Big Pictures

There are big things happening in Europe right now.



1) Flooding. It has rained a LOT in the last two months. The Danube has flooded out roads, entire islands, villamos (electric trams/above-ground subways) and even the metros. People have started sand bagging in NE Hungary. I saw yesterday the results of flooding and traintracks... and how the water just wiped away the built up part under the track, leaving a funny picture... picture the ground and then three feet above, picture the iron tracks and wood planks suspended until they can rest on the built up rocks again in a place the water DIDN'T wash it away. I had pictures... but they're on my computer and it's currently inaccessible. Not gone forever, just temporarily inaccessible.



2) VB - világbajnokság... aka the World Cup. I know that many of you Americans have no idea that this is even happening, so allow me to enlighten you for a few minutes. This is the biggest sports related event in the world (NOT the Superbowl or World Series or Indy 500 as we've come to believe in Smalltown, USA). It's even bigger than the Olympics (check out the viewer ratings 4 years ago!) The World Cup takes place every 4 years and this year, it's in South Africa. Here's what's funny: If you're a place of business with a television in Hungary, then you are playing every single game of the World Cup. There's even a giant screen set up in a park not far from my apartment!
Sadly, Hungary wasn't in the final 32 teams that are chosen to play, but you'd never know it by the number of people at each of these games. So far, I've had three memorable games.
--- #1 - USA vs. England - I watched this in a bedroom at camp with Gyuri, a "crazy gypsy man" as he calls himself. Watching it in Hungarian, in the dark, with a guy that kept jumping up to fix the antennae that were working just fine... only to constantly adjust to a terrible spot and then readjust to the exact place they were in the first time.
--- #2 - Germany vs. Australia - Memorable as I watched it with Simon, my German friend in a restaurant in Hungary.
--- #3 - USA vs. Slovenia - As I went back to Budapest for a few days, I got a phone call from Matt about meeting up. Apparently some major showdown was happening at 3p and I should be there. We decided to meet at our favorite American food joint: Burger King. Over a cheeseburger and iced coffee, we watched a silent tv play the game. I think about how sad Matt is at this moment (he's such a soccer fan, he has an official US jersey!) because he actually had the option of going to South Africa for his year... and the volunteers in South Africa have gone to/are going to at least one game. However, I know he thinks that watching it with his favorite person from Saranac, MI in his favorite Burger King in Hungary has got to be a close second, right?

Anyway - keep watching, kids!
Two of the following teams can advance and of course, the two with most points.
Right now it's:
Slovenia - 4
England - 2
USA - 2
Algeria - 1

USA will play Algeria on Wed., June 23. Don't miss it because I'm HOPING that USA will come back from today's sad performance and pull ahead of England.
For that to happen, the USA has to win. If they win, they're in no matter what. If they tie, as long as Englad ties or loses, they're fine. If they lose... well, we won't talk about that. k?