Maristela P.S MMA interview on solo travel and Italian roots

In the Maristela P.S MMA interview, Maristela told P.S MMA that she hopes to visit the area near Venice where her grandparents lived, sometimes prefers traveling alone, and finds that trips with friends depend on compatible travel styles. The Brazilian soccer commentator also spoke about visiting family in Europe and traveling with her partner when their schedules allow.

What did Maristela say about her family's roots in Italy?

Maristela said her family has Italian roots on both sides, although she and both of her parents were born in Brazil. Her family wants to visit the place near Venice where her grandparents lived, and she hopes to make that trip to connect with her family's past.

Italian ancestry in São Paulo

Her name often prompts questions about Italy. Maristela said it sounds distinctly Italian where she lives, and she described Italian ancestry as common among families in her region of São Paulo. For her, the connection is part of her family's history rather than a claim that she is anything other than Brazilian.

She traced that history back to an earlier generation, saying she thought a great-grandparent came from Italy. She was clear about her own upbringing and her parents' origins: all three were born in Brazil. The Italian connection nevertheless remains a subject her family talks about and a reason they want to travel together.

A hoped-for visit near Venice

The destination Maristela described was the place where her grandparents lived, which she recalled as being close to Venice. Her family has not yet had the chance to make that visit. She hopes they eventually can, so she can see the area connected to their roots rather than know it only through family history.

Venice also stands out as a place she wants to see. Maristela mentioned concern about the city sinking when explaining why she would like to go soon. She did not give a date for the family trip; it remains something she hopes to do.

How does Maristela travel with her partner and family in Europe?

Maristela said she sometimes travels to Europe with family to visit relatives and, now that she is married, travels with her partner when their work schedules permit. She also makes trips alone. Whether her partner can join her depends on what each of them can manage at the time.

Visiting relatives in Europe

Her sister lives in Europe, making family visits one reason for Maristela's trips there. Those visits can become family journeys rather than vacations planned around a single sightseeing destination. At other times, she goes solo because she enjoys traveling that way.

Marriage has added another possible travel companion, but it has not meant that every trip is a joint one. Maristela said she and her partner go together when they can. She described scheduling, particularly work commitments, as the practical limit.

Her aunt's wedding in London

Maristela gave the example of an aunt who lives in London and was getting married. She and her family needed to go, but her partner could not accompany her because of work. The trip illustrated why a family occasion and a partner's availability do not always line up.

That did not reflect a lack of interest in traveling together. Maristela said that when it is possible for both of them to go, they do. The London visit was an instance in which she made the trip without her partner because their schedules would not allow otherwise.

What did Maristela say about traveling with friends?

Maristela said friends need compatible travel styles for a trip to work well. People may enjoy one another's company at home but discover different habits when they travel, particularly over how much they want to walk and see. She views that mismatch as a potential source of conflict.

Traveling with friends, she explained, is not always as easy as people expect. A trip puts companions together while they make repeated decisions about where to go and how to get there. In that setting, Maristela said, people can learn things about friends that were not obvious beforehand.

Her example was a traveler who likes to walk between sights, stopping at places along the way, paired with someone who would rather take taxis. Neither preference was presented as wrong. The problem, in her view, is trying to share a trip without agreeing on the pace and way of moving around.

She warned that those differences could lead to arguments. Her advice was to look for a companion whose approach to travel matches your own. For Maristela, knowing how a friend likes to spend a day away matters as much as simply wanting to take the same trip.

Why does Maristela sometimes prefer solo travel?

Maristela sometimes prefers solo travel because she can follow her own interests and make decisions without negotiating a companion's schedule or preferences. She described it as a particular kind of freedom, different even from doing things alone in her own city.

After discussing the difficulties of mismatched travel styles, she pointed to the certainty of knowing what she herself wants. On a solo trip, she can choose what to see and when to go. There is no need to reconcile her plans with someone who would rather travel at another pace.

Maristela also distinguished being alone on a trip from going alone to a game, a fight or a movie close to home. A person may be comfortable doing all of those things independently, she said, but traveling changes the experience. The freedom comes with being somewhere away from ordinary routines.

She put that difference plainly:

You're a different person when you're traveling.

Solo travel is one option for Maristela, not a rule she applies to every journey. She also visits relatives with family and travels with her partner when possible. What she values about going alone is the ability to shape a trip around her own choices.

Who is Maristela?

Maristela is Brazilian and has spent the last five years as a soccer commentator. She describes herself as passionate about sports, including soccer, basketball, American football and boxing. She has brought her work connecting with soccer fans to Millions.