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Knowledge conquers the world As a result of migration, some crafts and art forms have reached every corner of the planet. Even today, voyagers and emigrants are packing their bags and sharing their expert skills in climes far from their homelands.
Nadav Shoshan aged 40 from Israel, a Krav Maga instructor and director of an Impact Group in Germany When I was twelve years old, I actually wanted to start learning judo. But courses weren’t available in my hometown in Israel. So I chose Krav Maga, an Israeli martial art. People of all statures – large, small, muscular or slight – can learn its techniques because it is based on natural, instinctive body movements and responses. Essentially, it only uses five or six dif ferent movements. Anyone can master them, which is what makes this sport so unique. And that’s what I like about it. As a child, I originally wanted to become a surgeon, then a vet, an actor, a screenwriter – I was never short of ideas. I did various jobs while in college, but Krav Maga was always my real passion. And I never imagined I could make a living from it. In 2010, I finally opened my own school in Haifa and then moved to Germany with my wife in 2014. We wanted to experience other countries, because life in Israel is very singular. My wife got a job in Mannheim so we moved there. I set up the Impact Group, and double as its manager and Head Instructor. My students are aged between 5 and 57. I also train other instructors, mainly in techniques for teaching children. Typically, I spend a lot of my time on the road. I’ve been to the Czech Republic, England, Trinidad and Tobago and Australia, and I’ve met wonderful people wherever I go. I learn a lot myself when I’m training up-andcoming coaches. I want to keep improving as an instructor, and working with them broadens my horizons. I would like to expand my school too, so that I can train even more people – and help them become more confident and embrace healthier lifestyles. TEXT Imke Borchers
Dr. med. Maya May Sian Oei age 42, from Germany, specialist in dermatology, venereology and traditional Chinese medicine I grew up in Germany, in a family of doctors with Indonesian and Chinese roots. My parents are both traditional Western physicians – so I was predestined to go into medicine as well. I work as a dermatologist and also practice Traditional Chinese Medicine ( TCM ) using acupuncture and herbs. Both as a doctor and a human being, I believe in meaningful connections between different worlds – worlds which at first glance might not seem to belong together. Syntheses of apparent opposites can be very powerful. Conventional medicine and holistic views of human health are frequently viewed as incompatible. Patients typically go to either a regular doctor’s office or an alternative prac titioner. But I’ve been trained in both areas and tap both approaches, depending on the symptoms. Even while I was still a student in Germany, I was already undergoing training in Traditional Chinese Medicine. And this training is contin uing – thanks to teachers from all over the world, including China. Everything I experience in that sphere enriches and enhances my work as a dermatologist, and vice versa. For example, I specialized in anti-aging acupuncture. The combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and dermatology is still quite rare, and for me it represents a dream come true. In my view, it’s really important to keep thinking outside the box and trying to discern underlying connections and relationships, rather than focusing on a single symptom or medical discipline. That’s why I share my knowledge first and foremost with my patients – who allow me into their lives and see themselves from a new angle as a result – but also with my team at the office and other physicians. A diet of the type recommend ed in TCM, physical exercise, and a respectful attitude toward yourself and others – these all serve to make us happier overall. And, as a result, healthier too. TEXT Miriam Holzapfel
