Amanda: The moment I walked into the school, I felt a wave (no pun intended) of ease wash over me. I instantly felt welcomed by the staff, my room was clean and inviting, and I so enjoyed connecting with and meeting other students. 

As with anything in life, my time at the school did not go exactly how I had planned. While I had selected and traveled to the school to learn Spanish as a way to advance in my career, I quickly found that what I truly needed was five weeks of a mental refresh. I ultimately decided to drop the Spanish class and fully focus on surf and yoga. I’m grateful to say that this decision gave me exactly what I needed. 

To answer the question, surfing was hands down the most challenging activity. I surfed every day I was at the school. Every day, I walked out of the ocean so physically fatigued that I became frustrated with my inability to make my body do what I wanted it to do. However, after a few weeks, I got stronger, both mentally and physically, and I started to see improvements. By the end of my five weeks, I had fallen in love with surfing. Yes, it was still hard and yes, I had good days and bad days. But towards the end of my time at the school, I was able to shift my perspective. Instead of focusing on being perfect on the board, I became grateful to just be in the ocean. I learned how to express my feelings and emotions positively, and best of all, I allowed myself to have fun. Surfing alongside manta rays in warm ocean water, that’s what dreams are made of. 

You also asked which activity I got the most out of. My pre-School of The World self would have liked to have been able to say Spanish. My post School of The World self is happy to say yoga. 

I love Catalina, the school’s yoga instructor. She listens, she challenges and she creates a space for all of her students to be their true selves. She fully embodies the true teachings of yoga. She’s also hilarious. 

When I walked into the yoga studio on the very first day, I could not even jump my feet up to my hands. Five weeks later, I was popping up on a surfboard in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with ease. Catalina’s classes were structured to meet each student’s needs for that day. If it was a rough day in the surf, she offered a more restorative class. If we started the day with a flow before going out on the water, she made sure our bodies and minds were ready for the task. I appreciate not only the time that she gave us at the school but also the tools that she shared that I still incorporate into my daily routine.