Saturday morning I found myself in Montevideo, huddled under the covers in my friend's bedroom as Uruguay battled Korea to qualify for the World Cup quarterfinals. Soccer is so sacred here in South America that watching the World Cup, I've discovered, is typically a private affair. Like most Uruguayos, we watched the game at home, cell phones buzzing and ringing after each goal. And, just like my experiences in Buenos Aires, you didn't have to be watching the game to know when the home team scored - outside, the subdivision where I was staying exploded with firecrackers following each point, and a holler ran through the city.
I headed to downtown Montevideo to check out the spontaneous victory celebration. Girls waited with me at the bus stop, waving flags at the passing cars, who honked and cheered. Scores of families and friends jumped in their vehicles and began a parade down the main street, 18 de julio. You would have thought the team had won the title instead of simply making the quarterfinals. But, as my Uruguayan friend said, "We will celebrate each victory as though it is our last."
Cheers to that.
[Stephanie is a photographer and journalist based in Buenos Aires. Check out more of Stephanie's work at her site Limpire and her weblog Love Of Lens.]
Copyright, all rights reserved. Photos: Stephanie Lim. Print this page.