England vs. U.S.A.

Well, this is it, folks. This is what my entire study abroad experience comes down to: tonight's World Cup match, showing at 7:30pm here. The immense showdown. The big kahuna.

I'm just kidding, I couldn't care less.

I don't think I've ever watched a soccer game in full before, and I would be perfectly happy if it stayed that way....

But isn't this such a weird coincidence? Is it just me, or have there been lots of "the special relationship" related events this year? And what exactly is this special relationship? All year I've been trying to piece it out...

It was coined by Churchill (I think?) and has been used by politicians on both sides of the Atlantic ever since. What's interesting to me, however, is the trickle-down effect it has on the relationships between actual people... not saying that politicians aren't people... well, maybe I am.

When I first got here, I thought the relationship was pretty simple. I thought they were all the stereotypically well-spoken and intelligent ones, and I was the stereotypically outgoing and friendly one.... and we all thought the other was incredibly charming. But now that I've been here for a while, and developed really strong friendships, it's easier to see why these politicians stick with the word "special" over any other more descriptive adjective.

I never once thought of myself as patriotic in any way before I came here, but now I find myself defending America fairly frequently. And being from California puts me in an weird position, as it is often considered by Americans, Californians, and most citizens of the world, to not really be a part of the U.S. But, as much as I hate to admit this, it is. And as furious as I get over *sigh* many, many things in the States.... Arizona's immigration law, the ignorant idiots I lived with in the dorms freshman year, that vomit-inducing horror of an organization known as the Tea Party, or anything that comes out of South Carolina... I still only really fit in America. And no matter how much I love it here, how long I live here, and how much my accent changes, I will always be the American.

So maybe I will cheer for America tonight. We'll probably lose. And then my friends will have yet another reason to tease me. But I don't care... because I'd rather be teased for my accent, Americanisms, and my country's inability to play soccer by these wonderful people than never have met them at all.

Go U.S.A?

I get the news I need on the weather report....