Where do you think you are, church?!

An hour after we arrived back in Boston, we found ourselves quickly unpacking and then meeting a group of other exchange students to head to - wait for it - another Red Sox game. Admittedly, I did a terrible thing in telling everyone how the last game I saw the Sox weren't exactly hot-to-trot and only Nikolai could seem to relate; the dangerous, menacing Detroit Tigers were going up against a pair of Red Sox this time round. But, I had to eat my words cause the Sox ended up winning and MAN was that good to see. But Jacob told me later that baseball teams play games 5-6 times a week, so there's not as much pressure to win every game...like in AFL you play one game a week and there's what, only like 16 games in the season or something? Baseball has a whopping 162 games in the season, so it's not as big of a deal if they loose every once in a while. But yay for winning anyway.




Me, Bridge and Liz (Liz is from Brisbane). Shameless selfie.

Although we were pretty tired from our trip - the game was actually heaps of fun. Fenway Park is one of the oldest (and smallest) baseball stadiums in the US, so it was a lot more intimate (coincidentally we could get a Mexican Wave going strong around the entire stadium two and a half times). The crowd was predominantly local die-hard baseballs fans, eating plenty of hotdogs and consuming illicit amounts of beer. It was just as I had dreamed it. We all sat together, and the locals were so friendly in explaining the rules and making sure we were accustomed to the game and traditions that went with it. This big American with an out-of date haircut and a belly so big it wobbled, was trying to get the crowd all RILED UP to support the Sox. In his enthusiasm he found it necessary to question our beliefs about our current geographical location and the fitting behaviour to go with it; hence "Where do you think you are, church?!" We shook our heads feebly, eyes wide, half expecting him to throw something at us.

The atmosphere was different to the Dodger stadium, there were food vendors, street shops and performers all about, and people were generally happy to be alive and watching baseball on a balmy Tuesday evening.

This is Nikolai, I think you throw the baseball and see how many mph you can throw, I don't know really. I wasn't paying that much attention

Before the game, all Americans rise and place their hand over their heart to sing the national anthem, and during the game they have this "Hats off for our Heroes" thing - where a local Marine, Navy officer or Sargent from a division is presented. He enters extravagantly and walks around the stadium, followed by the big camera and people stand and clap, cheering for him, and desperately reaching out to hopefully graze his hand as he walks along the bleachers like he's Katy Perry in concert. I'm not being sarcastic in a disrespectful way, it's just something that I am not accustomed to, but they take the National Armed Forces very seriously here.

Kirsten, Maria, Annie and Itziar

I had been told by numerous Americans (that weren't Bostonian) that they have a strong sense of community and 'togetherness' as a city, if you will. After the bombings earlier this year in April, the city council started this campaign called "Boston Strong", and people proudly wear t-shirts, buy merchandise and support the cause. Even some restaurants have changed their uniform to new shirts with the slogan printed next to the restaurant chain. They are, as a city, united on that front. The Sox game was evident that Bostonians are strong-willed and very familial in a sense.

Ok, so this is a video of some 'Merican kid trying to take our photo...I don't know why it's so funny, maybe because he was such a nitwit about it, but he seemed totally incapable of doing anything beyond spilling beer and yelling profanities in his Bostonian accent (Which became slightly roe slurred as the game went on). I lol at our faces every time we hold our smiles for him to take it too.

Quote of the video; "I think it's a European thing.."

No mate, it's a common sense thing. And I'm from Australia anyway..?That reminds me actually, someone blatantly told the rest of his 'Merican buddies that Annie (who is so VERY obviously British) was French. What even.

 

I don't care what anybody says, the Red Sox emblem is, and will always look ridiculous to me.

The game this time went for three and a half hours, and after we navigated our way through the rowdy crowd, through the 'dangerous' parts of lower Boston and a bunch of us headed to UHOP (University House of Pizza...get on the lingo guys, most hip-happening joint for college kids) after the game. After sodas and a bite to eat, our party of 8 split for the night, and I slept like a baby...with meditative thoughts about starting college tomorrow, because I am a dweeb and going to school excites me. And I had to 'get in the zone' if you will, I didn't want to be all RILED UP and for them to ask me in class, "Where do you think you are, a baseball game?"

Annie, Bridge, moi, Chris and Itziar