At sunset in St Kilda, a group of women from Latin America are sitting around on the beach. They are sharing their personal journeys, playing instruments, singing Spanish songs, and strolling along the shore together…
The glow of the setting sun reflects off their smiling faces and in these beautiful moments the spiritual connection between those women is apparent.
Carolina Romero, the founder of this Latin American Women Circle, immigrated to Australia last year. It has been an incredibly tough year for her, as she has struggled with the loneliness of living in a foreign country and the pain of her divorce from her former partner.
“It felt like my life was put on airplane mode, disconnected from everyone. So I realised how much I needed a support system and a community,” she said.
This actually wasn’t the first time Carolina had faced these issues. At 16, she emigrated with her family to from Mexico to Canada. As a young girl, she was full of excitement about her new life. However, this joy quickly faded as she began interacting more with the locals.
“I know people sometimes are unintentional, but cultural barriers appear in every aspect of my life. I can feel that they can be a bit impatient at times and struggle to fully resonate with me,” she said.
Carolina longed to be heard and seen, so back then, an idea began to take shape in her mind: to find companions with similar cultural backgrounds and to share and connect through vulnerability in a foreign country. Today in Melbourne, she has successfully helped many women like herself find a sense of belonging through the Latin American Women’s Circle.
If the weather permits, Carolina organises a weekly Sunday gathering for the women’s circle at St Kilda Beach. She brings snacks, board games, and a few musical instruments to help members release their stress and escape from busy city life.
Alejandra Susa, a member of the Women’s Circle from Colombia, came to Melbourne alone this year. However, she wasn’t fully prepared to start her life from scratch.
“Luckily, I found the Latin American Women’s Circle on Instagram. It is a gift to me, allowing me to meet so many friends,” Alejandra said, expressing her gratitude toward Carolina Romero.
Diana Milena Nivia Nivia, another member from Colombia, believes that the most precious thing about the Women’s Circle for her is the sense of safety.
“Because of my desire to fit in, I often find myself being overly cautious around locals. But here, I don’t feel judged. It’s a complete safe zone,” she said.
In addition to the weekly beach gatherings, Carolina Romero also holds a monthly event named Embrace Your Inner Child at her yoga studio in South Melbourne. As a professional spiritual healer, she aims to use her expertise to help members release negative emotions and find relaxation. She usually guides them in samba dancing, meditation practices, and massages.
Maria Cecilia Avelluto, a member from Argentina, revealed after the event that it was Carolina who inspired her to love meditation and she is currently working towards becoming a healer with Carolina’s support.
“We often talk a lot in the Women’s Circle, but during the meditation and massage sessions, I realised sometimes we can just look at each other and feel what the other person is thinking. It’s such a wonderful experience,” Maria said with a smile.
She explained that emotions don’t always need words to be expressed and she can sense the flow of feelings between members in their silence.
“It’s a deeper emotional resonance,” Maria explained, with her eyes shimmering.
Another member, Ayat Alhakim, also expressed her unique feelings after having a massage.
“I was thinking of my mum during the session, as I grew up in Syria and Lebanon and we went through many difficult times together,” she revealed.
Sofia, who was giving Ayat her a massage, was moved to tears at that moment.
“She could feel my thoughts and then we embraced each other, I think that moment was so precious,” Ayat said.
For Carolina Romero, she and the members are actually healing each other. She heals those girls, and their trust and support heal her as well.
Carolina said the next step is to open the Women’s Circle to all female migrants, not only Latin American women. She said as Melbourne is a multicultural city, she are willing to meet more migrants from all parts of the world.
“Immigrants share many similarities, and I believe we, as foreigners, all encounter moments when we feel ‘not included,’” she said.
“I want to bridge the gap between immigrants and Australians, helping more girls feel a stronger sense of home.”
Since Latin American members also often get together for meals, Carolina would like to organize a hometown food-themed party for more immigrants next year, where participants can easily strike up conversations by sharing food and getting to know each other’s cultural backgrounds and life experiences better.
A group photo of Latin American Women’s Circle members on St Kilda beach. As long as the weather is good, the group’s organiser, Carolina Romero (second from the left) gets members together on the beach every Sunday afternoon.
Members of the Latin American Women’s Circle sit on St Kilda beach, laughing, sharing snacks, and chatting about their lives. Sharing their personal life journey is something they do every week, as it helps them understand one another better and build strong connections.
Members of the Latin American Women’s Circle sit on St Kilda beach listening to their organiser, Carolina Romero, play the guitar, while singing Spanish songs. They all agree that music is essential for relaxation and healing. At every gathering, they bring instruments like guitars, drums, and flutes to play. Embracing their shared language in a foreign country also helps them gain a sense of belonging.
Members of the Latin American Women’s Circle take off their shoes and walk towards the sea, feeling the warmth beneath their feet as the sun sets at St Kilda beach. The sunshine reflects on their smiling faces. They believe watching the sunset together is a way to escape from the busy city life, allowing them to fully enjoy the beauty of the current moment.
If the weather is not good on Sundays, the Latin American Women’s Circle members gather indoors. Today, they are enjoying dinner at The Wolf Windsor Restaurant, located at 152 Chapter St, St Kilda. Laughter and conversation intertwine, as they excitedly discuss the upcoming events of the Women’s Circle. (Left: Carolina, Maria and Diana; Right: Alejandra, Laura)
After dinner, organiser Carolina hugs Diana as they stroll through the streets of St Kilda with other members, discussing which dessert shop to visit for ice-cream. They walk and chat, enjoying the warm and relaxed atmosphere in this artistic district.
The Latin American Women’s Circle also hosts a large monthly event called ‘Embrace Your Inner Child’. The members gather in the studio of organiser Carolina Romero in South Melbourne (216 York St), where they sit in a circle to sing, dance, meditate and practice yoga. There is a soft blanket in the centre of the room, adorned with aromatic candles and instruments, allowing members to freely express their emotions and relax, just like the phrase on the card “Surrender to the Wisdom of Your Body.”
The Latin American Women’s Circle members Sofia, Maria and Ayat (from left to right) sit on the floor, practicing meditation, imagining their inner child and engaging in a conversation with the child in their mind. As they take deep breaths, everyone is encouraged to share their feelings, whether of joy or sadness, allowing their emotions to flow freely in the space.
The Latin American Women’s Circle members dance joyfully to the music, free from any fixed movements, expressing themselves naturally as their bodies sway with the changing melodies. Each person immerses herself in the rhythm, releasing inner tensions and feeling the joy that each movement brings, with every step a sign of female strength and unity.
Carolina lies on the yoga mat. The Latin American Women’s Circle members work in pairs, one woman gives a massage to another and they then switch. The massager tries to listen to the messages the body conveys. During this intimate interaction, they explore themselves together, better deepening their connection.
The Latin American Women’s Circle members Ayat and Sofia hug each other after a massage session. After sharing their inner thoughts with each other, they are deeply touched by each other’s stories and tears begin to fall. Ayat reveals that during the massage she thought of her mother, who had a difficult time raising her in Syria and Lebanon.
A photo of Ayat Alhakim, one of the Women’s Circle members, with organiser Carolina Romero in the studio (216 York St, South Melbourne). Carolina is smiling as she lifts Ayat up. Ayat is Carolina’s best friend and they have known each other since before the Women’s Circle was established. Ayat supported Carolina through the toughest moments after their immigration to Australia, assisting her in organising many events.