Memoirs Of A Modern Day Pirate

      Little by little, I had begun to fall into some sense of a routine in Xiamen. Apart from teaching yoga classes, I was also teaching a few English classes on the side. There was one girl whom I had never met, yet we would talk daily on the phone for half an hour in order for her to practice listening and speaking English with me. I think she was my boss's niece or something like that. Side note: If you want to go live in China and you know English - boom, you have plenty of opportunities to work. Apart from my very little amount of "work" duties, I was investing most of my time into implementing circus techniques into my training. I still hadn't managed to shake the circus bug that I received while in Paris. In fact, the feelings were only growing. I had researched some circus schools online and took a peek at the audition requirements that each school had. For example, at every audition, you needed to demonstrate all of the split positions. I didn't yet have...

After having spent 3 months living in the Costa Rican jungle, I had begun to get a bit too comfortable, so off I went. As mentioned in the previous post, I secured a job as an Ashtanga Yoga teacher in Xiamen, China. This opportunity was one of those random curve balls that life threw my way. It was something I never could've expected. Expect the unexpected - so cliché, but so true. If your mind is open, then the world is also open to you. A big mind equals big fun! As a side quest before hopping over to China, I decided to spend some time in Paris with Stella before venturing off to the coast of Xiamen. This small decision would have great positive consequences down the road. The minute is never really minute and what seems grand is sometimes only a facade... This side quest to France unveiled some important things to me. First, I learned that revisiting an old love can be tricky. I had built up expectations about what it'd be like to revisit Stella after our time apart sin...

Just as I was beginning to dabble my toes in the world of circus in France, taking my first acrobatics and hand balancing classes, and having conversations with circus artists that helped move the needle within me, I left for China. I was feeling an overwhelming pull towards the circus life but wasn't able to slow down enough to listen to my intuition. That's how my traveling was for the first few years. Just going and going and going. Only introspecting when I absolutely had to. Only thinking about the future when I absolutely had to. You could say I was "lost in the flow," so to speak. One thing led to another, and I was all of a sudden starting a life in China. It was a beautiful moment to reunite with Mr. B, whom I had met in India many months before. He was also the person to thank for getting me this sweet gig of teaching Yoga in China. I think there were plenty of other individuals who would've been a better fit for the job, but I don't think any of...

     My days in the jungle of Costa Rica were full and filled to the brim with introspective insights. All the "free" time that I had was spent on piecing together the next steps in my ever continuing journey. The serendipitous path that preceded this one had already availed to me that absolutely anything could happen, but I was still waiting on the next "thing" - whatever it was. Sure enough, the Universe delivered.      My message came in the form of a FaceTime call from one of my Yoga teachers from India whom I'll call "Mr.B". After some cordial introductions he went straight to the point as to why he called me. The conversation was short and simple: Mr.B: Do you want to go teach Ashtanga Yoga in China with me? Me: (without hesitation) Yes! When?  Mr.B: As soon as my contact can get the paperwork together...and after you have a short meeting with our future boss - Jason. Me: (busts out laughing in disbelief) Yes yes yes! Are we actually going to Chi...

     My time in the rainforest of Costa Rica gave me the space to enjoy the pleasures of simple living while I brainstormed as to what I'd do next. My days were slow paced and filled to the brim with wonder. Each day I'd awake to the calm power of the rainforest. I couldn't ignore the orchestral layers of all the individual creatures that acted as my natural alarm clock. First, I'd go partake in the nectar of the gods... a.k.a Costa Rican coffee. After one or two or three cups I'd then go to teach a morning yoga class as the caffeine began to course it's way through my body. My classes were held for all of the guests who were staying in the various treehouses. They came from all over the world to this destination as a means to "get away" or vacation, which for me was a bitter sweet thing to witness. Some of the people whom I met were stuck in the monotony of a mundane existence and only allowed themselves these few days in the rainforest to truly enjoy...

     I arrived to Costa Rica discombobulated. Once again I was in a state of "culture shock". To make my way to the treehouse community that was located in the middle of the jungle, I had to take a series of buses and connections. It was exciting and highly stimulating. Public transport is a fantastic way to discover a new place. On first impressions I found the people of Costa Rica to be mesmerizing. I think it must have been an energy thing. Everyone seemed to be lively, full of gusto, and a zeal for enjoying the simplicities of life. In my own speculations I'd later attribute this due to the fact that they seemed to eat healthy and spent much of their time outside. The "pura vida" life style I suppose. Countless times from my bus seat window I saw people lounging in a hammock outside their house, straight chilling without a care in the world, or so it seemed. Of course I'm projecting, but this relaxed energy was something that was felt. Anyways. The bus r...

     During one of my mornings in Sri Lanka while sipping on coffee and listening to the waves of the ocean, I received a "bite" on a line I previously cast. A bite from all the way in Costa Rica. A while back I'd applied to teach Yoga in a tree house community (that I found online at www.Yogatrade.com ) on somewhat of a whimsical decision. Of course I wanted the position when I applied, but I had low hopes that I'd even receive a response. I was happily wrong. They responded, and I was accepted. Yeehaw!      This meant that my time in Sri Lanka would be coming to an end. This timing was a bit ironic because I'd also received an opportunity to work at a surf school for a company on the island around the same time. It turns out that one of the surfer girls that I fancied from India had connections. She had set me up with the absolute perfect opportunity to create the Sri Lankan surf life that I previously desired. Sometimes the universe tests us by giving us...

       After sometime of visiting the monastery every day multiple times a day, Yohan and I became more and more comfortable with each other. There was no denying it, we were friends! Before long Yohan confided in me something that he needed help with. I had just finished telling him about a near death experience that I had a few days earlier. I tried to swim to an island just off the coast. In the midst of my crossing a storm came out of nowhere and over took me. I managed to cross safely, but it...was...sketchy. Anyways. In response to my story, with an air of embarrassment he asked, "Can you teach me how to swim?" Of course I said, "Yes". How hard could it be?       It turns out that giving swimming lessons to a Buddhist monk is more complicated than you'd imagine. There were two cultural "rules" in place that made this task a bit tricky. Rule #1 - Yohan wasn't allowed to take off his robe in front of anyone. For whatever reason, since he was a...