The national sport (and pastime)

On Wednesday we were treated to a most spectacular sporting event - a soccer match featuring Ethiopia and Somalia! Apparently it was a big deal - some kind of qualifying game. We were picked up at 1:00 and made the short drive to the stadium. This was clearly one of those kind of events where a "guide" of some sort was helpful (if not downright necessary). Thankfully, we had three of our own! Upon our arrival we walked for what seemed like miles to a special area to purchase tickets. We were then ushered into what appeared to be VIP seats. I say this because each of us actually had a "seat" as opposed to a concrete slab, where most spectators sat. Our seats were $6US each. We got settled in and waited, and waited, and waited. Turns out that the game was still hours from kick-off. We then experienced more than two hours of "pre-game" entertainment, including a marching band!



This fan was clearly ready for the game....



As was this one....



Oh yeah, and the die-hard fan directly in front of me....



....and the game begins....



....and the local fans cheered....



It was a fantastic game and a truly unique experience for us! The sound was deafening when the local lads scored the first goal.....(so much so that Luke actually started crying). The place went crazy. It was 1-0 at the end of the first half. The game was rough, with the primitive-style "stretcher" making more than one appearance. Ethiopia really opened it up in the second half though with 4 unanswered goals (how's that for hockey lingo?), for a final score of 5-0. The "gaint wave" was performed multiple times :)

We were all pretty tired when we finally got home after 6 pm. I am not sure the boys enjoyed the game as much as I did. When Luke wasn't napping, he was busy driving his hot-wheels through the stands. Levi was fascinated with the fact that his seat actually opened and closed. He must have moved it back and forth a hundred times. Overall, an outstanding afternoon - definitely another memorable experience from our time here in Addis!

Despite a fairly large cheering section (and gorgeous blue uniforms), the visiting team just couldn't pull it off. Poor Somalis - those people just can't catch a break! You can't help but feel for these guys and a nation as a whole. Despite their historical relationship, the Ethiopian people have been coming to their rescue as of late. Because the Somali/Kenyan border is too dangerous for them to cross, literally hunderds of Somali refugees still cross over into Ethiopia every day, escaping the famine and violence in their home country. Yet another reminder of the harsh reality that IS this part of the world.