Let me introduce myself.
My name is Lee Persson, I’m a Swedish young woman at the age of 29.
I’ve been living on Koh Phangan on and off 3 times.
I started backpacking in 2009 and I ended my trip with a visit at Koh Phangan 2010 when I was doing Yoga.
Of course I fell in love with the beautiful island and the only thing I wanted was to go back.
I returned in January 2013 and in October I decided that it was time for me to become a full time local in the Sri Thanu area.
I went home to Malmö, Sweden and I sold everything I had, took the little thing I had and moved to Koh Phangan for good.
Or so I thought....
Now I’m in the progress of moving from Thailand to Mexico.
Another big step in life.
Follow me on my journey trough something we call living the life to the fullest.
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After an extra month in Mexico, with so much happening in my life, I felt like I was ready for a break. I was ready to go back to my other home, Koh Phangan, Thailand!
If I would describe Isla Mujeres, Mexico with one word it would be: INTENSE! I
f I would do the same with Koh Phangan I can not choose one word because there are so many options.
There is something for everyone, but I would say: PEACEFUL, CRAZY, ISLAND OF KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, PARTY and BALANCE. I flew back to Bangkok April 20 from Cancun and I had the same route back as when I arrived.
The difference was, that this time I was flying back in time which made it a bit easier for my jetlag. I (who normally never drink strong liquor anymore) bought a bottle of tequila with me from the airport. Yeah, that’s how much of a Mexicana I’ve become. Instead of taking one day in Bangkok and pay for a hotel and taxi, I just went straight to the other airport and took the first flight in the morning to Surathani to get to Koh Phangan! I couldn’t wait another day… I wanted to get home!
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When I arrived, one of my best friends Marcello was there waiting for me at the ferry.
Even better, when I opened the door to my house, he bought me 3 different cakes, fruit, fresh coconuts, made some home brewed Swedish coffee for me and gave me a nice little gift.
What a friend!
He changed a lot to the better since I left. But I think that Yoga also has to do with it. Working on yourself, opening up, be more loving and learn how to let go. And since I’ve been gone, he accomplished 3 levels in Agama and a Tantra workshop. So, my plan is actually working. Spreading inspiration to people around the world. Those who needs it and are ready and open for it.
Myself I would say that my Yoga practice haven’t been the best right now. I’m being lazy and fully booked with courses and detoxes and other different things.
I was really good when it came to go out running and doing my meditation in Mexico.
Not so much Yoga as I would have liked to, but there was more interesting things to discover than Yoga itself when I was there.
My time there always give me insights in things, about life and how to grow and making memorable moments, mistakes and just be.
I was ready to let go of the island for a while and go back to Thailand. My other island. When I came back to Koh Phangan, it didn’t take long until I was split. I could NEVER give up on Koh Phangan! I still decided to have a ”home base” in Mexico and still keep my house on Koh Phangan, to come back here and study and have a good time and enjoy life to the full. Koh Phangan is always there.
And I will always be there in spirit.
When I came back I didn’t have a VISA, so I just got 30 days on entry.
I made a border visa and got 15 days extra. During my short stay I decided to do all those things I never had to do on the island, even if I spent almost 1 year there already.
I also did a Reiki 1 & 2 course at Orion Healing Centre with Dhalia. That was one of the best things I’ve done lately.
It also included a lot of dancing, mostly on Eden Garden every Saturday night / Sunday morning.
It was mostly a ”Sunday morning dance for 7 hours ritual” for me.
I have always said that, if you ever go there, you will always find so many interesting characters.
If I was a photographer, I would take a picture of different kind of people there, it would be the best album ever! (Go for it photographers on the island, do it, do it)
I was happy to let go of Mexico for a little while and enjoy my life in Thailand. With happy smiling people.
So many spiritual people over here, in all different shapes and colours.
It’s wonderful, I’ve felt so much unity with the people I’ve met since I went to Mexico. A synchronicity and much more love from everyone I meet. Strangers. Total strangers. That can end up being your best friend.
I learned how to share moments with people.
I also learned more about speaking without words, and that my friends, is amazing. When you just feel the other person. Body language. Energies. And some people you don’t need or want to talk to.
After I spent almost a month back on Koh Phangan, it was Marcellos time to take off. He went back home to Malmö, Sweden.
It was excellent that he was taking care of the house while I was gone. And awesome to share the house with him too while we both were there. Since he is one of my best friends (known him for 12? Years) it was weird when he left. I had to decide if I was going to go back to Sweden too.
The only reason was because it’s summer and I wanted to see my friends & family. My best friend is giving birth to her first baby too so I really wanted to be there for her. Marcello pushed me a little bit, and I was thinking hard about Sweden or San Francisco, USA!
Then I was on the flight to Seoul, South Korea.
From Seoul to San Francisco.
As soon as the plan landed, I got a feeling that I wasn’t ready for this. Something felt wrong too.
My intuition. I ignored it because I was there, I couldn’t do so much.
Outside the airport Greg was waiting for me. I get to the immigration and happy as I was, I had no idea what was coming. I already travelled for almost 2 days. I got so scared that I almost peed my pants when I got sent to the secondary office.
After they went through ALL my baggage and read all my diaries, books and humiliated me a little bit more I tried to take a deep breath…. *FUCK, read my DIARY, REALLY?
4 hours of interrogation and total time at the immigration: 12 hours! ALL DAY!
I ended up in a corner on the floor with 2 blankets swept around me. My body was in shock.
I have spent 2 days in AC and barely had any sleep. After such long time, I started to feel like Tom Hanks in the movie The Terminal.
They decided not to let me into the country after all those hours.
They wanted to send me back to Bangkok. I had nothing to go back to. It was all rented out. And it was 2 more extra days of travelling.
My body couldn’t take it any more. - Can you fly me to Mexico? - Yes, that wouldn’t be a problem? No! You have done nothing wrong in our country, yet.
- But Asiana Airline didn’t have the connection so I had to pay the ticket myself.
On my way to Mexico, I felt so happy that I was going to surprise everyone on the island.
The flight attendants got nervous when I came onboard with the cops and when I arrived in Mexico City I had to go to the immigration too, just because of the cops was following me to the plane in San Francisco.
My happy face wasn’t so happy anymore. They didn’t let me in either. They sent me back with the first best plane to San Francisco.
No questions, just a man who didn’t speak any English that escorted me to a plane. And he wanted money. REALLY? I all of a sudden didn’t understand any Spanish at all. Now I was on my third day in same clothes, no shower, no toothbrush, no phone, no internet, no nothing, nada!
US Immigration was in shock when I came back. My body couldn’t take 2 more days and go back to Thailand, the only choice I saw was to go back home. Home to Malmö, Sweden.
To be continued.
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