For their eco-ride series “The Green Wave”, Carine and Manu and their two daughters went on a trip to document an inspiring new initiative: in the Chocó region of the Pacific coast of Colombia, surfing has become a form of therapy as a means to heal young kids’ traumas from often violent pasts. They discovered a project that goes right to the heart of the community. .
You can’t walk far with Nick Reeves on the sandy streets of Termales without him calling out to one of the kids or them coming up to him. Despite loud Reggaeton blasting from the stereo, you can hear the conversation:
“Hi Camilo, how are you? You got back from school ok? How did the river crossing go with this high tide?” “Hernan, tell your brother we are expecting him tomorrow at 3pm for the surf lesson” “ Hey Nick, can you lend me a board for tomorrow’s class? Last week I only rode one wave”. He ends the conversation with a dab, immediately reciprocated by his young friend. Nick is originally from South Africa. A high school principal in Medellin, as soon as he has time off, he heads to the Pacific Coast to act as a counselor for the Buen Punto Foundation. Its mission is to offer life opportunities to young Columbian kids through sport. Right away he clarifies: “Forget everything you have read or heard about this city or even this country in general. You be your own judge. But isn’t that why you are here in the first place?”
Few countries in the world evoke violence and drugs the way Colombia does. I’m reminded once more as we land in the middle of the jungle on the tiny runway of Nuquí, capital of Chocó. “Do you think I can ask Uncle Pablo for some vitamins for when I’ve surfed too much?” exclaims my 12 year old daughter Lou, in a big burst of laughter.
“What a start!” I tell myself… Even though we try to communicate with our daughters like adults regarding the situations of the countries we visit, I’m speechless.
Pablo Escobar’s popularity (although dead in 1993), as the bloodiest drug dealers in history, is not limited to his hometown of Medellin’s dicey neighborhoods, but extends all the way to Maui’s middle schools!
This story is from the ISSUE 22 - WINTER 2018 edition of SUP International.
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This story is from the ISSUE 22 - WINTER 2018 edition of SUP International.
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SHADENFREUDE
TEST REPORTS
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