Kwaheri

After class last Friday,we were wondering whether Sensei Mateusz will be returning this or next week.
Sadly,earlier this week he informed us he will not be returning to Kenya
I had expected  to write some form of tribute to Kenya's pioneer Aikido teacher(nw that he has been kind enough to introduce us to another teacher)but words fail me,almost.
Mateusz was someone you encountered,not met.In the dojo,he was a cross between the gentle,motherly kindergarten teacher,amused by our antics and the strict,most hated teacher in high school,grumpy,impatient with an unhealthy(or maybe healthy) lust for blood.And anything in between.
He was unapologetic about being the recepient of the worship Kenyans bestow on  whites,one of favorite sayings was that he's mzungu and can get away with many things(and if you experienced his driving,indeed he did) and yet at times you could sense his discomfort at being judged just by his skin colour.
He was honest,brutally so at times,at least one was assured of getting a straight forward answer;I remember his solution  to Nairobi's traffic was two warnings to the bad driver then shooting the kneecap for the third offence.
Am going to end there lest now this starts to sound like a eulogy.
We will miss you Sensei Mateusz and wish you all the best in your future endevours.
There's a saying in Kikuyu,it's only mountains which don't meet.
Till we meet again.........................................................................................................................