And what is happening meanwhile?

These days I can´t avoid saying something about the World Cup. The only thing people are interested in today is watching football matches and listening to the players and coaches speeches. It seems as if at least for a month there is no famine, wars or economic crisis. It all revolves around the football ball. I must admit I myself am a football fan and I find pleasure in watching matches and in talking about them with my family, my boyfriend and friends. But I was just wondering what will happen when the tournament finishes. Or what will happen if Argentina looses the next match against Germany, on Saturday (by the way, I hope it doesn´t!). Well, surely newspapers headlines will be utterly different. So, what is it that we are doing wrongly, as society members, letting ourselves be deceived by a tournament? If the media don´t manipulate our thoughts and interests, then what does “manipulation” mean? It seems we´ve forgotten about insecurity, about hunger, about poverty, about the so-criticized government.

Years of strike have come to an end in Entre Ríos, where people spent hundreds of days and nights blocking the “Gualeguaychú-Fray Bentos” bridge in order to prevent the “Botnia” paper factory from working and polluting the Uruguay River. This month, people had to retreat. And I am sure not all Argentinians know that.

Then, it seems there are no swain flu cases yet. Is this true or is it just that we don´t hear about it on the news or on the radio? And do you know something? At least in my town, chemists’ don´t know what to do with all the vaccines they have now – people have stopped buying them.
Finally, there is something else I keep thinking about. When the World Cup finishes, will the actual union and comradeship among Argentinians come to an end? When I look at the flags on flats, houses, cars and on every single corner, I always hope this fervent nationalism doesn´t end the day the Argentinian team comes back. I wish the World Cup could make all of us feel closer to each other, not for a month, but forever. Wouldn´t that mean our country has truly won?