Lebork Annual Gasshuku 2013

Sensei Marian Czlkowski invited me to conduct a Gasshuku in Lebork and Wicko. These two towns are in the north of Poland, close to the Sea, during the summer months they are bustling with holiday makers.

Arriving at my accommodation, which is run by Andrzej & Monica Markowski, you are greeted by a warm and family atmosphere, the hotel is very close to the Sea, I would recommend anyone if you are going to Poland. www.pensjonatwlebie.pl

Training started in Lebork Friday evening, and on Saturday and Sunday training was in Wicko with All Grades.  I concentrated on San Dan Gi, One – Eight, three steps and then six steps, Kata and Bunkai plus Kakie, in the mean time I was conducting one to one training with Sensei Marian and Andrzej and his wife Monica at the Hotel every day before we went to the Dojo.

They really enjoyed the private training and said that they would like me to come to Poland twice a year, because the people of Poland were asking for that and everyone will be welcome.

At the end of the training sessions I gave a lecture to 80 people on the different scenarios you would encounter on teaching Children, and conducted a grading for some of the Seniors that have trained with me from 2001.  After a gruelling 2 hour exam, I can report that they were successful in their attempt namely Sensei’s Marian Czlkowski Yondan pass, Marcin Marcinkowski Sandan pass, Paweł Iwaszkiewicz Sandan pass, congratulations.

But it was not all about training, I was invited to visit Andrzej Markowski uncle who is an artist and works with Silver, I could not believe my eyes when I saw what to me was a wood sculpture, in fact it was made of Silver.  He has commissions from all over the world and works closely with the (Hasidim) a mystical Jewish movement founded in Poland in the 18th century in reaction to the rigid academicism of rabbinical Judaism.

Then I was invited to a Sanatorium (Polish Health Clinic). I did not know what to expect, to my delight I was placed on a bed and was inserted into a apparatus which is called Air Compression Therapy System Blood Circulation Massager and it was great. I was then taken to a Mud bath for 15 minutes and to finish 20 minutes on a water jet bed, I felt like I was walking on water.  www.zdrowotel.pl/

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Mayor of Wicko MA Dariusz Waleskiewicz for his continuous support in making this event a success. Looking forward to meeting you all again in April 2014.

George Andrews