Iam from germany and i stayed at Qufu Schaolin Kung Fu School for 1 year. I turned 20 during my stay and this was my gap year between collage and university. I never left europe before and never was without family for longer than a month before i came here. Obviously I was afraid of all the differences and after reading a few bad reviews on other websites I was realy concerned. The tension faded fast after my arrival. All the students welcomed me friendly and espacialy because i arrived during the week the daily life got me as fast as I joined training. In the first week everybody usualy destroy oneself because 6 hours training a day is tough.

The training is realy challenging even though you learn in your own pace but you can step it up by making the master push you and asking the master for a goal you can reach during your stay. After around three months I got a problem with the discs between my spine so I could barely train but i waited to go to the hospital for another month. The doctor then told me not to do sports for another two months and I thought about quiting and continue later but I stayed. I did stretchings and strength exercises other students told me and after a month I could join training again carefully. You realy learn to know your body hear from training, injuries and experiences of other students. It is not necessarily the old students who can help you with training people from all over the world come here to share there expertise about jumps and rolls strength or flexibility training.

The bond with the masters is amazing. One of the masters told us about his master in his hometown and said the master is like a second father so whenever he visits the town he first visits his master to show his respect. This may take it a little bit far for us students since we are around the masters age but the bond is unique. We have “masters nights” once a week were the groups play games or just chat with the master what realy brings you closer together. My master, Master Yu, once said in class i am your master in class but i can be your friend in freetime. It is very important to always show respect to the master during the class and train hard so he rewards your progress but in freetime you can play basketball with them or whatever you like.

This year was by far the most amazing experience of my life and I am worried i will have to wait a long time to find something to even get close to this. I leave my group and my master behind and it breaks my heart but i know what I can work on until i come back. I made friends i will never forget and the next time I will visit the school may not be for a year and I may not see old faces but everybody coming to this school is connected by the same passion to learn kung fu and work hard. So maybe I can help someone who is reading this make the right decision and come to the school we maybe meet in the future.