I do not care about the World Cup

We just moved to Seoul and, while I've never been a "sports person" before (I'm American and usually didn't know who was playing in the Superbowl or World Series unless it was a hometown team) I've had to get into the Red Devil fever here. It's something to see thousands of people crowd into a downtown square to watch a soccer game televised on giant screens. Given the level of enthusiasm here, I think it would seem unpardonably rude to not root for the home team.

You must be different to me then. I have lived in the US for over 5 years and I still just do not get it. Don't get baseball, don't get superbowl, don't get thanksgiving. I see all the enthusiasms for these events shown by American yest still, culturally I just can't "get it". I dont think it is possible to truly understand another country's culture, not after one year, not after five years. How many years would it take? it's not about seeing it, it is about feeling it. At least that is gow it is for me. Becks & Posh ( http://becksposhnosh.blogspot.com/ )

I worked in Ireland one year during the cup. My office mates were INSANE, stark raving MAD during the whole thing. There were flags. There were heated conversations. There was, truth be told, a significant amount of dough to be had in the office betting pool.

I totally get it, actually, it's just not my scene.

Nerd's Eye View ( http://www.nerdseyeview.com )

marishibooya hits the nail on the head. As a Brit living in the US, I know only to well how impossible it is to pick up on the culture of another nation's National game.

The world cup can bring a whole country together. I have seen it happen and I have been amazed, and moved and touched deeply by the feelings of camraderie. Can you imagine London in the rush hour with not one vehicle on the streets? And only silent sidewalks that are suddenly accented by roars (of either joy or despair) coming from the packed pubs. Only the world cup could do this to a whole country.

I can't turn a blind eye to such raw passion. It's exciting.

Becks & Posh ( http://becksposhnosh.blogspot.com/ )

Can we have a link to your family World Cup blog? Folks who DO care about the world cup might enjoy seeing it!

Nerd's Eye View ( http://www.nerdseyeview.com )

I suppose it's the appeal of a global competition with the best of the best playing together in one location. It's a show of nationalism on such an enormous scale. Plus the players are each racing to make a goal for their country and a name for themselves. The players have amazing, intense chemistry and personality that watching them work together to make amazing plays adds to the mystique and awe of how the game is played. I'm only a new convert to Soccerism and I can understand both why it's popular and why it's not (in the States at least).

-Maria
Shibooya ( http://www.shibooya.com )

When it's Stanley Cup final time?

I'm such a good Canadian girl. ;)

Monkey Trouble ( http://sassymonkey.wordpress.com/ ), Sassymonkey Reads ( http://sassymonkeyreads.wordpress.com/ ), and Sassymonkey Eats ( http://sassymonkeyeats.wordpress.com/ )

Too funny. TW and I were wondering aloud why this whole World Cup thing was getting so much press all over the place. Weird. Boring. But then again, I'm sure World Cup people are bored by things I find interesting. I'll just be glad when it is all over.

~Denise
Daily Dose of Denise ( http://flamingohouse.blogs.com )

And for me and my family it is the opposite. We just love World Cup in Soccer. We have planned for it for years, and we have holiday from job for have time for all matches. We will also go to Berlin the last two weeks, we have booked hotellrooms and we have tickets.
And we are blogging together, I and one of my sons, about all matches.
Thats a month with soccerfestival.

Chadie