LIVE LIKE A LOCAL: Sydney’s Kaja Troa

The yoga teacher, Reiki healer and senior museum officer shares her life well-lived in Sydney

“It consistently and instantly gets me out of my head and grounded. I tap back into my inner calm and always get aligned with my higher self. To put it simply, it makes me feel empowered and like a goddess – a goddess can handle anything,” says Kaja Troa of how yoga has helped her to overcome the challenges that life often brings.

She’s spent the last 25 years practicing yoga, and seven of those years sharing her love of the practice with others as a yoga teacher.

It’s been Kaja’s way of handling big curve balls thrown her way – including being married then divorced – and she credits yoga with helping her navigate her way through it. “With every breakdown is a breakthrough. I believe love is the most powerful force so to be able to experience true love and even heartbreak is a gift,” she says. “Rather than reacting to life’s challenges, I’m more equipped to respond with ease and grace,” she explains of her daily practice.

The duality of Kaja’s life is apparent through her opposite career choices – she teaches yoga at Yoga By The Sea Australia in Sydney’s Bondi, and also works as a senior museum officer at the Reserve Bank of Australia Museum. It’s an interesting mix, and one that Kaja says she fell into after changing tack from her previous acting career. “I started working at the concierge at the museum, and found it was stable and easy work, so decided to commit to 500 hours of yoga teacher training on Sydney’s northern beaches in my spare time,” she says.

“The ethos of the yoga school I attended was ‘finding balance in a busy world’, which was fitting as with most international yoga training it’s hard to integrate yourself back into ‘normal life’ afterwards. I wanted to bring yoga into the corporate world, as there is a strong need for it on every level. I loved working at the bank – its cultures and values – so my manager suggested I apply for the senior museum officer role.”

Her previous experience in the acting industry helped Kaja nail the interview and she got the job. At the same time, Kaja had been clocking up her 500 hours teaching yoga, and had already secured a job with Yoga By The Sea teaching sunrise and sunset yoga before receiving her certificate seven years ago. “To teach yoga classes among the beauty of nature (and sometimes curious whales, dolphins and marine life) is really living the dream,” she says.

It’s an interesting mix, sure, but Kaja is grateful for the multiplicity of her 9 to 5. “Earning a living by doing what you are passionate about is a gift.”

Sydney’s Reserve Bank of Australia Museum often flies under many people’s radar when visiting the cosmopolitan city, Kaja says, but there are many reasons to check it out. “The Museum tells the story of Australia’s banknotes against the background of the nation’s economic and social development, from colonial settlement through to the current era. A banknote is not just a monetary value, it’s a work of art, design and history,” Kaja says.

The Sydney lifestyle suits Kaja down to the ground. She’s an outdoorsy type most at ease in nature, and loves living close to the water. “Where else in the world can you leave the city, a suit and tie, and go for a surf in under 10 minutes?” she says.

When she’s not soaking up the beauty of her surrounding neighbourhood, Kaja embraces the multiculturalism of the city she calls home, especially when it comes to food. “We are a city of diversity, so if you are a foodie like me then you’ll be spoilt for choice with the wide variety of restaurants and cuisine.

Discover the best of Sydney’s gastronomic offerings according to Kaja below.

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