DaeHaMinGuk
12 Mar 2007, 05:10 AM
I know we've had this thread in the past, but it seems like the number of regular posters on the OL board is double what it was when OL first got its own board on BigSoccer.
Here is my story:
In the Summer of 2004, I spent 4 weeks in Paris and 4 days in Lyon for a summer school program through my American university. My time in Paris was fun, but I grew tired of the hustle and bustle of Paris, not to mention the pick-pocketers on the metro. What makes my story even better is that I was nothing more than a 10-minute walk from Parc des Princes, to where common sense would say that I'd be a PSG fan at this point.
The last 4 days of the program was done in Lyon. The lady who was my host was the nicest, welcoming person I've ever met. My experience in Lyon taught me many lessons in life, namely being open-minded. I came to Lyon thinking it was some town in the boondocks (cue Aulus' country bumpkin baguette comments in regards to Chelsea and Essien) where I would spend 4 days with a 57 year-old lady who spoke no English. On paper, I was thinking all I would do is sit at a table and stare blankly at this lady while being bored out of mind.
As soon as me and my fellow students arrived by train at Part Dieu, the lady was so excited to host me, as I was her first student to host. She was listing all these different places to see and do in the limited time I had.
When I arrived at her apartment, my bedroom table had city maps and metro tickets she had purchased for me. Also, she had a poodle that was very friendly. Perhaps too friendly, as he humped my leg ad infinitum. Euro 2004 was going on and knowing full well that I loved soccer, my madame would prepare my dinner and ensured that it was more than okay for me to eat dinner in front of the TV to watch crucial matches such as Czech Rep vs Holland. What made it even more memorable was that my madame's neighbor, a little 7 year-old named Marie who was always over at the apartment, was the one who'd bring the food to me on a tray. That was probably the most adorable thing I'd ever seen.
That hospitality I felt in Lyon made me feel like I was back home in Texas. When I found out that Lyon was the gastronomic capital of France, that certainly won over ma coeur. Another example of the hospitality I experienced was when I went out one night with my American friends, but I was alone and going to their apartment. I got lost on the way, even with the aid of a map. I approach a man and his wife/gf and ask if he knows where the address I need to go to was. Instead of just telling me with directions, he and his wife/gf actually went out their way to walk me 1/4 to 1/2 a mile to the doorstep of my destination.
Wherever I went, it seemed like people gravitated towards me because I was an Asian-American from Texas who spoke some French and loved soccer. Basically, I stuck out like a sore thumb wherever I went, partly because I wore shorts all the time.
At the time, I didn't know much about OL but adopted them as my team for the 2004-2005 season. The dashing runs down the right flank by Govou, the consistency of Cris, artistry of Juniho immediately let me know I chose the right team to root for.
Flash forward to this time last year, as I visited Lyon for 3 days and 2 nights over my Spring Break, while staying with the madame who hosted me 2 years prior. Now armed with actual knowledge about OL, I was ready to talk about OL en Francais, if needed, too. I walked around the centre du commercial with my Lyon scarf that I purchased at the OL team store at the Stade Gerland. The madame understood my love for OL and was willing to drive through the annoying traffic to take me to SG, which meant passing by the Interpol HQ, so that I could hopefully catch an OL training session. Unfortunately, the session was held earlier in the day, but I still was in heaven at the OL team store.
Walking around town with Lyon stuff on and looking like an obvious tourist speaking in broken French, carrying a map, wearing a backpack, etc. would provoke people to talk to me. Immediately I would tell them I'm a Texan who came to Lyon because he loves the city and the local club. That certainly helped endear me to many people and often resulted in long conversations with people I had just met. If I were wise at the time, I would have used that to win over some filles.
It is experience like these that have me attached to OL forever. The other clubs I support, such as Tottenham and Juventus, I have no real personal attachment to. OL is my first TRUE club to support. I must admit that my eyes are getting a tad watery from writing this. All these precious memories I have of Lyon the city makes me feel very nostalgic about the team and city I love dearly, despite the fact that I've spent a combined 1 week there.
Here is my story:
In the Summer of 2004, I spent 4 weeks in Paris and 4 days in Lyon for a summer school program through my American university. My time in Paris was fun, but I grew tired of the hustle and bustle of Paris, not to mention the pick-pocketers on the metro. What makes my story even better is that I was nothing more than a 10-minute walk from Parc des Princes, to where common sense would say that I'd be a PSG fan at this point.
The last 4 days of the program was done in Lyon. The lady who was my host was the nicest, welcoming person I've ever met. My experience in Lyon taught me many lessons in life, namely being open-minded. I came to Lyon thinking it was some town in the boondocks (cue Aulus' country bumpkin baguette comments in regards to Chelsea and Essien) where I would spend 4 days with a 57 year-old lady who spoke no English. On paper, I was thinking all I would do is sit at a table and stare blankly at this lady while being bored out of mind.
As soon as me and my fellow students arrived by train at Part Dieu, the lady was so excited to host me, as I was her first student to host. She was listing all these different places to see and do in the limited time I had.
When I arrived at her apartment, my bedroom table had city maps and metro tickets she had purchased for me. Also, she had a poodle that was very friendly. Perhaps too friendly, as he humped my leg ad infinitum. Euro 2004 was going on and knowing full well that I loved soccer, my madame would prepare my dinner and ensured that it was more than okay for me to eat dinner in front of the TV to watch crucial matches such as Czech Rep vs Holland. What made it even more memorable was that my madame's neighbor, a little 7 year-old named Marie who was always over at the apartment, was the one who'd bring the food to me on a tray. That was probably the most adorable thing I'd ever seen.
That hospitality I felt in Lyon made me feel like I was back home in Texas. When I found out that Lyon was the gastronomic capital of France, that certainly won over ma coeur. Another example of the hospitality I experienced was when I went out one night with my American friends, but I was alone and going to their apartment. I got lost on the way, even with the aid of a map. I approach a man and his wife/gf and ask if he knows where the address I need to go to was. Instead of just telling me with directions, he and his wife/gf actually went out their way to walk me 1/4 to 1/2 a mile to the doorstep of my destination.
Wherever I went, it seemed like people gravitated towards me because I was an Asian-American from Texas who spoke some French and loved soccer. Basically, I stuck out like a sore thumb wherever I went, partly because I wore shorts all the time.
At the time, I didn't know much about OL but adopted them as my team for the 2004-2005 season. The dashing runs down the right flank by Govou, the consistency of Cris, artistry of Juniho immediately let me know I chose the right team to root for.
Flash forward to this time last year, as I visited Lyon for 3 days and 2 nights over my Spring Break, while staying with the madame who hosted me 2 years prior. Now armed with actual knowledge about OL, I was ready to talk about OL en Francais, if needed, too. I walked around the centre du commercial with my Lyon scarf that I purchased at the OL team store at the Stade Gerland. The madame understood my love for OL and was willing to drive through the annoying traffic to take me to SG, which meant passing by the Interpol HQ, so that I could hopefully catch an OL training session. Unfortunately, the session was held earlier in the day, but I still was in heaven at the OL team store.
Walking around town with Lyon stuff on and looking like an obvious tourist speaking in broken French, carrying a map, wearing a backpack, etc. would provoke people to talk to me. Immediately I would tell them I'm a Texan who came to Lyon because he loves the city and the local club. That certainly helped endear me to many people and often resulted in long conversations with people I had just met. If I were wise at the time, I would have used that to win over some filles.
It is experience like these that have me attached to OL forever. The other clubs I support, such as Tottenham and Juventus, I have no real personal attachment to. OL is my first TRUE club to support. I must admit that my eyes are getting a tad watery from writing this. All these precious memories I have of Lyon the city makes me feel very nostalgic about the team and city I love dearly, despite the fact that I've spent a combined 1 week there.