Upcoming Competition Events:
This year has been very eventful! 8 countries visited and being awarded my brown belt definitely top the lists! Here is what I have coming up next for travel and events as budget permits (* = confirmed)
Here is the list of trips I am currently planning! My trips are all built around competitions. My home base is Nashville, TN – so if you ever come visit, I would be happy to point you to some of the cool places in town!
I’m always up for meeting new people as well when I am out and about, so contact me if I will be in your area!
January 26 – February 6: Mexico City, Mexico
Main Points of Interest: UAEJJF Mexico National Pro, visit/train with friends, all the food.
March 19 – 23: Los Angeles, CA
Main Points of Interest: IBJJF Pan Am Championship
April 4 – 5: Chicago, IL
Main Points of Interest: IBJJF Chicago Gi and No Gi Championship
May 27 – 31: Los Angeles, CA
Main Points of Interest: IBJJF World Championship
July: Moscow, Russia
Main Points of Interest: UAEJJF Moscow Grand Slam – first time to Russia
August 26 – 29: Las Vegas, NV
Main Points of Interest: IBJJF Master World Championship
September: Japan (maybe SE Asia as well)
Main Points of Interest: UAEJJF Tokyo Grand Slam, Batu Caves in KL, Climb Mt Fuji, Visit friends in Phuket
Travel Expenses:
I’ve gotten quite good at traveling on a budget. In 2015, I spent a week in Tokyo for the grand total of $450 – including airfare and tickets to the Sumo National Championship tournament. I did a trade with one of my massage clients for the air miles to get the plane ticket, and then stayed in a capsule style guest house for the week I was there.
I spent two weeks in Europe at the beginning of 2016 for a total amount of just over $1,000.
My first visit anywhere is usually a bit more expensive, but each time I visit I figure out how to shave off a little bit of what was unnecessary. Since I don’t travel in order to sit in a nice hotel all day, I just focus on finding a safe place to crash after the adventures of the day. I can live quite happily for a month or longer out of just my backpack.
At home, I don’t own a car or a smart phone. I consider them to be luxuries and rather than spending several hundred dollars per month on these things, I would rather save for my next competition/training trip.
I work hard running my own massage therapy business. It is a trade off as it allows me flexibility of time in order to train and also take off to go on trips. I tend to take shorter trips than I would like however since I don’t want to leave my clients high and dry for too long. In the end, I am continually working to keep it balanced so I can keep doing what I want to do.
