Featured Traveller: Gilian Jansen – BJJ Globetrotters
Gilian Jansen – BJJ Globetrotters
Age: I’m 28 years old
Belt: I’ve been a brown belt for the last 2 years, and I train at Team Honeybadgers in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
Profession: I am a full-time carpenter, and I teach a couple of Jiu Jitsu classes a week. During my most recent travels, I worked as a divemaster and as a bouncer at a beach bar in Thailand.
How many years in BJJ: I started 10 years ago with MMA training which was mostly grappling/wrestling-based, and after a year I put on the gi, which I liked more. Now I only train Jiu Jitsu (gi and no-gi).
Other martial arts: As a kid I did judo for some years. I got my brown belt when I was 14 and then I quit. When I started to train for MMA fights I also trained boxing and kickboxing, but nothing too serious outside of the planned MMA competitions.
Where do you live: I live in Nuenen, the Netherlands. It’s in the south, close to Eindhoven.
Where are you originally from: I was born in Eindhoven but have lived all my life in Nuenen.
Other fun or curious information you would like to share: My favorite Thai food is Massaman Curry.
Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
I didn’t travel to train, but I had to take my gi with me because living without Jiu Jitsu sucks.
Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
My most recent trip was 2 months ago: I was away for 11 months. I traveled to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Myanmar. But for 8 of those 11 months I lived, worked, and trained on Koh Tao, Thailand.
I can’t really say a lot about future travels because, you know, Covid. But it will probably just be a casual vacation, maybe a liveaboard in Egypt for some scuba diving; or somewhere with mountains for some hikes. But I would love to go back to Asia and explore more!
Gilian Jansen – BJJ Globetrotters
What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
The best thing about travelling is the people you meet. People from all walks of life. It’s just interesting to hear their stories and get inspired by them.
Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
The different Jiu Jitsu styles and mindsets you come across is very educational. I think people who train only in their home gyms have a slower learning process than someone who visits other gyms, attends seminars, and goes to competitions.
Gilian Jansen – BJJ Globetrotters
What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
I really don’t know what my most surprising experience is. I think learning how to scuba dive and becoming a professional and a tech-diver was one of the best experiences I had.
Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
Yes, I am a budget traveller, but compared to the “real” low budget travellers I’ve seen during my travels I’m a “big” spender. I made a calculation about what I could spend each week and month on travels, which included food, accommodation, and trips. But my scuba dive education was from a whole different budget.
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Do what you love, but don’t be afraid to go far beyond your comfort zone. I’ve seen people that, everytime a local started to chat with them out of curiosity, got a bit scared and ended the conversation thinking they wanted to rob them. Don’t be that guy. But don’t get robbed.
