On our first full day in the Netherlands we taught two classes at Baekyongkwan in Alphen. In Alphen one of our federation’s national instructors, Jenne Meyster (5th dan), teaches several classes with the help of a team of loyal instructors.
Today was our last day in Finland. Tomorrow we will fly to the Netherlands, where we will stay until Saturday May 3. We taught one final seminar on this last day and had a great time. Everyone was wearing his or her fresh new belt and was extra motivated to make the last seminar count.
Today was another busy day in Finland. It started with a combined black belt and red belt test. Jouni Lahtinen tested for his black belt (first dan) while his partner during the test, Antti Kuismanen, tested for red belt. After this test several other members of the Finnish Hankido Federation tested for their next coloured belt (geup).
Today we had only two training sessions, but that only means we also had a lot of time to talk with the instructors of the Finnish Hankido Federation about the future of Hankido in Finland.
Our fourth day in Finland started with a three hour private training session with the instructor and assistant-instructors.
During our morning training session a reporter from the local newspaper visited us for an interview and some pictures. People in Lohja are working hard to promote hankido. Later we visited Helsinki for some sightseeing and a training session at the local school.
Our second day in Finland started with a morning training at 8:30. Quite a few enthusiasts showed up and we practice circle and flow techniques together. In the afternoon we practiced hankumdo at a local school.
Today was mostly spend traveling from Turkey to Finland. We arrived at Helsinki Airport in the afternoon where we were greeted by members of the Finnish HKD Federation. From the airport it was an hour long drive to Lohja where most training will take place.
One last training session on our last day in Istanbul. Tomorrow we will fly to Finland. There we will stay for another week of training and practice.
On Saturday members from other schools were welcome to train with us. After the regular morning sessions teachers and students from several schools in Istanbul started arriving at the dojang. The seminar started with an introduction in hankido with techniques number one, five and twelve.
On our fourth day in Istanbul we taught to the instructors of the Turkish Hankido Federation, gave a little demonstration at a local elementary school and introduced hankido at taekwondo gym.
Today we did some sightseeing in Istanbul. We visited the famous Blue Mosque, shopped at a bhazaar and took a boat trip over the Bosperous. At night there was still time to teach students of the Turkish Hankido federation.
Today’s training schedule started with some private instruction for Cem Uymak. Cem is the head instructor of the Turkish Hankido organisation and the representative for our federation in Istanbul. In the afternoon we trained with both Cem and his two assistants Yasin Erdogan and Fatih Cakir.
Today master Ko Baek-yong and master Ko Se-hwan arrived in Istanbul, Turkey. They will stay there for a week to introduce hankido to members of the Korean Sports Federation. They are accompanied by Klaas Barends and Mustafa Fidanci of the Dutch HKD Federation.
In the spring of 2014 master Ko Baek-yong (9th dan) will visit schools across Europe to teach hankido, hankumdo and hapkido. Master Ko Baek-yong will be accompanied by his son, international instructor Ko Se-hwan (5th dan). We invite anyone to join one of the many seminars that will be held this time.