Why you should travel

It wasn’t until close to three years ago that I ever left the country. I mean, I had been to places in the United States before but never anywhere outside. So when my husband, then boyfriend, asked me if I wanted to go to Bali with him, I didn’t hesitate. I got my passport ready and went on an adventure of a lifetime. My first trip in another country was on the other side of the world. Needless to say, it was a “bucket list” sort of trip. I didn’t think anywhere else that I would travel could ever compare until I went to Costa Rica this past March. I had been wrong.

My friend and colleague asked me earlier in the year if I would like to lead a yoga retreat there with her. It was at a time when I was beginning to expand my yoga business, and leading retreats was one of the ways I wanted to do that. So it came at a perfect time to commit. We took along 21 yogis for a relaxing, and refreshing yoga getaway to an eco-lodge in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica, which is located right outside of Jaco. I had no idea what to expect because I had only been out of the country a couple of times now and never to Costa Rica. We arrived in San Jose. We got off of the plane, got our luggage, went through customs, and we were on our way. As soon as we stepped outside I knew this place was special. The warmth of the sun immediately warmed my skin.

After arriving at our eco-lodge, and greeted with fresh juice and ceviche, we went to our rooms so we could unload and rest before an evening yoga class followed by dinner. The evening came and we practiced yoga in the outdoor shala listening to the silence and the insects calling out into the night. We were then given an amazing meal, which was followed by amazing meals for the rest of our stay. Everything is organic, fresh, and local.  I believe I could talk about Costa Rica, my experience and their people for pages upon pages. But as it is with most things, you have to experience it yourself to get a true sense of what it is like. There is a genuine happiness that resides within the people there even though they don’t have much money. There are locals and expats that come there to enjoy a simpler way of life. They enjoy the sunshine when it is out during the day as they make their living, and they get the most out of each day with activities and spending time with their families.

Traveling has showed me it is ok to slow down. It is ok to take time for you and it is important to see and feel the way others live outside of your neighborhood and community. It’s waking up your sense of adventure even when you are out of your comfort zone. It’s smelling the air in different parts of the world and activating your senses like you haven’t before. Most importantly, it’s connecting with other human beings in the most basic of forms with a hello, hola, or a bongiorno followed by a smile.

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