Alicantino, borracho, y fino!

Friday I had my first 'windsurf' class.   It started at 3 so we were told to catch the bus at 2:15 in order to get to Santa Pola on time.  The 8 people in our class met up at the bus stop to wait for the bus that never came.  No matter, we found our way to the bus station and hopped on a bus there.  Although we were an hour late for class it was still awesome!  We suited up in our neoprina (wetsuits) and partnered up.  They told us that we would be surfing because there was no wind due to the rain.  Gwen and I had missed the first class because of our trip to Morocco, but we caught on quickly.  We made a great team!  My first attempt was when the instructor randomly grabbed a volunteer & sent me on a wave.  I didn't know I was going so I didn't stand up & I rode the wave like a boogie board, laughing the whole way.  The next time I got up on my knees...you know, baby steps.  Gwen got up first & I cheered her on as she screamed.  When she got back she shouted, "Soy la puta ama!" (that translates to I'm the Shit!..more or less..) and the instructor laughed and was surprised to hear her colloquial Spanish (thanks amigos espanoles)!  I got up shortly after and it was a great feeling.  I remember the first time I got up on the wakeboard & the first time I made it down the mountain without falling.  Once I got up it wasn't hard to carve the waves because of my other experiences, so I'm excited to try a shorted, thinner not so beginner board when I get back to Charleston.  It was tiring and after 2 hours and lots of swallowed salt water, the instructor called us in & told us newbies (Gwen & me) that he was impressed.  We were pretty stoked!