Don't Mess With Messi!

Americans love sports.  We have long traditions of baseball and American football.  Hockey and basketball have also become very popular and millions of people watch these games every season.  I was a faithful fan of the Chicago Bulls when I was a child because Michael Jordan was the best player in the world, and he played in Chicago.  I started to enjoy American Football when I went to college.  My university had a popular team, and my friends and I went to every game, sang every team song, and lost our voices while cheering for our school. (GO COUGARS!)  However, there is one world-famous sport that Americans just don’t have a great love for:  soccer. 

Nancy and her friends at an American football game at their university (many years ago).  

I’ve always been surprised at how popular soccer is in other countries.  My mother still thinks it is a funny sport.  When she was a child at school, the girls played soccer when the boys played American football (which is usually considered too violent for girls).  So, she still thinks of soccer as a sport for little girls. 

I had friends who played soccer on our high school team, but generally, I didn’t know very many people who liked it.  Then I started to work with international students, and I started learning about how popular this sport is.  I learned about FIFA and the world cup.  I learned the names of different clubs and teams:  Barcelona, Arsenal, Manchester United, Real Madrid, etc.  I saw how passionate most of my students were about soccer.  All of this made me curious about the sport.  It made me think that maybe I was missing out on something that was a lot of fun. 

So, when my friend invited me to a soccer game that showcased Leo Messi, I decided to go and see for myself.  It was a game to support one of Messi’s charities.    He formed a team with some of his friends and they played against an American team.  I had heard his name before, but I had never seen him play and I didn’t know very much about him.  Apparently, he is the best player in the world. 

The game was a lot of fun.  Because it was a charity game and not a tournament, all of the players were very relaxed and were having a lot of fun.  In the end, Messi’s team won, of course.  I finally got to see a full soccer game and I realized why people like it so much.  The game was exciting and full of surprises.  You were never really sure when they would score, or when they would make a mistake.  The players were very good and very creative.  They had amazing moves and made incredible shots into the goal.  I never thought that I would become a fan of soccer, but I really look forward to watching another soccer game!  

Question:  What is your opinion of sports?  Give reasons and examples to explain your point. 

Blue Man Group

One of the greatest things about living in Chicago is that there are so many shows in the city.  I’m not talking about movie theaters; I’m talking about live theater, with actors, musicians, dancers, etc.  There is the Lyric Opera House, the Goodman Theater, the Auditorium Theater, etc.  Numerous Broadway plays come to Chicago every year, and there is always something interesting and exciting to watch. 

I only have one issue with going to the theater:  the price.  Each performance costs at least $50.  Some of them cost much more, depending on where you sit.  I am much too cheap to pay that much money very often.  However, I have recently learned about a wonderful way to save money and see great theater performances:  You can volunteer to usher! 

An usher is a person who works at the theater and shows the people how to find their seats.  Several theaters in the city allow people to volunteer as an usher (work for free).  All you have to do is go in, help people find their seats, and then you can watch the show for free. 

I’ve done this twice now for a show called “Blue Man Group” at the Briar Street Theater.  It’s a great and unique comedy show.  There are 3 actors who have their faces painted blue.  They don’t talk, but they play music and do comedy routines that are incredibly funny.  The show is part comedy, part rock music.  I really enjoyed seeing it. 

 

 

The first time, I went with some friends. Then, I went a few weeks later with my sister, who was visiting. We had to wear specific clothes: a white shirt and black pants. We also had to arrive an hour early for some training. It was a very easy job. We passed out the playbills (booklets that describe the show and actors) and we told people how to find their seats. During the show, we had great seats in the fifth row. At one point in the show the actors walked out into the audience and climbed over the chairs. One of the actors walked over me and my sister and used our heads to keep his balance. I was so surprised, but it was a lot of fun!

After the show, we had to stay for about 10 minutes and help clean up the theater. Then, we were done. We had a great time and didn’t have to pay anything. Actually, the second time that I went to the show we found $10 while we were cleaning the theater, and the staff told us to keep it. We actually made money while watching the show! If you are interested in seeing some shows, but you don’t want to pay all the money, try out volunteer ushering. Next, I’m going to usher at the Goodman Theater so that I can see some of their plays. I hope it’s as easy and fun.

What is the best live show that you have ever seen? What did you like about it?

If you haven’t seen live theater, describe the best thing that you have ever gotten for free.

My nation's capital: Washington, D.C.

At the beginning of May I decided to go to Washington, D.C. for a few days.  I had never been there, adn I had always wanted to see our nation's capital. 

The first thing I noticed was how small the city felt.  I’m from Chicago, which is a big city with huge buildings.  When I saw all of the small buildings in the capital, I was shocked.  The tallest ‘building’ in the city is the ‘Washington Monument.’  There is a rule that no other building can be taller than it, so all the other buildings are very squat. 

 (Washington D.C. skyline)

(Chicago skyline)

 

 

Besides the buildings, I really loved D.C.  It was exciting to see the White House and the monuments that honored the past presidents and other leaders of my country.  I wanted to take a tour of the White House, but the free tours are not available right now because the government is trying to save money. 

(White House)

 

 (Washington Monument)

 

Two of the monuments that I really liked were the Lincoln Memorial and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.  I became a little emotional at each of them because they were both such great men and inspired our country to change for the better.  Lincoln was the president during the U.S. Civil War.  That was a war between the northern and southern parts of the country.  He was able to lead the fight in the war and reunite the country.  He also abolished (ended completely) slavery. 

Another great leader was Martin Luther King, Jr.  He was not the president, and he’s the only non-president who has a monument in D.C.  He was a leader for civil rights and equality in our country.  He led a great movement in the 1960s and helped to change the laws and attitudes around the country.  Because of him, our country is now fairer and safer for everyone than it was in the past. 

 

Have you ever visited the capital of your country?  If so, what were your favorite parts?  Why?

If you haven’t, explain what makes you proud of your country. 

 

My students often ask me, “Are you a native American?”

    One of my favorite things about working with international students is that I get to learn about all of their cultures.  For example, my students from Saudi Arabia have taught me all about the calendar that they use in their country and how it compares to our calendar.  The months and years are completely different.  Now I understand why sometimes they aren’t sure about their own birthdates!  My students from Korea have taught me some of the traditions about luck in their country.  They told me that pigs are very lucky, especially if you have a dream about them! 

    In addition to learning about other cultures, I have been able to watch my students explore American culture.  They have had many questions and many laughs as they learn about the differences between their cultures and American culture.  I have enjoyed looking at American culture through fresh eyes as I join them on their international journey.  In this blog, I hope to share with them some of the typical ‘American’ experiences that come up in my life.  

(Note on the title:  A 'Native American' is someone whose family lived in this area before the Europeans came to the Americas.  Another name is the 'American Indians.'  So, even though I am originally from America, I am not a 'Native American' because my family is not from this group.)