Sports

Sports are important in the United States. They are also important in Europe, including Germany. However, the kinds of sports people consider important on their respective side of the Atlantic Ocean are different. Americans' top four are: American football, baseball, basketball, ice hockey. Europeans favor soccer, soccer, soccer, soccer. That said, I must confess I am double lucky! First, on Wednesday the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1961. (Alas, the drought is naught!) Second, the FIFA World Cup 2010 has kicked off today.
Yet, while I enjoy living in the city of the new NHL champion, I am by no means a die-hard ice hockey fan. I did buy a hat a while ago (see photo), but merely to show my affection for my current home town. I also have various other merchandise items from the Chicago Bulls (basketball), the Chicago Cubs (baseball), the Chicago Bears (American fottball), and even the Chicago Fire (soccer). In fact, I learned about the Hawks' successful season only when they entered the Final Four, because then the city-wide hype got so large it reached even me. Still: yay for the Hawks! Good job, guys!
However, now it is soccer time! Unfortunately, the time difference between Chicago and South Africa, the host nation, is not exactly in favor of my plans on following the matches. Kick offs are 1:30 pm, 4 pm and 8:30 pm local time, which is 6:30 am, 9 am and 1:30 pm in Chicago. I am willing to get up for the first match, but if I watch the second one at home, I won't be able to start working before noon, which is unacceptable. Hence, forget about the third match, too. That wouldn't be so bad, if there were matches at 6:30 am every day. That slot won't be used anymore before we are even half way through. And that's when the play-offs start, when it actually becomes really interesting!
You know, Germany needs any supporter they can get. Across the world Germany still has a bad reputation for historic reasons. It is because back in the 1930s the government turned the entire population into haters ... and I now found evidence how it was done: they had Hass avocados! If you are no speaker of German: Hass means hate. As you can see with your own eyes, both the Anglophonic and Francophonic world have seized this infamous fruit and are dealing it out recklessly to anyone. (Even to me, for that matter!) What's even worse: they are luring people into eating it by advertising how "mild" this guacamole were!
Anyways, enjoy the World Cup, everyone! No hating! May the best team win! As for Dr. Feltes, it will be South Africa, as it is where she will start a new job next month.