When your American-self lives in England and the World Cup is here: The true test of loyalty?
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peacefulyorkshire
I have never seen England so erm, patriotic. England flags on cars? Puhleeeeeze folks, this is England, one does not normally display such obvious enthusiasm. You might think that it was the 1950′s Queen’s Coronation. Or the English equivalent of the Fourth of July. But you would be mistaken– because those England flags only come out for one thing in my experience. Dum dum dum dum…………….The World Cup*.
As I write this I am sitting on my Brown Ikea couch (the same one where Mr. Chill proposed) in my own personal World Cup oblivion. The England vs. Algeria game is on and Mr. Chill is in foetal position on the floor and shouting at the TV:
‘JesusChristweshouldhaveabsolutelyWHACKEthisteam’.
He doesn’t know that I am watching him writhe in agony over Cappello because he is locked into a dance with the TV screen. (He also just kicked the air (!!!) just in case you needed to visualise body gestures). All I can say is at least my ears are safe because he didn’t manage to buy a zubuzaleh. Wait ….I had to Google that spelling. Whoops, sorry its Vuvuzela.
Thank god America and England were tied because I would have never heard the end of it from all my English mates. One of our lovely readers wrote in today:
So ladies, who did you cheer for during the USA v. England match?
While I outwardly sported a patriotic red white and blue outfit, I secretly hoped that England would win. I would love to see the celebrations on the street. It is a dilemma as an Expat, isn’t it? One starts to question their loyalties.
Ok Algeria vs. England Game is over now. Poor England not doing so hot with a draw! Even Time magazine writes ‘Is England the most boring team in the world cup?
———–
* Not in Wales, Scotland or N. Ireland will you see such a plethora of the England flag, obviously. I get the feeling that some Scottish citizens were a bit upset (bitter? under-doggish? jealous?) about England’s participation when I was in Glasgow and saw a popular shirt that read ‘Anybody but England’. Awwww.
PacificBird gives her take on the never ending football season…. click here
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Proper patriotic days in England (St George’s day etc) aren’t celebrated here so much, nor are cricket and rugby matches that England plays. You have to remember that the most popular paper in the country is The Sun, so football dominates!
It’s one of the few times people can ‘safely’ fly the English flag, without being branded “racist” or offensive some dozy prig or another
my hubby is not a soccer…whoops, football…or any sport fan, really…BUT i couldn’t believe the manic frenzy he went into watching the news and cappello….whom i prefer to call acapella so i remember him…..BUT he watched 10 minutes of the game and then, back to a bit of warcraft and nighty-night….me, well, sorry…maybe ’cause i am an old lady compared to most of you young and up-comers but it’s USA now and always for me when it comes to sports….well, usually the dolphins…….miami, that is!!!
Until recently I thought Vuvuzela was a term for a lady’s parts. That’s how much of a football fan I am
Ah I love football! I watched the US v England match at a pub in Manchester, a few days before I flew back to Seattle for the summer. I’ve watched a few matches back over here and I’ve got to say I like the atmosphere better in England. Americans don’t sing and chant. I like the singing! I was initially fairly ambivalent about the outcome because everyone assumed that England and USA would float out of this stage , however after the Brits started singing at the tv that we Americans could “Stick our f*cking independence up our assess” I felt the full patriotic rage and pride for the USofA. I’m really sad that I’m missing watching in proper pubs this summer, but apparently the immigration people don’t care that I don’t plan on working very hard on my dissertation so I should be able to work full time… Bureaucrats!
# titusvilleuk
I will finally remember Capello’s name now that you said that! I’ve officially adopted ‘acapella’
“I get the feeling that some Scottish citizens were a bit upset (bitter? under-doggish? jealous?) about England’s participation”
No, just the traditional good, healthy sporting rivalry. Come this Wednesday, this Welshman will be at one with our Slovenian brethren.
Hi, by the way!
The day of the USA/England match I spoke to my 93 year old (American) grandmother whom has inexplicably become a football fan in the past week. She asked which team I was “rooting for”. I gave a fairly diplomatic answer about both teams being good, just wanting a good game, perhaps a draw would be best etc, etc. She became enraged! “But Katie, you are an AMERICAN!!!”
@katieseattle
Hahahaha!! I’m glad your Grandma is so enthusiastically rooting for the USA. I thought I didn’t really know who I was rooting for – a diplomat to the very core. It turns out that’s not even remotely the case. There’s a post due out on Tuesday
Wow, lots of readers in Seattle! The George and Dragon in Fremont is a great place to watch the World Cup. I had no problems supporting the US but did feel really bad for Robert Green after he missed that save. Poor guy!
Hi!!
I’ve been checking out your blog for a little while- and I love it! 
Just had to put that out there first.
I live in Arizona and my boyfriend lives in England… We watched the match together on the phone- though we are both not really into sports… Okay not at all into sports… (but hey, it was England versus USA, so we had an obligation to watch!)… We didn’t really watch until close to the end… And we were mostly criticizing it all… We both were very happy it was a tie (everybody wins!).
I will always be for USA- (everything!) it’s good to have a little healthy competition in your relationship, no? 
<>
everyone at work agreed i had to support england because i live here now. personally, i’m supporting south africa. or algeria, they seemed quite sportsman like during the uk game.
I live in Colorado and my boyfriend lives in Birminigham, England and he is i must say quite the footy fan! He lives and breathes for the Birmingham Blues so i found i had to get to know the sport if i wanted to understand what he was talking about. Fast forward to the England vs. USA game. We had a very healthy competeiton going on over text message while i was at the pub in the US and he was home watching the game with his 9 year old son. I didn’t realize there were so many brits that lived in Colorado. Yea! But it was very interesting to see the difference between Americans and Britains. Americans get all feisty and hot headed but the brits have this friendly english banter and the chanting is great! It made me miss England even more and wishing i was celebrating in an english pub with my englishman. But yes i was rooting for the USA! I had to give him a run for his money lol!
@yankeebean
Makes life interesting for me for sure!
I loved the “diplomat” post! My philosophy is England all the way, that is, until they play my USA, then all bets are off! My grandma’s outburst was quite adorable, but not entirely unexpected. She is old-school Irish so VEHEMENTLY anti-British.
@ Alisha
the Three Lions in Redmond is also pretty good! The food is pretty good, and it has a SOMEWHAT authentic English pubby feel. Plus there is a grocery store next door that carries those lovely British things that you can’t quite find in the states.
I have learned to sit back and watch the insanity, it’s quite amusing. I got a text from my boyfriend in England, while I was on vacation claiming I “got lucky yesterday!!” I actually thought he was referring to the amount of wine I had that night at dinner… shows how much of a soccer fan I am… Ooo I mean football! I haven’t heard the end of it!
It is so funny, though, because I’ll support the US through and through even though I didn’t even watch the match, and sit there and laugh as he gets defensive. tehehe …
LOL that’s so funny.
Talking about divided loyalties, I just watched ‘Pearl Harbour’ with my kids and the two youngest cheered when the Japanese planes came. ;(