As yesterday went on, I started to become quite unwell. I decided to contact my supervisor and ask how to make an appointment with a local doctor. She could go one better and had one of my team-teachers who lives in my area take me to a Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic herself!
This was truly a different experience for me and I was grateful I had an accompanying translator. One of the most interesting parts was when the doctor stuck a metal rod up my nose and into my sinuses. It was one of the most uncomfortable sensations and the amount of pressure it created was almost unbearable. However, afterwards I felt almost immediate relief! I could finally breathe again. As a cultural note, you should be aware that it is considered rude to blow your nose in public. Therefore, I have been assimilating to the Japanese ‘sniff’ routine. It is not pleasant.
This is what I think contributed to my condition. My sinus blockage was beginning to affect my throat, which had now become swollen and red sore. It’s no wonder I couldn’t talk!
To then add to the wonderful clinic experience, I was then administered two different vapor medicines – one through the nose and another through the mouth. I have never seen these machines in normal Australian clinics, but I’m sure others have.
The doctor then prescribed me enough drugs to start my own drug store it would seem - One tablet for my throat, one for my nose and another to ‘kill the germs’ (I think it’s an antibiotic). I am so thankful that I am supplied with health insurance as a part of the JET program. The amount I had to pay was considerably cheaper than even Australian standards! I truly feel well looked after here!
Again, I was not going to let my sickness get the better of me, so I went to school regardless. My second years were what motivated me to be there today! It was ‘show and tell’ day, and I was finally going to show them something I love.
I’ll be honest with you all. I have not done any sort of gymnastics for around 6-8 weeks. That means, no flips, no cartwheels, not even a handstand!! It was safe to say I was frightened of what I could do and show the students. To make things even worse, was my Kocho Sensei and Kyoto Sensei (principal and vice principal) were also attending the lesson to watch me. Talk about being nervous right!!
But, in this situation you have to take a deep breath and purely trust that your body knows what to do. It was time to push that self-doubt to the side and trust the technique is all programmed from years of repeated practice.
And sure enough, it was there. Even after 6-8 weeks I proved I could still flip continuously along the floor, standing saulto, handspring and even climb a rope with no legs! Although I will be sore tomorrow (and probably the next couple of days too) I could not be happier with how it went. Just the expressions and exclamations from the students will be enough to keep me going for a while yet.
I am still in the process of trying to find who to contact in regards to a gymnastics club here in Okayama. It would be nice to keep some of my basic skills! And if not, maybe I’ll take up an additional sport while I stay in Japan – Volleyball? Kendo? Maybe even the Dance club?
