Today I came into work wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and I even brought ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ just in case it got really boring.
It turns out I didn’t have to worry about that.
It is pretty clear that Sports Day is taken pretty seriously around here. All the kids march into the field area during the practice, and they stay out there until lunchtime in the heat. The poor kids had to sit out of the field and cook during the day, while the teachers got to sit under a tent. The weather hasn’t been as hot lately, but it’s still tough out there. All the kids knew how to march, which surprised me. They marched in their teams around the field, and then stood marching while the band finished up the tune. On Friday I will bring my camera and get some pictures of the official event.
Sports Day is going to be pretty exciting on Friday, judging from the events that I saw today. The students do some traditional sports in the track and field vein, but they also do some really strange ones. My favorite involves a couple of boys carrying another on their shoulders, and then attacking another set of kids. The object is to tear the headband off the other team. They didn’t actually do battle today, so I’ll have to wait for Friday.
I also got to walk around and chat with the kids. All day long I walked around and chatted, and the kids were great. I posed for pictures with some of them, and had some good talks.
One of the girl students came up and tried to say hello, but couldn’t stop giggling. Mrs. Tsutsumi (one of my English teachers) was there and was laughing too, and I couldn’t figure out the joke. Mrs. Tsutsumi talked back and forth with the student for a bit, and then the student said to me in clear English, “I love you.” I don’t know what the proper response is in America, and I certainly don’t know what it is in Japan. I think I just smiled and said “Thanks.” Mrs. Tsutsumi didn’t think anything about this was unusual, so I just kind of played it off like this happens to me all the time.
Later on I was talking with Mr. Hayashi near the offices and the school nurse came running up and spoke urgently with Mr. Hayashi – and the next thing I knew we were both running towards her office. They gave us a stretcher, and we walked out onto the field, where a girl was kind of passed out on the ground. She wasn’t unconscious, she just couldn’t get up. Some of her friends got her positioned on the stretcher, and we lugged her across the field back to the nurse’s office. I guess she was OK, because I saw her competing later in one of the events.
Towards the end of the day four boys were caught playing poker in one of the classrooms instead of being outside with the rest of the school. One of the teachers was yelling at them, and even slapped one of the kids around a little. At the closing ceremony, they each stood under the flags so that they had to look everyone in the school in the eye as the flags were lowered. I got kicked out of the library for playing poker when I was in Junior High School, so I kind of empathized with the poor kids. Maybe I can get them to join my poker group! (just kidding)
Tomorrow it’s back to regular classes, and then the big day on Friday. I’m going to try to see Tomb Raider 2 this weekend with Miss Kageyama, but it may be very busy, as this weekend is opening weekend for Tomb Raider 2 in Japan.
