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I don’t like clichés. But growing up in the Swiss Alps forces you to accept clichés, unless you want to grow up having serious issues with identifying yourself. My childhood was all about clichés and there was no other way to go than to accept that. Yes, I grew up drinking milk straight from the cow. Yes, I was one of these little girls smiling out of horse sleighs decorated with paper flowers. And yes, I was put on skis before I had done the first two steps on my feet.

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Consequently, my first rebellion around 12 was to save money to rent a snowboard and make an example out of it proving I was now a defiant teenager and would no longer ski, as my educators wanted me to. What grew out of this juvenile revolt was true love for board sports and its lifestyle. But, when growing up from a ‘teen’ to a ‘twen’, I realized that there was more to life than just a board to ride on. All of a sudden there was literature, fashion, art, music, cinema and some other urban trends that fascinated me, while my heart with much love for snowy hills still beat in my chest. And right before the inner tension became so intense that I risked getting torn into two pieces, was the time when I met Quiksilver.

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It was love at first sight. I had finally found a label that reflected exactly what I was all about and that supported me on my real talent (which I dare to say is writing) but also vouched for what I wished I were talented in (by name board sports). Realizing this opened a totally new world to me. It was all of a sudden okay to find Oscar Wilde just as inspiring as Kelly Slater, which meant it was okay to be me… Not that I have had serious personality disorders before but being associated with Quiksilver just offers me advantages which makes it a pleasure in other spheres to be Ela.

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One of the finer things little me got to experience in the last half-year was a surf trip to Fuerteventura. Well actually, not a surf trip in my case, since I lay on the beach more than I dared to throw myself in the cold water of the wintry Atlantic (to be honest, I didn’t even go near the water and the closest thing to surfing I did was to carry someone else’s board). However, I was invited to go on tour with the Euro force of the Quiksilver surf team and that meant a week of highlife in a nice Spanish casa, exploring Fuerteventura’s coast side in a 4×4, eating the healthiest and best food the Canary Islands have probably ever seen and apropos of nothing, observing pretty decent shaped male bodies while stretching before the surf sessions…

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Considering of how bad I wanted to get rid of my roots as a Swiss mountain girl when I started to fall for urban vogues, it might be surprising how well I can live with being internally divided after this trip. Check a few pictures of our trip here below. To see the full album, go onto Quiksilver Women’s Facebook page.

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And always remember, it can be very useful to let all the hearts in your chest beat every once in a while…

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Ela (happy to be divided)

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PS: And in case you still wonder, yes, I do scream and shout as loud when the guys of the Quiksilver team succeed on the World Tour as when I receive another box of clothing!

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