1) Which country are you a citizen of?

Canada and UK

(2) When was the last time you were in the U.S?

 I guess it was pre-Covid. I think I was at a UFC event in Vegas. 

(3) Rough guess, how many countries have you lived in and name a few?

Eight countries other than Canada… West Germany (yes - I am that old), Poland, Thailand, Afghanistan, Sudan, Turkey, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Pakistan. In no particular order!

(4) Which country was/is your favorite, & why?

I can’t say I have a favourite since they each offer their own unique flavour and culture. There are some I liked less than others mainly due to cultural issues and how “at home” I felt. Most were amazing experiences. 

(5) Which country was the hardest to live in, & why?

Afghanistan was the hardest to live in for a number of reasons. Everyone is now familiar with lockdowns due to covid. Imagine that as your normal routine every single day. Moving around was difficult due to threats. In the old days when I first lived there we (foreigners) had a lot more freedom. When I returned, the situation was a lot more dire. It was hard to watch the difficulties that my friends and colleagues experienced every day too. 

 

(6) Most people have music or Alexa to wake them up. You have had BOMBS waking you up. Explain that.

I am a security specialist and I have worked mainly in high-risk countries. Certainly in Afghanistan I have woken up to rocket attacks on Christmas Day, taken cover at night, and had a number of windows broken due to blasts. It’s part of the job but it’s not something you ever get used to. Adrenalin still pumps when you hear the whistle of the rocket overhead or feel the “oomph” of an explosion nearby.

(7 - Part one) When the U.S pulled out of Afghanistan, what was your reaction?

Haha, I was there until 13 Aug 21. I had changed my flight to avoid lines at the airport at the end of the US mandate. However, by 15 Aug, the Taliban arrived in Kabul and then our work really began. I was never a fan when the US came in the first place. There wasn’t a big contingent in the early days but when they came in, a lot of the troops (and leaders) came with pre-conceived notions about the environment and culture, which was based on Iraq.

(7 - Part two) The war truly started to ramp up then with a lot more aggressive responses than we had seen in the past. Unfortunately, the US administration (Republicans) decided to have unilateral talks with the Taliban and did not include the legitimate (if not terribly effective) government of Afghanistan. That gave the Taliban the win. They felt like they had it. So, the US needed to pull out of there but it needed to be in an orderly fashion. The way it was done caused a lot more havoc than was necessary. (This is my opinion only). My reaction: The US really needs to follow an old premise: Never go in without knowing how you’re going to get out. 

(9) Give me one example of how the Afghanistan withdrawal affected you?

 It personally affected me since my organisation stopped operating on the ground. As such, I was kind of homeless for a while. I didn’t have an actual duty station, so I lived in Turkey until I got a new post. We worked non-stop on helping our nationals depart the country and when the final one crossed the border, I simply cried - exhaustion, happiness, sadness, relief. A full range of emotions. I still have it from time to time. I love Afghanistan and the people. It was one of the places I was truly made to feel welcome and at home. The war is not over. The Taliban are now the de facto government but they are fighting their own insurgency against Islamic State. And women… Clearly most of these guys skipped the part in the Holy Quran about equality. 

(10) What do you think about the Iranian women's protest?

I support them in their efforts and it is taking on a broader context now with areas like Kordestan  taking on a government who has marginalized the populations in those provinces. The government has been brutal and I don’t understand their willingness to put the regime and their power at risk simply over headscarves. I guess their egos and history of bullying don’t allow them to think that they might lose their hold on the country. Had they simply prosecuted the ones who killed Mahsa Amini (a 22-year-old woman also known as Jina Amini, died in a hospital in Tehran, Iran, under suspicious circumstances) and changed the headscarf law, they would have avoided so much bloodshed. 

 

(11) When you hear / see the news of what's going on in the US, what do you think of it?

If you mean the reversion to pre-1960’s style law enforcement and blatant racism, or the ridiculous misuse of the second amendment and how clearly racist that (a black person with a weapon in the face of police is likely to end up dead. A white dude might get arrested). I am being a bit tongue in cheek here, but to the rest of the world, that’s what we see. And when I have an American ask me what it’s like to live with “those people” (ie Afghans, Pakistanis, Thais, whatever), I’d like to tell them that they are in fact “those people.” What gives me hope is that the Americans I know are pretty much all good people who are as disgusted with what is happening as I am. I meet people like you, and I am sure the US can right itself insha’allah (God willing). 

(12) What is one thing that United States citizens take advantage of that is not available in other countries? 

 Ease of travel. They have little idea what it’s like to always have to wait and plan around the possibility of not getting a visa for someplace they would like to go. While I also travel easily, a lot of friends with whom I travel don’t have that luxury. However, I suggest that more people take advantage of what they have and start to visit other places with an open mind and learn from others. 

 

(13) What was the starting point for " The Diesel Diva - Peace through sports" movement?

Haha, it started with a photo and the name. I have a pic that was taken at The Pit in Singapore. I was out back flipping big*ss tires, and I was probably at my most fit. Skinny blond with long red nails. And someone said “that’s so diesel” (flipping the tire) but then noticed the nails :D And The Diesel Diva was born. It fits. I do a lot of stuff that other people don’t do - like living 14 years in war zones - but I am very happy to go shopping and get a pair of Louis Vuitton shoes. I guess I could be the Diesel Bourgeoisie but that doesn’t fit on a t-shirt as well as The Diesel Diva. I wanted to find something good to do with this very cool name . I started traveling and coming across athletes in a lot of places that I visited for work and realised a number of things: they were often taken advantage of; they often didn’t have opportunities to reach the next level; and that sports can cut through some of the bullsh*t that we are often exposed to and teach a number of very positive values. The Peace Through Sports movement was born. 
 

(14) Could you explain in a few words the Diesel Diva concept?

Exposing kids to sports at an early age can be a life changer. With the right coaching and people around them, they can learn so much about teamwork, work ethics, respect, and professionalism.

(15 - Part one) Mix Martial arts has a huge influence in what you are doing. How did that get started?

I had lost a lot of weight (I found it during covid) and had just moved to Bangkok. I passed a gym every day on my way to work and signed up. They also had may Thai training so I started that too. Around the same time there was a local MMA promotion called DARE and there were actually some good events with some good fighters. Unfortunately, around that time the so-called “muay thai mafia” decided that MMA should be banned, probably thinking it would interfere with the muay thai profits. But an enterprising fellow named Jon Nutt arranged an underground MMA event that was then posted on YouTube. Eventually, the Thai government gave in and allowed MMA. Around the same time One Championship started in Singapore, and being in Bangkok I was well positioned to fly to the events.

(15 - Part two) I fell in love with the sport and then started training with Adam Shahir Kayoom, now the head MMA coach at Evolve MMA in Singapore. I started out saying I wanted to train in MMA, and while we did that, he guided me to BJJ and finally got me into a Gi. When I went back to Afghanistan there was a brown belt who often trained out of Tiger Muay Thai in Phuket on his leave. I got permission to enter their compound to train with the security team - boxing, wrestling, MMA, BJJ. I also set up my dining room as a training area and called it The Diesel Dining Room Dojo :D It was a registered Gracie Garage. While I was there, I also met James Smart, a well-known Gracie black belt from Capetown, South Africa. We conducted a few “Street Smart”  courses for the staff of my organisation and I did 34 private lessons in 21 days with him :D He convinced me to follow the Gracie program to become a Gracie Combatives and Gracie Women Empowered instructor, which I did. However, my coach Adam, was also intrigued with the program and so went to South Africa to train with James (who he had met in Bangkok with me) and by the next summer we were all in California to train with Rener and Ryron Gracie and I also trained with Eve Gracie for the Women Empowered program. I also finally made it to South Africa to train with James in his Street Smart program and become a level 1 instructor. 

 

(17) How many forms of Martial Arts/ Combat sports have you tried or competed in?

Have trained in MMA, BJJ, Boxing. Competed in BJJ and boxing. 

(18) Are you training/sponsoring any athletes for future events?

All the time. I am helping a number of MMA fighters, but have also helped some football (soccer) players from Kenya who have scholarships to school in the US but couldn’t manage some of the costs associated with getting there. Two of them I helped a couple of years back and they both now have scholarships to play soccer at University. I am sponsoring some Pakistani fighters, an Indian fighter, a couple of Brazilian fighters, and others. It’s not always the same folks, but I really want to see people get the right opportunities. An injury that is not well cared for can ruin the chances for an athlete. Not being able to afford a medical prior to a fight can do the same. I am incredibly blessed and am in a position to give back. So that’s what I do. 

(19) Name the one thing you are most proud of involving the Diesel Diva brand?

There are so many things that have happened for which I am proud to have the DD brand involved. I would say that Shaheen Gym in Lahore, Pakistan under the drive of Bashir Ahmad really says what the brand is about. Kids have the opportunity to learn about martial arts, there is a generator so they can do schoolwork and the importance of that is stressed, meals are provided and some have managed to get scholarships to go to schools. This is what #peacethroughsports is about - to engage upcoming generations in ways that they may not otherwise get the chance to. 

(20) What is your goal for the brand for the future?

My dream is to see DD sponsored social projects and athletes around the world setting the example and sharing the message. 

 

(Closing) What is the one thing you would like for people who read this article to get out of it?

We can all make a difference. Whether we smile at someone, help someone with something, make a donation, or other, the efforts of all the individuals set an example and will start to change the world. 

Next up : Early 2023 : Amaris Saldate