Carey’s Rocky Road to Japan - Student Exchange Blog

What a day it`s been. I saw my first Judo tournament today, at an arena full of police (it was the police tournament). After a really, really long opening ceremony, the games began. I didn`t understand any of the speeches etc, partly because of the whole muffled microphone thing, and partly because I didn`t understand. Still, it was fun watching, and there four games going at once. Pretty much everyone there was blackbelt, being police and all, but it would be embarrassing being one of the two white belts that I saw (it`s really obvious when everyone is lined up).

Judo Tournament

After the Judo tournament, we went to an Easter Island replica where you drive around on golf carts looking at all the scenery (and no I didn`t get to drive).

Me near the Easter Island Statues

There was also this bell of peace (or something) on the top of the mountain and there was a dead mouse floating in the water. Either it was a sacrifice gone wrong, or it just fell in. I think I got a little burnt there (I didn`t know we were going).

View from the top

We went and had lunch at Joyful where I sat trying not to breathe in all of the cigarette smoke around me. The non-smoking side of the restaurant is smaller than the smoking side, and the non-smoking side was full. Still, the food there is great, and you always get it within a few minutes. I got a grilled lunch (large beef patty, sausage, pork roast and sauce with a croissant) for $5.

After lunch we went to go see my school`s festival. I was quite shocked with the quality of it. Their orchestra is amazing, but I guess that`s what you`d expect from the best school in the prefecture.

School Orchestra Performing

Their dance club was on national news yesterday, and they played a video that either has, or is going to screen on NHK about baseball in their school. I`m really looking forward to starting on Wednesday, and they have other stuff tomorrow as well as Sunday (sports festival). Its just a shame I didn`t arrive in time to actually take part in any of the festivals.

Oh, and something else embarrassing happened to me today. I was waiting for the elevator to go down, and there was a group of people behind me too. The door opened, one lady comes out, and then I go to walk in. However, upon entry, it seems that the kind lady who`d just left the elevator had pressed the close door button upon exit, so with impeccable timing, the door slams shut on both my shoulders, right as her blessed soul left the elevator. What`s worse, is that one the door had released its death grip, everyone else filed pretending it never happened, and then preceded to remain perfectly silent for the duration of the elevator`s descent. It seems that there is never anyone to laugh with when these things happen here. Noob-in-Japan-tally: 2.