Eats kicks and studies abroad

Talk about distances...

Elvis has left the building and my two favorite martial artists have left the country. Nathalia is spending a semester in Spain, but I've known this was coming for six months. Then, I went to kung fu last week and discovered that Paul, the guy I always sort of saw as having a position analogous to the one I have in karate (highest ranking student, or thereabouts, pretty mostly an instructor), is headed to China this week. I hate it when people leave. Particularly people I like. Especially people with whom I work out and from whom I learn.

It was fantastic when Nathalia was in class because rank dictated that she stand right next to me and her intensity was contagious. Our timing in forms was scarily similar which was often distracting, but she performed every move with such authority, I couldn't help but admire her spirit. In partnered drills, we sought each other out, knowing that the other would give us a challenging but fun session. Dan kumite was by far my favorite drill with her, and the last time we were in class together, we made sure to pair up for it, doing the drill twice - once "half-assed" and once "for the kill". I nursed bruises for two weeks after that. It was great.

Paul has been a constant at kung fu. He is always there, and he is always teaching. What's great about Paul is that he never rolls his eyes when I ask him to teach me some form he's already taught me six times over the past year. I also like that he's got a little bit of a sense of humor, is always present in the moment, and smiles and quietly laughs easily. And, whenever I come back from inconsistant class attendance, his form has dramatically improved. His progress is amazing considering his high level of skill. He is also a task master when he's leading classes. If Paul leads, you can count on 20-30 minutes of foot- and stancework in an hour long class, as well as being sore for the next two days! And he's doing it all with the class. (One of my biggest pet peeves with instructors is when they ask the class to do something arduous while they stand there and just watch.) His form is impeccable. And he's not too bad to look at either!

Thankfully, both these guys are coming back eventually. Nathalia will be back in January, and Paul next August. Still, their presence will be missed.