Imagine yourself sitting in a forest. The sounds of nature surround you and the sun warms you. Now imagine that a swarm of hornets envelopes you. Buzzing and swirling around you - unsure if you are a friend or foe. If you sit very still, maybe they won't notice you. Maybe they'll think you're part of the forest. Or maybe they will decide you're an interloper, an intruder pretending to fit in but really just another invader.
This is how it felt in section 215 at Rustenburg's Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Tuesday. Todd and I found our seats before the section filled with a sea of fevered Mexico supporters in green jerseys (luckily I had just purchased a green Mexico T-shirt). We must've had that "deer in headlights" look because Jorge and his family almost immediately adopted us into his family. Jorge and I hit it off immediately. Not only do we share the same name (which the Mexicans call tocayos) but we both have only daughters. Jorge (on the left above) is a jewler from Guadalajara. He is in South Africa with his son-in-law (not in the picture) and two of his four daughters (Maria and Gabby). The other two have infants at home and did not make the trip.
I hope that Iz, Amelia, Ella and I can be together in the stand for a US game at the 2026 World Cup. Maybe we will be able to pay forward Jorge's kindness and adopt two young foreigners wondering if they've wandered too far into a hornet's nest.
This is how it felt in section 215 at Rustenburg's Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Tuesday. Todd and I found our seats before the section filled with a sea of fevered Mexico supporters in green jerseys (luckily I had just purchased a green Mexico T-shirt). We must've had that "deer in headlights" look because Jorge and his family almost immediately adopted us into his family. Jorge and I hit it off immediately. Not only do we share the same name (which the Mexicans call tocayos) but we both have only daughters. Jorge (on the left above) is a jewler from Guadalajara. He is in South Africa with his son-in-law (not in the picture) and two of his four daughters (Maria and Gabby). The other two have infants at home and did not make the trip.
I hope that Iz, Amelia, Ella and I can be together in the stand for a US game at the 2026 World Cup. Maybe we will be able to pay forward Jorge's kindness and adopt two young foreigners wondering if they've wandered too far into a hornet's nest.
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