Sports Day

Here's some pics from Sports Day at school. Finally got them uploaded. It was funny to see the Sports Festival the second time around, it's still interesting but it's the first of my "repeat" events going into the second year of being here. It wasn't that big of a deal to watch the events this year, I actually ended up horsing around with the kids all day. It was cool!

This year, the weather forcast was for rain, so we made these "Tero Tero Bozu," which you are supposed to hang in the windows to appease the weather gods to give us sunny weather. This one is mine. Cute, huh?

This is a 40 man, 20 leg race. This is one team, and they all have their legs tied together. They all have to cross the finish line, and usually there are some pretty spectacular wipeouts, followed by the prone person being dragged by their feet across the finish line. Ouch, talk about some wicked road rash.

Here's the fighting event again. Man this one still freaks me out, thank god no kids cracked their skulls open this year. Man, look how high that kid on the right is!

My artsy shot of the mucade race - the one where they tie their legs together and run like a Japanese centipede.

This is Saori! She is a 3rd year and captain of the tennis team. Super smart and nice girl. She's carrying a spear that has all the ribbons that the school's tennis club has even won.

Here's Imoto (l) and "Perfect Body." I keep forgetting Perfect Body's real name, but that's his favorite English expression. Imoto has a dimple in his chin, and so his nickname is "ketsuago" - literally meaning "ass-chin." Kid are so cruel.

Here's my boys! On the left is Takeomi, who is a big loudmouth 3rd grader. He has a great sense of humor and is funny as hell. One the right is this dude named "Shu" (!!). He is also a 3rd grader, but his girlfriend is in high school (and taller than him). He's pretty much the stud of the school, all the girls love him (of course, he's named Shu).

My boy Kazuki. He's another 3rd year and captain of the soccer team. He learned all of his English from hip hop records and our typical conversation goes like this:

Kazuki: Maikeru, what's up?
M: Nothing what's up witchu?
Kazuki: I-mu just keeping it real.
M: Oh cool. How's the hip hop?
Kazuki: H to the Izzo, V to the Izzay.
M: Cool man, see you Kazuki.
Kazuki: Peace out Maikeru.

Cool, huh?! He's one of my favorites.

This is Ai-chan, she is a 3rd grader, captain of the Kendo club. When she was in elementary school, she won the All Japan championship in her age group for kendo. That's Japanese fencing, where they wear the armor (what she has on) and helmets, and practice samurai swordsmanship. She wants to be a cop when she grows up so she can teach Kendo to people. She's badass.

Here's the two class clowns of the school, Fukumizu and Sho. Sho is a bully and a jock, and dumb as rocks, but he really loves reggae music and tries really hard in my class. He was a big screwup until the Sports Festival, when he got elected to lead his group (purple team), and then became really responsible and a good leader. Now that sports festival is over, he's back to old tricks again. Gotta love 'em.

Here's Sho's little sister, Misuzu. She's super smart and really funny! She kinda looks like Sho with a wig on.

After the sports festival, we had the big teacher enkai (dinner/drinking party) again this year. The all got really wasted and acted crazy - I on the other hand, exercised restraint after last year's debacle and decided to take it easy. The got so drunk this year that they accidentally dropped 65 year old Principal Ikeda on the ground when they were trying to human trampoline him. Jesus!

Even Habatan made a guest appearance, that's Nakae-sensei in the suit. He's a new teacher this year and super cool. We've chilled a couple of times and his English is pretty good. Funny guy.