Canada

When I was young, I dreamed of being a professional athlete. I bounced from basketball, to soccer, to cheerleading, to track & field, to volleyball. Though none of these came to be my profession, one vision has endured since then – that I’d be involved in some way shape or form with the World Cup. I can’t explain the feeling I get when the time rolls around – all of the national pride, expectant performances of up and coming players, the embodiment of the host country in the tournament theme and advertising. I first went to Montreal in June 2015 to watch the Women’s World Cup Quarterfinal and Semifinal. I was fortunate enough to see the USA women beat Germany before they would go on to beat Japan. The entire experience was surreal and I felt as though my childhood dreams were actually coming true in the embodiment of the women that represented my country on the pitch.

Montreal itself is a beautiful place and worthy of a visit outside of a major event. It’s predominately French speaking people are gracious, warm and inviting. I had no problem securing a nice Airbnb in the Villeray neighborhood and found it easy to get around on their underground subway and bus systems. The city is filled with great markets, art and architecture. There was also a jazz festival while we were there.