Find your sunset
Almost exactly a year ago, I was sitting in a small bungalow at the Funky Monkey Lodge in Santa Teresa, my computer in front of me. I had a few tasks to do before I could go down to the beach to watch the sunset with the locals and visiting tourists. Here on the long sandy beach, people gathered every evening to watch the sky change colors until the burning orb of the sun was slowly extinguished in the slow waves. A magical spectacle, I must say.
In the middle of the jungle on Costa Rica's Pacific coast lies this hidden paradise nestled in dense tropical rainforest and home to die-hard surfers, howler monkeys, spiders and yogis. So what was I doing here all alone and far from the safety of my home in Stockholm and at Vår Gård ? I have never surfed, am moderately familiar with strange body positions and am terrified of all types of insects.
Finally, I plucked up the courage to ask my boss, Kadi Upmark, for a leave of absence. She accepted my request without hesitation and I remember her saying, “I want you to follow your dream.” We agreed that I could work remotely for a bit during the trip, but that it was very important that I focus on myself and my experience first and foremost. I am heartbroken when I think back to her selfless response and consideration for me and my needs.
I have always loved to travel and have long dreamed of taking a trip around the world, but it has been difficult to make it happen. How do I manage it with work and who can take time off to keep me company? The questions were many and prevented me from taking action for a long time.
Now there was no turning back and in the fall of 2019 it was off. Alone, because it was impossible to find someone who could accompany me on such a long journey. Today I am very happy that it turned out that way because I was forced to trust myself completely and be open to new acquaintances, which would enrich me more than I could have dreamed of.
“Even the cockroach can be part of a corner”
This journey has taken me to places I've never seen and challenged me in many ways. I've surfed a wave in the Pacific Ocean, maybe just for a few seconds, but I did it. I've also done long yoga sessions among screaming howler monkeys that expressed the feeling my muscles wanted to give. I've even showered with a giant cockroach without screaming. It's been an experiential journey to say the least and I've enjoyed every second of it.
Today, as I look out at the gloomy gray sky that refuses to let go, just like the damn virus, the time before corona feels like a different reality. I flew home in early March full of inspiration and zest for life to land in a horror movie where a pandemic has taken over the world.
Yes, it's hard not to mention the pandemic because we are all in the middle of it and doing our best to adapt. To get through it, we need to feel hope that it will end so that we can return to our normal lives without feeling restricted.
A big part of my personal salvation has been all the experiences, encounters and memories I brought home with me. I can close my eyes and return to the warm sand and the magical sunsets whenever I want, even the cockroach can be there in a corner…but at a reasonable distance.
Sure, it has helped me a lot throughout the year, but it has also given me the insight into how important it is to always create new experiences in everyday life that enrich life and make it easier to handle. To not get stuck in the dark and dare to look for the little glimmers of light that remind us that the sun always sets on the horizon behind the gray, overcast sky. Even if it is not visible.
Frida Janneson, marketing coordinator at Vår Gård