When Bahrain is looking westwards...

Yesterday in Bahrain, there was a sport celebration, "the big event" of this beginning of year on the little island. The national football club, which was founded in 1957, was celebrating its ... errr... ( 2007 minus 1957... equal...) okay, its 50th year. What would have been better than to invite the leader team of the Italian league? Before starting again the championship, the Italian team were having a kind of "resting period" in Middle-East. The Bahraini coach then decided to invite the "Nerazzuri" for a little show. Even though Bahrainis are still developing their economy towards leisure and tourism, they don't have that many opportunities to catch the attention of the countries all around. Once a year, there is the Formula 1 Race at the International Circuit (see pictures of the circuit here), big hotels are being built, a business district as well... Somehow I have the impression they want to compete with Dubai... hopelessly, I think. Someone told me that 70 % of all the cranes in the world are currently located in Dubai. 70 %... it sounded incredible but it's not impossible. Ehm, I think this post was about football...

So, to get back to our initial topic... This match (pictures here and maybe videos one day :p) was interesting. Of course, there was not the least stake (not steack) for any team... However, I would say that the main objective for the Bahraini team was to score at least one goal, "for honor". And they did so, finally there was a difference of only 5 goals! 6-1, and honestly I would have never imagined that Bahrain would score any goal. The Nerazzuri were not even running, I think they were just pretending... except for the goals : the ones Adriano scored were really nice. I also appreciated Figo's game, who was in my opinion "the man of the match" (if we can call this a match). The atmosphere was friendly, the public was cheerful.

But you will ask me "Quid of Materazzi ?". Ehm. I think that he is the most hated player in this professional generation, since the public did not forget this famous episode which happened during the final match of World Cup 2006. Whenever Materazzi was touching the ball, the public were whistling him down... and so was I ;) Honestly, I think wouldn't have replied anything if Materazzi had insulted my mother because this guy is very tall (I would say 1,95m) and quite strong. I guess Zidane knew that Materazzi would not "reply"... That's why the shock was a bit violent :p

That's all about sports for today, we'll open this topic again soon. I hope I will attend this Formula 1 race, on the second Sunday of April. By this time, I consider changing my camera whose pictures are really poor in quality and disappointing...

See youuuuuuuuu

looping on my Poddy

2007..... what's inside?

Where is it? tic tac tic tac tic tac....... BZZZZ!!! no answer... ? Well, this is a nice city where I went three times already, which is neither in Bahrain, neither in Saudi Arabia and not even in France. This city, it's my 2007 project. From now I know what I want to do and where I want to be, right after this Saudi experience, I think my relatives know about my intentions... and I appreciate very much their encouragements. I'm growing with the idea that France is a nice country, seen from outside. And honestly, even though it requires a distance with friends and family, I want to entertain this distance with my homeland... Also and mainly because there is another distance I would like to get rid of. I don't specially believe in the magic of numbers, but if during the year 2007 I manage to fulfill my projects, I might become a bit superstitious ;) And among those "if", "would", "maybe", "probably" and other "hope", I will do my best to find a real way.

Who agrees with me on the fact that 2006 ran very fast...? Actually, time flew. From the beginning of 2006 I remember a very nice new year's party, my research for an internship, this night partying in Lille at Fred's homecity, a pleasant week of rest in April with Aurelija and then... Departure to SA. On the eve of 2006, I never imagined that I would be here one year later, this was not in my plans at all. At that time, I had other expectations which unfortunately failed but I found a personal benefit through that, it taught me that I should prepare myself better before planning anything serious. Now, I have something like 3 months to get myself ready and gather necessary documents for my different applications. I'll also enjoy some 15 days in France in the first half of March to get a bowl of fresh air. Every 3 or4 months spent spent here, you feel that the air is a bit dusty so... what's better than have a break (shall it be short...) and meet again with your family, love and friends? I'm counting days now... But still, I'm not yet nuts enough to display the daily countdown on my MSN nickname. ( "France : 41 days until D-day")..... I also need to refresh my music folders, which are getting even more dusty than the local atmosphere! So this is my official holiday plan for March : 28th Fev - 4 th March in Orleans, 5th March - 16th in Chalon... not without some trips to Paris. We'll see that when time comes.

2007 has just started and it seems very busy already. Let's hope it will indeed, if not exactly as I expect it to be, at least I'd like it to look like this mental picture I have, something that is getting clearer and clearer day after day. But first of all, there is a little mission to finish here in Middle East, and I still enjoy it very much. I think that contrary to many foreigners coming here (i.e. for oil business) my relation to local people is not "client-oriented". I'm not sure that business can lead that easily to friendships, or maybe not as much as cultural exchange is. Even though I would like to do something else in my life than teaching French language all the time, I enjoy very much this position here and I encourage anyone to take any opportunity to come to Middle East. If we grew with the idea that the Western World is ruling everything, we shouldn't forget that interesting things happen Southwards and Eastwards. The best way is not to be stuck on National Geographic channel or read travel books, it's just to go and see it with your own eyes, feel it with your own guts. Yes, I admit, I'm far away from my relatives but I'm sure I'm not wasting my time. I'm almost 25, and I realize there are so many things left to see, and so little time. That's why I want 2007 to be the year of change, the "great bend" : I still want to discover people, cultures, languages ... but this time, "not alone".