Adopted Countries: Scott.

I have two friends in Europe this summer.   These two friends just happen to be in med school.  These two friends also happen to be dating.  One of them is summering in Amsterdam and the other is in Valencia.  This couldn't be more perfect.


SCOTT

The word on the Amsterdam street is that last night in Museumplein, where I watched the game, 60,000 Hollanders flooded the grass.  I don't know about all that, but it was the most people I have ever seen together in orange.  I'll save you all the "soccer rocks, I never knew!!!!" shit and just say, soccer rocks, I never knew!.  I would imagine that any time 60,000 or 10,000 or any huge amount of people gather and cheer and drink beers, that you would feel something special, but this was pretty remarkable.  I cannot put into words how amazing it feels to be here when something like this is happening.  A Netherlands world cup final while I am here, I can't believe it.  


The game was great, in the sense that, we scored early and then put it away early (or so it seemed), which was conducive to the kind of partying that Amsterdam is famous for.  I was there with 3 South Africans, a Mexican, 2 Saudi Arabians, 3 people from Lawrence KS (including myself), and one really tall guy from North Carolina, and we all proudly wore our Nederlands Oranje.  


I don't know what else to say about the game, it is hard to put into words the enormity of the event, and the feeling of unity that this country feels for its soccer team.  In April 2008 we took to the streets in Lawrence, and all I could think was, "I will always remember this," and now I have a second (and hopefully a third) celebration that will always be with me.  


My Saudi and Mexican friends have adopted me as a virgin soccer fan, so that when something good happens they shake their heads in the affirmative so that I can cheer appropriately.  But, I am no fool, and feel as though now I can hold my own with most soccer fans (at least the ones from the States). 


I am sending along a few photos of my time in Museumplein watching the game, let me know if there is anything else I can contribute.


I wish there was more to say, I can't tell you how lucky I feel and how incredible the high was knowing that we get to do it all again on Sunday, only this time it is the World Cup Finals.  My girlfriend and I live in Kansas City KS, and for one summer we go to Europe, her to Spain and me to the Netherlands and somehow our surrogate nations meet in the World Cup Finals.  I couldn't have written something more poetic.  Except maybe... Hup Holland Hup, beat Spanje!