June 10, 2010 - After all the years and all the questions and all the doubts, it’s finally real. The World Cup on African soil!
I landed at 7 pm local time after the easiest 19-hour travel day ever…I even got 7 hrs of sleep between Atlanta and Jo'Burg. I had wondered what my first visit to the African continent in 7 years would feel like. What emotions would I have about it? When I last left Africa in the fall of 2003, I had been in Morocco as a member of their 2010 World Cup bid committee competing against the favorites, South Africa. For many years I have wondered if FIFA’s host country choice was the right one.
But upon exiting my plane, I knew immediately I was in a special place, and this was going to be a most memorable World Cup. Lines of airline staff, all in crisp uniforms and big smiles greeted us at every turn. No visa requirement made the immigration lines move quickly - a fine example to every future host of big international events. Every surface up down the airport, simply everywhere one looks is covered in festive World Cup sponsor decor. As we approached the customs exit, I thought I heard that sound, that uniquely South African sound that will no doubt come to define this Cup...then when the doors opened and the massive waiting crowd was revealed before me, the only sound I heard was ear deafening blaring of the vuvuzelas. Every hair on my body stood on end, tears welled in my eyes. I was back at the World Cup!
A quick trip up to the ticket center and in less than a minute I had all 6 match tickets in hand. The self-service kiosks only require one’s credit card and print the tickets within seconds on the spot. With tickets in hand and a “yeah baby” yell, high-fives are shared amongst all the fans who now have tickets safely in hand.
Now for some sustenance! But instead of typical airport fare, I discover a wonderful meal of flame grilled spicy chicken, chips (fries to Americans) and a Coke light. Now off to locate my lodging for my three nights in Johannesburg. I am staying with a photographer from San Francisco, a friend of a friend in a charming little house in the wonderful neighborhood of Melville, just minutes from the University of Johannesburg. Outside the front walls of the yard, the bars and restaurants of the neighborhood are blaring the big, pre-opening concert on every TV and people of all colors and ages are flocking to the street from every direction.
My host, Doug whom I’ve know all of 10 minutes, leads me around the corner to a little bar already so packed that you know it ‘s the place to be. We squeeze in and immediately are greeted by everyone as if we’re locals arriving at our local bar.
Mexicans and English, Argentines and Americans hugging and drinking with South Africans, both black and white…everyone giddy that tomorrow is the long-awaited kickoff. The English sing and chant, the same old songs they always do, followed by the chants of Meh-he-co, Meh-he-co only to be drowned out by a deafening chant of “Dos a cero! Dos a cero!” by the US fans (led by yours truly of course!). We all watch the concert and cheer when each new artist begins to play. When Shakira is joined by Wyclef Jean and sings with her hips, the place goes wild. When she follows with the World Cup anthem, everyone stops and sings along. Another goose-bump moment!
I’ll close with some words from a South African at my table, as he describes his country:
“60% of the time we don’t like each other, the other 40% we manage to just tolerate each other. But this past week something happened…we became one…simply South Africans, putting our hopes and dreams in the Bafana, Bafana (meaning “the boys, the boys” - the loving nickname for their national team). It feels good…I wish we had something like this every week!”
Yes, the World Cup is a huge sporting spectacle, but its power to bring the world together always amazes me. Only 6 hours into my stay it’s clear that Africa’s Cup is primed to teach the world this lesson more convincingly than maybe any Cup before it.
