Video: I Have Seen Soccer in Curitiba. Not What I Expected... Not at all.

I was walking home last night just as it was getting dark. As the shadows became more sinister, I tightened the straps on my backpack, kept my head down, and tried to glide unobtrusively through the crowd.

I glanced to my right. "Soccer... people playing soccer." My brain registered this fact slowly. It was indeed some people playing soccer. The first soccer I have seen in the city. Excitedly, with the sweaty palms of Welsh-Canadian in 98% humidity, I grabbed my IPhone out of my bag and trotted over to the futsal court.

"Hey, there's even a couple of girls playing" I noted as my pace increased. "And it's in this futsal court right in the middle of the square that has a few dodgy characters" I reflected. 

As the players come into view I noted "That tall girl with the blond ponytail looks very North America." Then I realized... "Bloody hell, those are the students from my class." 

They had started a kick about and then some of the locals starting joining in. They must have been there for nearly 2 hours (I am a good judge of the amount it time it takes to accumulate a certain amount of sweat stain). 

It was awesome (I would go as far as to say it was awesome sauce). Just one of those moments. I'm not sure if I've done it justice. Just try to picture it - bunch of Canadians playing soccer in a dodgy town square as it's getting dark, two days before the World Cup FINALS. 

To help you, I shot this little video. See if you can pick out my students. Way to go guys!

Post game photo: