World Cup

What was it like to be in Brazil for the World Cup? Unbelievable. Or as they say in Portuguese, OTIMO (the ultimate?)! I had never been a big professional soccer fan, had always thought the games were boring to watch on tv and knew next to nothing about it, except how to play soccer from back in the day. Well being in Brazil for the World Cup, was quite the educational experience for me and I really got into it. In the days leading up to Brazil’s first match, houses were painted the colors of the Brazilian flag, side walks were painted, alleys, streets and telephone poles were decorated with green and yellow tassels. Sales of Brazilian attire, t-shirts, shorts, and sarongs went through the roof at the little neighborhood store that is next to my apartment.

The first Brazil game, I watched with my friend, the pousada owner, her whole family, father, mother, sisters, brothers, their families, pousada guests, and Brazilian friends. Total number of non-Brazilians in the room, me included: 2. They basically threw a huge superbowl-esque type party for the first game. They brought out the churrasqueria (grill) to make meat in the living room, and Brazil’s favorite beer was served, SKOL. My contribution, some guacamole, which wound up being a big hit, but also was quite strange for Brazilians because they eat avacado as a sweet dessert, as a mousse. They mush it up so it looks like guacamole but instead of tomatoes, garlic and spices they add sugar and milk to make it into a mousse. Ok so back to game day, everything closes in Brazil for the games. I was so surprised when I ran to the store to pick up some guacamole, to see a big sign at the entrance saying, sorry the grocery store will be closed for these two hours to support Brazil in it’s world cup game. WHAT?!! Whoever heard of a grocery store closing for a big sports event? And it was not only grocery stores that closed, convenient stores, banks, some restaurants, gas stations, I wouldn’t be surprised if even the airport closed to watch the Brazil game. (I’m sure it didn’t, but it wouldn’t surprise me in the least)

The second and third Brazil games I watched on Fernando de Noronha, where the dive shop had big Brazil parties for the games. This added a small town feel to some of the Brazil games because of the multiple nationalities present at the parties. One dive instructor was from Argentina, and there were good-natured jokes about the rivalry between these two teams and which team was better. I’m not a big soccer fan, but I also found myself rooting for Brazil and for the US team in its games. Soon enough I too began wearing Brazil colors on game days. For the US games, it was funny to be be the only person jumping and yelling when the US scored a goal. I got lots of smiles and also strange looks from the Brazilians while watcing with friends at the local bar.

One of the biggest players on the Brazil team is named Kaka; he is number 10. All throughout the world cup, there were tv commercials with him advertising this cologne or that telephone company. I would say the adoration of the soccer players is much like the adoration of any professional athlete in the US.

It was so cool to see all Brazilians into the world cup. People dressed in green and yellow on Brazil game days. There was such nationalism during the world cup. I can’t think of any sporting event in the US that unites the entire country like the world cup unites Brazil. Probably the coolest thing about the world cup was when Brazil scored a goal you could hear GGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL and screams and shouts and firecrackers and blow horns and car horns and a ruckus of celebratory noise all through the streets. However it was also tragically sad, when Brazil lost to Holland, the streets were silent. No noise, no car horns, no firecrackers. There was no one in the streets and the streets seemed to take on a desolate feel to them. The Brazilians I was with, were crying, it was sad.

The next World Cup in 2014 is in Brazil and as soon as Brazil lost this was all anyone could talk about. Fortaleza is one of the 9 or 10 capital cities were World Cup games will be played. There’s already talk and speculation about the next Brazil world cup team, who will stay and who will get cut and what next players will be added. All in all the world cup was quite the experience here. I got into professional soccer for the first time, and I too had Brazilian National Pride during the world cup. I can’t imagine what it will be like here in 2014. Perhaps I’ll have to apply for another grant to study the impacts of world cup tourism on seahorses in Brazil to find out!