Don’t Check in the Surfboards – I’m Staying! – Alex’s story of making a new life in Costa Rica

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“Dont check-in the surfboards, I’m staying”

These were the last words I told to my then boyfriend, when we were at the airport about to end a trip to Costa Rica for our home in Spain. It was one of those moments where everything seemed to line up – everything stopped and in that instant it hit me, this was my quest for freedom and change.

Just like in surfing when a  perfect wave comes to you, and you happen to be sitting in the right spot. You need to ride that wave no matter the consequences, and me, I had to take this “wave” that was approaching me.

It wasn’t anything I did lightly. I’d been with my boyfriend for many years. We had lived together in a camper van running a surf school in Spain. I’d known for a little while that maybe everything wasn’t happening the way I wanted for my life and a trip to Costa Rica opened my eyes to what else was out there. But it wasn’t until we were at the airport, checking in on our way home that it hit me. I couldn’t get on that plane.

In that moment of revelation my now ex-boyfriend  started shouting  at me  – “What are you doing? Are you crazy? You’re going to regret this for the rest of your life, and there’s no coming back”.

All of a sudden the feelings of insecurity and fear started to boil in me, and in those milliseconds I thought to myself:

“This trip has changed my life completely, from a personal and spiritual perspective. Everything in my life until this moment was good and I am very grateful for it, however something in me is lacking and I’m not sure – what! I have to find out.”

The voyage to Costa Rica made me feel free. Being surrounded by life, nature and kind people, it was the best I had felt in a long time. This place filled me up with energy, made me feel more complete, love myself more, and helped me gain confidence in myself again. All this thanks to getting out of my comfort zone and confronting life.

I asked myself – ‘was I going to put all of this at risk?’. Since I finally felt one with myself again the answer had to be YES!

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Sometimes we get stuck in patterns, habits, unfulfilling jobs and relationships. And there are times when you ask yourself, “Am I where I want to be?”

We get comfortable in everyday routines, we get stuck, and we can’t grow. We are  not feeling bad, but were not feeling good. The beauty is out there, but we cannot see it. We know something is missing, but we don’t know what.

And Then it strikes you: it’s time to change.

While I was standing there at the airport alone, with two surfboard bags, without a credit card, and only 20$ in my pocket, for a second I questioned myself:

Did I make the right decision?

While I was thinking that, a random guy approached and asked me, “Where are you going?”

I replied, “I was just about to go back home to Spain, but I heard winter’s coming up here in Costa Rica and the waves are going to be really sick, so I decided to stay.”

He said, “Good for you, that’s the way to do it”, and shoved 80$ in my pocket and disappeared.

I guess that was life’s way of telling me I was on the right path.

I have learned that when you make a decision that you feel deeply in your heart, life opens its arms to you. It wants you to be happy and follow your path.

So whenever you have a strong feeling, deep inside, follow it because life’s there waiting to help you, to receive you and embrace you.

Don’t be scared to start a new beginning.

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Everything after that fell into place. I got a job at an oceanfront hotel where I worked and lived for a while. I got to surf the winter waves, the biggest waves I had ever surfed.

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I also had massive wipe outs.

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I did several surf trips around the country where I happened to meet Holly along the way.

We were out in the surf at Pavones, the waves were super fun and all of a sudden we started talking, connected and she offered me this great opportunity to work in Surf With Amigas.

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Working with Surf with Amigas has been a dream job. All the people you meet, the places you go, the food you eat, the waves you surf and the yoga from the heart.  It’s been mind blowing ,the idea of helping people push themselves, surf waves they had never surfed and progressing in their surfing in ways they didn’t even imagine. It’s been a very nourishing experience, all the unique women i’ve met, the moments we’ve shared , the  conversations we’ve had, the tears, the laughs, the wild moments and the adrenaline rushes. It’s been awesome and I have learned so much about life, people, situations and myself.

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After this big change in my life I feel that there are no coincidences. Everything is connected and happens for a reason and it’s all perfect the way it is.

Just as the world is in constant movement with the sun, the moon and all living things, we too move with it. As it changes we change with it, and as it grows we grow with it.

Everything is in harmony. The ocean moves through the force of the tides and the winds, and these move because of the circular motion of the earth. We too move within them. Life is expressing itself through wanting us to be true to our real nature.

We are all part of the same circle and we are all inhabitants of the same planet. We are all heroes of our paths. We all have the potential to do great things, to seek our happiness and feel fulfilled. All that is needed is to make little steps in the direction that feels right in our hearts.

Be the architect of your future and let life be your expression.

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With love, Alex

 

SWA Instructor Profile – Shezza

Surf With Amigas focuses on hiring the very best instructors so that you get the very best instruction. We would happily challenge any other surf camp staff to a surf off! Here’s our skilled longboarder Sherrie “Shezza” Houghton showing off her moves. Surf with Shezza in El Salvador and Nicaragua October – December 2015.

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SWA Instructor – Michelle

One day in El Salvador, Michelle was out ripping, minding her own business, when Holly paddled over to her and asked her what she was doing living in Florida and why not come work with Surf With Amigas. She said Yes and it led to a total change in lifestyle. Michelle now lives in Central America bouncing between Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama teaching people to surf and having awesome adventures. She’ll be working with Surf With Amigas in spring, summer, and fall.

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New Instructor for Winter 2015 – Ginger

We are very excited to welcome Ginger Wojcik to the SWA team for January-March 2015. Here’s a little bit about her:

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To be raised in Ginger’s family was to be raised with the understanding that ocean water cures all ailments, physical or otherwise, and that riding a wave is as sacred an activity as this world provides. Her dad, a surfboard shaper and proud surf fanatic, wasted no time in tossing both his small children into the nippy waters of the remote northern Californian alcove they called home. Early in her life Ginger was inducted into an alternative niche of surf culture that views frozen toes and murky water as a small price to pay to do what you love. In each new stage of her life, surfing has persisted as a source of joy and self-confidence.

Upon finishing high school Ginger gleefully pranced down the coast to the much more populated beaches of Santa Barbara where four years later she obtained her degree in Global and International Studies. Since graduating from UCSB in 2013, Ginger has led a vagabond-like existence, but you can usually find her either in her forested hometown or Berkeley, CA. When she isn’t submerged in water, she likes drinking coffee on porches with her friends and writing stories. A chance encounter with a friend on an icy beach in 2014 landed her an instructor position with Surf With Amigas and she couldn’t be more elated to be leaving her wetsuit behind for a few months in warm water.

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Holly Demonstrates Backside Tube Riding

The backside tube ride is a particularly difficult maneuver requiring strength, flexibility, and fearlessness. When well executed there are few greater feelings. When poorly executed you can count on a sore neck! Here Holly demonstrates the proper technique for a clean backside tube ride complete with huge smile and dance at the end.
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New Instructor for May – July : Chloe Buckley

 

We are excited to welcome a new instructor to the Surf With Amigas family, 23 year old Chloe Buckley from San Diego, CA.

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Chloe Buckley grew up in Del Mar, California. She started surfing in grade school and fell in love with the sport. If you couldn’t find her at school that was usually because the waves were good and she always showed up to everything with wet hair. She began competing at the end of high school.

In June 2010, at age 19, she won the Surfing America National Championship. From there she joined her college surf team and took first place in the state and third in the nation. After that she spent 2 years traveling and got to compete in a few ASP events in Australia and Peru. Now she’s back in school and looking to finish up and figure out her next set of goals.

She has experience teaching surf lessons and typically teaches a group of young girls between the ages of 5-10 to surf. “I love teaching these young girls how to surf. It’s a great feeling to help them get over their fears of the ocean and help show them they can do it all on their own.”

In her free time she likes to draw and paint and absolutely loves live music. Sun, sand and surf remain her priority and spreading STOKE will always be a part of her daily activities.1016595_10201318624025055_697551983_n

A Good Day at the Bay

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On the last day of the retreat most of the Amigas were already surfed-out and tired. We happened to have a pumping swell (particularly for December) and great conditions, so Holly paddled out and got a few waves herself while some Amigas watched from the shore break. 

Shannon’s Testimonial

Shannon came on her first retreat with Surf With Amigas Surf Yoga Adventure Retreat in Feb of 2012 and learned to surf. She came back a year later, in Feb of 2013 and took her skills to the next level – catching her first green wave! She loved it and has vowed to try to come back again in 6 months! Here’s her testimonial.