Ejovi Nuwere

January 25, 2002

Today was of course another tough day at school. We were tested though it wasn’t as difficult as I imagined it would be. I’ve starting coming to the conclusion that my difficulties aren’t all that bad. I’m sure I am not the first person to have difficulty learning Japanese, and I won’t be the last. Most of my problem in class comes be fear of screwing up. Once I’ve gotten over that, I should progress a lot quicker, especially when I start working.

Meanwhile I continue to be puzzled by Japanese traditions and cultural customs. Take for example Sumo, which currently airs on Japanese TV because of a big championship going on. I have respect for these guys, they are in excellent shape for their size. These are athletes, extremely healthy and strong. No, I don’t mind the fact that they are wearing thong bikinis, after all, I will small shorts when kick boxing.


I wonder what makes someone decide that he wants to be a sumo wrestler. These guys usually start out at 18/19 years old. Did they all wake up one day prepared to go to school and say “I should gain 200 pounds and fight in my underwear?”

And then the training, it’s tough. You basically give your self to your stable master (head coach) from the start of your training until the end of your career. During the beginning of your career you simple work as an assistant to your older brothers, a slave for anyone’s beckoning. Cleaning, cooking, sweeping and sewing for example. All the while you walk around in your underwear trying to gain weight. Not knowing if you will ever make it to the top. Where do the unsuccessful sumo wrestlers in Japan go? I wonder.

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