Emily’s First Day Of School

Since we began planning this year of adventure, she has been talking about doing something for her body. Something physical. Something healthy. Regularly. She had just lost 55 pounds leading up to our wedding and wanted to find a way to continue taking care of herself while we traveled.

It was on her mind in India when she tried yoga at the Keraleeyam Resort in Alleppey. She thought Yoga in India would be cool. It was the wrong instructor for her – someone who is better at yoga than teaching.

As we sorted through the options of things she could do for herself, it became clear that something physical meant yoga. Bali is a great place for it – so she had earmarked Bali as her place to try again.

We discussed her venue options. I pointed out that the gym in Ubud offers yoga classes and has really nice showers since she wanted to clean up without having to run home. That’s when it tumbled out.

“I didn’t come three-quarters of the way around the world to go to a gym!” Emily said indignantly.

And with that, the decision was clear.

Yesterday was Emily’s first day of school at Bali Spirit Yoga/The Yoga Barn in Ubud. Beautiful teak structures with thatched roofs – complete with geckos on the ceilings – and a courtyard, house studios overlooking a rice paddy surrounded by lush greenery. People come from around the world to do retreats with Bali Spirit Yoga. It’s also extremely popular in the expat and local community. I took my first yoga class there almost five years ago – and I loved it.

India made it clear that Emily likes her yoga Western style – with slightly new-agey white girls who make you workout and stretch to the asanas. Emily particularly likes vinyasa flow like I do. Let’s be real – I’m not there to breathe, I’m there to work, stretch and sweat until my body feels great and I’m a little blissed. If I have to breathe appropriately along the way, so be it. I think I can safely say Emily shares this attitude.

The hard part was turning words to actions. As always, when you’ve been out of something awhile, you start to dread it. The cool thing about yoga is that it’s not really as bad as hitting the gym for the first time. Even if you’re really stiff and you fumble – you just look stupid. You still get a good workout and you always leave feeling good – at least I do.

I knew Emily would too. So, when she started her talk of yoga over the weekend, we made a plan. She looked up the class schedule, chose one and committed. Tuesday at 10:30 am.

One would think a 10:30 class would be a cake-walk to schedule – especially for people who have a housekeeper making coffee and breakfast as soon as they wake up.

Something about how we get up and transition into our morning work routine makes it so that getting up and out doesn’t come easily. We mapped out our morning, set an alarm and rolled out of bed with a vengeance.

“It’s your first day of school! You can’t be late!” I said as we hustled to leave the house.

She had her tuition in hand, was properly attired and mildly dreading it. We left a half hour earlier than necessary so she had time to ask questions, do sign-up paperwork if needed, pay fees and buy a bottle of water since she didn’t have a water bottle.

Luckily, after I dropped Emily off at school, she did just fine. Not only did she love the class and the instructor, but she made a friend.

People become expats in Asia for many reasons. For some it’s work, others education, some follow love, and then there are a lot of losers and scum. So many expats in Thailand, Japan, and Taiwan are just miserable people. Even in Singapore with all its conveniences including linguistic and cultural connection, I’ve met so many expats who feel a need to remain separate from locals and complain constantly about everything.

Miserable.

Ubud has the only expat community I’ve ever liked. While in the south of Bali, many expats are just into the beach and the incredible standard of living they can get for their money, Ubud expats usually choose Ubud because they fell in love. There’s not much business up here – not like in Denpasar or Kuta. It’s all about the views, the people and the culture that comes out of every pore of Ubud.

Ubud expats are positive, embracing, welcoming and usually very respectful of locals. After all, it’s the locals’ ways and lifestyle they enjoy and admire. Some become active in studying dance, others painting, some help with local events, others open restaurants and galleries with Balinese business partners or spouses. They become functioning, contributing parts of Ubud society.

While waiting for her class to start, Emily met one such person – an American woman her age who recently got married and came to Bali with her husband to live and work for a year and a half. Investments in local property and a job she likes has it so that they now plan to be around for about five years.

Emily immediately hit it off and received an invitation to the woman’s upcoming birthday gathering. She also hit it off with her yoga instructor – from California, her age and who ran a class very much to Emily’s enjoyment.

When I went to pick Emily up from class, she was exuberant and couldn’t wait to go to the next one. It made her achy back feel much better and gave her that post-yoga relaxed glow – which is what it’s all about.

So, I’m writing this blog while enjoying tea at a restaurant overlooking the rice fields – just down the way from the Yoga Barn while Emily takes her second class. She’s considering going again tomorrow and bought a three class pass.

Now I’m considering doing the same. However, to avoid becoming one of those couples who do everything together – because we’re already that couple more than we would care to admit – I’ll have to figure out my own time. I like afternoon yoga so I can get my work done first and workout before dinner.

Emily has inspired me to also have a first day of school. We could both be relaxed, healthier and in the smack of the Ubud social scene in no time. Who knows? It’s Bali.

Sent from my iPad