Episode 564 - Senpai Yves Gakunde
Senpai Yves Gakunde is a martial artist from Rwanda and now based in New Hampshire.
My Sensei Sinzi is someone who I want to become. I want to be someone who practices everyday, no matter where you are, the situation, and the condition you are in, PRACTICE.
Senpai Yves Gakunde - Episode 564
Growing up in a country where, at the time, Karate is prohibited to civilians and only the military are allowed is hard if you really like martial arts. Senpai Yves Gakunde grew up in Rwanda where he watched a lot of Bruce Lee and Jean Claude van Damme movies that ignited the passion for martial arts within him. Senpai Gakunde did not have formal training until high school when Karate is allowed to civilians. Senpai Yves Gakunde trained with Sensei Tharcisse Sinzi in Rwanda. Listen to learn more!
Show Notes
You may read more about Sensei Tharcisse Sinzi here.
Show Transcript
You can read the transcript below.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Hello and welcome. This is whistlekick Martial Arts Radio episode 564 with today's guest, Senpai Yves Gakunde. Hi, I'm Jeremy Lesniak. I'm your host on the show. I'm the founder of whistlekick. And I'm a guy. I'm just a guy who loves martial arts and that's why we do what we do and if you want to see all that we do head on over to whistlekick.com see all the projects that we're involved in the things that we do for the love of traditional martial arts. One of the things you'll find there is our store. And that's one of the ways that we raise money to fund the stuff that we do. And if you find something in there that you like, use the code podcast 15 helps us know that you're listening to the show. Speaking of the show if you want to learn more, if you want to get more in depth with this or any other episode go to whistlekickmartialartsradio.com, we've got a separate page for every single episode we've ever done. Yes they're all available all there for you for free. Two new shows a week. And it's all because we look forward to connecting, educating, and entertaining traditional martial artists throughout the world. And if this resonates for you if this is something that. So, you know, to really appreciate what guys are doing over there, and you want to help me. You've got a lot of ways you can, you can make a purchase, you could share an episode with a friend on social media or just reach out and say hey, did you hear this, you could check out one of our books, we sell on Amazon, you could leave a review on whatever podcast platform you listen to this on, or you could support our patreon, patreon.com/whistlekick okay, place to go. You can support with as little as $2 a month and we give you more content. And the more you contribute the more we give you. In fact, I would say that we work really hard to make sure that you get more than you get. That's really our basic philosophy. We give you the show and so much else for free to give us a little bit we'll give you even more. It’s a pretty good deal. Well, today's guest comes from. I'm gonna let him tell you where he comes from. I'm gonna let him tell you where he is now. But throughout all, we hear this thread of martial arts as something to lean on. Something that you can always go back to, something that can help defines who we are no matter what's happening around us. It's one of my favorite things about martial arts that there's no one size fits all, it's whatever you want to put on. And so here we are with today's guest, Senpai Gakunde. Welcome to whistlekick Martial Arts Radio.
Senpai Gakunde:
Thank you so much for having me.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Hey. It’s great having you. You know, one of the things I love about martial arts is that martial art is about as global as you get. Martial art is everywhere. And one of the things I also love is the number of times, I get on a call with someone to record an episode and find out that they aren't that far away for me right now. You're just over two hours away.
Senpai Gakunde:
I'm right here in your neighborhood.
Jeremy Lesniak:
You are, you know, and it shouldn't surprise me it does make sense because, you know, here I am in New England most of the martial artists I know are in New England so when we get connections and recommendations for guests quite often they're if they're not in New England they used to live in New England everybody seems to have this tied in New England, and maybe it's just how I see it, but I feel really fortunate to live here is, I mean it's weird it's 60 degrees out here despite being December 1st and there's no snow on the ground but it's a beautiful place to live.
Senpai Gakunde:
Definitely it is.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Now of course we could talk weather, and we could talk geography and we could talk about probably an unlimited list of things that you and I would find interesting to talk about but the audience is not here to hear that. They're here to talk about or listen about martial arts. And so here we are. We're on a martial art show. I've got pictures of you wearing a gi. So the question is, when did you start that? How did you get started as martial arts?
Senpai Gakunde:
Oh, that's good question. I started in martial arts, I would say, in 1996 but before that I used to practice at little bit with my older brother, my late older brother, like we will be home watching movies about, like, Bruce Lee, you know, 04:50 you know, those like classic movies. The Karate Kid with Mr. Miyagi and we're always like wanna do like the movement this and that. So, I will step outside the house with my brother. And we'll do like a few more movements that we saw in the movie, but none of us was really in the cloud, in the school of martial arts. So we just I could do practice what we saw in the movie. And that's kind of how we started. And then later on when I went to high school that's when I joined the Karate club.
Jeremy Lesniak:
And did the movies inspire the interest in martial arts or did your interest in martial arts lead you to watch those movies?
Senpai Gakunde:
I think I got interested because of the movies I've tried. Because karate was not a, like a huge thing in Rwanda. I remember back in those days there were very few people who were practicing karate. In fact, karate at the time, in back in 1985 karate was unreal martial arts was unreal for military personnel. So not, like, civilians were allowed to practice karate. So, when I was growing up, I probably knew two or three people who were in martial arts, and I will see it. But the action movies and especially martial arts movies are very popular, were very popular and are still popular in Rwanda. So watching those movies I think really like ignited the passion of martial arts in me.
Jeremy Lesniak:
And so I think there's an important time and we're going to talk about this you already alluded to something that I'm sure we'll get into. But at some point you move from Rwanda to the US. When did that happen?
Senpai Gakunde:
So I came in the US. In August 2010 and I moved here to pursue my graduate school in a small college called Antioch University during them, which is right here in Keene. So, since 2010, August 2010 I have been here in between New Hampshire and Vermont.
Jeremy Lesniak:
So you did start martial arts in Rwanda?
Senpai Gakunde:
Yeah I did, I started you know one day and I practiced in one day at a time. It was not until I moved to Keene that I started joining a small club here in Keene once in a while. But most of the times like my trainings, my karate experiences from Rwanda.
Jeremy Lesniak:
And anybody who knows the history of Rwanda around this time knows how chaotic. It might be a good word you certainly I'm sure have better words and much more context for what was going on there. You said that when you were younger, learning martial arts was it illegal or just not something that was done?
Senpai Gakunde:
It was illegal. Actually it was not allowed.
Jeremy Lesniak:
When did that change?
Senpai Gakunde:
It changed around 1987. So that's when they allowed people to practice karate in public.
Jeremy Lesniak:
And did that lead to a lot of people starting to train and lots of schools or did it take quite a while?
Senpai Gakunde:
It did take a quite a while. There were just a few people who I knew. And I was actually lucky enough to have been trained with one of the first people to start karate in Rwanda. Sensei 09:46. So it did take quite a while to get way our Rwanda when it comes with martial arts. Now it's developed but at that time was very limited. They were now mini schools. I think they were probably less than five of say less than five schools in the country. It's a small country about a little bit bigger than Fairmont, if I can make a comparison but we have about 12 million people. So many people on a small country, Karate was not big at that time.
Jeremy Lesniak:
I find it interesting when we talk about historical events like this, where martial arts wasn't allowed where it was restricted or even illegal. It doesn't take long for martial art to kind of find its way in once that door is open. And, you know, another country I'm thinking about is, Brazil where martial art was maybe not illegal I don't know my history, quite at that level. I know it was restricted. And here we had capoeira and now when people think of martial arts in the world Brazil is a country they think of because of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. And so, you mentioned your, you mentioned a Sensei. And you know, you used a few words to speak very highly of him. So how did you get connected with him?
Senpai Gakunde:
So, when I started, I was in high school. In the south, the southern part of Rwanda, and we started there. It was a boarding school. And when we started, some guy had a Green Belt, you know, but we were learning from like books, movies as I say, we have really using any resources we could find to practice that boarding school was not far from the National University of Rwanda. And that way Sensei 12:16 was based at. So he was working there. Of course he was living in that same town as were in the southern part of Rwanda. And we were just 12:32 to University of Rwanda for like a 12:35 testing or during the holidays. When the schools were not in session, we will go, I would go train with him because he had a bigger 12:51 that was well known, and they still were not in Rwanda. So me going to train with him and doing like testing with him, we really became very connected. And after that boarding school, so I was there for three years. And then I moved in another boarding school because they changed what I was studying. So, when I got to that second boarding school, so in Rwanda, the system we have, you have to do the first three years as a general studies and then the last three years, as focused studies. So, I want to do, I did. Biology and Chemistry so I was like more science focused. Then when I moved to that second school, there was a very strong 14:04. And he was. Sensei 14:11 was our Sensei there and he was one of the top three students in the Rwanda at that time. He was really good, very good fighter. And I believe if I remember correctly, there were many years when I was there he was actually the champion in Rwanda. So I got trained about 14:43 for about two three years. And he left a really big mark to my Karate experience. So, after that those three years then I went to the university, of course they went to the University of Rwanda, where Sensei 15:11 was. You can imagine that was that I can't meet even paradise. He's a very well respected man, not only because he is one of the people studied Karate in Rwanda. So he's considered as a hero in the Rwanda history. Because how he helped people survive during the genocide back in 1994. So, there's so much about him. I'll be happy to probably schedule, a talk with him. Now with Zoom we can that we can connect with him. He's is quite someone should just like be proud to have in your life as not only he is your master but he is a good friend. He's a role model. He's one of the people that few people I call when I'm stuck or need motivation. So, Sensei 16:22 has been Sensei for the club at the University of Rwanda, until let's say probably 2015. Because he then moved to Calgary, be changing the job. And he has now a club his own that way he trains advanced students and also some kids that want to start Karate.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Whenever I talk to someone who's had another person make a strong impact on their lives, whether it's their training or some other aspect. It's because it opened up something in them they changed in some way because of this person. How did you change as a result of having him around?
Senpai Gakunde:
Very good question. So I was, I used to be a very stubborn kid when I was growing up. You will not mess up with me. Before if you say something bad about me or about my siblings you'll be down and you know I used to fight a lot. But I would say like street fighting, you know. And when I started Karate, especially Sensei 17:57 he was, I learned to be more discipline. So discipline was really reinforced. And I started and I quit it, staying away from fights, you know, I don't know if it's because I have an opportunity to fight every time I go to train. But, I became very disciplined. And also, it’s someone who motivates you to work hard. When he shares his story about how he survived genocide, he knows pretty much everything and had to rebuild his life and he always inspires, he inspired all of us who are under him to work hard, to do the best we can. And I think that helped guys really get among the top. The top five martial arts students in Rwanda. So we are, I am personally very thankful to have him in my life. I know they will tell him I will start with my studies and I'll just call him and say, let's go. You know, come in, we train for a little bit. He would make time at the end of the training to just talk about life, you know, to talk about to what's going on, how you can use the training dimension, our training to make your life better. You know, and I always enjoyed the talked we walked every time after the training or even during the training. Everything was not about just martial arts but he will bring in like life experience and advice on how we can be better people.
Jeremy Lesniak:
I get it. And it makes sense. The way I look at martial arts when I think so many of us do is that martial arts our training our physical tools, become broader they're things that we can use in so many other ways, you know it's not like we learn how to use this hammer and if we're not building a house the hammer is useless. Martial art is useful even when we're not in a fight.
Senpai Gakunde:
Absolutely. Even if like where every time when I 20:52 I remember like even saying push, you know, push hard. You're tired but you've got to train. So you've train and you know that the more you practice, the more you train, the more you get out of your comfort zone, something good is going to happen. So I always remember his advice and it's very rewarding to have the chance to connect with him.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Now there was there was something else you alluded to that. If you're okay I want to talk about you mentioned your brother. But if I heard you correctly, he's no longer with us.
Senpai Gakunde:
Correct.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Do you mind talking about that a bit?
Senpai Gakunde:
Yeah, so, my brother passed during the genocide time. And he was, he was six years older than me. We are six in my family. So he was the firstborn in my family. And then I had two sisters, and I had two young brothers. So he, at a time when he was older than me. By the time he was in high school. He was in minor seminary. And he had a friend in the seminary who was who did practice martial arts, and I think that's why actually he got that kind of love of martial arts, and I think that's why he was up into when he's home because he was a boarding school as well so he will be home only during the holidays. So, he was up in to train, to train me, to train with me a little bit, because he is good friend who was martial arts, more I can show you a few moves, you know. So, then he passed. He was now going to forget. He was 16 I believe, he was 20 if I remember correctly. Time is gone pretty fast, I forget. He was been out 26 years since genocide. So, sometimes I say how old 23:45. Yeah, so he was 20, because I was 14. Yeah, so he wanted to become a priest. He was in minor seminary and very good guy. So he really, like, when I think about my journey and martial arts or even in my childhood. There are many things I wish he was here, you know, he will be happy to know that I continued martial arts and earned my 24:24 I think actually when I was training for my 24:31, because it was an intense training. Both first and second degree, I was always like pushing, because I knew he was going to be proud of me.
Jeremy Lesniak:
It's such a foreign thing for me, you know, and that's something and this is why I asked about it because you know we're talking about these tools that martial arts gives us we're talking about these benefits that we have in day to day life, but genocide are not day to day. Yeah. What happened in Rwanda is not day to day. And, you know, as you said it was, it was a year ago is meant more than half your life ago. But I can hear it in your voice, I can hear how important he was, and I can hear how you've continued with martial arts. Because of him at least in part, and you know you mentioned, you know, that he would be proud of you. And so even though, I want to say this. When we think about who we are as people, and who we are as martial artists. It can be really easy sometimes to point to certain people and say oh, that person taught me. And that person was my main training partner and that was my parents. And these people lead us to be who we are. But you did have the people that you've, you've talked about he is first or second, you know, in the way that you've spoken so I get the sense that he was pretty significant in who you are now and how you grew up. Am I right?
Senpai Gakunde:
Absolutely right.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Now was that because he was, I think he said six years older he's an older brother so you're looking up to him?
Senpai Gakunde:
Yeah. I was looking up to him and so he and my family when we were growing up and it are very common in any culture actually. You know, like the older kids, they are the have a siblings, they have to give a good example. I remember my mother, she retired now but she was a teacher in elementary school. So, when I was growing up, he was not allowed to not be among the first or the top five students in school was not allowed. You know, we had to study really hard. Both my parents worked really hard to put us in school. And so f or him, he was under a very strict, education, you know strict discipline from my parents. And he had to be to give as a good example. He has to show us that he knows, you have to respect your parents, you have to respect the elders, you have to do good in school. You have to be good in everything. So because he went under that really strict discipline by my parents. All of us were looking up to him, including my two sisters and two brothers. But outside of that he was someone who would enjoy like being outside, you know, and every second will be just like be outside and no practice. Even if I said, watching movies, we had a very strict time to watch to watch movies, you know like one movie. I could start a day after we finished our homework. And then we were like, we were raised under very strict discipline and strict dedication. So he always like step up to be a good example and I think me and my siblings still look up to him and say no. I did this because in my brother did that, that, you know, so I. There was a time where I was not into Karate a lot. I I did play to soccer. Because soccer is very common in Rwanda and one that most of the kids at schools they play soccer. And he was not much into soccer. But for me, and my two young brothers we were dressed like into soccer, playing soccer all the time, but he was not into soccer. He would play would do any bit of martial arts or he would spend time in a quiet space, writing poems and that was him. But I still think that it was good for me to have my passion other than karate because me and my two young brothers we really bonded of a soccer but when I started martial arts actually a few years after they joined the Karate as well. So it's interesting how we give our siblings, how we feel when it affect my siblings. So for both of my young brothers they did practice martial arts for many years as well.
Jeremy Lesniak:
And I think I heard you say that when you first moved to the US you didn't train for a little while in 2010, you started training again.
Senpai Gakunde:
I started training. Very I'd say probably 2015, or probably 31:33 Sensei Matt Butler, from the White Crane. Yeah, so he 31:40. So I have known him for. I'd say, five, six years. And when I got here I want to join and I was looking for something that is kind of similar to what are you, because at this time I did. And when I was looking online I could find something similar, which was in Brattleboro, and I believe he was one of the schools that was. I may be wrong but I think Sensei Matt is related to that school.
Jeremy Lesniak:
And what is it you’re training now?
Senpai Gakunde:
So I still do 32:39. I have not joined like Sensei Matt as like his students, I go there just to really practice, but I'm not. I didn't start like a new style and you know go other places. I usually go there to train and I train myself at home as well.
Jeremy Lesniak:
I guess the question is why, why haven't you started in that other style is it that you're 33:19, I don't want to put words in your mouth just leave the question there, why?
Senpai Gakunde:
Yeah, so he Sensei Mark, he does like 33:32. And I think at the time I didn't have enough time because I was working two jobs and I was a full time student as well. So, to me was, I didn't want to be like committed to, you know, when you start a new style you have to be committed to going to the dojo. Every week, you know, so I didn't have that commitment, because of time constraint. And I just like join whenever I can, because I want to stay physically fit. So, I think that was one of the really the main thing that kept me away from starting a new and new style. It's not that I was not interested in studying something new, because I didn't want to deviate from my style but was just time constraint. But now, because I'm done with school and just working so I'm considering actually now starting like the new style. I might join him and start from scratch because now I feel like I can then squeeze in some view.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Again, I get it you we talk on this show that martial arts is always there for you. It can be there for you a little bit. It can be there, you know, on the shelf. Sometimes you have to put it down, you mentioned, taking some time in soccer, football was your priority. And that and that's okay and that may not make sense to some people, there's some people who train every day, I'm not one of them. So I understand there are times when martial arts is a big part of your life, there are times when martial arts is a smaller part of your life. But it's always there, in some way. And I think that that's the beauty of it it's hard to play. Most sports, most team sports, unless you're going to make a significant commitment. People don't want you to be even on a recreational team, unless you're going to come to all the games and the practices. But martial arts, you mentioned, practicing on your own, practicing at home. And I think that that's one of the most beautiful things about it is you can train wherever. As I listen, and do these interviews. I'm. There are times where I'm practicing I'm visualizing joint locks and things and I'm sure if anybody saw me through the window, talking to this microphone, with my eyes closed and moving my arms in really strange ways they might think I'm insane but I'm inspired.
Senpai Gakunde:
I mean, I definitely get it, you know, sometimes when people ask me so your training, especially by my friends from Rwanda that I practiced with for so many years. Because what the Karate did, we created this really strong family, you know, and we are still very good friends. And we have our like platform we always share news. And we are very supportive to each other but I remember when sometimes they asked me they said I'm still recovering because when I was, especially at the university training under Sensei 37:34. It was a busy time, you know, there were many sessions where we have like a big tournaments coming and we were trained like three times a day, you know, morning from 5am to 6:30 and then 12 to 1pm and then 5pm to 7pm. And I'm telling you, you know, it was intense, intense training. And I was very skinny and I was very strong, very skinny so now I just like putting on some weight and then people say what's the what's happened I say I'm still recovering from that intense training. 38:24 Right, it was intense, because my team, like the 38:33 from Sensei 38:36. It was a very strong team so he will not take any excuse for not training, you know, he will be there to help to train us and if we go out for the competition and we won't win we were in a big trouble. You know, I remember I still remember him saying I trained you now. When you'll be fighting over there, you know, he's not there, you know, your mom is not there, I am not there. I gave you the tools you need it now go fight, and for us fighting was not, it was not a joke, you know, it was intense, it was very intense. I think I did to practice so much the point after I finished school and I stopped being on a team that was going everywhere, nationally, internationally doing competition. I needed time to recover. But they are the little things that I still do, you know, I remember one of the thing. Sensei 39:57 would tell us, you know, when you practice like you're my 40:03, you know, your kicks. He says, imagine you coming from the bathroom and take a shower, and you don't have a towel with you. And you have to wear, you're not putting your shoes. How do you kick the water out? How do you shake the water out? 40:27 And that so every time I'm coming from the taking a shower I just see myself oh, I'm doing this and I remember, I always remember, you know, they were saying you can't shake 40:39, is sort of a kick you're doing.
Jeremy Lesniak:
That would be a great test. We hear all these jokes especially about Chinese martial arts masters and they can fly and read minds and catch arrows in the air, but if you could dry yourself without a towel. I think that, I think, I don't think anybody can do that, but how close, could you get that's what I'm wondering, and I think next time I shower I'm going to try.
Senpai Gakunde:
Yeah, try to shake your feet are a bit on that, you know, it's like a sort of like a few my guess is you are new or doing fast enough. And those little things are those little things that how he was explaining, you know, this you could apply these, this much to this and that, there are things like that that stuck in my brain. So, to go back to your questions, I needed to kind of to feel I'm not under pressure to train hard because I went in, I did more than 10 years of intense training. And I just said, you know; now I want to train for fun. So, when I get up in the morning I can do a little bit of push-ups, you know, kicks and I feel good. But I also acknowledge that it's always good to be in a dojo, because you created that kind of family, friendship and you learn, you know, I get to learn and to learn new moves, new techniques.
Jeremy Lesniak:
For sure. You mentioned your parents, their expectations of you that your academics that you would do really well in school. Did they also expect that of you with your martial arts?
Senpai Gakunde:
No, actually not, because when I started martial arts, I was a little bit sick so I had problems with my stomach. So I have a terrible stomach ache. And the actually I was asked to stop. You know, I was always in pain. But it was my passion, they was no stopping, you know, I remember my mom saying you know it's costing me so much money to buy medicine for you and here you are doing Karate which is really not so good because he was intense training. So that was affecting my health. And so, I was asking to stop but I did not stop. So I end up actually working with Sensei 43:56 to come up with, not an intense training I would do, you know, and that helped me to get through my illness and being here, but also keep doing my Karate. My mom was definitely, you know like, yes you can do other exercise but Karate. It's something that requires more strength and more, you know, because we were fighting a lot. And there were many times out there, I get injured. So, and the Karate was not being seen at that time in Rwanda, I guess, many people were okay. Practicing about I think there was that fear that the people who are practicing Karate, they are, they can get in trouble as easily, you know, get injured easily. You may get inside to the street fights that are not necessary. So, there is a reservation from a part of me to do Karate. I did it anyway.
Jeremy Lesniak:
What about movies? So now that you're here. Now that you don't have someone telling you, you have to do your work, you can't watch martial arts movies or have you been catching up watching more martial arts movie?
Senpai Gakunde:
Oh yeah, you know, I still go to those old movies, I cannot tell you how many times I have watched The Karate Kid.
Jeremy Lesniak:
It's a classic, I think it is the most, I will say it is the most important martial arts movie of all time it's certainly my favorite. I think it is the most important and yes I mean that I'm sure there are people yelling at whatever they're listening on right now because I'm saying that over. Enter the Dragon but yes, I think it is.
Senpai Gakunde:
Yeah. I always like, I'm still watching those what I have seen there but I just like miss that feeling of seeing it like the first time and, you know, I can definitely confess that I probably watched those movies like three times a year four times a year and you know, the way of the dragon, The Kick Books 46:55 The Police Story Project, The Young Master, The Drunken Master, all those movies.
Jeremy Lesniak:
You're naming them all.
Senpai Gakunde:
I still like, go home and you know I pour myself a glass of wine that put my state that when they look out. No, it's sometimes they say oh, that's the, that's my way of practicing karate, you know.
Jeremy Lesniak:
By osmosis.
Senpai Gakunde:
Yes, but it does help, you know, every time I finish watching a movie I see myself walking around like doing kicks, you know, punches, you know, it hurts. It hurts. Yeah, you don't need as my Sensei 47:41 used to say you don't need big space to practice Karate, you can practice Karate like being very contain, very small area, so I see myself by my living room like doing kicks, you know, and wax on wax off.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Absolutely.
Senpai Gakunde:
They make sense now or they now they have grown up, and now I say, oh look so it makes, it makes sense. So, and I think that is something we learn when you watch those movie with a new one. Now unlike the more mature and I have a good understanding of martial arts. So when I watch movies now they make more sense, you know, these are there's of course some exaggeration some main movies, but when, when he watched those movies, he said, okay, you know, that those moves. They make sense you know or you know there is. You have to practice, you have to go running, you know, I didn't like running at the time, you know, a running because you know, you know cardio and you know, and if I see the movies with them now that kind of 49:06. So, which is, it's always interesting.
Jeremy Lesniak:
I'm going to ask you a couple questions that are a little more hypothetical. So, we've talked about movies and, you know, you've got quite an appreciation for martial arts movies. And so the question is, if you could be in a martial arts movie with someone. Anybody who would that be?
Senpai Gakunde:
One person have a big. I think I would want to be the Morphe actuary with all. Let's say the people who the actual people that I met probably practice the karate with. I think I would do a movie with my sensei since car seats. But, I am a very big fan of bursary. In fact, I had a big post a brief story in my room. As a reminder of working hard. I think if it was a choice for one person definitely want to do a movie with my sensei because he. Yeah, he's. I call him like my is my father, and He's my hero. Yeah
Jeremy Lesniak:
What are your goals? You know martial artists come in and out of your life, but it seems like it's always been there and at least some context and you have plenty of years left. Where do you want to take your martial arts?
Senpai Gakunde:
Wow, that's a loaded question.
Jeremy Lesniak:
That is why save it towards the end.
Senpai Gakunde:
Yeah, I think, I would see, I see myself definitely being more active. Like my dream. When I dream about my job, but my house, my dream house is gonna have a dojo. So, that's something that will be happening in the near future. No, I want to have my own dojo in my house. And I still look up to my Sensei 51:38 because he practice pretty much every single day. And he is say late 50s, probably, 60s, late 50s probably. But I'm telling you he is someone who I want to become. I want to be like him, who, as someone who practice every single day no matter where you are, no matter the situation the condition you are in, but practice. If you cannot go to the job, to the dojo, you know, just go in your dojo at home. So I definitely foresee myself having a dojo on my house and practicing, because sometimes I make excuses, you know, oh no my knees are not that great now, my back is hurting you know, he always like tells me like stories and they say no, if you started thinking like that, you're not gonna get my edge and practice Karate. No, and I remember when I was very furious fighter, I will not stand in front of him. Now we were always like train and you know fight, you know, but I was always on the ground, you know he's very fast, he's very strong, and 53:22 I see like many, you know, well trained good students now in Rwanda, but we cannot stand in front of him, you know. So when I look up to him I say, I wish, when I get older, I would be like Sensei 53:39. So, that requires me to start training. Now that I have time. And it's gonna happen. I'm very positive that it does gonna happen so I have it planned in there. And I'm working on it. I need time to kind of rest from school and working crazy hours, but I think I have things in my head right now, so training is coming my way.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Wonderful and, you know, I've got a feeling, because you're so close, we'll connect at some point and maybe some of your training will be some of my training. And so, as we start to wind down here, if people want to reach out to you. Is there a way they can get ahold of you social media or anything?
Senpai Gakunde:
So, I'm on Facebook. So, Facebook, my name is Yves, which is Yves. So that's my first name, and then my middle name which is Pacique. So, Yves Pacique is my name on Facebook and Instagram, or you can even look up or if you type in Google. My names, 55:13 my phone number, you will find my phone number, you will find my address. I do so much in kin to the point where my contact information is public. Go to Google and type my name and you will definitely see me. And I'm always happy to connect with people, you know, we share about Karate, about our lives, you know, passionate about this and that. So I'm always interested in connecting with new people, you never know where life will you.
Jeremy Lesniak:
Exactly, exactly.
Senpai Gakunde:
So, you connect with people there are many people I connected with and I didn't know that they were going to push me to go do my PhD. Yeah.
Jeremy Lesniak:
What did you get your degree in?
Senpai Gakunde:
Environmental studies. Yeah, like when I connected with this professor for many years ago I was like okay she's going to be my advisor, but now I was not thinking about that she was going to motivate me to go do my masters and my PhD. So, you connect with people if you are, you know, really connected, they inspire you and you take action and you know make things happen in life. So I think the connections with, we have to be very careful in who we connect with and the people you surround yourself are, if you surround yourself with good people. They will leave a good mark in your life and I always put that into like it's on my agenda. I have to connect with the right people, because they know. Today, I may not see the impact they are having on me, but I'm pretty much sure that tomorrow after tomorrow I say, I'm very grateful to have connected with so and so. Make sure and I do tell people is like make sure you surround yourself with people who are going to motivate you to do good things.
Jeremy Lesniak:
We talked about some good stuff to me. The idea that martial arts can be this pillar that we can use to refer back to lean on to even define at least part of who we are as we find our way in the world, whether that's a town we grew up in, or the other side of the world. I think that's beautiful. It's one of my favorite things about martial arts and I love how somebody could couldn't de talked about that today. I found myself nodding along with quite a bit of what he said and really relating to it. I've got a feeling that many of you did as well. So thank you so much, somebody I appreciate you coming on sharing and look forward to connecting with you in the future. If you want more, go to whistlekickmartialarts@radio.com, you'll find photos and videos and links and a whole bunch more. And if you're willing to support us and the work that we do, you've got some options, you can use the code podcast 15 at whistlekick.com to get 15% off. You could also share an episode, leave a review maybe on Facebook or Google or Apple podcasts, or you could contribute to the Patreon patreon.com/whistlekick, if you see somebody out there wearing a whistlekick shirt or something like that, say hello, introduce yourself. We are building something slow but steady and you are part of it. And I appreciate you for that. If you have feedback guest suggestions or anything like that. Reach out jeremy@whistlekick.com is my email address or social media at whistlekick everywhere you could think of. Until next time, train hard, smile, and have a great day.