VaNessasEpicAdventures

November 27th - December 27th It is hard to describe my month of yoga in all of its true essence. I chose to study traditional yoga, searching for something real and authentic, but not wanting it taught as a religion, and in my search found Wise Living Yoga Academy. In truth, I didn't know what all that would entail at first but after receiving a pre-arrival assignment, learned I was in for something a bit different than what we call yoga in the west. I lived and studied at Wise Living Yoga Academy with two amazing teachers, Daniel and Jeenal, explaining to us what yoga is. Daniel and Jeenal studied and received a blessing to teach what they have learned from The Yoga Institute in Mumbai India (the oldest school for yoga in the world). Our ... read more

Africa. A continent as diverse as it is expansive. The word Africa ignites the imagination into expanses of open land, wild animals, beads, grass huts, and the opening song from the Lion King. While there are areas like this, maybe without the theme song, there are also major metropolitan cities, cars, highways, people making money from oil, children fighting guerrilla wars, construction, people starving, innovation, malls, tradition, universities, mining, fossils of human origin, music, and so much more. An unknowable truth until it is experienced, Africa is a place everyone should go to once in their life, or at least that's something I've always believed. South Africa is a destination of dreams for many in other Sub-Saharan African countries. The hope of work/ an ability to provide for their families, city luxuries (technology, plumbing, food, clean-ish ... read more

And so my first big adventure has come to an end... In the past four months I have been to 12 countries. I have crossed boarders by boat, car, plane, bus and on foot. I've had my feet in oceans, seas, and rivers, made sand angels and rolled down sand dunes like a kid rolling down a grassy hill. I fed squirrels, birds, and stray cats. I spent Halloween in a market, Thanksgiving in a burger joint, Christmas camping in the desert, and new years in a cold fluorescent lit room where drinking was not allowed. I have jumped off a bridge twice, gone camping in the winter in Scotland, swimming in my undies, covered myself in mud, stayed up all night, drove on the opposite side of the road in the opposite side of ... read more

We landed in Marrakech at about 8am. We made our way through the small airport over to the car rental agencies. There was no one at the counter but we were finally able to find someone to help us after just a few minutes. They had us fill out a bunch of paperwork, and said our reservation was all set except for a deposit that we owed them. He said it was 1,000 Dirham. We were trying to ask the guy if we would get the money back when we returned the car and that’s when it all went downhill... Suddenly the story began to change. Our reservation was now mysteriously cancelled. But he had the money still and could get us a car. Then they had our reservation but no payment and we needed to ... read more

Athens is such an amazing city. The streets all seem to eventually lead to a square/circle. You can walk around a corner and stumble upon a small section of runes fenced off and covered in vivid greenery. There are small cobble streets and large city streets, new buildings and old ones. Graffiti that is beautiful enough to make you wish you could cover your house with it and street vendors selling pastries that make your mouth water even when you are full! I love Athens, it is my favorite city that we have been to so far. I love the food, people, art, history, architecture, weather... I just love it in general! Our first day was semi wasted due to sleep deprivation and our second day started off the same way. Alex and I had been ... read more