I'll End with Etimology

Last night I had the long awaited meeting with a representative from the field hockey league here in Armenia. There are 11 teams, two of which play in Yerevan. There is a girl's league and a men's league. This meeting was a triumphant moment. So triumphant, in fact, that few things bothered me at all. I didn't care that the grass in Republic Square was being watered by a level 5 rapid-strength stream of water (so Armenians have the tendency to use as much water as they can during the six hours of flowing water a day, so they choose to water he grass in the blazing sun). I didn't care at all that the air stood still last night as I lay in my twin sized bed with Looney Tunes sheets, a big plastic yellow moon glowing eerily above my head. I had found field hockey in Armenia- the attainment of a month long goal. Triumphant.

Other triumphs: Hayastan beat Derry in a Champion's league soccer match last night. Armenians love when their team wins. I understood my landlady when she called to ask what time I would be coming home from work yesterday evening (i told her five because i couldn't figure out how to say 5:30 on demand).

Now, the words: In Armenian, Khoti Hoki is the transliterated translation for grass (or field) hockey.

I don't know about your ears, but every time I hear someone say Khoti Hoki, my mind begins to make connections. For example, doesn't Khoti Hoki sound an awful lot like hottie hockey. Do a little switcharoo and you've got a hockey hottie!

The subtitlies of languages here are constantly tricking me into thinking that I'm hearing english when someone's speaking armenian, french when someone's speaking russian. I go bonkers. But this is one slippery language slope i'm happy to slide right down.

To all the hockey hotties playing khoti hoki in Armenia. I can't wait.

Samantha