Starting over can be a daunting task, especially when you are leaving an environment that brings out the best in you and your family. My family and I have left El Paso and are now living abroad for a time to be determined, but as somber it is to bid farewell to our family and friends in the “Sun City” it’s exciting to know we have the opportunity to share the lessons we learned with our future friends on the mats here in Germany.
My father taught me that you can you read a hundred books on wisdom and write a hundred books on wisdom, but unless you apply what you learned then its only words on a page. Life is not lived with intentions, but action.” ~Shannon Alder
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/moving-forward
We arrived to Deutschland tired and free of a majority of our worldly possessions last week. After a myriad of COVID-19 preventative measures, we are now fulfilling our 14-day Quarantine requirement to do our part to mitigate spread of the Novel Coronavirus to the host nation populace. It’s been a taxing journey to say the least, but we are now using every moment of our quarantine period to ensure we have a leg up once my family and I return to our regularly scheduled battle-rhythm events. We are now a family of Ronin Jiujiteiros, knowing we have a RYU we can always return to at Zen Martial Arts in El Paso, Texas, but cannot because we need to meet the demands necessary to accomplish our future life goals.
Inspiration
Knowing my family and I were going to take a leap across the Atlantic, we took care of all the important things. I made sure my Beltchecker profile was up to date and, per recommendation of one of my coaches, I reached out to the BJJ Globetrotters Group on Facebook in search of a new academy in vicinity of our new home. The Jiu-jitsu community may be a small one, but it’s extremely supportive in helping grapplers find a place to train, no matter where you go. In less than an hour of my query I was given several different academies in my area of operations. In a week from now I’ll be checking out the vibes at the recommended institutions of mat-surfing for Team Clas. The Arte Suave is an an important part of our lifestyle and giving it up is not an option.
I see people change the minute they walk in. It’s the eternal chance to touch souls around you.” ~Professor Renzo Gracie
Instagram: @renzogracieuws
Eye on the Prize
I’ve set some tall goals for myself as a grappler over the next year. However, the first priority is to make sure my family is comfortable with the academy we choose. I began my journey to be the best me I can be for them, and for that reason I need to ensure they can stay on path as well. Over the next year, I’ll be aiming my sights toward every and any competition that works for my work/home life schedule. The Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) German Open is scheduled for Dec. 29, 2020, and the opportunities are endless across Europe for other events.
I made a choice to put the competitions on hold when my kids were babies and my wife was serving alongside me. I now have the motivation and opportunity to gain experience on the sport side of Jiu-jitsu and offer my perspective to my family and future students when I have a RYU of my own. Until then, I’m going to continue to be a student of all aspects of the game.
Stay tuned as I share experiences of my excursion in the next installments. Best of luck to everyone testing themselves at the Pan-American International Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Federation Championship this weekend, roll awesome my friends. One team, one family.! ~Doc