Keeping up with the keeffer

Hello everyone,

After being here a couple of days I'm truly amazed at the great impact that Surfing the Nations is having here. 

Its very encouraging to see the work that the Carothers family and Pontus and Andy have been doing. As a team over the next month of two we will be an extension of what they are doing. So.... they have sooooooo many relationships with the locals, especially the young kids, they absolutely love them. All I have to do is paddle out in the lineup at the point and say to one of the locals that I'm Cody's friend to which they all respond, “oh, me Cody best friends”. Its always good to see the practical blessing that these guys have been. ie. Like how to manage personal finances, build, cook, health, fix surfboards. Simple things like treating a wound.

So what have I been doing. Well pretty much the first day I was here, Zack, Johanna and I made friends with a local tok tok driver and he invited us to his home for dinner. Was a truly amazing experience. Its amazing the preconceived ideas one can have about a people race that I know nothing about. Everyone there was very welcoming, friendly and super excited to see us. It was an amazing night, they even took us canoeing on the lake to see the elephants close up. Was so rad! Oh and the meal portions are huge. But the weirdest part was the family didn't eat with us. They watched us eat and then waited till we left before they ate.

Aside from this the surf pumps here. For all the readers who surf.... the waves at Aragum bay are sooooo fun. It barrels off the take off, races for a bit and then opens up like Nationals at Noosa. And if anyone tells you the crowds are bad here, they're absolutely dreaming. No one even sits on the take off spot.

For those who donated boards, please pray that the kids will look after the boards. They have no idea how to look after a board. I saw a kid go left this morning at a right hand point break. I've been here about four days so far the locals have snapped 2 of their own boards, broken fins, and dinged others. Its ridiculous.

Oh one more thing if anyone has seen how awkward I am about physical affection then you would have laughed so hard watching me squirm the other day. In Sri Lankan culture its not unusual to see two men holding hands walking down the street and so when you introduce yourself and shake a guys hand they continue to hold it until the end of the conversation. ITS WEIRDING ME OUT SO MUCH!!

Anyway I'm absolutely loving this experience and loving the people. Miss you all!