So it's been over a month since I've posted here. I guess I just haven't had much relevant material.
Sensei-Hubby had a job offer that he just couldn't refuse. The potential was just too great to pass this up. So at the end of September, we packed it all up and moved over 1600 miles away from the life we knew. Saying goodbye to our dojo family was second only to our actual physical families in difficulty. The friends we had there were so good to us. The dojo was truly our home away from home. And Hanshi...we just couldn't have asked for a better friend and mentor.
Understandably, starting over in a totally new environment knowing absolutely no one has been difficult. And probably a big part of the reason that I haven't posted here is that I just couldn't deal with the feelings of homesickness that thinking about our dojo family was bound to bring. Even now I'm not sure I'm really ready to start thinking about everyone we left behind.
We haven't been able to track down any Shotokan schools in our area. The only dojo nearby that doesn't require contracts and so many months worth of dues up front is a Wado Ryu school. They have an amazing facility, but it just doesn't feel like a good fit. While there are several similarities in the styles, they are just different enough that I feel like I would have to start over at the beginning to really catch on. Shotokan is more power-focused, where Wado Ryu seems to be all about speed.
So that's were we are right now. Maybe in a couple of years we'll be in a position to start our own Shotokan school up - at least there isn't any competition in that style around here. Until then, it looks like we're on our own.
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4 comments:
Wow! That is a huge move! Good luck, and keep us posted on how things are going.
Have you gotten unpacked yet? I saw the pics on your myspace page, but now I can't remember how I even got there.
The new place looks great. Sorry you're having trouble finding a new school, but I hope you're still training anyway.
Tell Michael we said hello.
I'm sorry to hear that you moved into a Shotokan "void". Heavens, that's so sad. I really hope that you can find something that might be located in a more relaxed place, like in a community center/ school or something like that. You never know what little gems are quietly existing near you. Keep an eye on the local papers, and community flyers for advertisements in the classified. Not all martial art possibilities can afford to advertise their existence.
Best of luck in your new neighborhood and finding another dojo to train in or maybe you could start your own school.:)
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