Unexpected Achievement

January 25^th, 2009 was my lucky day, because I could win the third winner of Japan Calligraphy or Shodou competition in province level in Malang, whereas I was the beginner in this field. I never followed this competition before. Although my brother often won it, but I was not interested to follow it. I was not confident at that time, because I sometimes failed in art, although sometimes I could get achievements in art but it was just in regional level.

The Japan Festival or Bunkasai is a competition of some fields of Japanese such as speech, reading, writing, and also calligraphy. My teacher asked me to join the calligraphy competition, because she knew that my brother often got achievements in this field, so she suggested me to ask for help from my brother to teach me how to make a good calligraphy. I accepted her suggestion, and then I asked my brother to train me how to make good Japanese letters. When he taught me, I was so confused and bored because it was so difficult. I had to hold the brush correctly and straightly, write letters to the right direction, measure the amount of ink that would be used so that the writing does not overflow, and many more. When I tried to write a letter, I made mistakes. Fortunately my brother taught patiently. He just felt exasperated because I kept making mistake, nevertheless he gave his spare time to train me, even the night before the competition began.

When I was on my way to Malang, I felt nervous all the way, because this is the first time I followed this competition. When I arrived at the location, I was got more nervous, because the participants of Japanese calligraphy were the greatest. I felt pessimistic at that time. The participants of Japanese calligraphy were approximately 150 students, whereas writing and reading contest’s participants were not more than 100 students, but I thought positively. I just wanted to do it and went home. Time to begin the competition got closer. Suddenly I felt hungry, but I was separated from my teacher. I was nervous, but my friend who followed speech contest did not care to me. He just enjoyed the opening ceremony.

Unexpectedly, the committee called all participants to enter their competition room. I entered my room, sat down, and prepared all equipments. Surprisingly, beside me was a SMA N 1 Blitar’s student who often got the winner of this competition.  Then the committee started to distribute papers to all participants and each participant got two papers, so they had two opportunities to do their best. I felt hungry, so that my hands were shaking. On the first paper, I made mistake in the second letter. Unfortunately, at the second paper, I also did same mistake, but it was not too bad. Then I gave my second paper to the committee. After that I wanted to go home as soon as possible because I thought that I just wasted my time, but my teacher asked my friends and I to wait for the winner announcement. 

Then time to announce the winner was started after all participants waiting for 2 hours. When the best sixth of shodou winners were announced, I went to toilet to change my clothes, because I still wore the uniform. Surprisingly, when I was changing my clothes in the toilet, I heard that my name was mentioned as third winner of shodou, but I still did not believe it. Then my friend called me from outside of the toilet and said that I got the third prize. I was immediately grateful, and then I came out from toilet and forward to the front of the stage to receive the prize. Of course, the first winner was SMA N 1 Blitar’s student. Surprisingly, my friend who followed the speech contest got the second prize. We were so glad, even my teacher was proud of us.

After all of the winners were announced, that event was closed by closing ceremony. Then my teachers, my friends, and I decided to shop at Malang Plaza to celebrate our achievement. After that we went home happily.

Picture: www.dreamstime.com