I guess you could think of it as a promotion.
I am now an Ultimate Frisbee coach, swimming instructor and soccer coach.
Emperor, preserve these poor children.
Ultimate training with all of the Primary school classes begins with an explanation of my expertise. I took part in one tournament, at the beginning of the month, and we came 19th....out of 20 teams. They seem to find that point encouraging.
I think they may have their numbers confused.
Ultimate was the first weekend of this month, and was fabulous. I deliberately didn't bring my camera, but I know a few people who did, and one even put this together.
Tajima Ultimate Frisbee Tournament Album.
You can see us in our Shrivelled Ume Jersey (Alcohol rich plums. We gave them out to the other teams and feasted on them all weekend. The drink itself is syrupy and sweet)
and also see Brad flying through the air.
Next time he tried that he came down and broke his collarbone.
Now he's back home in Canada having surgery....
Ahem, so this non-contact sport is all about "Spirit of the Game", but we concluded that we and our sister team (Juicy Mikans=Oranges ) were almost the only ones there out to just have a laugh. It was very odd to be coming up against people who would actually think about fouling
you, but we had a hell of a lot of fun, illustrated by the number of injuries (8 players knocked out by strained ankles and such.)
Did I mention it rained the entire time...?
It was still fabulous.
I have NEVER run so much, and was thankful for finding those runners in Tokyo the week before.
5 games over 2 days, we drew one....
and came first for 'style'.
Next year, we're even thinking about 'training' before hand. But many still see that as a form of cheating, like using tactics.
I'm curious about what little jobs I'll be given in September after the Holidays. My supervisor gave me a taste this morning. There's a nursery school just down the road from the Secondary school I'm based at, and the town would like me to start visiting it whenever I feel like a break from my base school.
They don't expect, or want, them to learn any English, oh no. My job is much more fun: They want me to hang out, play, and, hopefully, hold them upside down by their ankles.
That is, of course, why the Department of Foreign Affairs pays for half of my salary:
Make the young Japanese not afraid.
For now though, I'm kept busy with a little project that landed in my inbox
http://www.geocities.com
It's my first website (Does this mean I am now a "Master"?) and is waiting on the new arrivals and their terrible orientation mugshots. I'll be taking them and will go out of my way to show them as the jet-lagged stragglers they are.
While I'm there, about 30 or so people from my prefecture will be heading home. We had our goodbye party for them the weekend before last, and after a quick glimpse around the room I realised that most of those leaving didn't bother to show up, and hardly anyone knew them
because they're hermits.
Less of a queue at the all you can eat Ice-cream bar so..
Of those leaving I do know, Carlton is the one I'll miss. Along with the other David, we spent some of the evening inventing new drinks. Me the Chuhai Shake, and they the Beer Shake. Mine was nicer (A scoop of Vaniila ice ceram, and another scoop of Cookies and Cream
mixed with the Chuhai, the Japanese.... drink. It's difficult to describe, but it's what one gets if you want a pint but don't like beer. )
You might remember him as the one I got lost in Kobe with for 3 hours.
Damn Expressway.
We did still make the Naked Man festival. He's on his way to St. Petersberg now to take a train to Beijing and then on to Oz mostly overland. Well, maybe. His plan, like all of our road trips, is completely fool proof due to the lack of planning. All he has is a Russian visa and a ticket. And a lovely Aussie friend of ours for company. I expect to see him commanding his own pirate crew
some time next year.
I've put up some photos of some guys on their bmx bikes form a trip to Kobe
http://www.bebo.com/PhotoAlbum
and from a camping and fire festival evening for my 5th class students
http://www.bebo.com/PhotoAlbum
If anyone wants to see
Last weekend bad winds and zero visibility scuppered my attempts to dive the Northern most Coral Reef in the world, which happens to be in my prefecture. I was the only one with a licence of those who met up anyway. The waves were too choppy for even some snorkeling, so we
retreated to the river, and hummed the Jaws theme at Japanese canoeists as they floated by.
Terrifying locals.
Twas a fun weekend.
For now, I'm looking forward to the closest one can get to negotiating an asteroid field in a Correllian Freighter: Cycling down a busy Dublin Quay.
Before that trip comes though, I have the pleasure of showing my sister around, and answering the questions of the jet lagged newbies.
until then,
amities
david
"and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world shall
be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun"
P.S. I've put the research into that sabis position in Beirut on hold.....
