So the hard work and challenge of Yoga teacher training came to a close upon leaving Austin, TX, and I have to admit, I had a strong mix of emotions at the conclusion. I was sad not to have our close group training sessions, I was anxious at the prospect of leading my own classes and I was uncertain as to what the next step in my yoga life would even be with this experience under my belt.
Upon arriving in Santiago, of course I scouted out local yoga classes for my own personal practice. After discovering there were virtually no classes to be found in the city in English (thank god for YogaGlo), I started trying various styles at local studios in Spanish. After a visit to a class at my favorite vegetarian restaurant, El Huerto, I met with the teacher who told me he was in need of some extra help during the week due to his shift in schedule. Que Suerte! I thought, how lucky to find an opportunity to begin my yoga teaching career. After a test run of teaching the teachers, I was hired for Mon/Wed night classes, with the intention of teaching in English while incorporating as much Spanish as I could. And that's when it sunk in….holy Sh*t! What am I doing? I don't know if I'll be a good teacher? What if I mess up? I don't even know how to speak fluently in Spanish, how can I teach in another language? thoughts, nerves, anxious worrying swirled around for a bit, until I came to terms with my options. I could be scared, say no and go on about my day. Or I could be brave, face my fears and jump in.
It's hard as a beginning teacher to think about the teachers you respect and learn from and try and picture yourself at that level. And I finally convinced myself to realize that I'm not at that level yet, and hopefully I can be one day, and that every teacher had to have a first class. So with that intention, I started the journey of creating my own yoga community in Santiago.
Now, 6 weeks later, I am amazed at how enriched this experience has been for me and, I hope, for my new students. I have grown in confidence, I am taking risks in the studio and I am making new friends along the way. This opportunity has allowed me to aspire to grow my own yoga community, and specifically English speaking yoga community, here in Santiago. I've created a page for us to collaborate on this adventure, so share the love and give it a like! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Community-Yoga-Santiago/101018096757664?fref=ts
I'm looking forward to the journey ahead in my yoga career. I can only my own positive intentions, spirit and challenges are impacting my students each time they step on their mat. Namaste.
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