After our tests, the class goes out to pizza together. I've had...let's see...four tests so far. I went to pizza after my very first test, but it was a bit uncomfortable. Nobody talked to the new students and we didn't talk amongst ourselves either. I didn't go for the next two outings but I did go after my last test. It was kind of fun hanging out with them.
One young guy in my class is a freshman in college and is in awe of how old I am, and the fact that I am doing my Phd and that I started it right after my undergraduate degree (which happens to be what most people in my field do, so nothing special). I mentioned to him that the previous night, I'd gone to a party for a friend who had gotten a job offer and had gotten fairly tipsy -- I had returned home at around 3 and wasn't sure I'd be in good shape for the test. The poor guy was quite shocked -- he blurted out, "You drink!? But I thought you were perfect!" That felt kind of nice -- (oooh somebody thinks I'm perfect, but I'm really badass) -- in a dissolute kind of way.
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It is always a little scary to be new to a group, and older belts have usually been around for a while and know each other well, so it can be hard to break in. I actually understand that, though. It gets frustrating to try to get to know white belts or yellow belts only to have them quit (as most do). Of course, perhaps if higher belts made more of an effort, there'd be a little more retention...
I had to break my group into me--being a foreigner who doesn't speak the language, I was invading it in so many ways. But I'm glad I didn't let my age, sex, and nationality keep me from gaining my slew of "little brothers." ^^
Its nice to have a group of people who share an interest with you. During dinner, a guy was asking everyone whether they would be spending the summer here or not. He asked me, and I said yes, to which he replied "awesome!". That made me feel good because I don't think of myself as one of the people who the guys in my group want to learn something from (practice sparring) or generally horse around with, the way they do with friends. But they still maybe like it if I am around.
AHHHH! I STILL clearly remember how the boys reacted when I reappeared after being gone for 6 classes. Oh man, it felt so, so good because I wasn't expecting it.
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