Expected childcare help from our au pair. We got a new family tradition instead.

A planned childcare arrangement with an Argentine au pair in 2022 turned into an unexpected Argentina World Cup tradition for the author’s family. The family, which had never watched a full soccer match together, began waking early to follow the 2022 tournament. By the time Argentina won the 2022 World Cup, the household was painting faces in sky blue and white, cutting pennant banners, and watching games on phones in stores. Ahead of the semifinal and final, au pair Yulca carefully packed the bunting during early Christmas travel and displayed it by family members’ fireplace mantles. When Gonzalo Montiel scored Argentina’s decisive penalty, Yulca cried and relatives celebrated back home. Over nine months, she taught the family empanadas and mate customs, and in 2025, the author booked a Buenos Aires trip after an Instagram ticket flash sale.