Journal

April 23rd, 2022

I spent three days in El Salvador this week, as a final trip before my return to work. I stayed entirely in Playa El Tunco and enjoyed excellent surf. Logistically this was a great location. It’s less than an hour from the San Salvador airport. And there’s a good, but not overwhelming, amount of shops, bars, and restaurants along a single main road which makes up the small town. I very quickly was able to check into a hotel, grab a bite, rent a surfboard, and head out into the lineup. The waves were incredibly fun. I had some of the best surf sessions that I’ve had in years. Although there are three breaks within walking distance, I spent my entire time at the easternmost known as La Bocana. This is a rock bottom, left located at a river mouth. I found it best during the midday mid-tide, when winds were onshore and it was least crowded. Overhead peaks rolled consistently through and provided long open-face rides towards the beach, terminating into workable sections for a final display. The surfboard I rented was a 6′ 1″ pintail, 34 liters, made of epoxy. I really enjoyed this choice as it held a fast edge and catered to smooth drops into steep faces.

The town was very docile during the weekdays of my visit. However, I could tell it likely gets livelier when the weekend crowds make their visit. There were not many other tourists aside from a handful of surfers and a few El Salvadoran beach goers. I think El Tunco will become much more popular and developed in the years to come. I’m glad I had the opportunity to visit such a lovely place when I did.

I am returning to SpaceX on Monday. When I reflect on my time away, I’m satisfied that I achieved most of the goals I set for myself upon embarking. Additionally, I originally thought that I would want to extend my sabbatical for a longer duration in order to travel to more countries. However, this is no longer the case as my outlook on solo travel has changed over the course of the past three months. Here’s what I’ve come realize: Traveling to places without a specific purpose for being there, besides simply being there, is not enjoyable. I was not much of an offender of this principle as I happened to have a centering activity pertaining to each of my recent trips, whether it was to snowboard, surf, or hike. But I did contemplate travel to other countries just for the sake of visiting those countries. From my experience these past three months, I can tell that I would have been very bored had I arrived somewhere and not had an activity to partake in immediately. So whenever I travel anywhere in the future, I will be sure to research specific activities to do ahead of time instead of simply showing up and going with the flow. Secondly, travel is exhausting. Adhering to restrictions, seemingly unnecessary connections, flight delays, bad airline schedules, sleepless nights, cold airports, shuttles, parking… these typically make up only a small portion of any given trip. But they are quite dampening on the overall experience, especially since this is how all trips typically end. Thirdly, I’ve come to really appreciate my home. I’m referring not to the town or place where I live, but my physical house, backyard, kitchen, and bed. It’s quite satisfying to have your own space in the world. I look forward to developing such space for the optimization of my mental and physical self. Sitting in my backyard and listening to the sounds of the night is quite peaceful and soothing. It’s true what they say, there’s no place like home.

Even though I created this site to record my thoughts during my sabbatical, I plan to maintain it moving forward. I enjoy having a creative outlet such as this and I think having a reason to periodically reflect on my life is beneficial. You can’t improve what you don’t measure.

Journal

April 15th, 2022

Since my last update, I executed a road trip through the Southeast reaching as far away as Tennessee. During the trip, I solo backpacked a portion of the Appalachian Trail within the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina. It was a great hike with some amazing views of the surrounding Smoky Mountains. I hiked at a strenuous pace to a fire tower on a peak known as Wesser Bald (elev. 4627 ft). My hike was broken into two days by spending the night along the trail. The weather on each day was beautiful but at night a front passed over me. I did not sleep well amidst the repeated bouts of lightning and downpours. After returning from the backcountry, I moved to a campsite located within Smoky Mountains National Park. I spent a few days here doing day hikes and relaxing.

For my return drive to Florida, a special friend joined me. I picked her up in Charlotte where we spent a day and night exploring the city. Then and after a bit of a drive, we spent the night in Charleston. We enjoyed a tasty seafood dinner together followed by a ghost tour, where we learned about some of the tragic deaths of Charleston’s past.

After returning from the road trip, I spent a few days at home doing miscellaneous tasks. I officially sent my PE application paperwork to the Florida Board. I also planted a hedge of Florida Privet in my backyard and hired a service to tidy up my oak trees.

This weekend is Easter which I will spend with my family in Jupiter. Next week is my last week of sabbatical. My time away from work is finally coming to an end. Instead of drifting away into the sunset forever, I have decided to return to my job at SpaceX. As much as I enjoy not working, sleeping in everyday, and traveling to places at the drop of a hat, I realize that adhering to my purpose is most meaningful. One’s purpose may not necessarily be one’s passion. I’m lucky in that I do enjoy engineering, although I’d rather surf or travel everyday. Regardless, I realize my purpose is being an engineer. My skills serve the world best when I’m using them to design and build things. Additionally I believe there is currently no other organization, especially located in Florida where I desire to remain, aside from SpaceX which possesses such a unique culture of hardcore engineering design opportunity and limited bureaucracy. I only see myself as a good fit at SpaceX or in a business that I start on my own. And I’m not quite ready to start my own venture at the moment.

Journal

March 25th, 2022

I’m home safe after two weeks travelling through Costa Rica. After spending the first half of my trip in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and San José (see last post), I bused myself over to the Pacific coast for the remainder. I spent a few days surfing in Playa Hermosa before spending the rest of my time in Playa Jaco. The surf in Hermosa was decent size with clean, fast barrels during the right tide. I did not manage to make it through any barrels as I had hoped but I definitely improved my skills for future attempts. I stayed and surfed at a location that I had been to before, but fifteen years prior. It was a pleasant few days that consisted of surfing multiple times a day, relaxing by the pool, and washing down good food with cervezas. Jaco was a bit more lively. I went out a few nights to booze and socialize, including the night of my 33rd birthday. I met some nice people here and there. Additionally, I had a chance to surf a few more times in the bay, do a workout, and go for a long run down the beach. On my birthday, I paid for a tour of some nearby waterfalls. This was a good experience as it gave me an opportunity to hike through the mountainous rainforest which I had never done before. We encountered termites, army ants, a snake, and various trees such as fig and bamboo. We also had a chance to swim in about a dozen waterfall pools. It was very refreshing. Overall, I had a really nice time in Costa Rica. I really enjoyed the tropical backdrop of palm tree lined beaches and orange sunsets on the Pacific coast. The slightly cooler, drier temperatures of the mountainous middle of the country was a nice relief too.

At home these past few days I’ve been mostly lying low. I’ve been taking care of responsibilities such as renewing my vehicle registration, investing in the stock market, mowing the lawn, etcetera. I have a few weeks left until I’m supposed to return to work. I’m considering a road trip across America starting in the beginning of April. For the next few days though, I plan to get a scuba dive in off Palm Beach County and reconnect with friends and family.

Journal

March 12th, 2022

Last Tuesday I arrived in Costa Rica. Immediately, I caught a bus from San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. Puerto Viejo is a small town on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, very close to the border with Panama. I had never heard of it until the week prior, when my cousin suggested good surf there during this time of year. I went into this trip with less research and planning than normal. Upon arriving after dark, I had trouble finding vacancy in hotels throughout town. I ended up staying my first night in a buggy nook behind a restaurant for super cheap. The next day and after a surprisingly good sleep, I got the hell out of there as soon as possible. After exchanging money and walking around a lot, things finally came together. I was graced with a decent place to stay across the street from Playa Cocles and a surfboard rental for two days.

I surfed two nearby beach breaks my first full day. The waves weren’t the greatest but there were definitely waves. The water was crystal clear and warm, so nice to be in. The next day I woke up at 5 am and, after quick preparations, walked 20 minutes to the renown surf break known as Salsa Brava. This is a technical wave, a reef break accessible by paddling through a specific cutout in a vast shallow shelf of rock. I knew where to paddle into it because I had watched guys do so the day prior. I got into position and immediately head high A-frames were sucking up out of the blue. The waves were perfectly clean. I made some quick drops on the left hand side and pulled out as the wave died shortly after. The right hand side was definitely the longer ride. I proceeded to catch a few rights. Big but smooth drop-ins, bottom turn, and then race to clear the section or smack the lip once before pulling out. I was out for about two hours and caught several fun waves. There were only 2 or 3 other guys in the lineup. This was not an issue though because waves were peaking up in various locations instead of the same spot, so everyone had a wave come to them. I surfed two more times that day back at Playa Cocles.

After three nights and two days surfing in Puerto Viejo, I hopped on the bus and headed back to San Jose. Today I spent a full day exploring the city. I walked through the colorful Escalante Barrio and then along the downtown Avenida Central. The former was very empty and peaceful, the latter was crowded and bustling. I did transit through some very sketchy seeming areas, especially on the outskirts of downtown, particularly where the bus stations are. But mostly I felt safe, kept to myself, and kept my head on a swivel. San Jose has never been on my list of top destinations, but I’m in Costa Rica for two weeks and I don’t have anything particular to do. I’m very much taking each day one at a time. Tomorrow I’m heading to the Pacific Coast to catch more surf, there’s a swell inbound.

Journal

March 2nd, 2022

I passed the PE exam! I got the official “pass” results last Wednesday and was very much relieved. I still need to file paperwork with the Florida Board outlining my previous work experience, professional references, etcetera but at this point I feel like I’ve crossed the finish line. In the realm of mechanical design of fluid systems, the world is at my fingertips. I’m not exactly sure what route my career will take next, but its great knowing I have many options.

I would be satisfied with staying at SpaceX for the time being. The work there is fascinating and the people and culture is second to none. Or perhaps a dramatic change would be good at this point in my life. Aside from the aerospace industry, I’m very much interested in innovations with alternative energy technology and power generation. On the other hand, being a consulting engineer for a wide range of applications would be awesome too if it meant I could work my own hours and decide what projects to work on. I’d like to think about what options might be worth pursuing at this time.

In the meantime, I have the rest of March and most of April remaining before I’m supposed to return to SpaceX. I need to travel more but I’m currently perplexed as to where to go next. What a problem to have, I’m truly blessed. I’ve been eyeing Southeast Asia but unfortunately restrictions on foreign visitors are not dropping as fast as I thought they would. Oh well, there are other options available to foreigners. I’ll figure out a plan and embark to somewhere next week!

Journal

February 17th, 2022

Time is certainly flying by during my time off. To recap, after a solid week of studying I went to California to visit friends on a ski trip for a few days. I cut that trip short to return to Florida in time for Ian’s wedding, which was Saturday February 5th. Then I spent another week studying for the PE exam before finally taking it this past Monday.

I came out of the test feeling pretty good about it. The results will be posted by early next week so I’ll know how I did for sure soon enough. But I think I did ok. It didn’t seem as hard as the practice books I meticulously worked through. I probably got a few questions wrong but it seemed like I reached accurate solutions for a greater majority.

The next day following the PE exam, I went to the airport and flew to Guadalajara, Mexico. After landing in Guadalajara, I walked around the historic center of Tlaquepaque for a few hours. I drank some beers, unsuccessfully attempted to exchange money, had dinner on a rooftop next to a cathedral, and then took an Uber to the bus station. Around midnight, I boarded a bus for the 5-hour trip to Puerto Vallarta.

When I arrived in Puerto Vallarta it was still dark out. The city was dead asleep. I took an Uber to the Malecon which is a concrete pathway that runs along the beach and is populated with restaurants and shops. I was very tired when I got there and nothing was open, so I found a bench and dozed off for a few minutes. By the time I woke up, the sun was up and the city was coming to life around me. After a big breakfast, I walked the entire beach path of Puerta Vallarta before getting on a public bus heading to Sayulita. The 50-minute trip from Puerto Vallarta to Sayulita cost 50 pesos (~$2.50 USD).

Sayulita is a beautiful and lively beach town. It’s filled with young, attractive surfer types from all over. Even though I was tired from the prior near sleepless night, I managed to party late into the evening after my arrival. Each block has several small but bustling bars and restaurants. It was not difficult to make new friends and hop around socializing with others.

Today I slept in, switched hotels since the first one I had was only available for one night, ate al pastor tacos for a second time, and then spent a lazy afternoon at Playa de Los Muertos. This somewhat more secluded beach is a short walk away from town. Surprisingly, I actually haven’t surfed yet but I’ve been watching a fun-looking longboard wave right out front of the town. Tomorrow I’m going to rent a shortboard and hitch a ride to Punta de Mita to hopefully surf a larger, more aggressive break.

Journal

January 25th, 2022

I’m officially on sabbatical and it feels pretty good. I busted out a strong last week at work to close all loose ends and ensure my colleagues wouldn’t be severely impacted by my absence.

After my final week at work, I spent the weekend catching up with close friends nearby in Orlando. My friend Ian is getting married next week and I haven’t had a chance lately to talk to him about how he’s feeling. He seemed like he’s ready, but has some building nervousness propagated by all the attention the day will undoubtedly draw. I can’t blame him for feeling anxious.

Rolling into the “work week”, I’ve kept myself very busy and plan to do so for the time being. For months leading up to my sabbatical, I have contemplated several specific goals and objectives for this period. I started my Monday by making a list of all such goals. And then I developed a weekly schedule to address meeting such. My current goals pertain to various aspects of life such as relationships, personal growth, professional aspirations, updates to my house, etcetera. Most notably, I have a near-term goal to pass the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) Exam. Doing so allows me to practice mechanical engineering, with a specialization in thermal and fluid systems, as an individual instead of under the umbrella of a corporation. I’m sure I’ll discuss these goals in more depth later. However, this week basically consists of studying all day, going to the gym, cooking dinner, and reading before bed.

Journal

January 16th, 2022

Myself working a problem on a whiteboard

I have one week of work left before starting my sabbatical. I’ve been somewhat checked out mentally since the holidays, but this last week will undoubtedly go by fast. So I will cherish it.

Seven years and four months employed by SpaceX. Before that, two years and eight months of full-time employment for Mitsubishi Power Systems. Before that, two years of part-time at Mitsubishi Power Systems in conjunction with four and half years of Aerospace Engineering curriculum.

I have always been passionate about my education and career. Such has been the focal point of my life, a significant aspect of what defines me as a person. So to voluntarily forgo this for an extended period of time is both exciting and frightening. I am blessed with the experience that has brought me to this point. And I am blessed to have this opportunity.