Once again, I am with my master and friend Sr. GM Ron Lew. Even during this fourth trip to see him and my fifth trip to the USA, I will not see anything of the country or its people. But that's not what this is about. The goal is to gather and secure knowledge for passing on. As I have stated before, one lifetime is not enough to learn everything from him. Since I am no longer under the pressure of upcoming exams, this time I can take everything in much more calmly, but no less intensely.

It starts with a very nice event on the first evening. I receive my fifth master's degree in Tibetan Wave, along with the title SiTing. No ceremony, no guests, no excitement. It just happened and was sealed with a signature. The next three days are dominated by Doce Pares. I learn and understand basics that I can also apply to the whip. Learning by video. Each exercise is recorded, analyzed later, mistakes discussed, new material determined. Very effective and enough material to work on until next year. In between, just eating, sleeping, listening to GM Ron, and writing everything down.

On Tuesday, Sigung Sonny arrives with his daughter Trinity, fresh from Hawaii. She took part in GGM Al Dacascos' birthday tournament there and came first or second in every category. In weapon forms, of course, with the whip. That will be my task for the next three days: training with Trinity. So we get started. There is a lot to teach and she absorbs every new movement. It's only logical that we hold an exam with her. The tasks are challenging, and there are some things she has never tried before, let alone practiced. But that doesn't bother me, because I know what she is capable of. As is so often the case, the exam also becomes a lesson. In the end, it's done, and she can proudly accept her 5th level.

I myself am not only learning from GM Ron during these days. GM Rommel teaches us one afternoon at Doce Pares. The demands on speed and understanding are very high. I can hardly keep up with remembering what he is teaching. We also meet GM Malia several times, who, in her refreshing manner, explains and teaches her ideas about martial arts in a very straightforward way, as always. One morning, GM Ron gives an online seminar at Doce Pares for Uwe Claussen's martial arts school in Schwerin, with my support. It is very interesting for me to see how GM Ron structures his lessons and involves everyone. It is very different from other seminars I have experienced, where the only aim was to imitate, without control or correction.

A week goes by so quickly. I left again with the certainty that I had only taken away a fraction of the knowledge. But at least a little more each time. It's a good feeling to have someone far away but on the same wavelength, who accepts me as his son and who has become a close confidant, not only in terms of sports.