Happy World Cup! 🏆⚽

Canada, United States, and Mexico are sharing hosting duties for World Cup 2026. I was excited when this was announced since we knew we would be moving to Metro Vancouver in time for the tournament. During the 2002 WC I was in Japan when it was jointly hosted with Korea, but always regretted not going to a live game. So early on in this round I made sure to have my name in the lottery (ahem… multiple times) to get tickets to one of the matches here in Vancouver. Unfortunately I didn’t win the lottery, and there is no way I am spending that much on a ticket (unless I were to win the actual lottery).

But I do have some luck! 🍀 My city Surrey is just outside the FIFA Branding Exclusion Zone™ so they could set up three free Fan Zones where citizens can watch the games together on big screens with all sorts of food and kids activities. I have been a couple of times now and it is a great experience! My whole family went down to the Fan Zone yesterday to witness Japan getting knocked out by Brasil in the last minute of extra time. 💔 My wife said it was strange to hear Kimigayo sung in front of Surrey City Hall (photo).

This month has not been all about the football. I read five books, a number of reports on digital sovereignty, the Magnifica Humanitas (for which I need to write a review), all while continuing to write up trip reports from Europe, referring to my handy-dandy handwritten journal that I kept to the consternation of my right hand which by the end of the two weeks travel had turned into a cramped claw for not being used to writing that much on paper.

Also this month I investigated the local Surrey economy meeting with regional business associations and attending the Mayor’s Health & Innovation Forum which gave details about Simon Fraser University’s new medical school being built downtown, only a few blocks where UBC’s new medical campus will be. There is a lot going on here and I am still getting my head around it. I look forward to continuing to learn more in July, as I connect with even more local industry.

In between that, and some reunions next month, I will sure to be enjoying seeing how far Canada and England make it in the World Cup!

May all your crosses float gently to be headed in ⚽

— Chad

🖋 From the Blog

London, Part 2 — Another trip report
Samurai at the British Museum, the treasures of the British Library, and just enjoying the lovely weather

Walking through history in Heidelberg
Old friends and older castles

Don’t sleep on Frankfurt
Trip report from Frankfurt

Sided with Justice
Review of One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad

🧭 Elsewhere

POV: You're in London 🐔 Video →

Gorgeous Canadian painting Link →

800 consecutive days of meditation 🧘 Link →

Review of Benjamin Labatut’s well-crafted work The MANIAC Link →

Cory Doctorow on Everyday Anarchism talking about being a reverse-centaur Link →

“Cars 2 inaccurately portrays spy craft” 🤣 Video →

This Father’s Day had extra meaning for me Link →

📖 What I’m Reading

Hild by Nicola Griffith
(67% Complete)

I started reading this last month. It is taking me quite a while to finish, but after about the third chapter I already ordered the sequel. A deeply researched historical fiction novel about an Anglo-Saxon seer, Nicola Griffith really flexes as an authour. I feel totally immersed in the world, am always happy to pick the book back up. Having done quite a bit of my own learning on the Anglo-Saxon period I feel lucky, otherwise I fear some of details may have gone over my head.

2026 is the year I leave GoodReads. Since January I have been using 📘 Hardcover which has been a delight. Connect with me there https://hardcover.app/@chadkoh