What would you do if you lost all of your possessions? For SWA trip leader and surf instructor Laila, she’d spin a story of positivity and say: "at least I didn’t have much to begin with, so there’s not much to replace." Listen as she tells her adventurous life story, one that has landed her in Mexico living simply on a plot of land with her best friend and partner. Her surf journey began in Australia in her 20s; she eventually got tired of following her boyfriend around with a camera and wanted to give it a try herself. Her adventures eventually took her across the world to Costa Rica, Mexico, El Salvador and beyond, where she learned to live off $7 a day and fell in love with an American man. We dive into the realities about doing van life in Central America, safety and what it’s like to be welcomed into a close knit, supportive community. We also chat about the perks of our new Mexico location and what you can expect out of a retreat there.

Connect with us at https://surfwithamigas.com/ or @surfwithamigas.

Episodes produced and edited by Emma Roggenkamp.