Africa Skateboarding Diary Issue 05 - Yearbook

Keionna Sublett Cameron Duncan Sandy and Gustelly Pim Pomsy Gareth

Israel Dejene Regain Mthimkhulu Ashley Nkosana Dallas Oberholzer Francisco Vinho

Chisanga David Jesse Mendes Abubakar Amour Chris Merwe Phillip

On the Cover and Here: is Adrys Matendet,Winner ofthe Ghana League SB November, 2017.

With Cam Duncan

Ac

My name is Cam. I’m a 20 year old skateboarder from England currently living in Amsterdam, Holland.

We conducted fund raising to buy the camp their own skateboard equipment so they could continue to skate after we had left. This was very successful and

‘In 2017 I came to Africa for the first time, landing in Accra, Ghana on the 15th June’

With around 30 committed skateboarders riding under the main skate crew of SkateNationGH, lead by Jay Ganyobi, the movement could only be taken forward

When someone travels, whether it be down to the local shop, or to a distant location, they check they have their essentials; phone, wallet, keys.....for us skateboarders these items fall second to the one item we cannot leave the house without, our skateboard.

Of course visiting Ghana was no different for me, I would pack my skateboard over my toothbrush, however “African Skateboarding” was a scene that I had never actually thought about or even come across until recently. We just don’t hear of anything related to ‘skateboarding in Africa’ outside of the continent.

The skateboarding scene primarily spans across the USA and other ‘western’ countries leaving what seems to be a great skateboarding void in the heart of the world, Africa.

I decided to investigate the internet for a scene prior to flying to Ghana and results were minimal, yet I did come across one individual named Jay Ganyobi. We exchanged messages and I learned that there is no skatepark in Ghana however there are a couple of skate-able locations, and that there is very minimal access to equipment.

I had just completed a project with two friends teaching skateboarding to children at a refugee camp in Berlin, Germany.

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with the knowledge I would be departing to Ghana in a few months time, I decided to continue to fund raising, this time to buy equipment to help the Ghanaian skate scene.

What I discovered upon arrival in Accra was far greater than I had imagined. The skate scene was alive and on fire!!

There was nowhere to buy quality skate equipment, no official designated area to skate, equipment was mostly old and damaged acquired by individuals one way or another over the years and there was distorted/ misunderstood general perception of skateboarding across the country with it being considered dangerous and a waste of time.....a combination ideal to subdue and fade out local skateboarding.

However what Ghana was lacking in seemingly everything related to skateboarding.....it made up for, and was wholeheartedly fuelled by, the true determination and passion amongst all those pursuing their love of skateboarding in the country.

Jay Ganyobi.

Whilst I was in the country I joined the skate crew and met others, Sandy and Lydia from Europe, who were involved in raising the profile of skateboarding in Ghana under the organisation ‘SurfGhana’.

They had hosted the first official skate competition in Busua several months previously and were now planning the next major skate event in Ghana, a demonstration and competition at ChaleWote Street Art Festival 2017 in Jamestown, Accra.

Headsup: Surf Ghana are also now doing the first Skateboarding Tour in Ghana skating all the country within a cab! You would not wish to miss this from December 26th 2017 to January 2018.

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A movement and brand aimed at supporting the skate scene in Ghana and promoting African skateboarding as a whole worldwide. Through collaborations, social media and my own music, I hope to continue to assist raising the profile of the skate scene in Ghana particularly when I am out of the country in Europe.

In the build up to this event I would be skating as much as possible with the crew at the few skate-able locations in the capital; - Trade Fair (a relatively large open paved area shared with rollerbladers, which had a few obstacles such as home-made grind rails, bricks, wooden planks and a sort of high jump bar) - Mile 7 (an area stretching beneath the motorway approximately 20m wide with a very slight incline from the edge to a drain in middle, this had several home-made obstacles such as a manual pad, a box with grind-able edges, a few different grind rails, and a small broken ramp)

The prospects for the skate scene in Ghana are huge. There is so much potential and with the passion from within plus any support we can receive from outside, we WILL make skateboarding a 'norm' in Ghana.

- West Hills Mall (an entrance to a mall carpark off a very busy road, obstacles include the pavement ledge, cars coming round the corner and West Hills Mall Security)

-Left: Kelvin Murage; from Kenya doing a frontside off the wooden A frame box at Trade Fair Skate Spot during Christian Skaters Summit in Ghana.

-Below; Cam Duncan skating the wooden box during the Chale Wote Festival Skate Jam. In the 3 month time period I was in Ghana I was personally contacted by 3 skateboarders across the country who either wanted to start skateboarding or who wanted to get more involved but didn't have the contacts or the equipment. There were also several new skaters who joined or discovered SkateNationGH by other means whilst I was there, highlighting the exponential expansion potential of skateboarding in Ghana!

The ChaleWote Festival skate event was a hugely popular and successful event that brought skateboarding closer to the public eye. After the skating had finished, whilst at this festival, I won an open mic rap battle and effectively launched a music career in Ghana under the artist name ‘Kojo Kubii’ (being Monday born!). I also created my own sub-collective under SkateNationGH called SkateGHang.

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The current aims for the scene are; to locally produce our own boards, to build the first official skatepark in Ghana, to have the first official skate shop set up, attract international interest in the form of sponsorship, support and promotion, and the long term prospect of eventually being able to host national and international skate competitions at the park with a globally recognised Ghanaian skate community.

The skate scene in Ghana will continue to snowball bigger and bigger with the continued support of everyone involved and the spreading of its existence around the world.

I left to Ghana with intention to skate whilst away, instead I joined an ever growing family, not only amongst our Ghang, SkateNationGH but amongst the many skate crews across all of Africa striving for expansion, support and recognition. Whilst I may not always be able to be in Ghana, my continued support, love and passion will always remain.

My name is Kojo, and I skate for Africa

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“Nonetheless the DAKskate crew make things work and are putting skateboarding in Senegal on the map”

im Pomsy, a local dutch skate dude on a quest skating the deserts on Sahara, after a boat ride to the Northern Africa has yet more ways to go through the vast continent to the Cape point.

To make a long story short. in Europe I traveled four countries; starting in my hometown ansen in Holland going through Belgium, France and stay a few days in skatecapital Barcelona in Spain.

Gambia: I didn't find any skateboarders in this country. I did meet some lovely people and shared beautifull times.

From Barcelona I took a boat to reach Tanger in Morocco, my first steps on African soil.

Also I saw another side of Africa, the one of tourism and how a European market in Africa is not really helping the community and how the minds of many people is still (uncontiously) oppressing black people.

Inside Boat to Morocco, NA. Shortly, the Europe part is important to the story in my opinion because of the fact that this is where I am from and thus it formed the backbone of my vision even tho I guess I’m not a typical Dutch dude.. I think its important for people to know where the views of the creator of these documents are originally formed.

Ansen, my town is very small (300 habitants, mostly farmers) and not much to skate, but just like many skateboarders in African countries I fell in love with the culture and me and my friends fought passionately to make growth possible.

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Morocco: The boat took me three days and I was very well received in Tanger. Thanks to Ilyass and his crew. (shout to Hanuta.. one of the illest skateboarders I ever met) In Morocco I visited Tanger, Rabat, Casablanca, Safi and Agadir to finally end up in Daghla where I stayed in a hostel for the first time on this trip.

All the people who welcomed me in their home were amazing, the level of skateboarding was high and the culture is amazing. Its too much to mention in a short story but I suppose that is why I film the experience and will release the documentairy next year lol.

Mauritannia: In Daghla the owner of a hostel (which was fully booked) was nice enough to let me sleep in his bed, I found him in the morning sleeping on the couch of the reception. I got up early to make sure I could get in the car departing to Nouakchot.

The day before someone handed me a phone number of somene I could stay with but upon arrival nobody picked up. Since there is a small budget I didn’t want to spend another night in a hostel and as I was trying to figure out ways and weighing options the driver suddenly suggested to stay the night at his place. I woke up that night due to a cockroach crawling on my face but that small fact aside I had an amazing experience. (and I am very thankfull to the fact that there was a safe place to stay for me in a country that seems like life is hard for the habitants.)

Senegal: I know, sometimes I talk to much...

I’m pretty sure the drivers who took me to Dakar from the border in Mauritania ripped me off but at least I reached it safely.

Dakskatecrew, the friends and family of Jonathan were yet another bunch of beautifull people who stole my heart.

The skaters are on a good level, especially if you realise they have no good facilities at all, they share their old boards and struggle to get new ones.

There is no park, but a lot of potential streetspots.

Examples are clearly the young people (not just girls) who ' date' old Europeans for money but also the fact that most business ownerships are European, who on the plus side provide job opportunitys but on the downside take the largest part of income from tourism in to the pockets of the same Europeans instead of flowing the balance in to the community these same tourists claim to have visited. This way the profit is not helping to build their community at all and the poor stay poor while the businessowners from Europe take all the money.

To relate this to skateboarding, in my opinion African skateboarders have to be very carefull not to let this happen to their communities because in my prediction skateboarding will grow a lot in the next ten years and European and American brands are to eager to jump on it once they see there is money to be made. So I say; start your own brands, open your own shops and keep supporting your locals. And ask yourself.. If these brands who will show up claim to care about you.. howcome they are not around to build parks or distribute material when the struggle is hard?

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Many more things could be said about my journey, about the local skateboarders, many shoutouts need to be done, and people need to be thanked. as predicted, the harderst part of travel should now be over. so far the experience is amazing, the people are beautifull everywhere ive been and the different cultures are amazing.

Skateboarding can use a lot of support and I hope that together we can maintain the culture we all fell in love with, build these beautifull communitys stronger and support each other wherever and whenever we get the chance.

Guinee: At fisrt a didn't know if there were skateboarders in this country. I took a taxi shared with 15 human beings for three days to reach Conakry, the car broke down five times and I didn't have any connection in my destination. One man who was in this shared ride offered me his place for the night and I assumed to continue the travel to Abidjan after one day of rest, but it turned out a little different..

Reaching Conakry I asked around about skateboarders and very quickly I had a hit. It took two more days to set up a meeting with the local crew and getting together with them showed me how much we are able to inspire each other.

Kinda isolated these skaters had never seen anybody even do an Ollie in real life and all I hope for right now is that I wont let them down in supporting the scene which is driven by skateboarders and inliners who fight passionately to grow their scene. It needless to say that they have no park in this country and that getting a board is near impossible...

Sierra Leone: Since my host was originally from Sierra Leone and the skaters in Conakry knew skaters in Freetown, my host and his brother offered to drive to this place. To make a long story short, the skaters in Freetown are on the same level of riding their board, they also had never seen an Ollie in real life and for them its even harder to find spots in this chaotic and busy city. I stayed in the city for two days and in a place outside the city for 4 more waiting on transport back to Conakry,

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where my car to Abidjan was supposed to be leaving. the car we drove to Sierra Leone with was chosen to be sold due to some money problems and the village I stayed at had no electricity or running water. but the kids loved my board and there is a lot of room to build parks.

Cote ‘d Ivoire: Me and my hosts brother (my host had to take care of business in freetown apperantly) took a shared car back to Conakry, from there I departed the next day. four different vehicles and three days on the road (and sandy trails) sleeping outside and warming up by burning old tires with travel companions I reached Abidjan safely.

At this moment I’m sitting in the living room of my host who is sleeping.

These next two days I will discover the skatescene and crew.

Top Left: The broken car in Guinee, had to be fixed five times Top Right: A Kid in Sierra Leone, trying the taste on skateboarding on a sandy dust Centre: Our famous breaking car Down Left: Across sandy trails of Desert in Mauritannia.

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Aspiring youngsters in awe, the tone of shocked chants roar as the ‘Advanced’ skaters maneuver trick after trick through the different D.I.Y obstacles on the course. Both run sections scores on the score sheet narrowly close in terms of the podium victors, everyone eagerly awaiting the end results of the contest. However, that part of the contest had to wait for an intense 5 minute Best Trick session.

3 podium places were up for grabs & dudes brought the heat, with so many good tricks put on display. The decision of which 3 tricks stood out the most came to question, a few moments later all competing skaters were grouped to announce the victors of the day.

Intermediate Category: 1.

Sefako Hlapolosa 2.

Sizwe Skhosana 3.

Enrique Van Rooyen Advanced Category: 1.

Paul Melato 2.

Tshepiso Rakhetsi 3.

Kabelo Tladi

S

ebokeng, ZA – The afternoon of the 23rd of September witnessed & experienced the 5th Vaal skate circuit event, a month ahead of the previously heated contest hosted by Thabo ‘Steezy’ Meko.

‘Skate Sprung Hooray’ marked the beginning of the spring season, freshly & generously sponsored by Etnies.

Entry fee needed? .

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Concept non-existent, however the objective was to have as many local skateboarders to compete not with the objective of winning. Being a collective & celebrating skateboarding in unity was the objective attain on that spring afternoon.

The event was separated into two competing categories with 2 runs offered to each competing skater, with the competing skaters registered & the warm-up session underway.

Skaters were grouped in smaller groups and the intermediate category got underway, the 1st runs produced average scores for the skaters on the intermediate’s score sheet with no solid prediction on who would claim the title. The 2nd runs saw some skaters improving their 1st run score, with the score sheet’s leader board shuffling the podium victors. The crowd of the ‘Advanced’ skateboarder’s voices echo in a state of awe, the Intermediate category

had ended & the ‘Advanced’ category warm-up session was underway. 2017 Vaal Skate Circuit events have been dominated within the ‘Advanced’ category by the most progressive skateboarder to shred from the Vaal.

The skater by name is ‘Paul Melato’, having won 3 of the 4 events this year & placing 2nd at the ‘June 16 Skate Jam’ in Sharpville. As surprised as I was to see other Vaal ‘Advanced’ skateboarders bring the heat to dethrone Paul

from his last claim a month ago during ‘Steezy’s’ skate contest. Aspiring youngsters in awe, the tone of shocked chants roar as the ‘Advanced’ skaters maneuver trick after trick through the different D.I.Y obstacles on the course.

Both run sections scores on the score sheet narrowly close in terms of the podium victors, everyone eagerly awaiting the end results of the contest.

However, that part of the contest had to wait for an intense 5 minute Best Trick session.

Best Trick: 1.

Tumi ‘JR’ Masitenyane – Bs Boardslide Sex Change (Up & Down the A-Frame Rail) 2.

Sizwe Skhosana – Fs 180 Nosegrind (Box) 3.

Gerhardt de Lange – Fs 50-50 Lipslide (Round Rail) January 2018 date yet is mentioned will mark the 1st skate event of many during 2018 for Vaal Skateboarding; the series of events will be part of a new concept for the scene with the objective of elevating progress in: • Talent Development • Skate Infrastructre Projects Be on the look out for Vaal Skateboarding: ‘League 016’ Written By Nkosana Ashley and Regain Mthimkhulu

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Above: Paul, Boardslide Up Below: Sefako, 1st Intermediate Winner

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Above: Tshepiso, 2nd Advanced Winner Below: JR, 1st Best Trick Winner

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lat ground league is a skateboarding project event launched by the Africa Skateboarding Diary in 2017.

Skateboarding has been rapidly growing across different countires in Africa. Finding opportunities for talented and young skateboarders is a challenge across the world.

Approximately large percentage of today’s youths below the age of 25 are interested into extreme games.

Skateboarding being among extreme games has more than 100M followers online with estimated population of 50M skateboarders.

In Africa skateboarding has been active in so many countries, and currently skateboarding is growing and spread fast in Africa. There are estimated 4,000 active skateboarders in Africa. Skateboarding in Africa is active in South Africa, Angola, Morocco, Madagascar, Mozambique, Egypt, Senegal, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania.

This program is designed to all skateboarders in Africa. Our goal is to boost local skateboarding scene in many Africa countries. The program in 2017 ran in Tanzania as pilot set and later spread to Angola and Zambia.

Many African skateboarders lack resources and facilities to help them skateboarding and prepare themselves before joining into International Skateboarding Competitions.

Our main objective is to offer regional competitions whereby these skateboarders will gain much experience and exposure.

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Originally The Flat Ground League – Skateboarding was designed to run on monthly at local skate spots and grounds. However this was seemed impossible and so we adopted to replan the program by fixing dates due to available resources. The goal of being affordable was reached, and it was an open invite to all skateboarders, a standard registration fee was applied in Zambia to cover venue costs. We thought these series of regional competitions can also be used to market the sport through televisions and media as a National Qualifier Games.

Despite all hardships we are delighted to ran the program in Tanzania, Angola and Zambia and we were supported by World Skateboarding Federation, African Skate Project, Bun and Bunee, Sumol Angola, Redbull Angola, The Boardr and Kalemba Radical in Angola.

We are also appreciating our key partners in organsing; the Angola Skateboarding Union in Angola as well as Street Culture Zambia in Zambia.

Our key goal is to help building partnership with the community. Also we are optimistic that high profile visitors to attend our events. This is a basic key concept to help promoting Africans’ Culture and boosting Tourism.

Now plans are in table with Vaal Skateboarding community in South Africa to host Flat Ground League on January 6th 2018. We are hoping many people will attend the event and enjoy the idea of Community Skateboarding First!

FLAT GROUND LEAGUE SKATEBOARDING will increase the chances of self-employment for talented African Skateboarders.

FGL TANZANIA | MAY 27TH On a schorching sunny Saturday we witnessed an amazing first stop event for the Flat Ground League.

The event was held at Don Bosco Youth Centre, Dar es salaam, Tanzania and featured 12 skaters into 3 Jams which were later changed into 4 Jams for delay reasons.

The even was planned by Usama Ahmed, a skateboarding activist for Africa living in South Africa.

Flat Ground League Tanzania Finals were hosted by Augustine Rutasingwa and judged by Philip Haertel, a Germany volunteer with Skate Aid who built a skatepark in Dodoma, Tanzania in 2012 and since then they have been running the project.

The event kick started at 10:30am local EAT. The following were the jams.

Jam 01 had Danny Makindi, James Komba, Miki Dougie and Zhaki KS of which James Komba won.

Jam 02 had Abubakar Amour, Makala Mwendo and Taylan Xixcash of which Abubakar Amour won.

Above: Baraka Bishota hands Abubakar Amour his prizes he won after being the Winner of Flat Ground League – Tanzania Finals

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Later the four jams winners did a semi final and the two last standing; Abubakar Amour and Hassan Takashi went into finals and Abubakar Amour won with a total sum of 60 points.

FGL ANGOLA | SEPT 23RD

Later the four jams winners did a semi final and the two last standing; Abubakar Amour and Hassan Takashi went into finals and Abubakar Amour won with a total sum of 60 points.

Later the four jams winners did a semi final and the two last standing; Abubakar Amour and Hassan Takashi went into finals and Abubakar Amour won with a total sum of 60 points. Baraka Bishota, General secretary of Tanzania Roller Skating Federation presented the prizes to the winners. He also gave a brief speech of which he positioned the roles of the firm, and the Olympic vision 2020.

Mario Felipe is one of the best Angolan skateboarder and he c ontinued to earn his respect among fellow pears.

On September 23rd 2017, He became the winner of the Flat Ground League Angola giving him an all paid Ticket to wave the Angola Flag at the African Continental FGL Finals schedule to be held in 2018.

The program was organized by the Angola Skateboarding Union and sponsored by local Sumol and Red Bull Companies.

Now these skaters are working with Concrete Jungle Foundation to build the first skatepark for the locals there.

Be sure you check them out!

Also the day featured local BMX riders who did magnificient stunts during intermissions. Muhksin cleared 6 pilled skateboard decks during event breaks.

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FGL ZAMBIA | SEPT 30TH Innocent Sichande Took A Winning at FGL Zambia.

Innocent Sichande is a popular name among Zambian skateboarders! A recently 18 years old turned skateboarder growing and living in Lusaka, Zambia won the Flat Ground League Zambia past weekend.A Nyjah Huston inspired skateboarder started with 17 points off his jam! He dud stay to win the Game of Skate that made him to enter the final.

Having him head to head against Ian Madekurozwa and Shuya Siwale.

Innocent has a decent records of winning and he is someone to keep an eye.

Above: A group pictures of all 12 skaters and organisers and fans during Zambia FGL. Left: Innocent Sichande, winner of the Zambia FGL.

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Maputo Skate is an organization created in 2005 and only in 2006 started its actions. It was focused on creating a platform where skateboarders could meet and discuss the future of the sport.

NOEL COSSA aka Silvio is a 14 years old skater that was discovery on skateboard program in Mozambique in 2014. Percinio, Joel, Jillian and Honório were the skateboard teachers and they gave Silvio the basic to start in skateboard career. In 2015 Silvio started to skate with Elísio Vinho that teaches him other vision of skate tricks. Silvio never given up, skaters started to support him with shoes, clothes, skateboard and so on. In 2017 Francisco invited Noel to be part of Maputo Skate – Empowering the youth, and put the dreams in reality. Maputo Skate is doing everything to support and find sponsor to Noel become a Pro Skater and never quit skateboarding.

Francisco Luís Vinho, the project's mentor and skateboarder, is currently creating his own Skate Park in his home (Luis Vinho Skate Park) because skateboarding is no longer a simple modality and has become a way of life.

This project says that it will contribute to the good development of skateboarding in the country, and will also serve to train skateboarders for major National, African and International competitions.

In 2018 Maputo Skate will work with government to find a place to build a public skate park. All funding will be welcome. All kind of support is welcome for the development of Maputo Skate programs: 1 - Skater Is Not Marginal: This program aims to support disadvantaged children in gaining access to schooling and to a profession.

2 - Social Skate This program aims at the social integration of children victims of ill-treatment, calamities, diseases and so on.

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3 - Skate School This program aims to give children skateboarding classes, organize competitions and exhibitions.

Train skateboarders to one day be able to lift the Mozambique flag across borders.

Take the skateboard to the other provinces of the country. (More Skateboard In Mozambique) Find funding and sponsor to build mor skate parks.

4 - Skate as Sport is a Culture Way of Life This program aims to disseminate information about the value of skateboarding in the development of a community.

Noel and Francisco participated on gsk8t contest in 18th November 2017 at Nelspruit Mpumalanga Noel competed with seniors and got 4th place.

Was awesome to see him killing the park on his first time. The idea to participate in gsk8t contest was to Noel start to understand the skateboard competition outside of his country were skateboard are developed than on his country. It changed his mind set and now he dreams high about be a Professional Skateboard.

Check the Youtube Video : https://youtu.be/eEGXwCUtiPo (Noel at gsk8t)

The skateboard scene in Mozambique was so quite since 2012. Francisco changed is concept of skateboard and in 2016 went to Nelspruit – South Africa to meet Gareth Green the owner of GSK8t for understand how gsk8t is doing the things there and bring that knowledge to Mozambique.

Francisco use to go to gsk8t contest to compete and sometimes others Mozambique skaters go too.

More skateboard contest will come this 2018 said Francisco stay tuned to Maputo Skate Instagram and Facebook.

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Here is my massage about The skate park project of Angola..

The skatepark project is a great project for the youth of Angola as it is building unity within skateboarders of Angola as well as help change The difficulties we face skating in Angola. The project also gives The international skate communities and people a chance to come together to raise Funds to build The First skatepark of Angola which will be Life changing for us skaters of Angola.

I don’t think it’s one persons efforts to make a difference in skateboarding within there committee but instead The efforts of working together with different people to make something that makes a difference in our community. And with our project a skatepark is key to making that great difference.

It gives me great honer to know not just ASU’s efforts are being put in but Newlines Skateparks and Concrete Jungle Foundation have come together to make a Great difference within The skateboarding scene of Angola.

I would be more then happy to know that you also been part of making a difference for the skate scene of Angola by

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Above: A designed Park by the Newline Skateparks from Canada, who are working with Concrete Jungle!

- Liking - Sharing Or even - Donating to our Skate park project at https://www.generosity.com/community-fundraising/luanda-skatepark/x/15616995 Or Even using #SkateAngola or #AngolaSkatepark All your efforts will be life changing to skaters of Angola as it is making a difference for us.

I am Jesse Mendes from Luanda Angola Founder of Angola Skateboarding Union Would like to Thank you for Reading hope you be part of skateboarding history happening Angola.

Happy holidays Happy New year God bless

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2017 In terms of skateboarding ? It’s been a good year. I am currently studying in china ( Anshan Liaoning ) and it’s been a very interesting ride so far. I came here in March and the second month being here I found a sponsor !! I’m from Zambia and I’ve been skating for 8 years now. I never found a sponsor back home so when i came to China and found one so quick I was so hyped !

2017 has been great. Although they have been ups and downs. Being here is different. You have a language barrier to deal with and it’s just a completely different culture you know what I mean?

Ive traveled to one city to skate with my teammates and I felt so excited doing that for the first time ever ! It was just a trip for a weekend but it felt so good doing things I’ve always dreamed of you know what I mean?

Because I’m black and I skate, so many chinese people know me and I don’t even know them haha! It’s so awesome making new friends and we always have good times rolling around together..

My city isn’t the most exposed to skating but it still works out for me.. I’ve never skated marble ledges before till I came here and they’re everywhere ! I just wish some homies where here with me to experience it you know what I mean?

It’s only the beginning of my journey here and it’s started out so strong and positive. I know for sure that it’s only going to get better with time. It’s such a blessing being here, experiencing new things, learning a new language, being in a completely different world you know.. and it’s so cold right now haha so I won’t skate for like 3 months and that sucks.

2017 has been good to me but I’ve got so many things I want to accomplish in 2018. I hope to continue sharing more of my experiences with you guys. Merry Christmas guys!! Have an awesome 2018 - David Chisanga Nseluka

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