Soccer Star

Dorothy, Noah's nanny and our housekeeper, is on a women's soccer team.  She told us many of her teammates are also domestic workers who live and work in the surrounding neighborhoods, and they've been playing together for years.  (This seems ripe for a good book or PhD thesis.)  She had a game in mid-March (on G'ma Marcie's birthday, in fact!) and we went to cheer her on.  It really felt like we were out of the ex-patriot world.  A crowd gathered to watch the game, but the only other white folks happened to also know Dorothy.  Lucy thought it was exciting and Noah quickly made friends.

The best part was that women started chanting before the game to get the team pumped.  It took me by surprise and yet it seemed so natural to everyone around them.  They danced periodically throughout the game and I compiled a quick video. (It's a bit long, sorry, but feel free to skip ahead by dragging the video timer.)

Click to view a larger version in YouTube.

 The team and its new mascot!

(Dorothy is in the back row, 3rd from the right)

We wait for the game to begin.

Noah gets a ride.

 The game begins!

 

Fancy foot work.

The coach talks to the team during half-time. 

We'll have to pick up some vuvuzelas. (Let us know if you'd like us to send you one.) 

Market Day

Earlier that day, we went to the Hazel Food Market, an outdoor event that occurs each Saturday in Pretoria.  Lucy loved it because it has a bouncy castle (like a Moon Walk).  Noah enjoyed the plastic forks.

Who are you calling a Housewife?

Yes, I do most of the shopping (like any good member of the Berger Tribe), and like any good shopper, I appreciate convenience.  But I'm not sure how I feel about the pre-weighed bags of bananas they sell at our local grocery store ("SuperSpar!").   FYI, the price is 8.99 Rand, which is about $1.30.  (But the exchange rate is getting noticeably worse.)

Shopping through the bush. xo,
Glenn

P.S. Dorothy's team won!