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I feel like I need another 10 days

Written here on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 by Andrew Aris

ball clock

I feel like I need another 10 days to really be ready to travel but I have another 1.5 days.

Why does the taxman come calling in my weakest hour? Why does my roommate illegally download a psycho-thriller from the internet — and why does a lawyer in Berlin have to find out about it and bill me (my name is on the internet connection) a few days before the biggest trip of my life?

Why do I suddenly just now realize the millions of little things that need to be taken care of? Why am I so disorganized? Ask my ex-wife –- she’s been telling me for years! Why is it so difficult to get a Nigerian visa? And why is it that I have to fall in love right before I leave?

And, above all, how do I say goodbye to my most treasured friend, my 3.5-year-old son? What the hell am I actually doing, going on the road to the World Cup? Suddenly, I begin to appreciate how sorely I am going to miss my son and how impossible it is for him to understand my being gone.

The doubts have been rising this last week: am I really going to be able to do this? Will I be able to keep the mosquitoes at bay? How am I going to be able to deal with the journey financially, physically, emotionally? What happens when I come back? Am I going to come back? What happens if I am attacked? How will I defend myself?

Can a football really help me through those tricky situations?

2 comments on “I feel like I need another 10 days”

  1. I feel for you, Andrew. Good luck and better luck

    Karin , Christian’s mother

  2. Hallo Andrew, how are you? Where are you? I wish you beautiful journey. I hav no doubt,you can that. Don’t let the head hang. We are proud on you. We miss you, but Rick also correct.
    Goodbye! Se you soon! Ulrike frome the Enlish-course

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