Bringing my camera to the soccer match

I love going to partite di calcio (soccer matches): the excitement, the people, and the giocatori (players) on the campo (field). Now that the weather is pleasant, it's a joy to go to the stadio (stadium) to watch the Fiorentina on a Sunday afternoon. Alessandro's friend and his father weren't going to the partita and gave us their abbonamenti (season tickets). On Thursday, Alessandro told me about our going to the partita, and I couldn't wait until today.

Living in Florence :: Bringing my camera to the soccer match

When I woke up this morning, the weather was beautiful: a sun blazing in a cloudless blue sky. As the day went on, dark grey clouds started to slowly pass by. My suocera (mother-in-law) called to tell me to make sure I bring a impermeabile (rain jacket) because we might get rained on at the partita.

During lunch with my suoceri (in-laws), I stayed positive and prayed for sun, but I did pack an impermeabile in my zaino (backpack). I was hesitant about bringing my macchina fotografica (camera) because of the risk of rain, but when I saw the bright sun out again I packed it up.

When we got to the entrata (entrance) to the stadio (stadium), a woman stopped me to look in my zaino. I had it open for her to look through it while she asked me, "Hai un accendino? Do you have a lighter?. I told her that I didn't while I moved some things in my zaino to show her my macchina fotografica.

"Non puoi entrare con la macchina fotografica. You can't enter with your camera," she said to me. I was shocked and told her, "Sono venuta tante volte con la macchina fotografica. I have come many times with my camera."

"Non posso lasciarti entrare. I can't let you in," she said. "E tutte le persone che fumano allo stadio hanno per forza un accendino, no? And everyone who smokes in the stadium must have a lighter, right?" She agreed with me, but still said she couldn't let me in. She said that if I didn't like her answer, I could talk to a poliziotto (policeman).

Right behind her were two poliziotti, sitting in a police car. Alessandro and I walked over to them with the woman standing next to us. Alessandro told him that I had taken in my macchina fotografica many times to the stadio and that I just wanted to take some pictures during the partita.

When he saw my macchina fotografica, he said "Se la lanci, la ci rimetti. If you throw it, you lose it." He giggled and waved us to go inside. We both thanked him profusely, and quickly walked into the stadio. Had I thought it was illegal to bring in a macchina fotografica, I never would've brought it. I posted one of the photos that I took of my favorite giocatore, Montolivo.

When we left the stadio, we looked at the cartello (sign) to see what it said about bringing a macchina fotografica inside. It did say that a person couldn't bring in an accendino (lighter), knives, and anything dangerous, but there was no mention of macchine fotografiche.

It was sunny with a small fluffy clouds that provided some shade every once in a while. Before we got to our seats, I bought a capellino (baseball cap) with the words "Fiorentina Girls" on it. As soon as it was mine, I put it on to wear. I definitely needed it because the sun was quite bright.

I have been to the stadio for four partite and the Fiorentina have won. Per scaramanzia (for luck), I'll have to go to the last two home partite so I can hopefully bring the team some luck. Everyone I know who goes to the partita has something, like a lucky shirt or scarf that they bring. To the last two partite I will be wearing my new capellino and bringing my macchina fotografica.

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