We opened our dream retreat center a little over a year ago and wanted to share how it all came to be and what we offer!
After Roberto's first dharma coaching session he discovered that he was not on the right path with his sales career and that he actually wanted to build a business that would help bring people joy and happiness. He feels like he is truly in his element when he is bringing people together over the dinner table with his delicious cooking and funny jokes. H embodies the archetypes of the nurturer and the entertainer!
As we dug a little deeper in the coaching session he realized that he would really like to go back home to El Salvador and contribute to making his country a better place. He was born in El Salvador and had to leave during the civil war to seek political asylum. There were a lot of old wounds holding him back from even visiting the country.
As soon as he mentioned this idea, I googled "travel to El Salvador" and the first website that pops up is the American Embassy warning you of all the violence, gangs, murder, rape and assault. I told him there was no way I could bring my clients and he assured me that the country had a new president and everything had changed. I felt like we should go see for ourselves what kind of situation the country was currently in. A few days after the coaching session we were on a plane on our way to El Salvador to see if this was a feasible plan!
We arrived at night and if you have ever traveled to a third world country then you know that nighttime is not an ideal time to be out! There are generally no street lights, wandering animals, curvy roads, and you don't know what kind of shady characters may be lurking. We had an hour drive to our hotel in the dark and I have to admit we were on the lookout for trouble but it was uneventful and nothing along the ride made me feel unsafe.
In daylight the country looks extremely different and it is absolutely paradise! We tried to explore as much of the country as we could in our short trip. Luckily the country is about the size of Massachusetts so you can really explore a lot with day trips. We went to several different beaches, visited the big city of San Salvador a couple of times, explored the volcanos and waterfalls, and enjoyed the beautiful drives everywhere we went. We never encountered a single situation that felt sketchy or unsafe no matter where we were.
In terms of COVID protocols, they practice way more safety than anywhere I have been in the United States. Whether you are going to a restaurant, hotel, tourist attraction, or open air market - you must get your temperature checked first. After you pass the temperature check they make you use hand sanitizer and you must wear a mask everywhere - inside and out. We had to get tested to leave the country and they take samples from both your nose and throat. I actually felt safer in regards to COVID there than I do in the United States. The COVID protocols are all gone in 2023 but they did a really great job throughout the pandemic.
Overall we had an amazing experience and we decided to pursuit our dream to open a retreat center here. We moved here September 1, 2021, completed the renovations and hosted our first family from Maine at the beginning of January 2022. Ever since we have been extremely busy with retreats and using the property as an Airbnb in between our personal guests.
We specialize in creating your perfect vacation package. There is no cookie cutter approach here. We know some people need a true break to unplug from society and get true rest, nourishment and healing. Other people want to go on adventures and explore all the beautiful sights here. Some want a combination of both! When it comes to our healing and wellness services, our offers are even more unique.
Hilery now has 59 certifications and over 20 years of experience in the wellness industry. She explains her career path as a personal evolution of learning. She started off learning everything about the physical body, nutrition, and fitness that she could. She found that it was the mind that held people back from implementing healthy habits though, so then she began a journey into the mind, yoga, and philosophy. Once she had a grasp on that she realized that the spirit is often overlooked and has healing work to do that is often overlooked or avoided. She believes we all have a unique soul's purpose and specific lessons that we are here to learn in this lifetime. When we don't learn these lessons they tend to show up again and again in different situations, continually holding us back from feeling true joy and elation. Because she understands healing the mind, body, and spirit are a personal evolution for everyone, she knows the process can't be rushed and meets you where you are at on your journey. There is never any judgment, only compassion and loving guidance to help you get to the next level of your evolution so you can embody the highest version of yourself.
Please let us know any questions you have! We know a lot of people may have that same travel fear that we did before you take the first trip - but do you really think we would live here if we felt it was dangerous?! It's been about a year and a half traveling all over the country and we have never had a single experience that made us uncomfortable. We hope you will come join us and allow us to provide a beautiful and memorable getaway customized to your needs and desires.
