Euros 2009!

Well, wasn't that fun! 7 rounds of judging, quarter- and semi-finals for the main competition and the ESL teams, and two finals in the most gorgeous building in Newcastle.

I should thank a few people and things for making this Euros the awesome thing it was. Thanks to:

• Russell and Oskar for spending their time, money and sanity on us debaters.
• That guy in the room debating using the placebo effect who claimed that he could be a Vietnam marytr. I didn't get it then, I don't get it now.
• Joe, for being older, wiser and always willing to talk to me.
• James, for having breakfast with me on the first morning.
  
• Lewis, for being sexy (!) and good at judging.
  
• Ben, for being fun, Swedish-Israeli and giving me good feedback so I didn't have to judge bins anymore.
  
• Elena, for being beautiful and uncomplicated.
• Cal, Neil, David and Michael, for being themselves.
• Chris from York, who is still alive, but probably very ill...
  
• Dom, who wore a three-piece suit, Converses and Tardis cufflinks to the end of tournament Black Tie event.
• Sarah, who had a fit of hysterics at the most inappropriate joke I've ever told.
• The Turkish contingent, for the most enthusiastic cheering of Galatasaray A.
• The three Oxford teams in the final who had to accept that they were not loved as much as Tel Aviv A were for breaking to finals.
• Tel Aviv A, for wearing Stewie and Homer ties during their final speeches, and enduring TWELVE rounds of debates, since they broke to ESL semis and the main final.
• Oxford A, for winning. JLM, for best speaker.
• Dan for being best speaker for our institution. Woot!
• Mashall, for looking drop dead gorgeous on the final night.
• Nati, for the killer wink and general friendliness.
• Emile, for getting me home while I stumbled around drunk, being James Bond and making a gun shape with my fingers.
• Chris, for helping me realise how important love really is.
• Zal, for helping me realise that I can do whatever I want to.
• Caylee, for explaining Kosher to me.
• The guy with the Blind Guardian bag who never talked to anyone and just read and listened to music.

I have probably not included several people who were fun, amusing, or generally nice to me. But, there certainly were a lot! I had a really really great time. Next year, it's in Amsterdam, hosted by Bonaparte. Hopefully, I might get an opportunity to go to Euros once more!