KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs fans with ties to Brazil found the perfect reason to celebrate Friday as their team took on the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo — an event that combined their love for American football with traditional Brazilian cuisine and culture.
Despite the loss, they feel like there were reasons to celebrate.
“It feels like the best combination ever. It’s like home away from home,” said Suellen D'Amore, a Brazilian who lives in Kansas City with her husband, Mead.
“It’s just my home country and the city that I chose to live in" said Brazilian Mariana Scarabelot. "When you get to connect those two worlds, it feels like we’re in a dream."
A dream with the right ingredients: football, some drinks and tasty Brazilian food.
For them, it was also an excuse to share their culture with their friends and their partners.
“One thing you have to know about Brazilians is that when they have anything to do with their hometown, they go wild, and it is absolutely incredible to be around them,” said Mead D’Amore.
He’s American and was the person who cooked feijoada, the Brazilian national dish.
“Take American barbecue and Brazilian awesome home-style food, put them together, and you get feijoada,” Mead explained.
“I love making it," Mead said. "It’s one of my favorite things now, and it makes my entire house smell amazing.”
Marcus Collins welcomed his girlfriend Marina’s friends to his place to watch the season opener. He’s still learning about Brazilian culture and had feijoada for the first time.
“Wow,” he said after his first bite. “It’s really good.”
“Not knowing her culture and being able to learn," Collins said. "I love that. It’s one of my favorite parts about our relationship because there’s always something new to discover about each other.”
Americans also are sharing their passions with their partners.
“Feels like we are playing the Super Bowl," Marina said before the game. "It actually feels like we already won the Super Bowl because I’m really happy. It’s a nice, perfect day.”
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KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.
