Teacher Training - Week 9

Australian Kim, Tortuga!, and me at the final class. 

Well, a little over 2 months has passed and it's time for me to finish writing about my last week at teacher training.

Chrissy D said in her blog post that she thought the last week of teacher training would be like the last week of senior year of high school. That's exactly what I thought, too!  I thought the staff would go easy on us and we would be in "cruise mode" for the final week.

Dalin, me, Anna, Elaine @ the final class

Kristina and I woke up for class on Monday morning with our bodies still sore and aching. It started to sink in that I was really going home when she told me this would be our last Monday together :-(  I felt like I had some weird variation of Stockholm Syndrome. I felt safe in the yoga bubble. There are still so many people that I need to get to know that I didn't have time to chat with other than a small "hi" in passing. I was ok using the kettle and magic bullet  for now. We had even invested in a $6 toaster and that made a huge difference in our meals.  I didn't feel ready to go back home.  I was on schedule to teach a class NEXT Wednesday! I had done a few mock classes with friends, but I was still struggling to get the words out of my mouth.

Katy, Suzanne & myself shopping for new yoga kit.

I thought the classes would be easy, but it seemed like they were made extra hard on purpose. The tent was blazing hot, and the classes seemed longer. The lectures were great ( Rajashree, Emmy, Bikram) but they still ran all day and into the wee hours of the morning. I was savoring every second. I even stayed for the optional 4 am movie club. Fu#k it! I thought. I can sleep on the plane ride home. I knew I would regret it if I didn't.

The reality was that I was going to be teaching full time in a week. Self doubt crept in... Had I learned anything in the 9 weeks? Were they really sending me back to my studio LIKE THIS???

The last few days I completely lost my voice. I developed a case of laryngitis. Dr Google told me this could last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. Great. I spent my last few days of goodbyes hugging and trying not to speak. Speaking made the voice problem even worse.

The graduation ceremony itself was long and emotional. Lots of drama had happened with a fellow member of my group involving his graduation and it was heartbreaking. Also, the realization that it was the last time I would be with my group 9'ers. Speeches, yoga demonstration ( which was amazing!). Then Jim Kallet called the names while Rajashree handed us our certificate. The moment with Bikram on the stage was exhilarating and more exciting than my college graduation.

Since I was unable to speak and felt terrible due to my laryngitis-- I went back to my room and slept and caught my flight to Colorado early the next morning.

Me, Kristina, Katy @ Graduation!

Thankful for Facebook, I have been able to keep in touch with my new friends around the world.



To be continued as a TEACHER!