I

t was a day of laughters and waves for the 29 children and teenagers of Sidhi Astu Tuka Orphanage in North Kuta, Badung.

For one-and-a-half hours they received free surfing lessons from the Rip Curl School of Surf.

The course gave the children the opportunity and good reason to jump into the warm water of Double Six Beach, a few hundred meters north of the famed Kuta Beach.

One of the teenagers, 14-year-old Isnaini Vina Rizky Agustin, could not contain her wide grin as she frolicked in the water.

A student of Santo Thomas Aquino Junior High School, Isnaini leaped with joy after she managed to ride a wave for the first time.

There was no sign of exhaustion on her glowing face.

"Finally, I can surf," she screamed.

Surfing, she admitted, had never crossed her mind before that Sunday.

"It turns out surfing is not that difficult. It is all about balancing yourself on the board. It's cool," she said.

Isnaini's mother passed away when Isnaini was 2 years old, while her father died two years ago.

Isnaini was one of the most enthusiastic students of the day, she even suggested her school provide advanced surf courses for their students.

"Who knows, we might become real surfers in the future," she said.

The orphaned children were also given a chance to observe the daily routine of Kuta's lifeguards, the Balawista.

The children stood in awe as a group of muscular lifeguards performed a simulated water rescue.

The lifeguards and trainers from Rip Curl then educated the children on several basic ocean survival techniques.

A member of the event organization committee, Charles Simbolon, said the free surfing course is part of Rip Curl's charity program, which is conducted three times a year.

Since its beginning in 2000, children from numerous orphanages, disabled children as well as students in Bali have participated in the course.