Thread: Sensei? Sempai?
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Old 07-22-2008, 11:00 AM   #25
JO
Dojo: Aikikai de l'Université Laval
Location: Sainte-Catherine-de-la-J.-C., Québec
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 292
Canada
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Re: Sensei? Sempai?

I tend to use sensei for anyone teaching the class. But we don't really have a set rule and nobody really seems to know what to do when a more junior member is filling in for our chief instructor.

Outside of the dojo, my sensei becomes "Pierre", despite his being a 6th dan. I also address at least one shihan by his first name outside of the dojo. But then modern Quebec is a pretty informal place, and out of the dojo, the local culture takes over and we're just a bunch of guys that have known each other for years.

Jonathan Olson
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