Etiquette Question

[greenbelt_girl15]

Got an answer, Either we can try to raise enough money ourselves to get someone up here to test us or possably be tested by our brownbelt instructor.

Unfortunantly I judt don't have the cash to make it down to IATC, but maybe I can convince my instructors that we should raise the money so that we can go next year. A nother thing that would make it hard to get a black belt up here soon is because of IATC since so many will be heading that way next month.

It's good to see some other CNers on here , What dojo are you at?

I'm in Rising Winds up here in Alaska.

[Spirit At Choice]

I am at Komokuten near Seattle. This will be my first IATC. I get to watch my teacher test for godan. I've been wathcing her do her kata work in preparation; it's really awsome.

Back to your original question: I did not know we are not supposed to ask about testing. I've never asked, but testing doesn't seem to be at all mysterious. Is not asking a Cuong Nhu policy, or is that just the world-of-martial-arts. My friend who did Shotokan for a while said testing was never mentioned by students, ever.

Often the instructors will make comments like, "You better have that figured out for your xyz test next month." Another lady mentioned that an instructor had flat out said, "You're not testing this month; you're not ready." So it never would have occured to me that testing is a verboten topic.

My instructor told me a funny story once: She said that one mom "promoted" her own kids. These kids showed up at class with stripes that mom had bought and sewn on. I guess some people just get a little over eager.

[greenbelt_girl15]

wow I didn't know there were any dojos in seattle area, last I head the one school in the area had shut down.

Tell me how your sensai's test goes,that sound cool.

As for the whole don't ask about testing thingy,I think that it's pretty universal, I think I first heard about it on this site actually.Instuctors are of course exempt from the rule.I guess the whole thing is that it's rude to ask if you are testing because it might seem like you are assuming that you are good enough to take the test.,something that should only be determind by the instuctors.

The story was great! Sounds like the mom was as eager as the kids to see them promoted.

So you're in Seattle, do you think if we could raise enough money that your instructor would come and test us like over a weekend?

[Spirit At Choice]

As for the whole don't ask about testing thingy,I think that it's pretty universal, I think I first heard about it on this site actually.Instuctors are of course exempt from the rule.I guess the whole thing is that it's rude to ask if you are testing because it might seem like you are assuming that you are good enough to take the test.,something that should only be determind by the instuctors.

Interesting. I can see how that might be an excercise of ego restraint. I'm sure it gets more intense as one advances and invitations to test come farther and farther apart.

So you're in Seattle, do you think if we could raise enough money that your instructor would come and test us like over a weekend?

Let's take this to e-mail. See my PM to you.

[greenbelt_girl15]

Looks like my brown belt instructor has been okayed to to test me! Now of course I'm getting nervous, I've got a lot of philosophy to memorize and I have to prepare for 3 muinets of public speaking.

Yay!!