On August 30th I became a hard-working English Teacher at Berlitz, International. They treat their employees decently, as far as I can see. Their standards are high and professional - as well they should have for the amount of money they charge their customers. The highest percentage of our customers are business men who's companies are helping pay for them to learn English for their job. Many students tell me, "If I can't get a high score on the National TOEC English test, I can't get promoted!"

A man taking part in the "yabusame" archery demonstration riding by on his horse.

Of course, we teach college students, teenagers, and children starting at about age 5. I prefer teaching adults because, unlike a few of the kid's classes I've taught, the adults generally want to be there, so they're enthusiastic and work hard. This makes my job more fun and less stressful, especially after hearing stories from friends who teach in public schools and get the unresponsive youths who make a half-hearted effort to learn the material and pay attention. My boss is also great. He supports me and gives me feedback on my teaching methods to help me become a better teacher.

I am allowed two days off, and instead of taking the traditional Sunday-Monday block, I chose Tuesday and Thursday. These are the two long training days at Wajiu-tsu Keishu-kai. They teach technique from 7 to 8:30. During this time, the professionals and those who only want to spar trickle in, stretch out and warm up on the side. Then at about 8:30, the teacher opens the mat to sparring, and everyone on the side jumps into the mix. We get over thirty people on a busy night, and people spar until whenever they feel like leaving, which was typically around 10:30. Then the mats are cleaned. I never stay that late for fear of missing the late train. I know that if I walk out the door any later than 10 PM, I will be getting home after midnight.

In addition to those two days, if I dash out the door right after class ends on Saturday, I can make the express train into Tokyo. It leaves at 5:30, and I'll be on time to train their open sparring class, as well. That's the day I find myself getting the most MMA sparring practice with some of the fellows who do pro and amateur Shooto.

A mock battle between two men in full samurai suits.

Unfortunately for me, I embarked on a two month period of absence from training due to injured knees. My bulky knee guards tended to stick when they rubbed across the puzzle mats of Keishu-kai. One day someone was taking my back and rolling me. My knee pad twisted, taking my knee cap with it, tearing some sort of connector around my knee cap. Walking was painful for a while, and I was forced to take a month off from training.

Of course, like anyone who fights, I didn't go to the doctor until a month later when I hurt the other knee the exact same way. He gave me exercises to do, and also told me that I had a variety of other problems that I needed to rehab.
My life became working and lifting weights, but I wish I had more muscle mass to show for it. At the end of two months, my knees felt great, but I didn't feel a drastic improvement in the other areas. I began training again with a vengeance.

November third was a national holiday called "Culture Day." I went with some friends to a martial arts demonstration at Meiji-Jingu shrine, one of the biggest in the center of Tokyo, and saw many different arts displayed. We watched rows of people in do-gis striking in unison with a long staff. They had staged kendo matches, Aikido techniques, and a girl wielding a stick with a metal spiked ball attached to it.

During the last said performance, she faced off against the man with a broken, wooden sword The metal ball, which was about half the size of a basketball, accidentally whirled around and clonked him on the side of the head. The crowd oooh-ed. I gasped and expected to see blood come spurting out of his eye. They continued the demonstration without missing a beat. I didn't see any blood, and was extremely impressed.

We also saw a yabusame demonstration, where men dressed in traditional clothing galloped by on horses attempting to shoot an arrow at a bulls-eye target. Most of the time the archers missed, proving how difficult an art it was. I wouldn't want to be an attendant standing near the target.

Tara Larosa and I in the locker room before her entrance into the ring.

Probably the coolest demonstration I watched was the men dressed in full samurai armor doing a battle simulation. I felt bold enough to ask to get my picture taken with one of them before the demonstration.

On November 29th, my Keishu-kai teammate Naoko Omuro fought Satoko Shinashi in the all-female promotion "Smack Girl," held in Korakuen Hall. She fought well, but unfortunately lost to the Judo black belt Shinashi, who took every opportunity possible to throw Naoko head over heels, especially from the position of being pressed against the ropes. Although it felt strange to be a spectator, watching this fight was a lesson to me in what not to do when fighting a Judo girl.

Also fighting on the card against a former pro-wrestler Kumiko Maekawa was my friend, fellow Abu Dhabi competitor, and future opponent Tara LaRosa. She brought a taste of the U.S.A. to the Japanese fans by dressing up as a cowgirl or farmer coming into the ring. She also won her match hands in a hands-down unanimous decision. I wanted to hang out more after the show, but afterwards I had to catch the late train home. Living over an hour away from home makes it difficult to stay out late at night for fear of missing the last train and being stuck in Tokyo all night. I'm not exactly clear on the times for the last train- it varies depending on where in Tokyo I am, therefore the anxiety I'll miss it.

In addition to frequenting Smack Girl, during the time I was injured, I went with friends to an All Japan Kickboxing show, and a Japanese pro-boxing event. I'd never seen either before, and watching both inspired me to train hard. Unfortunately, my knees weren't healed until the middle of November. Getting back on the mat was the best feeling in the world. I've begun boxing lessons with a friend, which will make me the full-rounded fighter I wish to become. Soon I hope to be back in the ring, doing what I love to do the most- fight MMA.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to apply what I learn when I get back into the ring at Mixed Fighting Championships 6 (MFC) held March 4th in the Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, New Jersey.

To e-mail Roxanne, please click here!

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