A few weeks back, I went to the hairdresser to get my hair fixed. It needed badly some attention. I usually go very early so I can get the cut and the colour done before I go train. Yes you read it, I get my hair fix and I go train Brazilian Ju-Jitsu. That’s the way it is. Only this time, there was a big competition – The Abu Dhabi Grand Slam hosted by UAEJJF that afternoon and for once I was not going to mess up my hair straight way.
Sitting on the chair getting my hair done, chit chatting about nothing, the hairdresser asked me “So are you going out tonight?”. Me replying: “I’m going to a Brazilian Ju-Jitsu competition to see my instructors fight and to support them”. There was a pause… a blank stair… “Oh really, ok. Will you plant flowers this year?”. Wait… What? Planting flowers? What are you on about? Oh my… right there and then it dawn on me, I am not so middle class. I assumed she knew about the sport as for me it is a given. She clearly didn’t know what I was talking about. BJJ is so out of her own world, why would she ponder on it? I realised that most of the women of my age who have children don’t do what I am doing, practicing the art of Brazilian ju-jitsu.
So that afternoon, I went to watch my instructors from Roger Gracie Academy competing. One in particular that I was looking forward to see was the World Champion, Yas Wilson.
I am so grateful to have her as my instructor. She is the very first female receiving a black belt from Roger Gracie. She is an amazing fighter and has competed against big names in the BJJ community like Mackenzie Dern. She went on to win the silver medal on that day. She is a mother like me and his running her own gym. She is not so middle class either 🙂
What about you? Are you not so middle class?
I want to hear your stories, add a comment or email me!