Augustina

We were always surrounded by nature. I remember starting to use the internet seriously around 18 years old, that wasn’t my reality back then.
I loved traveling and spending time with the people around me, I had a lot of friendships and had a lot of fun with them.

I was in Macedonia until I was 18. Everything happened in its own time, throughout my teenage years. I finished my studies and turned eighteen and decided to go and study abroad whereas all my friends were going to stay. It was difficult to leave because everything was great there. But at the same time, I knew that I wanted to see more, explore, learn, move ad grow through a different experience
Such a small country sometimes felt like I was living in a bubble, and that was fine, but if I hadn’t left I think I would be a completely different person.

At 18 I moved here to study and I stayed for four years. I don’t know why Spain or Barcelona, but I always knew something was calling me. Then I went back there for a while to work for another company and on some other projects and with my mother.
Working with your family can be one of the biggest challenges for the personal growing process as an individual.
In these past 10 years I’ve been exploring myself and working on so many different things… I’ve been working with children, with yoga, well-being, communicating and learning with so many different cultures. I wanted colors… I’ve got so many of them
I studied tourism here in Barcelona, as well as yoga, graphic design and many different things over these past years.
Every day I learn new ways to express myself and transform. I really believe is something so natural.
I realized how much I love sharing and caring…
How much I love to imagine and how much I daydream.
Yoga, the Sea, the Art and the Music are my pillars, and more than ever I’m pretty sure it is a lifetime connection.
People, we need to learn how to be gentle with each other and in harmony with nature.

I remember arriving for the first time in Barcelona. I arrived 3 months later, and that happened because of Student visa. A quarter of the studies had passed. I knew very little of spanish. I was studying it briefly when I was thirteen years old, but it definitely wasn’t enough. But I got really lucky by finding a university where you spend the first year doing this technical course called: Ciclo formativo de grado superior. After that year I did the tourism degree.
It was a very powerful experience. I did cry a lot and I remember my family saying: whenever you feel like coming back, just come back. But for me, I just knew it was the right thing to do. Leave the comfort zone is not easy, but each day you become an explorer, a student and a teacher.
Decisions make us who we are. If I hadn’t left, many things would be different.
Documents were a challenge. It’s something that is very difficult when you are not from European union for example. But this is something I really would like to see change. It is important to know, it is not easy but it is not impossible.
Financially, mentally and emotionally can be very stressful and you feel unprotected. At least, I came as a student, I had student papers and was legal. It also doesn’t guarantee anything, because it’s a visa for one year, and you aren’t a citizen here or a resident. You’re legal, but a lot of things are just not allowed for you to do.
Something I learned on this journey called life is that…
Whatever is going on good or bad, it will pass. Time is my teacher and timing is divine. This journey is just Like a game, we will learn how to play it only by playing it.

All the people that participated in any way at any moment in my life, all of them inspired me and taught me how to accept and embrace all of what it is.
Free of judgment, free of possessions, just take each day as it comes and be ready to start all over again. Life is now.

At this moment I’ve got several things going on. Finally I’ve got my Spanish documents.
Now I focus more than before onm working on my project ArteriaMar, which is all about Sustainable and responsible activities, yoga, the sea the arte and oneness.
I’m volunteering in a project that involves taking microplastics from the sea in order to conduct research and analyses.
I’ve worked on many projects related to ocean protection, beach clean ups and always finding the way to link it with yoga.

Yoga for me is the path, it is self-expression, a lifestyle. If you adopt it, it becomes a part of you. I’ve been practicing yoga for many years.
It was incorporated with other practices for personal development using different tools for stress management etc.
Now I just want to share my experience and keep on learning.
Step by step I believe ArteriaMar will get to more and more like minded people who can connect and be part of a community where selfLove, love, selfRespect and respect are the moving forces.
Namasté