In this interview Alana recounts her recent trip to the United Arab Emirates where she competed in an international gi (kimono) jiu‑jitsu tournament and won a gold medal in her age, weight, and belt class. She describes the hot climate, sightseeing highlights such as a camel ride, sandboarding, and a sunrise visit to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Alana also updates the host on her ongoing work with Harvard’s CS50 course, noting she is midway through week 3 (lesson 4) after re‑engaging with the material post‑summer, and reflects on how repeated study has deepened her understanding. The conversation explores parallels between the discipline required for elite sport and for a demanding computer‑science class, with Alana affirming that the determination cultivated through jiu‑jitsu aids her academic challenges. She mentions mentorship of a 9‑year‑old student, the emotional aspects of traveling far from family, and the logistics of balancing competition, travel, and study. The interview closes with a brief chat about her bedtime routine in Abu Dhabi.
Chapters
I'm well. So you are in Abu Dhabi?
Yes, I am.
Tell us about that.
Um, well, it's kind of hot. It's not the same temperature as San Diego. I mean, if it was summer, it would have been way worse, but it's still a little hot for me. Um, I'm here for a competition, but I already competed, so I'm staying longer with the, um people that I traveled with, so I can watch them too because the girls are a little older than me. So I'm having a really, really fun time doing that too. We also went sightseeing a little today. I got to ride a camel and go sandboarding. I only fell once, which was an accomplishment. But yeah, I've been having a lot of fun. It's really, really awesome experience.
Very cool. And how did you do in your competition?
I won gold.
Congratulations. Um, so that— is that in your age class, weight class? Help us understand what that is.
Um, age class, weight class, and belt, because this was a gi competition.
It was a what competition?
A gi competition.
What is a gi competition?
Or it's when you're wearing the kimono, the gi.
Got it. Okay, thank you. We outsiders don't understand all of this. And did you also visit Dubai?
Yes, the first couple days we were in Dubai.
I thought I saw a picture of you going up the Burj Khalifa. Is that correct?
That is correct. Our first, our first morning we went up for the sunrise. Um, so the visitors go to level 124, which is, you know, obviously still quite high. It isn't the very, very top, but the view was incredible. It was so, so cool. And we were there before the sun rose, so we got to, um, we got to see the sunrise over Dubai on the Burj Khalifa.
Very, very cool. I've been up there but not during sunrise, but it is kind of amazing. I've been in many tall buildings, but you really feel like you're up in the air when you go up there. Um, so I wanted to check in on, um, Si. Have you had a chance to work with Si anymore since we spoke last?
Yes, the first year it was a little slow, but I've been working on it some more now that it's winter and all my trips and other competitions have— it's going, it's going. Last time it's still slow, but I'm on week 3. I'm watching the lecture. I'm progressing in the projects. The last one took me a little longer, but I passed the point where I had to go back and restart, which is an accomplishment for me because, you know, it just felt really nice. And I feel like I'm kind of getting on the train now. And sometimes when I kind of don't prioritize one thing, it makes it seem so much harder than it actually is. But especially since I'm kind of at the beginning stages now, it's not as hard as I remember it. So I'm enjoying it a little more. So I'm really happy about that.
Terrific. And so just to recap, you got to a certain point in Harvard CS50 last spring, and then you took the summer off. And you started over this fall, and now you're just a little bit farther than you were last spring. Is that correct?
Yes, a little farther in material, but a lot farther intellectually because I feel like— I mean, I feel like there was a point where I was watching the videos and I was doing the projects, but I wasn't really understanding anything. So again, I went back and redid it, and now if you ask me to do something related to what we're watching about in the lecture, um, I'd be able to do so much better than I would have otherwise.
Makes a lot of sense. Um, I, I have this experience perhaps more with reading than— I haven't done anything like take a hard course like you're taking long time, but if I read something that's very difficult, sometimes I read it the first time barely get anything. Then I read it the second time, and then I kind of start to get part of it, and then I really only understand it the third time. So I'm actually an advocate of, if you're doing something really hard, to kind of keep pushing. I think part of it is your mind develops a partial— your mind just sort of orients itself the first time through, then the second time through, and not that you need to do 3 times, maybe 2 is enough for you, but the second time through, you don't have to orient yourself so you can focus more on understanding. Does that seem accurate?
Definitely. I've done that a couple times with books too.
Got it. And, um, to what extent do you rely on Zwolacki versus just doing it with the videos on your own?
This time around, it's a lot videos on my own because, you know, that's the material I can go back and rewatch it.
Yep.
Um, I think maybe only a couple times did I go back and ask for help. But as of recently, it's been going good for me.
Great. And which lesson are you on?
Um, I'm like in the middle of the lecture with week 3.
Is that lesson 3 basically?
It's technically lesson 4 because they start with week 0. Got it. Yeah, but because, um, the last week's courses have been— or the projects were a little difficult for me. And the traveling and stuff, I haven't really— or I'm still on the lecture of week 3. But I'm going to be done with that and then work on the projects and then move on.
So to make perhaps a strange comparison, would you say it's harder to work on Harvard CS50 or harder to compete internationally in jiu-jitsu? Or are they so different you can't even compare?
Well, I mean, they're different because competing is, you know, you're— I mean, you're competing and then completing a course, schoolwork. I guess that's maybe not the best way to describe it, but traveling internationally and competing was a newer experience for me than maybe taking a course. Of course, that might have made it a little harder, but that's just like one day. And then taking a course takes a little while longer, especially, I mean, in this case for me, a little while.
And, and, um, I wasn't actually thinking of the competition itself. I asked a poor question because you answered the question that I asked. I was more thinking of the process of steady discipline for years, um, you know, in practice, you work out regularly. Would you say that CS50 is a mental workout, or is it— I guess what I'm asking is, working out mentally to work through CS50 similar to working out physically to become internationally competitive? Or are they so very different activities you can't compare them?
I think you can compare them a little bit. I mean— I ran into a couple bugs and problems while I was doing the projects, and of course that was really difficult, but in the end I was able to pull through, I think. And sometimes I feel like if I were to think about this question while I was in practice or working out or something, I would say definitely the international, or the road to international and competing. And then sometimes when I reflect on it when I'm not doing anything, it's a little different. But my view right now would probably be that working, especially cuz I'm not gonna stop in a long time, you know, this steady train of training and then competing.
Mm-hmm.
It's, it's harder, I think.
Of course I expected that. And I, I've often said one of the reasons I like to hire champion athletes is I know that they've got such determination that they are often good at doing other things well. Does that seem plausible to you, that the kind of determination that has led you to be an international competitor helps you tackle all kinds of different problems?
Yes, definitely.
I would think so. Um, The Way of the Warrior Kid— is it fair to say The Way of the Warrior Kid inspired your, uh, dedication?
Yeah, it definitely started the journey.
Got it. And then how about just traveling internationally? Did you enjoy— was it strange to be without your parents? Did you enjoy, you know, being with other adults? Um, was the long flight weird? Give us a sense of what the travel experience is like.
Well, this is my only— I think this is only like my second time away from being away from my immediate family this long. Actually, I've never been away this long, so it's a little difficult, especially because I'm on the other side of the world. But it's not. Um, I've been kind of preoccupied with competing, and then I guess you're right, just traveling. So it hasn't been too bad, but you know, it's, it's not the best either. But then just the experience in general is so worth it. Um, I'm traveling with older people, with older women, um, and I mean, watching, getting to watch them compete and traveling with different people and getting to know them better and being better friends is definitely worth it though.
Wonderful. And then quickly, have you had any more mentoring sessions with C, the 9-year-old?
This past week, no, because I've been traveling. It would be 1 in the morning for me if I were to meet with him.
Yep.
So I emailed them and told them that, um, I wouldn't be able to meet up with him, but when I get back, it's go time. I'm back in business.
All right, great. In which case, always a delight to follow your progress and touch base with you. And, um, I'll let you get to bed because it's late-ish over there. What time is it there right now?
8:10 PM.
Oh, that's not bad. What time do you go to bed?
Around 8:30, I think.
Okay. In which case, thanks for making the time while you're across the world, and we'll see you hopefully next week. Take care, Alana.
