Featured Traveller: Ed Calvert – BJJ Globetrotters
Let’s start out with some quick facts about you…
Ed Calvert – BJJ Globetrotters
Age: 34
Belt: Purple
Profession: Currently unemployed, previously involved in medical equipment sales.
How many years in BJJ: Around 10 (slow learner)
Other martial arts: None
Where do you live: Edinburgh, Scotland
Where are you originally from: Blackpool, England
Other fun or curious information you’d like to share: (More on the curious side!) I have a fake ball due to having had testicular cancer back in 2012. I also have quite a good story about it that has been told many times along my travels.
Ed Calvert BJJ
Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
A combination of coming out of a divorce and getting the all-clear from the testicular cancer (an early midlife crisis?). I woke up one Sunday and felt the urge to take the chance and travel while I have the opportunity. I also attended my first BJJ Globetrotters camp in Heidelberg, and that confirmed it was a good idea!
Tell us about your most recent trip and your upcoming trips – where have you been and where are you going?
I quit my job with the intention of training BJJ in many different countries over the course of a year. I started off well, but have to admit the lure of beer and socialising has taken over at times! Initially I did a BJJ camp in Bali, and after this I trained in the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, Thailand, and Hawaii. Next, I’m off to Mexico as I make my way towards South America.
Ed Calvert BJJ
What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
Escaping from routine, not knowing who you will meet and whether or not they will have a big influence on your life, and experiencing all the different sensations and cultures around the world.
Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
It’s always good to put yourself out of your comfort zone, and not many things do this as well as travelling and training!
In Hiroshima, I attempted to take the bus to Fujita BJJ and got massively lost. I used Google Translate to communicate with the kind Japanese guy next to me, who ended up ordering me a taxi. Eventually I rocked up to the gym where no one could speak English. I went on to have an amazing night with some very technical grapplers, they allowed me to train for free (quite rare in Japan), ended up giving me their club patch (the Hiroshima Peace Crane), and one of the guys there even drove me home. After this I went to a local Izakaya, I was the only Western person in there, and they all looked at me weirdly (pretty sure they were slating me in Japanese). Anyway, by the end of the night I was getting drunk with them and they gave me 30% off my bill. I went back the next 3 nights in a row!
Hawaii also had a great BJJ scene. There’s a cool store in a mall where they have an open mat on Sundays. I met a great guy there who picked me up from the airport and took me to Workshop Jiu Jitsu, where I got my mind blown by their instructor Larry! Well worth a visit if you’re ever in Oahu.
What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
The amount of people in dorms that snore like chainsaws! Invest in decent earplugs! Also, the cost of some gyms in Japan and the US took me by surprise.
Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
I have to confess I am terrible at budgeting. I’m mainly staying in hostels, and have done a little bit of couchsurfing – which has led to some interesting experiences!
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Book your trip and go. I was nervous about giving up my job and home life to do this trip, but as soon as I landed in Bali I knew I’d made the right decision. If you are considering doing it, then take action and before you know it you’ll be on your way.
You can keep track of the rest of the trip at https://www.instagram.com/eddie_bjj/
Thank you Ed Calvert BJJ for doing this interview!
