By: Maxene

I started taekwondo at the age of seven when my parents decided to finally enroll me and my sister near our place in June 2022. At an early age, my parents would always tell me that taekwondo is important because I will learn self-defense which is important for my own safety. They also said that taekwondo will develop teamwork, increase awareness, confidence and improve my fitness.

Taekwondo is something that is close to my family because most of them also trained at a young age. My mom and her sisters were a family of black belts. My uncle has represented the Philippines in many competitions abroad. Now, they have a taekwondo school in Canada.

I remember that during my first day in my taekwondo class, there were 10 of us. I was a bit nervous because I did not know what to expect. Days and weeks passed, and I began to enjoy practicing and would always look forward to attending the class.  I learned the different jumps, spins, and kicks in taekwondo.

After six months of training, we were told by our instructor that we are now ready to apply for belt testing, and I can be promoted from white to yellow belt. During the belt testing, kids from other parts of Jakarta were also present. It was a memorable experience for me because I was able to pass the test!

Soon after, my yellow belt became my motivation to do better so I can be promoted again. I would try to regularly attend training during weekends and practiced a lot at home. Sometimes, my mom would practice with me, so I do not forget the proper forms, steps, and kicks. In April this year, I got promoted again to high yellow belt!

I have been attending taekwondo for one year now, and I have been enjoying every minute of it. I like taekwondo because it helps me to become more confident and have strong belief in myself. I know that getting the black belt is still a long way to go but with constant practice and hard work, I will be able to achieve my goal in the future.