Spontaneous Football in Rosata, Italy

After a good's afternoon's cycle I came to a fork in the road. I stopped and took a look at my map.

There in the field nearby five boys were kicking a soccer ball around. They looked about the age I had been when I played soccer back in the Yukon. They also looked like they really need a sixth player to get a game going.

But, they looked pretty good. I hesitated, then, casting my soccer insecurities aside, I pushed my bike over to the field.

Despite my lack of Italian and soccer cleats, we all hit it off immediately! Apparently, not many Canadians bike through their small town on their way to China. An animated inter-cultural dialogue ensued. And so did a game! To my amazement, I was actually not only able to keep up, but deaked them out and scored a few goals.

You see, they were so curious about what the heck I was doing in Rosata that they kept thinking of questions for me as I would head down the field with the ball. As they would try to think of the right words to ask me, and I would easily dance by! It was a actually a great strategy for me.

Finally, I conceded to their curiosity and we went over to my bike. I pulled out my iPod to show my photos. After the photos of forest and mountains in Canada, they were particularly interested in the girls I had met on my trip. :-) Vero they really liked your peace portrait. Abby you have some admirers in Italy!

But then ladies and gentlemen, something incredible happened!

After asking me some questions about money and food, they came up with the idea of buying me lunch! I was dazzled-- these were the typical teenagers adults despair about-- talking about porn stars, and cars, and making crude michael jackson jokes-- but here they were spontaneously offering to buy a complete stranger food!

Together we walked down to the local store. The owner was so taken back by the kids gesture that she threwn in a sandwhich on the house. In the end I should have asked for more! All the kids really wanted to chip in to pay but it only came to two euros after the owner discounted the fruit too!

The owner husband came out and we all gathered around for a photo.

Wow! Humanity rocks!