My daughter and I did some research, and I made some phone calls and determined that the best place to go was the Club Atlético River Plate.
River Plate and Boca Juniors are the two largest soccer clubs in Argentina, with more than half the country's soccer fans supporting the clubs. When the missionaries arrive in Argentina, they normally choose a team to whom they will give their sympathies. Presidente is a fan of Boca. I am not much of a soccer fan, so you can imagine his surprise when he arrived home yesterday to learn that I am now a fan of River.
Buenos Aires has the highest concentration of football teams of any city in the world, and the rivalry between Boca and River Plate is the most intense in Argentine soccer and, perhaps, in the whole of Latin America. Matches between them are known as Superclásico and are among the most heated in the sport. In fact, Superclásico is one of the most famous derbies in the world and was listed as the #1 of the "Fifty Sporting Things You Must Do Before You Die.”
After being unsuccessful trying to find a live person to talk to on the telephone, I decided to get in a remis and go to the stadium. River's home stadium is formally called Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, but it is really known simply as "El Monumental." It is the largest stadium in the country and seats about 72,000 people.
I immediately saw that a lot of people were going into the stadium and coming out of the stadium and they all seemed to have some kind of pass that allowed them to do so. I did not have a pass, obviously. So,I talked to the security guard and told him what I wanted to accomplish. Right at that moment, however, a huge group of people were to-ing and fro-ing and he told me to pass through the stiles, basically so that I wouldn’t interrupt the flow of pedestrian traffic. When things calmed down a bit, he asked me again what I wanted. I re-explained it to him and then he gave me directions. I made my way through the grounds hoping that I had understood correctly.
As I did so, I realized that there were many kinds of sports events happening at the stadium. All kinds of exercise classes and youth classes were taking place in large rooms underneath the stadium. Eventually, I came to a place where there was an information desk. I stopped to verify that I was indeed where I needed to be. The officer said that she didn’t think the people I wanted to talk to were available. Nevertheless, she directed me to room not too far away.
There were tons of people in that room and they all seemed to be talking at once. It was hard to tell if there was even an order in which the people were being helped. After the lady next to me finished, I was addressed. I explained what I wanted and was told that the male gymnastics coach was not available…then my helper hesitated and said that I should talk to the lady who had just left. My helper then called out the door and that lady, who it turns out is the female gymnastics coach, came back. She spent the next little while arranging a lesson for my grandson and taking me over to the gym so that I would know where to go the next time I came.
At one point, she asked me how I got into the facility. I told her that I talked to the security guard, and he sent me in. She was quite surprised about that. Later, when she was explaining the things to do the next time I came, she laughed and said that IF I do have any problems getting in, to have them call her. She expressed her opinion that I am the luckiest person in the world. Thinking back on the the events of the past couple of hours, how I got into the stadium, talked to just the right person, who hooked me up with just the right person, who arranged a lesson with the male gymnastics coach, I had to agree…except that I would call it a series of tender mercies.
By now you will probably realize that for the next two weeks, I won’t be posting many blogs. However, you can imagine that the mission is going forward and that Presidente and I are busy and happy, not only caring our for our missionaries, but also having the joy of sharing our life in the mission with four of our grandchildren along with their parents.
Dale Campion!
Mi hija y yo investigamos y yo hice algunas llamadas por teléfono y decidí que el mejor lugar es el Club Atlético River Plate. River Plate y Boca Juniors son los grandes clubs de fútbol en Argentina, con mas de la mitad de la gente de Argentina hinchan por ellos.
Cuando los misioneros llegaron a Argentina, normalmente ellos eligieron su equipo. El Presidente es un fanático de Boca. No soy una fanática de fútbol entonces Uds. pueden imaginar la sorpresa de mi esposo cuando el llego a nuestra casa y supo que ahora yo soy una fanática de River!
Buenos Aires tiene mas equipos de fútbol que todas las ciudades del mundo y la rivalidad entre Boca y River Plate tiene mas espíritu que todos en Argentina y tal vez todo de Latino America. Los juegos entre ellos se llaman Superclasicos y son muy intensos. De hecho el Superclasico es uno de los juegos famosos en el mundo y es numero 1 de los ¨50 Deportes que Debes Ver Antes de Morir.¨
Después de fallar tratando de hablar con una persona real por teléfono, decidí ir en remis al estadio. El estadio se llama Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, pero en realidad la gente dice "El Monumental." Es el mas grande en este país con sillas para 72,000 personas.
Inmediatamente yo pude ver mucha gente llegando al estadio y todos me parecen tener un tipo de pase. Obvio, no tuve un pase. Entonces hable con seguridad acerca de mi intención. Sin embargo, justo en aquel momento un montón de la gente estaban llegando y saliendo y el me dijo que pase y espere un momento. Cuando me pregunto otra vez acerca de mi intención, le dije acerca de mi nieto y el me dio direcciones. Camine, con la esperanza que había entendido correctamente.
Mientras caminaba yo pude ver muchos tipos de deportes pasando en el estadio, clases de ejercicios y clases para la juventud abajo del estadio. Finalmente, llegue a un lugar de información. Pare a preguntar si yo estaba en el lugar done yo necesitaba estar. La oficial me dijo que si, pero ella pensó que la gente que yo necesitaba, no estaba disponible. Sin embargo, ella me mostró un cuarto muy cerca.
Había un montón de gente en aquel cuarto y me parece que todos estaban hablando al mismo tiempo.
Era difícil ver si había una fila para ayudar a la gente. Después de que la mujer a lado mío termino, recibí ayuda. Explique que necesite y ella me dijo que el entrenador necesite y ella e dijo que el entrenador de varones no estaba disponible...entonces, después de algunas secundas mas, ella me dijo que yo necesitaba hablar con la mujer que salió antes. Entonces ella la llamo y aquella mujer, la entrenadora de mujeres regreso. Ella me ayudo mucho...arreglo una lección para mi nieto y me mostró el gimnasio entonces yo iba a saber done ir la próxima vez.
Ella me pregunto como yo entre a la facilidad. Le dije acerca de seguridad. Fue una sorpresa para ella. Después cuando ella estaba explicando acerca de las cosas para la próximas vez, ella se rio y me digo que Si yo tengo problemas con la seguridad puedo llamarla. Ella me dijo que ella tienen la opinión que yo tengo mas suerte de toda la gente en el mundo. Pensando acerca de los eventos de las horas pasadas, como entre al estadio, hable con la persona perfecta para mis necesidades y encontré a ella necesite estar de acuerdo menos que yo voy a decir fue una tiempo de bendiciones personales
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Ahora es posible que Uds. saben que por la próximas dos semanas no voy a tener muchos blogs. Sin embargo, pueden imaginar que la misión va adelante y que el Presidente y yo estamos ocupados y felices cuidando a nuestros misioneros y con el gozo de compartir nuestra vida en la misión con 4 de nuestros nietos y sus padres.
Dale Campeón!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estadio_Monumental_Antonio_Vespucio_Liberti
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,1182710,00.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Club_Atl%C3%A9tico_River_Plate
Wow wonderful story. Hope you all have a great visit!
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