Ecosurf trip

"We all come from the sea, but we are not all of the sea. Those of us who are, we children of the tides, must return to it again and again, until the day we don't come back leaving only that which was touched along the way."

-Chasing Mavericks

As cheesy as the previous quote may seem I continue to find it true, there must be a biological factor that makes the ocean so incredibly attractive despite its many dangers. That's probably the reason why I returned to the ecosurf trip (I went for the first time on sophomore year), and even though it was the same trip with the same guides, the experience was different. I returned with a much more serious vision of surf. The first time I was there to have fun with my friends but this time I decided to really put an effort into the sport, and it payed off. I definitely improved my skills and even won the surf competition at the end of the trip. 

Although, the most important thing I learned is the importance of taking a break. Despite the fact that half of the trip I was in physical pain (be it muscular pain, sunburns or bruises), I was relaxed the whole time; I didn't mind getting up at 8 in the morning, I would've woken up earlier if it had been necessary. There was no stress, my only worry was not falling of the board and trying to avoid waves crashing on me. Senior year is a stressful year, there's college applications, IB exams, and in general loads of life-changing decisions to be made. This trip helped me come back with a refreshed outlook and renewed priorities. Sure, getting into a good college is still important to me, but I realize that I want to have a good time while doing it. I plan to continue surfing and hopefully continue to improve, I'm glad to have found a sport that allows me to stray from my day to day routine and have some time off to relax.