Oshi-dashi'd message

[Basten <cbasten@statgen.ncsu.edu>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Edwards, Nathan" <Edwards@nhrc.navy.mil>
To: "'sumo@statgen.ncsu.edu'" <sumo@statgen.ncsu.edu>
Subject: Fighting spirit and Japanese mental conditioning...
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2002 15:34:33 -0800
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Ryan,

Having lived in Japan and taught English to junior high school students
there for 2 years, I've had a glimpse at how they develop.  From early on in
elementary school, young Japanese are taught to work very hard and very long
in the club activities to which they've chosen (or been assigned in some
cases). These kids get out of school in the early afternoon and often stay
at school an extra 4 hours  a day (up to 6-7 days a week - even during
vacation) to participate in the baseball club, kendo club, etc. Although
participation in these "school clubs" is supposed to be voluntary, it is
often mandatory. So these kids are used to being pushed quite hard. Although
it is illegal, teachers and coaches still sometimes hit students to
"encourage" them to do better. These kids (both boys and girls) go through
hazing at a pretty young age and it doesn't generally let up until they
graduate from high school. The world of sumo is much more brutal than this.
It's really in the Japanese national character to produce tough kids,
because learning how to peacefully coexist with others without getting hurt
by the bad feelings that are just under the surface (but rarely talked
about) is challenging. Japanese society expects it's members to have pretty
thick skins and in sumo, they just wear a little more insulation that usual.

I can't imagine how brutal your time was there. In a sense, sumo requires a
kind of killer instinct. Just as only a certain kind of person can be a
successful car salesman/woman. Anyone can try their hand at it, but only a
few have the right mix to really excel at it. You have to be a shark. After
coming back from Japan I spent nearly a year of my life trying to do jobs
that didn't suit my personality. And I was miserable. I didn't want to give
up because I thought it would feel right if I just did it long enough. But
it didn't. Don't criticize yourself for having learned something important
about yourself. Enjoy Sumo as a dedicated fan and/or hobbyist, while finding
your true calling.

Good luck and welcome back - we're anxious to hear your inside stories of
heya life and grateful for your candor!

Nathan Edwards
edwards@nhrc.navy.mil
Naval Health Research Center
Modeling & Simulation - Code 22

-
> From: Ryan D. Evans [mailto:rdevans@nc.rr.com]
> Sent: Friday, December 20, 2002 1:26 PM
> To: SML
> Subject: I'm back home.
>
> (Sorry, this message isn't very articulate or
> anything. I just want to
> get
> the news out; too tired to write anything well at
> the moment. I'll fully
> explain the "trip" later.)
>
> I got back home last night. Things in Japan didn't
> quite work out.
>
> Technically I quit. I won't say I was told to go
> home because that's not
> the
> truth. However, I only came to the decision of
> quitting after I *would*
> have
> been told to go home.
>
> I'll explain in brief:
>
> I have no fighting spirit; being super aggressive is
> not something which
> comes natural to me. (Part of me knew this all
> along, but the other part
> just said "shut up" and went on dreaming.) After a
> few days of losing
> badly,
> the oyakata said I had 3 days (until Dec. 14) to
> find my fighting
> spirit.
>
> So I tried hard as I could to get angry in the ring,
> to be as aggressive
> as
> I possibly could. But I failed. It is just not
> something I can do.
>
> I should have been told to go home then. But the
> oyakata is a nice guy
> (though quite stern, like a good oyakata should be)
> and said I could
> stay
> and keep trying until Jan. 21 (original return
> flight date).
>
> But I knew that after I failed again on the 14th,
> after I put forth
> everything I had to become aggressive, I wasn't
> going to make it in
> sumo.
> The oyakata already knew this too, basically
> suggesting I find something
> else to do with my life.
>
> So I came home. Sentoryu tried to talk me out of it,
> as did my family
> members, but I knew I didn't fit in with sumo after
> that day.
>
> --
>
> So that's how things are. I'm not really upset with
> having failed and
> come
> home. I'm only upset I wasted my dad's money and let
> down so many people
> who
> gave me their support.
>
> You can call me what you wish: "quitter," "loser,"
> etc. I made my choice
> and
> I stick by it. Sumo just isn't right for me. I had
> hoped and dreamed
> that it
> was, but it isn't. *shrug*
>
> --
>
> So sorry for letting everyone down.
>
> --
> Ryan D. Evans  <rdevans@nc.rr.com>
>
> "In these latter-day / degenerate times, / cherry
> blossoms everywhere!"
> --Kobayashi Issa
>


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