Up and Down
By revenantkioku ~ September 17th, 2007. Filed under: Japan.
It’s September and it’s still fucking hot. I don’t know how much more of this heat I can take. I need a straight up flood of snow to come down and cool my ass off. Never thought I’d be saying something like that. Rochester really does get deep into your soul.
Over the past few days I’ve been witness to the students preparing for the annual 運動会 or “Sports Festival” as I’m told it is. Now, I’m probably the last person in the world who knows a damn thing about sports, but I really can’t figure out how this event qualifies. In the few sessions I’ve seen, the general procedure is thus:
1) School band plays music. (The kids are fantastic, by the way. They’d probably put my high-school band to shame. Sorry, Josh.)
2) The other children march around in groups divided into four colors. Red, yellow, blue and white.
3) Music stops, band members assemble with their respective groups.
4) Speech is given.
5) Someone passes out from heat stroke.
6) Some sort of dance or funky stretching to music.
7) Repeat as time allows.
I’m not knocking it at all, mind. The kids look like they’re having a blast, except for when it gets really hot. I remember doing tons of things in my elementary years such as wearing a straw hat and singing “Turkey in the Straw” with my classmates in front of tons of parents. I’m guessing this is a similar event ‘cept I just don’t get why it’s “Sports Day”. My dictionary gives me “Athletic Meet” which doesn’t exactly follow for me but what do I know. At least the kids are having a good time.
But seriously. This heat. What in the goddamned hell is going on. I’m so used to it cooling down by now and I’m sure as hell not used to biking uphill for a solid twenty minutes before work. While my apartment is über-convenient from everything distance wise, the hills sure give me a hell of a workout. Not that this is entirely bad for my fat ass. I’ve gotta get a scale and figure out what this is actually doing for me. And hopefully that burning sensation from going up hill will eventually cease.
September 18th, 2007 at 12:35 am
If you remember when you watch animations about school life, like Azumanga Daioh, it usually has an episode about the Sports Day. What I like most is by the end of the event, students have folk dance around a campfire. Do you have this tradition also?
September 18th, 2007 at 9:32 am
Actually, the first thing that came to mind when I read this post was that scene in Azumanga Daioh where they’re doing tug-of-war and chanting “O-S! O-S! O-S!” and no one really knew why they were saying it.
September 18th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
oops… I found the answer in your post. Sorry I missed it. Maybe you should watch Azumanga Daioh once more now ^^ Anyway, please take good care of yourself, don’t catch on fire.