Page 29 - ISSUE 2

GRAPPLER Fall 2018

“ I have no plans. I’m not sure where I will live, what

I will do or how BJJ Globetrotters will look in the
next 6-12 months. I have a rough idea, but I’m
really just going with the flow... “

Christian Graugart is living the dream. Our Christian Graugart: I have lived in Saint Barth for
dream, anyway. Through his blog, and the help of close to two years at this point and still love it. After
several hospitable members of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu a round-the-world trip to train Jiu-Jitsu back in 2011,
community, he orchestrated an epic 90-thousand- I wrote a book about my experiences. Someone from
kilometer trip around the world in 2011. Graugart the island read it and invited me to come teach since
visited 56 gyms across 24 countries during his they were basically just a small group of 5-10 white
journey and recounted his adventures in the book belts with no instructor. I flew over for a few weeks
The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Globetrotter: The True Story of and ended up making a lot of good friends and coming
a Frantic, 140 Day Long Journey Around-The-World back every year. At one point, I had worked on cutting
Trip to Train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. down my possessions in life, including selling my
academy through 15 years, and when I randomly was
Since then, he has earned his black belt from offered an apartment on the island, it was a fairly easy
Robson Barbosa, won the London Open in 2012 and decision to give it a shot and move there. Never really
hosts over ten camps a year for 1,500+ participants looked back since.
under the BJJ Globetrotters banner.
GM: What sort of plans do you have for your return
Here at Grappler Mag, we are huge Graugart to Europe?
supporters. The parallels in our goals and his
accomplishments are eerily similar. We share the CG: I don’t really have any plans. Will definitely return
wanderlust coursing through his veins. That he met one day, but as long as I’m able to keep myself in a
and became long-term pals with friend-of-the- position where it is not necessary to have any plans
mag Dan”Imal” Reid on his trip seven years ago and for anything, then I’m gonna stay with that.
agreed to an interview via email at his behest is truly
serendipitous. His responses are the epilogue to his GM: What are your goals for the immediate future?
book lost between pages stuck together. They are the
hidden vignette after the credits in The Avengers. CG: I have no plans. I’m not sure where I will live,
They are the answers to our fan mail. what I will do or how BJJ Globetrotters will look in the
next 6-12 months. I have a rough idea, but I’m really
Grappler Mag: What prompted your move to the just going with the flow.
Caribbean? What has it been like training there?

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