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| | | | BJJ Globetrotters Newsletter // April 2020 | | Dear Globetrotters,
This month's newsletter comes out a bit later than usual. Time feels weird these days. I've been locked down at home for 3.5 weeks and had to postpone three camps to the fall. In the seven years of Globetrotters' existence, I've been in a pretty much constant state of excitement - always having something fun lined up in the schedule, just around the corner. Always working to plan the next adventure. But recently, there's been nothing of that. Things we have taken for granted for so long - the adventure, the feeling of mats under our feet, the laughs together with friends, being free in nature - it's nowhere to be found. Perhaps it is healthy. To get off the train for a bit, sit down and appreciate life and opportunities more. How will everything feel, once we are able to get it back? Will we eventually forget that we once had lost it?
Life, as we know it, will return and so will Jiu Jitsu and the camps. Hopefully sooner than later. Until then, we will have to do with the memories of adventure. Luckily, that's something many of us have a lot of.
Stay safe out there and don't hesitate to reach out for any reason, what so ever.
Have a fantastic day,
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What you'll find in this month's newsletter:
- Featured Traveller: Valérie Jean
- Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Sarnia Jiu-Jitsu
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| | Arizona camp moved to December |
| | Our first ever Arizona camp was a huge success, so we’ve decided to go back to the desert. All day classes, open mats and workshops, combined with on-site barbecues and breathtaking landscapes. |
| | | | Featured Traveller: Valérie Jean |
| | Age: 33
Belt: Purple belt 4 stripes, turning pink
Profession: Immigration officer
How many years in BJJ: 6 or 7 years give or take with injuries and forced breaks
Other martial arts: Started with being bullied, so I was mostly on the receiving end as a kid. Did Muay Thai for a few years in my 20s, then discovered BJJ and never looked back.
Where do you live: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Where are you originally from: A small farm town about 20 hours east of Montreal. I’m a native Quebecker (French Canadian).
Other fun or curious information you would like to share: Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, I am now technically a citizen of Kazakhstan. |
| | | Tell us what inspired you to travel and train? The people, the culture, the language, and the universal aspect of BJJ. I’ve always enjoyed traveling, and it was normal for me to look up gyms when away. I’ve lost count of the number of academies visited in total, but it's probably around 60 or 70 in the past 5 years.
Tell us about your most recent trip and your upcoming trips – where have you been and where are you going?
I started the year with a big Southeast Asia trip. I left Hanoi (Vietnam) by bicycle and went all the way down to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). It was the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak and it was also the long Têt Holiday in Vietnam. Many academies were closed because of the celebrations, but 3 of them actually organized big open mats after being contacted and informed of my presence in town.
I then abandoned the bike and traveled through Cambodia. I was able to train there as well. My cardio was off the chart after the Vietnam cycling trip. I finished my trip in Thailand, where I trained at Bangkok Fight lab. My flights kept being cancelled or randomly postponed - I was fortunate enough to find places to live and to feel supported by the people there at the gym. Every day was uncertain. I finally managed to fly through Beijing (China).
I came back to work for about 2 weeks. Working at an international border was quite fascinating at that pivotal moment. On my first day back, I went to my US border mail box to pick up some packages, and I was taken away and put in quarantine by USCBP officers. I started to realize how time had stopped for me in Asia and how things were being taken seriously back home.
In March, I flew to Almaty, Kazakhstan, to train with some women in a private BJJ gym. All my flights were cancelled or moved on my way here - it was a disaster and I remember being in Switzerland thinking "what am I doing here, I think I’m gonna crack". I have to say, it was worth it, and I don’t regret having a mini meltdown as it forced me to dig deep.
Their women’s program had been stopped many months ago for various reasons, such as religious discomfort during mixed classes and overall bad experiences on the mats. So far, it’s been an incredible privilege training here and meeting all those people. I witnessed the smile on all those women’s faces that first day back in a safe space to train - regardless or religion, clothing, or taboo.
This week, I learned that all my flights or routes to return back home next month have been closed by the government. I am officially stuck here. I have contacted my job and they're trying to figure things out. I've contacted my Embassy and not gotten any help yet. I have no return ticket or date. There's no point in worrying, is there?
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| | What are the things you enjoy about traveling? The food, the warm weather, the people, and the connections. My number one thing is quite personal: how I become so resilient when put in tough spots or uncomfortable situations.
Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
I've trained in some places where women were coming to me and telling me they had been victims of sexual assault, and that it was hard for them to train with certain partners. Sharing my perspective and telling those women that it’s perfectly okay to refuse rolls and establish healthy boundaries in the gym is part of the BJJ experience. Growing as a person and gaining confidence is part of BJJ. I think we sometimes take for granted that BJJ is a hobby or a sport, but for some people in certain parts of the world, it’s a way to survive and to feel empowered.
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| | What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling? How open and welcoming people are. How trusting and generous they are the moment you contact them. It still blows my mind to this day.
Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip? A budget traveller with certain standards. I like my hot water, AC, and somehow reliable wifi. I like to plan in advance to limit costs. Right now I’m learning that overplanning means nothing when there’s a global pandemic.
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be? Just go. Message academies. Ask them for tips and places to stay. Don’t make it ONLY about training. And wash your hands. |
| | | Castle Camp Italy moved to October - a few tickets have become available |
| | Candlelit open mats in the gently shifting shadows of a 1000-year-old altar. Cosy evening dinners under the starry sky. And an entire ancient castle all to ourselves, with a private staff on hand to take care of our every need.
The most exclusive and luxurious of our camps is back, and all it’s waiting for is for you to come and join us!
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| | | | BJJ Globetrotters Academy in Focus: Sarnia Jiu-Jitsu |
| | Where is the gym located?
Guernsey in the Channel Islands.
How many people train there?
20-30
Is the gym growing – if so by how many new members each month or year?
It would be but for COVID-19!
What are the highest and lowest belt grades training?
Black through to white.
When did the gym open?
2018.
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| | Some facts about you:
Name: Adrian Age: 36 Belt: Brown Profession: Jiu-Jitsu teacher Years in BJJ: 9
Other martial arts: Kickboxing in the past Currently living in: Guernsey Originally from: Guernsey
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| Please tell us the story of how your gym came into existence:
I returned home from London and wanted a Jiu Jitsu experience I couldn’t find elsewhere on the island, so I decided to try and create it.
Tell us about the people that train in the gym – who are they?
We have a great mix: we have young and old, women and men.
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| | Why do they train?
We have students who train as a hobby, students who train for self defence, students who train for exercise, students who train for mental health, students who train for professional skills, and students who train for sport.
What are some of the challenges of running a BJJ gym in general and in your location specifically?
I think the biggest challenge by far is getting people through the door, and to come to enough lessons that they "get it". Jiu Jitsu is so good that, with the right culture and teaching, people will fall in love with it. But trying to get people who’ve never heard of Jiu Jitsu to come and lie on top of a stranger is difficult. Guernsey is a little behind the times, and so the barriers here are probably even greater than they are in many places.
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| | How do you see the future for BJJ in your area?
It’s going to be amazing. Jiu Jitsu is unheard of for most of the islanders. It’s going to be great to see the benefit it can do for the community.
What’s the best thing about your gym?
How committed all the students are to making a positive environment which is inclusive and fun for all. I have been to many gyms which are great if you are a certain type of person or practitioner, but I think it’s a real testament to our students that whether you are shy, non-physical, and new to Jiu Jitsu or confident, strong, and experienced you’ll have a great time.
What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?The beaches, the cliff paths, the beautiful island!
Thanks for sharing with us! If you'd like to pay a visit to Sarnia Jiu-Jitsu, you can find them here. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | Make your custom gis, patches and rashguards at our dedicated BJJ Globetrotters factory |
| | | It can be a mess to try and find a manufacturer of BJJ gear that you can trust on quality, delivery and attention to detail.
You can burn a lot of money going through samples from the many thousands of factories in Asia, trying to find one that will provide you with the product as you’ve imagined it. We know, because we’ve been through it all, ourselves! |
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