Athletic Raquel

Sometimes when we are doing things that are hard, we just want to give up and run away from that thing and forget about it.

When I was in sixth grade, my parents wanted to take our family to Honolulu, Hawaii for spring break. My sister and I were so happy, until we heard we had to drive to California then fly to Hawaii because it was cheaper. We had my parents, grandma, aunt, and my sister and me in the car. We were so squished. Plus, I got sunburned on my shoulder because I was sitting next to the window. I didn’t care though; I was too occupied thinking about the food, the scenery, and the ocean.

I remember when we arrived in Honolulu, my sister and I just wanted to go out and play in the ocean, but that didn’t happen. Instead, we took a road trip and drove on a coastal road that goes mostly around the island. My attitude changed: I realized it was more fun looking outside and seeing new things than sitting and staying in one place the whole time. We went to the location where part of the movie 50 First Dates was filmed, saw a famous actor, went to the Dole plantation, and saw huge turtles on the beach with their babies. But the thing I remember most, were the waves.

While driving on the coast, I would watch the surfers ride down the fast curling monster waves ‘til the waves died down. A mile or so away, I watched another surfer go across the wave and get wrapped up in it, but then he came out of the other side of the wave. I later found out that his surfing was called Rip Curl. But sometimes when I would look out and I wouldn’t see anyone surfing the waves. The waves would still be coming down fast and curling, but looking at them this time, seemed peaceful and calm. That was when I really fell in love with the waves and wanted to surf. I could see myself out there riding the waves.

Half way through our trip, we finally went to the beach. I can recall standing on the beach with my family and overlooking the ocean and seeing a sign that said Surfing Lessons Here. I went crazy; I was asking my parents if they would pay for me to go and asking my aunt if she would go with me. My parents looked at each other like it wasn’t the best idea. My mom turned to me and said,

“Sweetie this is really hard and I don’t think you can do this?’

When she said this, I remembered the surfers and said to her, “I won’t give up on this. I can do this mom!”

My parents looked at each other again and they finally said yes!

I took my aunt by her hand and practically dragged her to where the lessons were held. After meeting the instructor and hearing all the instructions, it was time for us to surf. I could feel my adrenalin running through my whole body. As we walked towards the ocean, I realized the waves weren’t as big as the other waves I had seen before and I was ok with that. When we stopped to get on our boards, our instructor told us to get ready and to be careful. I started pulling as hard as I could and before I realized, I was up surfing. As the day went on it finally came to the point where we had to stop surfing. When my aunt and I got done, I went to my mom and told her I wanted to do it again.

That next morning, I was bugging her to let me go out again and surf. She had given me that look she had given me before like it was too hard for me. I immediately told her I could do it all by myself without an instructor and we could rent a board. That look got even more serious. She finally said yes. Right as we got to the surf spot where the boards were, I grabbed the board while she was paying and ran straight into the ocean. I remember while I was paddling, I could feel my stomach burning while it was rubbing against the board giving me more skid burns because I hadn’t worn a shirt the day before while I was surfing. But that didn’t stop me. I finally got to the spot where we were the day before. I waited patiently and calmly while waiting for a wave to come. I knew that since I didn’t have my instructor this time, I would have to rely on my instincts. While I was sitting on the board waiting, I would look to the beach and then to the rest of the ocean. I could feel the vibration of the ocean little tornado currents underneath and felt the current of the waves pulling me back. When I felt this, I had a sudden urge to turn my board around to face the beach and to get ready. I could hear the starting of the waves forming behind me getting louder and louder. I looked behind me and there was my wave.

I started paddling as fast as I could and then all of a sudden I was up once again. I smiled at my mom while she was watching me. I did it! I showed her I could do it. A few seconds later, I started focusing on surfing again. The board underneath my feet, skimming over the water, with the breeze in my face, felt so different from last time--this time it felt like I was born to surf!

Athletic Raquel

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Self Portrait Poem

Thursday, May 2, 2013

10 Places I will visit before I die

10 Things that make me the most happy

10 Greatest Fears

10 things I should have learned by now

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Surfing

10 objects I can't live without