If you’ve been following us here at All Yoga on social media or through our website you’ll know that we’ve recently added another location to our 200hr yoga teacher training programs; this time giving you a European option, in the beautiful old town of Ericeira, Portugal.
Why Portugal, you might ask? Well, while we still love our Bali and Thailand locations and their unique charms, there are definitely benefits, for you as a student, to training in Europe, and Portugal in particular.
Read on to discover 5 reasons to join a yoga teacher training in Portugal this year…
1. It could save you money!
Although trainings in Europe tend to be slightly more expensive* than in India, for example, overall you could end up saving money (if you currently live in Europe) since flights within Europe are far cheaper than long-haul flights, especially to popular tourist destinations, or compared to flights that require a stopover. In addition, you’ll save money by not requiring a visa, and on unexpected expenses such as vaccinations.
*However, at All Yoga, our Portugal training is the same cost as our Bali and Thailand trainings, so it’s even better for you!
2. Convenience
While travelling in Asia, or further afield, can be an incredible experience, it does come with its own set of challenges and generally requires quite a lot of forward planning. Not only checking whether you need things like visas and vaccinations, for example, and planning for the weather (especially if it’s monsoon season!), but also making sure you have enough time either side of the training – bearing in mind long travelling time, time differences, and that you might want to arrive a day early – which means you might need to ask for more time off from work, or away from family and home commitments, compared to doing your training closer to home. As well as being much quicker to get to, there are so many flights in and around Europe that the chances of finding a flight at exactly the time/day you prefer are much higher than for long-haul flights where you are at the mercy of big airline companies.
3. Familiarity and safety
If you don’t have much experience of solo travel or backpacking, then heading off by yourself to Asia or somewhere more ‘exotic’ could be quite a daunting first experience, especially as a female. While all solo travel comes with risk, travelling within Europe is obviously far safer for solo female travelers, and could offer you a gentle introduction to the joy of solo travel, rather than throwing you in the deep end!
Besides the safety aspect, if you’re someone who enjoys their home comforts, then you might prefer a training in Portugal, where you know exactly what to expect in terms of accommodation, and, let’s be honest, toilets (e.g. not having to wonder what on earth you’re supposed to do with that shower head placed next to the loo…?! Or whether it’s ok to flush the paper down the toilet!)!
Similarly, if you don’t enjoy spicy food, or prefer to avoid ‘Delhi belly’ (an inevitable part of travelling in most of Asia!), then a yoga training in Portugal gives you all the benefits yoga-wise, but with the familiarity and comfort of European food options. Speaking of ‘Delhi-belly’, if something does go wrong, and you pick up a bug for example, then you might feel more comfortable being closer to home, where you have access to often the same brands of medication as you have at home, in any local pharmacy.
4. It could be more environmentally friendly!
If you are concerned about your climate footprint, or just don’t enjoy flying, then doing your training in Portugal could be a much more environmentally friendly option than training in Asia, since Europe is so well-connected by public transport, particularly by train. While the train can sometimes work out more expensive than flying, there are still deals to be had, especially if you combine your yoga training with travelling around Europe, by getting an interrailing pass, for example, or by booking in advance. Check out the great website www.seat61.com for prices, detailed timetables and routes.
5. Explore Portugal and Europe
If you’ve never to Portugal before, this could be an amazing opportunity to explore what this laid-back country has to offer whilst getting your yoga teacher training certification! Europe is known for offering something to suit everybody – from beautiful old historical towns, to thriving cosmopolitan cities, white sandy beaches, sunshine, vineyards and woodlands – and Portugal is no exception. For history buffs, there’s the picture-postcard town of Obidos, famous for its local cherry liqueur – Ginjinha d’Obidos – which is served in a chocolate cup (yum!), while for the city-slickers, Lisbon is trendy, laid-back, and with a great food scene. Not to mention the beaches for which Portugal is famous! But maybe you didn’t know that Portugal is also a surfer’s paradise; all along the coast you can find surf and kite-surfing schools offering lessons or equipment rental, and if you stay on until October, head up the coast to the area around Peniche and Nazare where the big international surf competitions are held each year.
Alternatively, you could combine your training in Portugal with travelling around Europe, exploring the best of this beautiful, historic continent. As already mentioned, Europe is extremely well-connected by rail, so travelling around is easy, affordable, and safe, with interrailing being a common ‘gap year’ experience for young Europeans. From Lisbon you could easily take the overnight train to Madrid, and continue exploring Spain, or you could take the train north to San Sebastian or even up into Southern France, and from here explore France or head to Paris for more connections to London, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Fares start from as little as €33 if you book in advance! Head to www.seat61.com for more information.
So there you have it, 5 reasons to join a yoga teacher training in Portugal! If you’ve decided that Portugal is the destination for you, check out our new 200hr training in the quant old town of Ericeira starting in September 2020. But if the allure of South East Asia still holds strong, we still have our trainings in Bali and Thailand starting back in October 2020, so plenty of opportunities for you to get your yoga teaching certification this year, and finish 2020 having learnt new skills, made new friends, and changed your life for the better!
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