aikidoVocab guide for reader: Sensei means teacher (or master in the Martial Arts).
Uchideshi: live in student (at a Dojo).
Dojo: School for martial arts
Aikido: The Way of Harmonizing Energy
Gi: practice uniform
Hakama: baggy Samurai trousers worn over the white gi pants, worn only by members who have reached the first brown belt level.
San: like Mister (or Ms./Mrs.) but can be used with first names too.
Domo: Thank you, and a Japanese restaurant of that name in Denver, CO, founded by Gaku Homma.
Rank explanation:white, yellow, green, brown 1st degree, 2nd deg, 3rd deg., Black 1st deg., 2nd to 10th.
In Japanese: 6th kyu, 5th kyu, 4th kyu, 3rd kyu, 2nd kyu, 1st kyu, 1st dan, 2nd to 10th Dan
Started off on the wrong foot by getting to the dojo 15 min late. Jim Haugen San was not impressed! I was thinking he would be taking part in the class and so didn’t think to call him. Thought of calling the office but didn’t have that # at hand.
Was shown around the Uchideshi quarters and had the chores explained, and the rules, lots and lots of rules! At the moment only one other live-in-student, his name is Baina. But he’s a chef-student, not an Aikido student. He’s Mongolian and I surprised him by knowing how to say hello in Mongolian (having lived in the INNER-Mongolian region of China for 4 years I picked up a few words through some Mongolian friends, primarily through Oyunna—thank you!). Then took part in the Hakama class and then swept the mat with help from 2 students, said goodbye to the students, made sure the locker rooms were tidy, made sure the outer doors were locked, and had dinner, then sorted out my room (were everything was just dumped by me earlier), then wrote this diary entry (was disappointed but not surprised that no wi-fi networks reach the Dojo (unsecured or secured either) then went to bed.
Day 1: First full day. Did my hour of solo exercise. Let John San and James San in to do a “demonstration”—at the time had no idea what they were talking about! Had a shower but forgot about breakfast. Started cleaning and was then told that I was needed to help with the class that came in for a tour of Nippon Kan which took the rest of the morning. It was a class of mostly 1st graders or so. Helped with the tour then helped with serving them water as they ate at Domo. Then cleaned the dojo, and attended general class, good but very tiring, lead by Mike San, then beginner’s class 1, and beginner’s 2 taught by Randy San. Then after class swept the mat (which is nice and large but still gets crowded when there are big classes or seminars) with help from 3 other members, said goodbye to the students, made sure everyone was out and the outer door locked, turned off the lights, had dinner (at about 9:45pm) and had a nice chat with the Chef, Dawa, who’s Nepali. He told me (judging by his breath he’d had some Sake) he’s also lived in Switzerland and Austria, and got to meet the Dalai Lama when the Dalai Lama visited Austria. And then finally went right to bed (at about 11:30pm)!
Day 2: This time managed a quick breakfast of a Powerbar a hand full of almonds and a granola bar with some herbal tea. Another class took a tour of the dojo (this time high schoolers), the museum and garden (and then ate in the garden) in the morning. Spent all morning preparing and participating in it. Cleaned the dojo in the afternoon, and helped Homma Sensei (who, by the way, was the last Uchideshi of the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, when he was a child through to his teens) mount the new Uchideshi Honor board (with plaques of the names of past Uchideshi and the time they served) in the Dojo—at first we mounted it in the hallway where the old one (that was half the size) had been, but Sensei didn’t think it looked good, so we mounted it in the Dojo next to the Hakama-Kai Board. Should have made a point to find out how the paper towel dispensers are opened before first class today (there’s a key)! As it was I got busted on an empty dispenser after the first few members showed up—although there was some in there to start with, it wasn’t enough! Today was general members’ class taught by Gaku Homma Sensei, then beginner’s class, and then I was dead tired by the third class of the day which was the most strenuous, being the week’s technical class taught by Mike San. But survived it! Then drank a lot of water, did my duties, then had dinner, did the security check, made a note of names of Nippon Kan members I didn’t know the names of until today and wrote today and yesterday’s notes.
