There has certainly been a fair bit of World Cup in my life since Friday. I guess that is what happens when you are married to a football obsessed Latin American who has pretty much watched every game (yes including the 4am ones). I’ve assured him he now has no excuse not to get up at all hours to a crying baby. If he can do it for a football match he can do it for his child as well.

We had a World Cup BBQ on Friday night. In keeping with “the world game” it was a very multicultural affair – Colombians, an Argentinian, Dutch, Swiss, Philipino, Chinese, South African and of course the Australians and the Peruvian. I’m not sure how everyone squeezed into our lounge room but they did, the more the merrier I suppose. It was also a very noisy affair. Our friend from South Africa had his brother send 20 Vuvuzelas (those very noisy instruments you can hear at every game, they sound a bit like blowflies) and they are really loud but fun too.

I thought the opening ceremony was great. A low tech affair compared to many of these events but so colourful and upbeat and fun. Then there was kick off for the first game – South Africa vs Mexico. We were going for South Africa, so it was very exciting for us when South Africa scored (lots of vuvuzelas) not so much when Mexico did but a draw was pretty good really.

I also got up at 4am for the Australia vs Germany game which I am sure everyone knows was a humiliating 4 point defeat. Not that I particularly want Australia to win the World Cup, as mentioned I am going for South Africa at this stage and then after that Argentina. I know that is not very patriotic of me but I am of the view that Australians get enough sporting victories and that perhaps with football (soccer) we should let others have a go but I was sad for them. To go down by that much is very embarassing after you have worked so hard and Germany isn’t exactly an underdog.