Some random thoughts on things I have learnt and experienced in Brazil so far. In no particular order:

• I’m privileged to be born in a safe place with enough food and water and access to education
• Brazil’s politics are quite upsetting
• Education is the key to change
• We all generally ignore poverty… out of sight, out of mind
• There are way too many people in the world
• I take safety and health care for granted in Australia
• There are more than enough resources in the world to share and help each other
• We are all selfish
• I miss work, but I love not working (ha?)
• I am becoming very good at doing nothing
• My feet like havianas
• My feet don’t miss high heels
• I forgot what wearing make up every day feels like
• I like sleeping in (till 10am)
• Not speaking the local language well, means you miss the sarcasm, subtle comments and gossip, which makes you judge less and like people a lot more
• All the good people we met, far outweigh the bad
• Melbourne traffic is not bad
• Melbourne would be 100% better with acai
• Acai with condensed milk is worth the risk of diabetes
• Training is hard. Much harder to what I have ever done before
• Every BJJ club has at least 5 black belts
• I am the lightest, one of the shittest and one of the lower ranked belts at comp classes at Alliance
• If you are late, you don’t train
• You don’t talk, complain, pick easy rolls or sit out of rolls at Alliance
• ALL good people drill
• ALL good people watch BJJ videos and study
• ALL good people ask questions
• Black belts at Alliance are happy to share the knowledge with each other
• World Championship gold medals don’t mean much, unless they are at black belt level
• Competition level is super high
• All competitors and team mates (male and female) have so far been respectful, friendly, helpful, complimentary and just plain lovely
• I have more to learn that I think is possible
• Since everyone defends my A game here, it has forced me to completely come out of my BJJ bubble and totally expand and change my game
• I don’t care if you don’t like 50/50/berimbolo/any other new guard. If you want to be good at comps, you need to know it.
• Blue belt and above ladies train hard with each other, go 100%, high five you if you beat them and laugh about it after
• My ego took a beating and is now thrown in the rubbish tip somewhere
• I really don’t feel like training when I am tired and sick of constantly having the floor wiped with me. But I train anyway
• I get sad because I suck at BJJ
• I get happy because I suck at BJJ
• I am getting used to competing again
• I am getting used to losing
• Purple belt is just a beginner belt
• Portuguese is hard, although I am succeeding more and more at actually saying bread, instead of penis (wrong accent)
• Australian bikinis are way too big
• Tapioca pancakes are the best thing ever
• 37 degrees for 6 weeks in a row is my limit
• I sometimes look forward to training only because there is air con there
• My body can’t handle hard training twice a day. One hard rolling session and one drilling session is my max
• I sometimes wish I was bigger
• My fingers hate me and are about to drop off from too much spider guard
• I really miss Australian coffee
• I miss ciders
• I miss my family and friends
• I really like travelling with Lachface
• I freak out that there is not enough time to get good at BJJ (hahaha)
• I miss studying and professional development
• Cutting weight is easier when not lifting heavy
• My butt is way too small here
• I am now writing way too much crap
• I don’t want this trip to end