should i stay or go??

Nov. 2, 2009

Should I stay or should I go now.
The moment I set foot in Zagreb from Lika, I felt free.

Not only free from the challenge of living at the Centre and isolation of farm life, but like I was free to start all over in my life. The delete button had been pushed while I was on the train. I think subconsciously, I went to the Centre to purge the remnants of grief and pain that I was still clinging to from a huge heartbreak last year.

As soon as I hit the streets in Zagreb, I new my luck had changed for great. I even knew the right sarcastic quip to stun the punk ass kids who were harassing me for dragging my bike box. They called out, I called back with something funny and cutting, and they laughed, I laughed, and it’s all going to be fine.

Zagreb has all you could ever want from a big, cosmopolitan city, but only one million people, and the subtle coolness of ex Eastern Block mentality. It is like a manageable New York with all the style, quick pace and cultural infusion. It is a beauty culture and café society, so at noon and five, choose your seat at one of the multitude of outdoor cafes, and watch the promenade.

I love it here. I can’t tell you why, because I have always been drawn to Latin countries. But this place resonates with me deeply, I like there subtle harshness for some reason. I am finding it easy to meet like minded people who share my love of outdoors, and the yoga community is fresh, small and inspiring. I have decided to stay as long as I can.

Doors are opening for me, and I don’t have to struggle. My new friends have overwhelmed me with graciousness. I have been offered classes at Divya (www.yogazagreb.com) and more workshops, my new yoga teacher friend Danijel (www.ashtanga.hr) is helping me teach and supporting me in so many ways to make my experience here incredible. Marija from Linden is helping also, (www.lindenretreat.com) I have been offered cell phones to borrow, free places to stay, and jobs to contact, biking buddies, running groups. Hrvoje and his mates take me rock-climbing, and his band practice. I am utterly overwhelmed with everyone’s generosity, and real desire to help in any way they can to make my stay so pleasant.

I have decided to stay another month. And in that time not only will I continue my workshop and yoga teaching schedule, but look for a more permanent job. I checked with the American Embassy and there is a bunch of paper work, temp immigration and blah,blah stuff that will be about $500 USD to start. That.s when I got my first wave of fear, and alone-ness. Can I do this, with no money, leaving my friends and my fancy shoe collection?? So scary to step out on your own. Someone once told me to do something once a day that scares the shit out of you. I did my part for today.

I will give it a month of working to put things together, and watching to see what unfolds and which doors keep opening if I am supposed to stay….

The time feels right to follow my heart….
Wish me luck!!

Xo, Tonja

What goes up must come down....

What goes Up must come Down….

Isn’t that just simply the darned law around?

Being a person that is easily addicted to fun and pleasure and the “do it again, ‘come on!” skoool of life, it is always such a tough thing when not everything is, like, fun and goin’my way.

I am sure that no one else can relate.

But, the equal and opposite law is in fact true, what goes Down must also come Up!!! Love that ole Law of Attraction.

So, as much as I appreciated the Centre’s experience for what it turned out to be, it was high time for me to skeee daddle and fly sola.

My good friends Laura and Steffen had just left, and that punctuated my desire to pack up and hit da rode for Zagreb to re unite with the little yoga community at Divya (www.divyayoga.com) and my new friends Sandra and Petra. And also stay with my hostess Katrina and her daughter who have so graciously offered there home to me.

I had also picked up some other new friends along the way too. Namely Hiroe and Lovero, rock-climbing, ex-mad chemist and meteorologist respectively, divinely handsome, hilarious and good company. Danijel, so ruggedly good- looking I want to applause, new friend and devoted yoga teacher, AND the Croatian Special Forces special rock-climbing force. More on these later….

Fall is turning to a riot of blazing colours in the Velebit Mountains, where I spent some of my most favourite days in Croatia, aboard Attilla the horse, tromping the hills with Medoh the dog. We have been the three musketeers companions, the horse, dog and me. The air is crisp like cool spring water, and the sky a sharp clear blue, further illuminating the blaze of colour in the Hills.

Anyone who loves nature would love it here, and in a few years once Linden Retreat completes its vision, it will be a lovely, restful retreat .

Now Zagreb is home base and also the Capital city of Croatia. Croatians are a very tall, refined and very handsome race of folks. Zagreb is cosmopolitan, and everything that you could want from a large city is here. Museums, art, theatre, dance, music, and cafes. I haven’t experienced the nightlife yet, but I am sure they have enough to keep a girl busy. Unfortunately, everyone smokes everywhere, and that makes me gag, but oh well, this is Europe. There are also excellent Ex-Pat groups like the Hash House Harriers running group (www.hashhouseharriers.com/croatia) and various café Meet Ups for different countries. I could be quite happy here I think if anyone offered me a contract. Anyone???

So, here’s where the Croatian Special Forces come in.

Hrvoje ( hero-way) and Luvero (Luv er oh) invite me to go rock climbing with them in Rijeka. If you haven’t heard, the mountains are incredible right now, and this region is known for its great climbing rock. As we approached the base of the Climb, two army jeeps roll up, and out pile the most fit, handsome young army men I have seen in a while. Not that I hang around bases much, but believe me, if you’ve been on a farm for a month and the best thing in town is a nearly blind, 65 year old farmer and his nearly blind horse, you are pretty stoked to see some rugged young men. Turns out, they were climbing for Special Forces training, and were delighted to entertain a nice young lady. I thought I had died and gone to Man Heaven. I’m not exactly sure if H and L were so excited about the Men as me, but at the end of the day I could have had 5 new boy friends and we all had a good laugh.

Ok, so my dad took me rock climbing a few times when I was young, but I am terrified of heights. I don’t know if it was the day, but, I had such a great climbing experience, I am hooked!!

Yoga really helps climbers, and now I can vouch for that first hand!!

I am teaching class at Divya where the girls have asked me to teach some classes for them in the next few weeks. I am absolutely delighted, and I am also giving Thai Massage at the studio as well.

Danijel, local Ashtanga yogi and teacher is taking me on a Hash run tomorrow and to practice some Acro Yoga. He and Marija will assist me in my next workshop in Rijeka November 7th at the Ashtanga studio (www.ashtanga.hr)

I almost have a schedual now!!!

Heads up next time for a Yoga Review as I see it in Croatia……you will be delighted and amazed….plus, a glowing review for Lululemon clothing, which I am an Ambassador for. There travel backpack that is laptop friendly is all you really need on your Euro Holiday

Xo,

Tonja