Today at work, one of teachers who is often friendly with me, peaked down over the computers at me and sighed, "I'm tired now. Last night I was watching the World Cup at 3 AM." This generated a small buzz of interest (any mention of the World Cup does) as others put in their 2 cents of Office Conversation. My main teacher/supervisor told me that all the members of her family (except herself) stayed up to watch the game; at 3 AM, even 80 year old Grandma was up cheering for the home team!
One of the teachers who usually keeps quite aloof of me, suddenly, eagerly looked at me and said, "America is doing well!". This piece of information was clearly offered as a rare and precious thing, an olive branch among olive branches.
Unfortunately, other than a mild interest in its political implications, I don't care a wit about the World Cup. I get more satisfaction watching grass grow. Of course, tell this to anyone around here, ALT or Japanese alike, and I get treated to a look akin to if had I just confessed a hobby of mutilating butterflies.
Besides, I am quite at odds over who I am supposed to cheer for. Japan? The US? Even Switzerland has a team, so I can't side with them on the issue of neutrality.
Really, it's quite dilemma.
Cheers,
soccer-less Baer
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