World Cup

I find it to be more and more difficult to come up with things to say as I have become increasingly accustomed to life here. There are some things that seemed strange to me upon arrival that are now normalized. These things include:

1. Pressing a button on my restaurant table to call the server over so I can point to indicate what I need refilled. I usually throw in a smile, too, at no extra charge.

2. Old ladies pushing me to get on the subway cars. They are agressive and have really sharp elbows!

3. All of my students have cell phones. They are seven years old and have cell phones. And, to add to my amazement, their phones ring far more frequently than mine does. Wah wahhhh

All those things aside, one event that I could speak of if it wasn't so intensely boring is the World Cup. These games have captivated the entire Republic of Korea. This picture is Ji-Sung Park, Korea's best player. On game days, people will dress in red to match Korea's jerseys (it's just like Husker days! Except dull!) and watch the games. The most recent game aired at 3:30 a.m. here in Korea. Now, I'm no diehard sports fan. I would (and have) wake up at 3:30 for Harry Potter movies or books, but to watch a soccer game? No thanks.

Judging by the amount of cheering I heard through my apartment windows this morning, I am unique in this anti-soccer sentiment. Korean fans are dedicated, and, as previously mentioned, they do love their thunder sticks. Korea will now go on to the next level of play, much to my chagrin and everyone else's joy, and the captivation with soccer will continue.

I have one suggestion for soccer, in case it's reading this very blog: Please stop ending in ties. I don't care about subtle rules or the ins and outs of the game. I'm not looking for an explanation. I am hoping for a fabulous shoot out at the end of every tie, a la Mighty Ducks 2. Is that too much to ask?