New HQ

Sometimes it’s hard to imagine that we’re now 18 or 19 months from the first COVID-19 Lockdown. Like many others, I was a bit shell shocked at first: not knowing what to expect, not really believing it was happening. Since then, it’s like we’ve lurched from one lockdown to the next: sometimes knowing what we’re doing, sometimes not. 

Looking back (always an interesting exercise), I still can’t believe 2020 happened the way it did. I mean, I remember writing in a journal that 2020 was going to be the start of a new decade for me and my family: the last five years had been so full of crap and tumultuous that we all collectively felt like we were ready for it to end, for the next five years to be better. I mean, really, nothing could have been worse than all the crap that happened between 2015 and 2019. 

But nothing about 2020 went according to plan, or would turn out as expected. Take something like blogging, I 100% thought I would have more time to do it. And maybe I did have time, but neither my head nor my heart was in it. 

After a couple weeks of Lockdown, when people had had some time to be at home and had binge watched nearly everything on Netflix, I remember posts on Facebook and Instagram going about how it was never a lack of time that prevented people from pursuing their own businesses, side hustles, or passion projects, it was a lack of motivation. 

A lack of ambition. Of direction. Of discpline.

I remember numerous social media channels tried to promote how to be productive during these days, and some these posts ended up being quite shameful: it was somehow an individual’s fault for their lack of productivity.

This popularized shame appeared to be an extension of the glorification of being busy, overworked, and toxic hustle culture. The posts that tried to combat the shame that came about tried to explain that the uncertainty undermined our feeling of safety and security that were needed to be productive and creative. And in the middle of a Pandemic, the question was asked: why was there even the pressure to be productive?

And would we actually be failures if we hadn’t been productive? If we didn’t learn to be efficient? If we hadn’t maximized our time?

I say no.

The uncertainty is definitely a big part what was affecting my productivity and creativity: unsure of when I was going to see my family again, unsure of what kind of danger I was putting myself in by going to work with COVID-19 positive patients, unsure where and how I was going to live, and later, unsure where money was going to come from with shifts being cancelled and new shifts being so sparse. 

I’m sure Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs hasn’t held up for this long if it still didn’t apply. 

There was also an element that I was actually busy. Moving is time consuming, and I seemed to have done a lot of it, if my trail of addresses was anything to go by. Being on standby for shifts made it difficult to relax enough to get stuck into anything and get it done. It was also difficult to sleep, constantly going back and forth between days and nights because I was picking up any shift I could get my hands on. 

It was exhausting. 

After a couple months of this, the next blow came: Rachid and I had to give up our surf house in Tamraght. The landlord had gone back on his word of asking for half the rent and expected full rent regardless of the circumstances. 

Basic but cozy at Local Surf Maroc in 2017.

It was devastating, unsettling, and my feelings of instability go through the roof. I could barely keep it together: My mom had died recently and with her my feeling of home, I had just moved to Cornwall and then been kicked out of my rented room in a friend’s house, and now the last semblance of a home I was holding the hope of returning to someday was also gone.

We had made so many memories in that Garden House: it was home for us. It was a place where we were building our future lives and business. We had put a lot of work into it to turn it into a comfortable, chilled out, and homey surf house. It was a place where we had welcomed so many guests, where some had even turned into friends. 

Local Surf Maroc’s former terrace in 2019

When I look back at pictures of the house I still get nostalgic. 

But as they say, everything happens for a reason. Giving up the surf house was almost like having shackles removed in the end: we were free to explore other options for our business. We could rent another house and turn it into a surf house. We could choose a different location and aim for a different target market. Or we could outsource the accommodation, let someone else take care of the cooking and cleaning and we might actually get a chance to enjoy the hosting. 

Entrance to the Villa of Local Surf Maroc’s new headquarters.

Rachid and I eventually made the decision to try outsourcing the accommodation. We knew we would miss cooking meals for our guests of recipes that were a part of Rachid’s family. On the other hand we wouldn’t have the stress of repairs to be responsible for after a day at the beach which would give us more time and space to spend with our guests, answer e-mails more promptly, and continue working on our social media marketing and advertising. 

Most importantly, Rachid and I would have more time for each other. 

An unintentional bonus of outsourcing the accommodation for our Surf School and Surf Camp was that we could pick any location. Literally anywhere to start over. And we did. We picked a house that ended up having a much better view and it ended up having a much bigger “wow factor” than we could have imagined when we welcome guests or chill on the terrace to watch the sunset. 

Sunset at the Villa, Local Surf Maroc’s new headquarters.

I didn’t grow up with anyone in the service industry, nor did I have much experience personally, but I did learn a lot about hosting and being hospitable from my mom. I remember watching my mom being quite passionate about making sure her guests were comfortable: good food, comfortable beds, and cozy atmosphere. It’s the same intention and energy I want to bring when I’m hosting guests. 

Despite the difficulties of the last year, all the changes we’ve had to weather, the way things have turned out have ended up pretty good. Moving the headquarters for our Surf School and Surf Camp to the Villa in Tamraght allows me to be the host I want to be, and a quality life I’ve been searching for for a long time even though I still don’t have a permanent place to call home yet.