URUGUAAAAAY CAMPEOOOON

Wow. What a day it was, spent a lot of time in the house again, but at least this time I had company! Lu and I walked to the Super to get the stuff we needed for lasagna and I helped/ watch them make that for lunch. Gerardo’s son Martín is here visiting since it was Fathers Day. After every meal we eat something sweet whether it is a dessert or fruit but something, well today it was fruit and the fight for one leftover Ricardito. Pause. Rewind.

Last night I tried a new candy or dulce as they are called, Ricarditos. I really don’t know how to explain it at all but the box says meringue covered in chocolate on a wafer. Meringue is almost like the marshmallow gooey stuff you can find in some candy in the U.S. but waaaaay better, I don’t even really like marshmallows, but this was good!

Okay, back to today. After last night there was one lonely Ricardito left and everyone wanted it so we tried picking numbers twice except we realized that my host mom wanted it too and she was choosing the number! So then ripped up a napkin into 6 pieces and wrote “RICARDITO” on one of them and whoever got it won. After we all picked one we opened it up and my host mom of course had it so she proceeded lavish in winnings in front of everyone. It was quite funny if I do say so myself.

After lunch people started gathering in the street to watch the big game! I didn’t realize until later that people would be watching the game from the front of the building across the street. Kiddie-corner to the apartment is basically City Hall and they played the game on a screen outside and THOUSANDS of people came to watch. There were fireworks, flaires, car horns, drums, you name it. Lu and I went down to look at the festivities before the game started, but watched with the family (including grandma, grandpa, an aunt, and their cousin). Every time a goal was scored the entire street erupted below us and everytime we went to the little balcony to watch. This was the first soccer game I have ever watched in its entirety and what a first time it was!

Uruguay ended up winning the game 3-0 and the streets went craaaaazy! About ½ hour after the game Lu, Caro, Martín, one of their cousins and I went down to the street and people were essentially just screaming and singing songs that apparently are related to Celeste. Again we didn’t stay too long or go too far, but what an experience to be among the crowd. My family thought it was the same in America for football or baseball, but trust me, what we do as fans has no comparison!