Lída: I love the hostess life
Lída is a very cheerful and amazing person whom you may know as always-smiling hostess at our tournaments. In her “normal life” she also works with people and organizes events, which is why she is so natural! Why does she keep coming back to be with her teams?
How long have you been working with us? How did you hear about the tournament?
Wow, it’s been a long time. I tracked it down, and this year marks 8 years. I heard about it from a friend from college who started hostessing a year before me.
How was your first tournament?
My first team was from Italy. I had signed up for the Spanish- and English-speaking teams, I didn’t speak Italian at the time, and honestly, I wouldn’t have passed the interview even in English. (laugh) The day before the tournament I got a call from Sofie asking me if I could come to Prague the next day. When I mentioned I didn’t speak Italian, she said it didn’t matter, so I agreed and went to pick up my team at the airport the next morning. I had no idea what to expect and the “hostess manual“ sounded scarier than it was. I found out that I didn’t have to wear heels because even without them I was taller than everyone on my team, I didn’t have to accompany them to all the late-night venues, but on the other hand I did need to meet my Italians an hour early, or I wouldn’t get anywhere with them. The first day I chased them around the rooms for 30 minutes and when they saw how sad that made me, they came to the meeting the next day before the Swiss. (laugh) It was fun with the team, although I didn’t understand more than half of them, because only 3 of them spoke English.
You even learned Italian for the tournament, how did it go, why did you want to?
My first team was coming regularly, so a year later, about a month before the tournament, I began learning Italian. The team was great, and although they hadn’t been in Prague for a long time, I still think about them and I’m sending my regards to Genoa.
Your most interesting/funniest experience from the tournament?
Every tournament there would be one. Some of them are even on the edge of the law (laugh), so I’d rather not talk about them because the lawyer always advises not to testify. It won’t be that scary, but I think I’m more lucky than I am sane when I’m drunk. (laugh)
Let’s get to the funny ones. The other day, while waiting in the queue on the boat for a beer, there was no music playing. Well, since there was a line forming and everybody was a little nervous, I suggested we sing something in Italian. They left it up to me, so I opened up Spotify and the second song was Sarà perché ti amo, in a version which had been repurposed for a football team they hated and I happily sang it to them.
Or the time I had so many beers (10!) in me that I thought it was October (Octoberfest) in April and convinced the waiters at the Municipal House (where the welcoming dinner was held) to let me bring beers to the team. I carried those over my head and spilled nearly all of it while walking, then slammed it on the table and spilled the rest.
I think the teams have good experiences too. I was amused when one team accidentally crashed a private Coca-Cola event where they got everything for free, and then one chap extended it into the morning crashing a wedding party. One of my players even took a trip to South Bohemia once. Well, sometimes Prague is just too small for them. (laugh)
Why do you still enjoy being at the tournament and meeting new teams after all these years?
I love the atmosphere – having fun, drinking beer, not worrying about anything and dancing. I love that I can be the most important person for the team, making sure they don’t have to stress about a thing. Creating a nice vibe, making everybody feel comfortable and most importantly, not thirsty. (laugh) I’m also looking forward to seeing the whole organizing team. My hostesses/friends and I are already texting each other in advance that we will meet there, and we are excited about it. Even though I told myself two years ago that I was too old for it, the adrenaline always kicks in for those 4 days and I’m back on track. I usually don’t even get new teams anymore, mine’s keep coming back and I only take new ones when necessary.
If you could, would you change anything about the tournament?
I guess I would like to highlight the tournament itself and the closing ceremony when everyone gets to see the team photos and cheers. Or when the party kicks off afterwards and everyone’s jumping, cheering and goofing around like little kids.
You’re also our biggest supplier of new hostesses, where do you keep finding such cool friends? 🙂
I have so many people around me and whenever I think that person would be a good fit, I enthusiastically tell them that this job is about responsibility, but also how you basically get paid to party for 4 days and meet awesome people. A lot of people need to think about it, before taking the leap, so for example the other day I got Hana to be a hostess by telling her the opening dinner was in the Municipal House, which she’d never been to. I even convinced her that it was okay if she didn’t speak Italian. As long as she had an Italian team, she could learn the basics in a month. Well, now she’s texted me all excited about the ice hockey tournament. I don’t get to see some of my friends throughout the year, so at least we have the opportunity to meet up. I also love our “Barrel time” in the hostess room, where we share our experiences, figure out what to wear and laugh our heads off. I’ve never lived with girlfriends, so this is my way of making up for it! (laugh)
