We gathered inside the temple close to 8 a.m this morning. Angela, our primary translator for the course had walked to a nearby town to meet some of the local participants and guide them here. One of the men, Neftali, comes from Alta Gracia, about a 45 min walk from here. Most of the local participants have about a 30 min. walk to class. The folks from Inanitah were already standing around, chatting and waiting.
I was nervously walking between the temple space where the course would be held, the kitchen where people were gathered and the bathroom in attempts to get myself and the space together. When all of us came together, we were 13. We stretched, meditated and then went around the room introducing ourselves. The excitement in the room was palpable. Everyone was really happy to be taking their journey into the body.
We began with learning Thai yoga massage on floor mats. I felt elated just to watch them practicing with grace and ease by the time the class ended at 3 p.m.
I have discovered that my training for this class is going to be learning spanish!
Why did we start with Thai massage on the first day of class? The tables still weren't here. Customs has put them through a last minute "random check", which left Paulo, our hero who traveled the 3 hours to Managua to pick them up, S.O.L. They promised him that for the extra $100., they would make the check quicker. So today, they arrived on a truck in Rivas, the closest port on the other side of Lake Nicaragua. Currently, we are waiting for Paulo to arrive with a taxi full of massage tables at the bottom of the hill. It's dark, raining (has been all day), the roads are muddy, and everything is wet. Can you tell I'm not looking forward to hauling those tables up a muddy cobblestone hill in the dark, rain, and wind? As daunting as the task is feeling right now, I will be very relieved to have them arrived here safely. Tomorrow we can begin using them! And, those of you who donated the tables, the money, and the energy into making this happen will have arrived here with us.
I will be posting pictures soon. Sending gratitude and love your way. Muchos besos y abrazos~
Valerie Hope
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