Footy Tradition

I've written a couple of times in the past about a sport that I watch very regularly, Australian Rules Football, or footy for short. I follow the Adelaide Crows (Tex and Lynch are my favorite players). I am frustrated by how many injuries we are having to deal with but appreciating the young new players who are being given a chance to prove themselves when the stars are sidelined.

In Tanzania I watched the game with a few friends every week and we would enjoy chips and salsa together. I usually made tortilla chips for the occasion. It's been a while since I've gotten around to putting in the effort to make tortillas chips but I finally was inspired last week! I made quesadillas with most of the tortillas for a Shabbat dinner and they were a huge hit.

It is a labor intensive effort and it is not as much fun to go through when I don't get to share it with my footy-friends. But it was surprising to find that the smell and process of making the tortillas made me feel like I was back in Tanzania and it triggered excitement and anticipation for the coming footy game!

Gaining Some Culture

I thought I would only pick up on Tanzanian culture whilst living here. But I've actually worked with people from around the world: Dutch, Germans, Aussies, Kiwis, Brits and Canadians. So, I've picked up a bit of culture from these places as well.

A little over a week ago the Aussie Rules football season (aka 'footy') was kicked off. Over the past couple of years I've become a fan of the Adelaide Crows.

I've never really had a sports team that I follow or care about until now. But I really enjoy footy, generally understand it, know many of the players, and can get indignant over a bad call.

So, every weekend during the season I can be found with one of my Dutch friends, one of my American friends, and one of my Aussie friends watching the Crows and cheering them on from Tanzania! Also, thanks to a projector, we even get the big screen experience:

Here is to 6 months of Crows footy!