Victory!

Returning to my apartment late last night found me physically drained but mentally pumped. After a grueling 90 minutes of regular play and into double overtime, Italy beat Germany in the World Cup semi-finals!! We were watching in the Piazzale Michelangelo (an elevated plaza that offers a gorgeous look at the city below) and the atmosphere was unparalleled. I felt like I was at a huge concert - we were clapping just as if actual people were onstage - but for the gigantic tv screen set up at one end of the piazza. Imagine the practically tangible excitement when Italy scored not one but two goals just moments before the game would have gone into penalty kicks. Unbelievable. I wish I could bottle up this enthusiasm to pull back out whenever it's needed.

Even around 2:30am I could still hear vespas racing down the streets and horns honking madly in the distance. My favorite mental snapshot of Italy so far is of a vespa with a driver and rider sitting behind, holding up an enormous red, white and green Italian flag (this sight was repeated over and over again last night). Of course they'd be honking furiously as they passed, because Italy just won! Forze Azzurri! Abbiamo vinto! Forza Italia! Seriously, the atmosphere was practically crackling with energy from the crowds. Impromptu sparklers went off at the end of the game - looks like us Americans got our 4th of July fireworks after all. My friends and I found ourselves dancing and singing our way down the streets last night, part of the crowd surging ahead to celebrate, giddy with the excitement of victory. There's nothing like hugging total stranger after total stranger because you're just that excited about something so much greater than yourselves.

Wow. I remember thinking in Ghana (as anticipation built for their World Cup debut) how fantastic it was going to be to be in Italy during World Cup fever, but I'm only now appreciating just how incredible and perfect the timing is.