Mitzi and I are in a battle royal of fandom.  She’s from Boston and a diehard Celtics fan while I was born a Laker baby and can’t help but defend my team (with the help of Miss Nadia).  It started innocently enough, printing little stickers for our respective teams…. but things may get ugly in the next week. 

Yesterday Nadia sent two 1st grade delegates with a yellow and purple Laker paper chain, they accidentally said it was for Father’s Day, but what are you going to do?  Since the Celtics had lost the night before I made Mitz wear it during our wake up train (we just run around the class to wake the kids up).  She was scowling the entire time telling me “When the Celtics win this will be you!!”  We shall see tonight…

In retaliation to her paper chain shame she made me make a Celtics one with the kids.  They’re both hanging in our room, equal representation…. I really don’t want to wear it, the Lakers better win.  Over the next week I hope to change her computer background to Derek Fischer or Kobe…. This has been such a fun time haha, the kids think we’re hilarious.

Add to NBA Finals the madness of the World Cup starting this Friday (we are pretty much required to watch it with our classes, the Minister of Education in Costa Rica decreed that all teachers must allow their students the option of watching the opening ceremony from 8-10 am) and you have a most excellent and pride-filled end of the school year.  Both events are a great way to “wave your flag” and peacably celebrate the fabulous sports of basketball and soccer with all your friends.  Even though Mitz and I are bugging each other about basketball, we’re still having fun, and I hope the kids can be supportive of their team yet enjoy the company of those who aren’t rooting for the same group.

I love sports and songs for the sports and and, this is a wonderful way to leave Costa Rica, my lasting impression is going to be of a group of people who value the celebration of sportsmanship and the World Cup over the more conventionally valued “real” education. 

Here’s K’naan’s Wavin Flag (the world cup anthem) featuring Nancy Ajram of Egypt, just to show how freaking global this thing is.. HABIBI!!!

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