"It feels like just yesterday I left you all, a year younger! I'm so happy I decided to celebrate my 32nd birthday in China, a country that has shown incredible respect for the Judo Nomad Project.
Leaving Shanghai behind, my next stop was Jinan in the Shandong province, home to what's considered the strongest male judo school in the country. This region felt quite rural and as many of their athletes were away competing for their China Games qualification points, I had the privilege of working with their top judoka who weren’t competing at that event. Initially, the lack of a translator made the first few days a bit challenging, until the first class began.
I sensed some initial uncertainty when the coach suggested only short training sessions. To be honest, I've been in similar situations before and I understand the caution. However, I believe I quickly earned their trust. The coach ended up giving me the reins for the entire class and even left training early, entrusting me with his athletes. I was welcomed warmly and was invited to local restaurants and the school's VIP cafeteria with the coaches and top athletes.
Shandong gifted me that unique feeling that only judo can create, those moments where language isn't a barrier anymore and where we understand each other perfectly, forging strong, unspoken friendships.
Next, I travelled to the capital, Beijing, where I balanced judo sessions with cultural exploration. I spent a week at Beijing Sport University with a group primarily composed of incredibly strong female judoka, many of whom compete on the IJF World Judo Tour. The English proficiency there made communication much smoother and I had a fantastic time. Everyone was so welcoming and we worked really well together; I left feeling truly happy.
These amazing women even surprised me with two big cakes for my coming birthday! It was a very touching moment. While I often feel a pang of sadness spending such occasions away from family, this time it was absolutely worth it. Given my injury history, sparring with top athletes can be challenging. However, the environment in Beijing was perfect. I could train with this incredibly skilled women’s group who pushed me without being reckless. Their level was even higher than I anticipated and I'll be following their progress, especially in events like the Dushanbe Grand Slam.
I also made time to see some of Beijing's iconic landmarks: the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China. In conclusion, China left me in awe, so much so that I'm already planning a return on my way to Mongolia, hoping to meet with more teams. The Chinese Judo Association is dedicated to growing judo in their country and is open to welcoming international visitors. It's a country for which a visit requires preparation but all worked out well. Thank you, China, for everything!
From Qingdao, I took a ferry to Incheon, Korea, a three-day journey which I used to finalise my video editing and administrative tasks. I noticed immediately that the cost of living was significantly higher than in China.
Initial contacts in Korea informed me that my arrival coincided with a busy competition period, significantly impacting my seminar plans and even making simple training difficult. However, after some discussions, I connected with a young teacher and former youth Olympic champion who brought me to Yonsei University, a prestigious institution. There I led a beginner class which was a very positive and a friendly first experience. Soon after, I connected with Seungwon Lee who handles public relations. He has been incredibly helpful, arranging my attendance at An Baul's seminar over the weekend and generously offering me accommodation in his dojo due to my financial constraints.
At the seminar, I met participants from Kazakhstan who extended an invitation to me to visit their team on my return to France later this year; a perfect example of the Judo Nomad Project fostering connections! The seminar itself was impressive, drawing a large crowd of young enthusiasts. An Baul led the session and his aura and passion for judo was truly special. He was incredibly dedicated, kind and approachable to everyone with questions or for randori, a very humble and accessible champion.
The next day, I had to head to Busan, just as things were starting to gain momentum in the capital. However, upon arriving in Busan, with more people recognising me, more invitations started coming in. Unfortunately, a bout of food poisoning from seafood sidelined me significantly. Before that, I had the pleasure of teaching at Yongin Dae Woo's private dojo. He owns several dojos in the city and he brought everyone together for a single event. It was packed but I did my best to answer everyone's questions. I'd definitely love to return for another session if possible.
Then it was on to Haedong High School. One of the members there grew up in Thailand and was fluent in English, making communication pretty smooth. I was even able to try some local Korean BBQ with the school's sensei. I feel like a Korean BBQ expert now!
The two subsequent visits to Haedong Middle School were challenging. Each time, more delicious (but potentially risky for my stomach at that point) BBQ and spicy food appeared! Thankfully, everything turned out okay and the children were so enthusiastic about having a foreign teacher. I had a lot of fun with them.
Finally, it was time to leave for Japan. Interestingly, I received more and more requests to return to Korea, with accommodation offered in most cases – a significant hurdle I faced initially. It really came down to timing. Many people asked me to come back after Japan, and I'll definitely try to make it work if the interest remains.
Korea had a slightly rocky start but ended on a high note, although with a feeling of 'not enough.' But now, all my focus is on Japan, where I plan to spend a few months on what I hope will be the most captivating part of the Judo Nomad Project!
Thank you so much for reading and supporting the project. See you soon online or in your dojo!