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BJJ Globetrotters Newsletter // November 2016
Dear Globetrotters,

So, I'm finally here. This is the first newsletter I'm writing from my new home in Saint Barthélemy, French West Indies. I've been here for little over a week and starting to get settled. Training already started and I'm excited about building up the new HQ academy here. I've always really enjoyed having visitors almost weekly in my gym back in Copenhagen and I hope some people will come here to visit as well. You're always welcome on and off the mats and I promise to pick you up in the airport and show you around.

It took me a little while to get internet up and running but now I got my little office set up (in the kitchen for now), I'm working hard on next year's camps. Leuven and Copenhagen summer camps are already announced, but I have much, much more up my sleeve for the season. More to be announced soon :)

Have a fantastic day,

What you'll find in this month's newsletter:

  • Yes, of course you can train BJJ in Kazakhstan!
  • Facebook group interviews Christian about move to Caribbean
  • Borrow a surfing van in Australia. For free!
  • Globetrotters Academy in focus: Global Grapplers, Durban, South Africa
  • Free travel offers from Matsurfing.org
New white rashguard model now in stock

Yes, of course you can train BJJ in Kazakhstan!

"I like to compare the feeling of rolling to the childhood feelings when I played a game console"
Migel Mamyrbayev, Kazakhstan Top Team

BJJ in Kazakhstan
It’s probably not big news to you being a member of the BJJ Globetrotters that our sport is spreading across the globe. It’s hard to come across a country without BJJ, and if you watch the stream of inquiries and answers in the Globetrotters facebook-group you’ll be amazed to see the many more or less remote places with BJJ.

Recently we picked up a request from Kazakhstan where a local gym was looking for a resident black belt to come and teach for a couple of months. We figured Kazakhstan would be one of the places you are less likely to travel to, but certainly a place with a lot of adventure greeting you if you actually travelled there.

So we contacted Migel who posted the mentioned request to dig a little deeper and find out more about Kazakhstan and what it has to offer a BJJ-traveller.
Hi Migelito,

Let’s start out with some quick facts about you…

Well, my real name is Migel Mamyrbayev :-) I use an alias for Facebook. But I don’t mind when friends call me Migelito.

Age: 34
Belt: still white with 4 thin stripes.
Profession: mechanical engineer, MBA (U of Aberdeen).
How many years in BJJ: 3 years 7 months. Although, last 7 months I am out of the training process since got injured – ACL broke.
Other martial arts: none.
Where do you live: Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Where are you originally from: Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Other fun or curious information you would like to share: an entrepreneur, Atlant who is shrugging, positive thinker, traveler, life-in-every-breath-discoverer.
Alright Migel, I’d think Kazakhstan is a country most people have heard about, but a place not many know too much about, and most likely even fewer have visited. In a few sentences, what is Kazakhstan?

Kazakhstan is a big country (from land massive point of view) in Central Asia, however, it has a relatively small population, which is about 16 million people. 

The country’s economy is heavily based on hydrocarbon reserves, though government puts a lot of effort to diversify the nation’s industry. I love Kazakhstan for its beautiful landscape with different kinds of nature, a rich history of the Kazakh nation and bright future that we are looking into.
Beautiful indeed...we managed to find some astonishing pictures that we included here - it really is a marvellous nature you have there. And then you have BJJ too! How did BJJ arrive in Kazakhstan?

Well, I would say that those who first learned about the existence of BJJ saw it in the first UFC fights. God bless Royce Gracie! It was no less than four people that started developing BJJ in this country probably at the same time, somewhere about 2005 - 2007. They are all the leaders of 4 main BJJ academies in Kazakhstan now: the Kazakhstan Top Team, the Gracie Barra Kazakhstan, the Alliance Kazakhstan and the Bars Checkmat Kazakhstan. Some of them came to BJJ through grappling, other via judo background and one came from capoeira.
When I think of Central Asia and sports I instantly think wrestling! We have seen a lot of Kazakhs, Uzbeks, Georgians, Checheyns (and forgive me if I forget some :-) ) in the Olympic wrestling brackets. How is the relation between BJJ and your traditional grappling traditions?
It’s friendly, as far as I know. I think it’s common for BJJ community to be open minded and friendly. This is why athletes from wrestling, grappling or other sports are very welcome to improve their parterre game in the Kazakhstan Top Team academies. We have four at the moment.

What are your ambitions for BJJ in Kazakhstan?
I would love to see it spreading all over the country. I believe we have a huge potential for BJJ growth here as our people are crazy about doing sports - especially martial arts. Currently we only have BJJ in a few big cities of the country, but I hope that in the next 5-7 years it will have seeped into other cities and towns of Kazakhstan. At the moment we have an official Kazakhstan federation of BJJ that helps to develop the martial art, supports competitions etc.  
As an observer of and participant in the BJJ community that’s growing in Kazakhstan, what do you think attract athletes to BJJ - and yourself?
Oh, it is a question that is not easy to answer. I ask myself all the time – what is it that’s so unique about BJJ that attract so many people all over the world not only in Kazakhstan. I would say it is the atmosphere of the sport that grabs people’s attention first. I do not know what other martial art community would be so glad to see a newcomer. Especially in our country. Then, there is the martial art itself: I like to compare the feeling of rolling to the childhood feelings when I played a game console – I could do it for ages, it was so thrilling. I mean, techniques, game plans, tactics, strength and definitely the smartness of a player - everything is meaningful and might play to your advantage. After that, there is the philosophy of the martial art: respect all fear no one, the strong hierarchy in the dojo, everything is about self-defense not aggression, a smaller and weaker person can stand up against a bigger and stronger bully – these basic things absolutely coincide with the values of our nation as we respect elders and appreciate courage. Also, it is a positive lifestyle and life attitude of jiu-jitsu community that inoculate local athletes against the hardships of life. Together with all stated I would mention the BJJ attributes as well: strong muscular bodies, cool and solid looking gis, different colors of belts, snapbacks, cauliflower years.

It perfectly contributes to my process of creating a “better me”. Through BJJ I understand more about respect of others, modesty, patience, goal-achievement, and consistency in thoughts, words and actions. I used to play tennis, do horseback-riding, swimming a lot, jogging a lot, and snowboarding, but from March 2013 - the date I discovered BJJ - I spent all my free time on the mats; I will do other sports activities only if they help me improve my balance for jiu-jitsu, my cardio for jiu-jitsu, my strength for jiu-jitsu or in other ways improve my jiu-jitsu.
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters planning to visit Kazakhstan what would it be?
The best choice is definitely Almaty. The city surrounded with beautiful mountains, full of green trees, parks and cosy streets. People are awesome here: friendly, supportive and modern. Any kind of cuisine can be found here and it will be delicious! Any thickness of wallet will work for you in the city. You will be warmly welcomed in any of the more than 10 BJJ academies of Almaty. There are two local brown belts, several purple belts and lots of blues and whites are available in three or four open-mats of the city. Open-mats are free of charge. Unlimited training is as cheap as 40 us dollars per month. In the Kazakhstan Top Team we usually have an invited black belt who coaches the team. And yes, we are open for collaborations.

Thanks, Migel, and good luck to you and the BJJ community in Kazakhstan! If you want to visit, or learn more about the opportunities, you can find Migel here
Two spots left for our next Beach Camp in El Salvador!
Our Facebook group interviews Christian Graugart about his move to the Caribbean
Following Christian - and BJJ Globetrotters - recent move to Saint Barth, we asked people in our popular Facebook group to ask any questions they might have about it. There were a few more than expected, but Christian tried to answer as many as possible. Here they are in random order - enjoy :)
What inspired you to move to St Barth?
Nothing really, it was just an opportunity that dropped in my lap and I went with it. I’ve always had a dream of trying to live somewhere else, to experience a different life than the one where I was randomly born. For most of my life I didn’t think it would ever realistically happen, but about 4 years back I decided to really turn my focus more towards making these things happen. That included trying to create a non-location dependent income, own less stuff, learn to want fewer things, create savings and long-term investments etc. I also sold my gym in Copenhagen last year as a part of the master plan of moving on and not being tied to one place. And almost like it was planned, I was offered an apartment in Saint Barth shortly after I had been there for the camp last year. Everything was already in place, I just needed to make the actual decision to go.

What's been the hardest thing about the move?
Apart from all the physical and practical work of getting rid of everything, selling an apartment, preparing the move and actually moving, taking my 3-year old son away from his family and friends has been a really difficult. It’s really hard to not know if you’re doing the best for your children and making a decision that makes him sad is very hard. It would have been much easier and safer to stay at home. Of course, it is with a hope that it will pay off in the long run, which I am sure it will, otherwise we would never have made the move.
How has it been adjusting to life in St Barth?
I’ve only been here for little over a week so maybe it’s a bit early to answer. But, as planned, I am being forced to live a much slower life. Things take time here. I can’t get everything I want the moment I want it. Internet is slow and expensive. The supermarket is often sold out of the stuff I want to buy because of problems with the boat. Many businesses are open a few hours before noon and maybe a few hours in the afternoon if they feel like it. There’s no public transportation (people hitchhike) and no street names. Receiving mail is a complicated process of being on a waiting list for a mailbox at the post office in town or finding the postman and letting him know you are expecting something, then explaining to him where you live.

I loved the fast paced life back home, but it was also really hard on me. I’ve started to show signs of stress and my brain is buzzing from constantly being connected, online and working. Here, I am forced to slow down. Time feels different here and I think it’s going to be a really healthy change for me. I tried really hard at home to disconnect now and then but it was too difficult. I always had high speed internet, emails, to do lists, facebook and all my work in my pocket and I’ve come to think that it’s maybe not necessarily a good thing.

What were the most difficult things about leaving behind CSA, your regular training partners for many years, and Copenhagen?
Everything about that is difficult. I have so many good friends there, many of them who I have trained with close to half of my life. The training in Copenhagen is also the ultimate fitness for me - I get the most amazing, hard and technical rolls there with people I trust to go 100% with. So yes, I miss my friends there very much, but I know I’ll be back one day and they’ll still be on those mats.
What's it like to start training at the new Globetrotters HQ?
I like it. The level here is still low but there is a lot of potential. These guys have mostly gotten their input from visitors who have probably been teaching them their favorite moves. I think what they need now is someone to guide them through everything from scratch; all the basics and all the little details. To create a solid foundation of posture and mechanical understanding of Jiu Jitsu. So I’m starting them all over from bottom up and hopefully I will have a fantastic team of people to roll with here in some time.

How is the internet on the island?
Terrible.

What advice would you give a fellow Globetrotter who is planning to visit the new HQ. What can they hope to expect on the island and with the locals?
Shoot me an email and I’ll set you up. Training is free and we can arrange very affordable accommodation right next to the gym near beach, airport and supermarket for up to 12 days (publicly funded dorms, their rules). You’ll love it here, just get that ticket. I’ll pick you up in the airport.

Are you finding those luscious curls and locks harder to maintain in the hot weather ?
I brought a lot of products.
What did do to prepare for the move? And what advice would you give to someone who wants to do something similar?
First step was to make long (loooong) term plans for designing a life that would allow such a move. When the opportunity actually came, there was a ton of work to be done. I spend almost a year’s work in total before I actually got here. I think the best advice is to remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. This is something that I have worked towards for a long time and not just a decision that was made a few months ago, turning my life 180 degrees and going for it.

How do u see this camp/academy in 10 years??
I have no idea :)

Aren't you afraid of Pirates taking over your gym?
Constantly.

What was your motivation for the move?
Apart from the obvious of being able to skip the dark, Scandinavian winter, there wasn’t really any specific motivation other than I know I would hate myself if I didn’t at least gave it a shot now I had the opportunity. Didn’t want to look back and say (or tell my kids) I played safe and didn’t try.
How has this move impacted your training and thoughts on your own progress, and are you supplementing anything to keep active?
I definitely don’t have access to the same level of training partners and sparring here as I have at home. But personally, I think that progress is an illusion; there are always someone better or worse than me, so I don’t really care in which direction my level is heading, as long as I enjoy it every single time I step on the mat. I hope I’ll be able to pick up surfing more here, but apart from that I don’t have any plans other than Jiu Jitsu. In a few weeks I have 50 people visiting here for our camp and roughly once a month, I’ll be traveling to a camp where I have plenty of people all level to roll with, so I can’t really complain.

What's the beer like over there?
I’ve only seen one local beer, which I haven’t tried, but apart from that, it’s pretty good. The supermarket have a surprisingly large selection of speciality beer and I’m currently drinking a late night Belgian blonde beer on my terrasse that I remembered from the Summer Camp. Fair prices too.

Is there anything you miss or wish you could have taken with you when leaving Copenhagen?
Family and friends.

Are the guys at your gym locals who live in St. Barth year-round or are they mostly visitors?
It’s a mix. There are a lot of people who come here for the winter to work. The season starts next week so I’m sure we’re gonna have a bunch of people joining the training then. Already had a few messages on my Facebook and invited them to come by next week.

Does "starting up" this gym remind you at all of when you first started coaching at CSA, back in the day?
Not really. Back then I was myself a complete beginner who happened to be teaching. I have been teaching beginner classes ever since, so I’m pretty much just continuing that. I don’t own the gym here, and have no plans to do so either, so that makes things even more simple for me.
How is your normal day? Morning to evening.
Up until now it’s mostly been putting together furniture and driving around the island constantly to get little things I didn’t realize I needed.

Aren't you afraid of starting to feel stuck on a small island like that after some time?
Yes. That’s why you’ll see plenty of camps next year haha

Are you teaching in French now? If so do they accept/use the English terms or are they translating stuff like guard, armbar...?
I teach in English but is putting an effort into learning French and I mix it up as much as my level allows in the classes. I think learning the language is absolute key to make my stay here a success.

What are you going to do with all those beanies and warm clothes from Copenhagen now?
All donated to second hand stores. I have no idea what I’m going to wear for the Winter Camp in Austria in two months.

How did you sort the visa for Saint Barth? Residents visa on Caribbean islands always seem to come with requirements for being a millionaire.
Saint Barth is French and thereby part of EU. No visa needed, I can stay and work as long as I like.

What difficulties did u face once u arrived?
Getting set up here is probably more work than I had imagined. I did manage to buy a car in three days, but there is so much stuff that needs to be done before I can really call this a home. It’s getting there day by day though and I’m sure in a few weeks it will all just be every day life here.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I have no idea what so ever.
What have been some of the hardest parts of doing business in multiple countries around the world?
Trying to think about something, but I honestly don’t feel like it’s been hard at all. Just gotta find the right people to work with and they always seem to present themselves at camps.

Why do you wanted to move out of Denmark?
I didn’t. I loved living in Denmark and Copenhagen is probably the one city in the world of all I’ve visited that I would most like to live in. I just got the opportunity to try something else and jumped on it. I can always go back.

Why did you exactly choose this place and not another island or even another country in another continent?
It chose me. I could have been sitting anywhere right now and writing this interview if it was another opportunity that came first.

How's your French?
Getting there. Been taking classes over the summer and being here, exposed to the language really speeds things up, it feels. My friends here are very helpful and I want to learn, so it’s exciting.
What has been the biggest surprise so far, or something that was completely not like you expected or were prepared for?
This is my fourth year on the island so I know it pretty well and there hasn’t really been any surprises. But I probably hadn’t thought much about just how fantastic it is to sit outside every evening in shorts, listen to the sounds from the little jungle in front of me, look at the stars and work on my laptop. This is the best office I’ve ever had, love it.

How is your action point of creating a BJJ globetrotters airline progressing?
I’ve actually created a t-shirt logo/design for an (imaginary) BJJ Globetrotters Airways, so I guess that’s the first step!
The new BJJ Globetrotters HQ is always open for visitors and training is free. Shoot Christian an email on graugart@gmail.com if you wanna visit!
One spot left for our Caribbean Island camp this month!
Borrow this surfing van in Australia for free. Yes, really!
Are you looking for a spontaneous adventure over Christmas? 
Or are you by any chance in the vicinity of Brisbane and looking for a surfing van?

Well, here it is! Globetrotters community member Damien is an absolute gentleman offering you to borrow his awesome van for free. Yes, free!
"I am heading back to USA in a few weeks till April and will be leaving my newly registered van in Brisbane Australia. If there is anyone planning an Australian summer vacation, the van will be available for use from November 12 till late January when another globetrotter gypsy will be using it. 

No rental as such, just coverage of the rego/third party insurance pro rata'd for the time used... Roughly $120AUD/month.
If you have strong ties in the globetrotter community, no need for safety deposit or whatever..."


**fine print
- in the event that you crash it, hooker rules apply.. i.e. you f**k it you pay for it.
- in the event that you write it off beyond repair, you owe me $2000AUD
- if it breaks down, you get it towed to either Yamba NSW or Brisbane QLD (so plan your travel with this in mind)
- it's got 400,000kms on the clock already so not keen on it being used for major trips around Australia, but as much reasonable travel as you want is fine... (Who wants to go north past the Sunshine Coast or south past Yamba anyway)
- it runs fine, has sleeping mats in the back, dog not included!

BJJ Globetrotters affiliated Academy in Focus: Global Grapplers, Durban, South Africa
"In the cold Winters we substitute T-shirts for a thicker T-shirt and might occasionally keep our short pants in the drawer and slip on a pair of jeans. Open shoes or slip on shoes are still worn without question"
Darryl Fought, Owner of Global Grapplers

In this month’s version of Featured Globetrotters Gym we are going to South Africa to visit Global Grapplers. The gym is based in the historic Greyville Race Course, home of the Famous Durban July Handicap, Durban South Africa and focuses on both Gi and No Gi grappling. The gym is run by Darryl Fought.


Name: Darryl Faught
Age: 46
Belt: Brown
Profession: instructor
How many years in BJJ: 15 yrs
Other martial arts: Bjj, judo and boxing
Where do you live: Durban South Africa
Where are you originally from: South African born and bred.
Hi Darryl, thanks for telling us and your fellow globetrotters about your gym. Could you tell us a bit about the place you live?
Durban is known as the sunshine capital of South Africa. In the cold Winters we substitute T-shirts for a thicker T-shirt and might occasionally keep our short pants in the drawer and slip on a pair of jeans. 

Open shoes or slip on shoes are still worn without question. We have the warm Indian Ocean feeding our shores resulting in an abundance of sea life. 

A true Durbanite has the beach in their blood, and has surfed, sailed, dived, fished and basically tried anything involving our unique Ocean.
Tell us about the gym and its members
We have a relatively small Jits class roughly 20 students. There are 4 blue belts and loads of whites. I'm very strict on grading and scholars have to do the time before they earn a belt.

The students at our academy are awesome to say the least. Zero attitudes. We have loads of ladies who train with us too. I think this an indication in itself of how relaxed and fun the atmosphere is. Some students train for the few competition we have here. Most just enjoy the training and ability to move their bodies.

But Jiu jitsu is still in its infancy in Durban. It is beginning to take off. Loads of facebook marketing helps promote the sport. I have been training Jits for 15 years and haven't really graded. I hold a brown belt under Micah Atkinson.

What’s the story about the gym then - how did it all start?
The gym opened when Micah Aitkinson, my mentor, left South Africa to live in London. We lost contact for a time and I joined the 10th Planet brotherhood under Eddie Bravo. It was really awesome, however the Rand - which is the South African currency - kept weakening and I was unable to maintain the Affiliation costs. Luckily I managed to reconnect with Micah Atkinson in the UK and the rest is history.

The Jits club changed names from 10th Planet Durban to Global Grapplers 2 years ago. It's relatively new but the students make the club. We have loads of fun and enjoy Jits.
What are some of the challenges running a BJJ gym?
I think the hardest challenge is trying to educate people about Jits. It's not only about competing in mma or Bjj competitions. It's about a way of life. Keeping fit, becoming flexible, keeping our joints lubricated and most importantly it's a place where you can go to clear your mind of the day to day stresses and go home feeling relaxed.

Bjj is definitely the way forward regarding health and fitness. I think the more people know and understand the sport the more will become interested.

What would you recommend Globetrotters to see in your area apart from the inside of your gym?
Durban offers so much. Besides a beach destination people can travel along the northern coast and enjoy Safaris. Traveling inland people can hike in the mountain ranges or enjoy scenic horse rides.

Thanks, Darryl, sounds like Durban has a lot to offer any adventurous traveler from the Globetrotters community. Get in touch with Darryl by email and Facebook.
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Free travel offers from Matsurfing.org
Every month in this newsletter, we'll be bringing a few of the interesting travel destinations offered by Matsurfing.org. The rest will be published seperately in the monthly Matsurfing email. If you are interested in opening up your own home and/or academy to BJJ travelers, sign up on www.matsurfing.org!

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Oakland, California
Host: Ben Kovacs
Contact email: ben@guardiangym.org
Can host: 1-2

The host: Practicing BJJ for 10 years. Started at the Yamasaki Academy in Washington D.C. before moving to California and training at Ralph Gracie. Opened up www.GuardianGym.org in December 2015. 34 years old, male.

The place: about 10 minutes from downtown Oakland & Downtown Berkeley and also 10 minutes to closes bart (subway) station. 25 minute drive into San Francisco. Cannot have a rental car at the house. No parking. Must use public transportation. 

The training: Tons of schools in the area, including Free or donation based training at Guardian Gym

The accommodation: Sometimes I have an apartment unit open. Sometimes its just couch/floor

Glasgow, Scotland
Host: Cristiana & Giles
Contact email: ct053@yahoo.co.uk
Can accommodate: Between 2 & 4 depending on how happy you are to share the double airbeds.

The host: Giles and I are, of course, Jiu Jitsu fiends. Giles has been training since late 2007 and is a purple belt, while I started at the end of 2012 and I'm a blue belt. I would describe his style as explosive, plus he's so flexible to make his guard nigh on impossible to pass. He describes my style as lazy-sweepy (I'm not sure if to take that as a compliment or not).
We are pretty laid back and super informal, I'm studying nursing while he runs the IT department of a claims management company.
He's a socialist and I'm a raging feminist - I think that covers it.

The place: Glasgow is the biggest city in Scotland, it has some amazing architecture and great access to the more rural areas such as highlands & islands via train and bus. While Edinburgh (50 min by train) is known for its castle and fringe festival, Glasgow takes the Scottish crown for live music, restaurants and shops.
For the culture vultures there are museums, galleries and landmarks aplenty!

The training: I train in a multi Art School 20 mins by car away. We have BJJ twice a week. But we have more globetrotters in a near schools by car which I'd happily visit with you and in Marburg we can sneak into the university BJJ three times a week.

The accommodation: We train with Marcos Nardini at MNBJJ Scotland http://mnbjjscotland.co.uk - Marcos was given his blackbelt 11 years ago by Amal Easton in Colorado. He teaches classes in Glasgow, Hillington, Kilmarnock and Coatbridge, all between 10 and 30 min drive from the flat. On top of the classes most of the guys in Kilmarnock have keys to the gym and everyone is always willing to go in for extra rolling/drilling out of hours.


Rosario City, Argentina
Host: Ezequiel Mas
Contact email: academia.kaeshi@gmail.com
Can accommodate: 1

The host: I'm BJJ Black Belt second degree, under Professor Saldanha from Gracie Barra Florianopolis. I'm the head instructor of Gracie Barra Rosario, in Argentina.

The place: Rosario City is third city of Argentina. 350km away from Buenos Aires is the hometown of the mythical CHE Guevara. Rosario have one of the majors Universities of the countrie and is famous for is cultural and night live.

The training: The academy offers BJJ Classes everyday, under the programs of gracie barra, with fundamentals, focus on self defense and basiics of bjj, and advanced with more focus on competition. Also we offer muay thai classes every day.

The accommodation: I have a free room in my house, one block away from the academy
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