I've taken Tae Kwon Do since I was nine years old. I'm an instructor, state and city gold metalist all events (but not state champion:glare
and despite all this I still haven't tested for my black belt, because I left for quite some time due to a massive foot injury. I'm FINALLY promoting to black in November of next year though.
I know a lot of people tend to just consider Tae Kwon Do a very simple and Americanized, watered down martial art, and at many schools it is, but when your school and instructors are the real deal, there's nothing better. At my school, it's so much more than a sport. I still think deciding to learn Tae Kwon Do was one of the best decisions of my life. I hope to go to Korea some day and experience the origins and traditions of the art.