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Travel Series: Learning to Breathe in Spain

The First Country, the First Breath

I always imagined my first European adventure would be to France. With three years of high school French under my belt and a college boyfriend hinting at a romantic proposal in Paris, it seemed inevitable. France, the "most romantic city in the world," was the dream. I pictured myself wandering through Paris, awaiting a movie-like proposal. But life had other plans. I ended up in the hospital on the night of my college graduation, and we broke up. Looking back, I realized those dreams wouldn’t have matched reality. It was a story I once hoped for, but not the one meant for me, and for that, I’m grateful.

Years after graduation, I immersed myself in work, paying off student loans, and gaining experience. I was determined to leave no burdens behind. Amidst this grind, I found solace in scrolling through social media, envying the adventures of my college peers. Their glamorous trips and stunning photos filled me with a mix of emotions—envy, resentment, and deep-seated shame. I resented my parents for our constant struggles and their high expectations, which I felt I never met. Maintaining a "happy perfect persona" while battling my internal struggles was exhausting.

Eventually, I accepted that no one was going to support and help me. I decided to stop wondering and start experiencing. I longed to travel alone, to see the world on my own terms. After completing my first major construction project, I seized the opportunity to embark on my first European trip. Despite my family's concerns and offers of company, this was a trip I wanted to do without them.

The Travel Friend

Traveling with someone creates a unique bond. You're together 24/7 for a week, sharing bedrooms and experiences. Friendships either strengthen or break. I couldn’t have hoped for a better travel mate than my old college roommate, more like my only friend from college.

There's nowhere to hide when you're constantly walking and drinking lots of Cava. We spent a week together, traveling to Madrid, Barcelona and Vielha. We had moments of tension and times of pure enjoyment, but then she went home, and I moved on down to Malaga and Granada by myself. 

Traveling Solo

Traveling solo in a foreign country was both exhilarating and terrifying. The freedom of being off the grid, disconnected from social media, and free from constant communication was liberating. I was alone with my thoughts, following my own schedule, and doing whatever I wanted without worrying about anyone else. This trip was the milestone that set my life on a different path.

As the youngest of five, I had always lived on someone else's timeline. But in Spain, for a whole week, I was free. In Málaga, I spent two days at the beach in January, captivated by the waves. Being alone, off the grid, felt liberating. Staring at the waves, I felt years of resentment washing away with each breath. Like in yoga, I focused on my breath. With every inhale, I took in the sea air and the opportunities each moment gave me. With every exhale, I let go of what didn’t serve me—resentment, hate, guilt.

For the first time, I felt a true sense of freedom. This moment on the beach was one of those perfect moments in time when everything seemed to come together.

Years Later

I found myself in Salt Lake City as a managing consultant, on the brink of a major life decision. In a moment of desperation, I messaged a yoga teacher I knew, asking if it was crazy to pursue yoga teacher training. She said no. It was just the justification that I needed at the time, and so the next day, I quit my job. 

Through her yoga collective, I found a 250-hour intensive training in Spain. Once again, I found myself in Spain, living off Gran Via with other yoga teacher trainees, immersing myself in yoga.

During one of the alignment workshop classes, the trainers noticed my breathing. I was breathing out of my chest, a habit that had caused me extra stress and anxiety my whole life. Breathing in my stomach, something that I never did, allows the body to stay calm reducing stress and anxiety. This revelation made me rethink my mentality and what else I could change in my life.

Spain taught me to breathe—not just physically, but emotionally. It freed me from the burdens of my past and opened my eyes to new possibilities.

A view from the window at the Yoga apartment

Top highlights in Spain. Resources and Tips in Spain

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