I spent my early 30s living and working in different countries. These years were pivotal in changing the way I saw the world and myself. Let’s chat about this. 

 You see in my mid-twenties, I had this curiosity of experiencing the world but I wanted to go deeper than what a one-week holiday could ever offer - I wanted to sink into local cultures. During my studies, I got to spend three weeks studying global business management in Austria. That experience planted the seed for what became four years of working in international development across South America, the Caribbean, and Africa.

That life abroad feels like such a lifetime ago. When I moved back to Timmins ten years ago, it felt like left that part of me behind. But now, as I lead retreats across the globe, that part of me gets to resurface. I’ve designed my life’s work where I get to combine my yoga teacher self with my fearless, globe-trotter self of the past. And in doing so, I’ve felt a lot of nostalgia for that chapter of my life.

So this morning, as I sit here drinking my coffee and reflecting on my time traveling the world, I wanted to share a few lessons I’ve learned along the way.

1. Navigating the unknown builds confidence

I remember landing in Brazil with no phone, no maps, no Google Translate, and not a word of Portuguese. I had to figure out how to get around, work in a community with very different social norms then back home, take buses with no signs, and trust in the kindness of strangers to show me the way when I got lost. 

Nothing could have prepared for it. Was I nervous? Absolutely! Fear never really goes away. I remember having a nervous breakdown on the bathroom floor before I left for Brazil. If I would have waiting until I felt ready I would have never left. 

Looking back, there were days I felt completely defeated and overwhelmed. And then there were other days when I discovered an inner strength I didn’t know I had. Every small victory, every obstacle I overcame reminded me that I was capable, that I could adapt, that I could find my way even when nothing made sense. Travel, especially solo travel, is a training ground to build confidence, resiliency, and self-trust. 

2. The Freedom of less 

The less stuff I have, the freer I feel. My first taste of this came during internship in Brazil for 4 months, I carried everything I owned in a 35-liter backpack. Life was simple. I was slowly realizing how little I needed to actually get by. This is so counter culture from the world we currently live in. 

When I got home from Brazil, I stared at my closet full of about 25 pairs of jeans, 50 shirts, and 100 pairs of shoes. I felt a wave of anxiety come over me. How had something as simple as getting dressed become so complicated? I had too many pairs of jeans to choose from I couldn’t choose any. What had changed? In Brazil I only had one pair and so that’s what I wore - no anxiety, no second guessing. 

So I packed up most of my clothes, got rid of them, and started living a minimalist lifestyle. I realized that most of what we think we need, we actually don’t. Owning less freed me. It freed my mind, my choices, my energy. It was one of the most powerful lessons I’ve carried from traveling abroad.

3. Life becomes fuller when you leave space of spontaneity 

This lesson came through loud and clear on my recent five-week stay in Guatemala. I spent a week in Antigua before leading a weeklong retreat at Lake Atitlán. My plan for Antigua was simple: give myself space to ground and land before the retreat. 

I attended morning yoga classes and spent time wandering the city. And in walking around, I stumbled upon an international food festival, a Mayan fire ceremony in the park (which I was invited to join), multiple parades, and had a random hour-long chat with some Germans and a chocolatier, a pop-up artisan market. Life felt full. Imagine if I had been on a rigid schedule, trying to do and see all the “musts”; I would have missed all of this.

There’s a constant urge to overfill our calendars (especially when travelling). We think we’ll miss out if we don’t. But what we really miss is the chance to wander, to notice, to be surprised, and to let life take us in directions we didn’t plan. Slow travel, moving intentionally, taking time to be present, leaving space in your schedule, this doesn’t mean doing less. To me it means experiencing more. I plan only a few things I might want to see, but I always leave plenty of room to explore once I arrive. Wide open spaces feel more freeing to me than an overcrowded itinerary of rushing from one must-see thing to another. 

4. The magic isn’t always on the bucket list 

One of the biggest lessons I learned while living abroad is to let go of the “must-see” checklist. Some of the most breathtaking, life-changing experiences I’ve had weren’t at the famous spots everyone tells you to visit, they were in the places that naturally pulled my attention, the ones I discovered when I was open to whatever unfolding.

I never would have known about Kaieteur Falls in Guyana if a job hadn’t brought me there. It’s the world’s second tallest single-drop waterfall, and getting there meant a four-day trek through the Amazon. Thirty-year-old me had a dream of seeing 40 countries by 40, but along the way I realized that travel isn’t about numbers or checking off destinations. It’s about connection, curiosity, and following what draws you. Now I’ll return to the same places that hold a special place in my heart. 

I really try not to overplan my trips. I might plan a couple things I’d like to see, but the rest is left open. I need space for the magic that exists beyond any guidebook. Some of the most memorable moments of my travels have happened in these less-known places, in the ordinary, in the things I wasn’t expecting. And those are the experiences that have stayed with me the longest.

5. Your reality is yours to create 

Living abroad also taught me just how much creative power I have over my own life. I realized that much of the reality we live in is a social construct. Dinner at 10 p.m. in Brazil, soup for breakfast in Vietnam, tamales for Christmas in Guatemala, pit latrine bathrooms in Malawi, one kiss on the cheek to say hello in São Paulo, motorcycle taxis in Rwanda, the craziest traffic jams in Nigeria, or what “just now” means in Guyana versus Canada. Every place has its own rhythm, its own pulse, its own rules. Social norms differ from community to community, which means there are countless ways to live a life, far beyond the cookie-cutter “go to school, get married, have kids, work for 30 years, then finally live” storyline.

And if most of how we live is shaped by societal constructs. This means I have the freedom to choose the way I want to live my life. That creative power is so freeing. I get to tap into my own creativity, design my own lifestyle, and live life on my own terms. I can create a life that aligns with my desires, not one dictated by what society tells me I “should” do.

6. We are more alike than we think 

The most profound lesson? It’s how universal human longing is. No matter where you are from, we are not fundamentally that different from one another. We all just want to be loved and accepted. Everyone I meet on this planet just wants to be seen, heard, and loved. Knowing that changed the way I approach my work. It showed me that when we cultivate that same self-acceptance and presence, it becomes easier to connect with others and the world around us. It’s also what inspires the retreats I design: creating experiences where people can feel seen, supported, and deeply connected; to themselves, to each other, and to the places they visit.

Travelling and living abroad changed me to my core being. This is why I’m so passionate about using new experiences as a tool for growth and self-leadership. What you learn along the way about yourself is priceless. 

Knowing this, you can start to understand the background of my retreat philosophy. I design retreats in a way that invites you into new experiences to discover different parts of yourself, that allow you the space and time to reflect, to step off the beaten path and into the unknown, to leave room for spontaneity, adventure, and fun - all of this bring you close to the one question yoga asks of you, and that is: WHO AM I?

Knowing this, you can start to understand the foundation of my retreat philosophy. I design retreats to guide you into new experiences that help you discover different parts of yourself. They provide space and time to reflect, to step off the beaten path and into the unknown, and to leave room for spontaneity, adventure, and joy. All of this brings you closer to the central question that yoga invites us to explore: Who am I?

Rebel Retreats are about slowing down enough to notice the small, meaningful moments, trusting yourself, and allowing curiosity to lead the way.