Jochen shares his experience training at the Yuntai Mountain School in China.
The first impressions and feelings you get when you arrive at the Kung Fu school are not necessarily what you expected. You don’t really know what awaits you.
Well, the first few days tend to go rather slowly, as you have to get used to everything. It doesn’t matter much whether you came prepared for this kind of training or not, because at the beginning it will seem as though you simply cannot do any of the things the other students can do.
But that’s only at the start. After a week or two, you’ll begin learning your first Kung Fu form and, suddenly, you’re actually learning Kung Fu! After spending a month here, if you have the right attitude, you realise that whether you can do something or not depends on you. That’s the most important part. You have come here to learn something. It’s not a boot camp or anything similar. If you want results, you have to work for them. If you do your best, that’s good enough, and yes, you’ll notice good results. If you’re just a lazy couch potato, you should have stayed at home and not expected your stay here to improve anything about you.
That’s the training. Now, about the school itself… Well, your first impression might be that the environment is quite simple and that the rooms won’t be as comfortable as they are back home. But that’s about it. After a while, you’ll be so happy with everything you have here and learn to appreciate the luxuries you left behind at home.
The other foreign students come from many different countries, but you really won’t feel like a stranger here. Most people have a down-to-earth attitude, and you can make some really good friends. It all depends on you. As for the Chinese people, they are… well, different. Very hospitable. You’ll never see hatred or aggression on their faces, but rather curiosity and surprise.
The food… Well, that was my personal challenge here. It doesn’t taste bad, and it’s not strange or anything, but depending on your usual diet, you may find it easier or harder to get used to. I really recommend bringing something like salt and perhaps honey, as this can make your meals more enjoyable. It’s also a good idea to increase your food variety as soon as you find out where to buy other things, for example, in the city.
China, or more precisely the Zhengzhou area, is quite cheap. I had a really good time without even coming close to my planned budget. However, you should always check the quality of everything and bear in mind that the cheaper something is, the more likely it is that the quality will suffer.
The trainers, or Shifus, are many things, but above all they are patient. Foreign students can be real softies sometimes, but the Shifus will always encourage you to keep trying. And if you can’t manage a move or don’t remember something, they will show it to you again and again until it finally sticks in your head.
I only stayed for two months, but I would have stayed longer if I could. Anyone who comes here with a genuine desire to learn will feel the same. You’ll miss many things and dislike some aspects of life here, but the training is the most important part, and it is good. So I really recommend staying for at least two months or keeping your departure date flexible.
I wish all the students, teachers and future international students who decide to come here and learn Kung Fu the best of luck and great training!
Jochen
Germany · 3 months