1. Why Estonia?
My friends thought I was crazy for going to Estonia alone. “Where even is that? Sounds dangerous,” they said.
But I was going there for a BJJ camp. If it wasn’t safe, why would the organizers choose it?
Plus, I’d seen enough Globetrotters content to know that this part of Europe has a high level of BJJ, even if it’s not as popular online as in North America.
It reminds me why I started martial arts at 18—to have the freedom to travel solo. Looks like it’s working.
I also downloaded an app called Life360 so that my family could track my location 24/7 for their peace of mind.
2. The Baltics
Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania make up the Baltic region.
3. Estonian, Russian and English
In Estonia, kiosks and machines often have language options in Estonian, Russian, and English.
4. Google Lens to the Rescue
Thanks to Google Lens, I could read Estonian! Just point your phone camera at the things and it automagically translate it words in real time.
5. Flying Close to Conflict Zones
When I realised my flight was going “close” to the war zones in Ukraine and Gaza, I felt nervous. What if we got shot down?
But after some Reddit research and recognising that I hadn’t heard of any incidents, I felt more reassured. Life goes on as usual for people traveling through that region, especially to and from Istanbul.
6. Istanbul: Where East Meets West
Istanbul connects the East and West. The airport is as modern and world-class as Changi, but with a grandeur and Middle Eastern flair—super high ceilings and intricate designs.
By the way, if you ever fly Turkish Airlines and stay a day in Turkey, they’ll cover your hotel accommodation for the night.
7. Turkey is Türkiye
It’s actually spelled Türkiye—pronounced Tur-ki-yay. They take their pastries seriously! At the airport, baklava was sold individually, and each small piece was like 10 bucks or something.
8. The Real Turkish Delight
Turkish delight is way more than just the cadbury chocolate. There are so many types and flavours.
9. Adjusting to European Roads
It’s been a long time since I was last in Europe. I had to get used to cars coming from the other side of the road and the driver being on the left side.
On day one, we got a Bolt (it’s the Uber of Europe), and I accidentally tried to get in from the left side—the driver’s side.
The driver asked, “Where are you going?”
Confused, I replied, “Uh, to the Airbnb, I think my friends have the address.”
He clarified, “No, where are you going? You drive?”
I realised my mistake, and everyone laughed. Then, the driver asked what we were doing in a small beach town in Estonia of all places.
10. Is Australian Coffee Really the Best?
Living in Australia for a decade, I’ve often heard non-Australians rave about how good Australian coffee is.
It’s surprising because I didn’t have much to compare it to.
Outside of Singapore’s espresso coffee culture—which nails it by Australian standards—I’ve tried barista coffee in fancy cafes in the States, Estonia, and Istanbul airport.
Every time, I’ve been disappointed. It was either the milk tasted weird, or it was too much milk and not enough coffee
11. The BJJ Camp Experience
The camp was huge—over 100 people, mostly Europeans. The biggest group was Germans.
Everyone was friendly, and the rolls were safe.
BJJ activities ran from 10 am to 7 pm non-stop, with six 1-hour classes and a 3-hour open mat daily.
You could choose when to train, nap, or grab lunch.
My French-Canadian Airbnb mates, who’d been to several camps before, advised me to pace myself: two classes and one open mat a day.
But as a first-timer, I went all in—three to four classes and 3 hours of open mat daily.
By day three, I was ready to go home.
Val, me, max, and Julia 12. The Supermarket Grandma
My favorite memory of the supermarket was an elderly Estonian checkout lady, always in a rush.
Scanning items frantically, even when there was no reason to hurry. It reminded me of Asian grandmas!
I mentioned this to another camper from the States, and he knew exactly what I was talking about.
But if you’re efficient—pay quickly, don’t fumble with cash, and immediately tell her you don’t need the “check” (receipt)—she’ll smile at you next time.
13. Beyond the Mat
The camp wasn’t all BJJ. There were group dinners at 8 pm at various restaurants, followed by beers, karaoke at 2 am, and some people even finished the night at 5 am, showing up for their first class in the afternoon. Crazy.
I didn’t join the group dinners—I’m not a party or big social group person. Instead, I had smaller, private dinners with my Airbnb mate Val and my new friend Pontus from Sweden.
Pontus has attended over 30 camps. He’s lived in Taiwan for a long time, speaks Mandarin, and lives the stable job nomad life. He’s one of the OG remote workers before it became mainstream.
14. Rolling with the Best
I rolled with a lot of black belts and found that some of the girls were more intense than the guys. I don’t have much experience rolling with women since I’m often the only girl in the room—no women’s-only classes in the gyms I’ve been to.
But I’m noticing this: put girls in a competitive environment, and it’s chaos. Hold on for dear life.
15. Meeting Chris Paines & Pritt Mikkelsen
Most importantly, I got to meet and attend classes by Chris and Pritt. Both were really good.
I also rolled with Chris! It was great to feel what it’s like playing top position against someone who understands defensive bjj so well.
I actually signed up to the camp because of Chris—his YouTube videos have added so much value to my game. It really levelled me up.
But I’ll save the BJJ lessons for another post: “Top 10 BJJ Ideas That 10x-ed My Game.” Stay tuned!
