Sayonara Kurobe Masters Swim Team

An essential part of being Japanese is belonging to a group. It might be a sports group, a social group, a professional group, a neighborhood group, etc. But it is important to find a place to belong and a group to be a part of. As a foreigner is is really difficult to become part of one of these groups outside school and work. It took me two years to join the Kurobe Masters swim team. I knew they existed and they knew who I was. We had been meeting at the pool for 2 years and had gotten to know each other a little. After this 'get to know you' period I was invited to join a swim meet and then the team. So, I've been training with them once a week for about 16 months. And they have even asked me to coach a few times. Although, their idea of coaching is much different than my idea of what a coach does and is! It has been fun to be part of a group outside of my teaching and school groups. Although the practices often turn into a type of eikaiwa because my Japanese, especially swimming vocabulary, is so poor that I often use a mix to get my ideas across. I really appreciate their patience and acceptance of me. I know it's no small thing! Two weeks ago I attended my last practice. Last week I met with several of the women and Linea and we went for dinner at a delicious Mediterranean restaurant in Kurobe. Who knew?

For more stories and posts about my workouts with the Kurobe Masters Swim Team, please visit my other blog A Mad Duck

Kirsten & Reiko, April 2006

Reiko, Kayoko & Me, July 2007

The ladies of the Kurobe Masters Swim Team

My good-bye gifts

Recent Happenings

I've been feeling a bit busy and overwhelmed. Everyday I think of and write about 2-3 blog posts in my head, but I just never have the time to sit down and type them. I'm hoping that after the busyness of the next two months is over and I'm on the road, I'll have more time to sit down and reflect on my surroundings and situation. But for now, I just don't have the time. So even though I hate just posting these quick updates...if anyone still reads this blog, here is what I've been up to:

This weekend I climbed Mt. Oitsurushiyama with Chica-chan. Three hours up and down in the warm rain. It was fun and I hope we can do it a few more times!


Last weekend we had an international yakisoba bar-b-que and ultimate frisbee game! Lots of good food and a great game! Good times!

Last weekend I swam in my last Masters swim meet in Japan. Overall, I didn't have good races, but we did well. The 200m medley relay team took first--hurray!

Sumo & Swimming

I need to finish my paper, I need to finish my paper, I NEED to finish my paper...but I just can't!

So...in other news the sumo boys are doing it up in Fukuoka right now. If you can't watch them on your TV, I strongly recommend you try the live Video! Of course, if you live in some far away distant land, you'll have to stay up late to watch it...but trust me, it's worth it! I'm however missing most of it 'cause of this stupid paper that needs to get finished.

And in more local news...I swam in another swim meet this weekend. Hurray! Life is always fun in the water. Read about it on my workout blog A Mad Duck.

Now if we could only combine sumo and swimming....that would be an interesting sporting event. What about floating sumo--an island in the middle of the pool that they have to push each other off of? I mean really, a mawashi isn't that much different from a speedo! I think it could work!

Back to the paper.......

A Mongolian Day: Sumo, Puppets & Throat Singing

Sumo's Biggest Fan & Me

I got a picture with him in Nagoya too! He's at ALL the sumo tournaments! He usually sits directly in view of the TV camera. Look for him...you'll see him!

Saturday was the big Sumo Tournament in Uozu, just two towns over, just 30 minutes away! I was psyched. Ever since I saw sumo in Nagoya this summer, I've been hooked. And if you read my blog...you might remember this post I have a few favorites, okay, I'll be honest, I have a crush on these three: Asashoryu (Mongolian), Hakuho (Mongolian), and Kotooshu (Bulgarian). All my favorites were there, all the big boys were there, and I was so excited! Seriously, rock stars, movie stars, TV starts, they don't excite me, but these sumo guys....they got me excited!

But I don't get excited about all of them. For example, this guy, Buyzan 武雄山...isn't my type!




This guy isn't my type either! He's one of the biggest I've seen. And he isn't even that good (i.e. he didn't make the official program)! Important rule of Sumo: Big DOES NOT equal good. Some of the best aren't all that big, relatively speaking of course.






Iwakiyama 岩木山 isn't my type either. But he was milling about and the nerdy glasses look did get me. I mean, look, we could almost be related! He is kinda cute!

But this man, Asashoryu, is my kinda guy!! Okay, I know, the picture sucks, but the most important part was that I was standing close enough to take it. And two seconds later as he walked by, I reached out and touched his right tricep. So smooth and so strong!! I was giddy! Unfortunately, Hakuho and Kotooshu were entering from the other side. So I got some pictures of them from a distance, but nothing blog worthy!

Read Sumo Headlines

スーホの白い馬　After sumo, Owen, Linea and I went to dinner in Toyama--Santoshi's, a great little Indian restaurant! I hadn't been there in months! After downing our chai we were off to our next Mongolian adventure, a puppet show based on a Mongolian folk tale accompanied by a musical ensemble from Mongolia. In brief, it was AMAZING! Mongolia just jumped to the top of my travel list (great music and cute sumo guys). The music was phenomenal. This wasn't just any random group. This group has played for the heads of many states all over the world. The singer is a national treasure. And one guy even did some throat singing! I had goose bumps! Unfortunately, we couldn't take any photos. But the puppet show was extraordinary too! And to top it off, a local English teacher, was one of the main puppeteers! I went home and tried to look up the group on the internet to buy their CD, but haven't been able to find anything. So....keep your eyes open....if you see anything by "The Mongolian State Morin Khuur Ensemble." BUY IT! BUY IT FOR ME, PLEASE!

And then today, I got up at an ungodly hour to go to the Toyama Masters Long Course Swim Meet....and now I'm exhausted and I'm going to bed.