Tattooing is the most misunderstood art form in Japan today. Looked down upon for centuries and rarely discussed in social circles, people with tattoos are outcasts in this country, banned from most public spaces such as beaches, bathhouses, and even gyms. Tattoos have an extensive history in Japan, and to truly understand the stigma behind them it is essential to be aware of their significance. The first records of tattoos...
Read MoreThis past Saturday, Eden and I, along with twenty-six other TGS students and staff, joined the runners of Firenze at The Color Run. In our Grade 10 Leadership class, we were asked to pair up and plan a day trip for other TGS members to sign up for. Originally, Eden and I wanted to take a bus to Carrara to learn about the marble mines and take a marble carving class. We discovered very late that the bus to Carrara was way above budget, and we had to come up with an alternative. Coincidentally, on the same day we had planned our marble trip, The Color Run was taking place, and it was right next to our school! As soon as we heard, Eden and I, along with (a lot of) assistance from our supervisor, Chelle Marshall, began researching how to make this opportunity easily accessible for our school.
First, we wanted to spread the word within our community to gauge interest. We created a flyer that explained brief details such as what, where, and when. Once we knew there were plenty of people who were eager to sign up, we constructed a survey through Google that collected the names of people who wanted to participate and their shirt size for a Color Run t-shirt. With this information, Chelle was able to sign us all up in different smaller groups through the website.
As The Color Run grew closer, we received a package with all of the gear for the run. We got shirts, sweatbands, leis (for the tropical theme), tattoos, and bags to hold it in. The morning of the race, Eden and I sorted through the survey and labeled each shirt with a name that corresponded with the size. We put this and all of the other accessories in the bags to hand out to each participant. When we were organized, we were able to send out an email that designated a one hour window for everyone to pick up their stuff. While we waited, we sent out an email that specified the time and address along with two maps of how to get there.
The transport there had a few mishaps when we took the correct bus in the wrong direction, but I’m just going to chalk that up to a Google Maps issue. By the time we got there, half of our group was at the front of the line and we were towards the back. Though we were concerned initially, this proved to be no problem at all. We simply ended the race at different times.
All in all, it was a successful activity. Everyone who we spoke with said they really enjoyed themselves and that they were glad they signed up. Though my white sneakers may never be the same again, it was worth it when we were able to witness the confused/slightly concerned faces of tourists as our group walked past them at the Duomo with dyed cornstarch caked all over our bodies.
