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1. 1 On July 13th, 2007, Victoria said:

   Hi Margaret. I was in Brazil when they won the World Cup twice – was it ‘92 and 96? I can’t remember the years but I remember the experience. Every time Brazil played the entire city shut down. I have never seen anything like it. Rio has more than 6 million people – many so poor that they only use their shacks to sleep in. The streets everywhere are always teeming with masses of people because so many have no where else to go. But somehow, everyone found a TV to sit in front of during the games. The din of noise from such a city is a constant, but not during the games. It was deadly silent except for the occasional screaming when a goal was made. I had to drive through the city during a game, and it was so quiet and empty it was spooky. But I always knew the score simply by listening to the cheers or groans that punctuated the silence.

   When we won, the city erupted. The fireworks were omnipresent and so loud that if felt like we were under attack. The noise and celebration lasted nearly 24 hours. I have never experienced anything like it.

   Soccer (or, as it is known outside of the USA – football), is a sport that crosses the economic divide. Anyone with a ball can play, and a field can be created anywhere. I’ve even seen boys in the favelas (slums) using tightly wound cloth when they had no ball.

   Now, about 15 years since my first experience of the World Cup, I’ve become a devoted soccer fan. The athleticism of soccer players is more demanding, I think, than any team sport other than basketball. I still don’t completely understand the “Off sides” rule, but it doesn’t hinder my ability to love to watch the game. My husband started playing in Brazil and still plays every week. My son plays as well and our family loves going to Gillette stadium to watch the New England Revolution. It’s way cheaper than the Patriots ($18.00/person) and since it is usually only attended by about 12,000 fans, you don’t have to wait in huge lines to get out of the parking lot. The crowd at these games are also fun – probably the biggest cultural mix for any event in New England.

   I’m really excited about our World Cup. We have teams representing 14 countries and not only have we filled all the slots, we have 4 temas on a waiting list!!! If you’ve never been to a soccer game, now is your chance. It is really cheap and the teams are extremely competitive. I’m not sure which country you might cheer for, but they will probably be present. The proceeds will go to help support our work at ONE Lowell with truant youth, so you get to watch some great games, share in a great cultural experience, and help struggling kids in Lowell. Hope to see you there!