When people ask me how long I have been teaching, and I say over 25 years, I often get a confused look. Perhaps because I look so young! ha. I wish! I often think about age and experience and realize those two numbers represent entirely different things. Just because someone is ‘older’, doesn’t make them more […]
Some people ask me what my typical day is like? Nothing about my life seems very typical, but I do have a routine. Usually, my routine is filled with the thought of show planning, trip planning, or scheduling for the Temple. However, on the ‘off season’ (who am I kidding, there is never an off season at […]
I’ve been thinking about media a lot lately. Especially after starting this blog and Culture Chat Podcast, NOW the Sifu Mimi Chan ShowAnyone who knows me knows that I have always been opposed to ‘social media’. I miss the intimacy of getting a personal call from a friend with big news, instead of an announcement […]
Every 3 years all Wah Lum instructors take the Sifu test, even if they have previously certified. Why? Standards. In order to maintain the highest standards and quality of instruction, we are all required to test in front of Grandmaster Chan and our peers. Yes, even I have to test! This weekend, my kung fu brothers and […]
Students always love the butterfly kick. It seems to be my signature move. It makes me laugh because the very few films I have worked on always involve this movement. Mulan, Mortal Kombat Conquest, etc. Growing up I always called the butterfly kick the hurricane kick. Why? My father called it hurricane, so it was […]
Today O and I visited a village in the Amazon called Boca de Valeria. I was excited for this stop because it is the first stop that isn’t a metropolitan city. Our tender boat pulled up to a small platform and upon arrival we were greeted by lines of local children who were eagerly waiting […]
I can’t remember the last time I sat down to do a real puzzle. Not a 10-piece puzzle with a toddler while babysitting, but a real puzzle. Tina doesn’t have too many activities on board, so I thought she might enjoy doing a puzzle or playing a board game. She went to the shelf of […]
In my previous post I talked about kung fu at sea. Tai Chi at sea is equally as challenging as kung fu, as I need extra balance on a moving ship. Most days are smooth sailing, but there are some windy and rocky sea days that make tai chi really difficult. I admit, when I […]
Kung fu at sea is challenging. Even though we are on a relatively large ship, the movement of the ship can be felt while walking, sleeping, and most notably while training. I have always loved the sound of the ocean. It is calming to me. When we are on cruises, we usually get up in […]
I wanted to take a moment during my day at sea to recap the weekend that I had in Rio de Janeiro. Being in Rio was an eye opening experience. The entire trip, although only a few days, seemed like a week. Probably because we were awake over 27 hours the first day we were […]