The Sport Of The World

Sports have always been a part of my life. Ever since I was a kid, I have loved sports. I have often wondered why sports has always been such a large part of my life as my family likes sports, but not to the degree that I do (though my Uncle and I have always bonded over sports). When I was a kid, I even bought a small 10inch black and white television at the Flee Market to put in my room so that I could watch Rockies and Nuggets games on basic channels. That was when professional sports were often on non-cable TV. I can remember sneaking a radio into my bed to listen to radio broadcasts of games and falling asleep with those sounds in my ears. I played sports throughout my childhood and my summer days were filled with basketball games, hockey games, home-run derbys and every other sport or sport-like game in between.  Needless to say, I was and still am a little obsessed.

Like many other children in the US, the first team sport I played on and was a part of was soccer. I loved it and I wish I never would have stopped! However, for many children in the US soccer becomes a secondary sport and football or baseball or softball or volleyball or basketball takes over. But I always liked watching and playing soccer. Kelci and I even played indoor soccer together for a few years before moving here. BUT...you will never understand the game of soccer until you

live in a foreign country. Especially a foreign country that likes its soccer as much as Brazil!

Brazil loves its soccer and it's such a cool experience to be a part of. You always know when soccer is on because noise reigns throughout the city when a game starts and favorite teams score. One of my favorite questions to ask people right now is "What soccer team do you like?" and it almost always a conversation starter because soccer is not just a sport here...it is a part of life. It is a part of the culture. It helps define Brazil. Football and basketball may have the US, but soccer has the world and it is clearly evident when you live abroad. Everywhere you go and almost everybody you talk to knows soccer. I obviously knew before we came that soccer was THE sport here, but I don't think I ever could have been prepared for just how influential, important, and emotional soccer is here. It is a unifying force and we are glad to be a part of it.

-Kelly