a c a l l f r o m a p l a c e

22 april 2026                                                                                                           ahanghama, sri lanka

isn't it fascinating how some places touch us so deeply, even though we have never been there before?

as if they were calling us. as if they wanted us to see them, feel them, and experience them.

maybe there is an experience waiting for us there. maybe a person who will change our life. or maybe we simply need to be somewhere else for a while to see life from a different perspective, learn something about ourselves, or reconnect with a part of who we are.

and somehow, deep inside, we already know we have to go.

i have felt these calls many times throughout my life and, over the years, i have learned how important it is to follow them. because they rarely become quieter. if anything, they grow louder the longer we ignore them, until one day all that is left is the first step, trusting them and seeing where they lead.

two of these calls stayed with me in particular: india and a vipassana meditation retreat.

india called me for many years. again and again, in different places. almost as if it had been quietly watching me, inviting me back each time.
i was fascinated by its culture, spirituality, contrasts, and the intensity of life itself. at the same time, i was afraid to travel there alone. i had heard so many opinions and stories about how difficult it was supposed to be as a solo female traveler that, over time, they became part of my own thoughts.
but the call remained, stronger than ever.
when it finally became impossible to ignore, i applied for a one-year visa from nepal and booked my flight to india. i knew with every part of my body that it was the right decision.
and when i finally arrived, i fell in love with the country.
india became one of the most inspiring, emotional, and magical places i have ever experienced. a place i hope to return to one day.

it reminded me how important it is to experience things for ourselves instead of seeing them through other people's opinions or experiences.
make no assumptions. not about people, and not about places, until you have experienced them yourself.


the call toward vipassana felt completely different.

through the people i met during my travels, my curiosity about meditation, mindfulness, and the inner world continued to grow. with it came a growing curiosity about vipassana.
at first, i thought i would do it one day. then, one morning, i simply knew: i am going to do a vipassana as soon as possible.

a vipassana is a silent meditation retreat. for around twelve days, you let go of conversation, distractions, and external stimulation, turning your attention entirely inward.
you observe thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations without trying to hold onto them or push them away. you learn to witness both pleasant and unpleasant experiences without immediately reacting to them, realizing that everything in life arises and passes away.
and somehow, i felt that this experience had been waiting for me long before i understood why.

these inner calls can appear in many different ways.

sometimes someone tells you about a place, and suddenly it seems to appear everywhere. sometimes a dream stays with you for years. and sometimes you simply wake up one morning and know that the moment has arrived. it feels like a longing. a quiet inner knowing. something that cannot be explained logically and yet feels completely true. perhaps that is exactly what makes it so fascinating.

almost as if certain places already know us before we arrive.

as if some places and experiences are meant to change us long before we understand how or why.