My First Judo Tournament in Asia

I can't get over the fact that Koreans tell me: "Your English pronunciation is very good." It's definitely a compliment when given to other Koreans, but really, is it really worth mentioning that I am "good" at speaking my native language? I usually tell them that they're Korean pronunciation is very good too.

On Saturday I fought in a judo tournament. It had a lot of similarities with other judo tournaments I've entered in Canada. I had to get up way too early in the morning (6 a.m.) to get there. The referees wore suits. The mats were the same colours.

There were also big differences. My name was the only one in the tournament draw written in English letters. I was the only white guy in the building. Children and teenaged girls went out of their way to speak to me. After I threw my first opponent cleanly for ippon, I received many congratulations and little kids told me "very beautiful." After I made it to the final, it was time for lunch.

We went outside and had kimbap (sushi with crab, egg, spam, and carrot) on the grass and leaves. All the little children were very impressed with me. So impressed, that they all decided that they wanted my autograph. I spent something like twenty minutes autographing leaves, while one of the kiddies toddled around listening to Modest Mouse on my iPod. I think I signed more leaves than there were children, and then it was time for me to head back to the mats for the final.

I was losing until the final minute, when I took my opponent to the ground and pinned him. For some reason they don't teach groundwork very well here. In all of the fights I had seen in which someone got a pin, nobody seemed to have the faintest idea how to escape. My fight was no different. My coach had enough English to say to me, "Congratulations, you are a champion" after I was awarded my gold medal.

The day concluded with a celebratory dinner of chicken, white wine, and "The Bourne Ultimatum." It was an excellent day, especially since no thoughts of impending grad school deadlines entered my head.