Okay, I made that word up, but don’t you think there should be a term for it? Surely I’m not the only one who’ll be positively bereft when the final game is played and the last plane has left? I mean, last night was the last game in Cape Town and I feel like having a small cry.
Seriously, you know you’re in trouble when a Hayibo article actually sums up exactly what you feel. Am I being melodramatic? I don’t think so.
I’m going to miss the football. A lot. And no, the Tri-Nations won’t fill the sport-shaped hole in my soul.
I’m going to miss hearing all the different languages in my local grocery store and explaining to random foreigners that waterblommetjies aren’t actually District 9 alien paws.
I’m going to miss faux-tangoing with Argentineans and getting chatted up by Americans who pity me for being so ignorant that I don’t know my red hair means I’m actually Irish.
I’m going to miss the flags waving merrily and people dancing in the street and Cape Town’s 4 tenors hilariously singing “Liefling" on the Fan Mile.
I’m going to miss buying beers in the street and posing for photos with the police in front of Caspirs.
I’m going to miss going out in the middle of the week, sneaking off early from work to watch the 4 o’clock game and hugging random strangers when my team scores.
I'm going to miss being oblivious of the crime and potholes and negativity of so many South Africans around me.
I’m not alone am I?
Have a look at this lovely video. It almost made me cry. And it got me thinking, what will I do to keep this bubbling spirit alive?
I have a few ideas:
• I’m going to wear my Bafana shirt every Friday until the end of the year.
• I’m going to keep those naff mirror socks.
• I'm going to use the new MyCity buses and the Gautrain as often as I can.
• At least once a week I'm going to walk from my house to work on the pink brick road and soak up my beautiful city.
• I'm going to keep on smiling at strangers.
Because this truly was a once in a lifetime experience. I felt it. It was here. And I’ll never forget it as long as I live. We did it guys. And it ROCKED.
Sad that it’s almost over? What you’ll be doing to keep the GEES? Share your thoughts and ideas in the box below.
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