Graduates - Nicaragua 2011

 

Lacey McVean (Immersion Grad)

Whistler, BC

The picture says it all.  This woman rules, she comes from a family of painted angels including her two cats.  Get inked by this woman if you are so inclined: www.tattoosbylaceyjean.com

Kaitlin DeBrabandere

Toronto, ON

Kaitlin is a part time mermaid/ocean loving, ukulele artist.  She has voyaged more than Christopher Columbus and the Prince of Abu Dhabi (He hired her once I think?)  One day she might have a coffee table book about her adventures.

Derek Rohde

Vancouver, BC

Quiet genius bass guitar player/ rad man in general.  www.freecitycollective.com Buy his music now so you can say, “I knew him when…”

Jenny Clark

Glasgow, Scotland

Scottish beauty.  World traveller. Gentle heart.  We all loved listening to her read during our training just to hear her rrrr’s.  She’s United Kingdom undercover royalty, I’m sure of it!  (Like Pippa and Prince Harry kind of royalty).

Ryan Doucette

Vancouver, BC

This man is happy and positive… read his arm! He is a chameleon who fits in with anybody, anywhere, anytime with his disarming smile and kind confidence.  He captured almost four hours worth of Los Cardones magic with his videographer eye.  I can’t wait to see where he goes next.

Helen Wojcik

Pemberton, BC

She is a firefighter, surfer and does a great impression of her Polish mother. Let me repeat: She fights fires in large towering forests!  She sets the precedent for chic’s who rip on and off the mat.

Heather Anne MacDonald

Vancouver, BC

Insightful. Real.  The yogini sleeper of the group.  (Not sleeper as in falling asleep, but sleeper as in heavy hitting Oscar winner that takes everyone by surprise). Wow.  Heather is going to do some powerful things in days to come.

Karyn Lowther

Vancouver, BC

I’m not sure there is enough space to write about how funny and wonderful this woman is.  She is warm and hilarious.  She will have a league of student’s follow her (just like her friends) because of her ability to laugh amidst challenge.  ELE, Karyn!  “Everybody Love Everybody”

Olivier Fournier

Whistler, BC/ Quebec

He’s not this mean lookin’ in real life, he’s the gentlest of souls. Transformation is inscribed on all four walls of this man, holy schmoly! Thank you friend for showing up and doing good work. We all love you.

Steph Wall

Whistler, BC

Steph has already accomplished a photography degree from the New York Institute. She also arrived on her own in Tanzania (basically, independent of any big organization helping her) and implemented water systems, real ideas and hands-on/heart-on help with the kids at The Good Hope Orphanage.  And she’s only 23.  I’m so inspired by her selflessness and humanitarian work. www.goodhopeorphanage.org

Zoya Lynch

Revelstoke, BC

Former ski jumper almost Olympian, Revy badass with baggy pants and a pixie smile.  Zoya is a delight and incredibly talented skier and photographer (www.zoyalynch.com) We all want to adopt her as our little sister and have her over for Sunday dinners just to hear her sparkly laugh.  P.S Stay out of the Permanent Closures, ya punk!

Lanni Weingarten

Vancouver, BC

Lanni Lanni BoBanni. Lanni is authentic, funny, rich-minded and has a refined bullshit filter that makes her presence all the more honest. Nice is a boring word. Lanni isn’t nice, she’s a heart of gold, dynamic, to the point and hilarious. Even when she was stuck in a cow field, waiting for gas, still amazing! What a trooper.

Kanami Anderson

Sapporo-shi, Hokkaido, Japan / Squamish, BC

When Kanami talks her eyes are always smiling. She navigates the mat and the surf with ease and manages jellyfish situ’s with laughter and a tube of Lanacane, when the rest of us might cry.  She is sta-rong. Niseko is lucky to have her. Teacher Training, Japan, 2013. I can see it now…

Shanna Wilton

Aurora, Ontario

After about week one of the training, Shanna did this thing with her hair that reminded me of a shampoo ad, and then she’d look out to the ocean with the introspection and awareness of a 90 year old sage.  She is an old soul.  She also bangs nails and wears a hard hat in between seasons.  I bet one day she’ll have the Toronto Maple Leafs whimpering mid-asana in between games or something like that….

Audrey Manzie

Kenora, Ontario

Audrey is a wee package of insight, motherly wisdom and energy.  Her dharma is connectivity to children.  Even the kids in Nica.  She has the gift to instantly love them and that’s just beautiful.  Stay with her at her beautiful inn and she’ll teach you some yoga as well: www.southviewinn.ca

Misha Steiner

Sydney, Australia

Misha is raw, sensitive, endures and perseveres, is insightful and intelligent. She also does a mean children’s remix with dance moves like crocodiles and snakes. Watch out Sydney! I’m so happy we reunited on the mat again since her exodus from Whistler.

Candice Hebert

Whistler, BC

Candice is rad.  Rad is Candice.  She is chill to the bone, down to earth, humble and one of the easiest people to hang out with.  She is also a member of the “Chics that Rip” club.

Beth Quamby

Vancouver, BC

Beth is gracious, grateful, strong to the core, quiet when the time is right and wells up with tears when she speaks of people she loves.  Her sincerity is palpable.  We also share a profound love for hammocks.

Courtney Porter

Florida/ New Orleans

Vivacious, raspy voiced and beaming. She laughed at how we called her the Yankee of our group.  She is Floridian but also has a life’s worth of New Orleans jazz pulsing through her veins.  Courtney is an adult Punky Brewster: fun, optimistic and kindhearted – like arriving at Los Cardones with a 50 pound bag of shoes, crayons and toys for the school kids down the road.