Submitted by Sara Feldman on the 2012 spring semester program in London, England…
When one lives in London, one quickly figures out that the favorite sport here is football (in American terms soccer)! When you go to a local pub, talk with a Professor, chat with your barista, it is pretty obvious that football is not just a sport here, but a part of British culture. Each individual has his or her favorite team, breathes their team colors, has a vast knowledge of each team’s players, knows the stats, etc. Living in Britain, the logical thing to do was to check out what all the hype was about and attend a football game LIVE! So, Tuesday evening some schoolmates and I attended what for most of us was our first ever live European football match. To be a part of the crowd in the stands cheering on the red and white striped local Brentford team was a great time. The game was never boring. It was filled with fast-paced athletes kicking, head-butting, and sprinting up and down the field. Midway through the game it started to rain, but that didn’t stop the match from carrying on; and the fans’ cheering and chanting only got louder. By the end of the match, with Brentford winning 2-0, I understood why so many Brits are football crazed fans. 🙂