A little bit of Rwanda (and Agama Yoga) in Thailand

Even six time zones away from tiny Rwanda in East Africa, I was able to find a piece of home in Thailand! My Dutch friend Anneke was taking a three month sabbatical from Kigali to live on the island of Koh Phangan for a yoga course and some R&R, so she kindly offered to share her cute bungalow with me.

I took the ferry from Koh Tao, hopped in the back of a tuk tuk from Koh Phangan port, and met up with Anneke at Agama Yoga. I had the best few days with her and her friends. On my first night we went for dinner at the bungalow of a couple of Italian guys who cooked spaghetti and garlic bread for a 20-person group. How Italians can turn a simple recipe into something so delicious and filling I’ll never know (and most definitely never be able to replicate). Another night we ate fish curry with our feet in the sand as a big group of friends gathered to say goodbye to a fellow yogi who had finished her course and was headed back to Europe.
During the day I joined Anneke at the yoga center, following her around on her training schedule. Four hours of yoga a day was definitely challenging! The Agama style is more detail-oriented and slower-paced than what I’m used to; holding one pose for seven minutes can be quite excruciating, especially mentally! But it was good practice for when I begin my teacher training in northern India!
One afternoon we went to a lecture on how to cultivate (and only settle for!) unconditional and selfless love, not only from others but also towards yourself. I feel it’s always a great lesson to be reminded of; Anneke agreed, saying she felt everything happens for a reason and that this is exactly where I should be right now, and I couldn’t agree more! However certain you are of that, it’s always nice to have friends confirm it for you. You can never overestimate the power of surrounding yourself with positive people who encourage your endeavors, mirror your ambition, and challenge you intellectually! Thanks for the reminder, Anneke! And the bungalow 😉