Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Finding My Audience
On a good week I can get to the pool four times a week. I’m making a regular appearance at Tanabe’s lesson at 6 p.m. and all the girls know me and expect to see me on a regular basis. I don’t have to ask permission to join anymore; yesterday Tanabe saw me come in and said, “Hurry up! The girls are warming up already!” I finally asked him yesterday if it’s really okay if I join the class—don’t I have to pay money or anything? He said not to worry about it. So, cool, I’m officially in.
I used to do everything free-style (because I was practicing for the triathlon) but now I’m starting to do butterfly, breast and backstroke with them. The warm-up includes doing 25 meters of each (butterfly, back, breast, free) about 4 times. I’m a mess when it comes to butterfly and breast, but I’m trying! I think Tanabe realized I just do what I think is right until he tells me otherwise, so he’s really coached me hard these last two days. After every lap it’s: “Smaller circles!” “Relax your hands!” “Kick, stre---tch, pull!” and then “Daijobu?” (Are you okay?)
Yesterday we really focused on breast stroke and I have a vague idea of what it should feel like. Tanabe pulled everyone out of the pool to have us watch Yui and Miho start the breast—I think they’re the best at it. I’m pretty sure he did it for my benefit ‘cause the little ones couldn’t really stay focused on the pool long enough to see it from beginning to end. So it’s push off and stretch, kick once and stretch forward again, kick a second time and then come up for your first breath and pull. I was so confused on that so I really appreciated him taking the time to show us.
Also, we did sprints yesterday (or “dash” as Tanabe calls it). Free-style for 25 meters. I was doing them in 20 seconds when Tanabe told me, “Faster!” and I managed to do one in 18 seconds and a few in 19 seconds, but I couldn’t go faster than that. I have no idea what “fast” is when it comes to swimming, but it seems like that is fast… =) Yui, who is by far the best swimmer in the group did 18 on a regular basis. She’s a 6th grader too.
In December last year Koichiro taught me how to put on a swim cap. That’s how clueless I was about swimming. It’s awesome to be able to mark my progress.
The best part about swimming with these girls (there is a boy in the class he just don’t come very often) is that they all speak to me. Nice and slowly and simply in Japanese. I learn so much from them. Even just how to count laps, lengths, and seconds. I'm a pro at the ippon, nihon, sanbon stuff!
The littlest girl, she don’t speak slowly at all—it’s like she saves up all her questions for me and then tries to spit them out in record time. The older girls usually translate for me and then I can answer her. Most kids realize that I do understand them if they speak slowly and use many different words for the same thing. Sometimes that concept just completely goes over the heads of adults. If I can’t understand you at your natural speed the first time, I must not understand Japanese. The kids, however, want to communicate so badly that they say it over and over again, allowing me to repeat each word after them if necessary (and sometimes that really helps).
So, I love swimming. I love Tanabe and the kids and the exercise. I’m really glad I’m a part of something here.
Karate test (san-kyu/third level) is on Friday! I have a very tough かた to do to pass this test. Wish me luck!
Love, Sierra
I used to do everything free-style (because I was practicing for the triathlon) but now I’m starting to do butterfly, breast and backstroke with them. The warm-up includes doing 25 meters of each (butterfly, back, breast, free) about 4 times. I’m a mess when it comes to butterfly and breast, but I’m trying! I think Tanabe realized I just do what I think is right until he tells me otherwise, so he’s really coached me hard these last two days. After every lap it’s: “Smaller circles!” “Relax your hands!” “Kick, stre---tch, pull!” and then “Daijobu?” (Are you okay?)
Yesterday we really focused on breast stroke and I have a vague idea of what it should feel like. Tanabe pulled everyone out of the pool to have us watch Yui and Miho start the breast—I think they’re the best at it. I’m pretty sure he did it for my benefit ‘cause the little ones couldn’t really stay focused on the pool long enough to see it from beginning to end. So it’s push off and stretch, kick once and stretch forward again, kick a second time and then come up for your first breath and pull. I was so confused on that so I really appreciated him taking the time to show us.
Also, we did sprints yesterday (or “dash” as Tanabe calls it). Free-style for 25 meters. I was doing them in 20 seconds when Tanabe told me, “Faster!” and I managed to do one in 18 seconds and a few in 19 seconds, but I couldn’t go faster than that. I have no idea what “fast” is when it comes to swimming, but it seems like that is fast… =) Yui, who is by far the best swimmer in the group did 18 on a regular basis. She’s a 6th grader too.
In December last year Koichiro taught me how to put on a swim cap. That’s how clueless I was about swimming. It’s awesome to be able to mark my progress.
The best part about swimming with these girls (there is a boy in the class he just don’t come very often) is that they all speak to me. Nice and slowly and simply in Japanese. I learn so much from them. Even just how to count laps, lengths, and seconds. I'm a pro at the ippon, nihon, sanbon stuff!
The littlest girl, she don’t speak slowly at all—it’s like she saves up all her questions for me and then tries to spit them out in record time. The older girls usually translate for me and then I can answer her. Most kids realize that I do understand them if they speak slowly and use many different words for the same thing. Sometimes that concept just completely goes over the heads of adults. If I can’t understand you at your natural speed the first time, I must not understand Japanese. The kids, however, want to communicate so badly that they say it over and over again, allowing me to repeat each word after them if necessary (and sometimes that really helps).
So, I love swimming. I love Tanabe and the kids and the exercise. I’m really glad I’m a part of something here.
Karate test (san-kyu/third level) is on Friday! I have a very tough かた to do to pass this test. Wish me luck!
Love, Sierra
all the statistics you could care to know about my triathlon.
