Aylin Arol

Hello, I’m Aylin — photographer, cultural manager, and founder of Calea Retreats.For over six years, I’ve been working in the creative industry, photographing, curating exhibitions, and realizing creative projects.At the same time, I completed a Bachelor’s degree in Management and am currently pursuing a Master’s in Cultural Studies and Cultural Management, combining my passion for culture with organizational work.Over the past two years, I developed the Calea art retreat concept together with fellow students. Now, I am bringing this project to life. Balancing a 9-to-5 job alongside self-employment often pushed me beyond my limits.The turning point came in 2023, when I attended a remote yoga retreat in Indonesia. Far away from tourism, I learned that it’s not grand concepts that bring us peace, but a conscious shift in how we relate to ourselves and our everyday lives.Since then, I have actively integrated mindfulness into my daily routine—through hiking, time in nature, and grounding habits that calm my nervous system and create structure.These experiences gave rise to Calea Retreats—a retreat concept that brings together yoga, wellness, cuisine, and art. It is a space designed to slow down, reconnect creatively, and practice mindful self-care.With Calea, I no longer want to separate the worlds I have lived in—creative work, management, and personal development—but bring them into harmony.