Featured Traveller: Craig Freiwald – BJJ Globetrotters
Let’s start out with some quick facts about you…
Craig Freiwald – BJJ Globetrotters
Age: 28
Belt: Purple
Profession: USAF Munitions Quality Assurance (I watch people work with explosives and make sure they don’t go boom)
How many years in BJJ: 6 years so far, plenty more to go
Other martial arts: A bit of muay thai and judo
Where do you live: Kaiserslautern, Germany
Where are you originally from: Weston, Florida
Other fun or curious information you’d like to share: I’ve lived in 6 different places in four different countries/continents over the past 8 years.
Craig Freiwald BJJ
Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
I originally started training BJJ in in Utah, USA. It was just something I always wanted to try after watching MMA as a teenager. I had never left the country before and got sent (via the military) to live in South Korea for a year. After seeing the international BJJ community first hand, I decided to start traveling more often and explore places I wouldn’t have thought about otherwise.
Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
Most recently I was at the BJJ Globetrotters Castle Camp in Perugia, Italy. Immediately prior to that I was living in Djibouti, Africa for 7 months working with the US military.
The next trip on my schedule is the famous BJJ Globetrotters Summer Camp in Leuven, Belgium. It’ll be my first repeat camp and I look forward to seeing a lot of old friends.
Craig Freiwald BJJ
What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
What I enjoy most about travelling is to experience cultures other than my own. I think it is very valuable as a person to understand that not everyone lives the same way and that your way isn’t necessarily the best or only way of doing things.
Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
While living in South Korea, I was basically adopted by my local gym. Although there were some language barriers at times, they really felt like my family. They always took me with them to local events, taught me about their culture, and genuinely cared for my well-being.
What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
The most surprising experience would have to be getting surprise-interviewed by the local news channel in Nuuk, Greenland as a BJJ traveler. Also pretty much everything about the camp in Greenland. From eating whale blubber to jumping in the -1°C Greenlandic sea. The whole thing was surreal.
Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
I am far from a budget traveler. I like to save money at home so I can spend it on the road! My main focus during travels is to kick back and have a good time. Worrying about a budget just doesn’t do that for me.
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Get out of your comfort zone. Take a risk or do something that makes you nervous every now and then. Most of my favorite experiences have come when I had no idea what to expect.
Thank you Craig Freiwald BJJ for doing this interview!
