HOME SWEET HOME.
I have a big confession to anyone out there who thinks I am a jet-setting gypsy off in a different foreign country every month...
I haven't been to a foreign country all year!!
Crazy as it is, I am really happy with where I've ended up. Oh I don't like that word-- ended..!
Here's what happened:
As some of you may know, I was traveling and teaching yoga. I went from California, to Australia, to Thailand, back to the states (Seattle then Cape Cod), then back over to Europe, then back to the states again. This was all unforgettable to say the least.
I was in St Augustine, Florida from January until July this year. I really loved it there and was so comfortable that I was able to experience more pleasures of life, pleasures beyond thrilling new sites and foreign accents.
I enjoyed the small community where everyone hung out with each other, and I finally learned how to cook. Instead of exotic foods, or foods prepared in tiny kitchens, I shopped entirely at the Farmer's Markets and made real meals. I took up writing in my spare time and was able to talk on the phone with lots of family and friends since I was in the same country.
Living in one place (and still in the states) made me realize that there were lots of positive parts about "roots." Additionally, though I love being independent, I was just done traveling alone. St. Augustine was great but for me, it can never be home. Home is California.
When I did my teacher training in LA in 2011, I fell in love with the beach cities. I wanted to stay after training but work was not here so I had to go where the universe took me. Obviously, I'm grateful the way that worked out!
So one day in Florida, I decided I would just SHOW UP in LA, it was time!
There was no way to secure a job beforehand, as with every other job, because LA has plenty of yoga teachers. A leap of faith was the only way.
Lucky for me, two of my girlfriends from college who now live here together, had space for me at their apartment. It was absolutely necessary that I had that support in my transition and it was so cool to reconnect with them.
In my first few weeks here, I signed up at YogaWorks also. I started a Mysore practice there and a regular vinyasa practice as well, in addition to doing Bikram Yoga everyday. I attended advanced classes at Bikram Headquarters a couple times a week. Sometimes I practiced advanced class up to 4 times a week and visited up to 3 different yoga studios a day!
As the stars lined up, a full time teacher was needed and I found my home at the studio in Manhattan Beach. :)
Next came the apartment. I browsed a ton of craigslist ads and visited about a dozen but each time it didn't work out with what seems like a great apartment, I didn't fret it. I am SO glad now that nothing worked out until the place I have now. I was looking in neighborhoods that were far from Manhattan and with weird living situations etc. I now have 2 awesome roommates my age, a nice big room in a great apartment, and its only an 8 minute drive to work (which is right on the beach, by the way)!
I really love it here. There are tons of like minded people but yet plenty of diversity. I got to reconnect with friends from different parts of my life who also ended up here and of course have a huge circle of yoga friends. I love that there are so many good yoga teachers and studios here, enough to be picky. And the farmers markets..? I had to get an app on my phone to find the closest one to me each day (but there's also this darned HUGE Whole Foods right there)! LA pretty much feels as exciting as traveling. Almost.
I have a big confession to anyone out there who thinks I am a jet-setting gypsy off in a different foreign country every month...
I haven't been to a foreign country all year!!
Crazy as it is, I am really happy with where I've ended up. Oh I don't like that word-- ended..!
Here's what happened:
As some of you may know, I was traveling and teaching yoga. I went from California, to Australia, to Thailand, back to the states (Seattle then Cape Cod), then back over to Europe, then back to the states again. This was all unforgettable to say the least.
I was in St Augustine, Florida from January until July this year. I really loved it there and was so comfortable that I was able to experience more pleasures of life, pleasures beyond thrilling new sites and foreign accents.
I enjoyed the small community where everyone hung out with each other, and I finally learned how to cook. Instead of exotic foods, or foods prepared in tiny kitchens, I shopped entirely at the Farmer's Markets and made real meals. I took up writing in my spare time and was able to talk on the phone with lots of family and friends since I was in the same country.
Living in one place (and still in the states) made me realize that there were lots of positive parts about "roots." Additionally, though I love being independent, I was just done traveling alone. St. Augustine was great but for me, it can never be home. Home is California.
When I did my teacher training in LA in 2011, I fell in love with the beach cities. I wanted to stay after training but work was not here so I had to go where the universe took me. Obviously, I'm grateful the way that worked out!
So one day in Florida, I decided I would just SHOW UP in LA, it was time!
There was no way to secure a job beforehand, as with every other job, because LA has plenty of yoga teachers. A leap of faith was the only way.
Lucky for me, two of my girlfriends from college who now live here together, had space for me at their apartment. It was absolutely necessary that I had that support in my transition and it was so cool to reconnect with them.
In my first few weeks here, I signed up at YogaWorks also. I started a Mysore practice there and a regular vinyasa practice as well, in addition to doing Bikram Yoga everyday. I attended advanced classes at Bikram Headquarters a couple times a week. Sometimes I practiced advanced class up to 4 times a week and visited up to 3 different yoga studios a day!
As the stars lined up, a full time teacher was needed and I found my home at the studio in Manhattan Beach. :)
Next came the apartment. I browsed a ton of craigslist ads and visited about a dozen but each time it didn't work out with what seems like a great apartment, I didn't fret it. I am SO glad now that nothing worked out until the place I have now. I was looking in neighborhoods that were far from Manhattan and with weird living situations etc. I now have 2 awesome roommates my age, a nice big room in a great apartment, and its only an 8 minute drive to work (which is right on the beach, by the way)!
I really love it here. There are tons of like minded people but yet plenty of diversity. I got to reconnect with friends from different parts of my life who also ended up here and of course have a huge circle of yoga friends. I love that there are so many good yoga teachers and studios here, enough to be picky. And the farmers markets..? I had to get an app on my phone to find the closest one to me each day (but there's also this darned HUGE Whole Foods right there)! LA pretty much feels as exciting as traveling. Almost.
