Can We Call These Sports?

Did your elementary school have Field Day every year? You know, the day where you tossed eggs and water balloons to your friends, both dreading and hoping to get hit. Soaking a sponge in a bucket of water, running to an empty bucket and squeezing it out as quickly as possible so your team’s empty bucket would fill faster than the opposing team’s. Attempting to knock over jugs full of sand with a makeshift bowling ball. Relay races in which someone inevitably crashed and burned and left the track tear-stained (ahem me ahem).

It turns out Koreans have their own version of Field Day called “Sports Day.” Classes are canceled, events are planned, shade canopies are erected, parents appear in droves, chicken and pizza vendors set up shop. It’s an attempt at organized “fun,” which Korean elementary students don’t have enough of. Wolseo Elementary School held its Sports Day today, have a look at the mayhem:

Munchkin Race, a.k.a the tiny little first graders running their hearts out. They were Loving this.

 

The 6th grade girls having their go. They were Hating this. I’ve never seen so many embarrassed 11 year olds in my life.

 

The longest tug-of-war ever. Every 6th grader in my school was out there. That’s about 380 kids. The flag in the center of the rope never moved much past “middle.”

There were jump-rope competitions among the sixth graders, and a dance for the 3rd graders.

Teachers joined in for student-teacher relays; they fell down more often than the kids. Parents competed against one another in short sprints, lots of falling there as well, mothers joined their 1st grade children for a dance, and even the grandparents had their fun.

All in all, it’s been an eventful, interesting day. No classes for me, but lots of stares received as I was the only waygookin (foreigner) in the vicinity. The students were so excited to see me walking around and cheering them on. And my principal, decked out in his “athletic” clothes was happy to see me as always. “Ah Coh-ta-nee! Your condition well? OK? Ok Ok!”    

Currently Loving: Warm weather and a short work week!

Currently Missing: Wine.

---