I’ve been a few days in Montréal this week while Hubby’s been at a conference. While’s he’s been engaged in serious work, I’ve amused myself wandering the city, sitting in cafés writing and people watching. There are some seriously cool people here and I have to say more handsome men in concentration than I’ve ever come across before! I’m surprised Hubby let me out on my own 🙂 .
Inevitably I found time to attend a yoga class too. I’m always curious to see how yoga is conducted elsewhere. The studio I picked fitted my observations of the local populace — very cool and stylish. There were wonderful facilities, beautiful spacious studios and the reception was manned (no pun intended) by a seriously attractive Brazilian guy! I hopefully asked if he was the teacher… 🙂 And the mural had little crows perched in a tree!
In Montréal it turns out that yoga class is conducted in two languages — of course! — which took a little getting used to, especially since the languages alternated throughout the class, rather than being the same cues presented in two languages. It added an extra challenge for me, but it involved too much brain work for me to get into the yoga at all deeply. But that’s OK. Holiday yoga in a strange studio is a different thing and I know that.
The class was totally different to my usual vinyasa style but was great for loosening some airplane tightness. I’d been a little nervous about dropping into an Intermediate class (after taking an excessively long time to psyche myself up to the L2 class at home!), but it was much less strenuous than I imagined. I never expect to be the most proficient student in the room when we’re executing arm balances! Oddly Canadians are even more quiet and reserved than Brits and the class was very quiet, with none of the energy and sense of fun I’m used to from my regular classes. My yoga leggings were definitely the loudest thing in the room!
Just time for a quick shower and a complimentary herbal tea (the byline for the studio was yoga son thé so 2 out of 3 wasn’t bad!) and then off to the airport to fly to Vancouver — for holiday time, family, and hopefully a little more yoga.
babycrowyoga 
Wow, interesting cultural differences. I’m off to France next month on a yoga retreat. I wonder what the cultural differences there will be… I can’t wait to hear of more Montreal yogic adventures
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I’m in British Columbia already now! Montréal was a flying visit.
I’ll look forward to hearing about your retreat in France. As if yoga wasn’t varied enough, a different country is also interesting.
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I’ve had a few chances to teach in a bilingual style: it’s really rather fun weaving back and forth from English to French: ) Looking forward to hearing what yoga opportunities you come across in BC!
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Guided savasana was all in French! It seemed rather poetic to my ear.
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At the Institute here, sometimes the teachers slip into the local language, Marathi and I wonder how it must be for the international students. English for all the cues but Marathi to express through analogy of traditional culture, customs and occurrences. It’s hard to capture that poetry in English and some words don’t have an equivalent!
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