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Hollie Beaman, Jordyn Bowen and Mallory Schott
 
Hollie Beaman, Jordyn Bowen and Mallory Schott
  
 
Big in Japan Update - Jordyn Bowen

Aug. 8, 2007

TOKYO, Japan - Follow the Utah Valley women's basketball team throughout the team's trip to Japan. Diary #3 comes from sophomore forward Jordyn Bowen.

For everything related to the Big in Japan Tour, including a new photo gallery and video updates, click HERE

Hey everyone!!

This experience, as you have read about and seen pictures of, has been the most amazing experience for all of us. Our cultures are so different, so it has been a big adjustment from the language, to the bathrooms, to the eating habits.

We arrived in Nagoya a couple days ago coming from Tokyo, and came to find out it is just as hot and humid here, but the gyms are finally air conditioned (we were pretty excited about that). Yesterday we scrimmaged and played the Toyota Antelopes, which is a professional team here in Japan.

The morning scrimmage was more of a practice setting and then the afternoon game was more professional with referees and ten minute quarters. Their game is very fast paced, and they are very precise as far as shooting and passing.

For our meals we have been eating at the hotel restaurant, and we just love it because they have made us American dishes along with some Japanese sides here and there.

The second day, which is today, we combined teams and ran practice with them, going through their warm up and drills in the morning. My favorite part was doing their warm up agility drills, it was all a different technique of stepping and jumping so our arms were flying everywhere along with our bodies. Needless to say, we were all laughing, us laughing at ourselves and them laughing at us.

One thing they are not used to is giving high fives, because it is just not in their culture, so we tried to throw a little of our culture in there by giving high fives in lines and after drills. By the end of practice I think they got it down, and I am sure it looked more natural too.

It was so awesome to listen and learn from the Antelope coach because it was a different perspective on the game. Our passes, lay ups, screens and cuts had to be very precise and right on otherwise he would stop, correct it and we would go again. Of course, Coach B had to translate the whole time because we had no idea what he was saying.

Today for lunch we ate at the most famous noodle shop in all of Japan. The noodles were so thick it was unbelievable, and they were topped off with beef and curry then a raw egg on the side¡K.yummy¡K. This is where our cultures differ a little.

This trip has been an incredible trip for all of us individually and it has brought us closer together as a team. Can't wait to see what Gifu has in store for us!
See Ya!
Jordyn Bowen