After I returned to Los Angeles on May 13, 2013,  I  immediately left for Hawaii on May 17  to co-host my  first international  yoga retreat with my Yogaworks colleague, David Kim and  YogaPlus teacher, Yuri N. Hayashi as our translator. Participants from Japan and the US would converge on the Big Island of Hawaii for one week of yoga, adventure and fun at the Hawaii Island Retreat Center.

David and I arrived a day early to prepare. We rented two vans, picked up supplies and then ordered hand-made Leis from a local Plumeria farm.

On Saturday, May 18, David and I greeted each retreat participant with a Lei as soon as they exited the gate at the airport and then whisked them away in vans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After shuttling back and forth to the retreat center on furthest northern point of the island, we settled down for a fantastic and festive meal. It was clear  from this photo taken before dinner, that would be a magical week.

Back row left to right: Joni Kashiwara,Hanae Tsuda, Julie Graham, Karen Milke, Kyoko Ishimaru,Yuka Takahashi, Sanae Yamaguchi, Naoko Nakano

Front row left to right: Kaori Waragai, Jun Takeda, David Kim, Romy Phillips, Yuri N. Hayashi, Kazue Isono, Jun Makitani