Volleyball World Cup 2007

The Volleyball World Cup has been in town all weekend and we have been lucky enough to get free tickets for the entire weekend. Being foreigners in town can be handy sometimes! I always liked volleyball but was never that good. Netball will always be my first love even though no one here knows what it is!

It was great to go to an event like this and see how things are done “the Japanese way”. First of all we have these great inventions

To save your hands you purchase these noise makers (for want of a better phrase), blow them up with a straw and bang them together – genius!


Cheerleaders The Mascot The Cleaners

We watched quite a few games but I was more obsessed with trying to take a good action shot on my camera. It has so many setting I doubt I’ll ever use them all but I thought I’d give it go. This was my best attempt

Not exactly newspaper worthy is it?

After the games we made our way out of the centre and noticed hundreds of people crowded around the team coaches. I always thought the Japanese people were quite shy and quiet but I now know they are mean autograph hunters!
They all had their pens and paper (or in some cases shirts, bags, body parts) ready just in case one player decided to stop at sign.

I was surprised to hear my name being called and turn around to see some old students of mine from Tenmei. She handed me her pen and notepad and yelled “Sign please!” Wow I am a celebrity after all, or so I thought! It turns out she thought I would have a better chance of getting a signature (being foreign and all) so she gave me her stuff and urged me towards the front!

By this time we were pushed against the glass windows of the sports centre and could see the American team inside. Dawn was just as excited as the kids as she could see the player from Hawaii and was dying to say hello.

It was then that I had my stroke of genius. I tore a piece of paper from a notepad and wrote “Robin, Hawaii is here” on it. Then I held it up to the glass and as soon as Dawn realized what I was doing she jumped up and down to tried and get someone to read it.

I’m sure they all thought we were very enthusiastic volleyball supporters but finally one of the players came over, read it and then called Robin over! She wanted to get us inside but the security guard wouldn’t let her so she came out and posed for a photo.

Needless to say my student and Dawn were very happy!