Yoga

I have been encouraged by several people in my life to start doing yoga because it's a stress-relieving activity. Yeah, so maybe I get a little stressed at times, who doesn't?

Here in Graz, it's been stressful and hard adjusting to this new "European Life" so I thought perhaps yoga wouldn't be a bad idea to try. Thus began my adventure of signing up for yoga class with Laura.

We decided we would do it on Tuesdays at 1 so this past Tuesday, Laura and I headed to class. It turns out yoga is in the basement of the main building and the university is currently having construction done in the basement. Try having to relax will listening to cement being drilled. Not exactly setting the atmosphere. Laura and I come in and the instructor starts rambling on in German. Now lately I'm not sure what it is, but I am getting so annoyed with people who just start talking in German to me so fast that I can't understand a thing. I feel like people should know I am foreign! I don't look Austrian, quit trying to speak to me in a language I don't understand! (Very uncultured and rude of me I know. I'm working on it)

Well the instructor continues to talk to Laura and I, I stop him and say "Ich spreche nicht Deutch gut" which vaguely translates to "I speak not German good". The entire class starts laughing and the guy tells us to come sit down where some free mats are. He comes over to us and starts asking why we are taking this course. The man flat out says, "how can you take this course if you don't speak German. This course is all in German." I realize it's in German! I LIVE IN AUSTRIA! I told him I can do it and to not worry about it. Well then the instructor looks down at my shoes in horror and asks if I wear them outside. Nope, why would I ever wear shoes outside? Give me a break dude. Well apparently it's a sin next to murder to wear shoes into yoga class that you have worn outside. I take them off and pray to God that this class will be better than the way it has started.

 God did not answer my prayers. It was the biggest joke of a class I have ever taken. We laid down, breathed, stretched, breathed, laid down, breathed. It went on and on like this. The whole time the instructor is looking at us and continues to ask us if we understand. It's not that hard to breathe but if I can't manage it I'll be sure to let you know. ;) I also noticed half way through class that the instructor was reading out of a book. That's right folks, we did textbook yoga. Out of a book!

To top off the entire experience, the last 8 minutes of class we listen to Egyptian cobra dancing music. I was dying of laughter and I'm sure the instructor was annoyed with Laura and I, but come on! It was such a joke. When it was all over, we hurried out of the room to grab our stuff and came upon another adventure. The locker room.

Which wasn't a locker room really, just a changing room. And everyone was changing. Guys and girls were stripping down to nothing right in front of each other!!! I walk out and see a guy in his underwear. Like really? I don't want to see that. And of course, our stuff is blocked by two girls who have no problem with showing it all. And we got to see it all and some.

Thursday, I went to the office and got a refund for yoga. I don't know what kind of yoga people in Austria do, but it is not for me. I guess I will find a different way to relax from now on.