soccer

World Cup Final

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World Cup, originally uploaded by katherinebruder.

Despite our distance from the city, lack of constant electricity and news access, World Cup fever definitely hit Puerto Alegria this summer. Even though Peru was not represented in the 2010 games, I think I have had or heard a conversation about the event at least every day, especially on those days when I wear one of my World Cup t-shirts (thanks to Saga Falabella in Lima).

While we have not been able to see many of the games for the 2010 championship, we of course were able to watch the final match between Spain and Holland. The generator was turned on for the big event and everybody headed down to the maloca where we set the television on a table and lounged on the floor or hammocks.

After the new antenna was properly connected and we had somewhat of a clear picture, the entire group fell somewhat silent for the following 2 hours of the game, intently watching the every move of the ball, groaning when either team (especially Spain) missed a goal, and whispering about what would happen if the entire game passed without one goal from either team.

Happily for us, Iniesta scored a goal and victory went to Spain.

We watched for a few more minutes of programming after the game ended before the generator was turned off, and it was back to normal life in Puerto Alegria.


World Cup, originally uploaded by katherinebruder.

World Cup Fever

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The 2010 World Cup began today and it has taken Peru by storm. Despite Peru will not be represented in this year’s competition, fútbol is fútbol regardless of who is playing (just as long as it isn’t your team’s arch-rival; Alianza and U in Lima, Real Madrid and Barça in Spain, the list goes on).

During the time I spent in Lima, I saw countdown clocks til the first game, advertisements every commercial break, posters all over the city, and entire sections of department stores like Saga Falabella converted to World Cup fever. Even Wong, one of the grocery stores has promotional posters and life-size cutouts of soccer players hanging from the ceiling.

So, despite being away from the city and outside the reach of traditional electricity from Iquitos, I doubt I’ll miss very many of the games.

Case in point, we went into Iquitos today with all 40 boys to see one of the first games – Uruguay vs. France. Unfortunately it was not a very spectacular game, neither team scored a goal, but it was fun to go to a restaurant and watch the game, and just to be away from the house for a bit.

Hopefully we will be able to watch a few more games over the next month!

Here’s a commercial that I see almost every time I walk past a television.

Excited Oriel

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Excited Oriel, originally uploaded by katherinebruder.

One thing I have always wanted to do here in Peru, or any country I visit, is go to a professional soccer game. Of all the sports in the world, watching soccer is definitely one of my favorites. Seeing Real Madrid play one cold December night in Spain was just amazing, and after tonight, it will have some competition for my favorite game.

Yesterday when the team from Nebraska arrived, they mentioned that they wanted to do something special with the boys – take all 44 of them somewhere in Iquitos. We had been to the movies recently, out to dinner, and the weekly customary trip to Quistococha (the local zoo/lake in Iquitos), but they were looking for something different. It was sugessted that we all go to the Saturday night CNI (Iquitos) versus Ancash soccer game at the city stadium and they loved the idea.

Tickets were bought and at 5:30pm, we all boarded the boat in Puerto Alegria to come into Iquitos for the game, which started at 8pm. Our seats, which were S/. 20 (soles or about $7), were right in the first few rows of the stadium near center field. I sat with Oriel, the little boy pictured in the photo above, and was able to share his first ever soccer game with him. He was so excited to be there, at just 5 years old, that he kept pointing out everything new he saw. Every time the players swapped out during the game, every banner that was being waved, the trumpets that played every few minutes, and all the other people cheering and enjoying the night. To see him so happy, excited and interested in what was going on was definitely a joy for me (therefore puts this game in a tie for my favorite soccer games).

Since the game started at 8pm, we didn´t leave the staduim until at least 10:30 to return to the port, where we would find the boat to make the long trip back to Puerto Alegria. (Since it was so late, Oriel missed the last 10 minutes of the game because he had fallen asleep. I had to carry him in my arms out of the stadium and on to the bus.)

We didn´t make it back to Puerto Alegria until very late that night and it wasn´t until 1am before everybody was in bed and asleep. Despite it being a long day, it was a great experience – something I will have a hard time forgetting.

For those that are interested, CNI (the home team from Iquitos) won over Ancash (which the province where the Girasoles Kusi home is located), 2-0. It was a good game to watch.