It has already been a few weeks since this was relevant, but I don't want to leave this out. One of my goals was to go to a sports game in Korea. Baseball is the number one sport in Korea, and I think football comes after that. Since Baseball tickets are very hard to get, I still had an opportunity to go to a football game.



I didn't want to start off on a negative tone.. But dang that was one of the worst games I've ever been to. Which says a lot, because I've been only to one other game. It was a friendly match between The Netherlands and Ecuador last World Cup, which basically means that no one tries their best.

Look at us being so excited (Before the game)

Don't ask why they put all the foreigners on one flag. I'm still wondering the same question

So excited, so ignorant - definitely BEFORE the game

The game that I saw here was FC Seoul (yes, there is an FC Seoul) aginst FC Suwon (this place is just outside of Seoul). You'd figure that my lovely city, which I've grown to love and have become a proud citizen of, would kick some ass in their own stadium. Well those are LIES.  If the game wasn't bad enough, the practice before the game was already setting a standard: Shots at the goal and 90% is either missed or stopped. How in the hell are we supposed to cheer for a team that couldn't get their life together in the freakin practice. But ok, no need to be negative in a crowd of Seoul fans. The game was mostly carried by the few foreigners in the teams. There were a lot of gaps, missed opportunities, thus frustrations with me and my friends. Since we all come from either Netherlands or Germany, our standards of football are way too high. That's what we kept saying to ourselves to cut the players some slack. Anyways, even thinking about it wants me to stop talking about it.


The atmosphere however was amazing! Yes, just because the football game itself sucked, doesn't mean I didn't enjoy being there. Seoul was well represented by enthusiastic supporters. And not the violent type. People were dressed in red and black and sang all different kinds of songs. Obviously we shouted along, not knowing what the people said, and maybe even cursed without knowing, but hey, we were in it!



Their team spirit is the best, with drummers in the audience, setting up little concerts for people to sing and cheer along. Cheerleaders who could be living dolls because of the plastic surgery. And 2 mascots that supposed to represent flames (I guess?) that hype up the crowd.

I had a row of little kids in front of me, which was one of the most surprising thing. When we first sat their, there were 4 kids keeping the seats in front of us while their 2 dads were getting food or something. Now bear in mind that we're at a football stadium. Yes, I wasn't kidding about Korea being a safe place. There were so many kids at the stadium, which I thought was really cool. Usually I'd think that's either a waste of money and not to mention, could be very dangerous. But not in Korea.


The 2 kids in front of me had better English skills than the average Korean I've met and they were very nice. Their friends, who represented the shy (because they aren't able to speak English) average Korean were dressed up identically and had team spirit written all over them.
Oh btw in the video, before you wonder why people went crazy in the end. It's because they play this game show during the break and you have to get the camera's attention to win. The thirst was so real. But it was really funny though.

All in all, it was a great experience, just to experience. The football skills itself were disappointing.

I probably felt exactly the same as this little guy

Love and blessings,

Nin

 Midtermweek just ended which means that the half of my study abroad has passed as well. Time is going by so quickly and I really don't feel like going home.. In the beginning I had some days that I really missed home - and I still do - and the end couldn't come any quicker. But now, knowing that the time that has passed is the exact length of time that I still have left.

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