Visiting the instructor's home
Written by Rachel
     

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The training hall

When we rent out a training hall we start each night by cleaning the hall. Throughout the night we ensure that the hall is treated with care and respect.
We take responsibility for our behaviour and the conduct of the students.


Your instructor's home

Visiting your instructor's home is somewhat trickier than attending a church hall. This is where your instructor lives. Can you appreciate the significance of this fact?
If you are clumsy, careless or stupid in their home... it's pretty rude isn't it?
 

Good manners have much to do with emotions.
To make them ring true, one must feel them, not merely exhibit them.

(Amy Vanderbilt)

Don't make yourself too comfortable

In the West people are encouraged to 'make themselves at home' when visiting somebody else's house. This is not the case in Asia. Always remember to respect the other person's home...


 Common sense

In Asia, no one wants to look rude when visiting somebody's house. Here are some tips:

  1. Don't touch anything that doesn't belong to you
    - be careful not to knock things off/over
    - never pick anything up
    - watch where you swing your bag
     

  2. Take off your shoes whilst standing on the door mat
    - not in the yard/garden
    - not in the kitchen
     

  3. Bow to Sifu as soon as you see him
     

  4. Ask where to put your coat/bag
    - if you know where to put them, just do so
     

  5. If you want to use the toilet, just go
    - remember to leave the toilet in a clean condition so that somebody else can use it
     

  6. Don't open a closed door (unless it is the bathroom)
    - if you don't know if the bathroom is vacant, knock gently and ask  

It is just common sense really.
 

Careful, as if crossing a frozen river.
Alert, as if aware of danger.
Respectful, like a guest.
Yielding, like melting ice.
Simple, like a valley.

Be still, and allow the mud to settle.
Remain still, until it is time to act.

(Lao Tzu)
 

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Page created 28 September 2007
 Last updated 3 February 2008

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