I love travelling.
I also love the New Orleans Saints.
My fandom from the Saints has grown with every year that I’ve dated Gunner, a New Orleans native and avid Saints fan. I’d become an even BIGGER Saints fan after watching them from the 2nd row in the endzone when they played the Titans in Nashville last season. I was officially hooked. From then on out, I had to watch every play, every game.
And so, when I was traveling around South America just as the playoffs for the 2011-2012 season were starting, I wasn’t going to let a little thing like a difference in the earth’s hemisphere prevent me from watching the Saints whoop the Lions. (Let’s get one thing straight, ordinarily I do NOT plan my evenings in exotic places around TV schedules).
Beautiful sunset… now it’s gametime.
Fortunately, Hostel Estoril in Buenos Aires had cable TV. They also had the Latin American version of ESPN. They also had several potential Saints fans.
Common room on a normal day. Pretty boring, right? These guys look like they could use a little NFL in their lives.
It was a Saturday night in Buenos Aires, so I did what any other 25 year old American girl would do. I claimed ownership of the common room, opened a beer, and turned on the NFL game.
The room had been empty at first, but slowly, one or two bored patrons of the Hostel Estoril drifted in, eyeing the television curiously. “It’s football!” I explained innocently/excitedly/stupidly once or twice before remembering futbol meant something else to the rest of the world.
After awhile, quite a crowd formed, mostly composed of soccer fans who were willing to give the NFL a shot. Israelis, Canadians, and Brazilians were cheering for Drew Brees, even if they didn’t have a clue who he was, or why they were cheering for him. And I was quite proud, especially when the Saints won in the end. (Only to go on and lose the following week and then get plagued by bounty allegations…but we won’t talk about that.)
“American Football” night at the Hostel Estoril ended up being a success.
I'm Laryssa, and when I'm not working in film or television, I'm attempting to travel -- or I'm here, providing resources for working in film or travel. 
