My Chinese Tattoo

This is my first blog since December 15. The reason why I have not written is because the snow storms have made the internet cut in and out making posting difficult. Also since it was the end of the semester a lot of my friends were returning home and I spent many evenings in the last week or so going to lots of 'goodbye' dinners.


As for training this past week. Training was good. Training was cold.


While we have two weeks off from Training, I am going to Beijing!!


Here is a quick update of the last week


Wednesday
Class learned more moves in my form in wing chun and baji
Master Gao was in a great mood today. not sure why


I went to the Everything Store with X and Jake and bought some shoes and some snacks for me and Sam.


Had a regular power training session. Master Gou made us do jumps across the whole training hall so i was a bit tired before we even started!


I couldnt sleep because of tattoo. I am getting it tomorrow morning. I don't know what I have already written about this tattoo but this place is where several guys have gotten tattoos. Me and Kjetil were wanting to get a tattoo but wanted to wait until the semester was over so we would not sweat on a fresh tattoo or worse do sparing on a fresh tattoo. My tattoo was going to be of a dragon since my Chinese name is Dragon.


Thursday - Tattoo Day
Woke up went to bank to get money for tattoo.  Went to phone store to put more money on my cell phone for when i go to Beijing.  Went to McDonalds for breakfast.


Went to tattoo place at 10:25 am. Keep in mind last week the tattoo guy said this tattoo will take about 5 hours.


Did the drawing on my arm to see how I want it. I had seen the artwork of the tattoo and liked it. There was some discussion whether the dragon's head was going to be near my chest or near my biceps. I talked with my dad who likes the tattoo but said the dragon should be 'looking out' so should be more on the arm. Well, after trying to explain where I wanted the dragon's head and where I wanted my Chinese name written in Chinese Characters the guy started drawing. But the guy kept drawing. I was expecting a tattoo as large as my hand. If you put your hand over your heart like you were going to 'Pledge Allegence to the Flag" that was how big I expected the Tattoo. I thought it was going to be from the chest and down the bicep a little. Well this guy kept drawing and drawing. He even drew the dragon's tail behind my head all the way to the spine between my shoulder blades.


When he was finished drawing I was shocked. I loved this dragon. When I found out that this big tattoo was not going to cost me more than I expected to pay I made up my mind and said 'go for it'.

Started the needle work around 11 am.


I still couldnt believe i am getting such a big tattoo. I love it.


Kjetil came to visit me around 3pm. I was pretty hungry by then so Kjetil bought me some street food close by and i devouered it quickly...bad mistake. He stayed with me while tattoo was being done till around 6 to meet up with Kyle and some friends. 6 hours have passed... I was hoping we would be finished soon.


Around 8pm i started feeling a bit sick to my stomach. Could of been the food or the 9 hours of work being done. But he was almost done so i toughed it out. I originally wanted red to be put in on the tattoo but i will add it when i get back from Beijing.


I finished around 9:45pm. almost 11 hours of tattooing. I was so happy when it was finished. I love the tattoo so much. I still look at it and cant believe its that big. It goes from my forearm to my spine.

Since it was so late i couldnt go back to the Academy so i called Danny to tell the academy that i am staying at the bath house. The tattoo guy heard me and had Danny translate over the phone that the tattoo guy will go with me to the bath house to keep an eye on my tattoo and to make sure I am ok. The tattoo guy doesnt speak a lot of english but I was able to understand him a little with gestures and understanding a few words here and there.


In the morning we got some breakfast and headed to the tattoo shop to meet Kjetil for his tattoo.


Hung around from arounf 10 am to 2pm with Kjetil watching him get his tattoo. During that time Kyle came by to see how he was doing and around 3pm we took a taxi back to the academy to make it back in time for the Christmas feast.


Washed up and got ready for the feast just in time. The food was pretty good. Great Dumplings. Whole fish in sweet n sour sauce. Chicken, Beef, maybe Lamb or water buffalo, and more meat. It was very tasty. Where have they been hiding all this food?? Then some performers sang, danced, played some instruments such as the Saxaphone and the Chinese string instrument which is played like a piano combined with a cello. Very interesting.


I was very tired so I headed up stairs to rest. Have a big week ahead of me. BEIJING! WOOHOO!