I went to Costa Rica last month for a volunteer service experience. The first two weeks involved helping out with research on wildlife protection. The last two weeks, my peers and I went on a tour all over that third-world country, which gave me the opportunity to visit the most beautiful beaches ever. Even though I fell in love with the ferocious waves of Manzanillo Beach, the best day of my life took place in Samara Beach. The activities in the agenda were either surfing or sea kayaking. I just had to look at the guy in blue falling off his board in the brochure to know what my adventure-craving spirit wanted that day.
I had never surfed before, so I had to take an hour of training along with my peers before doing it on my own. We were about 10 people which got separated in small groups and assigned a hot Tico instructor. By the whims of the universe, or a mere math miscalculation, I got my own instructor. His name was Sandro, and with him I ventured out into the spilling waves.
Don't be fooled by this type of waves, though, because even if they are nothing like the tall, killer Hawaiian ones, they still have the raging fury to knock anything down. Sandro taught me everything he could squeeze out of his brain cells. Use the board as a guide into the waves, keep looking forward, strong and steady, analyze the upcoming wave, turn around, jump up and.. just.. stand! He was very patient with me, too. Yet, my body would make itself heavier and my feet kept stepping on the wrong spots, making me become one with the water and sand instead of with the board.
Maybe I should have told my frustrated instructor that I was a slow learner...
He suggested switching boards, because the one I was using was about a medium size, and if I got a bigger one it would have enough balance for me to be able to stand on it.
I refused.
My philosophy had always been to keep trying and find a way no matter what. Plus, I'm as stubborn as my zodiac kindred, the Ram.
After an hour or so (past the instruction session) I was able to stand on the board for about a millisecond, then lose balance and fade like the foam of a dying mermaid. The resigned Sandro, who had spent a little more time than what the contract said out of sympathy, finally decided to return to the surf shack. About another hour had passed by, and I wasn't doing so well on catching waves by myself yet. Everyone else had gotten out of the water by that time. So I was left alone in the lair of water titans; me and my polyester and fiberglass board.
I do clarify that I was never afraid, for I’ve been taught to always treat the sea with respect. Why give this powerful entity such horrendous, negative energy anyway? Instead, I had to make it become aware of my presence before trying anything. I was not so far away from that goal, though. With my dry mouth and the taste of salt everywhere, even in the air, I felt I had become one with the sea already.
Finally, after turning my back on a worthy beast and waiting for the hit, something amazing happened. I felt the ruffled water and foam caress my back as the wave gently took me in between its fingers, then its palm, which began to sweep me and my board towards the distant shore. That strange yet encouraging feeling was more than enough to have me place my palms firmly on the hard surface, push my hips up, and in a single jump, stand perfectly on my flat companion, and enjoy the free ride to the shallows.
Although this ride lasted three and a half seconds, to me it felt like time slowed down. I remember seeing the beach, a group of people kayaking away, a seagull flying with its prey, the surf instructors at the shack following me with their eyes, Sandro smirking, my friends laughing in amazement, screaming my name or holding up their cameras, our tour leader raising his beer can at me. For three and a half seconds, I ruled the world.
After that, Sandro let me keep surfing without charge for as long as I wanted. I ended up walking back to the hotel by sundown with bruises on my legs and back, red, worn out lips, a tangle of seaweed as hair, and a big smile on my face.
One thing I am truly grateful of my parents is teaching me to appreciate even the smallest things the universe brings to the table. I might have not become the best surfer in the world that day in the beach. Still, it was the best of my life, because I had faced a challenge, a natural entity, and learned a little bit more about myself.
Thrive in life, but never fear.
-Diongus