Waar doet ze het van? Ronja travels the world as a yoga teacher

I was scrolling through Instagram again when I came across Ronja. Her page immediately caught my attention because it felt so pure and authentic. I decided to send her a message to ask if she might be interested in being featured in the blog. And she was! She responded with so much enthusiasm. A week later, we had a truly open, warm, and meaningful conversation, and we quickly realized we had a very similar outlook on life. Ronja worked a 9-to-5 job for eight years, but now she travels the world as a yoga teacher. Curious about how she made that happen? Keep reading!

Roos: Can you tell me a little about yourself?

Ronja: I’m Ronja, 29 years old and from Germany. I studied business economics, and after graduating, I worked a 9-to-5 job at a refugee center in Munich. My job was to assess whether people could stay in Germany or if they had to return to their home countries. It was incredibly intense and emotional work, especially doing it 40 hours a week. I told my boss that I was struggling with it and could really use a break. He offered me a sabbatical, allowing me to travel for eight months while still getting paid. That sounded like an amazing opportunity, so of course, I said yes. And that’s how my first travel experience began.

Roos: Where was your first destination?

Ronja: It was during COVID, so I couldn’t follow my original plan to go to Australia and Bali. Instead, I decided to travel to Central America since the borders there were still open. I took a chance, and it worked out. While traveling, I also learned how to surf, and I fell in love. During that time, I traveled a lot within the region. Some of the countries I visited included Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Guatemala, Hawaii, and El Salvador. I absolutely loved the experience!

Roos: What got you into yoga?

Ronja: Alongside surfing, I started getting more into yoga, especially surf yoga, a practice that focuses on building strength and flexibility to improve your surfing. I started doing yoga because of my mental and my physical health, I noticed that yoga helpt me a lot when I don't feel good in both my body and my mind. While traveling, I met so many people who practiced yoga, and their passion really inspired me. That’s when I decided to do my yoga teacher training in Costa Rica. Later, in Panama, I worked as a yoga instructor for a month on an island of Bocas del Toro, which gave me a lot of experience. But things really started taking off when I was in Hawaii. A yoga teacher approached me and asked if I wanted to organize a yoga retreat with her. At that time, I was still figuring out what I wanted to do, as my job in Munich had been very demanding, so I immediately said yes. We ended up organizing a few surf retreats in Portugal and Sri Lanka and eventually launched our own brand. That was the beginning of my journey to where I am now.

Roos: What happened when your sabbatical ended?

Ronja: I returned to Germany. On the flight home, I texted my boss and told him I wanted to quit my job. He advised me to come back first and see how I felt before making any decisions. So I did.

Once again, I found myself stuck in my 9-to-5 routine. I was incredibly busy, working full-time while also building my retreats, gaining experience at a yoga studio in Germany, and developing a new yoga style that I was actively promoting: Surfyoga. In the beginning, no one came to my surf yoga classes, which was discouraging. But after a year, my sessions were fully booked. Eventually, I was even invited to teach a yoga session for 200 people at a festival. Looking back, all the hard work paid off. I continued working at my full-time job for another two years until, in 2022, I got an opportunity in Sri Lanka. This time, I felt ready to quit and fully commit to my dream. So I booked a flight to Sri Lanka and started a new chapter.

Roos: That’s amazing! How did you experience your time in Sri Lanka?

Ronja: I worked as a yoga teacher at a surf camp for six months. That was long enough for me to see if I enjoyed it and to explore other opportunities for the future. During those six months, I met a surf coach from Morocco who wanted to organize a surf retreat with me. Since I had adopted a mindset of saying “yes” to every opportunity, I agreed without hesitation. We planned a four-week retreat, even though I had never been to Morocco before. To my surprise, the retreat was fully booked from the start, which made me incredibly proud! In between, I also traveled to India to continue my yoga teacher training. Honestly, I was constantly moving between different countries, and sometimes I even lost track of all the places I had been. After Morocco, I continued organizing retreats. I held a few more in Portugal. I basically did whatever I could to maintain my freedom while still earning an income. It wasn’t always stable, but somehow, things always worked out.

Roos: That sounds incredible! Did you still have time to surf while organizing all those retreats?

Ronja: Yes, absolutely! I made sure to surf every single day. It was my way of unwinding and finding peace. Every time I got into the water, it reminded me why I had chosen this lifestyle. I loved everything about it, so it was always worth it.

Roos: I heard you now teach yoga online. How did that come about?

Ronja: Yes! It all started at a retreat in Portugal. After taking my classes, people asked if I also offered online yoga sessions. At that point, I didn’t, but their interest gave me an idea. I bought a camera and a microphone and got to work. I wanted to do it properly, so it took a lot of time and effort. After six months of filming, I was finally able to launch my online platform: Ronjaflow. It’s been going really well, but it’s not my only source of income. I like to mix things up, I run my online surf yoga platform, work at surf camps, organize retreats, and collaborate with other retreats. This way, I can continue following my passion, maintain my freedom, and surf every day. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Roos: It’s amazing to see how much you love what you do! Do you have any goals you still want to achieve?

Ronja: Yes! I really want to grow my Instagram and do more brand collaborations. I started focusing on it three years ago, and lately, it’s been growing quite a bit. My boyfriend is a photographer, which is definitely a big help. The next step is to start making money from it.

Oh, and I have another dream, I’d love to find a home by the ocean. I can’t imagine living without it anymore. Surfing is so addictive that I need to be near the sea. Maybe Australia, that would be a dream come true. And one more thing, never again a 9-to-5 job! Hahaha.

Roos: What an inspiring story! Do you have any final advice for our readers?

Ronja: Sometimes, chasing your dreams might seem impossible, but you should always go for it. Talk to people, networking can lead to the best opportunities. I said yes to everything that came my way, and that’s how I ended up where I am today. I didn’t plan anything in advance; everything happened spontaneously, and that’s what I love most about my journey. Oh, and follow your heart. It might sound cliché, but no one else can see what truly makes you happy. Listen to advice from others, but remember that you don’t have to follow it. If people tell you to get a stable job or seek security, but that doesn’t feel right for you, don’t do it. Always trust your own instincts.

Roos: Another truly inspiring story. What I love is that everyone I interview emphasizes the importance of following your heart, and I completely agree. People will always have opinions about what you do because they project their own desires onto you. But in the end, you have your own dreams, and you don’t have to follow anyone else’s path. If you follow your heart, you can never go wrong.Thank you, Ronja, for sharing your amazing story. Maybe I’ll see you in the lineup someday!

Stay Stoked,

@onthewayve