Ultima Partita

     May 6, 2012 Today was the last soccer game for Catanzaro. Roberto, Leo, and I got to the stadium an hour and a half beforethe game was suppose to start and there were already people everywhere in the stadium and outside of it. There was also more police at this game than there was at the last game we went to. Since this was the last game I decided to sit in La Curva (the black hole of Catanzaro soccer). I like the crazziness, the singing (I got to sing my song I have been practicing), and the cheering, but I also would like to watch the game. Here we had a good view, but when all of the flags went up I only had a little window of a soccer field to see and it wasn't a big window either.

     Once we found some seats I noticed that we were near Salvatore and Fabio (some friends). I was wondering how we were going to get everyone to sit close together when it was already packed, but I tell you just like parking cars here they can manage to find a seat. This stadium isn't  like going to a game in America. You buy a ticket and there may be a seat number on it, but that doesn't mean that is where you need to sit. The ticket basically just gets you in the door and you can sit wherever you want, but if you payed for La Curva you sit in that area and if you paid for Tribuna (covered seating) you sit in there. Once you are in that area you can go sit where ever you are able to find a spot. My cousin Claudio came with my other cousin Claudio who is 10 years old to watch the game, then finally before the game started Veruska and Luciano showed up at the last minute.
     After the game Roberto drove us home because we all got into a water fight at the stadium and needed to change. After I was ready to go Veruska and Luciano picked me up to drive me around the town for the festa. The game actually ended in a tie 3-3, but since the Catanzaro soccer team finished #1 in their division the city has a big celebration, and it is very different than the way we celebrate. People stand on their balconies waving flags, the city is packed with cars/scooters driving around with flags/scarves flying out the windows and honking their horns. People are walking down the streets cheering and singing songs. I even saw one scooter go by that had three people on it! It is a lot of fun to see everyone celebrate after a big game. On our way to dinner I took a picture of a group of people and they were asking something as to why I was taking a picture of them. Veruska explained that I am not from here and I am taking it to America with me. Then we told them I wanted a picture with them. When I went over to this guy and two girls. I told them I wanted to take a picture with them. They guy was like, "you want to take a picture with me?" and I said, "No, I want to take a picture with everyone." Then he pushed his two girl friends out of the way and said "no just me and you are going to take a picture."  So that is a random guy in the picture with me below.

     Once we were finished driving around and seeing the celebration we parked the car to go meet up with some other cousins and friends; Claudio, Daniella, Salvatore, and Fabio. Once we found them we all went to dinner to have pizza at a restaraunt called Topolino. I ended up ordering something different. This time I ordered a Calzone thinking it would be normal size...ha I guess I should have known better...I was only able to eat half of it.

     Finally after I returned home from a long night I took a picture with all of my Catanzaro gifts I was given. My hat was a gift from my cousin Sonia's husband Massimo, the scarf was a gift from my cousin Claudia's family, and the jersey was a gift from my cousin Roberto. It is an original jersey from a famouse Catanzaro soccer player named Palanca. Oh and my nails were painted yellow and red by Veruska.