Early on in 2010, I started looking for something to do before university – and I stumbled upon the Qufu Shaolin Kung Fu School. The six weeks I spent at the school were a truly rewarding experience! Training under the school’s masters was excellent and allowed me to develop a good sense for martial arts. I never practiced any martial arts prior to coming to the school. And it turned out that my ability to pick up new movements was not very developed. 

Yet, the masters were very patient and I felt like I made progress every day – a very satisfying feeling. I was really fond of the school’s diverse array of classes, which allowed me to get to know other martial arts, besides Shaolin Kung Fu. One aspect of the school and life in Qufu I particularly miss today is the routine that defined each week at the school.. Getting up early in the morning for Tai Chi, training for other classes, hearing the cooks blow the whistle for breakfast, lunch and dinner – these are some of the routine aspects that helped me put aside my restlessness, that I carried with me from Europe.

The other students I met came from all over the world, had different backgrounds in martial arts, and were just fun to hang out with - which made for a terrific atmosphere at the school itself. Finally, for someone like me who had never been to Asia before, Qufu is a great location. The town itself is charming, and is a good starting point for exploring the region!

I want to thank the masters, the people who keep the school up and running and the other students I got to share my time at the school with! I’ll definitely come back at some point in the future!