Sunday was our Judo Tournament. Florian won 2nd place in the white belt division. I won my first match and lost my second which in itself was a victory for me. I have real footage of my style that can be critiqued and refined. I also was able to use my favorite technique for the first time in a tournament. Although small victories, they are significant. They leave room for a lot of improvement.
Me and Flo
The Judo Club
The tournament was in the town where I live (Katano City) so I was able to walk there. After I got back home I realized I left my keys in my room and was locked out. After this I checked out the Middle School by my house. The Middle School was bigger than my High School back home. I walked by the school and guess what I saw.
These two crazy girls walking on the roof. They were really funny. I took pictures of their school and told them how big it is. I asked them where the nearest High School was and if they had a Judo club. I think they said that it's a little far away. Maybe. Lol. The school had a basketball court, large outdoor field, and even a swimming pool.
Monday sucked because it rained all day. I made the mistake of visiting the seminar house. We won't go into that one. I made it to the Hirakata Central Library and by some act of God/kindness of humanity a gentleman named Mr. Sonoda (spoke almost flawless English) helped me obtain a library membership. He sort of reminded me of Mr. Miyagi from the Karate Kid or more like the actor that plays him Pat Morita. I had my OCS shirt on and perhaps that had something to do with it. I don't know. Perhaps he had known Marines before (he must have been in his 60s or 70s). He left before I could really ask him any questions. And now I have a membership to the Library.
Well today is Thursday. We have our first Judo practice of the semester at around 16:30 today. It really hasn't hit me yet but in two days (Saturday September 29, 2007) I will no longer be a teenager. In Japan, age 20 means adulthood in the legal sense. In the US I still have a year to got until 21. Although it's a pretty meaningless and arbitrary division. I still have some time before I really become an adult. Most Indians feel that after Marriage and having kids is one truly an adult. It's funny because Ulrich and Ralfie were both about 25 and would still be considered "kids" in the Indian sense because they were still in college. But they were much more mature than most 25 year olds their age an at the same time they were much more fun as well. But most of my cousins were married at that age. And some were even having kids. The world just starts spinning faster and faster as you get older as Hye Man's father would say. And I'm really starting to feel it. Crazy.
