Last Tuesday, I attended my first kung fu class in about 10 months. Now, since I quit, I would try to practice some kung fu on my own -- just like the movies! But it just wasn't the same as attending a class.
So, I show up to find that none of the black sashes showed up, which I'm told is very unusual, but not surprising. Only the chief tae kwon do instructor was there. And though he's a black belt in that, he's only a white sash in kung fu. So, guess who's responsibility it was to hold class? Luckily, he's still a white sash, and I remembered a good 75-80% of those sash requirements. I was able to help him with some of his basics and actually took it on myself (Hmm -- maybe not necessarily a good idea. But I know there's a 90+% chance no one in the school would mind) to teach him the system's fighting form.
It sort of made me smile and remember the irony of being an advanced kung fu student. There was this tacet expectation in the school, I believe, that I would be teaching right now had I not stopped. In fact, I'm told I would've been the fastest rising black belt rather than my friend. It's ok, though -- I'm still the only person to date who double-promoted three times in a row. Anyway, the irony -- if someone would've told me 10 or 20 years ago that I'd be a "kung fu master" (read: instructor), I'd've laughed.
So, I show up to find that none of the black sashes showed up, which I'm told is very unusual, but not surprising. Only the chief tae kwon do instructor was there. And though he's a black belt in that, he's only a white sash in kung fu. So, guess who's responsibility it was to hold class? Luckily, he's still a white sash, and I remembered a good 75-80% of those sash requirements. I was able to help him with some of his basics and actually took it on myself (Hmm -- maybe not necessarily a good idea. But I know there's a 90+% chance no one in the school would mind) to teach him the system's fighting form.
It sort of made me smile and remember the irony of being an advanced kung fu student. There was this tacet expectation in the school, I believe, that I would be teaching right now had I not stopped. In fact, I'm told I would've been the fastest rising black belt rather than my friend. It's ok, though -- I'm still the only person to date who double-promoted three times in a row. Anyway, the irony -- if someone would've told me 10 or 20 years ago that I'd be a "kung fu master" (read: instructor), I'd've laughed.
