I have wrestling practice on Wednesdays.
Two high school and about six middle school students respectively "go" the required two or one mile warm-up. I'd like to say "run" but athletics are different at this international school, which are general not known for great athletics and big teams, so a walk/jog is the best I get.
The kids pay for their international travel (and 75% of the coach's travel) to the one competition of the season which one school hosts.
Well, this really isn't a team since there is no SAISA tournament for wrestling - which frankly surprises me given our proximity to the Middle East. However, the team (as I will continue to refer to them) was formed on student initiative and has been rolling for 3+ weeks.
I lack knowledge of their motivation to wrestle, but they like it. We throw out some gymnastics mats and try to stay off the outer block of mats, but at least there is carpet below. I showed them how to earn points in folkstyle wrestling yesterday and offered to show video clips of NSHS wrestling - but they'd rather just tumble around. There is a lack of middle school and high school extracurricular activities, as opposed to the elementary school at ISOI.
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I had a whole philosophical point to get to today based on a wrestlers comment about how bad it was to live in backwards (his implied adjective, not mine) Pakistan. Granted, he really missed out on the opportunities and the advantages of Islamabad. I repeated the disappointment of living without one's friends and family -but I also noted the advantages of exploring the wonders here. He thought Canada was cool, and I told him Pakistan was cool. In any case, it doesn't matter where you live; you have to get out and explore to appreciate the value of a place.
1 comment:
Aw, do you miss North Springs? Maybe you noticed how the NSHS webpage still lists you as the head coach. What kind of extracurricular activities are kids involved in there?
My dad was looking yesterday at some airfares, and he says that although many prices are shooting up for the holiday season, there is a pretty good deal to Peru. I would be ecstatic to be able to go somewhere in South America. Have you ever been there? I especially love Peru because of the ancient ruins. Coicidentally yesterday evening I was reading a new magazine that I had just received in the mail and it had an article about some other ancient ruins other than Macchu Picchu in Peru that scientists had been arguing about the people who lived there and where their origins were. If I had to chose between Peru and Spain, I would probably chose the former. We're having second thoughts on Spain in the summer, namely because we haven't been able to get in touch with Alejandra. I don't know what the deal is, but if she never write back, we can't really make plans.
Hope all is well with you. I am going to go see North Springs production of "Urinetown" tonight. Not so nice name, but I hear it's fantastic!
PS Post some pictures some time =)
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