I phoned Sensei Ryan and we talked about the tournament and what happened all yesterday. I told Sensei that I thought I would need to work on my speed more and he said he could really help me with that. Even though I have 3rd in continuous sparring, which means I am eligible for Spain (the Worlds) in the Fall, Sensei said that we would have to talk about it and figure it out. I told him that my gloves were not legal in this tournament (open finger tips) and had to borrow a set from Cassidy. Sensei said that tournaments can make different rules. Sensei and I had really checked into all the rules for equipment and ring side rules before coming here.
It is amazing how things can change or come up that you don't expect. I guess I am learning. It sure threw me off my game a bit on the first day. Mom kept saying that this is all part of competition and you have to learn to roll with the punches -- that not to get frazzeled because it won't help me in my performance.
Then we packed up some and got ready and went down to the tournament which was ending today. I saw Mr. Lui there and he gave me some competition gloves that his daughter doesn't use anymore -- they are like brand new. He was so nice, generous and helpful. He had brought a whole track bag of what was almost new equipment that he said his kids no longer use or need --- he told me to help myself because he was going to give it away to whoever could use it. I only took the closed finger gloves because that was what I really needed. Someone may need some of the other equipment more than I do. I am just really grateful to have brand new competition gloves. I know they will bring me good luck.
We watched some sparring and then went over to see Sensei Cody's bow staff creative competition. I felt really bad for him because part way through his routine his bow broke in half when he was doing what they call a baseball swing. It literally exploded in half. I have the video tape of it on my camera. Even though he was frustrated and you could see that on his face, he bowed to the judges and picked up the other half of his bow, bowed again and left the ring. He had 2 mins by the rules to find another bow and continue. He went and got another one from his case and got back into the ring, bowed in and then started over. He was totally amazing, a pure "awesomous"! I couldn't believe how he could stay to focused and in his game.....wow....I would likely be rattled. He was amazing to watch and I learned that even though you mess up one time or something doesn't go right you can still try again. He placed third and I think he should have placed higher.
Then after watching Sensei Cody, the tournament was wrapping up so mom and I went to print out our plane tickets for tomorrow. We decided to go and walk back to some of the sights we did't get to do on the day we came in early. We walked again for tons of miles -- mom can really walk and never gets tired. We went to see Notre Dame church, and went to Rideau Hall, then started to walk to see the Prime Minister's house but finally had to turn back because we hit light, moderate, pouring and then drenched rains. We walked for at least 2 hours in this without our unbrellas today.
By the time we got back to the hotel it was pouring so much that if you had added shampoo into our hair it would have foamed on its own! People were laughing when we walked into the hotel because we looked like we had swam back....and I think we did. We had to wring out our clothes and they are not even dry to pack. So we put all the wet clothes into plastic bags, just for fun we weight them with mom's suitcase scale and they were over 10 pounds! Good thing we are coming back with less food in one of the suitcases! it was unreal how soaked we were!
Mom got into the shower and I decided I didn't need a shower after that. We ordered pizza in and called it a night. We have a wake up call at 4:30 am so that we can get ready and be at the airport on time to catch our flight home. I am excited to see Dad, Shelby,Brett Grandma and Loida and everyone at school and at the dojo. I have learned that you don't want to room with your mother -- they make you pick up your half of the room instantly! I did have a great time in Ottawa with mom. I am also really excited about going on the plane again. I hope I see lots up there. Mom always lets me have the window seat -- she doesn't like heights that much, so she reads instead.
well.....I am going to see everyone really soon! Thanks for everyone being so supportive of me. I did my best and I learned a lot and I hope to be able to pass forward what I learned to others. I know I have SO much more to learn and so much more to practice. Sensei Ryan taught me really well and I am looking forward to learning more from him. He is a great Sensei.
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