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Die Vorbereitungen des österreichischen U20-Nationalteams auf die Nachwuchs-WM von 30. Juni bis 22. Juli in Kanada gehen in die heiße Phase.

Am Dienstag bestiegen die 21 Spieler und das Betreuerteam das Flugzeug Richtung Übersee, die Reise führte Erwin Hoffer und Co. über Toronto nach Edmonton, wo am 2. und 5. Juli die ersten beiden Gruppenspiele der ÖFB-Auswahl gegen Kongo und Gastgeber Kanada auf dem Programm stehen. [...]

Der Verbandschef wies auch darauf hin, dass 1983 bei der bisher einzigen U20-WM-Teilnahme einer ÖFB-Mannschaft die jetzigen Kadermitglieder noch gar nicht auf der Welt waren. "Und sie werden in Edmonton vor 60.000 Zuschauern spielen, das ist eine Kulisse, die wir in Österreich gar nicht bieten können." [...]

Für das Turnier in Kanada wurden bisher 700.000 Karten abgesetzt, womit jetzt schon feststeht, dass die U20-WM das größte Einzelsportereignis in der Geschichte des Landes wird. 24 Mannschaften kämpfen in sechs Gruppen um den Aufstieg ins Achtelfinale, Spielorte sind neben Edmonton und Toronto noch Montreal, Ottawa, Burnaby und Victoria. (orf.at)

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Das Abenteuer U20-WM beginnt.. zumindest für Mannschaft und Betreuer. Ich bin wie immer spät dran, hoffe aber, noch an ein Packet ran kommen zu können, mit dem ich alle Spiele in Edmonton sehen können würde. (Das heißt, an eines der Pakete, das ein Freund eines Freundes oder so vorbestellt hat. Offizieller Preis wäre nämlich $150, es gab aber Vorabpakete für im Edmontoner Fussball Aktive für $35). Wir hatten eigentlich vor, dazu vom German Club aus einen Besuch des Krachers Österreich gegen Kanada nächsten Donnerstag zu arrangieren, aber ich bin offensichtlich nicht der einzige faule Organisator. Najo, schau ma mal, ned woahr!?

Ole, ole, ole,oleeee! :D

A little bit a lighter story about that evening.

This is the most recent episode from the series "Joachim's most embarrassing moments".

After the film screening the film maker (one of the "Wakefield Grannies") went on stage and spoke a couple of words about the movie and how everything started and how it is spreading now. She ended: "And we also have our local Grandmothers group here. I ask you all to stand up please."

So I though: "Mhh, that's a bit weird to actually ask the audience to stand up and give them standing ovations while they approach the stage - but then some things are just done a bit weirdly here - and they certainly deserve standing ovations for their work."

I stood up and clapped and turned to see the ladies approaching to the stage. So I assumed. It was only a few moments later later that I realised that only the members of that group (who were sitting among the audience) were supposed to stand up and the rest of us we were supposed to remain seated and clap.

Oh dear. I was absolutely horrified. I fell back into my seat immediately and felt how my ears and face was burning (I’m sure it was infinitely more red than my hair). I was sooooo embarrassed: Now it looked as if I wanted to pretend being a member of that group. Which might not have been all that embarrassing if people wouldn’t have noticed. But, you know, as the group was called „GANG - Grandmothers of Alberta for a New Generation“ it was kind of obvious I didn’t exactly fit in..

Oh dear. Oh dear.
I apologised to one of the ladies later and explained.
That really softened the embarrassment.

On Thursday (gee, how time flies) I went to a film presentation in the city library. "The Great Granny Revolution" is a documentary about the "Wakefield Grannies". A couple of years ago 12 elderly ladies from eastern Quebec heard from a South African nurse about her work: she gives support to South African grannies who raise their grandchildren, who are orphans after their parents died from AIDS. First it was these women that started getting involved ; now there's a whole Grandmothers to Grandmothers movement spreading throughout Canada and the US.

The film dealt less with project planning, logistics and the like but rather shows how life is on the different continents, about how a relationship developed between the Canadian and the African women. A very impressive and touching film and initiative.

Sometimes I really have this urge of just running away from this normal life and do something really useful.. But no worries I'm not a runaway person. At least not until the right cause suddenly strikes me.. :)