Last night will always be a great memory for this Indiana girl at a basketball game in Kosovo. (Check out the video above—it’s well worth your 2 minutes 😜)
This country’s fans rival those I remember from my tiny Hoosier hometown in Indiana, and it’s been a long time since I’ve experienced the energy of a championship game like this.
I went with an American friend, and we had no idea how to even get tickets.
So we just showed up, ended up at a VIP entrance, and as we were asking around, we simply got patted down and ushered directly into the stadium.
From there, we followed the crowd and made our way into a section of the stands entirely populated by men. And I do mean ENTIRELY. We were the ONLY women in this massive crowd! Yeah, a bit awkward at first, lol.
But we quickly decided when in Rome…so we jumped in and became part of the cheering squad for Trepça (Kosovo’s northern city of Mitrovica’s team). We yelled and jumped and clapped and hooped and hollered. When they joined shoulders to hop up and down on their chairs and cheer in unison, we did the same. We even learned the words to few of the cheers.
They didn’t have cheerleaders like we’re familiar with in the U.S. Instead, there were two men (one often shirtless) directing the entire crowd on the cheers and generally keeping them rowdy, yet also just enough contained so mayhem wouldn’t ensue.
People were smoking cigarettes—everywhere—and slowly, a cloudy haze rose above the stadium.
The game was close and exciting, and when it was finished (our team Won!), we went down to the floor and snapped photos with the trophy and some team members…we were even steps away from the PM.
It was electric and cray-zee and so very fun to randomly end up in the cheering squad for a basketball team.
We definitely stood out, and several of the guys around us asked what we were doing there and how it came to be that we were cheering so loudly for their team.
This is what I love about off-the-beaten-path travel and why I tend to travel to and bring other women to countries like this on my retreats.
It’s because you can so easily experience the REAL culture, the REAL place, the REAL people.
It isn’t full of tourist traps and cheesy tours.
Instead, if you do a bit of digging and are willing to step into the unknown, even if you’re a bit uncomfortable at first, you never know if there just might be a rowdy basketball game in your future!
Go Trepça! 🏀💚🎉
PS: If you want to join me on my next off-the-beaten-path travel destination, check out my retreat below.
PSS: Or if you want help in creating a journey like this of your own, check out my Brave Journey program (also below). It starts in April!
Meet me in Macedonia!
The basics:
Location: Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia
Dates: Sept 28 - Oct 4, 2025
Early Bird pricing ($500 off) ends Feb 28!
Register today for my small group retreat for women in Lake Ohrid, Macedonia!
This year Macedonia taught me to step into trusting what it looks like to live…Really live. To boldly and authentically step into who I am and trust Wisdom to lead me, wherever I go.
I felt strongly while walking the streets of Ohrid that it has things to say to other women, too.
That’s why I’m choosing this mystical, gorgeous, otherworldly place full of knowledge, Wisdom and pure delight as the next location for my 2025 Retreat!
I cannot wait to share this place with you. A land of water and mountains. Great food and wine. Flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world. Wisdom and incredible history.
If you’re a woman in midlife who’s in the midst of (or thinking about) re-designing your life, this retreat is for you!
Feeling stuck can sometimes actually be an opportunity. And quite possibly an invitation to a new chapter of living a life more aligned with your true self.
Next Sunday: FREE Zoom for Women Travelers is back!
Sunday, Feb 23 at 3pm EST
Come join us for a fun conversation with other like-hearted women travelers. It’s FREE!
Register here!
Want to create your own version of an Eat, Pray, Love Journey?
My next Brave Journey coaching cohort begins in April!
Who is Brave Journey for?
Are you in a space in which you’re yearning to get unstuck, heal and grow?
Does journeying for the next 6 months with a small group of like-hearted women sound supportive and just what you need during this time of transition?
Do you long for a space in which you feel like it’s safe—even encouraged—to share the reality of your life, where you’re at, and feel held and loved in the midst of it all?
Do you feel like a transformational travel experience could be a key part of your growth and healing, but you’d love support in planning and taking that trip?
If you answered yes to all or many of these questions, Brave Journey just might be for you!
If you’re interested to learn more, reach out to me at dpb@dawnpickbenson.com for a free chat, or check out the Brave Journey website here.
I curate this group of like-hearted women each year, and in order to ensure the group is a good fit for you, I require a short Zoom conversation with each woman as part of the application process. If you’d like to learn more about next steps, reach out to me at dpb@dawnpickbenson.com!
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