Martyrdom Gets You Nowhere

Akane - Ikumi - Kanako =D
First of all...
MY TEAM WON THE PREFECTURAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR ENGLISH DEBATE!!!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!




That having been said it wasn't without some good ole fashioned hard work and of course the obligatory pansy-ass whining from other teams and other unnecessary drama. But without this kind of problem our victory would not have been as sweet.
For the past three weeks we've been busting our balls for the competition which is partly the reason I think I got a wicked cold. We've been staying long hours after school (sometimes even until 7pm!!) just practicing and getting our notes and data together for a good debate. The debate topic was : Japan should have a six day school week for all elementary and secondary schools. For the debate you have to argue for both sides so it's a matter of making a convincing argument no matter your personal opinion on the matter.
For the first debate in the morning we had the misfortune of facing a team who had one member that was not so responsible. Meaning: they were a three member team but only two actually made it to the competition. So we had an automatic win for the first round and actually, no, I'm not happy about that. I hate it when people don't get to really prove themselves and earn the win. Now, granted, we did have a "practice" debate with them since both me and the other ALT loudly protested each team not having the chance to at least go through the motions of the debate which they had worked really hard for, and we did beat the socks off of them (cause I think the other two guys kind of gave up on it actually...) but still.
Anyway, they rocked it regardless and I was really proud of them. The next debate they did I could already tell that there was going to be drama. For one, even though the Japanese don't do the handshake thing you can tell when somene is being sincere even if their handshake sucks bottom. And these girls had the most insincere air about them as they shook hands with my girls. As the debate went on I had trouble understanding what the other team was trying to say in some points and I figured we'd have an easy win - this time more than well deserved. However, what the other team had noticed was that one of my girls made a mistake and did a part that she shouldn't have. They made the same mistake a week ago for a practice debate and I didn't even notice it at all. Anyway, there was much confusion about what the problem actually was that they were calling for our disqualification but when we finally figured it out I said I'd run down to the judges' box to get an official ruling. So I run all the way there and the judge is like "oh well, it's the judges responsibility to make sure that there are no mistakes."
You should have SEEN the looks on the faces of the other girls when I came back and said this. So, not only did they keep giving me dirty looks but they kept questioning the decision which pretty much means they were calling me a liar.
Anyway, I was like whateva ya stank hos (cause I can say stuff like that in my head) and then went about my business. I met their coach in the hallway and LO AND BEHOLD it's the same guy who complained at the judges' seminar that there was bad judging and that his students had been unfairly treated last year. So, oh brother, I went over and apologized on behalf of my girls explaining that they had made the same mistake during a practice run and said that I hoped he didn't think that there was any purposeful cheating or unfairness on the part of my girls against his. To which he replied "Well, I don't know the results either way so I cannot say if there was unfairness or not."
Listen.
LISTEN TO WHAT CAME OUT OF HIS MOUTH.
I was completely floored by the thought that he was only going to pull the unfairness card if his girls didn't win the match. FLOORED I TELL YOU. This is an English teacher and he should know that the basic definition of unfairness is that it is a state which comes about regardless of victory or defeat. If I trip you in a race and you still win, that's still an unfair race. If half of the students are told something that they're going to be tested on and half of them don't hear it and those kids who don't hear it still somehow get the question right, it was still an unfair test. Am I the only one that sees that?
Anyway, didn't want to reveal him for a raving martyr right in front of his kids (not to mention an idiot and a sore competitor like his disrespectful kids) I just was like "uh... okay." and left. I should have destroyed him though. My Amazon blood boils.

But anyway, after all the drama and pissiness and tears WE CAME OUT ON TOP!!
We'll be going to Nagoya to compete in the national champoinships and I think we'll have a pretty good run there though I don't know what our competition is like. This will be the first time in about 13 years that Arigasaki HIgh School gets to go to the national championships so I'm really excited that I got to be there to help them get there. Anyway, cheers!!

Pictures coming soon.　Pictures Arrived!

At the after-party!


Aoki-sensei's camera can "sense" smiling so Ikumi took advantage ^_^v