Thursday, October 14, 2004
Friday Night Feber
Dan and I are participating in a Narao volleyball tournament. I was asked to be on the Nakagoto teacher’s team, but it must also be a dentist team because Asagami and others are on it. Asagami is our Monday night tennis coach, Narao’s dentist and unofficial Monster Man Triathlon recruiter. He really likes Americans and so invited Dan to be on our volleyball team too. Wednesday was our first game and the opening ceremony. I’m not sure how it happened, but I also had to give a short speech in the ceremony. I raised my right hand and yelled, “Sensei, katemo, moketemo, volleyball o, something-something-shitsureishimasu. 13th of October, Sierra Kenney.” I was really embarrassed and had to use a cheat sheet to memorize it. Asagami only told me 30 minutes before what I had to say. Needless to say, we won our first game (against Catherine’s team, although she wasn’t there and I didn’t know it at the time) and Asagami invited us out to have some drinks. It was great fun.
Tonight (Friday), I had karate to go to while DT opted for another volleyball game with Asagami!! Koichiro, my neighbor and I drove together and practiced our English/Japanese. He was really shy speaking English before Dan came, but something about DT makes him more comfortable and we are finally getting to know each other. Anyway—K arate: I take my next belt test next Friday. Hopefully I’ll be a green belt soon! That only puts purple and brown between me and a black belt! Well, that’s at least a couple years down the road, but they say I’m a natural! I love karate! I was also suppose to …………. tonight, but instead we worked on my kicking and punching technique. I can kick hard, but kicking accurately is a lot harder. Poor Koichiro had to hold the bag for my while I had three master surrounding me and showing me how to aggressively step forward as I punch.
“No—it's not a leap forward,” they show me through hand motions and demonstrating. “You must step forward.”
More demonstrations: “Turn your foot in and down when you kick.”
“Don’t forget to swing your leg back in after the blow.”
They hand me some gloves. “But they’re wet inside,” I start. They wave my comment away. “Punch straight, leading with your first two knuckles.”
So, I could go on forever, but the night went on and so will I. I got home at 10:30 and DT wasn’t back from his 7:30 volleyball game yet, so I was suspicious. I got a phone call from him a few minutes later and he was calling from a restaurant with Asagami and some volleyball friends. He invited me to come down and experience “Friday Night Feber” with them. (There’s no “v” sound in Japanese!! It’s so cute!) I grabbed Koichiro and we went down together. Dan was biting off fish heads and drinking shoshu so I knew they had converted him. I ordered my usual cocktail (bright green this time!) and indulged in a fillet of white fish.
Dan about to eat an entire fish. Asagami simling proudly in the background. How he does it, I don’t know. I think the shochu has something to do with it.
From left to right: Daniel, Asagami, (I don’t know his name, but he plays volleyball with us), and Koichiro.
As the evening wore on, I inevitably had to arm wrestle a man or two. It wouldn’t be a real party if I didn’t roll of my sleeves at least once. I arm wrestled Dan, one of our volleyball players—don’t know his name and Koichiro. Both Japanese guys beat me. I think they’ve had enough of this being beaten by a n American. I must say I put up quite a fight with Koichiro though. I think he was surprised because we went back and forth a few seconds.
The winners of my matches also battled it out.
Asagami kept yelling “It’s Friday Night Feber!” and telling me it was my duty to 1. drink more 2. bite off fish heads 3. this, that, whatever he deemed appropriate. I gave Asagami a shot glass from Oregon for him to pour his shochu in. It’s the least I can do after he gave Daniel a fifth of Hennessy after Wednesday and pays for all these outings!
Later, the vollyball man’s daughter came also. She graduated from Nakagoto High School a couple years ago and works in the kitchen at Nice Day in Narao. Her name is Ai and what impresses me most about her is that she’s not too shy. A lot of Japanese people my age are too shy to even look at me, much less try talking to me, but Ai communicated with us even if only a little. It was fun!
We had the laughing owner take this picture of all of us. From left to right. Sierra, Ai, Daniel, Asagami, volleyball man, Koichiro (and he wasn't even drinking!).
I'll try to post more soon!
Love, Sierra
