Shanghai here. Wondering what it like for those of us (non-military, that is) stationed or living by choice in foreign lands. What's your experience supporting USMNT? Can you find other supporters? Do the locals and foreign expats from other lands give you grief or give you respect? Where to you watch the US play? What are your WC plans etc. Let's celebrate/co-miserate/toast our efforts. Here in China the locals are sympathetic when I represent as China NT has not qualified for WC since 2002 and were eliminated by Iraq. But I always have to re-explain our team and our achievements when I talk to other American every WC campaign. Finding more than five Yanks to watch a game together in one of our Shanghai sports bars is always tough. I'm trying to convince an American-owned Texas BBQ place that does NFL to show our matches on delay (ET is always mid morning the day in advance here) but it may be a tough climb. Best moment: the Confederations Cup in 2009, beating Spain at 4 am at the Bulldog Bar, across the street from our US Consulate, we made sure they knew the score! Chaiyo Meiguo!
Not in Shanghai as much now (Hong Kong now), but never caught much greif nor had too much trouble finding Yanks or other ex-pats to watch US matches against European nations televised in Shanghers. Obviously, CONCACAF will always be a bigger time challenge. Bubba's BBQ out in Hong Qiao Lu's inconvenient in Changning, but the new Shanghai cousin of Lubbock and Austin Stubb's BBQ joint on Wulumuqi Lu near Jing An / Xu Hui (qing mian Changle Lu) could be far more convenient. FYI: By the way, it's "Mei guo jia you"!
I used to live in Ukraine and frankly I can say I basically missed every US match from around 2004 to 2008 except the World Cup in Germany. It simply wasn't feasible back then to find an internet stream of games and nobody in their right mind gave a shit about the Gold Cup or CONCACAF qualifying. To be honest, nobody really cared that I was a US fan. Reactions either ranged from: of course, you are American, to: you have a team? When I went to Ukrainian National Team games I supported the Ukrainians and they generally accepted me as a fan even though I was obviously a foreigner. I suspect now it would be a lot different. Internet streams are more plentiful and high speed internet is now common where I was.
His post is for people who live by themselves (or, just their own family) in foreign locations and may not know (m)any other Americans. Someone in the military would not have this issue, as they would obviously be surrounded by plenty of other Americans in their base.