English
(I was turning up some old texts and I found the one that brought me a delightful memory of when I learned to surf!) It was a teenage dream come true, and you still have some teenage dreams to perform?
Every year we promise a lot of things. Impossible things to ease the excuse in the end, easy things to reduce guilt and things we usually forget. It’s something …
In December of 2001, I began to make my list and I remembered many things of the past. I started fulfilling a desire not too old, but of those we put off. Since I became an adult and left my parents’ house, it is rare for me to spend time with them. My family lives in Belo Horizonte and I live here in São Paulo. At the most crowded party of the year, I decided to spend the celebrations with them. I spent Christmas and also the New Year. It was wonderful. I remembered how it is is close to them, the pure energy and sincere dedication of a love that has no limits.
Then I followed the list of promises. And there was an old dream there. To surf. That’s right, catch waves with a board.
I had just arrived on vacation and the story is long. He had very little time to rest, but he did not want to give up the beach. I looked at the map and paid close attention to the weather. I ended up choosing Florianópolis in Santa Catarina. The only place that did not rain, beautiful and near the Praia do Rosa where I ended up staying for five days.
Praia do Rosa is known for famous surfers passing by. Of course I would find a way to realize this dream. The first day I walked the beach looking at the visual. I looked good and I ended up seeing a surf school at the end of the beach. Yeah. I enrolled at Rosa Surf School. I began to meet my 2002 goal.
I’ve had surfing boyfriends and never left the fan booth on the sand. On Rosa’s beach, things changed. I joined the list of girls who occupy 90% of surf school places in Brazil.
In Rio de Janeiro, surfer Paulo Dolabella created the First Amateur Women’s Surfing Championships for beginners. Of course I still can not participate, but believe me, in three classes I was surfing.
Lóla is a surfer, she is 23 years old, she is a virgin and she was my instructor. In the first class she is very clear.”Surfing is not easy, but the school’s purpose is to chew the technique and put you on the board.”
Still in the Sand she picks up a 9-foot “pranch” imported from California especially to
teach. They are drunk and so do not hurt the student.
Rodrigo Litman, businessman and surfer was the one who brought the school to Rosa. He spent two months in California learning the technique of teaching surfing, imported all teaching equipment and adapted to the conditions of Brazil and especially of Rosa.
In the first class I went to sand with the board. I learned to paddle, to lie flat, to do the “snake” position, used to pierce the wave and finally I learned how to stand.
After an hour of class and still not believing that in three days I would be in the sea seeing the world as a fish, I went to Lagoa. This is one of the adaptations created by Rodrigo. Before falling into the sea, students are taken to the Lagoon. Now the thing is to learn how to handle the board in the water.
In the Lagoon, we put the paddling into practice and try to stay on top of the moving board. Learn to make the “turtle” position, used to drill hard and high waves. After an hour, many tumbles and tongue in the sand is time to stop and rest. The next day, the dreamed third lesson already inside the sea.
At night I felt like a surfer. The feeling of being in the water and being under the waves already contaminated my body. Anyway, the sea. I learned to carry the “plank” on my head to the sea. I came in and I already felt at home. Lóla, the instructor came in with me and helped me drill the waves and position myself to “Dropar”, slide on the first wave. I went and got it. The feel is wonderful and I really learned the technique and a little practice in three days.
But surfing is not just that. You have to dedicate yourself to a better life. Do not drink, do not get high, love nature and have a balanced diet. The best waves are at 6:00 in the morning. You can not be in touch with nature at this time if you do not take care of your body. I learned that being a surfer is a super profession. It’s all about discipline and love.
I was not afraid to start. I realized a dream as a teenager and I will face the realization of others to be more and more happy.
PS: I did this course in 2002 and it was wonderful, but today I no longer have contact with the school.
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