"A scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar."  Lao Tzu

There is a hard truth to be learned by Lao Tzu. Knowledge is not a path for the lighthearted or the weak. As Odin plucked his eye out to gain knowledge as he sacrificed himself on the branches of the Yggdrasil the world tree. There is no knowledge worth gaining that does not take effort of sacrifice. I am reminded of this as I lay down every night and look at my beside table.

 There is an art to teaching young kids that is part comedian, part showman, part zoo keeper and most important part educator. But it is more than just imparting knowledge. 

  

These are just one of the groups of rascals I have in the morning. The little demon in the dark coat on the far right leaning in is a particularly evil little one that this morning attacked me when the Chinese teacher had to leave the room Did I mention part Zookeeper. I love teaching kids, I do. But that does not make it an easy task, it makes it a challenging one. Some days more than others.Especially when trying to protect your organs from kids that know where to hit you to make it hurt and have NO taboo against doing just that. We were reading books this morning, and I followed with teaching them songs from the Sound of Music.Yes the Sound of Music, you heard me correctly. Julian Andrews I am not. But the teachers and kids. love it...

Years ago I was told I could not sing and gave it up. I used to love to sing and had done a number of solo performances when I was younger. The military stripped me of some vocal cords as well so I gave up. I gave up on a lot of things in my life. Part of what I am doing right now is to take back some of me.  

But I have found a new love of music in this place all alone with few distractions I find myself returning to the music I loved so much. I cannot access my iTunes account from here. So I have taken to watching music videos and singing.I will have to have a hard drive sent with my user from home that will allow me at least to listen to "Fire in the head" a few thousand times. :) 

 With the kids, in order to save my voice I switch over from more of a Drill Sargent Style of "Speak and repeat" to "sing and return" it helps change the pace and is making me work on my singing voice for the first time in years. Combined with the cold and wet I have been on the verge of a serious sore throat for the last week.

 Sometimes the modern nature of the city here is surprising to me... then I turn the corner and see a hand carved water way like this one lined with statues. And I am awed. I found this place on the way back from getting my new back account. 

Thank all of my friends that donated money to me moving here. Because of when I arrived and started etc. I will not see a large paycheck for yet another month  and not a full one for two months from today. Without those donations survival would be extremely hard if not nigh impossible. .

Please let others that might be interested know about this blog I would love to increase my following and I would love some feedback. My family wanted to know more about the place I was living so I have been focused on that. If you are interested in my training I have plenty of things to blog about. Training, Philosophy, TCM, the people I have met, and you are getting some of the images of where I am. I will leave you with a scene from a Friday night in Kunshan. The loud explosions you are not hearing are fireworks going off. There were no visible fireworks in the sky, at least none that I saw, just cacophonous noise. :)

 I have been acing my units in Rosetta Stone still, however being able to say things like "The little girl is running." is NOT helping me order chicken curry. 

I managed to find CUMIN YES!  Now time to see if I can find a way to make tortillas and I am in business. Peppers check! Onions Check!, Season Salt Check! Garlic Check!, Cumin check! Found a place that sells prepacked meat so I don't have to explain that I did not want the pigs feet with my bacon, Check! :)

I wake up and practice Taiji every morning I have an idea to shoot some pictures soon. But I have been ill so I have not been exploring as much... but I plan on seeing if I cannot get my camera set up at a local park.

I have been practicing my forms in Karate. I have been going back and forth on speeds to see what feels comfortable, what I know increases effectiveness and when the barrier of speed finally surpasses my ability to maintain the form or the flow. It has been some challenges. And working indoors with my nunchaku and my staff are ... limiting. But the weather is changing I actually saw the Sun twice today I thought I was having visions. :)

Praise the knowledge I have gained in TCM. Had I not been able to work the right points I can almost be certain with the weather and the kids I am hands on with every day. I would be far more sick than I am and having to not work.Time to find me a supply of needles here. hmmm.

Well signing off by saying that China is remarkably like so many other modern cities. But as Master Li would say about qigong. Every movement has it's own "flavor". So does Kunshan and I am sure once the funds and time are available for me to visit Shanghai proper I will be able to taste it even more. Come savor the "Flavor" of my new home, enjoy a bit of my journey seasoned with a bit of self discovery.The great big world seems a little smaller place for me these days, and the smells of the fish market not so foreign.... now how the heck do I ask, "How much for the Chicken Curry?" , again. :)