SURPRISE!!

Back home in Canada, came home a week early for a bunch of different reasons.
Got to surprise Kayla for her birthday which was awesome :)

My last days in India were amazing, I just relaxed on the beach, did a fun Acro yoga workshop. It's like partner yoga- one person is a base and one person flies.. you've gotta be really strong to pull off some of the crazy stuff they do, this was a pretty basic class.

My journey home was loooooong, but so glad to be home! I've posted pictures on facebook and will tell anyone who wants to listen alllllll about my adventures. <3 <3

breakfast- most important meal!

Happy Birthday Dixon!!

Breakfast is the time for great ideas around here!! I woke up early, practiced yoga on the beach and went for a run which was nice (it seemed extra hot though). My friend Brianna and I were eating and chatting about what to do today and a woman from the course invited us to Paradise Beach in Maharastra (state north of Goa). It was 5 of us; Paul from Europe, Francine from Quebec, Ashley from Mumbai and then Brianna from California. We took Vespa scooters (which I've been debating about for a month), and it was SO fun!! They needed one more driver and I was nominated. (How hard can it be right?!) At first driving was really scary, but I got the hang of it. Turning was the sketchiest- did a little accidental off roading at one point but it was all good. We drove for about an hour and a half, and took a little ferry. We went to a little secluded beach where we RODE a CAMEL!! His name was Tyson. The guys who owned him live 150km east of there and walk to the beach every season. It takes them 5 days- they walk on the camels during the day and sleep at night. The tourist season is almost over because monsoons are starting soon so they'll be heading out end of March.
India has been blowing my mind the last few days- so many fun things. I wonder what tomorrows breakfast will bring!
Missing you all <3

Graduation!

I'm officially a yoga teacher!! Can't believe it, I think it'll take a lot of practice until I really consider myself one.
Yesterday instead of yoga we got surprised with a sunrise dolphin boat ride! It was really nice, and we saw tons of dolphins. We were in big wooden boats with 100 year old 9.9 horsepower motors. We all went out for dinner last night as a big goodbye.. Some people left today, lots of people are hanging around Mandrem or going other places in India.
Today was my first day of freedom, my friend Jillian and I were talking at breakfast this morning and decided we wanted to do something cool today... So we walked to Arambol (north of here) and went paragliding!! It was really fun. I thought it was gonna be a huge adrenalin rush but it was really relaxed, like meditation in the air.
It's nice being free to do whatever we want after having so much structure for a month. Might head to a spice plantation tomorrow, or go for a hike.
Missing you all!! <3

home stretch

Whew. Its been quite the week! I taught my 45 minute class this morning and wrote my anatomy exam this afternoon.
I was the 2nd last person to teach which was definitely not in my favor. I've been listening to/ doing other peoples classes all week, getting psyched out and burnt out. My 20 minute class I taught last week went really well- I was nervous for the first minute or so but then I got in the zone and it was all good. For my 45 minute class I was nervous the WHOLE time!! It was a good thing I had to queue inhales and exhales for the class because it reminded me to breath too. I think I was more nervous because I'm so tired and I had so much time to over think it. It went well though and I got good feedback.
The only negative thing they had to say was that it was 5 minutes too short! I had to take out a section of flow in the middle of the class because I was going to be over time, and then didn't add enough in to compensate- if I had been calmer I could have freestyled another pose or 2 in the end but my brain was exploding haha. But if that's all the negative they had to say then its all good. Feels good to have that out of the way.
The exam was fine. I knew it wasn't going to be anything crazy. It was all fairly basic and it was all related to yoga so it was easy to think about practical applications. Of course there were a few weird ones.. "What happens to the digestive system when you breath properly?" I answered.. "It works properly?" Haha.. I think they were looking for something more along the lines of, it is massaged by the diaphragm, but maybe they'll take pity and give me half marks for effort. Other than that question though I feel good about it.
Now we've got a few more sessions- yoga therapy, adjustments.. And a graduation ceremony (haha) and a few more yoga classes (of course) then we're done! The time has flown, the course seemed like it went so fast- but on the other hand if I think about the first day I got to India it seems like MONTHS ago! Always seems like that when I travel.
Northern Ontario is getting temps in the mid/ high 20s and already have people working at some of the bases!! I feel so fortunate to have a job to go back to when I get home. About 80% of the people here have quit their jobs to come to this course- in search of something else in their life.. Everyone here seems to be in major transition- from school to work or work to something else. I've enjoyed getting to know all the people- a lot of characters for sure. People from all backgrounds, all walks of life, everyone with their different story.
Missing everyone, can't wait to see you all! <3

determination and business skills

Everywhere you go in india someone is trying to sell you something.. A coconut, a taxi ride, some prayer beads, a sarong, a massage, some yoga... The determination of these people is insane! We walk to the beach everyday and without fail 3 or 4 people ask "yes madam, taxi?" they see us everyday, they know we're going to the beach but still they ask. And on the way home from the beach.. Majority of the walk is on a sand trail where cars can't even fit so I don't know what they would even do if we said we wanted a taxi. And the sellers on the beach.. Everyday. "Yes madam, look something? Cheap price for you" The other day I was jogging on the beach- headphones in, rocking out, and a bead seller steps in my way and tries to sell me some prayer beads.. 1) is it not obvious that I'm doing something.. Maybe don't want to be disturbed 2) where do you think I keep my money when I jog?

Turns out the sellers on the beach aren't bothered if you don't have money on you.. They just say "Pay me later" they even let you take what you've bought with a promise that you'll return later (or tomorrow) to pay them.. Same with restaurants and little stores. A lot of trust in people!

One of my favorite business techniques I saw last week. My friend was buying 2 dresses, at first the guy wanted 1500 for both (which as usual is crazy overpriced) so eventually she bargained it down to 600.. Much to the dismay of the shopkeeper. As we were leaving he says "come back again, but next time more expensive, no good price"... Greaaaaaat. Ill definitely be back for some haggling and over priced clothing.

This same guy (he was quite the character) was a typical indian salesperson. They say "good quality" and "same same" all the time. Everything is good quality and if you're looking at 2 different things.. don't worry- they're same same.
There were tags on the dresses my friend bought. They had a size and a color on them- but they didn't match what they were attached to. A size 16 was same same as a size 8.. And a grey was same same as pink. Haha.
Indian antics actually entertain me now, I'm going to miss them.

On our day off the other night we had an amaaaazing dinner!! By Goan standards it was expensive- we each got an appetizer, 2 cocktails, a fish entree and a dessert for 1000 rupees ($20 cad). And its amazing food. I had silver fish with a sweet potato puree and a salsa on top. Goan seafood is so delicious. We also found a place in a town up the beach that has REAL coffee!! And ice cubes!! It wasn't like home but it tasted better than anything I've ever tasted just because its so rare.
One more week of training and then heading south Goa with some friends from training (I think).
Missing you all <3

Snow?!

It's a little cooler today but it's been soo hot and humid the last few days. The air is so saturated with humidity.. In the morning you can hear the trees/ air dripping- its not rain it's just the most heavy condensation. An Indian lady we were talking to on the beach the other day called it SNOW!! It's crazy how they make sense of the weather with unknown words. Haha.. Clearly she has never experienced real snow! All of my clothes and my bed are damp all the time.. It's gross lol. The temperature is actually stable it's the humidiy making it seem much hotter.
More of the same this week.. Yoga yoga yoga! We're preparing for our 45 minute classes and anatomy exam which are next week. I'm feeling pretty good about both- I'll work on them tmrw on day off.
Last night we did the WEIRDEST thing... It's called contact dancing. I don't even know how to explain it. Picture a whole room of people dancing/ moving to "music" but everyone is interacting with each other... I mostly spectated bcuz it was a little out there for me (and most people...)
I don't have much more to report.. My life seems consumed with yoga, anatomy, philosophy and weird dancing haha. Day off tomorrow!! Maybe some more stories for you after.
Missing everyone. (and Happy St Patricks Day!!! No one here is celebrating haha but I will in my mind)
<3

Teaching!

Another week has come and gone! The second week went way faster than the first. We did a lot of philosophy and anatomy. It's good that I've learned a lot about the body in school.. I can't imagine not having learned it before not to mention the people who don't have English as their first language. 
We've started teaching 20 minute classes.. Yesterday was interesting.. When English isn't your first language it's obviously harder to teach so some of the classes drag.
We do 2 hours of self practice in the morning before breakfast which is really cool- shows how much we're learning that we can go for 2 hours. Then we teach each other for another 2 hours. Holding all the poses for 5x longer than usual while the teachers stumble/ look for the English words. 
I taught today.. I was a little nervous- at the beginning it seemed like my tongue was too big for my mouth and my mouth was parched.. And i sweat more in my own class from nerves than doing the other classes haha. But after a minute or two it was fine. I feel like it came pretty naturally.
Next week we start teaching 45 minute classes! 20 minutes was a good starting point but it went by so fast and you couldn't really incorporate everything you wanted to.
Im about to go for a run on the beach (shoes on this time!! My calves were sore for days after my shoeless run) one of the dogs from Ashiyana is gonna run with me he's soo cute, he's colored like a rotweiler but smaller. It's nice to run in the day because there aren't any wild dogs around... Just lots of people- some of which are pretty wild too haha.
Everyone here talks about how they don't want to go back to "real life" but I'm excited to haha. It's amaaazing here but I feel like I'm living in a little plastic bubble. A plastic bubble of paradise though which is why they don't want t leave I guess.
We have an afternoon off tomorrow- goof to another market I think :)
Missing everyone <3

Happy Holi

Holi is a big Indian festival marking the beginning of harvest of all the crops, festivities started last but Holi started today! We went to a big Indian market on our afternoon off in Anjuna which was really cool. Big, busy and dusty but SO much fun stuff to look at/ buy. They've got everything!! Clothes, bags, shoes, jewelry, statues, hammocks, spices, tea... Etc. Etc. I really enjoyed it. I think im getting better at haggling the prices down- although by the end I get a little less cheap bcuz I'm so tired.

Anyways- back to Holi! We were driving home and there was a road block set up so we had to stop and all these hands came in the windows with colored powder and threw/ smeared it all over. It's SO cool!!! It's like human tye dye. When we got back we went to the beach and got Holi-ed again- yellow.
Apparently they celebrate for 16 days- Dancing and drive by powdering haha. We're planning on going out tmrw night (armed with powder)...
On a less cool note.. A girl from my course was running on the beach this morning and she got bit by a wild dog. She was ok, just a little scared. I run every morning and haven't had any problems. Usually if you just yell or raise your arm they go away but our yoga instructor told us to start running with a stick just in case.. Greaaatttt. I'm gonna look like a warrior ready for battle!!
So I'm living in a beach hut, like I said. I like it but I might as well be outside. They're open windows and a foot open over the door (good thing for my mosquito net). I've got a frog who sometimes sits on my light switch.. And ants and spiders etc. Nature overload (Hannah you would HATE it haha). My friend Briana from California lives 2 huts down down and she hates it too. She seems to attract the worst stuff. We share a bathroom with 3 or 4 people and the other day she was going to the bathroom when a "mouse" came flying through the window and landed at her feet. (open windows... No screens). So she comes flying out of the bathroom screaming. The story sounded pretty crazy but I looked in the bathroom and there was a.. Not mouse- a rat!! I'm not too fussed about stuff like that but rats are so gross. And it was big! And dead!
We couldn't figure out how it could fly through the window.. Especially when it was dead. We think the only reasonable explanation is that a bird was carrying it and dropped it... And just coincidently at the exact time/ position/ angle that it came in the window. Poor girl.. What are the chances. Haha.
So except for flying rats and rabid wild dogs... And powder attacks... It's been a pretty standard few days here.
Seriously, India is so weird. One of the weirdest things that has been puzzling me lately is money, and stores. So you buy a water and it costs 25 rupees... You give them 30 and they say "no change?" and you say "no sorry" but what they really meant was "no change." Stores don't have 5 rupee coins or bills to give you change (theres 1 and 2 rupee coins too but good luck finding those).. but yet they still charge prices that require 5s. Their solution is to give you a pack of cookies or gum and call it even. What kind of business is that lol... And that's every little store I've been to. It's like 5 rupees are pennies.. But imagine going to a store and they don't have pennies so they give you a mint or a pretzel instead. Just one of the many things I don't understand about India. Makes me laugh though.

Missing everyone, wishing you were here to celebrate Holi with me!!
Also a very happy 90th birthday to my grandma!!! <3

Massages and time off

It's getting hotttterrrrr!! We're coming into summer/ monsoon season soon and it's so humid. My towel never dries.. Constantly damp. 
On Saturday I got an ayurvedic yoga massage... It was so crazy! I layed on the floor on a mattress and the lady used her hands and feet (she was standing on me) to massage my deep muscles- I'm pretty sure she was massaging my bone marrow it hurt so much. And then she stretched all my muscles and joints... again soo painful. The nice part was at the beginning she used coconut oil and an Indian exfoliant- it made my skin feel so soft!
We had Saturday night and Sunday off. A bunch of us walked to a popular French restaurant called La Plage. The reception guy said it was a nice 10 minute walk... In Goa that means an hour haha. We were giving up hope that it existed but we found it and it was well worth it. Amazing food and a really cool ambience. It was on the beach with cool silk tent areas. I had a cedar salad with tofu for appetizer and an amazing piece of tuna with wasabi mashed potatos and chocolate cake for dessert. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. All that for only $20, which for India standards is insanely expensive but when put into perspective it's really good. 
Sunday we chilled on the beach- I didn't get as burnt this time!! Then me and 2 girls walked to Arambol which is a 45 minute walk north. It's a major hippy town- one of the first hippy settlements in Goa. There was a row of really cool artisans with homemade jewelry and crafts and then all the typical India shops. So much to look at/ browse. We're gonna go back next week and buy a few things.
We're back at it now... Yoga, learning to teach and anatomy... And chanting... Andddd sweating!
Missing everyone. <3
(the Internet situation here is really unpredictable. Ashiyana usually doesn't work so I walk a bit down the beach...)

Chanting and Dancing!

Now that we're almost a week into the course I'm definitely getting tired. We practice yoga for 2 hours in the morning, then have breakfast which is eggs, muesli, fresh fruit and yogurt- and every morning they have a different juice. Today it was lime, mint and it was so good. 
After breakfast we usually have a session learning how to teach (right now we're doing sun salutations). Every sun salutation has 2 planks, 2 pushup type moves and 2 downward dogs... among other things. Since we're learning to teach we just do them over and over and over. SO many!! It's really tiring.
After that we have another session about philosophy or asanas (yoga poses) and then lunch. Lunch is salad, white rice, dal (lentils) and some sort of potato/ veg dish. In the afternoon we usually learn about anatomy (systems in the body and how they're helped with yoga). We have another miscellaneous session- could be about anything. Then dinner which is salad, rice, dal, paneer (Indian cheese) and then a different dish every night. Its vegetarian 85% of the time which is good! After dinner is "Bhakti" time which is usually pretty weird. Bhakti is the limb of yoga that is all about love and devotion to gods/ goddesses and chanting and dancing... Sometimes it's a little cult-like but I participate to get the whole experience. 
There are a lot of things in this course that are taking a while to get used to.. the chanting for sure and then in classes/ sessions we have 36 people and we're randomly paired off and like 5 times a day we give eachother massages. Sounds pretty sweet- and it is- I'm sure we won't be strangers for long but right now it's a bit awkward giving and receiving surprise massages.
If someone came and watched a class they'd probably think we were really strange.. They'd be right.
Today we did partner yoga and stretching, it was really cool. My partner thinks chanting is the most bizarre thing so she couldnt stop laughing.. There's a lot of nervous laughing in every session haha.
I think the first 2 weeks is a lot of theory and the last 2 weeks are more practical.. I'm already on yoga overload so it'll be interesting to see how it goes. 
It's been really windy the last 2 days- lots of kite boarders on the beach. And lots of palm tree branchings falling off the trees. Hope the roof of my hut is sturdy!!
Everyday after lunch we go to the beach for rest period, definitely can't complain about that!
Will update you soon about more chanting and downward dogs!
Miss you all. <3