By Yulia Zhdanova

This May, I started taking kung fu classes at the Confucius Institute of Sapporo University, near Sapporo Station. I want to marry Jaycee Chan, Jackie Chan's son! Is it a good reason for starting kung fu? Of course not! At least it should not be the main reason! This past March I quit working at a company I used to work at in Tokyo and came back to Sapporo to go to university. At the time I just wanted to recover from all the stress I had living in the nation's capital. While relaxing one day I remembered visiting my sister in China. My brother-in-law taught me kung fu and I felt really good practicing it. However, I wasn't sure if it was possible for someone who is so clumsy, to jump around with hot moves like Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee. Thank goodness kung fu was not as difficult as I thought it would be. When I say "not difficult", I don't mean easy. But anyone who puts in a little effort can do it. If you continue practicing you soon feel the change from inside. You are sweating when exercising and all the bad is going out not only from your body but also from your soul. It is a marvelous feeling.

The kung fu classes I am taking are at 7:00 pm on Mondays. The classes cost \15000, for 10 classes for three months, half price for Sapporo University students. I run around working part-time on weekends, and on "blue" Mondays I run back and forth to all the university building in a tired and bad mood. I can't wait for my kung fu class to start so I can recharge my batteries. The reason I look forward to Monday nights is not only because I can feel refreshed but also because many people of all ages and professions gather at the Confucius Institute. We all look forward to practice and feeding off each other's energy. We are transformed into one big energetic space.

In addition to Mondays there is a kung fu class at the Confucius Institute held on Wednesdays. Volunteer instructors run this class, which means it's free for all those who participate. The purpose of the lesson is to increase interest in Chinese culture. For those who become more interested in Chinese culture, there are other types of lessons available, in addition to the kung fu classes. For example, at the Confucius Institute there are Chinese Cantonese language lessons and various lessons related to Chinese culture. Most of the classes have morning and afternoon sessions, and some classes are held on Saturdays, which helps people manage their schedules.

I became interested in Chinese culture because I wanted to be able to speak with more Chinese people and make more Chinese friends. One day my friend from Hong Kong gave me a music DVD, which had subtitles. When I watched it, I noticed that I could learn this language. I tried to find some textbooks for learning Cantonese but I couldn't find any. However, after discovering that I could learn Cantonese and about Chinese culture at the Institute, as well as shape up, I decided I would sign up for culture and language classes in the fall.

A few weeks ago, the Confucius Institute celebrated its one year anniversary and Professor Zhang, the director of the Confucius Institute, shared his thoughts with me. "Kung fu really is a marvelous thing. I have been practicing it since I was in 4th grade in elementary school, and it helps me keep my body and soul in good shape. Kung fu is not just a martial art, but it is a performance of body culture. By expressing your soul with your body, you develop and educate your body and soul. The agreement of body and soul is the very reason I continue practicing kung fu. In addition, kung fu does not require any tools or materials. It is like a sport to play with nature." Professor Zhang also told me about the future of the institute: "By studying Chinese language and culture with Sapporo people, I can see the potential of the Confucius Institute. The Confucius Institute is for everybody; it's for you! "