10/04/2026
17 years ago, I dropped my backpack in Laos and called it home.
I didn't come with much.
No safety nets: no fancy job nor savings.
But I came with intangible assets: a passion for many kinds of art.
So I became a filmmaker and helped pioneer the blooming Lao movie scene for more than a decade.
I loved being part of it...
However, the movie world is, by nature, superficial.
The sets, the scenes, the stories, the people.
As Bruce Lee once said: "Martial arts are the only way to truly express yourself."
Because as judo people say: "the mat doesn't lie."
You can wear any mask in society; once you step into the dojo, it falls down and shatters.
So I went back to what once saved my life: Jiujitsu.
With old tatami from a judo teacher’s backyard, a couple of second-hand gis, and few partners, I got back to training.
I realized that to keep my skills, I had to open an academy with a regular schedule, welcoming anyone willing to learn the gentle art.
A decade later, here we are.
Still small, still underdogs, still hanging on.
People ask: "Why aren't there more BJJ gyms in Laos?"
Because the market is too small for other black belts to make a living.
I do this because this is the land of my ancestors.
Because the best contribution you can make is to give what you're best at: many filmmakers, but only one jiujitsu black belt.
So I do this because no one else can.
Because by training here, I became the first jiujitsu black belt made in Laos.
A black belt is a white belt who never quits—so quitting is no longer an option.
None of this was planned, but somehow it was written.
And none of this would exist without this small but strong community.
Thanks to all students, adults, kids, and parents.
Thank you for your support, your time on the mat, and for trusting me with your children—one of the best investments in their future.
Thank you for helping keep jiujitsu alive in Laos.
Happy Lao New Year!! ❤️