Futbol! – 2/13/11

Today was awesome.  I slept in until 8:00.  Then I had a nice breakfast of eggs, bread, and tea and watched the news with Kofi.  I’m glad that I’m not as out of touch with the rest of the world as I was in Cuba.  Especially with all the shit going on right now in Egypt, it’s important to stay involved.

There was a news piece today about two Cuban dissidents what were freed after eight years of imprissonment.  They were arrested for speaking out for a  pro-democratic government. However, they were released against their will.  They both say they want to remain in prison until their acts have been pardoned.  Apparently th e Cuban government is making no comment and Fidel supporters are accusing them of being on a U.S. Payroll.

The football stadium

Then I hung around the house for a  bit and decided to go into town.  I followed Kofi’s instructions and was proud to make it to the Vodafone internet all on my own.  I checked my mail for a bit and then left to get a tro-tro to tech junction where I was to meet up with my group.  I nice man lead me to the tro-tros and waited until I ogt on one, again with the stranger kindess.  I got to tech and ate a whole pineapple for lunch.

Then my group went to a soccer game!  This was my first ever proffessional game.  We got to this huuuuuge stadium and paid 3 Cedi to get in.  All of the seats were painted in red, yellow, and green sections to mimmick the flag.  People walked around selling all kinds of snacks.  The game was between the Asante Kotoko and Cote D’Ivore’s Africa Sports.  There were so many people there blowing horns and clapping noise makers together .  Then as the players were warming up, the crowd all stood and started to go wild as a brigade of black Range Rovers drove into the stadium.  It was the King of the Asantes who had come to the game!  The cars blared sirens and sped a lap around the field as the crowd full of Asantes (The biggest ethnic group in Ghana) cheered.  Then it was time for the game to start.  In the first half, the Asantes were up 2-0.  But the second half brought three goals from Cote D’Ivore and we lost.

The team's flag (photocred to Ashley O.)

Later tonight, after I had fist stew at home, Kofi and I met up with Kwame and Dan at Kandi’s, the bar we went to the other night.  There was a live high life band.  We chilled and drank beer and danced.  We kept trying to get Dan to dance, but he wouldn’t.  Then Kwame left for a minute and all of a sudden, we hear the lead singer of the band saying into the microphone, “Danny boy, Obruni, come and dance!”  He kept saying it until Dan, cursing Kwame, got up and danced.  Then the singer called me up and dedicated the next song to the two of us.  It was absolutely hysterical.

~ by arosenblatt on July 24, 2011.