How It All Started

Three days a week, you can find me in the Dojo Okinawa, El Entrego, Asturias. It's been my home from home for two and a half years. If you'd asked me before that if I saw myself learning a martial art I would've given a half-laugh and scoffed in your face. Me?! My PE teachers at high school I taught me how uncoordinated I could be. I was clumsy and completely unathletic. Having spent most of my life with this view of myself, I've now learnt to see myself differently. Not only this, but thanks to my Sensei I now appreciate the value of a good teacher, whatever the subject. I know that the only thing that's important when learning, whatever the subject, is how you yourself learn to improve your own skills and abilities. Nothing else matters. Forget the opinion of others, forget the judgements of others, what matters is self-improvement. Judge yourself by your own standards, nothing else is relevant.

Two and a half years ago, Miriam, my fellow teacher in the language school where I worked, and karate brownbelt came into work and asked if any of us would be interested in a self-defence class that she's persuaded her karate teacher to give. I jumped at the chance. Having spent many years researching and travelling alone and elaing wiht several rather dodgy situations, I'd always wanted to know how to comport myself and avoid problems, be able to protect myself and deal with whatever situation I found myself in. I spent six blissful months, every Saturday morning learning a karate-based self denfence. When Ramón, my teacher asked if I'd be interested in karate lessons proper, which would improve my reaction time and technique, I gave a hesitant 'yes' and joined his male-dominated evening black-belt class, the only one that my work schedule permitted me to attend.

Since those beginnings, I 've learnt how to deal with my own personal misgivings and much more besides. From a shy, awkward white belt I've gone to a much-more-confident green belt. Relaxed with who I am, and with my own abilities, no longer worried about the judgements of others. This blog is where I want to share my own adventures in karate.