) Must say did not see many people Diski dancing.
I have to say to all those naysayers from within this country as well as overseas that said we would not be able to host this event and that it would be a total failiure. The park and ride was well organised, the people on the bus awesome, the stadium staff and the entrance procedures flawless. I was duly impressed. The only dark cloud over the whole event was the cost of food and beer at the stadium, R30.00 for a 475ml Budweiser (it tastes like pee, actually watered down pee) R30.00 for a sandwich, R20 00 for an ice cream. I have tickets for the Q final in PE and I will be eating and drinking before I get to the stadium.
So what else has happened this week?
I joined facebook……”yeah finally”, not sure how I feel about it at the moment, what is awesome however is the amount of people that (I actually know) that want to me my friend, so that is nice. I think the first comment I made on facebook however pissed my brother in law off on the island. “Ah well that’s life I suppose”
I hear that the SA brigade all over the world (you can bet the ones that also said we could never do it) overseas are also “feeling it” by wearing Bafana jearsys and blowing vuvuzela’s ……..I have news for you all, You can only feel it if you’re here, because the SWC is not being held in Australia, Dubia, England, New Zealand or Canada, there is no ways that you can experience what we are feeling and experiencing over the TV, internet or on facebook…………just cant happen. I suppose its times like theses that many an ex - pat get homesick and long for the sun, blue skies and incredible diversity of the Rainbow nation.
I am going to be writing a Blog for an ex-pat magazine to see how many of the “We love SA but not enough to actually make a contribution brigade” I can piss off (hopefully lots) thinking for a name for it came up with a few
Proudly South African (and actually live in the country)
bumps. I have heard some people say that the SWC is not that big a deal, so what “blah blah blah”.Well let me tell you that it is a big deal, there are 195 countries in the World and with the 2010 tournament there have been 19 tournaments from 1930 (missing out 1942 and 1946 for obvious reasons). 17 countries have hosted the tournament (
Italy and Germany have both hosted it twice) and now we are one of them, the second biggest sports event in the world is being 
hosted in my country, “that is just FRIKKEN AWESOME”.Monday and Tuesday I was really starting to feel the vibe but it was not until Wednesday when my sister called me from Sandton and left me a message that said. “I am part of history” and then all I heard was noise from the thousands of people that had gathered and at noon opened up wit vuvuzela’s and song to show their support for Bafana and the country. In Port Elizabeth the area I work in was shaken awake with the
sound of vuvuzela’s and car horns, it was awesome to hear. Can you believe on news 24 there are some people saying that the team should not have been on the bus parading like that because they have not won anything. I disagree they have won the support of South Africa and to me it was only right that they acknowledged that support.Thursday was like when I was a kid, the day before Christmas, I would be excited and hardly able to contain
myself for the next day, as you knew it would be a happy occasion, you would receive toys and be with your family and share in a lekker day.Friday was a really proud moment for me to sit and watch the opening ceremony and to know that this great country of ours is hosting the top 32 countries in the world and that Billions of people are watching from all over the world. Our offices closed early and even staff that in the past would not have supported Bafana Bafana got in the mood, buying SA shirts and really soaking in the whole event.
Bafana did us proud in the opening game and should have won, but if you had of said 1 years ago we would be leading Mexico with 11 minutes to go and that we would draw the opening game then I believe many would have carted you off to the loony bin. Even my wife who is generally not that enamoured with sports was shouting for the boys and enjoying the moment. Was a good result for us that France and Uruguay drew 0/0 in their match.
Not only can “I FEEL IT”, I have EXPERIENCED IT, I have attended a SWC match in my own country and I cannot tell you how proud that made me feel, My wife, my brother in law and 8 other work colleagues watched the Greece vs. South Korea game (yeah not the best 2 teams in the world) but it was chance for us to savour a SWC game in our own city, “when will w
e ever get the chance again”?. The stadium was 3 quarters full (this was never going to be a sold out game, but what an atmosphere, the people where awesome, I now can boast that I started a Mexican wave in a World Cup stadium (“Frikken Awesome”) Must say did not see many people Diski dancing.I have to say to all those naysayers from within this country as well as overseas that said we would not be able to host this event and that it would be a total failiure. The park and ride was well organised, the people on the bus awesome, the stadium staff and the entrance procedures flawless. I was duly impressed. The only dark cloud over the whole event was the cost of food and beer at the stadium, R30.00 for a 475ml Budweiser (it tastes like pee, actually watered down pee) R30.00 for a sandwich, R20 00 for an ice cream. I have tickets for the Q final in PE and I will be eating and drinking before I get to the stadium.
So what else has happened this week?
I joined facebook……”yeah finally”, not sure how I feel about it at the moment, what is awesome however is the amount of people that (I actually know) that want to me my friend, so that is nice. I think the first comment I made on facebook however pissed my brother in law off on the island. “Ah well that’s life I suppose”
I hear that the SA brigade all over the world (you can bet the ones that also said we could never do it) overseas are also “feeling it” by wearing Bafana jearsys and blowing vuvuzela’s ……..I have news for you all, You can only feel it if you’re here, because the SWC is not being held in Australia, Dubia, England, New Zealand or Canada, there is no ways that you can experience what we are feeling and experiencing over the TV, internet or on facebook…………just cant happen. I suppose its times like theses that many an ex - pat get homesick and long for the sun, blue skies and incredible diversity of the Rainbow nation.
I am going to be writing a Blog for an ex-pat magazine to see how many of the “We love SA but not enough to actually make a contribution brigade” I can piss off (hopefully lots) thinking for a name for it came up with a few
Proudly South African (and actually live in the country)
Manuscripts of a Moron (that’s a suggestion from my brother in law, "thanks bro, really appreciate the kind words")
Thanks for leaving (we don’t actually need you)
My book “The Clarens Chronicles” is at the publisher so soon I will have a book published with my name on it , part one successful, next part is to sell it (so please help and buy one)
My sister was on the Gautrain on Friday (another SA success story) and said it was awesome.
Got a few photos from Martie in Clarens that showed a whole lot of people doing the Diski dance on the square in Clarens and at the Kgubestwana hall for
Sports for the week
Did you see that attempt at stopping a low bouncing ball by the Pom goalkeeper that gifted the USA with a goal and a 1 all draw, I wonder if he will get another game – I think he was a bit green about the ears!! “Well done USA” I do not want the Poms to win the World Cup in South Africa, that would suck big time, may make certain family members happy if they do, but definitely not me. (They can’t anyway as only teams they have with the majority other countries players in them seem to do well……….such as cricket)
I missed the Bok vs France game but the score was good and perhaps an indication as to how strong our Rugby is at the moment. Australia beat England 27 – 17 (not a good weekend for the island dwellers) and New Zealand crushed the Irish 66-28.
F1 this weekend is in Canada with Hamilton and Webber on Pole followed by Vettel and Alonso, my man Schummie is on the 7th grid.
Well that’s about it for this week so enjoy the SWC, Wednesday I will be at the fan park at St Georges park to watch SA play Uruguay, that should be a great evening feeling the World Cup actually in South Africa.
Ciao
The Village idiot.
PS: check the size of this spider that I found on our bedroom curtains the other night.
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