Kat goes global

During the Yoga teacher training at the Cortijo Casería del Mercado in South Spain close to Granada all Yoga students were invited by Joachim (the farmer and owner of this place) to help him pick figs in the fields. As a reward he had planned a big breakfast during the picking and seafood paella for everyone afterwards. What a great invitation! Of course I wanted to join them! We met on Saturday morning at 8am in the corridor between our appartments. Joachim had already prepared buckets, boxes and snacks on a truck and a tractor. The delivery truck had 2 seats in the front but there were 20 of us wanting to help! "Vamos, vamos alto!" called Joachim, gesturing everyone to climb on the tractors loading area. It took me a moment to realise that we were really all supposed to get a lift on this funny vehicle! Everyone was really excited to climb on the loading space. We had to move close together to fit all in, then Joachim started the motor and ...

A common memory game for German school kids is "Ich packe meinen Koffer". Kids verbally add things they would want to put in their suitcase. The packing list they have to list up from the beginning gets longer and longer and harder and harder to remember. I've been working on my packing list quite a while, before going on a world trip. I've been adding more and more things as well. And the list got longer and longer... Then I reduced as mjuch as possible and it became a list of my most important "essentials". Here is the final content of my 18 kg backpack. Or should I call it my house? Most important - credit card - passport - other dokuments (insurance, flight ticket etc.) For the yoga teacher training - yoga mat - yoga clothes (4 leggings, 3 shirts, 2 sport bras) - pencil and paper for notes My outdoor equipment - a tent - 3 sleepingbags (1 x normal, 1 x fleece, 1 x very light) - towels (1x big, 1x middle, 1x small) - pot and ...

Would you believe me if I told you I have not used my phone for ten days? I don’t know why I put myself into that situation, but I did. Even more than that: I was isolated from any kind of communication, entertainment and media. No internet, no books, no communication with people. A journey inside myself. To dive deeper, fight through old wounds and emotions and to purify my soul and personality. I had an exiting day going by public train in middle India's heat from Mumbai to Palghar. The ticket was only 140 Rupees, which is about two Euro, but therefore the journey took almost four hours. India's public trains are very crowded. 'Crowded' is actually not meaningful enough. It's like a war that passengers have to fight to step their feet into a overcrowded train passage at Santacruz  train station. It was unique. Masses of people waiting for the train. Then when it comes and stops, people fight themselves into the mass of in- and out...

Harsh and I had a long distance relationship since two years. We met in India and fell in love, but he had to go back to the US and I had to go back to Germany. In March 2018 I came to see him in New York for three month with an ESTA travel authorization. In November of the same year we had been apart since five hard and long month, so I planned to come to see him for another three month in the US. At the border in Atlanta, where I had to change the plane, the officer asked me what I will do and how long I want to stay. I said I am visiting my friend for three month. That was enough to bring me to the separate questioning room. I felt like a criminal. I was questioned as if I had committed a crime. This was the worst moment of my life. Nobody believed me anything and I was threatened to go to jail. After some time I broke out in tears of fear not being able to see my beloved boyfriend again. The questions lasted over an hour. After checking my phone and calling my boyfriend, ...

Since public internet and globalization reached India in around 1995, massive changes have taken place. Sometimes I think it is a shame that I coudn't experience the old India, but on the other side I think I a happy I get to experience it this way. Nowadays especially in big cities modernization and western influence through TV and Internet meet the old traditions of the country. It is a mixture of ancient culture and modern life, also visible in the family and personal life of the people. It is a beautiful mix. India is incredibly rich in culture and it is different than everything I have ever experienced before. This travel experience enriched my life with so many new perspectives, especially when it comes to family life and mindset. To be in India always feels like a fairy tale or time travelling to a different age. In this blogpost I want to share my learnings about India. P lease keep in mind, that this is just one of many experiences and every experience is uniq...

When I first arrived at the airport in Mumbai I had to go through several security checks. I was very nervous. The guys at the passport check seriously checked every single Visa. A few people in the cue in front of me were refused to let in. Then the guy behind the desk was first not able to register my visa, again and again trying to scan my passport. Half an hour later, when everyone else was already gone to the baggage claim, I still stood there in front of the desk. The officer had in the meantime asked for help of his colleagues. Another thirty minutes later I was finally allowed to go through the gate and pick up my backpack. It was already driving around alone on the conveyor. I exchanged my last twenty Euro cash in Indian Rupees. I got about 20000 Rupees for it. Wow! I never had so many banknotes in my hand before! Then my first steps out of the airport! Straight to the Rickshaws. Luckily, I was well informed and knew the appropriate prices for a Rickshaw drive to my ...