Seminar

[feuervogel]

So, my taijiquan school hosted a pair of masters from China (one is Chinese, the other is English, but she lives in Shanghai and translates for him). One of my kung fu brothers studied with them while he was in China, so he organized the thing. (Master Wang and Master Rose were traveling in the UK, then Canada, then here.)

It was cool. There was a lot of lecture and some practice, but I learned a couple new ways of looking at things for push hands.

They had a little flyer for a camp they're doing the end of next November in Shanghai. Tuition is $2400 (for 9 days of training and some sightseeing, including room and board). Airfare will probably be around $1200, then there's the matter of a visa (fees, idk, $150?) So, like, close to $4000 all told. I don't have that sort of money.

Of course, I also have health issues, and I don't know how much sleep I'd be able to get. Breakfast is at 7, and there's classes until 9:30 (with multiple rest periods, so I could nap then maybe). Then there's the thing where I don't eat meat and I can't have caffeine. In Japan, I got by with telling people "Buddhist vegetarian," since to them no meat means there may be fish or pork or chicken in it :/ (The term is shokudou ryouri.) I don't know if they can accommodate that.

I do have contact information, and I can ask Master Rose these questions. The low sleep triggers migraines thing kind of sucks. I also like being able to eat.

So anyway. If they can accommodate my food restrictions and health issues, I'd probably try to find a way to get four grand. A friend of mine had success with indiegogo for tuition for a prestigious Shakespeare school; I don't know if I know enough people who'd do that to help (or what goodies I could award). I could probably ask Dr Jay if he could spread the word throughout the school or help me fundraise somehow.

But Ben was like "I wanna go too," not that he'd train; there's an option for going as a partner for $1600 (plus airfare). :P So then it's more like $7000. Gah.

I dunno, what do y'all think?

Comments

[pharna.livejournal.com]

Shokudou is a cafeteria but Shojin is monk food. It's good but expensive as all fuck. At least it's easy to avoid caffeine.

[beth_leonard]

I would wonder if there's good high-quality camp-style training you could get here for less? $4K is the same price as year of private lessons at 3 half-hour lessons/week at $50/hr. How much training could you handle in 9 days vs. a year of private lessons?

--Beth

[luckykitty.livejournal.com]

My grandmother is a buddhist vegetarian. There are all vegetarian restaurants for people like her. There is even a specific word (I only know the Cantonese) for that type of food. I think on the diet front, you would be fine.

If Ben wants to go and can aford it for both of you, it's a great experience.

[tiurin.livejournal.com]

Didn't you say you were worried about money a few months ago? In light of that, I can't see how spending $7000 could possibly a good idea. That's what, 3 months' worth of expenses? I think you'd be far better off using most of that money to pay off credit card debt if you have any, and putting it into savings- especially if you don't have the standard financial lifevest of 6 months' of expenses saved up. Splurge on a couple of hours of private classes, maybe- but I can't see how a $4000-7000 expenditure makes sense if you're worried about your uncertain job situation.