I can hardly contain my joy! It has been a few months since I returned home from a trip to France to see Our Boys play. My pictures have been developed, thank-you letters have been posted and I have shared the details of my trip with friends many times.Yet, each time as I talk about my experiences, my feeling of pride and joy brings tears of happiness to my eyes. ()
So lucky to have had a chance to see Our Boys play a friendly match with a local team in Yssingeaux. To be so close as to hear them call out their next move, to see their faces light up to find a group of Iranian fans calling out their names.
So lucky to be able to ask them for pictures and to see them come over with smiles and appreciation. To answer questions warmly and oblige requests for signatures so graciously.
So lucky to have had a chance to get so close and to talk to so many of them individually and to hear their plans for the World Cup games. To see their handsome faces full of smiles when I told them how cute they are! (My apologies to Mr.Hamid Taghavi!)
So lucky to see so many Iranians from every part of the world together cheering and supporting Our Boys, showing the world how proud a nation we are and to share with them our culture of friendship.
So lucky to witness Iranians, young and old walking in the main square in Lyon proudly showing our green, white and red flag in many ways. To see the friendly handshakes and exchanges of hugs and flags with American fans.
So proud to see multi-cultural kids wearing Iranian T-shirts, waiving two different flags. To hear the old cheers once again, this time with accents from young hyphenated Iranian fans.
So proud to see Our Boys marching into the field, bearing gifts of friendship and flowers. To witness the sea of green, white and red flags in every hand and to hear the chants “Iran, Iran” from every corner.
So happy to jump with joy to see Estili kiss the ground after a beautiful goal. To share tears of joy and shouts of “bachehA motshakerim” with every Iranian across the globe.
So proud and happy to dance in the streets and squares of Lyon, celebrating the game with Our Boys in front of their hotel late at night.
So proud and happy to show the world that regardless of our differences as a nation, we are all Iranians and Iran is our homeland.
So, it is with pride and joy that I say “bachehA motshaerim” once more.
Author
xAle (pronounced khaa-leh, maternal aunt in Persian) is an old timer who grew up in Iran when words such as mirAb, mAyeh khamir, Ab-anbAr and hAvan were part of daily life. Through stories and remembrances of old days, she will be sharing with us part of our past.
Links
* World Cup Lessons
Looking back at the whole experience
By Hamid Taghavi
* I was there
Sunday June 21, 1998 – Lyon, France
By Aref Erfani
* On Football, Philosophy, and Joy
Watching the Iran-U.S. match in New York
By Laleh Khalili
* Sports
* Travelers
* Cover stories
* Who's who
* Bookstore
