Daze of Future Preterit

A surfing Tony is a happy Tony

I have just completed week four of my trip to Central America to improve my Spanish, surfing, and videography ‘skills’.  I was originally planning on going to Argentina or Chile, but The Google told me the best language/surfing school was The School of The World in Jaco Beach, Costa Rica … who am I to argue with a search-engine?

Arial view of Jaco

The town I’m in is called Jaco (population of 10,000) and it is the nearest beach to the Capital city of San Jose.  The town is described as ‘too big’ by some locals, and ‘tiny’ by tourists arriving from a distant megalopolis.  The school I am staying at is a charming oasis designed by an artist and his wife.  The ‘campus’ includes a community kitchen, language classes that are really mini dojos, a yoga studio, a common tv area to review surf instruction while sitting in the postage stamp sized pool, and private and shared rooms.  The theme of the architecture and decoration is Japanese while utilizing the lush green tropical surroundings.  About 70% of the 15-20 students are solo female travelers strutting around in bikinis at all times, as such, most male travelers tend to extend their stay :)

Riding the line to the right

At the school, Monday through Fridays are ‘work days’ and on the weekend you get to relax without an itinerary.  The classes schedule is made fresh each week depending on the preferences of the students and the tides (we always surf at high tide).  A typical schedule for me would be daybreak surfing (6-8am), Spanish class (9-11am), lunch, Spanish lab (1-2pm), GoPro class (3-5pm), nap, dinner and drinks with friends and an early bedtime.  It is very relaxed and low stress (since this is a vacation for most of the students), but it is a very busy schedule and the time absolutely flies by.

My Spanish instructor Laura playing guitar

My Spanish has definitely changed since I have been here … I’m not sure I would use the word ‘improve’ just yet.  Prior to this trip, I could only speak in the present tense (since I could not figure out how to conjugate verbs in the past or the future).  My Spanish was either suggestive of a rich inner life and the perspective of the Buddah, or caveman, depending on your perspective.  I now sorta know how to speak in the past, but largely confuse it with the present, so it mostly comes out as an incomprehensible jumble.  Oh well, me talk pretty someday.

Afternoon nap in my room

Surfing has been additive, wonderful, and humbling.  I have such grand plans of improving my technique each time I paddle out, but when the wave comes, I sorta loose my mind, forget to breathe, and repeat the same mistakes each time anew.  My instructors wince while saying ‘good job’ and I promise to myself to do it right next time … but my body knows this is just pillow-talk, and I’m not fooling anyone.  But as I sit on my board in the twilight with new-found friends, my technique sins are absolved in the grandeur of the setting sun.

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

-Traveling T

SOTW - Street view

Lodging @ the SOTW