For my CIP, I\u2019ve been playing tennis at the Saiin Park Tennis Courts with a local recreational program. Every Tuesday, Ben Bellick and I show up at 6PM and get to practice honing our tennis skills, both with each other, with Japanese, and under the guidance of the people running the program. Even in the short time I\u2019ve been playing for since coming here, I can already see a lot of improvement in my game. On top of that, it\u2019s a great way to blow off stress and relax without going out and spending too much money.<\/p>\n
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Although not particularly a Japanese activity in and of itself, I feel like tennis is a good window through which many aspects of Japanese culture and people can be seen. For example, one of my most common observations throughout my time on the courts was the willingness of the Japanese to lend a helping hand whenever you need it. They\u2019ll gladly take time out of their own development to help you by explaining how you can improve your form or showing you what the right method is. Even with the language barrier, they\u2019ve really done their best and I\u2019ve learned a lot as a result. They have no obligation to help me in that way, but they\u2019re always willing to, and for that I\u2019m extremely grateful.<\/p>\n
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In addition to a willingness to help whenever I might need it, they\u2019re also very encouraging and supportive. Anytime I might whiff a ball or make an error, they\u2019re quick to jump in and tell me not to worry about it, or \u201cDon\u2019t mind!\u201d. While this might not seem like much, when you\u2019re trying your best to get back into a sport you haven\u2019t played in a long time and are making a lot of errors, it can make all the difference. It\u2019s much easier to laugh off an error along with everyone than to feel uncomfortable because you feel like people are silently judging you.\u00a0 Overall, it\u2019s the little things that make it a true pleasure to go out and play tennis with the friendly Japanese folk down at the Saiin tennis courts.<\/p>\n
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-Nick Rasetti<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
For my CIP, I\u2019ve been playing tennis at the Saiin Park Tennis Courts with a local recreational program. Every … \u7d9a\u304d\u3092\u8aad\u3080