France wins the World Cup

The final game of the 2018 FIFA world cup started very early in the Marquesas, whose time zone is 11.5 hours behind most of Europe. It was still dark when we arrived, but a mix of local residents and visiting yacht owners (mostly French) were already seated in the community hall.

 

Despite the distance between France and the Marquesas, people didn’t seem to have any trouble getting hold of team swag.

As the televisions broadcast the game, many people ordered breakfast to eat while they watched.

 

Here, the Marquesan flag also displays the menu. A breakfast plate came with local lobster, raw tuna with coconut milk, chitons in their shell, and a crêpe–the same blend of Marquesan and French culture we experienced by watching the game.

I wondered how people would react to seeing their colonizing country at the World Cup, but for those who came out to watch, it appeared to be a day of pure joy. Especially with the winning goal!