Yoga in Liberia? Of Course (Video)

Yoga is not something I expected to find in Liberia. I assumed that people would have far more important matters to worry about and that the benefits of practicing yoga would not be appreciated. Despite my initial thoughts, I heard about a yoga class during my first 24 hours in the country. Not only did I hear about a yoga class, I found out that two instructors offer classes. The demand should not surprise anyone because ex-pats, like other migrant groups, bring elements of comfort from home and there is little as easy to transport as yoga, a practice of the mind and body; no additional material is necessary.

Yoga is not only easy to transport, it can provide a respite in and from a challenged country. This makes it a welcome outlet for people who are in a foreign land, especially one that is post-conflict. The war destroyed western comforts like 24-hour electricity and city water. Its devastation also left a lot of wounded individuals, physically and emotionally, and these are often the people that ex-pats seek to aid. Many aid-workers, commonly ex-pats, push themselves to solve as many issues as possible, but there is always more to be done. This is often compounded by the small size of many organizations. It seems to contribute to loneliness and can lead to burnout. The emotional burden is high, even in light of the tremendous impact that a smart and committed individual can make.

While the yoga class was a perfect diversion for me, it would work well for Liberians too. Ellie, the instructor, teaches classes targeted at Liberians too, but none came to this class. The lack of local accents reminded me of the distinct communities that exist in the country, those who stayed through the conflict, those who've returned, foreign residents and ex-pats. This is especially true because I believe that Liberians and other locals would pay for yoga classes. As a product, I believe that yoga is very fitting for Liberia's strong social sense and the high value that Liberians place on training of all sorts. The idea that yoga wasn't something that I would find in Monrovia continues to diminish as I learn about more about Liberia. Monrovia is urban and dynamic and it can have all of the things that the combination brings.