by S.L. Jordan
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta
Yes, there IS a day for everything.
International Day of Yoga has been celebrated since 2015 after the Prime Minister of India, Narenda Modi suggested June 21 when he addressed the United Nations General Assembly in 2014. June 21st is the longest day in the Western Hemisphere as it is Summer Solstice.
One of my goals as a yoga student/teacher is to travel and explore all the modalities of the practice along with learning about the local culture, and the ways in which yoga is being used by yogis around the world to create better humans and communities. #AumYogaAroundTheWorldWithSLJordan
March 2022, I went to San Salvador, El Salvador with my brother and 1 of my besties from college. That trip was the first time I did yoga in another country AND a foreign language. Okay, Spanish isn't completely foreign to me. I took Spanish classes in elementary/middle school, high-school, and two years of college. Oh, and I live in Texas. However, I am NOT comfortable speaking it at all. 🥴
Depending on the country and the speed of their speech I can understand it and I definitely can read Spanish better than I speak it.
Yoga is a universal language though.
Growing up I used to POUR over the student exchange catalogs. Daydreaming about being anywhere other than the cold and concrete of Detroit, Mi. Of course, the more exotic it sounded the more I wanted to go. Ecuador, with its weird sounding name, ranked high on me list. The beauty of the mountains and rural areas tugged at my heart. It goes without saying that I never got a chance to go on a Study Abroad program as a child.
So, when my brother landed on the location for his Birthday trip this year, I was super excited. QUITO, ECUADOR.
I landed and was immediately drawn into the beauty of the Andean Mountains. America has mountains, but I have never lived in a city where I could see them casually walking out of the mall. It was a site that took my breath away each and every time. OR, that could have been the altitudes. Quito is HIGH above the sea level and coming from Houston, TX - the change was FELT.
We went in March and the weather was BRISK. Especially for me, I am a daughter of the SUN and love to feel the heat on my skin.
FUN FACT: none of the homes in Quito have HEAT OR AC. Like, they do not have the infrastructure for it. My daddy would've loved that - he is a MAJOR believer of wearing clothes in the house when you are cold.
When we arrived in Quito this past March, I immediately started looking for a yoga studio. After a few failed attempts I finally found one, literally RIGHT around the corner from the Airbnb. I regret I waited so long to go, because I was only able to attend one class before we left.
Unbeknownst to me, the studio was an Ashtanga studio. I'm vaguely familiar with the practice and know they do a very particular set of poses in the same order every single time, kinda like Bikram. The exact opposite of the Vinyasa/Powerful Flow that I practice. With that said, taking an Ashtanga class WAS on my yoga bucket list.

Before I delve into that, let's talk about the activities we did. Of course, we went shopping. Zara's in other countries is a FAVE of mine. They typically have better options than American locations. The mall was huge, and that's something I have noticed in the last few years going to Central/South American countries. Malls are very much a THING still. Unlike America where it's RARE to see a mall full occupied and thriving.
We went to the Botanical Garden. Ecuador is known for their roses - they are the LARGEST supplier in the world. The WORLD Craig. They are considered some of the largest in the world, and last longer. BIG ROSE ENERGY.
Next, we did an Airbnb Experience and went to an Authentic Ecuadorian home, that has been in the family for ages, to learn how to make empanadas and canelazo [an Ecuadorian hot toddy]. We learned about all the types of chocolate that are made in Ecuador and why it taste different than American chocolate. As per usual, our host fell in love with us, and we stayed in there "KiKi'ing" for an extra hour or two. Two doors down from the house there was a small gift shop. So small and lowkey we almost missed it!! We stumbled upon some gorgeous indigenous jewelry - Imma do some shopping while traveling. I got the cutest ring and two pairs of earrings, along with this wooden statue.
We couldn't go to Ecuador and NOT visit the Middle of the World. I had no idea what to expect - other than a line representing the Equator. We got so much more than that! It's a literal amusement park, with a mock pre-colonial village. A movie theater, restaurants, statues, and more souvenir shops than you can image. I go the cutest Alpaca blanket and a poncho with Diablo Huma on it!
There was no way I was going to be ON the Equator and NOT represent for the Eastside of Detroit. Where they do that at??

While I regret not doing yoga more while I was there, taking a class on the last day was a perfect way to finish out the trip. The instructor was Russian by birth but had been living in Quito for quite some time. I had a chance to speak with him before class, and I guess I was in there sounding TOO American because he made a POINT to emphasis that the class was totally in Spanish. I believe it was a 90 minute class Ashtanga Series 1. Even before we talked after class, I could tell he was impressed by my practice from his reactions during his assists. Or maybe because he only had to come and correct me in English twice. Either way, your girl was feeling very accomplished. Hello International Yogi. He invited me to come to the more advance classes, but sadly it was my LAST DAYYYYYYYY!
Outside of the chill factor - Quito gets 8/10 for me. Ecuador is still on my list; next I want to visit the Amazon and more rural areas.
If you ever find yourself in Quito and are in need a yoga studio, check out Yoga Shala.
Here is a BTS reel of the trip with my bestie. Enjoy our random commentary.
Meet Me on the Ma'at
Comments