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11:21 p.m. - June 21, 2002
Sometimes, outside influences assert themselves
In the span of about 30 seconds, I became a World Cup fanatic. It truly was the weirdest thing--I went to Marienplatz to buy me some books, and I went to the ATM in the Hypovereinsbank cafe, and there was, predictably, a huge crowd in the cafe. All Germans, of course. So I'm waiting for the ATM to spit out my money, and then I became a soccer fan.

This was just weird. I stood there for like half an hour, strained my neck to see the TV screen, and muttered curses when the Germans cheered and did boilermakers when the Germans groaned in despair.

All in all--even though we lost--1:0, the US boys did a really good job. The first and only goal scored in the game occured 40 minutes (to be exact: 38 minutes and something like 39 seconds) into the game. I left after that point because it was just weird to be the only American in a huge, huge crowd of Germans who were all cheering and rooting for their boys. I guess it would be like me being the only Indians fan in the stadium in a World Series playoff against those (damn) Yankees.

I am impressed with the US team though. They played hard, and the fact that they have never made it to the quarter finals for 72 years is really impressive. Cool. Now as CNN.com tells me, order is restored because Brazil and Germany are now facing each other (for what, the umpteenth year in a row?)

I'm going back to not caring about sports. (You could probably guess that I went shopping right after I left the cafe, which was a lot less stressful, though not less frustrating, since I was trying to find a CD of the Dreigrosschenoper (Threepenny Opera). But I did buy a lot of books and CDs because I figured I might as well get it all over with, so I can just pack the next few weeks and mail things home without too much panic (Ha. What makes you think I wouldn't panic?)

And if you were wondering what I did on my birthday, we went bowling and I creamed everyone (scores: 127, 114, 139).

 

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