Breakthroughs

Pillow Pet

Yesterday was a great yoga day. I was hesitant about any physical movement because of my lower back. They always say the best thing to do is to keep moving and in my case get back in the hotroom, so I did. Originally I planned to go back at 6am yesterday to try and heal my back but when my alarm went off and I rolled over my back said "oh no you don't" so I laid in bed for an hour longer. After rocking the yoga ball office chair (which did wonders) and walking like a little old lady most of the day I had to seriously convince myself to get back to yoga. I was more afraid of injuring myself further and not being able to move at all. So I got over it and went to my usual 7pm class. I forewarned the instructor about my injury and he told me to do what I could in class and not to push too hard on the forward bends. Terry at the front desk also had a surprise for me, she got me my 60 in 60 tshirt and I love it. I officially have my 'you can't buy this, you earn it' 26 in 60 tshirt for my 60 day challenge. I mentioned my injury to her as well and she made an interesting point. Typically when you have a new injury or pain its because you are about to have a real breakthrough in your yoga practice. At the time she said that I kinda chuckled as I walked or waddled into the hotroom. Guess what? This yogi did the toe stand pose for the first time ever. Standing on my left foot I went all the way down into toe stand, which has never happened before. I also completed every other pose including back and forward bending without pain, my only trigger was the straightlegged situp which really pained me but every other pose was a walk in the park plus I actually had a breakthrough. Even with my old lady walking and standing before class I had a breakthrough. Go me...Go yoga...Go hotroom whenever you have pain!
On a not so similar note, I have been so intrigued by the Amanda Knox story. As have many, many, many people over the past four years. I was shocked two years ago when she was convicted and I felt goosebumps and relief for her and her family yesterday when she was freed. I was watching a tv special on friday night about the case and the upcoming verdict and I looked at Dustin and said "I don't know why I'm so intrigued by this case?" and he pointed out that I studied abroad and it was almost like it could have happened to anyone, it could have been me. Despite the name (obvious similarity there) there's not a lot of similarities between Amanda Knox' experience in Perugia, Italy and me in Lugano, Switzerland. We were both 20 year old women leaving home to study abroad to learn more about ourselves and different cultures. I wouldnt change one moment of my experience abroad and I do not idolize in one bit  or wish upon anyone else what Amanda Knox went through. I hope her and her family are now at peace as they return home after her 4 years of helplessness and hopelessness. My one hope for everyone is that this doesn't detract from study abroad and travelling in general. The benefits of living within and learning about a new culture firsthand outweighs any media circus or murder mystery. What you don't hear anyone talking about is the number of American students living and studying abroad each year and how many of those individuals get caught up in a foreign judicial system for crimes.