Featured Traveller: Ian Auchmoody – BJJ Globetrotters
Ian Auchmoody – BJJ Globetrotters
Age: 31 as of this Feb 27th
Belt: Purple
Profession: Jiu-Jitsu and English teaching.
How many years in BJJ: Eight years ago I started in my first BJJ academy in Utica, New York. Since then the better part of my training has actually happened in several different parts of Mexico.
Other martial arts: As a teenager, my friends and I would try to replicate Bruce Lee and we actually practiced what we could learn from the Jeet Kune Do manuals. After moving from home, I was watching UFC and decided to start at a Muay Thai gym near where I was. There were some really weird circumstances surrounding the gyms I visited that ended up with me doing a freestyle grappling class. The seed was then planted for my later finding BJJ, but in that time I messed around with Muay Thai and other styles around MMA. Once I found a solid BJJ program I pretty much focused on that.
Where do you live: I live in Oaxaca, Mexico, which was my first city to visit in Mexico and has been my home base ever since. It’s a really beautiful city with some of the best food on the planet.
Where are you originally from: I’m from a small town in the Hudson Valley (New York State) called Wallkill. Lots of cows, not a lot of BJJ… at least when I was growing up.
Other fun or curious information you would like to share: I was once in a situation where I had to cross a land border into Guatemala from Mexico at a place called Tecún Umán which sounds like an Indiana Jones destination. It had some Indy vibes, too.
Ian Auchmoody – BJJ competition
Tell us what inspired you to travel and train?
When I first came to Oaxaca, traveling a lot wasn’t really on my agenda. It wasn’t until about a year later when I was competing as a blue belt that I started finding opportunities to travel and train. I was making friends all over Mexico and found some opportunities to teach in different cities. Each visit to a different city and different academies kind of just added fuel to the fire and I was in the groove of it for a while without thinking about it much. I would hang around some places longer than others but what kept me moving most of the time was the desire to compete, meet new people, see new Jiu-Jitsu, and have great experiences.
Tell us about your most recent travel and your upcoming travel – where have you been and where are you going?
This last year has been pretty tame, as you can imagine. I spent most of 2019 back in the USA visiting family and saving some money working. I came back to Oaxaca in March 2020 with the intention of competing in the state tournament and visiting my girlfriend, but almost immediately after arriving the lockdown went into full swing. I realized I didn’t have a job to go back to in NY, so I just stayed here and started laying the groundwork for my BJJ academy. I am hoping I can roam around Mexico and do the big tournaments once things are back to normal. The usual stops are Mexico City and Guadalajara.
What are the things you enjoy about traveling?
Definitely the people. It’s amazing how well you can get to know someone when you’re open and in a “learning” state. When your intentions are good and your attitude is right, people will open all kinds of doors to opportunities for you that can make a huge difference in your life or what you’re doing with it.
Can you give us some examples of experiences you had that makes it worth traveling and training?
Sleeping for free on gym mats within walking distance from the beach comes to mind. Making friendships that last a lifetime based on pure chance is probably the most impactful. Also, learning Spanish almost completely through conversation has been awesome.
Ian Auchmoody – BJJ Globetrotters
What has so far been the most surprising experience for you when traveling?
The most surprising thing about traveling to me may be how diverse and delicious street food can be. I haven’t thought about it much, but growing up in a cow town in upstate New York I never imagined that.
Are you a budget traveller – and if so how do you plan for a cheap trip?
I’ve never really done a long term backpack trip or anything like that, but I’ve had to do a lot of traveling around Mexico on a seriously tight budget. The key has always been to travel extremely light, and get used to sitting around or sleeping in bus stations.
If you were to pass on travel advice to your fellow Globetrotters, what would it be?
Take every opportunity you can to train with new people, unless they have a seriously bad reputation or something. Even if it’s a hole in the wall with two blue belts there’s still a good chance they can show you something you’ve never seen before. Also, be humble and open minded; this will open many doors for you and you’ll be invited to do really awesome stuff. Also, if you’re ever in Mexico let me know if you need any recommendations on where to train. If you’re in Oaxaca then come visit my academy!
