New Post!

Hey guys, 

Sorry it has been awhile since i posted. I am now back in the US, so i can update my blog and add pictures! 

Oct 15th

A few weeks ago I had a discussion with Master Guo about becoming his disciple. After he took some time to think about it he told me he would accept me as his disciple and that there would be a ceremony. He told me once I become a disciple I would he held more responsible for my actions, be trained more strictly, and a couple other stuff but only disciples get to know. Liu Bin, Little Fat, and another young boy, and I are Master Guo's disciples.

A week before my disciple ceremony Master Guo began training me a bit more strictly. During Qigong he would make me hold my stance lower and arms higher, when we did stance training he would hit me if I was too high or jump on my leg if it wasn’t straight, and power stretching was the worse...he sat on me during side splits for at least two minutes!  If this was training before I became a disciple...I can’t wait till I become one and be trained even harder.

To get ready for the ceremony, some preparations were made thanks to Master Guo and his wife. Liu Bin told me how I am supposed to give tea, gifts, and what to say. The next thing I know the ceremony is in a day! All last week I have been running around for this ceremony I didn’t even realize how fast time flew by.

About 22 people where at my ceremony. All the Masters from school went, a few friends from my class went, Master Guo's wife brought his baby son, about 5 government officials went, and friends of Master Guo and the Head master. Before the ceremony started I was pretty nervous. I was nervous because I did not want to mess up sometime in the ceremony and embarrass Master Guo in front of everyone! Liu Bin saw that I was nervous so he told me to relax and not to worry. I sat with Liu Bin and little Fat while we waited for the ceremony to start. Jenny the translator from school went to translate what they say in Chinese into English for me to understand. When the ceremony started, the Head master said a few words welcoming everyone and then Master Guo told me the history of his martial art background. After that it was my turn to present him his gifts and tea, as well as my Shimu (Master Guo's wife). Then Master Guo gave me a pair of WingChun swords as a gift for me to stay dedicated to my training. Then I said thank you to the guests and a special thanks to the head master. I said, "Thank you for opening up a great school for me to have the opportunity to train in China and have the chance to meet Master Guo. I wish you a prosperous business in the future and a healthy life." Then I gave him his gift. After the ceremony we had a huge dinner. We had crab, duck, a bunch of "meat" dishes I had no idea what they were but it was good. Kc and I sat with Master Guo, the head master and the government officials. The other masters and my classmates were at the other table. At my table the Government officials kept toasting celebrating Master Guo, then again to the head master, and even sometimes for me to have such a "Super" Master. The government officials were drinking some heavy alcohol but Master Guo, his wife, head master, me and Kc were the only ones toasting with tea. So towards the end the toasts didn’t even make sense but they were nice guys and funny so Kc and I just smiled and nod.

Once we all finished eating I said a toast saying that this is an honor to be able to become a disciple of Master Guo and that I will never forget this celebration. Then I thanked them all again for coming, shook the government officials hands and then went to say thank you to the other masters. I thanked them all for coming and hope they enjoyed the gifts I gave them for the celebration. They all seemed happy and then Master Xiang said that I am a good student who trains hard. Master Qu also said he knows I will be a good disciple for Master Guo. Master Shao said I am a perfect student in his eyes and then said Cheers and we all toasted again. Then I said, "See you all Monday!" They laughed and the students left with Jenny. Master Guo walked us out and told me and Liu Bin next weekend we go visit master guo at his house in yantai because that is now my house as well. I am a part of his family now.

I gave everyone gifts except Liu Bin. So on Saturday him and I went to Yantai to play some computer games and have pizza. (SIDE NOTE: He speaks little English so most of our conversations are in Chinese/English. I will translate it all in English so you can understand.) After we played some games we went to a cafeteria to find lunch. Liu Bin asked what I wanted and I did not care I’ll eat whatever he wants. That was not an answer I guess because we went around the whole place with him asking if I liked this or that. Once I found what I wanted he then went to find something he liked. He told me to save a table for us while he went to get his food. When he came back with his food he brought me a coke. He asked if I wanted anything else and I told him I am fine thank you. He then got up and ordered more food. We began eating and then a couple more plates off came out. Every 3 minutes he asked if I liked the food. If I wanted more food. If I wanted more to drink. I laughed and told him it’s ok. I am fine. Relax. He didn’t. He kept checking up on me until us both finished our food. After lunch we went to a phone store because he was looking at a new phone to buy. I asked him what he wanted and he said he wanted a phone with an Mp3 player. I told him lets go to the Apple store and I will buy him an IPOD. He kept saying, "No no no it’s too expensive." I laughed and said "it’s ok. You teach me so much, without you I would have no idea what to do during the ceremony. You are my brother now." Then he pulled me out of the store and said he did not want an IPod. I said ok do you want a regular Mp3 or a new phone. He argued he did not want either. So I said ok we go to the Mall before we go back home. He asked me, "why?" I said, "Don’t worry." When we got there I took him to the Mp3 store, he did not see any he liked so I said lets go look at the phones you wanted. We found him a really nice touch screen Nokia phone with Mp3. It’s 1000 Yuan. He told me to expensive. I asked, "Do you like it?" He said, "Yes, but..." I grabbed the box from him and paid for it. We left the store and he looked a little unhappy. I asked him if he is ok. He looked at me and said, "You...good person." I laughed and said, "You are a good brother. You help me with so much at school, you got my bus tickets, paid for our computer game time, checked up on me every minute during lunch to see if I had enough to eat, and you are my brother now, so I give you a good gift." He smiled and thanked me. We got a taxi and went home.

-Scott

my Kung Fu brothers

Kc and Rong Sheifu