Student Experiences (Luke Rolls)




Luke Rolls (from England). July - October 2005.

I've had a really good time living and training here. I am very grateful to the masters for everything they have taught me; they are true teachers and I feel privileged to have been able to learn from them.

The school has a really nice atmosphere to it; outside class, the masters and students have a friendly relationship and can enjoy a laugh together. The place itself is beautiful, I've found it completely relaxing to live in the mountains and be so close to nature. The scenery here is amazing for walks and in the summer, you can even swim in the lakes. There is a small village nearby and it has a shop that seems to sell one of everything. Best of all are the fruit sellers by the road where you can buy fruit ridiculously cheaply, Mirko and I have often returned with more fruit than we know what to do with. Yantai city is a bus ride away and there you can get everything, and as a big city, it's quite a contrast from the calm of the countryside.

Training everyday is hard, intensive and it sharpens you up. Equally, it feels rewarding and worthwhile. Resting afterwards, you can feel really good. Living healthily becomes more important, particularly sleeping and eating well. The food here is nice, our cook does a good job. The accommodation is simple but fine with everything you need and the school is pretty helpful. You're looked after while you stay here and if you have some special requirement, they'll usually be able to sort it out.

As a place to study martial arts, I highly recommend the school and the masters. The masters have taught foreign students for a long time, they can speak some English (quite rare in China) and above all, they are dedicated to their teaching. They really take a caring interest in developing their students and through their kindness, they effortlessly invoke deep respect from their students.

lukerolls@hotmail.com