France-Spain

The streets of Bayeux are quiet tonight in preparation for a huge World Cup qualifier in Paris between the previous World Cup champion Spain and a young French squad seeking redemption from a poor showing in the last Cup. I expected to see throngs of fans in the restaurants and bars in town but it is a veritable ghost town in this quiet burg in the Normandy region of France. In class today Mirza predicted a comfortable win by our neighbors to the west, which drew peals of derisive mocking laughter from the french "corresponants" in the room. No need to worry about Mirza hurting US-Franco relations, though, as he has built up a reservoir of good will by carrying around his correspondant,Anatole, on his back throughout the campus. Don't worry Mom we are encouraging him to lift with his knees!