National Pride

World Cup is a great time in Brazil! The country stops to watch the Brazilian team play. It is best to watch the game with a group of friends or family. Everyone tries to wear yellow, green and blue. The two hours before the games, the streets are clogged with motorcycles, cars, trucks, and buses all trying to arrive at their pre-game destination before the opening whistle.

In the street you see huge 3 colored flags flying between apartment buildings, cars with small or huge flags flying, the Brazilian flag displayed in windows and atop buildings, vendors selling flags, noise makers, even hats and streets painted with flags!

When the game begins everyones' eyes are glued to the TV. You hear the groans as they miss the goal or the opponent almost scores. Every person become a couch coach or a couch referee! Instructions are yelled at the game. Shouts are heard as well as the noise makers.

Then the country erupts when the Brazilian team makes a goal. Everyone shouts, dances, hugs, blow their noise maker and runs outside to set off fireworks.

When Brazil wins, chaos occurs. People take to the streets to shout congratulations, set off fireworks, or race through the neighborhood in a loaded car with people hanging out the windows.

For the American mission team visiting, they couldn't understand all the excitement over just a soccer game. What they didn't realize is that the PRIDE of Brasil as a nation is on the line.

SO gooooooooooo BRASIL!!!!!

Reporting from a crazy place,

Arlene for the Flurrys