I've been back in Algeria for 4 days and I'm trying to get adjusted again. It's even harder taking a shower than it was before, partially because we now have to start the warming up the water process at the kitchen sink, and partially because I've been loving the hot showers in America while dreading the cold showers here for the past 2 months. The time difference is also killing me. Being awake at 11pm is not a big deal, but moving ahead 6 hours means 11pm is now 5am. Being awake at 5am sucks. So much watching the time tick by, wishing I was sleeping, but I'm not. And then I want to sleep until 2pm (and I have been so far, then finally get up feeling like such a bum). But other than that, it's same ol' Algeria, and kind of feels like I never left.
Sean and I went to a professional team basketball game today. I wish I could see Sean's national team play and him coach, but with most of his games (when they actually happen) being out of the country, that ain't gonna happen. I tried to take some pictures- please excuse the quality, as my iphone camera seems to be getting worse by the day.
Since all words here are so foreign to me and I can never remember the names of places/teams, I do as any American watching unfamiliar teams would do- I look at the jerseys for the team names. Not helpful. Today was C.R.B.D.B. vs. C.S.C.D.N. (thankfully the teams had different color jerseys on so I could refer to them as white team and blue team, otherwise there would have been no hope for me). Sean said C...um...the white team is currently the best professional team in the country, and the game would probably be a blow out. And it was, but knowing that I was watching the best team in the country made it so apparent how lacking in basketball skill Algeria is. It's not necessarily the players fault. Basketball just isn't a focus the way it is in America. Kinda like those No Fear shirts from the 90s... "Soccer is life, the rest is just details." In America kids play pick-up basketball. In Algeria kids play pick-up soccer. Soccer games are broadcasted, and we can always tell when a big game is on TV from the noise we hear outside. These players play basketball as a job, but still love soccer more. And many are better at soccer than basketball (which was evident during time outs when a player with the ball would soccer dribble the ball over to the bench).
So the game starts, there's an error on the jump ball, and they gotta start over.
There's lots of back and forth, up and down the court, with not a lot of scoring. By the end of the first quarter the score was... wait for it...
There was an arrow on the scorer's table. But when I first saw it, the ball happened to be placed next to it. So to me, it looked like, "In case anyone doesn't know where the ball is, it's right here!"
So when I made the above observation to Sean, he told me the arrow is to keep track of possession for jump balls. But then a red sign with a pointing finger appeared on the table, seemingly serving the same purpose, but the arrow and finger were pointing different directions. Not so effective.
In America, the refs are always being yelled at. In Algeria, the refs aren't taking shit from anyone! At one point, a whistle was blown for a foul, and a player threw the ball behind him, kind of in the direction of the ref but not really. The ref was not about to jog to get the ball, and took it as a personal offense. The next minute or so was spent with the ref yelling at the player to go get the ball and throw it to him. When another player on the same team, who was closer to the ball, tried to go get it, the ref yelled at him and shook his head no. So much angry yelling and pointing. These players aren't children, they are grown men, but that doesn't stop the refs from treating them like children.
I also found it very funny that the white team coach resembled Vince Vaughan (we were too far away for me to get a picture good enough to prove my point). Imagine Vince Vaughan coaching his kid's soccer game at the end of Old School and that was this guy. But a lot of coaches here act that way, so unlike the movie, this coach didn't get kicked out of the game.
Here are 2 more pics, just cause I took them...
On the walk home from the game we stopped to get something to eat at a fairly new place (it opened while I was back in America, Sean has eaten there a few times). The name of the place is "Fast." Doesn't it look like McDonalds?? I can't remember the last time I ate at McDonalds, other than for breakfast of course, but was still excited.
Ahh, great Algerian day :-)
Sean and I went to a professional team basketball game today. I wish I could see Sean's national team play and him coach, but with most of his games (when they actually happen) being out of the country, that ain't gonna happen. I tried to take some pictures- please excuse the quality, as my iphone camera seems to be getting worse by the day.
Since all words here are so foreign to me and I can never remember the names of places/teams, I do as any American watching unfamiliar teams would do- I look at the jerseys for the team names. Not helpful. Today was C.R.B.D.B. vs. C.S.C.D.N. (thankfully the teams had different color jerseys on so I could refer to them as white team and blue team, otherwise there would have been no hope for me). Sean said C...um...the white team is currently the best professional team in the country, and the game would probably be a blow out. And it was, but knowing that I was watching the best team in the country made it so apparent how lacking in basketball skill Algeria is. It's not necessarily the players fault. Basketball just isn't a focus the way it is in America. Kinda like those No Fear shirts from the 90s... "Soccer is life, the rest is just details." In America kids play pick-up basketball. In Algeria kids play pick-up soccer. Soccer games are broadcasted, and we can always tell when a big game is on TV from the noise we hear outside. These players play basketball as a job, but still love soccer more. And many are better at soccer than basketball (which was evident during time outs when a player with the ball would soccer dribble the ball over to the bench).
So the game starts, there's an error on the jump ball, and they gotta start over.
There's lots of back and forth, up and down the court, with not a lot of scoring. By the end of the first quarter the score was... wait for it...
The visiting team (blue team) did score twice as many points in the 2nd quarter as they did in the 1st, but it was clear Sean was right with the "blow out" call.
One of my favorite parts of watching Algerian basketball? The players with the big full beards. I love how they stay true to their culture!
Unfortunately there was only one in this game, #6 on the white team. But surprisingly there was also an Algerian red head. It was also surprising how often players were on the ground...
I'm not sure where the ball is in this pic, or exactly what's going on between #9 on the blue team and the white team guy on the floor.
And apparently "bunching " doesn't just occur in lines...
Since neither team was local to our little city of Staoueli, there weren't a ton of fans. But those that were there showed lots of support by yelling, and chain smoking. I've spent enough time in Algeria to have gotten used to the smoking everywhere. But you'd think people may refrain from smoking near athletic events. I can't imagine playing hard while breathing smoky air.
A few other observations I found humorous:
There was an arrow on the scorer's table. But when I first saw it, the ball happened to be placed next to it. So to me, it looked like, "In case anyone doesn't know where the ball is, it's right here!"
In America, the refs are always being yelled at. In Algeria, the refs aren't taking shit from anyone! At one point, a whistle was blown for a foul, and a player threw the ball behind him, kind of in the direction of the ref but not really. The ref was not about to jog to get the ball, and took it as a personal offense. The next minute or so was spent with the ref yelling at the player to go get the ball and throw it to him. When another player on the same team, who was closer to the ball, tried to go get it, the ref yelled at him and shook his head no. So much angry yelling and pointing. These players aren't children, they are grown men, but that doesn't stop the refs from treating them like children.
I also found it very funny that the white team coach resembled Vince Vaughan (we were too far away for me to get a picture good enough to prove my point). Imagine Vince Vaughan coaching his kid's soccer game at the end of Old School and that was this guy. But a lot of coaches here act that way, so unlike the movie, this coach didn't get kicked out of the game.
Here are 2 more pics, just cause I took them...
On the walk home from the game we stopped to get something to eat at a fairly new place (it opened while I was back in America, Sean has eaten there a few times). The name of the place is "Fast." Doesn't it look like McDonalds?? I can't remember the last time I ate at McDonalds, other than for breakfast of course, but was still excited.
Yet again, looks can be deceiving. Definitely not McDonalds. There was a mystery potato pancake on the sandwich, and the fries were undercooked. But I appreciate this place for attempting to bring me food that looks familiar.
Ahh, great Algerian day :-)
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