Fútbol Fun

Most of the GW Chile group, me included, went to watch a national soccer game last night. For anyone who is clueless about Latin American culture: soccer is a big deal. The game featured Colo-Colo, the least-loved of the three national Chilean teams, and Corinthians, a team from Brazil that is even less loved than Colo-Colo. I took the metro to the stop closest to the stadium and immediately noticed the rowdiness surrounding me: vendors selling Colo-Colo fan gear and “completos” (hotdogs), drunk guys yelling profanities, and large groups of fans chanting as they stumble off buses. It is illegal to buy, sell, and consume alcohol in the stadium, so people prepare ahead of time. Lise-Anne, the GW Chile director, reminded us to be extremely cautious with our belongings, and suggested that we bring no more than absolutely necessary because petty theft is common is such large crowds. She also reminded the girls to stay in groups, preferably with guys from the program.

The game was enthralling, with plenty of cheering, chanting, and laughing. What surprised me the most was the amount of cursing and profanities yelled at the opposing team, regardless of the families and kids in the stadium. Another aspect that interested me was the snacks being sold which included potato chips and churros, not the typical foods we see at a stadium in the US. To the Chileans delight, Colo-Colo won the match 1-0.