To My Father On His Birthday

Going through the Rolodex of memories in my mind there are many moments that say, "and that's why I love you Papai!"(FYI.Papai means father in Portuguese).

But there is one classic moment that was my dad through and through.

My family as I like to call us an "international family". My twin sister and I were born in Brazil, adopted by my Brazilian/many other nationality mom and Dutch father. My youngest sister was born in Canada. We've lived in various countries, we all know several languages ( although I will openly admit I'm loosing them as the years go by and I don't use them as often, only to swear in a different language).

So when the FIFA World Cup happens I bet you are thinking the great divide when it comes to who we root for during the games. Or when it came to my dad if he would sit down long enough to watch the game.

It was July 1994, the Netherlands versus Brazil in the quarter finals for the World Cup. The entire family is in the living room, which is actually shocking since most of the time we were all in separate rooms, wearing green and screaming at the TV when the Netherlands tied it up 2-2. I know my father was with us when it came to supporting Brazil but when both countries play each other, oh, well, I thought he would have had a hard choice to make...

While the women were booing and freaking out, my dad being the only man in house lifts his arm in the air and shouts "Goal!", puts his hand down and picks up the little Brazilian flag and starts waving it in the air for all of us to see.

It was the best moment of the entire World Cup Event in our house! So now, when the World Cup is on, I know where my dad is going to be. In the living room with a beer watching the games rooting for his teams and not worried about who cares who everyone is cheering for!

I hope you have a great birthday Papai!