Featured Traveller: Mina Rauter – BJJ Globetrotters
Age: 34
Belt: Blue
Profession: Speech pathologist
How many years in BJJ: 3 years 6 months
Other martial arts: I did 4 years of kickboxing / Muay Thai before starting BJJ
Where do you live: I lived in Heidelberg (Germany) for 5 years until I quit my job, left my apartment, and started globetrotting. Currently I’m stranded in Hamburg because ‘Rona forced a decision.
Where are you originally from: Stuttgart, Germany
Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I have a sixth sense for Ezekiel chokes. I will start laughing before you get it.
Mina Rauter – BJJ training
Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
When I was a child, my family moved around a lot in the region of southern Germany, so I was always used to being some kind of nomad, exploring new areas and finding new friends. Travelling feels natural to me, and somehow it’s an addiction too. I’m always on the hunt for adventures and new things to explore. Training while travelling makes it a lot easier to find like-minded people to hang around with. I found a couple of my current best friends while travelling to Globetrotters camps :) And I love BJJ. Couldn’t think of a better way to spend my time.
Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
From February to April this year, I lived in Thailand, on the islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. In between that, I did some short trips to Cambodia and other islands nearby. Because of Corona, I decided to come back to Europe, since I didn’t want to be stuck somewhere far away in the world if something happened to my family. Now I’m in Germany/Europe with the option of always jumping in my car and driving home if necessary. I’m in Hamburg now, and I think it’s the perfect city to live through these pandemic times. If you compare southern and northern Germany, it’s like travelling to a foreign country – the people here are just different haha ;)
Mina Rauter – BJJ friends
What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
I’m a “slow traveller”. I want to get to know places and people deeply. I don’t like to just scratch the surface, and I’m not a fan of small talk. The things I highly appreciate while travelling are: meeting friends, having good conversations, a great vibe, a lot of nature around, delicious food, and high-level training options. Just like in Hamburg :) Also, in general travelling forces me to grow in various ways and develop new skills. You have to get out of your comfort zone. Especially while solo travelling. For example, in Thailand I learned how to drive a scooter, how to sleep with snakes and lizards in my jungle bungalow, how to snap bottle caps and cut coconuts. You never know when you’ll need such skills again :)
Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
Thailand is a great destination for starting a world trip. The training options are awesome. Mostly I trained at Super Pro Samui and at Momentum on Koh Phangan. Momentum opened up my mind to different movement styles; it totally changed my perspective on how to move my body on the mats. Every now and then, it’s very healthy to step out of your Jiu Jitsu brain and do something else for the body. But the best thing is still the people you meet. I’ve met friends from the Globetrotters family on both islands, which always creates a feeling of coming home anywhere in the world. The easiest way to connect with people is just a smile and a hello; the rest will come as simple as that. For sure the jungle is also very nurturing, and once the jungle is a part of you you’ll never forget it. That’s also how training in the jungle feels like ;) I think any experience makes it worth travelling. Even bad ones like a fucking pandemic and having to decide to go back home shows you what you really appreciate, where your personal priorities lie, and how you solve problems and find solutions.
Mina Rauter – BJJ Globetrotters
What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
I don’t like wearing shoes anymore. Hiking for hours is so much easier barefoot. If something light-green that looks like a leaf falls down in front of you, be aware – in Thailand it could be a snake (very tricky situation if you’re on a scooter and driving at the time). Also, I’m in Hamburg. I’m still surprised I ended up here for now.
Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
Budget traveller. The idea of globetrotting was born on short notice, and thus I only had a couple of months to save money. So I moved out of my apartment in Heidelberg and crashed on friends’ couches while still working and saving. I am so grateful that I’m blessed with friends like that, who made this trip possible.
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Trust the way. It will open up as you start walking. Especially when you’re lost! Just do it. Don’t plan too much, if you do so, you might miss spontaneous adventures that pop up along the way. And everytime you feel like quitting – don’t! Just like in BJJ, there is always a way ;)
