Hello Everyone!

[Tapio Raevaara]

Hello Everyone!

My name is Tapio, I'm a 22 years young Chen style taijiquan practitioner from a far away country known as "Finland". I've been following this wonderful board for more than a year already, though never posted before. I am eager to participate, though I'm afraid I have little to give - maybe I'll just ask questions instead.

I live in Helsinki and study Computer Science and Engineering in the Helsinki University of Technology. I've been extremely interested in (Chinese) martial arts and especially internal martial arts all my life. I'm also intereseted in things like liteterature, taoist philosophy, art and, of course, good movies!

I practised Yang style - or "wushu" style to be more exact - for a while, but after January my main priority has been Chen style with sifu Liu Shaohua (lineage for those who are interested: Chen Fake -> Chen Zhaokui -> Ma Hong -> Liu Shaohua). Taijiquan and the internal arts are really a passion of mine! I'm feel I'm progressing steadily, but my taijiquan is still extremely physical and my internal skill is so low it's not even funny. To develop it I've started a regular practise of zhan zhuang and qigong - I also practise some patterns like Lifting the
Sky from sifu Wong's magnificent books.

I'm applying for a qigong course in Switzerland in August (thread: http://wongkiewkit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3334) and I realllly hope they'll accept me, because of a traumatic experience last summer...

I was still looking for a summer job (I'm a student, and students in Finland are poor by definition - and I was totally broke), when I bumped into this: http://www.kolumbus.fi/shaolinchikung/. Shaolin Chi Kung in Finland! I had no money, and the deadline for the first round of applications had ended, so the price was even higher!! Of course, I got the summer job, but never got a chance to participate in the course!

I believe I don't need to tell you about how anxious I am about hearing from my application... I also look forward to my time in these forums, the wisdom within has really been a great inspiration! Who knows... maybe after August I too have some experiences to share.

[Andrew]

Welcome Tapio. I just emailed your confirmation for the courses here in August so you have successfully completed phase 1 .

If your questions are "all you have to give", then that will also help everyone here to learn and we will look forward to your posting.

Without questions there are no answers!

Andrew

[Michael Udel]

Happy to meet you

Dear Tapio,

I appreciate your enthusiasm. Your energy is helping me finish my current lesson plan for an English class I'm teaching. I think your good mood is giving a lot to the forum, so it's a definite contribution.

I am also interested in Taoist philosophy, literature, and good movies. I don't know any Finnish movies off the top of my head. Most of the Scandinavian films I've seen were Danish from Lars von Trier and other dogme 95 directors. I like Hans Petter Moland, but he's Norwegian. Can you suggest a Finnish film? If you can't, Ovidius/Panu probably can

As far as literature, my taste is what one of my x's called "old, dead white men." I call them classics. Gotta say that John Steinbeck (USA) has become my favorite. And Peter Handke (Austria). Been a few good movies based on both of those author's works.

Hope to talk to you about the internal arts on the forum.

Best wishes,
Michael

[Jeffrey Segal]

Hi Tapio,

Welcome to the forum. Nice to have another Finn here.

Best regards,

[Darryl]

Nice to have another Finn here

It's Finn-tastic

Ah, the wit (or lack of)

Welcome to the Forum Tapio, I hope you like bad jokes

[Tapio Raevaara]

Thank you all for your kind wishes of welcome!

Welcome Tapio. I just emailed your confirmation for the courses here in August so you have successfully completed phase 1 .

If your questions are "all you have to give", then that will also help everyone here to learn and we will look forward to your posting.

Without questions there are no answers!

Andrew

You, sir, just made this a day to remember! I just ordered the plane tickets, I'll be arriving in friday morning and leaving monday evening, so I have almost two extra days to get to see Zürich and Switzerland a bit more. I've never been there before, but I'll bet it's a wonderful place! I look forward to meeting you (and everyone else participating) in August.

Dear Tapio,

I appreciate your enthusiasm. Your energy is helping me finish my current lesson plan for an English class I'm teaching. I think your good mood is giving a lot to the forum, so it's a definite contribution.

I am also interested in Taoist philosophy, literature, and good movies. I don't know any Finnish movies off the top of my head. Most of the Scandinavian films I've seen were Danish from Lars von Trier and other dogme 95 directors. I like Hans Petter Moland, but he's Norwegian. Can you suggest a Finnish film? If you can't, Ovidius/Panu probably can

As far as literature, my taste is what one of my x's called "old, dead white men." I call them classics. Gotta say that John Steinbeck (USA) has become my favorite. And Peter Handke (Austria). Been a few good movies based on both of those author's works.

Hope to talk to you about the internal arts on the forum.

Best wishes,
Michael

Believe me, at the moment I have no trouble being in good mood! I's a great thing if I can share it with all you people, though good mood is only a small part of a good discussion - and a good discussion is something I really love.

I guess my good mood might be partially due to my qigong training. I feel there has been a small improvement in the few couple days: the tingling in my hands has become stronger and I it comes quicker, and there's also this feeling of warmth when doing qigong or zhan zhuang, as if the sun was shining on my palms. Recently I've felt really good after practise (except yesterday evening, when there was too much action in the park and I couldn't concentrate...)

Unfortunately I cannot suggest any Finnish movies, because I don't like Finnish movies that much myself.

It's Finn-tastic
Ah, the wit (or lack of)

Welcome to the Forum Tapio, I hope you like bad jokes

I surely do, for I make most of them myself. Or at least the weird ones.

[LeeWeiJoo]

Greetings Tapio

Welcome aboard to the forums.

It already seems that your qigong course is going to be a successful one, based on sheer enthusiasm alone

[Charles David]

Welcome

Hi Tapio,

Welcome to the forum.
I'm glad you have decided to begin posting.
I am even more happy to hear that you have been accepted to the course this August. I hope that you will find what you are looking for .

In the meantime, congratulations on the success you have found thus far. It seems like you are "ripe for the Arts".

[Luo Lang]

Terve, terve!!!
Varo, varo suomi I see, our Northmen family is growing. A warm Welcome!

I'll be arriving in friday morning and leaving monday evening, so I have almost two extra days to get to see Zürich and Switzerland a bit more. I've never been there before, but I'll bet it's a wonderful place! I look forward to meeting you (and everyone else participating) in August.

i am also looking forward to seeing you!
Nice man. Good idea, Zürich is a beautyful place to visit. Also Winterthur, where the course wil be held is a nice area to chill. Maybe I can take some time off and show you some nice things. It would be a pleasure.

Let me know if you have accomodation problems. As usual for family members: my house is your house! There's enough space. You may give me an PM.

Dear Michael:
I know a good Finnish movie: the chuckoo. It is dealing about a Russian Captian, a Finn and a Lapp women during the second War. None of them understands eachother's languagge, but it doesn't seem to matter.....

Respectfully,

Roland

[Michael Udel]

movie

Thanks, Roland, for the movie tip. I'll put it on my "to see" list.

Michael

[Tapio Raevaara]

Terve, terve!!!
Varo, varo suomi I see, our Northmen family is growing. A warm Welcome!

i am also looking forward to seeing you!
Nice man. Good idea, Zürich is a beautyful place to visit. Also Winterthur, where the course wil be held is a nice area to chill. Maybe I can take some time off and show you some nice things. It would be a pleasure.

It would be awesome if you could show me some places!

Let me know if you have accomodation problems. As usual for family members: my house is your house! There's enough space. You may give me an PM.

Your offer is tempting, I'll certainly consider it! I was thinking of staying in Hotel Garni Home, though, but not sure yet.

I don't know about Switzerland, but such hospitality is indeed rare in Finland. You've earned my respect, sir! I'm eager to meet you.

Dear Michael:
I know a good Finnish movie: the chuckoo. It is dealing about a Russian Captian, a Finn and a Lapp women during the second War. None of them understands eachother's languagge, but it doesn't seem to matter.....

Respectfully,

Roland

I'm afraid Kukushka ('Käki' in Finnish, 'The Cuckoo' in English) is Russian than Finnish, though the lead actors - Ville Haapasalo and Anni-Kristiina Juuso - are Finnish. Haapasalo is actually a great movie star in Russia, but only lately became well known in Finland.

Unfortunately I haven't seen this, although I've heard it's really good.

[Luo Lang]

Your offer is tempting, I'll certainly consider it! I was thinking of staying in Hotel Garni Home, though, but not sure yet

Just let me know....

I don't know about Switzerland, but such hospitality is indeed rare in Finland. You've earned my respect, sir! I'm eager to meet you.

Actually, we Swiss are indeed very hostitable
There are some places, let's say in the centre of Switzerland (very rough nature area) and in the Mountains, where I originally come from, where some people are closed and sceptic. Once you get in contact to them they change rapidly.

But generally said we Swiss are very open-hearted and open-minded. Especially in the area where the course in held, in Winterthur and surrounding. You'll see

See you then,

Respectfully,

Roland

Actually, my first impreesion of the Finns was that they are very shy. I don't know about hospitality in Finland, as when I was there, I always stayed in Hotels. The only thing to complain was the food: potatoes, potatoes in all froms and not much herbs and spices.

[HugoDarien]

Hello Everyone!

tervetullut Tapio Raevaara! I hope I train Shaolin Kung Fu or Tai Chi someday whit you! If you became a Sifu! I mean if you train whit Sifu Wong Kiew Kit some day!

Any way! have a nice day!

hyvästi; näkemiin

[Tapio Raevaara]

Oh dear. Wow.

Nine months?

My dear friend Hugo, thank you for bringing this up again!

All this time I've been aware of what has been happening since my days in Switzerland (with which I fell in love with, I have to get back there one day) - except that, now that I re-read this first thread of mine, I realize I really haven't been aware at all.

After just nine months things are so different. In fact, 'different' surpasses 'dissimilar' and becomes 'separate'. Unfortunately my English fails me. My most sincere thanks to all people involved - including you, who are reading this now!

Hugo,

I also hope we can train together some day. Do not picture me being a 'sifu', at least that will take a long, long, long while. But it is my objective to practise Shaolin arts with Sifu himself, and it would be a Great Honour if I were accepted for the next Intensive Course.

Your Finnish is impressive, although I would only pick 'näkemiin' for those two, it has more future!

May I suggest a new word for your Finnish vocabulary? That would be 'epäjärjestelmällistyttämättömyydellänsäkà ¤Ã¤n'. Unfortunately that would take quite some effort to translate into English...

[HugoDarien]

Hello Everyone!

Thanks for all have a nice day!

I recomend you my best cd to listen they are(here you can listen litle if you have not hear these cds before they are best, I going to buy them all the five vol very soon, bye:
made this be a present to show you my love

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000056NM8/qid=1143405017/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-6800886-8969461?s=music&v=glance&n=5174