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Takis Zourntos
02-17-2009, 08:15 AM
Hi Everyone,

I've recently joined AikiWeb, and what an excellent resource you all have here. Jun is doing an incredible job... thanks Jun!

I'm originally from Canada, but now living in the USA, in College Station, TX, on the engineering faculty at Texas A&M U. Of course, I'm quite interested in studying Aikido (no experience with it whatsoever).

However, the nearest active dojo is about 70 miles away (thanks to the AikiWeb dojo search tool) and making the trip twice a week to train may be challenging, depending on the circumstances.

Perhaps some of you can shed some light on the "long-term effects" of making 1+ hour commutes to your dojos several times per week... still passionate about the art? Still married? Kids still love you? :)

Fortunately, my job is flexible time-wise and the drive would be relatively free of traffic.

I'm considering the following dojos (in no particular order), each of which has a solid reputation, and all Aikikai style, as far as I know:

1) Shodokan School of Aikido (Sensei: Jorge Garcia)
2) Aikido of Houston (Sensei: T.K. Lee)
3) Aikido Center of the Woodlands (Sensei: Michael Black)
4) Aikido Dynamics (Sensei: Rodney Jaime)

If you have any experience with any of these, I'd love to hear from you.

A primary factor for me will be access (they're all about the same distance away, but some will take longer to get to). I'm looking for a "friendly/happy" school I can grow with and one with a kids' program as I plan on bringing my kids once they're old enough.

Thanks,
Takis

akiy
02-17-2009, 09:50 AM
Hi Takis,

Welcome to AikiWeb and thank you for your introduction. I'm glad you find the website useful for you!

-- Jun

Voitokas
02-17-2009, 11:41 AM
Welcome! I hope you find a dojo that you like... there's not much that I would commute so far for, even aikido, since the frustration with the bad behaviour of other commuters would put me in a bad mood there and back and make the practise worthless. But perhaps since you'd be driving in the off-hours, it wouldn't be much of an issue.

aikitim23
02-19-2009, 11:07 AM
If your going to make the trip to, Can i Recommend:

Wadokan Dojo (TX-02)
Instructor: David Galdamez Phone Number: (281) 844-0988
Address: 4963 Louetta Rd. Email: david@wadokan-aikido.com
Spring, TX 77379 Web site: www.wadokan-aikido.com

PS: I am an electrical engineering student here at Texas A&M

Takis Zourntos
02-19-2009, 12:49 PM
Jeremy: yes, fortunately, the drives out here in Texas can be long but also flowing and kinda scenic (even in East/Central flat Texas). I meditate on the cows...

Tim: what a small world! Thanks for the tip about Wadokan Dojo... it seems that David Galdamez was (at least at one time) affiliated with Michael Black's Aikido Center? So there's another dojo I will have to check out. BTW, I teach ECEN420 (linear control) and ECEN421 (digital control) and my research is primarily in robotics... hope to see you in class (either a dojo or a lecture hall!) sometime.

Cheers,
Takis

riskdo
04-16-2009, 12:19 PM
Hi Takis...
I'm from Brazil, where I have practiced Aikido a few years...
Now I living in USA College Station/TX..and I 'm looking too for a
place to continue with Aikido...
I'm at TAMU too...
Do you find some place? ...are you practiced already?
Thanks
Marco Molina
PS.: molinarisco@gmail.com

Hi Everyone,

I've recently joined AikiWeb, and what an excellent resource you all have here. Jun is doing an incredible job... thanks Jun!

I'm originally from Canada, but now living in the USA, in College Station, TX, on the engineering faculty at Texas A&M U. Of course, I'm quite interested in studying Aikido (no experience with it whatsoever).

However, the nearest active dojo is about 70 miles away (thanks to the AikiWeb dojo search tool) and making the trip twice a week to train may be challenging, depending on the circumstances.

Perhaps some of you can shed some light on the "long-term effects" of making 1+ hour commutes to your dojos several times per week... still passionate about the art? Still married? Kids still love you? :)

Fortunately, my job is flexible time-wise and the drive would be relatively free of traffic.

I'm considering the following dojos (in no particular order), each of which has a solid reputation, and all Aikikai style, as far as I know:

1) Shodokan School of Aikido (Sensei: Jorge Garcia)
2) Aikido of Houston (Sensei: T.K. Lee)
3) Aikido Center of the Woodlands (Sensei: Michael Black)
4) Aikido Dynamics (Sensei: Rodney Jaime)

If you have any experience with any of these, I'd love to hear from you.

A primary factor for me will be access (they're all about the same distance away, but some will take longer to get to). I'm looking for a "friendly/happy" school I can grow with and one with a kids' program as I plan on bringing my kids once they're old enough.

Thanks,
Takis