Ulsan Fun Bowl

So here it is, bowling time. I got up shortly after 8 AM to be ready to take the bus 20 minutes to Hyundai Department Store then walk another 10 minutes or so to the bowling alley. I arrived shortly after 10 AM. The posters were perfect. Dave had gotten more prizes so we rearranged some things. Set up the drinks, registration forms, lots of little details to attend to. Danica was a huge help, while the guys who arrived early mostly just threw practice frames. The advertised time for the tournament was 11-2. When we met on Wednesday only 12 people were signed up; by Saturday morning it was around 30. The final number of bowlers was 32 (4 to each of the 8 lanes) and another 20 spectators.

Rob and Joy helped Dave judge (for prizes like best/worst form, oops, etc.). They took the average of the first 2 games to decide who moved on. My average was 94—much better than the other time I bowled in Korea! Of the women, I was 3rd in that first part. Six of us moved on, but by that time my arm had given out and I got a pitiful 59 throwing gutter balls—last place. Too bad. The high score of the day was 186. Winner of both women's and men's was a Korean couple. Lots of people I didn't know were there. It was great as I bowled, having fun, to look around and see lots of other people having fun and know that I helped it happen!

Bill came a little late, but as the prizes were given gave a nice little speech. It made it obvious the tournament was church-related and sponsored, but didn't go too deep into religion or make people feel obligated to come to church. Despite how light he kept it, did I only imagine a few people squirming and checking out how close they were to the door to leave if necessary?

After the first game we took a refreshment break while they tabulated some scores, then after the second game there were McDonald's hamburgers for everyone. At that point the tournament started—2 or 3 games. After I finished I didn't watch too much, but started cleaning up, taking down signs, etc. It around 2:30 and by the time we finished straightening everything it was 3 and I was exhausted. I went home, took a shower, and did nothing the rest of the day. It was a great kind of exhausted, although over the next few days my body hurt terribly—arms, legs, back—all cried out from the unaccustomed posture and hurling a 10-pound ball for 3 whole games.