Back In France - Euro Yoga Festival

July 18, 2010

A car ride, two trains, a plane flight, a bus, a train, and another car ride. Around fifteen hours after departing Lago Patria near Naples, Italy I arrived at a Chateau in the Loire Valley of France.

The eleven days I spent visiting my Aunt and Uncle, Frank and Anna, passed extremely fast. It was a great visit. Their hospitality and generosity was above and beyond any kind of preconceived ideas I may have had. I haven’t spent much time with them in quite awhile so it was really great to catch up and get reacquainted. I could have easily stayed longer and in a way felt like I was leaving a little too soon. I hope to make it back sometime in the not too distant future.

Before I began this trip to Europe I had an idea in the back of my mind to attend the European Yoga festival. I contacted the organization putting it in on and expressed an interest in doing a work exchange. In a sense I had it in my quiver as a back plan as I wasn’t originally sure what I’d be doing in Europe. Thus began an exchange of emails over the course of a couple of months.

When I began my trek in the Pyrenees I had pretty much tossed out the Yoga festival idea. I was on a list for alternates because all of the positions had been filled and I’d kind of lost interest anyway. After the hiking accident trekking wasn’t an option for a week or so. It was then that I decided to move on to Italy. While in Italy the opportunity for a work exchange opened up. The way everything fell together made me think I should go for it so I made arrangements to do so even as my desire to return to a hike remains strong. It’s a funny thing how sometimes I’ll abstain from doing something I really want to do because I feel like I’m supposed to do something else. Even if I’m not sure I really want to do that something else. The trip I’m currently on has been much different than I originally hoped and it has caused me to look at things a bit differently. With little thought I’ve gambled that that the Yoga festival might be ideally suited for me right now.

Chateau Arrival…

I arrived at the Chateau around 9 pm on Saturday, July 17. I quickly met a couple of other Yoga festival volunteers at the Blois train station. We were picked up by a turban clad white skinned Brit with a red beard. He greeted us with cheerful smiles and told us what we could expect over the course of our stay.

The arrangement is that we all work for a week before the festival before anyone else arrives. Duties involve setting up tents, posting signs, sorting through supplies etc… Once the festival starts we are totally free to just enjoy the event and are not expected to volunteer for anything. When the festival ends we are required to stay two days to help shut things down. A campsite, facilities, and all meals are included. Ideally I could spend my entire time here and not spend a single penny. Otherwise, it costs around $500 to participate…..

The event is held on the grounds of a lovely Chateau. It consists of some wonderful open areas, a couple of ponds, several walking paths, and of course a large old home. The home is very nice but by French standards it’s just ok. It’s a really beautiful and relaxing environment.

When we arrived we were first treated to dinner and introduced to the rest of the staff with the total number being around 20. Just as it got dark I pitched my tent next to a large pond tucked back and down from the Chateau.

Work Day 1….

The first day of work was Sunday July, 18. We started the day by having breakfast together and our leader Jerome briefing us on what we could expect. “The work will be hard and our relationship difficult but there will be moments of joy”. Instructions were delivered in the tone of good humored British sarcasm that’s easy for an American to understand but puzzling to a German. I like Jerome. He appears to be perfectly suited for getting things done while keeping things fun.

Sunday wasn’t too difficult. We spent most of our time pulling things out of storage and sorting through stuff. One of the staff, an Italian woman, was bit by something in the process and started to have an allergic reaction. She was taken to the hospital and given medication. Fortunately she arrived back later in the evening Ok.
So far things are going fine. Everyone is very nice. However, I still have reservations about this being the way I want to spend my time. I’d really rather be hiking…..

Monday July 19…..

I’d really rather be hiking. I’m actually not all that into Yoga. So, why am I here?
Ok, this is where the “Thinker” part of “World Traveler and Thinker” comes in. Sometimes in life a person comes to a point where change is in order. The common tendency is to repeat old patterns and live life in circular motion. I’m not saying this is necessarily good or bad. That is for the individual to decide. However, if the circle starts to resemble a downward spiral then change is probably a good idea.

As I always say I really have nothing to complain about, however, I can’t say I’m perfectly satisfied with a number of things in my life. My travels shake things up and keep things interesting but upon returning I fall into old routines that are not really getting me where I want/need to go. Ironically, running off to do a hike is kind of part of the pattern. Although it’s something I love to do I think it might be a good idea to use the pause button for a moment.

In my day to day life at home I keep quite busy but do most everything on my own and alone. Aside of social gatherings with a local running club, that generally center around beer drinking, I really don’t spend much time with anyone. My interactions with people are generally light and on the surface. This is all perfectly fine but part of me desires to connect with people on a deeper level but I don’t allow myself enough opportunity to. Running off to do a long distance hike is great on a personal level but on a relationship level it can do more to isolate oneself from others.

Doing a work exchange for the Yoga festival appeared attractive to me for a number of reasons. For one it presents an opportunity to connect and get to know others through the basic process of team work and simply spending lots of time together at meals etc.,. The festival I’m attending incorporates an intensive amount of meditation. The people that attend such an event come from all sorts of backgrounds but tend to be introspective thinkers and the like. Most are experiencing life on what I’d consider to be a little deeper level. Small talk can quickly evolve into more meaningful topics of how to improve one’s life, quite the mind, and do the right thing. More attention is given to understanding the subtleties of life. It’s a very different environment filled with constructive intentions. The diet is very healthy vegetarian. There’s no alcohol, drugs, or smoking and no one seems interested in those things anyway.

I guess you can say I’m within an experiment of sorts and am challenging myself to step out of the patterns that have become thoroughly ingrained over the years. So far everyone I’ve met has been great. The Chateau grounds are extremely peaceful with just the set up staff and I’m sleeping really well in my tent by the pond. There’s tons of work to do but he pace has been fairly relaxed thus far. The food is plentiful and very healthy. Jerome, the leader, makes a croissant run every morning. French Croissants are unbelievable and the only drawback thus far is that I’m becoming addicted to them.

All said I do believe a course of events kind of led me here and my curiosity of knowing why keeps me from running off too soon. I jokingly commented to one of the other workers that I’m not here for the Yoga. In actuality I think there may be some truth to the comment……