Jaco Baby, Let’s Go Surfing
I must say I ended my Costa Rica trip in style and am so grateful for Factory Surf School. I contacted two different schools and Factory was the one that responded first and pretty quickly, and when he mentioned they’d pick me up from the bus station, I was all in. They had really good prices too, the best bang for your buck, really.
I purchased my bus tickets online to ensure a spot and boarded that bus the following morning at 7am. Met a cool kid, I forget his name, surprise surprise, an electrician who traveled to Jaco twice a week to work on elevators. It’s funny cause we were using good ole Google translate but sometimes it just doesn’t get it quite right lol.
I asked him what he did for work and it came back with something along the line of cows and elevators. I was like, um, “where do you go that you have to put cows on elevators?” I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, blonde is not just a hair color but also a frame of mind. And that frame of mind be mine lol. We had a good laugh too because I was sincere when I asked and he was when he said he worked a hotel chain with the word cow in it. But hey, at least we were trying.
I arrived at Jaco bus terminal on time and was picked up by Alain in the Factory Surf School shuttle as promised. We headed back to the surf shop where I had a couple hours to chill and gain the courage necessary for my first surfing experience.
Truth be told, I grew up in Orange County, California where surfing was readily available, however, Jaws completely ruined that for me. Like many others I’m sure. Not to mention my brother lives in Huntington Beach and surfs all the time, or when he gets the chance.
The only issues I really had was the sun was super bright and the salt in my eyeballs wasn’t the best, but overall, best part of my trip, hands down.
“Didn’t even have time to think about Jaws.”
It was 12:30 before I knew it and I was gearing up for up my first ever surf lesson. Wouldn’t you know it I took to it pretty quick. And actually thoroughly enjoyed it. Didn’t even have time to think about Jaws. And actually sharks aren’t even an issue in Costa Rica cause the water’s too warm. There are crocodiles though. I guess the rain washes ’em down and right into the ocean.
Special shout out, thank you to Ricky, my amazing surf instructor. What a stand up guy and I couldn’t have been aligned with a better person. Yet another individual who was raised right in this world.
We shared some inspirational stories and he will forever be a member of my soul squad. I told him, “you’ve got the best job in the world as a surf instructor. You get to look up girls bums all day teaching and then watch ’em all shower (with suits on) after.”
But like I said he was raised right so it was funny and not an issue. And you know what’s crazy? Him, and my two friends from Germany Chris and Lisa, all three of ’em were Cancers. I don’t know what it is that’s attracting me to Cancer’s but I am. There’s two others too. Crazy but not surprising.
“Yet another individual who was raised right in this world.”
So, as you can see from the pictures I had an absolute blast. Thank you Nadine, their professional photographer who captured all those amazing moments. What a great day and a great way to end my journey in Costa Rica. Thanks again Factory Surf School, Ricky, Alain and Nadine for a great day full of memories in Jaco, Costa Rica. Pura Vida yo!
— Melissa Parker
— Your Friendly Neighborhood Fearless Leader