Who are you? Tell us a little about yourself
Who am I? What a difficult question.. To put it in the words of an ancient sage of my country of origin:
I am not a drop in the ocean, I am the entire ocean in one drop.
But a more direct answer to the question goes probably like this:
I am Afri an Afghan Surfer living in São Miguel:P

Why São Miguel and how’s life on the Island?
I don’t know. It wasn’t so much a rational or calculated decision. Me and my family escaped the war in Afghanistan when I was a child. Since that time I am always moving from one place to the other…searching… restless
Here, for the first time in my life, I feel something like belonging - home. No need to do something or achieve, but just BE.

Favorite place on the island? Why?
Many, many. But the special ones I won’t tell, as they are also special because there are no other people ;)

Favorite object? Why?
Nothing really.

Hobbies?
I love to try out new things in general. Here in Sao Miguel my main hobbies are: surfing, apnea, chess, tabla, bjj, climbing, hiking and playing with my son at the beach and in the waves.

What about surfing. What role does it have in your life?
At the beginning it was just having fun. Then it turned more and more into an obsession, almost a religion or an identity-creating illusion sort of thing. Now luckily I am back on the solely having fun path:D

One song / one band?
Johann Sebastian Bach - Actus tragicus

Here, on the island, what does a typical day in your life consist of?
If there’s surf: depending on how good the forecast is (very good) go surfing as much as I can, (medium good) go surfing once or twice and wrapping may day around this, (just good enough) hopping in for a small session in the early morning/late afternoon.
If there’s no surf: getting up early to meditate, stretch & do breathing exercise. Making breakfast and dropping my son at creche. Working and going to the beach in the afternoon, cooking dinner and checking the surf forecast for the next day.

A unique moment in your life.
My daughter, who was born last summer here in São Miguel, had a slightly difficult birth and did not breathe right away. When I held her tiny, fragile hand in mine, telling her „Breath, my little darling.“ And being confronted with this small being slipped right away - that touched me deeply.

If you could pick two people (alive or dead) one to surf with and one to have dinner or conversation, who would they be? Why?
Surfing definitely with my friends, dinner with Eckhard Tolle, as he is a reminder not to get lost in one’s thoughts, but to live life in the present.

What haven’t we asked you?
Could it be possible that both:



and:



are correct?

Follow more adventures of our friend Afri here .