My neck, my back, my Rugby (and Ex-pat) experience while in Japan
So it was pretty cool. Today I absolutely pounded the hell out of this deaf kid; it was empowering, exciting, and totally allowed. When I told many people that I would be playing rugby in Japan they all informed me that I would easily be twice the size of my opponents. It was at about that time that I began to wonder just how it was that so many Americans had such an understanding of sports in a foreign country. Do you all collect the cards too? Because I haven’t seen that collection yet.
So anyway, back to the deaf kid.
In sports that contain physical interaction most people tend to try and go around me, but not this one. He may not have been able to hear my heavy out of shape breathing, but he should have at least felt the ground shaking as I ran at him on the dirt field. Either way he took the hit and I buried him. It was fun. But after I felt a little bad, however I had to remind myself that “that” is what the whole game is about; physical contact, and all guilty feelings were definitely gone after the match and the other team lined up to poke at my soft stomach…just kidding, but if Michael and Patrick Howerter had anything to say about it, that is how any organized sport containing myself would end, right boys?
So yeah, rugby: before I took the big trip Martin (Professor at Eichi, and fellow rugger) told me about the Kobe team. He then began to send me running workouts, both short and long distance, and gave me the advice to not get too “fat and lethargic over the summer.” When I read this I wanted to immediately respond with, “but anything that happened before the summer is fair game…right? Because I am already a little bit, or a lot, of both of those things.” But I felt that this type of response could be damaging to our then online relationship (ps, I’ll never forget the times in the chatroom…Ha. Jk Jk. Lol. Lol. ASL?).
So when I arrived I was met at the airport and met Marty for the first time, he didn’t seem angry at the fact that I had obviously disregarded his advice and I didn’t really prepare myself for the season; but I did show up with a lot of heart and dedication (which doesn’t really help your endurance, but it sounds good…and takes away some of the guilt). I was then asked, on the same day that I arrived from a 14 hour flight, if I would be able to play in a few days; why not? My schedule was free at the time and I couldn’t think of anything else that I wanted to do. This was to be my first game in Japan and about the seventh overall for rugby. When we arrived at the pitch, or field, that Sunday I soon began to feel less worried about how I would fare that afternoon as half of the team showed up extremely hung-over and smoking like a chimney, not that they can’t run or that I am in better shape then any of them, but in my opinion, their current health choices leveled the field of ability pretty well.
We lost.
Although we did not win the match, it was still a good chance to get to meet some fellow native-english speakers, many I could not understand, but they said that it was English. Most of them are from New Zealand or Australia (you know, Australasia). They all turned out to be a fine lot. Now, as time has progressed I am beginning to enjoy their company a bit more and I am now fairly fluent in their language. Does that make me bilingual?
So anyway. I don’t feel like writing anymore, my neck and my back hurt. The opposition may be small, but they sure can crank the opposition’s neck with their lack of height in a scrum. But in all honesty, the opposition has been really good here. To further illustrate this I can inform you all that the Kobe Regatta and Athletic Club has a current record of 1-2 for the season. But today we smote the silent typhoon; a group of hearing impaired men who I am sure would have rather poked my belly then shook my hand. But they were true sportsmen. Next post will be much better, please don’t stop reading me.
Let’s take an online poll: Who are you going to vote for…just kidding. What do you think I should do (i.e. what activity should I embark on) to write about for the next post? Got an idea? Drop me a line and I will most likely do whatever you tell me to. Tomorrow’s pay day. No more eating like a college student. “Goodbye Blue Monday or Ramen No More!”bye.
10.24.2004
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1 comment:
poor deaf kid. :(
hehe
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