"What are you doing on Saturday? Do you want free tickets to the football game?" asked Teresa. "YES!!" I replied, somewhat disbelieving. Free tickets? When does that happen? We have gotten to know Bill and Teresa Welch through a friend of Katie and Kyle's, and they have been very welcoming to us these first months. As it turned out, they had some friends attending the game who had 2 extra tickets (which happened to be "one adult" and "one student")! Jim had been hoping to get to a game this fall but our schedule has been busy and the tickets are expensive, so we hadn't attempted it yet. But thanks to these friends we got to go!! 
On Saturday 7th November we had breakfast with the Welchs and their friends, and then headed over to the stadium. The game was set for noon and we arrived at 10 AM, and already lots of community people and students were set up for tailgates in the parking lots, cooking their breakfast/brunch and just enjoying the atmosphere. Kids were running around wearing jerseys and playing catch, radio stations were blasting music at their stands, and the sun was bright and warm. We were so early that we got to watch the Marching Hundred (college band) practice and then we wandered around the stadium. Since this was the first "big college" football game that either of us had attended, we were amazed at all the festivities.
As you can see, LOTS of fans wore red. Jim followed suit but oops, I forgot. 
Just before the game began, the band marched out onto the field and performed some pep songs and formations - SO AMAZING!!! (I think this pre-game and their halftime performance was probably the highlight of the event.) Can you tell what letters they have formed here??
Then some fireworks were set off and the team ran on to the field, through the band's formation. 
Actually by the time the game started, the stadium (which is huge) was more full than what you see in these photos. I guess at this point people were still getting to their seats and buying popcorn and hotdogs at the concession stands. We had great seats, towards the top of the stadium and close to midfield. We tried our best to follow along with the pep songs and shout out "Go IU!" at appropriate moments. And hey, we wore our IU hats! (which we got free at a men's soccer game earlier this semester) Unfortunately the Hoosiers lost the game by 3 points to Wisconsin, 31-28. (They are currently 4-7.) They had a chance at the end of the game to convert on a 3rd down and score but didn't complete it. Oh well. (That's IU football for you.) It was a fun day though!! We are feeling more like official Bloomington residents.
Some more fun pics from my time with Mike and Heather! On the morning we drove to the conference in Cincinnati, we stopped for a bathroom break at McDonalds in a small town en-route. Both of them were flabbergasted by the numbers of cars lined up for the drive-through. "Is it like this every day?" Mike asked. And "Why don't they just park and go inside? Wouldn't that be faster?" (You can't tell in the photo but Mike has his hands in the air and a querying look on his face.)
The first night of the conference was Free Ice Cream for participants at a downtown ice cream shop - delicious even on a cold evening.
One of the mornings we walked from our suite at The Ascent (see previous post) over to a breakfast cafe. Our server was pretty excited to meet two South Africans ("What in the world are you doing in Kentucky?") and explain the menu to them. Mike and Heath: "This pancake is Huge!" and "Look, they bring you your own carafe of coffee. ...Americans drink a lot of coffee."
One evening (after doing some grocery shopping at a local Kroger) Heath and I indulged in some Pop-Tarts, which was Heather's first experience. Although "indulge" is perhaps a bit strong. I mean, even though they have a fun name, they really do taste like cardboard. Initially Heather was feelin' groovy...
...then a bit skeptical...
...and here's the first bite! After that it was a bit of a letdown, to be honest. I guess you have to be a hungry kid in order to enjoy these.
BUT the big highlight at the suite was the coffee machine in the lounge. I'd never seen one like it and it made very nice cappuccinos (for an automated machine). The neat thing was that you stick a cup of cold milk under the tube (on the left), press "froth", and out it comes hot and foamy into the cup on the right. Then the espresso dispenses from the middle nozzle. Now with this, we weren't disappointed.
And a couple more area shots, since it was a really pretty time of year. This "welcome to Covington" sign was directly outside our suite windows, greeting cars as they cross over the Ohio River and enter Kentucky.
And what is more uniquely American than steamboats?!! Cincinnati was a hub for them in their heyday. Maybe next time we'll get to do a dinner cruise on one. 
(p.s. thanks for the photos, Heath)
Last week we had an amazing visit with Mike Gathercole and Heather Wonnacott from Cape Town (Jul's former colleagues at 2 Way Travel), who are in the US for a business trip this month. Incredibly, in addition to contacts in New York, Boston, Houston, San Francisco and Cincinnati, they also have contacts in Indianapolis!! So on the back-end of their Indy stop, we got to meet up and host them for one night. The following morning the three of us (minus Jim) headed out to Cincinnati for a meeting at the University of Cin. and a four-day conference on community development held by the CCDA (Christian Community Development Association). Ask me about it sometime - it was a great conference.It was truly wonderful to see them again, 5 months after saying good-bye and not knowing when we would meet up again, and show them a bit of Bloomington and journey together to Cincinnati. This was also Heather's first time in the US so there were lots of funny moments... "why don't Americans have electric kettles?" and "why are these portions so huge?" and "what are steak fries? are they made from steak?!"
Of course we had to have some ice cream... and hey, Heath, this ice cream has your name on it!
The night before we left for Cincinnati, we talked through the presentation we'd be doing the following morning at the School of Social Work at the Univ. of Cincinnati. It was a well-attended session and there was some great interest in bringing a group of students to South Africa.
After the social work session we walked around campus a bit and ate in the staff dining hall. It was homecoming weekend and the mascot was walking around. Naturally we got our picture with him. Also we heard the marching band practicing and saw a fundraiser by a fraternity (behind us in the photo) - pay $1 and take a swing at an old car. Ah classic American university experience.
Here we are in Cincinnati (sorry no actual photos of the conference itself). Through a crazy series of events we stayed for free at "The Ascent" (the blue building below) in a guest suite for three nights and at the Holiday Inn for one night. Tragically our intended host had a house fire the day before we arrived so we couldn't stay with her, but the city of Cincinnati heard the story and figured out alternative housing for us. She is now living with neighbors and many people in the city have pulled together to help her and her other neighbors who lost their homes and possessions.
This bridge spans the Ohio River, which flanks the city, and marks the Ohio/Kentucky border. It is a suspension bridge built in 1867 by the same architect, John Roebling, who built the Brooklyn Bridge (in 1883). Pretty cool! Every day we drove across this bridge from the convention center to our accommodation at The Ascent, right on the riverbank. The Ascent are actually pricey condos but there are two guest suites on the first floor, and the city allowed us to stay there. We even got to tour the 7400 sq. ft. penthouse which is still for sale - for $5.5 million!
But of course the days went quickly and we had to say good-bye once again. What a great time together!!! Perhaps next year we'll meet up again in Cape Town??
On Saturday 7th November we had breakfast with the Welchs and their friends, and then headed over to the stadium. The game was set for noon and we arrived at 10 AM, and already lots of community people and students were set up for tailgates in the parking lots, cooking their breakfast/brunch and just enjoying the atmosphere. Kids were running around wearing jerseys and playing catch, radio stations were blasting music at their stands, and the sun was bright and warm. We were so early that we got to watch the Marching Hundred (college band) practice and then we wandered around the stadium. Since this was the first "big college" football game that either of us had attended, we were amazed at all the festivities.
As you can see, LOTS of fans wore red. Jim followed suit but oops, I forgot. 
Just before the game began, the band marched out onto the field and performed some pep songs and formations - SO AMAZING!!! (I think this pre-game and their halftime performance was probably the highlight of the event.) Can you tell what letters they have formed here??
Then some fireworks were set off and the team ran on to the field, through the band's formation. 
Actually by the time the game started, the stadium (which is huge) was more full than what you see in these photos. I guess at this point people were still getting to their seats and buying popcorn and hotdogs at the concession stands. 
