Football fever is upon us. The World Cup starts tomorrow the 12th of June. Football fans are ready to enjoy one month of pleasure and anxiety watching 32 teams from around the world playing to defend their countries’ honour. Only one team can emerge victorious and take home that beautiful cup. Although actually, they don’t, they take home a replica while the original remains with FIFA for security purposes after the Brazilian World Cup trophy – the Jules Rimet trophy was stolen and presumably melted. I think the same thing happened to the Nairobi’s mayor’s gold chain which disappeared and has never been found.
During this season there will be very many happy football fans waiting with bated breath to see if their teams will make it to the next qualifying round. But there will of course be those people who will be depressed during the Football World Cup period. Everybody assumes that it will be women. There is a false assumption that all women will be sulking in the corner as men take over the remote to watch the game or go to the bar to watch the game with the boys. This is a false assumption. Not all women hate football. I personally love football and cannot wait for the action to start. It is time to forget all the anguish that Arsenal put us through this season and sit at the edge of my seat as I watch the games.
There is a movie that came about 10 years ago that I love. It is called Bend it like Beckham. It is about an Indian girl who lives in the UK and wants to be a footballer but whose family cannot stand the fact that she is not girly like her sister. This is a great movie to watch especially for those who love football or those who think that a woman cannot love football.
Anyway, there are of course women who do not love football and who would like the whole World Cup tournament to be cancelled. Their husbands, boyfriends or even some of their girlfriends will be talking football for days, making bets, watching replays etc. So what can these women do? How do you occupy yourself for a month so that you don’t go mad or create a drift in your relationship by refusing to give the remote to your husband or boyfriend who wants to watch the match just when your late-night soap is on or that Nigerian movie you have been dying to watch.
Here are a few suggestions.
1. If you have a laptop you can buy a couple of series or movies to keep you occupied during the football season. Please watch Walk of Shame which I just watched this weekend. A funny movie that will have you laughing and forgetting about becoming a football widow. If you can get Bend it like Beckam please also watch it.
2. Go out for a nice meal with your girls. If you have been neglecting your girl pals this is a nice time to reconnect with them. That is assuming that they are also not watching the games.
3. You can also go out and listen to some great music. There are so many great gigs around that you can go to. That will keep you from getting bored.
4. This would be a great time to try out new recipes. Now that you have time on your hands that you would have spent with your significant other this is a good time to try out new recipes. You will have time to perfect this new dish and maybe after the World Cup you can wow him with your new found skills.
5. The matches are starting at around 10 pm Kenyan time. This is good because it means that you can still spend time together during the day. Go for a movie together earlier on in the day or have lunch. Then at least you will have spent quality time together and you will not feel like a widow during the World Cup.
6. Go watch a movie. You can keep yourself busy by going to the movies. There are movies at 6 pm, 8 pm or 11 pm. You can get to watch those movies you have been dying to watch but you had to run home to cook for your husband or boyfriend.
7. Read those books you had bought but have never had time to read. This is a great time to get to read that murder mystery you bought months ago. Or finish that inspirational book you have been promising yourself to read. Or finish that romantic novel (sigh) about that superhero guy who would not let anything get between him and the girl of his dreams (not even football.)
8. Go on holiday. This is a great time to plan a trip. You can take a holiday by yourself or with a few friends. Take time to visit Kenya. From the highlands to the sea there is so much to see. Take time to relax. You can also go to a destination that also has a spa. Take time to treat your body right and then come back to Nairobi refreshed.
9. Learn the game. Football is a very enjoyable game. They say if you can’t beat them join them. Start watching the game with your husband or boyfriend or girlfriends. You can find out more about the game during that period. But please do not ask questions about what is going on during the match. It may be a bit hard to explain the game during the adrenaline rush of watching the game. It may also annoy the person being asked the question.
10. If you find that after watching a game or two that you are not interested find something else to do. You can always play candy crush on your phone even as you sit there in silent moral support.
11. This would be a great time to bond with God. Take time to read your bible or pray. This is a great time to hang out with God and pour out your heart to him.
12. If you have children you can also have a movie night with them. You can hang out as a family watch movies, and bond. Then later on in the evening give the TV over to your husband to watch. That way you will have spent time together as a family before your husband takes over the TV. He is also bound to wake up late over the weekend if there is a match the previous night. So you can spend some family time the previous night so it will not be so bad if your husband sleeps in during the weekend.
13. If any of the above will not solve the problem of you missing your favourite soap because he is watching the game on your only TV this may be the time to think of investing in a second TV. This is way cheaper than the cost of getting mad at each other because you both want your way and you are fighting over the remote. Very many couples have had serious arguments during the World Cup and not because they are supporting different teams but because everybody wants to watch something different.
14. If you are a writer this is a great time to work on that story that will put you in the spotlight. Maybe you could write a funny novella or story on how to survive the world cup without killing your significant other.
If there were other planets with aliens who do not like football this would be a great time to visit. But since there are none you just have to bear with the World Cup if you are not a fan. It is very easy to get upset when he spends his nights watching football, and the day talking about football and the matches last night. But this is a good time to spend time on yourself, to get some quality sleep, to travel, to spend time on those things that you may not have time for because you are busy being a wife/girlfriend and mother.
Enjoy the World Cup.
PS. Just in case you are wondering what the fuss about football is here is an article on those things you needed to know about football but have been afraid to ask.
