If you think about it, we’re pretty lucky living in Orange County and having the ocean as our go to meeting zone. But for others, it’s not that way. Take Jamie Heraver, for example. She grew up in Chicago and spent most of her life there, taking a few random trips like to Hawaii, the East Coast and California. But whenever she was back in Chicago, something was missing. It just didn’t feel right for her to not be close to the ocean. She had a great job, great family, but left it all behind to live the dream. Here’s her story.
by Jamie Heraver
When I was 14, my dad took me to Maui to celebrate his recovery from a gnarly car accident. At the hotel we were staying at, Buzzy Kerbox had his card out on the desk for surf lessons and I was like, “Dad, I want to try that!” So that’s where it all started for me, at Launiupoko. I stood up on my first wave and will never forget that feeling. I just remember thinking to myself, “I need to do this for the rest of my life somehow.”
The years went by back home in Chicago, and I never quit dreaming about surf and getting to the ocean. When I was old enough, I would spend whatever money I could save up for a trip to the ocean. But a handful of trips, using a random board weren’t enough. I realized the only time I was happy was when I was on the water. When I moved here to Southern California a year and a half ago, I had a solid teaching job, a house, and a dog back in Illinois. I guess most people would consider that success, but I was miserable. I would just daydream about the ocean and how I was going to get to the beach again. I knew something had to change.
Beach culture is totally different than living in the Midwest. Picking up and moving to a new place without any family or close friends definitely has its challenges and can be super scary, but I wouldn’t change a thing. In the beginning, I was just so stoked to be by the beach and be able to surf every day, so much that I never wanted to leave. I met some of the best surfers who looked out for me, taught me how to surf better, and how to wipe out safer. That will always mean the world to me. I really had a sense of belonging that I never felt before. The first year was spent trying to find a balance between having fun, surfing, and finding my place here. I have learned so much about myself, and it has really stretched me as a person. Now I am so grateful to say that I have made friends that are like family, have found a sick pad near the beach, and have had great success working as a private reading tutor locally. So I wake up, check the surf, paddle out if it’s good, and get to work with some of the best kids around. I can truly say I’m livin’ the dream.
Posted by: Ghetto Juice at: 12 May 2014 13:43
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