GO WITH THE FLOW

One of the highlights of my 2009 was when I mustered all the courage to sign up to a 3-day retreat in La Union dubbed as Flow: Surf.Yoga.Samba by Monica Eleazar-Manzano. I do not know her at all or anybody attending the event nor have I told my friends I will be in northern exile for the long weekend. You see, I have no problems traveling alone if it means meeting interesting individuals (I certainly  did) and being in an unfamiliar territory gives me a mix feeling of fear (a tinge of it) and pure satisfaction.

I was super excited for the afternoon samba sessions by the beach (of the three featured activities, surfing, yoga and samba, samba was primarily the reason I went - I am a frustrated dancer!) but ended up loving surfing the most. I was all bruised at the end of the retreat (I still have it until today) and sunburnt because of an all-day surfing but I didn't care. I didn't realize how stubborn I was to not give up until I get up on the board with quivering knees and sail towards the shore triumphant. I laugh at myself remembering how I silently and persistently told myself, "I won't get out of this ocean until I get up. Stand up. Get up." And I did. I got up.

Compared to my lackluster real estate life, I was in awe of the many people I met. I was roommates with Nancy, a vegetarian fresh from a backpacking adventure in Europe. Marnie from Scotland who is a music teacher in IS. I met an adventurous couple who has been to a mountain climbing adventure in Nepal. Check out their blog here.  Then there's Monica, who has given up her comfortable city life to teach Yoga in Palawan and raise her family in a greener, simpler way.

Next time I attend another retreat, I hope to bring with me a story.

Inspiring!

*photo credit: Flow.Surf.Yoga.Samba facebook account