Football Egypt Style

Egypt VS. Italy!

So, about two weeks back someone in my Chapter mentioned some football game with Egypt playing someone. I wasn't too interested, but they seemed excited and asked if we could go. So our AFS people set out to get us tickets. They then told me that it was EGYPT VS. ITALY and that it was a FIFA game...that was when I got excited! They told us it was going to cost 5 LE (about 1 U.S.D.) we were all surprised at the low cost. So two days ago they tell us the tickets were sold out and that they had to buy tickets on the black market. Only, this time it was going to cost 25 LE and was for two games. The first game being Nigeria vs. Tahiti. Immediately we had a debate about which team we would cheer for in that game. We decided Nigeria because they were in Africa. We also decided we needed to go shopping for outfits to wear in support of Egypt! So, yesterday, we met at 4 o'clock thinking that we would be able to leave immediately and get there early. I guess we still don't understand the Egyptian concept of time....! We didn't leave the meeting place till 5:30. Then the traffic was CRAZY! We drove around for 2 hours getting there and trying to find a place to park. No wonder it was hard because more than 80,000 people were trying to get to the same place! Finally we found a place to park. We then did facepaint. My friend and I had the genius idea to put the Egyptian flag on our hands and stamp it on our faces so we did that, only problem was we had nowhere to wipe our hands, so now, her pants are super pretty with Egypt colors!!! We walked to the stadium with our 2nd class tickets and went through multiple searches. When we go to the 2nd to last gate we got held up because we didn't have are tickets anymore. We had given them to someone who we had bribed to give us 1st class tickets. We waited and waited and they finally let us through. Then, there was the last gate, we still had no tickets and we were at the 1st class gate! They would NOT let us through, well, they let some of us through, but I don't know how that worked! We must have looked like jail birds from the other side, clawing at the gate. By this time the Tahiti vs. Nigeria game was just ending so it was about 9:00. After waiting for awhile longer and trying everything from looking cute to begging we decided it was time to give in. We went to the third class gate. All through the waiting I was jumping up and down, dancing, twirling, and yelling with excitement, I just couldn't stand still! It was quite ironic that we ended up in the third class seats way at the top because we originally had 2nd class tickets, and we paid MORE to bribe someone...look where that gets you! The crowd was crazy...almost the whole 80,000 were cheering for Egypt though there were small crowds of Italy fans and a large military section wearing bright colored uniforms. I bought an Egyptian flag which is my prized possession now. Overall I had an AMAZING time and hope to go again! Oh, I forgot the most important part! EGYPT WON! We won 5-3! Gosh, how I love to be an Egyptian.
I even love Egypt in my dreams! Last night I had a nightmare that I was back in the U.S. and I was balling because I was going to miss the first day of school in Egypt and I wanted to go back...I LOVE EGYPT!!!