130. Sports Festival Results
Seiko Gakuen Primary School Sports Festival
September 21st, Heisei 20
Ojin-cho, Tokushima-shi, Tokushima-ken
Final Score:
Red Team: 608
White Team: 515
The scores are after nineteen events, most of which have machine-gun scoring (like the one where the First Years and their parents throw small balls into a hanging basket until the clock runs out - I presume each ball would be worth a point), and on top of that the all-school events with the whole 100+ student body run about a bajillion heats for each, with the top placers in each heat getting points, so it all adds up to a lot.
I’d say the sports festival was a great success - everyone had a reasonably good time, only a few students puked their way out of the Opening Ceremony, and the weather cooperated, although it was unbearably humid, and rain threatened things after lunch - fortunately, the program was almost finished by then anyway.
It was heartwarming to see the kids and parents having fun together - especially the fathers, some of whom might have needed assistance in figuring out which kid was theirs. I’m joking only slightly - the opportunities for busy fathers to spend time with their children are vanishingly few, and the realities of work mean that this event has to be put on a Sunday or a national holiday.
I felt happy to be a Seiko teacher today, in a way that I rarely am. =)
At lunchtime, we were given bentos - not just kid-size bentos, either - these were big honking all-out super Bunyan-size bentos. The quantity and varieties of unfamiliar food made it a bit of an adventure - although the food was probably tame by Japanese standards, to me it was something to eat strategically. Strategy is important in cases like this - you wouldn’t think of going to Dragon Buffet King without a strategy, would you?
The parents helped us take everything down, and we were let off for the day at the unheard-of time of 2:15. The others had been talking about going to Naruto for Mexican food, and now that the boys had two and a half unexpected hours free (their wives didn’t expect them to be off work until 5:00), C. took us there in his car. (First, we did have to wait for one of the girls - this had M. a little antsy: “I’d like to get out and get back before I feel too guilty…” Ha-ha, remind me not to get married, etc..)
The place was called Sombreros, and it was a small café-style place - just a good place to drop in for a bite. It’s run by Dave, a Hispanic USAmerican from Santa Barbara. I say this because a lot of nationality-themed restaurants here don’t actually have any people employed who’ve had anything to do with the country in question. Some do, and this is one of them, and the food is excellent - the nachos I must particularly cite, as they weren’t lacking in oomph or ingredients like so many restaurant nachos do. The taste also reminded me of my aunt’s nacho… er, dip? which was another plus.
I was still a bit stuffed after that bento and I even fell asleep in C.’s car on the way, but the food was so good that I had no trouble finding room. Anyway, if you’re ever around here, and you have a hankering for Mexican food… =)
September 21st, Heisei 20
Ojin-cho, Tokushima-shi, Tokushima-ken
Final Score:
Red Team: 608
White Team: 515
The scores are after nineteen events, most of which have machine-gun scoring (like the one where the First Years and their parents throw small balls into a hanging basket until the clock runs out - I presume each ball would be worth a point), and on top of that the all-school events with the whole 100+ student body run about a bajillion heats for each, with the top placers in each heat getting points, so it all adds up to a lot.
I’d say the sports festival was a great success - everyone had a reasonably good time, only a few students puked their way out of the Opening Ceremony, and the weather cooperated, although it was unbearably humid, and rain threatened things after lunch - fortunately, the program was almost finished by then anyway.
It was heartwarming to see the kids and parents having fun together - especially the fathers, some of whom might have needed assistance in figuring out which kid was theirs. I’m joking only slightly - the opportunities for busy fathers to spend time with their children are vanishingly few, and the realities of work mean that this event has to be put on a Sunday or a national holiday.
I felt happy to be a Seiko teacher today, in a way that I rarely am. =)
At lunchtime, we were given bentos - not just kid-size bentos, either - these were big honking all-out super Bunyan-size bentos. The quantity and varieties of unfamiliar food made it a bit of an adventure - although the food was probably tame by Japanese standards, to me it was something to eat strategically. Strategy is important in cases like this - you wouldn’t think of going to Dragon Buffet King without a strategy, would you?
The parents helped us take everything down, and we were let off for the day at the unheard-of time of 2:15. The others had been talking about going to Naruto for Mexican food, and now that the boys had two and a half unexpected hours free (their wives didn’t expect them to be off work until 5:00), C. took us there in his car. (First, we did have to wait for one of the girls - this had M. a little antsy: “I’d like to get out and get back before I feel too guilty…” Ha-ha, remind me not to get married, etc..)
The place was called Sombreros, and it was a small café-style place - just a good place to drop in for a bite. It’s run by Dave, a Hispanic USAmerican from Santa Barbara. I say this because a lot of nationality-themed restaurants here don’t actually have any people employed who’ve had anything to do with the country in question. Some do, and this is one of them, and the food is excellent - the nachos I must particularly cite, as they weren’t lacking in oomph or ingredients like so many restaurant nachos do. The taste also reminded me of my aunt’s nacho… er, dip? which was another plus.
I was still a bit stuffed after that bento and I even fell asleep in C.’s car on the way, but the food was so good that I had no trouble finding room. Anyway, if you’re ever around here, and you have a hankering for Mexican food… =)