Soccer Feva has well and truly hit Avocado Vision – we are all buzzing around in the euphoria which has hit South Africa. To say we are seriously wrapped up in the excitement would be an under-statement.  We are attending matches, watching matches on TV, talking matches and trying to get tickets for matches (Clint - !)… Each Avo has even been assigned a team (some are happy, and some not so much) and we are all indirectly, actually participating in the matches…

It’s been a great experience to personally attend a couple of matches myself, to walk through the stadiums with a sense of pride at how we are actually pulling this show off – It has been said so much, and rightfully so, we really do have a lot to be proud of… There is no denying that it’s great to rejoice and celebrate the way we do, when we do so in our personal space, but we all felt that we needed to raise up the energy in style and truly step it up at the office (bring the joy into the space in which we actually do spend a majority of our time)…

A decision was made when The World Cup started, that we would celebrate her arrival with a good old fashioned, Avo-Family, Socca Feva Braai… We put a projector up in the conference venue, connected it to a TV and prepared ourselves to watch South Africa play their last game (against the French) in the group stages, hoping against all hope that our Bafana would make us proud, and that perhaps we would maybe even make it into the next round…

Avo Family members brought their families along for the ride; Chicken and steak prego’s sizzled on the braai; Laughter, joviality and the bellow of our Avo-zelas echoed and rolled down the hill as we took the opportunity in full grasp to relax and enjoy each other’s company; chatting, joking, anecdote-ing and energizing each other with the spirit of South Africa which is currently connecting the people of our nation…

There were a few absent members of our Avo family… can I just say that you guys really and truly missed out… The day before the braai I was offered tickets to attend the Greece–Argentina match (in Polokwane, which under normal circumstances would’ve been a no-brainer), but I made the decision to attend the Avo braai (which had been a long time in planning) and watch My Bafana Bafana with my colleagues and friends – and I am so glad that I made that decision: Call me Crazy, it really was the best time, and the best way, to enjoy the day…

The weather was perfect, as the sun beat down we painted faces, the Avo children running around, playing soccer on the grass; we snacked and giggled amongst each other over glasses of wine, a beer or two, and passed the time away as the big match approached, drawing nearer, with nerves and excitement in it’s stride. We belted out our anthem full force with the start of the game… We had gathered together, and cheered together, and screamed together in joy and pain, we hoped together, we wished together, and together we prayed that Bafana would reign…

As the sun set, after some glorious moments and nail-biting tension the end drew near, and when it ended we smiled, shrugged our shoulders, of course we were disappointed, a little upset, but we were most definitely proud at the same time… A great day had been shared, a valiant effort put forth by our boys, a victory achieved, a first for the team, at the first for a continent, the Avo’s had a day like only the Avo’s can – And there is simply no denying the fact that Our Bafana Bafana have done us proud!