Keeping the gees

Like a violent fever, excitement, patriotism and vuvuzela-blowing raged through South Africa this month. The country caught the gees like a bad cold (you yell ‘Gees!’ out loud and see how many people say ‘Bless you!’) infecting everyone in the playground.

The World Cup brought both FIFA and Phillip to South Africa. (In case you don’t know the story behind Phillip: to win the prize at a radio chat show, people phoning in had to give the World Cup’s catch phrase, which is 'Feel it! It is here!', but instead a caller yelled 'Phillip! It is here!')

FIFA may have left, but Phillip doesn’t have to. It’s been a fun, full whirlwind of a month. Fan Parks, live games, bars, drinks with tourists, face paint, flag flying, Fan Walks and fist-shaking at the screen – each a square in the crazy World Cup quilt.

Our true colours

Love for South Africa was demonstrated by South Africans from Soweto to Cape Town. Flags peppered faces, cars and shirts, were painted on vuvuzelas, worn as capes, tied to buildings and waved from hands. People showed their true colours this month: all six of them.

Why should we stop? It’s been fun having Phillip here, are we going to kick him out just because the other guests have left? Let’s not turn this into an awkward party, people. Keep the car socks on. It’s still cold out there, and my car’s little ears will get nippy in this winter weather without them.

How to keep the gees PWC (post-World Cup)

Here are some suggestions gathered from friends and family:

• Keep flying the flag!
• Keep your car socks on!
• Carry a vuvuzela around instead of a whistle or pepper spray (patriotic self protection!)
• Paint a flag on your cheek, or over your entire face, and act completely nonchalant about it. (It’s very strange trying to talk to someone seriously about Very Important Things while their face is covered in bright colours).
• Surprise your colleagues by hiding behind things, jumping out and yelling ‘Gees!’ at them. Patriotism attack!
• Learn a new language, whether it be Afrikaans or Zulu.
• Support a local soccer team – like Ajax, or the Kaiser Chiefs.
• Make yourself a gees CD, featuring these spirit laden songs (and, of course, anything else that moves you):

o    Waka waka – Shakira feat Freshlyground
o    Show dem – JR feat HHP
o    Waving flag – K’naan
o    Special star – Mango Groove
o    More than a feeling – Boston
o    The sound of victory – R. Kelly
o    Africa – Toto

I caught the gees this month with a vengeance. Aside from socks, my car also has an increasingly bedraggled flag sticking out of the window. I watched sport (voluntarily), chatted with foreigners and wore flags in my hair, on my face and on my shirt.

So the World Cup’s over, so what? South Africa is still going strong, our patriotism should as well. This is the one cold I don’t want to lose - I hope Phillip gets comfortable. Gees! (Bless you.)

If you have any suggestions for other songs Phillip would like, leave them in the comment box below!