The First Surfari

2. Surfing has changed what I want to do on my vacation.

When I first met Julie's parents and my future in-laws, I was watching MTV's coverage of Spring Break 1999. As a recent college graduate, I longed for the care-free, reckless, and self-destructive mayhem playing out on beaches across Florida, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Dave and Peg knocked at the door and I clicked off the television. In response to their warm, enthusiastic Hello!, I simply stated, "If I could give my younger brothers one piece of advice, it would be to go on Spring Break." Months later when Julie told her dad she was dating her redheaded roommate, he gasped, "you mean the Spring Break guy?"

Needless to say, Spring Break has a special place in my heart. This year my wonderful wife Julie planned a trip to Rincon, Puerto Rico to celebrate Spring Break '09! I was lukewarm to the idea due to the impending economic doom caused by the banking financial crisis. Also, I had the specter of my Masters Comprehensive Exams hanging over my head along with the work for my final grad class. I thought I might use spring break, not for enjoyment but to get ahead on my work. (Soooooo lame!)

Julie prevailed, despite my misgivings, to do everything necessary to ensure a fantastic trip! She found really cheap airfare and a direct flight to San Juan, PR, booked a night at the famous Art Deco hotel Normandie, and rented an inexpensive apartment from a super wonderful couple in the great surf town of Rincon. This Spring Break was our first Surfari and what better surf destination than the Hawaii of the Caribbean, RINCON!

The next series of blog posts are taken from the journal I kept during the break. Throughout the week, I found myself chanting: best vacation ever, best vacation ever. Spring Break '09 was not the traditional - get tore up from the floor up, foam party, car bombs, hangovers and fast food. It was something completely different - going to bed at 9PM, getting up at 5:30AM, no T.V., - only pure appreciation of the ocean, the land, the air, and the stoke.