My Journey Home
I love traveling. It’s my form of moving through life. Even when I am at home, I am going on my daily journey and adventure – exploring new ways, new places, new people. My travels made me to the person that I am and I am thankful for what they taught me. First of all, that I can feel everywhere at home.
It probably started when I was a kid. This fascination for other cultures and places. My mum told me that already as a baby I was sitting in my buggy, my hands on the handrail, leaning to the front with eyes wide open, eager to see the world! With 12 years, I remember, I went to South England with my parents and almost cried when we had to go home. Now, since 8 years, I live in the Netherlands. Happier than ever… I lived (only here in the Netherlands) in about 9 different (shared) houses, had every year about 2-3 new job experiences, meeting constantly new people (from different places, cultures, backgrounds). This is my world.
Respect for the “other”
What I learned on my travels is, to meet the “new” with curiosity and openness. Everyone has their own experience of life. In that sense, everyone is an “expert” – everyone has something to share, to learn from. Everyone touches different parts in you. The more we can open up for each other, the more we open up for ourselves, respect and accept ourselves (and in a further step, each other). This doesn’t stop with people, it includes animals, plants, places. All is energy, part of the same system – how we treat our surrounding, we treat ourselves… how we treat ourselves, we treat our surrounding.
A stranger in the big forest
I remember the moment when I walked the first time in my life through the rainforest. It was in Suriname, in 2016. I went there to visit my old flatmate, who worked as rainforest researcher. It was a whole new ecosystem for me. I felt like such a stranger – I think I’ve never felt so “off” in my life before. A bit like a dinosaur, who tries to walk silent, but just destroys everything. This feeling gave me a huge realization: “This is what we are doing to nature/to our environment (on a daily basis)!”. At least every time, when we are not conscious…
The rainforest taught me how to become part of it. It’s about respecting your surrounding, being eager to get to know it better, moving with it and not against it. After 3 hours walking through the wild greens I finally felt, I was walking/moving differently. I also didn’t feel scared anymore (of the wildlife around me, that was hiding behind all that green…unseen, but for sure very aware of me). Suddenly I felt I adapted, I was a part of them. Still, with huge respect.
Feeling the rhythm of a place
The same happened in the streets of Lima (Peru), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) or Bangalore (India). First I entered a totally different world, slightly overwhelmed by its different rhythms, energies, sounds, smells… but I guess, traveling alone as a woman taught me pretty fast how to adapt quickly in order to create a feeling of safety for myself. So, I learned how to cross the streets (without killing myself), walk confidently around (even when I had lost my way), stay always calm/trustful. As I could see, through many experiences, that when I don’t freak out I attract people that are kind and eager to help me out, when it’s needed.
Even in the Netherlands (although not so different from my home country, Austria), I had to adapt to a different rhythm. Their equivalent to an Indian highway is the “fiets pad” (bike lane). One moment of insecurity and you can provoke an accident (or at least some angry bikers). “Just continue, in your own pace, but with confidence!” This is the mantra on dutch bike paths.
Just like dancing
If you know how to follow a rhythm, you can dance Salsa, Forró, Waltz or Rock'n'Roll! It’s so much more about the feeling than the steps itself… this is something I also try to give further to my clients and students.
So, yes, I am dancing through the world, I am traveling through my days – always up for a new journey, a new destination, a new perspective. And at the same time I can feel at home – in my body, my soul, in my surrounding. Everywhere at home, always on a journey!
If you want to hear more about my travels through life, Sarah has interviewed me for her Podcast “Amsterdames”. Check it out!
If you feel you want to come home into your body (feeling safe, connected, loved), a massage can help you!
In need for a little adventure? A Dance Therapy Coaching or Workshop is definitely a journey in itself (and the start of creating your dream life)
And here, a few of my travel photos:
