Hello World. It’s been a while since I’ve written, mostly because of the World Cup craze. Other than studying, going to class, and dancing, I’ve been too tired to do much of anything else. Plus, with the recent metro strike, Summer rebajas, and Madrid going crazy with it’s national fútbol team making it all the way to the FINALS (yes, this is the first World Cup finals game they will go into this Sunday!), it has been hard to cram in more excitement with what is already happening. To add to the anticipation of the finals, my TWO teams will be going head to head. España vs. Nederland will be a big game. I’ve been back and forth between those two places which I have called my homes for a while now…“But, wait, wait…your TWO teams?” …Yes, I knoooow… I know. I’ve been told countless times since Spain beat Germany in the Semis that you can’t pick TWO teams for the finals game. Awwww…rats. “No more RED and ORANGE,” everyone tells me. “You have to pick one!” I suppose they’re right. In the end, to avoid going into the final with half a heart, one must choose a side and go all the way. Such is sports, I understand. So, to make it clear, yo soy Española until I reach the Netherlands again. So, Viva La Roja – A por Ellos, because you know, after all, right now I AM in Madrid.
With the upcoming finals, we can already feel the tension and anticipation in the air. I see that many friends of mine in/from the states do not realize what a big deal fútbol is over here in Europe. Everyone knows that this sport has the single-handed ability to cause hatred, riots, and long-term resentment. As much as we love the sport, we all know what emotional, violent tendencies its enthusiasts can possess. (Just look at all the death threats Paul the OCTOPUS is getting, for “predicting” the matches – quite impressive how an oracle octopus can incite fear and anger in a bunch of grown men) …The World Cup is no light tournament - I mean, the strife runs deep. Talk about Italy vs. France, Germany vs. Netherlands, Argentina vs. Brazil, to name a few, but in the scope of things, it’s really just a game, isn’t it? It’s just fútbol, right? (or soccer, for you Americans). But how has “just a game” received such worldwide acclaim? Why is it that during a World Cup game, stores close, everyone is stuck to a TV screen, everyone takes off of work, and regular people who aren’t usually fútbol aficionados go out of their way and take time off of LIFE to watch a bunch of guys kick around a ball for 90 minutes?? Pretty powerful, huh? I know why. You know why. It’s because a World Cup match is MORE than just a game, it’s more than a feeling that lasts for 90 minutes. It is…identity.
So, with this said, and with this very important world event going on right now, everybody has been taking their allegiances. I’d like to explore this more deeply because I think it is interesting how people seem to use national teams to build and/or strengthen their own identity, myself included.
For some people it has been easy to pick sides from the start. I’m going to take a person who currently lives in and has been raised in the United States their entire life as an example. We'll call him Bobby. From the start Bobby selected the U.S. soccer team above all others. He was hopeful, supportive – yet not so optimistic. However, he was psyched and surprised when the team made it all the way up to the round of 16 vs. Ghana, and If the U.S. team had advanced further, he and his friends on the east coast of the U.S. would have partied hard. However, after losing to Ghana, he, like so many Americans probably just stopped watching the World Cup altogether, turned back to “more important” states issues, like Lebron ;) , or maybe Bobby just started picking second bests for the World Cup competition – (but of course NOT because he felt any less than 100% American or any less behind the American team.) on the other hand, for someone who has lived in 5 different countries, and has prominent ethnic and cultural roots from different places around the globe, I must say, things get a little more complicated. For people with multiple homes like me, choosing only ONE team has been hard, especially since my two most recent homes are in the final. So people are often curious and ask me, “Anna, who do you want to win? Who are you backing, Who do you roll with? Especially for the finals game…” It’s hard to answer without feeling like both a traitor AND a winner, knowing that I support both. However, coming to my decision, it took a lot of weighing of options and looking into factors that ought to play into the fútbol team(s)/nations I associate myself with.
So what weighs in? Blood, Family, Culture, Geographical Location, Birthplace, Nationality? Some people don’t even take it that far. I’ve heard people talk about supporting certain teams like they were literally picking out t-shirts for the day. “Hmm, I’m feeling more like red today - Let’s go with Spain!” Even better, when people start opposing a team because of “political” reasons:
A: So tell me again, why is everybody hating on North Korea?
B: ‘Cause they’re commies, and they’re goin’ down!
A: What do you mean by commie and why do you hate them so much?
B: hmm...uh…I dunno……
A: …?
B: - But they’re still goin’ doooown!!!
I’ve come to realize that the World Cup has brought so much unity, yet in the same stroke, it has divided us again and again, as there must always be an “other,” a kind of opposing team, both literally, and figuratively. Yes, the “other” is very easy to find (or to make up.) It could be you, it could be me, or even some person on the train whom you and your friend decided to gossip about. Everyone has the potential to be an other, depending on where you are and how another in-group feels about you, meaning, whether or not you are similar enough to them to be part of the in-group. "Othering" is a natural human behavior, and I, like many others have experienced this phenomena of being the other and of “othering” others. I hope this isn’t getting too confusing, but I just think it is worthy to note the concept of how forming the group of WHO YOU ARE NOT helps you realize and reinforce who you ARE – your own sense of self. This is possible because you can look at the “other” and say, “I am this way, because I am not like you, I am not like that.” However, an identity made up entirely of negative space is nothing close to definitive, and doesn’t simplify the question of identity, if that is at all possible.
In the countries I have felt myself a part of, I always had trouble realizing where exactly I fit in or who I should identify with because somehow I am always nationally an “other.” For example, for those who know me in the Netherlands, I’m a Madrileña, or an American - Same thing in Germany. In Spain, I’m la Filipina, or the Dutch girl…In the Philippines, I’m an American…In the States, I’m the European…sure, from this I can infer that I will never be one of the ordinary, simple citizens anywhere in the world. History doesn't permit me to be one of those "born here, raised here, and family for generations here" kinds of people. I’ll always be “different” from the others somehow, but my question is, if you are the “other” in every country you go to, then where do you belong and how do you form your sense of self and own in-group? Other than just holding a passport, how do you form a real national identity? So what am I, really? I have tried to reason my way through that whenever it comes up, and in the end, I’ve really just come to terms with the idea that it is OK to be all of the above. I am Anna. I am all of the above.
So as I am “all of the above and proud,” this almost brings us full circle to the difficulties of being, showing, and explaining you are indeed “all of the above.”
When a world sporting event like the World Cup occurs, it really pushes us to publicly voice out facets of our identity more than any other time, really. Being a kind of third-culture kid and knowing that during high-tension competitive times, it is NOT OK to root for more than one side...yeah... understandably, events like this which include national pride are bound to make me a little apprehensive. Simple “get to know you” type questions like “Where are you from” make me feel uneasy, let alone the expectation to show undivided national pride and loyalty in the midst of thousands of drunk, rowdy, chanting, and screaming fútbol fans.
Thinking about it now, it has always been somewhat of a struggle to explain my background, and therefore, my identity, in terms people are often expecting. I imagine that it is somewhat similar for other people who grew up in multiple locations and/or for people of multiple ethnic backgrounds. When people ask me the dreaded “Where are you from?” question, I always fear that it’s going to sound more complicated than it should be, though, I feel that giving a one-location answer would be highly misrepresentative, to say the least. So, time and time again, I pause and find myself resembling an old AFN (American Forces Network) commercial as I think to myself, and sometimes out loud:
Well, do you mean where did I come here from?
Or do you mean where did I grow up?
Or do you mean where is the place I have lived the longest?
Or do you mean my legal state of residence?
Or maybe you’re asking where my parents originated?
Or where I was born?
Bloodline of origin, an area code, what I had for breakfast, yadda, yadda…too much, right?
Sometimes I feel sorry for people who ask me that question. In the end, they always have this perplexed look on their faces, maybe even thinking I’m trying to run them in circles or confuse them. I feel guilty for giving them such a mess when I’m sure they were just expecting me to say any random city in the U.S., and continue with small talk and more complicated “get to know you questions” they'd like to check off their list. I’m sure that when I was finished, they were probably wishing they had skipped over me or at least that that they were a little more specific when they asked the simple question “where are you from?” I try to be clear and accurate, but end up doing this mind-numbingly strategic little dance when I meet people and have this conversation. I honestly try to make this talk as uncomplicated as possible, but it usually doesn't work out in simple form without me feeling like I left out something big. Anyway, sometimes people think it’s interesting, and other times people turn right around and think, “This girl is too damn complicated - I’m leaving.” But it’s all a part of me and in the end, if I cared about that person actually “getting to know me,” I’d rather say it how it is, than oversimplify myself.
So, is associating yourself with more than one nation necessarily a bad thing? Does it make us seem like less solid or decisive people, or rather, does it signify that we are multidimensional individuals with multinational identities? Globalization is happening, isn’t it? Who are we? What makes us who we are? It’s something interesting to discuss, even though I’ve really only scratched the surface.
As for the World Cup, yes, I’m rooting for La Roja, even though it was a hard decision (But I still love you NL.) I’m just hoping that for the next month or so, I’ll be surrounded by happy people, and the best way to ensure that is if Spain wins the World Cup. Plus, it would be nice to celebrate with the people around me, because that’s one of the best parts. ;D
Seize the day – let’s Live, Laugh, Love…PLAY! Viva la Beautiful Game…
