Goals

Yeah yeah, I know. Where have I been. If your wondering why I haven't posted in so long its because my computer stopped working and needed some loving. I upgraded a few parts and now seem to have steady access to the internet again.

Life here is otherwise continuing as normal. Train karate, teach english, wash cars, occassionally eat and sleep etc. Last nights training was particularily grueling and I forgot to tape up my feet again. Now I have blisters on my blisters. It's rained here the past few days, (thank god), but I think the cooler weather gave Sensei the idea to really work on some speed training. Speed training for me is like ice skating up hill. The people I train with here are so fast, I don't think I'll ever be tournament ready.

I think Sensei also wants be to publish another blog. He know I keep this one but I've told him its just for my family and friends. I think he'd like to see something written just for the Karate community about the goings on in Fujieda and what it's like to train Karate here. I will get started on that soon, but I doubt I will have enough time or creativity for 2 blogs. We'll see what happens, I'll keep everyone informed.

I came to Japan with a few goals, go up a few kyu ranks, learn the language, leave with more students than I arrived here with and also work on the NASKA website a bit. See if I can pretty it up. I sent out an email to as many sensei's as I know back home asking for some up to date pics, but I have yet to hear back from anyone.

The goals I have are my own, but I'm starting to wonder if the way I define a successful year in Fujieda is similiar to how Sensei Sakurai defines it. I try to ask him questions from time to time but its hard to get a direct answer. Yesterday he suggested I contact the news paper in tsawassen and see if they would publish an article about my trip to Japan. Its not a bad idea, but I'm not sure what sort of message he wants me to spread to the people back home. I don't mind writing about what I think and feel about my trip here as long as I know the people who are reading it know me and how understand how I think. But I'm not sure I can be an ambassador to the karate community. I'd like to tell stories of tournaments won, and the gaining of wonderful insight into the art of karate, but right now all my stories are about how fat and slow I am here.

If it were just my own goals I had to worry about I would be fine. But I am here on Sensei's ticket so I have to make sure he is happy with what I do while I am here too. Hopefully I can get a clear read on that if he starts reading a second blog.

Anyways, cheers to everyone back home. Take care.