Alas! My camera powered out before training!
I will have to give a verbal description. Today was again the training seminar. We arrived at the Naha City gym at about 9am, and the seminar began at 10am. Getting there we rode in a taxi, and passed by the cemeteries, which basically look like small cities of small cement houses, which are the families "plots" to use an American term. Again, we trained and trained. A huge emphasis is on Kihon - the basics. We have done Gekesai Dai Ichi (the basic kata) over and over and over and over and over again - and each time it feels different and more powerful. Again huge emphasis on movement, power, and straight "back bones" as they say.
We have also done some conditioning - arm conditioning to be specific. For our non-karate readers, arm conditioning is basically when you whack each other's arms back and forth to make them stronger. It also causes bruises, a picture of which we will post soon. As of right now I have ten bruises on my arms and foot! Muscles are naturally sore, my brain is rather tired, however my soul and spirit are personally delighted to be here.
We have all been talking about how we need to stop every once in awhile, look around, catch our breathes, and say "wow - we're in Okinawa." It is like that about every few hours or so - just when things begin to feel a little normal, a bit hum-drum or ordinary - that we just look at each other and remind ourselves how blessed and excited we are to be here.
All a related note - the language barrier here is very very strong as few people know english and none of us know how to read Japanese. However I and my trusted travel-Japanese book have been able to mitigate a few waters. Tonight I was able to ask the lady at our hotel desk how to take out the trash and where to get toilet paper. She is incredibly kind, which I also was able to communicate (hurrah!), and so has everyone else been. Usually my attempts at speaking the language end with me just pointing to the word in the book as I cannot pronounce it correctly! However this island is populated with very friendly people, and for that I am grateful.
So there is my verbal (if muddled) picture of today. The camera battery is now charged, and we will (hopefully) post more tomorrow!
konobanwa (good evening I think) and until soon! - Sara
2 comments:
I'm enjoying your posts, Sara. Thanks for allowing me to visit Okinawa vicariously through you! :) Good luck with your training!
I'm loving reading about your adventure!! We missed you on Wednesday night, but prayed for you, that you would be aware of God's presence with you and be kept safe. Glad to see this is turning out to be such a blast!
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