Sunday, February 2, 2014

"Are You Ready For Some (American) Football?"

Miss ya, Hank Williams Jr.!  Tonight Super Bowl XLVIII will kick off around 11:30 pm Casa time.  Ugh.  I remember watching my first Super Bowl in January of '77 when in XI the Raiders whipped the Vikings and Jack "The Assassin" Tatum did his best to decapitate Sammy White.  Oops, not allowed to talk like that in today's NFL, but I digress...

Anyway, I haven't missed one from that time and I am not going to start now, my current location notwithstanding.  Last year the Consul-General was kind enough to host us expats at his beautiful and historic home at the Consulate.  If you read this blog a year ago, you may remember that the residence Villa Mirador was where Churchill stayed during the first Allied wartime conference some 70+ years ago.  That was really cool!  The getting home at 4:30 am part?  Not so much...

This year, the U.S. Marines who provide security for the Consulate have been kind enough to invite us over to their nearby pad, creatively named the 'Marine House'.  It's never uninteresting being an American who is Roman Catholic living in an Islamic nation.  With no disrespect intended toward my Moroccan friends, one nice thing that makes life go over a lot easier is that there are some ways Americans and other English-speaking expatriates can socialize here, from the Churchill Club to Dar America.  There is also a worldwide outfit called InterNations - it sponsors chapters in big cities around the globe and these chapters host monthly meet-n-greets.  I joined the Casa chapter last year; when I actually attend a gathering (no comments, Kent!) I'll let you know how it is...

I assume that tonight the bar will be open and the game will be projected on a wall as one was at a happy hour there earlier this season.  Should be a fun time!  It's getting close to lunchtime - I'll finish this up after the game...

...OMAHA!  OMAHA!  An audible was called, and I went with friends downtown to the apartment of teachers at another American school in the city.  Met a bunch of people and had a nice time.  We left at halftime because some people were getting sleepy (cough, Kent, cough).

Since the game is as over as Philip Seymour Hoffman (too soon?), I'm hitting the sack early.  Pitchers and catchers soon!!!

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