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I face a fear and hold an eight legged wild furry tarantula, give you my top 5 reasons why I love Chile and a cool story from an amazing Chilean photographer making his own incredible journey. 

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A Yorkshire man speaking Spanish! 

Three months of living in Chile and I’ve gone back to basics to learn words because other methods just were not working. Fran bought me some cards and after day 3, i’ve learn’t and remembered (Almost) 50 words.  In this vid I am just testing myself over 50 cards (English on my side, Spanish on yours - which I can’t see).  

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My three months was up in Santiago, so I had to extend my stay and head over to Peru. It’s been 6 weeks since my last episode but even better news is I am visiting the UK in June!!!! Nice. Hope you enjoy the episode....and you will definitely enjoy the cuteness of my dog, Donny. 

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I head on a camping trip to Cajon del Maipo in my next vlog episode and talk about the people who were kind enough to take us there. Brief cameo from Donny at the start...... the grumpy thing 🐶😻🤦🏻‍♂️ Give it a watch and see what I’ve been doing in Chile following my move from England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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Here’s what’s been happening with my life in Chile.

From the U.k to South America, here’s the latest on my journey with the 3rd episode of my vlog.

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A Chilean Kinda Christmas

¡Feliz Año Nuevo! First and foremost I wish you all the best for 2019 in health and in happiness.

The last time we spoke I told you that we had found a beautiful dog, we named it Donny and we were awaiting the decision on whether we could keep her. Well those days ticked down and that Sunday arrived without anyone calling the vets back!

So, Donny was ours to look after and be a part of our family. 

She’s awesome! 

And Donny thanks us every single day. It has taken a couple of weeks for her true character to show. We’ve noticed she doesn’t take too kindly to men (especially those in hats, but she makes an exception for me). Donny absolutely adores children and is a total water baby! Loves to play in the water. Loves to play with smaller dogs, and like a true lady, prefers to be chased, than the one doing the chasing. 

More to come from our Donny in the future, I am sure. Let’s get onto what else has been happening....

So this was my first experience of a Christmas and festive period in another country. It was my first away from family and friends in my life. It was also the first summer Christmas at a shirt drenching 33 degrees! SCORCHIO! I have to say, leading up to the 25th, it was very hard to feel festive in the environment I was in.  That being said, I needed to buy some gifts for my love and a secret santa gift for Gonzalo (also my Muay Thai coach from previous posts). It was quite frustrating buying the gifts as Fran didn’t give much indication regarding her present ‘wants’ (to start with, big hints were later installed), I was under instructions not to buy clothes and shoes. Fran’s got particular tastes and I was actually quite nervous about finding something that she would like.  It was too late to build up any huge surprises and after the move to another country, Santa didn’t have a bucket load of cash to splash on Mrs Claus.  But I know its not about the money and it’s always the effort and thought that counts.... so the creative brain and natural romantic started to engage after the initial panic! 

They do things slightly different here in Chile and probably a few other countries too. But its all about Christmas Eve (Night) going into the early ours of Christmas Day. Presents are opened just after midnight after enjoying some food and a few drinks. 

So myself and Fran decided to do both a Chilean Christmas with her family on the eve, and what I would describe as a typical British Christmas, on Christmas Day with just the two of us. 

For the last 10-15 years i have spent Christmas Eve, as part of a tradition, getting absolutely annihilated on booze and waking up on Christmas Day with an almighty hangover. 

Seriously, I have woke up in some right states.

Not this year.... 

Actually I haven’t been drunk or hungover once in 6 weeks of being here. 

On Christmas Eve we headed over to the family, we had drinks, we had food....and a midnight we opened presents. So I purchased Gonzalo two gifts for secret santa (Weirdly if any children under the age of 10 are reading this blog....I didn’t purchase the gifts for Gonzalo.......SANTA GAVE ME THEM)

The first present, a mini arcade machine, with lots of games on it (cheers Fran haha).....and a body massaging tool - in the shape of a cock n balls, I may add! The only reason I purchased it!  Christmas morning came...and I was woke by my family calling from the UK. We had a video call and it was the first time we had spoke in greater detail since my arrival. It was awesome and although I missed them dearly, it actually made me feel better about being in Chile. I looked around the room and I was surrounded by people that made me feel loved here, and I knew I will always have my friends and family back home. 

Now it was time for the Liam & Fran Christmas back home. We had some stockings (not sexy ones) full of little humorous gifts and a couple of main presents.  

There’s a running joke ever since I met Fran that if people are partying too hard in the other rooms in the apartment building, she would go and call the police! So to help with her crusade of being a party grinch (Which she isn’t), I purchased her a pair of binoculars to identify the ‘criminals’ and give better descriptions to the police! So far, she hasn’t used them. 

Also in Fran’s little stocking was a little fat buddha for good luck, a Chinese style fan to keep her cool, a bell to ring when she requires something, and some Burts Bee’s moisturiser cream to help make her look 29..... (The age Fran told me she was when we first met.....hahahahahahahaha)

For boyfriend brownie points I also created a video of our story so far, which even contained the first messages and screen shots showing that we were actually only 5 mins away from each other where we were stopping in London. She loved it, so I was happy. 

Thanks to some more than subtle hints towards the end, Fran also received her favourite perfume and a pair of sunglasses!

What Fran got me in return was pretty amazing. She knew I needed a camera to help me with my work and creative content, so that is what I was treated to! Here’s just a few of the initial shots I’ve taken:

VERY NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE (Must say in Borat voice)

Then came the Fran family New Years Eve...... again another night I would normally spend with friends. Stupidly I f*cked my back up in the morning, and no it was because of position no 154 in the Karma Sutra, it was warming up down at the park to do a circuit session! 

Even though I was upto my eye balls on a few tablets and a few beers, I still had a great night, and one where I will end this particular blog post. 

Thank you to this beautiful family for making me feel like I am totally at home. 

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My life from Doncaster, England to Santiago, Chile 🇨🇱 Here’s the next step. Human Kindness from others and trying to be a better human being is the topic of conversation and I finally get to show you around the area of Providencia. Oh and we have the chance to show our own kindness with a strange turn of events. Tune in.

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I’ve Fallen For Another Lady

Hola, como estas?

It has been a week or so since I last updated you about my arrival in Santiago, Chile, on November 27th 2018.

So far, I have settled into my new home, fell even more in love with my lady, met the familia AND got my tiny narrow ass back to training.......(looking to get back fighting mid 2019 should injuries get better)

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A post shared by Liam Grady (@yorkshireguyinchile) on Dec 13, 2018 at 2:24am PST

This part was really important to me, as i’ve previously mentioned, this sport and the fitness required, gives me as much mental strength as it does physical. Great to train with Gonzalo Barone from Alkimia BJJ. Lucky for me he just so happens to be a new family 'cousin’. 

Oooooossssss.

Let’s get back to the main part of what I want to talk about. 

Just over a week ago, something even more incredible happened. 

We had visited Fran’s parents on the weekend (where Fran’s dogs live, so this is going to be a regular thing) and we proceeded to take the three crazy amigos for a walk.......going via a supermarket for water! It was crazy hot that day.

Near this particular supermarket there is also a vets and a few friendly folk who look after any homeless or street dogs the best they can. 

So... you do tend to find a few dogs circling for food, water and shelter. 

Fran left me with the dogs as she went inside to get some supplies for the walk. It was then I locked eyes with a sad yet beautiful little girl. May I add she also had a tail, paws and a dirty blonde furry coat.

This little girl was laid down about 20 feet away, looking so sad but stared right into my soul.  We didn’t take our eyes of each other for a good minute. 

Fran came out with the water and after she quenched the thirst of the three stooges, I asked Fran to go and see the dog I was looking at before.

The dog was immediately scared and ran away from Fran, but I decided to have a walk up to her anyway. It was weird, I just felt instantly connected to this dog. 

I sat down slowly a few feet away, she looked scared for maybe two seconds, and then.......she just came slowly up to me and buried her head into my body as I crouched to greet her. The dog just wanted to be close and I just broke down. I couldn’t help it...the situation broke my heart. 

This was the dog when we found her....

Fran knew straight away what I wanted to do, and it was no secret that I wanted a dog to join the family. Fran also said that we would never buy one, and that the dog would choose you (me, us).

So, the wise chilean one said “Lets see what happens when we leave.”

We walked off........and this one followed......all the way!

Then came a swift kick in the pink plums :-) 

I’d spent the entire walk getting excited, asking if we can give her a home and take her with us. Obviously we had a few variables to consider.....if she was lost and belonged to someone for a start. 

The walk was coming to an end and we went back past the supermarket. It was at this point the dog just ran off back towards where we found and the other dogs were........ and she left without even looking back once hahaha. What a bit*ch :-) 

I have to be honest, I was instantly sad because i thought we just connected, I couldn’t explain it but it was like an instant love. Fran saw that and said to me we could come back and see her tomorrow.  So....with my head down like a kid who got f*ck all for Christmas, we started walking back home. 

But oooooooo movie twist alert.

After walking about 50-100 metres from the supermarket (with my constantly turning my head to see if the dog was going to come back) ............. the furry little beaut appeared looking for us.  This dog followed me and Fran back to her parents. We found a tattoo in her ear, which is the mark that she has been spayed.

Can I present to you........... the dog.... aka..... Donny (Named after my home town of Doncaster). 

I’d named her...... I wanted to keep her but we still had to go through some processes. We spoke to the vets and they believe she had been on the street near them for about 4 months. The poor poor thing. Until we knew more it was decided little Donny would stay with us.

Donny was a little shy for the first couple of days but she wouldn’t leave mine or Frans side, so thankful straight away. But it only took a couple of days to see the true beauty of this animal. Once she realised that we were not going to leave her.....she came out of her shell.  We took her for long walks, fed her the nutrition her body needed and gave Donny a well needed bath! A new dog was instantly re-born. 

We have one happy puppy but another little snag hit us. Already in just 7 days both myself and Fran had grown so attached and we had a little family. 

But we had to take her to another vets to find out more......

There it was..........a scan........and a f*cking bleep!

She had a tag fitted and was registered at an address.

It felt like i’d been punched in the throat and someone had died. Fran held it together better than I did but I knew she felt the same way too. Legally the vets had to contact this other address and they had 10 days to come forward.  Donny could also have been chipped by someone at a foundation for dogs, and might not have ‘an owner’ as such.

On one hand.....Donny could have a loving family looking for her....and been looking for months. But on the other, some utter scum bag got bored and dumped her on the street.  Selfishly.......I didn’t want to lose her. Donny was so happy, and so were we. 

Today is Wednesday and no-one has called the vets back yet, so I am leaning towards the scum bag notion. This loving four-legged amazing animal deserves better and we want to give her that. Sunday can’t come quick enough. Because we absolutely adore this previously lost soul who has already made our lives better. I believe we found each other. 

My family....

I’ve done some crazy sh*t this year and some amazing sh*t.......but this has been by far the most rewarding, rescuing our Donny. I will update you when I can on this one. 

MIND YOUR LANGUAGE....

So everything might seem pretty awesome in the world of Santiago....but despite me settling into ‘life’ and enjoying things greatly.... I am find the language barrier quite frustrating.

I mean, I am learning but I am not ‘practicing’ enough in real situations. On a couple of occasions now I have been in a room full of people, who don’t speak english. This is my fault and no-one else’s ...it just something that isn’t sticking as quick as I would like!  

It is the only thing that has knocked me off my good mood here and i’ve had a minor ‘wobble’ about it earlier in the week. Fran is doing what she can but we are apart from each other for most of the day, and most of the day I am on my own working.  

Not to be disheartened too much and after a few more wise words from Fran...I took myself off to a language school............

Turns out they didn’t teach Spanish, they taught English....(Oh the irony)

I ended up speaking with a nice gent at Best Work called Jonathan (not the most Chilean name i’ve ever heard) anyway about what I wanted, why I was in Santiago, the issues I was facing and what I wanted to help people with! 

Well.... I don’t even know the outcome to that chat but maybe in the next blog I will know more and hopefully I will be able to speak better Spanish. Just 1% better every day will do! 

Roll on Sunday and fingers crossed for Donny.

Thanks for reading. 

Time for another walk...

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A post shared by Liam Grady (@yorkshireguyinchile) on Dec 9, 2018 at 7:34am PST

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The story so far ..... and how I can help you ❤️🇨🇱🇬🇧

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New Beginnings - Part 2

I’ve been in Chile for just over a week now and it feels like i’ve packed so much in during that week, without really exploring Santiago that much.

I didn’t care though. I was with the only reason I am in the country, my Fran.

A stunning, funny and kind hearted chilean girl who might be just as crazy as me. Thankfully she seems to like this slightly rough Donny lad! Oi Oiiiiii.

It probably took a good few days living in Santiago to truly believe I was even here. We drove to the apartment straight away and It was like I was watching a tennis match, looking left, then right, then left again....repeat x 1000. I have been exactly like this since I have been here.

Santiago is a city surrounded by huge mountains and it homes around 6.5million people. I am living in Providencia, a district of Santiago. Fran rents a nice apartment on the 5th floor. It’s a homely place with a little balcony area, cute living room and dining area. 

Fran had told me about the pool area on top of the apartment, so like a true brit, once we had got home, I couldn’t wait to check it out (obviously after checking Fran out.....weheeeey. Come on guys, it had been a few months!)

“Holy sh*t....wow....wow....wow.......oh my god.......this is incredible” these were not the words of the bedroom bonanza but the words as we reached the rooftop - again not a euphemism. The view of the city was incredible and the sun screamed down on you. Operation lobster was underway! 

Again like a 5 year old kid receiving the puppy they always wanted, a wave of emotion hit me.....I couldn’t believe I was lucky enough to be here. Well, a lot of luck, some great friends and getting beaten up to keep me on the straight and narrow. 

100% for the first few days I went into holiday mode, wanting to recharge my batteries, soak up the sun and just hang on every word Fran (also a brilliant tour guide haha) said about my new home, Santiago. I needed it as well, because I was absolutely shattered! But of course I had more than enough room to try a Michelada....a spicy & salty lager!!! Sounds gross but it’s very refreshing.

Basically a drink made up of a beer (lager to us brits), lime juice, and assorted sauces and spices. The rim of the glass is lined with salt. 

Admittedly, the salty rim was too much for even this sailor, so much of that was removed so I didn’t feel like I was gulping a drink directly out the red sea! 

Next up was the meeting of one of Fran’s friends, a designer, the lovely Naty! Someone who had been following my Instagram for a bit, so it was nice to piece the two together. Thankfully for me, Naty spoke great english, so it was easy to connect and have a good conversation (Still working on that Spanish).

Then came the weekend....the big one......MEETING THE IN LAWS!

As we drove closer and closer I got more and more nervous. I was about to meet Fran’s parents and her close family.......and the family friends...........AND more importantly, Frans three dogs :-) 

I thought I was an animal freak and dog lover, but Fran goes crazy for them. Every single dog that passes us in the street, she goes into meltdown and starts talking in baby like Spanish to each four-legged friend (some three legs!)

Fran’s dogs - Bubba, Kanito & Charlie were all rescued by Fran and her family. 

She has the biggest most beautiful heart when it comes to dogs and anyone who loves animals is generally a winner in my book.

Apologies i’ll get back to the parent trip! The area they lived was beautiful and you had to go through a big electric gate to just get on their street. 

We pulled up to the house (very unlike Fresh Prince, as we arrived around 3 and not 7 or 8) and there were 3 dogs going crazy to see Fran, and the one and only Gonzalo. This gent is treated like a member of the family having known them since he was a kid. He is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu coach at a place in Santiago.......he is also the gent who messaged me in February to make sure i looked after Fran! Basically making sure I had good intentions haha. 

I found the next few hours very heart warming. Despite our language differences, every single person in that house made me feel so welcome and I have to say, instantly loved. I felt immediately connected with them without really talking. Every hug or gentle touch on the shoulder received was one done with real kindness. 

Even Fran’s doggies seem to like me straight away. Well more so Bubba because apparently she doesn’t like men that much. The other two are just human wh0res and like the attention. 

A great weekend and a huge welcome into the family.

On Monday, my work kicked back into gear and so did the feeling quickly that this wasn’t a holiday and that I had to settle in quickly to adjust my life where it needed to be. I couldn’t afford to take the foot of the gas too much and had to keep my mindset correct in order to maintain what I have but also to give me the best foot forward to grow. 

So my days currently go as follows...

Wake up...walk Fran to walk....come home and work, meet Fran for dinner, come back home and work, smash a workout, meet Fran at work to walk back home with her.

Sounds like a normal day to anyone I guess. However, when you throw in 30degree weather, a pool, amazing food, a beautiful setting and an incredible woman........every day gets more exciting.

I’ve only discovered a very small part of the region I live in and I can’t wait to see what else this place has in store.

Later this week I finally put the hand wraps back on and the muay thai back in action.......but that’s another story. Until next time ....thank you for reading.

FYI - I have decided to run another blog for business alongside this one which will showcase the side and profession of what I actually do and what has helped me get here. 

Lots more to come from me.....both business and personal......whether you like it or not.

Chi Chi Chi, le le le

Viva Chile 

[thatyorkshireguy-blog]

New Beginnings - Part 1

The Adventure Begins Now….

It’s safe to say the last few days and weeks have been very emotional. It all culminated on Friday night where I ventured back to my old local pub and didn’t have a clue who was going to turn up on that final get together. 

There was a mixture of people ranging from my mum and brother, to my ‘old’ driving instructor and my martial arts team mates.  As soon as I arrived the drinks were flowing, and that is never going to be the best combination for your emotions.  I think that evening I stayed crying more than I did having dry eyes ( A reyt mess, as we say). We ended up staying at the pub until about 1.00am before heading off to Phil & Mel’s for an after party! AND BOOOOY did it get messy.  I think Mel and her brother were still going at around 9.00am. 

Saturday was supposed to be spent packing but all i did was climb back into bed for many hours as I recovered from a hideous but full of love ‘hangover’.

My last two nights were spent with my house mate, Richard Herbert, smashing some God of War on the Playstation and getting fat on takeaway food and ice cream. 

Monday was here. It was go time! 

Time to head to the airport. 

It was yet another emotional day of goodbyes. First stop Mr Herbert. We had a great time living together but I have to say, I was quite shocked how our departure went. Both of us were very teary and struggling to get out words. I was just so grateful that Richard put a roof over my head and helped me on my journey…..but it was also really nice to share a house with lots of animals. 

Next stop Manchester Airport. 

It was only fitting and extremely kind hearted of my bro’s, James Hartley (Baz) & Phil (Bruno) would take the time off and make sure I got to the airport safely to have a final goodbye. In honesty we had all been through so much together this year, that it was so hard to put into words what we would say to each other this last time.  Baz had informed me en route that he’d slipped a little something into my personal luggage (Oooo matron) and that it wouldn’t get me into trouble - i’ll share this in a moment. 

The time came to say our goodbyes….a few tears were shed but I knew in my heart that they’re with me every step of the way and I love these guys so much. 

As soon as they left, the feeling hit!! FUCK……. I was on my own. No more support now….this journey and life to make was mine. Excitement hit and all I could picture was greeting Fran in Santiago.

First stop….Paris.

I was only here for 1hr and I didn’t get to see anything really so there isn’t really anything to share, but this part of the trip went off without a hitch and onwards we went to Barcelona. It was this flight that I finally decided to see what Baz’s little leaving present was all about.  

An amazing gift from such a great friend…

My friends are so thoughtful and these little touches have made my heart grow and given me extra strength to help conquer this incredible part of my life.

Next stop...THE  BIG FLIGHT. 

Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

The longest time in the air previously in my life was when I did 2 x 7hr flights going to Thailand. Actually…..that was the last ever holiday I had.. around 8 years ago. The day I came back from Thailand is the day my dad passed away. I haven’t been on holiday since. The odd stag weekend here and there but nothing like this. 

Well this wasn’t a holiday….and this mindset would need to be installed! Still planned on enjoying myself though and taking in everything my new country has to offer! 

Well, what a ‘martha focker’ of a flight that turned out to be. 14 hours I was stuck on that big bird! This was my chance to get some sleep as it was around 1.00am at the time of flight. But nope….the flight included zero leg room, a few crying kids and some turbulence. I think I got about 2hrs in total and I was starting to feel more than a little grumpy!

Weirdly when I looked out the windows after landing into Buenos Aires, I kind of imagined a little something different but it had that strange feeling about the place…..like when you first step into the Bransholme area of Hull.  Obviously a very unfair and unwanted assessment but i’ve been told that it’s quite an awesome place, so hopefully very soon I can go discover what it has to offer. 

It was on this flight I met a cool french dude…..a diving instructor/photographer called, Morgan Charollois. 

We briefly chatted on the flight and then when we were going through passport control. I quickly discovered that he too was on a very similar adventure. Our stories different, but the end result the same. He was going to be with a lady he had fallen in love in another country. 

Like me, Morgan decided to take a chance and potentially start a whole new life with this woman in Argentina, and like me, he had never been to the country of his new home.  

Amazing to meet someone on a path like my own. We’ve done what every person does in this age and connect through a couple of social media platforms. I’ll be watching Morgan’s journey and wishing him the very best along the way. 

After nearly a 5hr wait, I hopped on yet another winged beast and ventured forth into the sky…only this time there was a beautiful woman awaiting me at the end of the journey, and my new home. I managed to get another 30 mins sleep which was just enough to put my adrenaline and emotions back into overdrive. By this point id lost count of the coffee cups i’d gone through! My heart was beating through my chest as we were coming into land, but at the same time I remember just thinking how beautiful Santiago looked from the sky.  

I had a couple of stages to complete before finally getting to hug my lady. First up was the part where I had to declare why I was here and my new address. I think it was natural for anyone to panic at this stage…this was the first time id done anything like this and it was the first real step of declaring where my home would be for the foreseeable future. 

Boom, through that stage with more ease than I was expecting….

Next stop - pick up my luggage. 

After witnessing some rather aggressive (But somewhat humorous) baggage handling by the ground staff, i did wonder what condition some of my more expensive possessions and gifts were going to be in. 

The final point was going through the security check with my luggage. 

After nearly 30 hours of travelling, i had absolutely no issues with the journey and even over packed my luggage but receiving no extra charge for the weight. It had all gone so smoothly.   As I approached with my luggage, a rather cute dog and his owner came my way….the dog started to wag its tail and it went into ultra sniff mode on all my luggage. Immediately the owner who was wearing a bullet proof vest, asked if I had both packed my cases and if I had any food in there.  

Red tape was quickly applied to my luggage and it was put through the security gates. Two other members of staff asked the same questions. There was no food in the bags as far as I was aware…but what the case did contain was an abundance of cat and dog hair from my previous house.  Some items of clothing were still covered. Thankfully this was quickly discovered as the issue and what was driving my new furry friend into overdrive, and not anything else for any concern! 

This was it…I was through, Id not showered, i was in the same clothes that I started my journey in the day before, my mouth felt like shit……and i’d probably got the breath of a dog otter ……….but I was about to be with my Fran.  It was that movie moment of emotional build up as I snaked around the corridors with my two cases and bag, with as much grace and co-ordination as someone trying to drive after 10 shots of absinth. 

There was my Fran………wow ….. those eyes and that smile…..

The first thought was similar to a teenage boy seeing Carmen Electra running across the beach on Baywatch…… 

My Fran is an absolute hottie! …..is what I thought, then after the 1 second perv ‘thought boner’ a wave of relief and happiness just rushed through me. 

I can’t believe I was finally here, with my love. 

Time to go to OUR home. 

[thatyorkshireguy-blog]

Thumbs Up Friend

The 1 week countdown is on! Like Craig David, I have 7 days left to get all my sh*t sorted in the UK and then get on that bird and fly across to Chile.  For my next post I just wanted to highlight a few individuals and the importance of friends in life. 

The weekend just gone has seen me have a party with my nearest and dearest at a friends house, and also today is International Mens Day, so it seems fitting that I use this day to name drop a few positive influences in my life over recent months (Not just men). My words will not do any of these people justice but it’s just a way of getting some thoughts down

First and foremost I want to mention the man above who is holding a mannequins head: James Hartley aka Baz 

Over the last few years me and this bearded fellow have become very close and probably the gent who I have spent the most time with during recent times. He has always been there to keep me grounded and calm in times of crisis or when important decisions need to be made.  

He played a huge part of my first fight camp and was even in my corner during my second fight. James is a frequent traveller and has spent much of his time over in Australia. So he has also given me quite a bit of guidance with travelling abroad and a few pointers of what to expect. 

James isn’t built for the UK.  Like me, he is a hippy of this world and appreciates warmer weather and the beauty of nature around him. Which is why I’m so happy that recently he has been awarded his visa, meaning he can now go live in Australia.  Old Bazzer will be hopping on his own flight during December and I am so very happy for him.  I sincerely don’t know what I would have done without this man over the recent times and i’ve had the best year going on a variety of adventures. 

Phil (aka bruno) & Melanie Brookes

I don’t think I know a couple like these two. They are everything and two people I love so much.  Two people so very different yet work so beautifully it’s so heartwarming to see. 

I’ve been friends with Phil a long time and our friendship has just continued to grow and grow. Phil recently got married to Mel and I had the pleasure of being 1 of the 2 best men on the day which was a very humbling moment.  

Over the weekend, both Mel and Phil sat me down and gave me so many words of reassurance and I feel so very lucky that I have these two as a comfort blanket should my future not go the way it is currently intended.  Instead of waking up on Sunday with a mighty hangover and the fear of what I had done or who I had to apologise to....... I woke up with a stinking hangover and a heart full of love. 

I can’t believe these two care for me like they do and it’s just an incredible feeling to have them.  I really can’t thank these two enough for everything they have done, and it’s mind blowing to realise what impact I am actually having just by leaving the country. 

If you read this, I love you both very much and thank you so much for your words of support. 

Just beautiful people with hearts bigger than anyone I know. 

The Glovers 

My 2nd family.  

I’ve spent the last 5 or 6 Christmas’s with these guys and lived with both Liam (right) and Paul (left).  Mum and Dad of the family, Jane and Jim have also been like 2nd parents.  

Liam played a huge part in giving me a kick up the a$$ when I was at a bit of a low and needed that push to do something about it. 

Myself and Paul were inseparable but as many things in life happen, we all have things to do and changes to make, so unfortunately I haven’t spent as much time with Paul over the last 12 months as I would have liked. 

It will be very strange not spending the festive period with my 2nd family but I love them and thank them so much for the constant support they have given me over the last 10 years. 

Nic Marsden

I can’t write about my friends who have made an impact without writing about Marsden. Like Liam Glover, she was a huge influence on me changing my life around. I made a pinky promise on the night that changed my life to go ahead and fight. I kept that pinky promise. 

Nic is an incredible person, not just with me but with so many people, especially my team mates at CMMAA.  She might be single handedly the least selfish person I have ever met.  Myself and Nic bonded straight away when we met a few years back and along with Baz, we formed a trio and became inseparable last year! 

This lady played a huge part of fight camp no1 and gave up so much of her time to make sure I was prepared.  A person who hasn’t had the easiest of lives and a person who despite some big challenges faced, her heart continues to be huge and faces everything head on. 

I will be sad to say good bye to this person and she deserves all the happiness in the world. Thank you Nic. For everything. 

Charles Martin Martial Arts

A few years back I was recommended this place to train for a charity kickboxing event. I truly didn’t realise what impact this place would have on my life. 

Right from word go, the founder, Charlie Martin, made me feel at home and just understood what was going on in my head at the time. I love this man and love this place. 

Over the last two 1/2 years I have formed an incredible bond with this place and I will continue to support them with anything they need following my move. 

I have made some amazing friends and the place is full of amazing people. One of which is Richard Herbert who offered me a roof over my head in recent times and where I have lived in 2018. A talented martial artist who also has a kind heart. I might not show it much to Richard because my life has been at 300mph but I am very grateful for this chap helping me out and also providing me with a very fun zoo of animals to live with. So much so that I might have to steal one of his cats who I have fallen in love with. 

The big cat in the top picture is Jeff Leggott. He has been an incredible person in my life of late. We just click and he has a really big heart too.  He put so much time to one side for me and really put me in a good place for my second fight. I had the pleasure of returning the favour and cornering him. He won by 2nd round tko. It was an emotional night and I was just so proud of the guy following all the hard work he had put in! 

Thank you to everyone at Charles Martin Martial Arts.  You’re all incredible people and I will just miss you all so much.

Liam Swift and the Helm team

I mentioned Liam Swift in a previous post, but this guy deserves all the thanks. We met about 10 years ago and our paths just keep crossing. He’s a huge reason I am in the position I am in with my job.  He has also supported me during my career on a number of occasions. 

What Liam has created at Helm, a co-working studio in Doncaster, is just awesome. It houses some incredibly gifted creative talent and each one of them (Including my hero’s at Mini Kicks) has made such a positive impact on my life. They have all pushed me on my own adventure and all provided sound advice and listened to any fears I have. 

I will be a Helm member in South America and will continue to work with and support each other moving forward. 

These guys rock my world! 

Feeling Lucky

This post could be the worlds longest if I actually thanked every one of my friends, even just close ones, and if you don’t see your name on this, don’t think your impact in my life is any less significant.

I looked around at the weekend and my friends  had put on a get together for myself, and my broski James Hartley (Oh and celebrating a new kitchen haha) but my god did I feel like the luckiest man in the world.  I am moving to Chile to be with a beautiful, kind and caring woman.....but I am leaving some incredibly special people.  Big Stu, Leanne, Frank, Den, Clare, Ben, Marj........you’re awesome. 

My biggest fear about leaving, is the gap in my heart and mind that could be left  , knowing that my friends are not around the corner, but after spending so much time with them leading up to my adventure, I know full well that all I have to do is pick up the phone to get help and support. 

I firmly believe there isn’t a friendship group like my own and I don’t think I could be any more loved than I am right now. FUCK GUYS!!!!! I FEEL SO LOVED!  You are all amazing and i’ve got a massive heart shaped boner for you all right!

I might be going solo on this adventure to be with my lady, but I know you’re going to be with me every step of the way, one way or another. 

[thatyorkshireguy-blog]

Familia & Regrets

According to my countdown i’ve had on my phone since July.....I have 11 days and 15hrs until I land in Chile (HOLY SH*T).  Since my last blog post I’ve had to do so many goodbyes already and I have still many to get through! The closest family are the people I have seen recently.

(Fran came over in September to ‘face’ my mum )

I never thought i’d have any regrets because when you do have them, generally it’s too late to do anything about them. However over the years I’ve absolutely sucked ass at being a family member to my own blood. Never went to see my mum as much as I should, or the rest of the family as much as I should. I mean....i’ll be honest, if it wasn’t for Facebook, i’d forget half the birthdays in my life. 

I don’t mean I have ever intentionally hurt them or would never do anything to bring them harm.... I love them. I’ve just never had that ‘MUST SEE THEM’ connection, or must pick up the phone every few days.  My grandma & grandad came to watch pretty much every football game I played but when I hit my early 20′s ..... and when I stopped playing football as much, I stopped seeing them. 

Perhaps too selfishly engrossed in my own world or more obsessed with other people. I can’t put my finger on it.  My single biggest regret is not spending time with the people who helped make and shape me into the guy I am today. We see each other at Christmas, perhaps on a birthday or a special occasion, but very rarely have I visited them simply from ‘I miss you’ point of view.  When I sat there with my mum, brother and his wife the other day, It just hit me like a tonne of bricks that I felt like i’d missed about 10 years of life without them. 

When I went to see my mum she presented me with a bag with two gifts wrapped in Christmas paper..... “Merry Christmas Son..” she said. 

This was the first Christmas In 35 years I am without my mum...my brother....my family. She genuinely looked so sad and this is where things flipped in my head and started to feel what she might be feeling..... I was her baby boy and I was going far away and she couldn’t do anything to stop me......just give me her well wishes. I could feel what she was feeling and this just made me break down. My mum is genuinely scared that when I get on that plane, she will never see her baby boy again! 

However, the biggest emotional hit was to come. I’d missed a present in the bag, like the moment was set for 300% drama increase. My mum and my bro told me to reach into the bag again and open something I had missed. I opened the wrapping and there it was, a family album.  

Every single page that turned was like an emotional punch in the face, memories coming back.... moments i’d forgot existed and moments i didn’t even realise happen or even captured. I previously had perhaps 1 or 2 personal photos of my dad but now I had many. It was incredible....amazing but it also made me feel a little angry and sorry that i’d not given more to these people when i’d given so much to other people in my life. 

My Mum (Julie) & Dad (Dick)

These two as a couple were amazing. Always full of banter and constantly taking the pi** out of each other. I remember just being in awe of them when I was a kid because of how much they showed love to each other.  

My dad was a painter & decorator & my mum worked at the primary school I attended.

Back when my mum was just 15, she had a horrendous accident where she was kicked in the head by a horse. She was in a coma....

What she had to suffer with for the next 10 years wasn’t pleasant. Unfortunately from the accident half her face was smashed up and she lost an eye and received some lasting effects in other areas. My mum had no sense of taste or smell. The poor woman also spent the years where most ladies are starting to really experience life, with people staring at her, calling her names and having to feel normal like everyone else. 

What my mum probably doesn’t realise is how inspirational she really is, and only wish i’d shown her this more. 

Can you imagine after this accident what she would least like to do as a career or hobby? HORSE RIDING right?

Well the crazy lady not only continued her love for horses despite the accident, she went onto be a fully qualified horse riding instructor for several years. I’ve grown up spending my times on farms with these powerful beasts who need to be respected but WOW was my mum both brave and just incredible for achieving what she did given the circumstance.  

Unfortunately when my dad died......so did a huge part of my mum and I think this is the biggest reason I’ve distanced myself. My mum was depressed and in a way, probably still is. You never truly realise how much you miss or love something until it’s gone. I just struggled to cope with that sadness and be there for her how she probably needed. 

My dad....well this guy was my hero. He was a proper man’s man who had a temper and didn’t hold back when dealing with things. 

His friends called him Dick (His name was Frederick) - which as you can imagine going through school with a dad called ‘Dick’ was ....erm......fun. 

Even better when people used to say “So.....Julie loves Dick??? Your mum loves Dick”   Ok ........it’s funny! 

Dicky boy was quite old in terms of going into fatherhood and was older than all the other dads, but he did his utmost to make sure I was looked after and entertained. He was my biggest fan and also my biggest critic.  A Coventry FC football fan, and a lover of Pamela Anderson’s boobs on Baywatch! That was a proper Father & Son bonding programme hahahaha. 

My dad always gave me and my bro two pieces of advice.....

1. Never date or marry a woman with horses - your life is done

2. Never date a woman with big boobs. You’ll have the endless struggle of both staring at them yourself and to watch the rest of the world look at them too. 

Sage advice Father, but myself and my brother have chosen to ignore at least one of them. 

I miss that man every single day and I only wish he could be alive to meet Fran and make my mum happy all over again. 

Finally, i’ll get onto my brother, Shaun.

We are so very different in so many ways but at the same time so similar! Right now is the closest we have ever been, which again is a little sad given the time I’ve chosen to move away. 

(Blurry drunken fun with Shaun last year)

When we became teenagers, it was clear that we didn’t get on that well. Because we have different interests and different personalities we clashed and it led to fighting over friends and time spent in local pubs (We lived in a tiny village where friends were few)

As I got into my 20′s I started to need my bro more and lean on him more when I needed advice or help. Like me.. he had quite a few relationships and experiences in his 20′s but then he met someone who turned his life around. 

Shaun became a husband and a father figure to four young children.  He might not have his own kids but he has played such a big part in making sure all four have turned out amazing.  They all look up to him and have the most incredible bond. Shaun, if you read this..... you really should be proud of who you are and the guy you’ve become. Some blood fathers can’t do anything for their kids or won’t even see their kids, yet you’ve devoted time, money and most of all unconditional love to children that aren’t yours. You’re an incredible guy.

(Here’s my bro’s wedding and his clan from a few years back)

I am so very lucky to have this family around me and I deeply regret not doing more for them, but in turn I hope I can be just like them in what they’ve achieved in family life....and make them proud on my travels & in life. 

Cheers to my family, and cheers to yours. 

[thatyorkshireguy-blog]

It’s About To Get Chile

My apologies for the graphic photo that i’ve chosen to lead with here, but it just about sums up the emotions of the last 12 months and what i’ve put my body and mind through just to achieve what was required! To keep on going! 

For my first blog post I’m going to have to hang my ‘Yorkshire plums’ out a little and bear my soul to you. So apologies, but it’s going to one of some length (giggedy) for me to be able to give you a full idea of my story and who this blog is aimed at. 

My name is Liam Grady and i’m a 35 year old marketing and communications specialist. 

I am a born and bred Yorkshire man.... Doncaster in South Yorkshire to be precise. 

Here’s the big one........ in less that 3 weeks time, I will be moving my entire life to Chile, South America. 

Why? But of course people....I move for love... for a beautiful chilean woman called, Fran Díaz Abeleida.

(Here’s the night we first met in London)

I met Fran in September 2017 when I was working down in London for just three days. Turns out Fran was on the last two days of her trip around Europe and making her way back home to Chile.  What were the chances we would be stopping just one street away from each other in England’s capital during that time? Crazy to think about! 

Well after two incredible evenings with this lady, I headed 170 miles via car back up north (The land of Yorkshire Puddings and more friendly folk) and Fran headed 7500 miles via a plane back to South America, not knowing if we were ever going to see each other again. 

The face that you actually see in the one above with Fran was taken at a time when my life may have been at my weakest, from a mental health point of view. During this stage of my life I wasn’t happy with who I was as a person and I’d hidden that fact through the bottle and party lifestyle for many years.  I always loved the people in my life and loved the ‘job’ that I did as a communicator......I was just missing something in my life. I didn’t respect myself - I will elude to what contributed to this downfall further down the story. 

As dramatic as this sounds, just a few days after meeting Fran, I could have killed myself or someone else as not for the first time id stupidly drink drove my vehicle. The ‘straw that broke the camels back’ as they say, was when I nearly crashed my car into my house mates car, and my own house. I felt so lost and I didn’t know what the problem was to be able to fix it. 

After some very harsh but ‘said with love’ words from a few friends, I decided to take an even more dramatic step and actually fight to survive....and this very much ended up being in the literal sense. I’d been training in martial arts over the years, on and off, very much off... more than on! 

However i found emotional and physical comfort whilst I was training at a place called Charles Martin Martial Arts for a charity fight in 2016. It helped me very much, and it was a team mate that turned to me and said I should fight properly this time.

I thought this person was crazy, as anyone will tell you who is in the fight game, that preparing....even for an amateur fight in K1, Muay Thai, Boxing or MMA is one of the hardest things you will do in your life. You have to change everything.

In November 2017 my life changed.....

For two months I started to train three times a week and i’d told my coaches of my issues and where I wanted to be and how much I wanted to change. I knew this was going to be difficult but I had no choice. I needed this. 

At the same time I’d been talking to Fran over text and voice calls for a few weeks but i’d started to feel like it could be a bad focus of my attention or that there maybe no point in this communication, because how could we ever see each other. 

I remember ‘THE PHONE CALL’ with Fran. I told her that I was concerned nothing would happen, or how could it even happen for a while given the circumstances.  It was Fran’s turn to motivate and inspire me, as she was absolutely gutted that I didn’t think ‘the relationship’ would go anywhere and she proceeded to at first be very upset... but then the next 15 mins turned into one of the most beautiful talks i’d ever had. 

I couldn’t believe this beautiful South American was willing to take a risk on me and at least try to make something work between us. 

At this moment I stopped being a ‘wimp’ (not the best word but one I described myself as at that point) and I really started to fight.

Fran then took a huge step and booked a flight to see me in February for a two week break. I couldn’t believe it. But I still didn’t feel like I was anywhere near good enough or right for this woman. I also needed to dedicate my energy to this person as she lived so far away and to stop me from being tempted with other life distractions that made me hate myself in the first place.

So the training went from 3 days to training between 5-8 times a week. I was dedicated and so focussed and proceeded to change much in my life. My energy levels towards work improved and my whole outlook and positivity started to raise to places id never even been. I was actually starting to like to the person I was turning into. 

February 2018 was approaching fast and both myself and Fran were very anxious, scared and excited about seeing each other. Although we had spoken pretty much every single day since we met each other, we hadn’t seen each other for over 6 months and we had only met each other twice in person!  Yet again, this seems a little crazy doesn’t it. 

That day came when Fran took another 7000 mile trip. I will never ever forget she arrived on that train and looked at me. Our eyes both welled up and I knew at that moment I was already dreading the point of her leaving. We had the most incredible two weeks together. 

Doncaster isn’t the most beautiful of locations in the U.K (according to most) but during Fran’s trip we had some of the worst snowfall in recent times and it added something so magical to the two weeks. 

Awesome hey? 

Fran left during the first week in March and although devastated I just knew I wanted to be with her so badly but I also.... I knew realistically I might not be able to see her for some months to allow me to save up enough money to make the trip happen. 

April 2018 had arrived and so had my first fight. Everything I had worked hard for was here...my moment ... everything was set up beautifully. My opponent was over 15 years younger and was coming fresh from a victory.  What happened next I wasn’t expecting....

During that 1st round of my first fight I was absolutely rubbish and my opponent battered my for the first 2 minutes. I wondered what the hell I’d done. But one thing in life I had discovered is that I always had a big heart and it would take a lot for me to actually give up.  I might not have had the skills my opponent possessed but my mind and heart had become that of a warrior. 

Although physically shattered just after the first round, I came out the second like a totally different guy. I ended up winning that second round landing a good sweep and a good right hand which had my opponent rocked back. It was however too little too late and over the fight my opponent won a well deserved decision. That first fight taught me so much. 

After the fight was over I felt an emptiness inside and over the course of the next few weeks I could feel myself slipping back into my weak points because I didn’t have training or my beautiful Chilean with me.  It wasn’t long before I quickly realised that I needed to be with Fran ASAP!...but in her country and not in mine. I needed a change of everything. I just had no money to get there. 

My job that I was in at the time only paid me enough to cover my bills, just get by each month and it didn’t give me the mental or physical freedom to use my skill set to its full potential. 

In order to get me to Fran I know I needed to do two things, change something with my work life and go back to training straight away with the view to fight again. 

During June and July I did everything I could to improve my life. Work hard during the day in my normal office role (Communications Director), train hard for two hours every day straight after work and then any spare time I had would be dedicated to helping others with their social media/marketing - FOR FREE!!!! I wanted to pay my time forward with the hope that deep down something would come back to me. 

This is exactly what happen...

At the start of July, i’d produced a document on social media for one of the business members at a co-working studio called ‘Helm’. From that one document caused a ripple of actions. 

I’d received a call from the founder of Helm, a good friend and contact, Liam Swift. He asked whether i’d like to do a presentation on social media at the next ‘Doncaster Digital’ event, which takes place at the Helm studio every month. 

I agreed and put together a presentation that was true to myself and something that could help many businesses understand more about their social media channels. This event turned out to be one of the best attended Doncaster Digital events with over 40 different businesses attending my talk. 

(Here’s me giving the talk on that night at the studio and one quite happy straight after - I am the one jumping higher than the rest as you can see!) 

So I was told it went very well indeed. 

Actually....my phone would not stop with texts and calls of support that night. At around 11.00pm, Liam Swift dropped me a text message to say that there was a couple of people in the room who were watching very closely and that I may get a text in the morning from a business regarding help they required. 

The following morning I received a text message from the founder of football coaching brand, Mini Kicks. He wanted to meet me to discuss a potential opportunity about working with them and them helping me on my mission to get to Chile. This had me very intrigued.

I received that text message at 9.30am and by 12.00pm I was having lunch with the Mini Kicks founder. 

By 12.45pm I had received a job offer that again was a turning point in my life and by 2.30pm ....i’d handed in my notice and effectively quit my other job that day.

The offer at that time was just too good to refuse. It was only a short term solution but it allowed me to achieve what I needed to straight away and give me the freedom to build up a personal brand before I left for Chile. 

It is the first time, hand on heart that I have ever......ever shed tears of pure joy and emotion.  I phoned up Fran, burst out crying and just said....”I can come to Chile”. I just couldn’t believe this opportunity had happened! 

If truth be told I wanted to just fly there and then but I couldn’t leave the country until I had done a few things. The first was fight again and that came last month in October, and the second was to be a best man at one of my closest friends weddings. This happened last weekend. 

My life was finally coming together but I was still having to manage money and effectively start my own business and go solo again. 

Fran even came to see me again in September for a few days which although she became very unwell during her time here - literally as she landed, it was a chance to show her what a person I could be in times of illness. It was just great to be with her! 

How much can one person try and achieve in just a short space of time?

Ok, so now it was fight time once again! I’d trained so hard for this next fight, physically and mentally took me to places I hadn’t been, but due to a bad injury suffered in August I wasn’t able to do any sparring. Which was bad news for me because in October I fought an absolute beast of a guy.  I also had to come down to 70kg which I was 77kg when I started this journey the November before.  

Again fight day came, and with my closest friends and family there to watch, it once again seemed that everything was set up to go out with a bang and leave as a hero.  

We were ready...and I had unfinished business. 

From the first bell I wanted to show that i’d improved...and I had. I was calmer, better on my fight...just better all round. However i’d been matched up once again with a very powerful and skilled guy.  He caught me with an uppercut that badly broke my nose and for 10 seconds he knocked the sh*t out of me....and he went for the KO.  On shakey legs, I managed to quickly back off and then out of nowhere I landed a right of my own which then rocked my opponent. The commentators were going mad.  Another moment i’ll not forget.   

In fairness my opponent took the first round just on the better shots landed but we both exchanged some great punches and kicks which made it a great fight.

Then came a defining moment which I believe my friend and one of my corner men, James Hartley, put better on Facebook - which i’ll share with you now (Again another read, but it’s hard for yourself to put into emotions).

James’s (gent in the lovely shirt haha) word’s really capture what I went through on this journey of self discovery, on a journey of doing what I had to do to be a better person not just for Fran, but mostly for myself. I’ve had a crazy 12-18 months! 

If I didn’t love myself, how could I ever allow myself to fully love someone else or allow them to fully love me. 

To just bring it back to why I was in the mental state I was at the start of this story.....

Over 8 years ago, I ended up losing my best friend in a car crash and my dad through cancer, within 6 months of each other and all I did was pack all that pain up and pretend like it didn’t matter. Hiding tough times through drink and a party lifestyle, which was absolutely bullshit and I allowed that to start destroying myself from the inside out.  Up until I met Fran and my love for martial arts, I just never knew how to love properly....and thanks to both of those things, I now can.  I am so excited about life and in less than three weeks I will be flying to Santiago, Chile, to be with my lady.  

My mission is to make her happy, save lots of street dogs and help other people, whether that be in business or just in life. 

I wanted to share this story because it gives you an idea of if you truly want something, if you’re truly willing to improve yourself and get to where you need to be in life, it becomes fight or flight and you have to fight for what you want.....you have to!  And I did and will continue to do so.  Don’t hide grief and pain, and do lean on people for support, they give you the strength when you least expect it. 

Although this is quite a personal post, I want the people and brands that I will be working with moving forward to know the type of person that they are working with and I truly hope it helps people discover that they can achieve anything they want. 

Oh, I ticked of the best man duties as well....that was last weekend and it was one of the best days of my life, and a memory that will stay with me forever. 

So cheers to you U.K. Leaving my country, my life and especially my friends will be the hardest thing i have ever had to do, maybe even harder than my fight journey. But it is easiest the most exciting thing I’ve ever done.

Thank you so much to my friends and family who have supported me along the way.  A huge thank you to the people at Helm and at Mini Kicks.

One of the biggest thank you’s has to go to my coaches and team mates at Charles Martin Martial Arts, I don’t think they truly realise what an impact they have had on my life and how much it truly as changed.

Of course the biggest one goes to my girlfriend, my partner and the reason I am moving country...... Fran. You inspire me to be better for both you and for myself. I can’t wait to see you in three weeks time. 

And Chile....I am coming for you! 

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I know it was long (giggedy) but I am grateful for your time. 

Forever humble...

Liam Grady

That Yorkshire Guy. 

Please share this with anyone who might find this helpful and please follow me on Facebook and Instagram - just follow ‘THAT YORKSHIRE GUY’  - I will be sharing my entire journey via Instagram and I am hoping to collaborate with some amazing brands on this journey. Please get in touch on my IG page or lgrady83@gmail.com. I will get onto this more on my next post.