Just got a great book from the library called "Playing the Enemy" by John Carlin. The book is about how Nelson Mandela used rugby, the South African national team (the Springboks) and the 1995 Rugby World Cup as vehicles for racial tolerance. Should be a great read.
Speaking of rugby, you should know my year down there will not JUST be about soccer. I am planning on joining some sort of local rugby team and continuing playing (I joined the Yale rugby team just this past year and played the Spring season...0 tries, 0 kicks, countless injuries). Suffice is to say, I made sure the travel health insurance policy I purchased had a comprehensive "hazardous sports" rider attached to it.
In general, I am trying to read up as much as I can on South African history and politics while I still have some free time around the house. I'm sure once things kick off in August there will be little if any time to think much about non-GRS related topics.
Great Mandela quote to end this post: "Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair.”
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