USA v. England

So as most of you know (unless you live under a rock or just got out of prison...or are American) the World Cup started this Friday and the US and England played on Saturday. As much as I love the English friends I've made here, all that camaraderie was put aside at approximately 2:30 Saturday morning (don't worry, friends, it was recovered at approximately 5:00 Saturday morning). 

When Erin and I heard that the English were painting their faces with their flag, we knew what we had to do: not allow America to be shamed with less hardcore fans. So with the help of Garbo (who is British but Welsh, so it's ok) I found Crayola paint and we painted up our faces. And it was amazing.


















We felt like pro-wrestlers. And straight out of the movie Nacho Libra. And awesome.

So we get to Castle, the bar where most of our friends (American and English) were watching the match, where we discover that we are the most hardcore of the Americans. People I didn't know took pictures with me, Chinese people pointed (not that that's all that unusual. . .) and many an England fan made sure to tell me that even though they hoped they stomped America into the ground, they admired the face paint. At one point, someone told me, "Go you! Not go USA, but go you!" I took that as a compliment of the highest order. And I took some pics with the enemy:






































Once the match started, there was the customary ribbing and taunting. Some new Americans from a state I won't say here (hint: it rhymes with Shmarizona) must have never been to an Ole Miss- LSU game and apparently don't understand that taunting is a part of sports. They were getting personally offended at the insults the English were yelling. . . and started yelling personal attacks at specific England fans. They overused the "1776!" chant waaaaay too much--it's funny a few times (let's be real, we all know I called all my English friends redcoats and limeys all night), but after the 87th time, just stop. We get it. We won the Revolutionary War. Let's move on, please.

Anyway, so England scores in the first 5 minutes, and the Shmarizonians are making me so 不好意思 and making America in general 丢面子 that I want to die. Or hit them.

But the game was fantastic and intense, which is really all I can ask for in any sport. So English friends, good game and your defense is fantastic; American friends, I'll be seeing you in less than three weeks!