There are two things most Colombians cherish in life — church and football.
Living up to that adage, Dr. Ivan Jimenez and his wife, pharmacist Erica Marin, set out on a journey all the way from their home city of Medellin, via Madrid and Dubai, to experience the World Cup in Qatar.
That Colombia had missed out on qualification, did not stop the couple from embarking on the trip. They are die-hard sports fans, having traveled to the Olympics and the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
“When the World Cup happens, the energy is different and better. It gets people together, there is happiness,” Marin told Arab News. Her husband added that whatever the social standing of people, “we share this excitement of sports.”
This was their first visit to the Gulf region, which included trips to Jerusalem and Cairo. It was an eye-opening, learning experience. “We came not only for sports, but also for a touch of culture,” said Jimenez.
“In Dubai, what surprised me was how organized everything is. It’s a well-designed city,” added Marin. “Unfortunately, in Colombia, we have natural resources which we don’t take advantage of because we are not well-organized.”
They were so keen on visiting Doha that they started planning everything, including booking of flights, a year ago. To secure the coveted match tickets, they registered on FIFA’s website, where a raffle was held and names eventually selected. Jimenez and Marin were lucky to be chosen, paying nearly $500 per ticket.
“That was difficult,” recalled Jimenez. “To get the visa in Qatar, we had to have a ticket. We struggled for one or two months to get the tickets.”
During their flights on their way to Qatar, they encountered fellow cheerful South Americans from Argentina and Uruguay, as well as Mexicans, traveling to support their teams.
Everything went smoothly at Hamad International Airport. “(Going through) customs, we were singing and the guys were happy, and the officials didn’t even search us,” said Jimenez. “In Israel it was different. We didn’t sing and they searched us. In Qatar, they said ‘You’re welcome’ and that strikes me.”
Prior to leaving Colombia, many had voiced concerns about Qatar. Jimenez even refrained from informing his patients at the clinic about his Middle East trip. “My friends were telling me, ‘Be careful, Ivan. What are you doing? They will stop you in the streets.’ Nothing happened to us. We had fun,” he said.
Even the local press was fear-mongering. “There was a whole page in a journal in our city about things you cannot do in Qatar — you cannot wear shorts, you cannot sing … Erica was worried, but I told her to forget it,” said Jimenez.
During their three-night stay in Doha, the couple attended two games, Qatar taking on Senegal at Al-Thumama Stadium, and Korea against Uruguay at Education City Stadium
For Jimenez, the first game was more memorable because there were Qataris chanting and Senegalese dancing, wearing the vibrant colors of their flag. “Everything was new and organized — the streets, the transportation, the metro, all built for the World Cup. This tournament is very important for Qatar and all Qataris know it.”
As for accommodation, because it was impossible to find a hotel room, they opted for a camping-style experience in one of the fan villages set up especially for the World Cup in different desert locations.
They said the village had a pool, gym, park and restaurants. Their tent was equipped with a bed, shower, television and wardrobe, among other amenities. “It was clean and safe. We were like at home,” said Jimenez. “I (preferred) to be there than in a hotel because we came for the experience.”
It took the couple around 40 minutes by taxi — or two hours via bus and metro — to reach the stadiums. Easy access was one of the outstanding aspects of this World Cup for Jimenez. “In 80 kilometers, you have all eight stadiums. So you could go to several games (on) the same day. In Russia, we had to fly from city to city.”
Jimenez is aware of the criticism that has been aimed at Qatar for hosting the World Cup, but he prefers to be positive, and says the event unified people. He highlighted one of the official Arabic songs of the World Cup “Arhbo” (“Welcome" in Qatari slang), saying how touched he was by its friendly message.
“I like the song so much. ‘Hala hala (welcome, welcome), it’s better together …’” This was symbolically important for the “whole world,” he said.
