Forza Viola!

On Sunday night, many of us took a trip downtown to watch AFC Fiorentina (la viola di firenze) take on FC Roma in what would be an epic soccer match. Our first impression was formed when we got off the train. About ten minutes before the game started, we could hear deafening singing coming from the stadium four blocks away. It's amazing how 40,000 furious fans can all manage to stay together in song. At Wisconsin, we barely manage to keep "Let's Go Red" together for 15 seconds! The game itself was masterfully played by both teams. Knotted up at zero following intermission, Roma scored off a corner kick with 10 minutes left to play. Though Fiorentina mounted a furious comeback they just couldn't crack Roma's defense. The team lost 1-0, prompting a slue of angry and bitter insults in the general direction of the referee (they have a whole song dedicated to insulting a ref!).

Soccer in Italy is rowdier than most sporting events in America. You know the fans are serious about their team when the opposing fans are secluded with bulletproof glass and two rows of armed policemen. You also know fans are serious about their team when you have to pass through a metal detector to get in to the stadium. Though I had no contraband, the guards threw away the batteries for my camera. I guess I could have thrown them at a Rome player. Good call, Per MarItalia!

Following the game (which ended at 11 pm), several of us continued to Florencepub, an American bar that shows football games, for the Super Bowl. The place was packed with many American students, most of whom stayed until the end of the game. As soon as Peyton "pulled a Favre," we bolted to a cab and were home and in bed by 4:30 am. I must say that it's strange watching a Super Bowl without a smorgasbord of dips, chips, candy, and soda. Rather this year, I was sipping Espresso trying desperately to stay awake. Though Europe doesn't have the same ads that America gets to watch, we did get to see the halftime performance of The Who. Though I consider myself a big fan of The Who, I was rather disappointed. Frankly, at the age of 68, Pete Townshend is getting a little old to effectively power strum through Baba O'Reiley!

Tonight I met again with my conversation partner. Tonight he took me to Sesto's local bike store and showed me the top quality bikes that Italians ride on a daily basis. I asked him if he had heard of Trek, the great Wisconsin brand endorsed by tour champion Lance Armstrong and 7th place Waupaca Triathlon finisher Ryan Panzer. While his store doesn't carry Trek, most of the bike shops in Italy are authorized Trek Dealers- good to see Waterloo represented overseas!

Big week here. Several exams and papers. Tomorrow heading back to the middle school to teach kids about American food (including bratwurst and cheese curds, of course!).

Per Sempre Viola!