Watch: Team O’Neill Fully Immersed In Mexican Culture

Looking for some pre-surf psych up?

This might not be exactly what you’re looking for, but it sure is artsy. Team O’Neill reminds us that, sometimes, the best takeaways from a surf trip aren’t the waves, it’s the experiences and memories made with good friends.

But, it is true that surf trips don’t have to be so intense. Take your eyes off the forecast for 30 minutes, and you might accidentally learn something. A surf trip doesn’t have to be about whether or not the swell lived up to the hype, or how many turns you did on your last wave. It’s about experiencing something you don’t see every day. For Reyes and Co., it was about taking in all that Oaxaca had to offer, and scoring pumping, warm-water surf was just a bonus.

As humans, we often shy away from exposure to cultures and values that clash with our existing views. Next time you go on a trip, try to keep this in mind. Multicultural engagement can do wonders to help us develop a knowledge and understanding for people and places that differ from us.

Watch Reyes and the boys from O’Neill in “Wandering Oaxaca.”