Vamos CHILE!

CHI! CHI! LE! LE! CHI-CHI-CHI- LE-LE- LE VIVA CHILE! screamed and sang the Chileans at the soccer game! I went to my FIRST futbol (soccer) game here in Chile.I have never been one for soccer. It's not that I didn't like it, but more like I just never got that into it. But... I think my host brother Tomás is very proud of me, because now I am really starting to like it. =) Especially when I get to see it LIVE. It definitely makes a difference! So from now on soccer is more on my radar. Haha thanks to this house full of boys. Soccer Fanatics! =P Everyone in my host family is divided into different Chilean soccer teams. My host brother Nacho and my host dad Gabriel are both Santiago Wanderers fans. My host brother Matias is a fan of Colo Colo. Finally there are the fans of La U: my host brothers Tomás and Lucas and my host mom Alicia. La U used to be associated with the Universidad de Chile (University of Chile). This is the University that my host brother Tomás goes to in Santiago. And me...what team do I have? I don't have one! hahaha. I have decided that it is safer to play it neutral. It is safer that way. It is pretty funny when everyone tries to sweet talk me into choosing their team of choice. Gabriel always says that I am his "Wanderina." But I have to say that my host brother Tomás and Lucas definitely try the hardest to convince me to choose La "U." They are always showing me videos on youtube. Videos of amazing goals and the crazy fanatic fans.

Anyways... back to the game on the 14th. I went with a group of 30 people and we took a bus. The game was against Ecuador. The game was played at the Monumental Stadium in Santiago. The Chilean team usually plays at the National Stadium, but right now it is under construction. The Monumental Stadium is also where Matias's team Colo Colo plays. My friend Philippe helped organize this whole trip to the game. We were all spirited with our red Chilean fútbol jerseys. My host brother Tomás let me borrow his. =) I also bought a Chilean flag! It only cost me $3. We had pretty good seats too. We were right behind one of the goals. It was so funny...So our group was made up of a lot of exchange students, especially blonde, white american girls. That REALLY caught the attention of the majority of Chilean guys in the stands. The next thing we knew they were standing up in groups and applauding. haha There was cheering and the snapping of photos. I even took some pictures with some of them, who had their faces painted like the Chilean flag. Talk about spirit! They have so many chants and songs. I learned almost all of them. =P We did the wave with the rest of the audience. Someone even made a dummy doll that was wearing a little yellow shirt like the players from Ecuador. Everyone was tossing it around in the stands. People even brought in toilet paper and beach balls. However, the most impressive as the amount of fireworks and flares. We won the game! Chile- 1 and Ecuador -0. Overall it was an awesome day! I want to go to another one. until my next post...