Saturday, August 28, 2010

MANY THINGS HAVE HAPPENED...

Today is Friday, I think... once you get into a tournament mode or into a season, there are only game days, practice days and off days... no such thing as Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or even a weekend ... We are in Kosice (Slovakia) now... our last stop in this summer's Euro Qualifier.
...let me try to summarize the last two weeks of no-blogging.

GREAT START IN THE UKRAINE:

We started with a big win in a sauna-like environment in Kiev. I can honestly say that have never played in such a hot and steamy gym like this before in my life...(not even in the Bahamas).
The only upside to that situation was that it was fair game: also the Ukrainian ladies had to fight the steam.
With endurance and fighting we were able to come out on top.

Funny story: many of you might know that I have a hearing loss of about 60% in my left ear due to tinnitus, which has tendencies to increase when I work out... so while we were playing in those tropical temperatures all I heard was the crown shouting: "SUPA-LIN-DA".
At the end of the game I asked my teammates i they had heard that cheer as well... everyone just shook their head and said that it was "UUUU-KRA-EEEEE-NAAA".... lol... hey, whatever floats my boat!!!

ALMOST A DREAM COME TRUE:

In Wolfenbüttel a very  special guy joined the team.... my husband!!! He was able to take some time off from work to cheer us on during our 3-game-Germany-tour. For our first game, he was joined by one of my sisters and my mom, who took the 3 hours-roadtrip in the middle of the working week. For the first time ever, my husband and family united at one of my German national team games. A dream come true... well --almost-- because in my dream we also won the game... but that day we didn't. England was able to get the upperhand :(

HALLE/WESTFALEN:

What a bath of mixed emotions. Arriving in Halle we were in awe about the facility and the hotel that was presented to us and FOR US... mixed emotions, because we knew that this royal treatment was only possible, because we were about to play a double-header with our mens team.... Then a win against the then-favorite Slovakia washed all that away, because at the end of the day... winning that's what it's all about ;)

BACK TO REALITY:

After a 5-hour bus trip we finally arrived in Berlin at around 1am... better that way, because who wants to be on the bus on their day off, right? Well that's what I thought. Now looking back, I wouldn't have minded to stay another night at a 4-star hotel in the shadow of the men's team.
From being treated like royalty during our one night in Halle/Westfalen we were thrown right back into our reality... all I say is youth hostel "hotel"...oops, did I say "youth hostel"... well, I meant it. The hotel was shocking and to tell you the truth I was embarrassed to host any team in a place like that. Due to dirty plates, "crunchy" lettuce, and filthy rooms diarrhea, headaches and sleepless nights weren't far.
Nevertheless, it wasn't an excuse enough for our bad performance against the Ukraine... just like IN THE UKRAINE a couple days back, it was a even playing field, and unfortunately the other team was stronger this time.

YESTERDAY IN LIVERPOOL:

Don't want to lose many words about the game (we lost).
It was my first time in England and I must say that I was delighted... I would definitely like to return... next time for a little vacation rather than a butt-whooping.

OUR RECORD NOW:
2-3

THE FACTS:

#1: we will have to win on Sunday against Slovakia to give ourselves a chance to directly qualify
#2: Ukraine has to lose against Great Britain

I want to close this post with one of my favorite songs... which are so fitting for this occasion.

AUF GEHT'S DEUTSCHLAND- I BELIEVE!!!!!!

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