Under 17 World Cup Extravaganza

Yesterday we brought approximately 300 kids to the world cup that Peru hosted this year. I learned a valuable lession that day. For the first time in my life I felt like the world´s most famous athlete or celebrity. It all started when approximately 10 or 15 kids came up to me and asked me for my email and autograph, me being the kind of person that can not say no to kids I gladly volunteered to sign a few autographs while I had a huge smile on my face. I thought, ¨This is cool¨ wow I have admirers. Well over time after signing dozens of autographs the word must of spread to all the kids and teenagers in my section that the gringo over in the white hat is famous soccer player from the United States.

At half time the kids once again came up for autographs but this time it was different. The number of kids multiplied and multiplied to the point where I was getting nervous and started to freak out. The number of kids around me at my seat must have been well over fifty kids and the numbers were growing by the minute. I even had some adults come for autographs. At that point several security officers came and starting breaking up the crowd and asked me not to sign anymore.

The rest of the game I had two security officers stand by me so the isles could be cleared and so I could watch the game. I still don´t know who played and who won. Let me know... I guess the lession I learned is that being a celebrity for one day would be fun but not everyday. So far in the Peace Corps I have felt like a celebrity, or a complete idiot. For the most part I like the attention but it gets old when I walk down the street and I feel like everyone watches every move I make.