This blog is being written for Wushu West’s website, wushuwest.com. However, since I”m the one writing it, I thought it might be of interest to other folks too. If you would like to learn more, please visit the Wushu West website.
————
Now that I have switched our blog over to WordPress, hopefully things will be a bit smoother. But enough technical mumbo-jumbo, it is time to share the adventures of our first day in China.
The last you saw the Wushu West crew we were at SFO saying goodbye to our respective families. After a quick trip through TSA we went to the gate with about an hour to spare. Some folks got something to eat and some others hung out and relaxed.
The flight was fairly long, but we finally arrived in Beijing. First they did a mandatory screening of everyone on the plane for fever. They had people go through the plane and take everyone’s temperature. After that we made our way through a few other health check-points before making our way out of immigration, through baggage claim, and then out to the reception area where Sifu Patti was waiting for us with a nice chartered bus from Shi Cha Hai Sports School.
We had a nice bus ride through the city. The kids were either sleeping (Tyler) or marveling at the difference of this new country (Miles). Most were somewhere in between …
After we arrived at the school we were all checked in to our rooms and then met for dinner. Since we are technically under quarantine, we eat in our own lunch room. The food is the same as all the other people eat though.
The quarantine itself isn’t too severe. For a week we just have to have mandatory temperature screenings before each meal and we eat in a side lunch room. We also work out in the Multi-Purpose Hall instead of the Wushu Hall, but if you have been to Shi Cha Hai before, you are familiar with the MPH since we have trained there many summers before. Of course, the wushu carpets and facilities are all pretty much the same.
After the meal we met in Sifu Patti’s room to take weapon and shoe orders for the next day and also to discuss the plans for the week. Then everyone was pretty tired and most of us crashed right away. An exciting first day in China!