Fifa volunteer experience — part 2

Of primary importance to anyone about to venture into “new territory” is an element of “expectation”. Fifteen Fifa Local Organising Committee media volunteers in one room! What exactly do they “expect” to gain out of this experience?

This question was posed as we commenced with the volunteers’ workshop, albeit in a different manner. The standard response was: “I would like to provide services for my country.”

But it became clear as we continued to engage that there were other “hidden” expectations each one of us harboured which were “probably” more exciting than “providing services for my country”. For Itumeleng “Tumi” Molefe of Rustenburg, her “hidden” expectation was to get a “close glance” of her namesake and Kaizer Chiefs goal-minder Itumeleng Khune.

As if there was some kind of divine intervention at play, Khune happened to pass just within an inch of Tumi as the players left the field after the pre-match warm-up session. I watched with a bit of amusement as poor Tumi tried as much as possible to resist the temptation to jump and embrace her idol. I guess it must have been because of the fact that we were told to conduct ourselves as professionals at all times. That said, I have no doubt that for a moment Tumi was over the moon.

And then there was also the “unexpected”!

Right after the match ceremony and presentations we were told to remain behind because Danny Jordaan would like to have a word. So, Jordaan walks to us and gives one very sincere speech. In a nutshell he thanked all of us for taking the effort towards making sure that our country can “walk tall” and present the best football experience ever. The moment was so overwhelming that Botsang Huma (SABC Mafikeng) shed “tears of joy” for which Jordaan gave her a warm hug.

As one of the coordinators during our volunteers’ workshop put it, “a souvenir is best expressed by what is recorded in the mind”.