the days are all running together.

The Olympic games have run by me in a blur. It is hard to differentiate between days, hours, games, and people I have met. I expected nothing less. Soon I will be going home, and I want to make the best of this situation before I won't be in China anymore. I am taking the hits and the gifts this experience has thrown at me, and I am keeping all of it.

Tonight was the best night of Olympic field hockey yet. The funny part is that both of my most memorable moments have to do with the same hockey team. ¡España! In one of their preliminary matches, the score was 0-0 until the last 13 seconds. Spain scored to win the game, obviously. The players on both sides gave it their all until those last 13 seconds, and I could tell. It was a really exciting game. When the player for Spain scored, all of the other players on the field collapsed in exhaustion. I finally realized how important these games were to them. It made me love hockey. Tonight made me love it even more. Not only did I get to watch the semifinal matches from the press tribunes, but they were AMAZING games. The first game ended its regular session in a tie so it went into overtime halves in which no one scored again. Afterwards, both teams execute 5 penalty strokes each (like a penalty shot in ice hockey only without the running/skating start). Those ended in a tie as well. Sudden death penalty strokes gave the win to Germany, and that was a huge upset from the Netherlands. It was INSANE!

Anyway, since the game went on longer than planned, the teams for the next game began practicing on the field when the mixed zone was in operation. There was a spare Australian ball that was shot out of the field and I pocketed it.

The second game was really exciting too. Spain beat the favored Australian team 3-2, and I decided I wanted the Australian team to sign their practice ball I stole. I waited after the game and everything had ended and went over to their buses. Not only did half of the Aussie team sign my ball, but they also signed my friend's shirt and we got to talk to some of the Spanish players! They felt very start struck because hockey is generally not popular in their country so they were excited to talk to us and have fans. It feels weird to know so much about these players and have them know nothing about me. I mean, I have followed their games for almost 2 weeks. We talked to this player that was a college student in Madrid and he was really nice. When we said our goodbyes, he kissed us each twice on the cheeks and got on the bus. It was amazing. Tonight has been a good night.