A Joyous Moment!

Tweet

The 2010 World Soccer started June 11 in South Africa. Represented in the 2010 World Soccer are 32 nations/countries including six African countries – South Africa, Nigeria, Algeria, Ghana, Cameroon and Ivory Coast. Every 4 years the World Soccer aka Football, the most popular sports in the world in played. Historic about the 2010 World Football is that it is played in South Africa, a country/nation that once was shunned by most people! Today people from all over the world are in South Africa in Africa to honor the sports of Football. This is a very joyous moment for several people (myself included): About 25 years ago, I obtained a passport from Cameroon. Thrilled to be the bearer of a passport, I immediately thumbed through the passages and I am halted by the words on one of the pages: ... Not Valid for Entry in South Africa. Why? I asked. I can go anywhere in the world but not South Africa in Africa. Why? I went to Elementary School in Cameroon. Though we breezed through some African and World history, I do not think that most of us knew the exact implications and/or magnitude of topics such as slavery and apartheid. To us slavery meant asking the same person to do the dishes, sweep, fetch water and cook; and we never heard or used the word racism! It was not until I returned to the US that I knew of and understood slavery and apartheid. I still have my 25-year old Cameroon passport and guess I would have to obtain a new passport to go to South Africa, if I were to attend the 2010 World Cup! Thus, it is with great delight that I celebrate this 2010 World Cup and wish all the people gathered today in Africa a wonderful and healthy stay!