Archive for month: August, 2020

Agnes Lisik – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: Master 2

Belt: Blue, Icon BJJ (Pablo Cerino’s team in Brussels)

Profession: I’m a translator by training, but I worked in different jobs in my life, including fishmonger, journalist and currently, policy advisor in an environmental NGO.

How many years in BJJ: 3

Other martial arts: My first martial art love was Capoeira. I trained it regularly for about 3 years. I love how expressive it is, and how deep its cultural roots are. Now, I’ve just started historical fencing (HEMA) and picked up a sword thanks to having met a brand new bunch of martial art fanatics.

Thanks to that experience, and Ruadhán MacFadden’s podcast about our common grappling heritage, I start to discover how martial arts influence each other, and that everything is connected: wrestling, boxing, fencing… I hope to live long enough to take up boxing, and maybe even some MMA in the future, inshallah!

Where do you live: Brussels

Where are you originally from: Poland

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: Originally, I left my country for a mere five-month Erasmus student exchange in Spain. Now, it’s been 14 years living abroad and counting. I’m a migrant by default.

Agnes Lisik BJJ

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
Travelling is a way of life these days, be it for work or leisure. The world has shrunk so much! So far, I’ve lived in 3 countries, and visited around 30, mostly in Europe, which I love.

BJJ Globetrotters taught me to bring the gi with me wherever I go. I’ve visited different BJJ academies in Poland (Lodz, Gdansk), USA (Baltimore, Miami), Iceland (Reykjavik, Keflavik), Belgium (Brussels, Leuven), the Netherlands (Oss -sic!), Portugal (Ericeira), Spain (Vigo), the UK (London)… I usually travel solo and often I’m the only girl training in the club (never had an issue because of it).

Recently, I found out that a BJJ club is now present even in my home town of 30,000 people in the south of Poland. It’s impressive how much the Gentle Art is expanding.

Tell us about your most recent trip and your upcoming trips – where have you been and where are you going?
Almost all my holidays (and money ;) I spend on BJJ or other martial arts. I’ve just been to the BJJ Globetrotters Summer Camp in Heidelberg, Germany. On the first week of September, I organized a boot camp myself for 30 HEMA fencers in Stara Wies Dojo in Poland, the wonderful venue many Globetrotters know from Zen Camp. The HEMA community is awesome, but I think they need more integration and international exchange opportunities, like Globetrotters already do.

I have a Wanderlust syndrome, so I plan the next adventure even before my return journey. And I usually feel relieved only with a new ticket in my pocket and a new travel entry in my calendar. Next on my radar are weekend trips to Lithuania, Malta, and the beautiful Rhine Valley in Germany, full of castles and vineyards that I’ve recently discovered and keep coming back to in autumn.

Agnes Lisik BJJ

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
I like the initially unpleasant and anxious thrill of stepping out of my comfort zone. It’s getting more and more difficult as time goes by, because with age we get more lazy, cozy, and comfy, but as long as you don’t kill that curiousity and thrill in yourself, you feel truly alive.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
Last year I was in Iceland twice. I couldn’t wait for summer camp, so I visited already in wintertime, as a stopover on the way to the US. In February, I got caught in a blizzard somewhere in the woods between Perlan museum and Mjölnir MMA gym. I thought that if I was going to die there alone and freeze to death in the dark, maybe some Globetrotter would find my body and gi in July. But I survived and got my daily BJJ dose. In that week, I went from training in subarctic Iceland to subtropical Miami.

Another crazy idea was when Robert Barker stayed at my place in Brussels on his Panda Odyssey, and then I spontaneously decided to join complete strangers on a quest to London to roll 24h at a charity Grappleton at Wave BJJ.

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
We are one. Whatever our nationality, religion, profession, political views, gender, etc., and whatever they say on the media in this polarized world, we are all just a bunch of naked apes who like to eat, roll, play, sleep, repeat. It’s also surprising how much we underestimate body language, whereas it’s the most natural way to communicate. BJJ for me was a way to reconnect with my own body, and at the same time notice that most of people don’t know their own bodies at all; they only use their most basic functions and fear getting physical in so many ways.

For me, BJJ creates a true community and real sense of belonging: we have the same goal and our own corporal language and common understanding: slap hands, bump fists and roll, then try to submit and not let yourself be submitted. BJJ, like any other serious martial art, I think, teaches a lot of respect and humility. We can potentially hurt our partners or get injured ourselves, so with such a “superpower” comes a big responsibility for the others. The Gentle Art taught me discipline, put a structure and purpose to my messy life, and healthily humiliates my ego and challenges my self-limitations on a daily basis.

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
I’ve been using Skyscanner.net for years to map the best flight options, although I like travelling by train best and I try to do that more often. For accommodation, I use Booking.com – a very handy app that allows even last-minute decisions, although sometimes you can negotiate better rates if you call the property directly. Airbnb or couch surfing never really worked for me, because I don’t like to be dependent on others and their schedule. I am a highly functioning introvert moving at my own pace, so I appreciate single rooms and anonymity of hotels. I need privacy to recharge and prepare for my exhausting supernova blasts of social activity.

I used to get obsessed with planning my trips, whereas now I only plan “the anchors”: where I fly from/to and where I am going to stay on the first and last night. I like to keep “controlled spontaneity” and improvise in between those key points. I don’t plan what to see anymore – I got too overwhelmed and didn’t enjoy it anymore – except if there are any specific landmarks on my bucket list. I like just to wander around and absorb the genus loci, turn down the street that appeals to me most, and see how the place and me connect, and what mini-adventures spark in between. The cities where I was hit by such magic the most were Zurich, A Coruña, Valencia, and Zadar. I have a good sense of orientation and a radar in my head, so it’s difficult for me to get lost, but I try to make the path curvy enough to discover sidetracks.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Don’t listen to others’ advice, check it out yourself ;) But if you really have to:

Always go full mental and don’t bother what others would say. Notice the beauty around you, even the little miracles, and let yourself be amazed, absorb, and appreciate it. Don’t miss the opportunity to do new stuff, because it may never present itself again, whether it’s a chance to train Icelandic wrestling (Glima), Irish Collar & Elbow, or try new dance, love, food or drink. The worst thing is to regret not having done something.

Thank you Agnes Lisik BJJ for doing this interview!

Jacek Klimko – BJJ Globetrotters

Age: 36

Belt: White

Profession: Yoga teacher, massage therapist, writer

How many years in BJJ: One

Other martial arts: Some Aikido when I was young. When I grew disillusioned with it, I took up Krav Maga… which proved to be quite similar to Aikido, but more violent.

Where do you live: Swansea, Wales

Where are you originally from: Poland

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I once spent over 3 years travelling the world on my motorcycle.

Jacek Klimko BJJ

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
Working in the corporate world could have had only two effects on me:
1. Send me mad
2. Make me want to do something more interesting with my life
Luckily, the latter happened first.

Tell us about your most recent trip and your upcoming trips – where have you been and where are you going?
Most recently, I spent 6 months in Asia. On this occasion, it was all about learning. First, I spent 2 months in Thailand learning the art of Thai massage. Next was Bali. I travelled to this beautiful island to develop my yoga practice. Finally, after two months of intensive practice, I travelled to India to qualify as a yoga teacher.

I’d love to go to Japan next. I used to travel mainly to see interesting places and to meet people from different cultures. Now I seek experiences. So for example, if I were to go to Japan, I’d want to immerse myself in the culture, in this case by training kendo, judo, or learning to do raku pottery.

Jacek Klimko BJJ

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
I’ve always believed that travelling should be challenging, either physically or mentally; that it should be an opportunity to face your own limitations, fears, and prejudices; to challenge who you are and shake the foundation of your being.

I travel to return a different person; more able, open minded, trusting, caring, connected with other people (both in their joys but also in their sorrows)… simply a better me.

More conventionally, I really enjoy tasting local dishes.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
It must be waking up at 4 am in Darjeeling in Northern India and seeing the rising sun over Kangchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. The view was magnificent, like molten gold pouring over the peaks.

What was even more special about this experience was the fact that just one week before I almost gave up on travelling in India and went home. In Kolkata I got sick and spent an entire week between my bed and toilet. Add to that other numerous frustrations that I experienced around that time, and my spirit was near-broken. I got what I wanted, a challenge, and I couldn’t take it.

Georges St-Pierre said it well:

“You don’t get better on the days when you feel like going. You get better on the days when you don’t want to go on, but you go anyway. If you can overcome the negative energy coming from your tired body or unmotivated mind, you will grow and become better. It won’t be the best workout you have, you won’t accomplish as much as what you usually do when you actually feel good, but that doesn’t matter. Growth is a long-term game, and the crappy days are more important.”

These were indeed “crappy days”, but I persevered, and I’m so happy I did – because what I saw just a few days later in Darjeeling was more than worth it. In a way, I feel that this make or break experience made me through breaking me.

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
One day, when travelling through northern Iraq on our motorcycle, my wife and I stopped by the side of the road to cook. Soon, curious about this unusual sight, a small crowd of people materialised around us. Everyone was welcoming and friendly, so we enjoyed a bit of company. Once it was ready, we shared our simple dish. When we were ready to leave, one of them, Abbas, asked us to come with him to his house. We accepted. After spending a few hours with Abbas and his family, we felt it was time to leave. We were planning on reaching the next town that same day, but when asked to stay overnight, we happily accepted the offer. A few hours later, when it came to sleeping, we were given a mattress and some blankets, and were shown where to sleep.

Just before hitting the pillow, we realised that we’d been given the only room in the house, and the entire family had gone to sleep outside on the concrete. We couldn’t believe it. Their hospitality was unprecedented; they went out of their way, giving their house and comforts away, just to make us feel welcome.

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
Having left my job to travel the world indefinitely, budget had to be a serious consideration. Travelling on a motorcycle proved to be a perfect solution. It gave us freedom and adventure, but also allowed us to save a lot of money. We’d cook our own food whenever possible, sleep at least a few nights a week camping wild or couchsurfing. Also, travelling slow proved to work to our advantage. We’d rent rooms or even entire apartments, sometimes for months at a time (for example, we had a flat in Batumi, Georgia for close to 4 months). This way, we could make friends and really get to know the area, and at the same time live on a tiny budget.

Later we discovered house sitting, which within just a couple of years we used more than 30 times. We house sat in Thailand (almost 2 months), north Wales, Scotland, and many other attractive destinations.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Always go with the flow. Be kind, be easy going, be considerate.

Thank you Jacek Klimko BJJ for doing this interview!

Heather Raftery BJJ

Age: 33

Belt: Black

Profession: Freelancer

How many years in BJJ: 11 in January!

Other martial arts: Doughjitsu – the art of sneaking into the freezer at night and picking out all the cookie dough pieces from ice cream container while everyone is sleeping.

Where do you live: Mother Earth

Where are you originally from: Tucson, Arizona (USA)

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I’ve lived in a VW bus for nearly two cumulative years (total, with breaks here and there), which I painted myself and named Bonnie Clyde. I’m currently staying in it for a month while training in San Diego, preparing for No-Gi Worlds. I used to ride horses competitively in an equestrian sport called “cutting” (my dad is a horse trainer and former professional bull rider) and I was once a world champion in that. Hung up my spurs in college and then started wrasslin’ people. I have two fur babies: Mr. Fleabags and Gooby the Goblin Hunter.

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
Growing up riding horses, we always traveled to other states to compete. When I started training Jiu Jitsu, it was more of the same. In college, I discovered my love for traveling internationally – visiting new, exotic places and experiencing cultures wildly different, and yet in many ways remarkably similar to my own. Luckily, I started Jiu Jitsu at a time when it had already found roots in most major cities around the world, so my gi and rashie always had a place in my travel bag, wherever I went.

Tell us about your most recent trip and your upcoming trips – where have you been and where are you going?
I’ve trained Jiu Jitsu on six continents (Antarctica, I’m coming for you!). My most recent international trip was to Thailand to reunite with one of my very first training partners, Alex Schild, now a Jiu Jitsu coach at Tiger Muay Thai. From there I went straight to Australia, where I trained for over a week with Lachlan and Livia Giles and their awesome (and hilarious team) at Absolute MMA. Then I was guest instructor at the incredible 4-day Australian Girls in Gis camp, put on by my good friend Jess Fraser, at a real campsite waaaaay out in the boonies with no Wi-Fi. In all, it was definitely one of the funnest trips of my life. I’m hoping to plan a U.S. road trip in the Bonnie Clyde for 2020. I want to try to see as much of my home country as I can (though I’m sure I’ll break down and get stranded half a dozen times).

Heather Raftery BJJ

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
The excitement of not knowing what’s around the next bend, what you’ll be doing that day and the next, or who you’ll meet along the way. It’s cliche, but every day really is an adventure. You become addicted to that cocktail of adrenaline and dopamine. And with traveling, not only do you escape the mundane, but also the comfort of a predictable routine, both of which stunt personal and spiritual growth.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
There have been several times in my Jiu Jitsu travels that I’ve become incredibly close to a group of fellow practitioners, despite the relatively short time I was there. For instance, several years ago when I was a purple belt, my work sent me to Colombia for about a month, where I trained at Affinity Colombia in Bogotá. They were some of the most warm and welcoming group of people I’ve ever come across, from the very second I stepped on the mats. Even to this day I still receive lovely messages from my Colombian family. This has happened several other times, around the U.S. and internationally; where I’ve met people that I instantly connect with, despite any cultural differences or language barriers. Some I could swear that I’ve met in a past life.

Heather Raftery BJJ

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
I’m continually amazed at how much people will go out of their way to help a complete stranger. In this day and age, it’s easy to get discouraged about the fate of the human race, but traveling renews your belief in humanity.

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
Absolutely. The less I have to spend on the nuts and bolts of traveling (airfare, transport, accommodations), the more I can spend on the experiences. Of course, #vanlife is probably the most budget you can get, but unless I have unlimited time to get there (the Bonnie Clyde’s top speed is 55mph/88.5kmh), it’s not the most convenient at times. If I’m traveling internationally, I usually try to get the cheapest tickets I can… risking multiple, long layovers, red-eye flights, and traveling on low-demand days. I also try to tap into the local Jiu Jitsu community wherever I’m going, as a kind-hearted jiujiteiro will usually offer rides and sometimes accommodation. If that happens, I always try my best to repay the favor in whatever way I can.

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Be up for anything, and don’t sweat the small stuff. When you’re up for anything, you’ll always come home with the best stories to tell. As for the second part, shit will always happen when you’re traveling. That’s the nature of the beast. Learning to recognize them as small bumps in the road will keep you from expending unnecessary emotion and energy worrying or getting upset about them, and help you become a more flexible, easy-going traveler… and a more zen human being.

Heather Raftery BJJ

 

Stevie Antoniou

Age: 24

Belt: Black

Profession: Freelance photographer and filmmaker

How many years in BJJ: 8

Other martial arts: Nope

Where do you live: In Stockholm, but I’m traveling more than I’m at home. :)

Where are you originally from: Stockholm, Sweden

Other fun or curious information you would like to share: Parents are Greek/Irish and Swedish/Estonian.

Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
Honestly, I’ve always met inspiring people when traveling, and that’s what keeps me going. Combining it with Jiu Jitsu is perfect because you get to meet locals wherever you are and make friends in a matter of minutes of stepping on the mats.

Tell us about your most recent trip and your upcoming trips – where have you been and where are you going?
Well, if this year’s travel counts as recent then I have 17 trips to tell you about… Go to my Instagram for all that. These past two months I’ve been to France, Poland, Arizona, and Oregon. Currently in a hammock between two palm trees in the Caribbean. I’m in St. Barth for a month and then I’m going home just before Christmas. I’m heading to Asia in mid-January for a month or five. We’ll see haha

Stevie Antoniou

What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
The sense of adventure and the fact that I always learn a lot about myself. Whether it’s trying new things, exploring on my own, or meeting inspiring people with different views on life.

Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
Man, it doesn’t matter where in the world you are. Put on a gi and a smile and you are welcomed like family in most places. I was on a train in Portugal a few years ago and I was with my girlfriend at the time. We were there for a holiday and we definitely didn’t think to pack our gis. Before getting off the train, I see a poster with a quite famous face on it. Everything is in Portuguese so I can’t read what it says, but there’s a number on it. I call and find out that Royce Gracie is doing a two-day seminar that upcoming weekend. The guy says we are welcome to come, so we show up and it’s me, my girl, and 40 portuguese dudes. I was a blue belt at the time, and she had just started training. We didn’t have anything to train in, but after a day of asking around and searching everywhere for a gi, we found this guy who sold us two gis out of his trunk in a shady parking lot. When the first half of the seminar was finished, I’m talking to another participant and Royce joins the conversation and invites us to come to the beach with them. Long story short, we ended up hanging out with Royce Gracie and his friends that whole weekend. Beach trip, a few meals, and even the club haha. I can’t think of any other sport that this would happen in. Does the random guy who trains soccer get to go stand-up paddleboarding with Zlatan Ibrahimovic?

I have plenty of stories like this, but all I can say is that combining traveling and BJJ is an awesome time, and everyone should give it a shot.

 

Stevie Antoniou

What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
How easy it is! Once you get in to it the world isn’t as big and scary as you think.

Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
I like a bit of both. In general, I don’t spend a lot of money and try to find good value. I don’t mind spending €50 on a killer breakfast buffet every once in a while either though. When I’m at home and have a trip planned, I’m extra particular on not spending money on stupid things. Having something to look forward to keeps me motivated to save money for that specific trip. You don’t need that cigarette or caramel frappuccino with extra cream ;).

If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Just freaking go. Book that ticket, make that call. Whatever it is. Experience is more valuable than most paydays. I’ve never been on a trip that made me regret going or spending that money.

Photo by Stevie Antoniou