China 7 months: First "Real" Day

Both Ori and I woke up for our first "real" day at the Academy. Arrived early for the Tai Chi class that starts at 6am. This gave us an opportunity to talk to some of the students that had also turned up early. Whilst talking we found out recently a student had broken his leg during sparring and another had dislocated his shoulder and quite a few had sprained or injured their ankles. This got me thinking a little, but wasn't phased at all.

Tai chi and chi kung were cool but the Tai Chi was a little slow and I felt pointless for me but chi kung I felt had a purpose. Breathing is the most functional movement and air and all the goodness it contains is the second in importance in my nutritional hierachy.

Breakfast consisted of over boiled eggs. They heat the eggs up every morning until the students have eaten them. Everyone seemed to have porridge which they bought from the city shops. The academy supplies soya milk powder to mix with the porridge and hot water.

Today was a tour of all the classes of which there is 1 Baji, 3 Shaolin and 1 Praying Mantis class. Firstly though was the introduction of Ori and I to the 30 or so students. Whilst outside we stood in front of the other students and introduced ourselves then one by one to the Masters and translators. After that it started to rain and one of the Masters shouted something and everyone started to run out of the school towards a near by hill. So I followed. As I was running over the rocky ground, in the rain, my blood pumping, lungs working, taking in the majestic view of the near by mountains I started to feel good.

Shaolin

After the run which was only about 10 min Rollend proceeded to show and explain each class to us.

I wanted to do Shaolin as that's the one i've heard of and upon viewing it's the most suited to my personality and physical attributes and Mantis just looks funny. Though one of the Shaolin Masters advised me to train in Praying Mantis as he felt i wasn't strong enough. A little strange as in my opinion i would be in the top 5 based upon athleticism out of the students of the school. But i went with the flow and agreed to a 2 week trial of Mantis. Ori chose Shaolin and was accepted without incidence.

Deadly but funny looking.

The day went pretty quick. Dinner consisted of a plate of rice, chopped onions, cabbage with meat that no one seemed to know what it was. I was expecting a bowl of watery rice so I was pleasantly surprised but pretty much every other student hates the food.

Later whilst shivering from the freezing cold shower in one of the dirtiest showers I have ever seen, I quietly smiled to myself and again felt good.

The shower i shared with the bugs and frogs