Imagine if.....

Imagine if you have never seen the ocean before.
Imagine if you have never seen a surf board before.
Imagine if you have never worn a wetsuit.
Imagine if you have never caught a wave before.

This is the story of Dominik from Switzerland, who never had seen the ocean before, who never had been on a surf board before and who never in his life had caught a wave before!

When Dominik came to Surfivor, it was his first time in a foreign country and it was his first time
he was on an airplane.

His friends Valerie and Raphael convinced him to come over and try surfing. They told him that
he would really enjoy it, specially as a Snowboarder!

We went to Matosinhos beach for the first surf in his life. The waves were nice and small for beginners andwe were really stoked!

As I was standing next to Dominik, who was ready to paddle for his first wave, I told him
that if he would catch the approaching wave and stand up on the surf board, I would buy him
a case of SUPER BOCK (our national beer).

Well, no need to say that he earned his beers, because the boy stood up and surfed the wave.
Of course his tachnique was not perfect, but it is simply amazing how naturally he did it and
learned to surf within a week!

My experience of ten years teaching people to stand up on a Surfboard and ride waves tells me, that any one can do it. Anyone has the ability to surf, no matter what colour, origin or gender.
For some (like Dominik), it's the easiest thing in the world, for other the standing up is more difficult and it is necessary to keep believing and practising. You will make it!

One thing is for sure: evrybody who rides a waves is happy. Everybody gets a beautyful smile on their face and evrybody adapts to the ocean and mother nature (and not the other way around!!!)

Keep riding, keep practising, keep searching for your perfect waves!
You can interprete this as an metapher!

To my dear friends from Team Slide Disaster, thank you so much for coming back and being so relaxed!

My special greetz to you!!!


Cheers


Miguel



Dominik with Swiss Fondue and Super Bock

Rapha, Dominik and Valerie (taking the picture):
real Surfivors !!!