Tai Chi: Ni Hao!

Tai Chi teacher bonding! This morning my school district subsidized and organized an extra-curricular activity for all of the teachers (and I was invited too!). I was strongly encouraged to take Tai Chi by my Vice Principal...he was organizing it. We have a strange love/hate/ambiguous relationship. He's the guy I have to get permission from for just about everything. He likes to keep close tabs on me--where I eat lunch, how much I spend on my vacation, what I'm reading, and he requests specific beer as omiyage. But he also has been letting me leave at lunch this week. So I know he doesn't hate me!

So, this morning about 30 teachers congregated at the local community hall in their sports gear: sweat pants, basketball shorts, t-shirts, towels tucked into the t-shirts, running shoes and there were lots of sports drinks and tea close at hand. We did a lot of stretching and the teachers lectured a bit while I zoned out and thought about a variety of other things going on in my life right now. Finally, we got to practice and they taught us a short little routine. We all sucked! But it was interesting, even if it was a bit slow. I know, I know, slow is the point! But, I kind of like speedier activities (like river rafting)! Ha ha ha, that probably just means I need to be doing more yoga and tai chi. Maybe, when I get old!

We won't remember the routine. But we will remember one thing: the greeting, the yoroshiku onegaishimasu, the kiritsu, kiotsuke, rae. See the picture below.


Later in the staff room my Vice Principal (above) kept walking up to me and putting his fist in my face and saying "Ni Hao." I have a sinking feeling I'm gonna have to deal with this for the next year. But because I'm not shy or worried (too much) about what people think of me anymore (wore my nose ring all day to school today), I'm gonna do it right back at him!! It's not really in the spirit of Tai Chi, but I think it's our own secret intimate way of saying "hey, you're strange and different, but I guess I'll put up with you for another year (and as long as you bring me beer as omiyge, you can leave early)."