World Cup Action

By Rachel

People ask if I’ll come back to Mongolia. I am sure I will, someday, and I might try to line it up with another World Cup.

The games are all shown live (starting between 10 pm and 4 am) and again the next day. They are totally uninterrupted, and since I don’t really understand Mongolian, I don’t get distracted by the chatter. It also helps that I really have nothing to do but pack and have farewell lunches with friends.

Last night, for the Ghana vs. Brazil game, we went to the Apu Beer tent near the circus. It was pretty full, and we were the only white folks there. The beers came in liter and half liter sizes. While there were some Brazil partisans, when there was any sort of excitement the crowd went wild: Ghana tear, yellow card, direct free kick – a deafening roar. “BRA – ZEE, BRA – ZEE” people chanted as they crashed their enormous mugs and fists into the tables, But they may have been saying “GHAA – NAA, GHAA- NAA.” It was hard to tell.

The half-time entertainment was a soccer-style juggling contest. The participants stood on a stage and the moderator and the crows counted as they bounced a soccer ball on their feet and knees. The winner managed to bounce the ball well over 100 times, and won the soccer ball. The crowd went wild.

There was a guy at the next table who was clearly rooting for Ghana, as I was. We commiserated with universal hand gestures and sad faces.

We are heading off to the country-side on Sunday morning, which means that my last chances to watch any games are at midnight and 4 am on Friday and Saturday nights. Maybe we will get the visiting Luce scholars to join us in the Apu tent. Or maybe we’ll just enjoy the final nights in out apartment.