Dining with David Beckham

Imagine you’re hosting a dinner party. Expectations are high and it’s your first ever bona-fide dinner party. Sure, you’ve had the occasional luncheon and afternoon tea for the neighbors, but this is the big time. A ton of people will be there—and not just the regular crowd. We’re talking presidents, rock stars, pop stars, billionaires, you name it. On top of this, no one in your neighborhood has ever had such a grandiose dinner party. Sure, the fancy suburbs with themed street names will have them now and again, but you’re only half-heartedly invited anyway.

So how do you feel? There’s excitement, of course. And extreme nervousness. You could accidently set fire to Beyonce’s dress. Your crème brûlée could get flambéed. The toilet could explode on an unlucky prime minister. And then pride. Of course you feel pride, too. Because, out of your whole neighborhood, who was chosen? You.

If sport competitions were dining events, the Soccer World Cup would knock the pants off any White House gala. It was obviously a huge deal when South Africa was named the host for the 2010 World Cup. Even more so, though, because South Africa is the first African nation to receive this nomination. Though I normally shy away from gross continental generalizations, I will concede that Africa, in general, is in love with soccer. I mean, in love. If my 70 year-old host mom can jump up and down, yelling at the tv and shaking her fist like a crazed Packers fan on too much cheese, then imagine the kind devotion the younger population strata have. This is a big deal. Naturally, the country is a bit strung-out with anticipation and excitement. Any major road between cities hosting games is being widened and de-potholed, lodging and rental car prices are skyrocketing, and souvenir vendors have been salivating and chomping at the bit.

Basically all South African social structures are adjusting to this month-long extravaganza and the Department of Education is no exception. The school winter break has been elongated to six weeks this year. So, anticipating the extreme boredom of children during breaks which leads to dangling Timmy off the roof, my host brother and I decided to hold a camp. The camp will be for Grade4-6 learners and will have two main themes. To lure the children: soccer! To teach the children: HIV/AIDS awareness. The curriculum in South Africa introduces HIV very early, even in Grade 1. This is good to educate children as quickly as possible, but, when coupled with the silence in the community about HIV/AIDS, children are becoming desensitized. It becomes no more than an academic subject. We want to approach the subject from a different angle, outside the classroom. While I do not expect a three day camp will in any way be able to change this problem, we hope that it will get the ball rolling in our area and generate ideas and motivation to start similar projects.

So I have been rushing around, gathering volunteers, while South Africa hyperventilates with excitement for the ultimate sports dinner party. I’m excited too, by the way. No, I am not the largest soccer fan, but it will be fun to witness all the hullaballoo and to go to a game or two. I currently just have one ticket, but am on the lookout for more. I contemplated buying a whole bunch earlier on and going into the scalping business, but then I thought Peace Corps might not like that.