Closing Time

Recent weather: 80s and sunny. This weather forecast is even easier to predict than San Diego's.
Recent reads: Nahum-Matthew, "A House in Fez" by Suzanna Clark, "War of the Worlds" by H.G. Wells, "A Quiet Light: A Novel About St. Thomas Aquinas" by Louis de Wohl

Wrapping up my time here in paradise. Looking back on the last month in Mancora, I will miss:

1) Surfing...The best thing about my extended stay in Mancora has been the opportunity to surf just about every day and even twice a day when possible (on my days off or when I work the evening shift at the hostel bar). Besides getting exercise and being outside, one thing that I love about learning to surf is that I can honestly say that every time I get out of the water, I learned something new. Although, I mostly learn the hard way what not to do.  It's learning nonetheless.

Chica Mancora beach

 It's a well known fact that I am not a strong swimmer (or a swimmer at all, frankly) in a pool, let alone in the open water so after a few humiliating defeats versus Mother Nature, I have a certain level of fear every time I get into the water. But as with long-distance running, I think that a healthy dose of fear is the best form of motivation. And I have learned to combat this fear by facing it head on, literally. For example, when I am paddling out and it looks like an oncoming way is going to crash right on me, sometimes the best strategy is not to close my eyes and shrink into the fetal position on the board, but actually to face the wave head on and paddle as hard as I can directly into it and I'll go right over it nice and easy. Or after I have wiped out and another wave is coming, I want to grab the nearest flotation device, my board, and hold on for dear life, but actually the best technique is to ditch the board ahead of me towards the beach (so it doesn't hit me on the head again) and dive under just as the wave is about to break.

Los profesores de surf y sus estudiantes favoritas :) 

But after a month of surfing almost daily, I still feel like I haven't learned as quickly as I would like. (I still consider myself a beginner beginner.) And then I realize that that is something else surfing teaches surfistas: patience. Patience in learning. Patience in waiting for waves, especially that elusive "una mas" wave before getting out of the water.

2) Seafood...Peru's national dish, ceviche, raw fish served with onions and citrus juices, has been particularly amazing in Mancora. You can easily pay an arm and a leg at a classy seafood restaurant for a good plate of ceviche, but right here on the beach in Mancora, just about every restaurant or kitchen does ceviche well and for very inexpensive.

Ceviche starter with onions, red peppers, grilled corn nuts and sweet potato.

Tortilla con langostinos (shrimp omelette)--with rice and potatoes, of course!

3) Kokopelli...I will definitely miss working at the hostel! I take pride in my daily "cartel" (drawing on the hostel blackboard) and the music playlist during my shift. Last song of the night is always "Closing Time," by Semisonic, of course! But my fellow volunteers, the original all-Argentinian family, is what made my time here. We shared lots of meals, drinks, and laughs together! There were afternoons when I didn't want to go surfing, but my fellow volunteer who was also learning would encourage me. But they are each moving on one by one so it's time for me to move on as well. Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end! (You knew that was coming.)

Las chica de Kokopelli

Home, sweet, home!

Today you are here.

Next stop: Huaraz, Peru, for a week before my Peruvian visa is up.