I walked into the staffroom, took out my books and switched on my computer. One of the other teachers walks past and sees the trail end of my karate belt hanging out of my backpack. Whats that? I groan inwardly and explain its my belt.
For what?
Karate.
You study karate?
Yeah.
You?
Study karate?
Yeah.
Oh. Then he walks away. Ok fine. Then a week later other staff members mention that they heard I did karate, they ask me what kind. I tell them, (kyokushin).
Then yesterday, coming back from the gym (lifting weights that day). The same deal. Two of the laziest bastards in the place see my open bag and my gym stuff in it. And what followed was just this outpoaring of…I dont even know what…
“Wht do you want t’go t’gym for?”
“Aren’t you too skinny to be working out?” “Are you using the baby weights?” “Is it so you can get ya pink belt?”
I just ignored them. But it stayed in my mind. That it would bother them so much, that it would be a source of amusement for them. Ok I am skinny but I dont look that ridiculous in the gym, its not like I’m prancing around in spandex or anything. But this has happened a number of times before. First just curious questions then taking the piss. These are two guys who ‘dj’ in their spare time, who eat shit all day and complain about not being enthused enough or complain about our chinese co workers. Guys who have students complain because their classes are boring or routine.
Ok i can take a joke and some friendly ribbing (damn that wasn’t supposed to sound like it did) but it wasn’t said with that attitude. It was more like they were threatened by what I was doing. I mean they really went for it.
Its pushed me on though to get the body that I want. I figure if I let it bother me that much then I would just stay at ‘their’ level. Eat MacDonalds at my desk and do google searches for ‘shit’ or ‘battleships’.
I’m an EFL teacher in China and the rate of pay is amazing, even more so when you compare it to the cost of living. So many laowei’s just come here and slide, quite happily, into a rut. Teach, drink, pass out, wake up, call in sick, bitch about the Chinese then do it all over again.
On the other hand, I feel amazing after I leave the gym or dojo. I feel like everything radiates with some inner light. I feel alive and thankful for the day and the feeling of my body getting stronger.
I guess my point of my (rambling) post is this: to any beginner, no matter what age, if you quit because you can’t do it, or you no longer want to, then thats your own thing.
But dont let no fucker make you quit because of anything they say or do.
What they say is fuel for your fire.