Deciding to leave my life in Costa Rica was both a relief and a burden. I knew I was ready, but giving up my established life turned out to be an emotionally challenging task. As I sold my belongings, prepared paperwork for my dog’s international journey, and planned my next steps, a sense of ease and excitement emerged. These feelings colored my final weeks in Montezuma with gratitude and beauty, though saying goodbye to my favorite places was deeply emotional.
My partner and I decided to explore Central America before settling in Switzerland. Since my contract ended in September and he could only join me in November, I stayed with a friend in northern California, where my dog Lucy would remain while we traveled. Arriving in LA with my jungle dog, two suitcases, and a surfboard felt surreal. We drove up the coast to northern California to meet my friend, where I could settle in and roll out my mat for practice. This precious time with my childhood friend soon came to an end.
Leaving Lucy with her, I drove down to San Francisco to meet my partner, and a few
days later, we got engaged. We then drove to Palm Springs to visit my grandmother before heading down to Mexico to begin our journey through Central America. We traveled through Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala for five months. Although it was beautiful and liberating, I grieved the life I left behind in Costa Rica—a life I had created from scratch and was now struggling to let go of.
Everywhere I went, I rolled out my mat and practiced. However, after climbing a volcano in Guatemala, I injured my knee and experienced significant pain. Unable to practice as I used to, I had to confront this injury while traveling. Upon arriving in Switzerland, my new home, the diagnosis was confirmed: a ruptured meniscus. This limited my physical practice significantly, forcing me to adapt and focus on what I could do rather than what I couldn’t.
A couple of months after my arrival, I was informed of the sudden death of my teacher and mentor, Maty. Her passing was a profound loss, striking the yoga world with surprise and revealing the immense impact she had on modern yoga. With the rug pulled out from under me, I began my new life in a new country, navigating grief, injury, and change. Throughout this journey, yoga remained a steadfast source of strength and resilience. It taught me to change my perspective and adapt to the situation, teaching me to find solace and support even in the most challenging times.
Comentarios