Guriri…

Guriri…

One of the most memorable experiences of the trip was meeting the local surf shop owners and instructors Japa, Jo, & JB. They immediately treated us like family and introduced us to the local scene. Every morning, Fernanda and I headed over to their place for a breakfast of Pao de queijo (a flourless cheesy bread that I quickly became obsessed with) and then a 2-3 hour surf session with all the locals, which included groms, doctors, lawyers, and anyone you could imagine. Since it was the week of carnival everyone was on holiday and out in the water. Even though my lack of knowledge of the Portuguese language was offensive everyone was extremely kind and excited to meet a gringa. There even happened to be a few english speaking locals who were more than happy to chat and yell pointers at the oncoming waves. Japa & Jo own a retail skate and surf shop in the center of town and then also sell surfboards and lessons out of their home across from the beach. JB, who is only 12, and obsessed with surf is sponsored and competes in contests around the country. He also repairs and handles all of the used surfboards. I couldn’t feel more lucky to have met such kind, genuine, and plain awesome people.