As I was born in Charleston, South Carolina, I believe that I was born with salt water in my veins. My earliest memories are of being on the beach, and that love for the surf, sand and sun has stayed with me. I just love the feel of the sun's rays on my skin, and every year, I wait impatiently until it is warm enough to go out into the sun.
However, the sun does not love me as much as I love the sun. I inherted the Slovakian complexion; I am blonde haired, blue eyed and very pale. This is not conducive to a heliophillic such as myself. Every summer, I tell myself that I am not going to get sunburned, and every summer I am disappointed. It does not matter how much or how often I apply sunscreen; I get burnt. Just recently, I went on a boat trip on the Mantanzas Bay. I was only out for an hour or so, and I came back with a red back and legs. Sometimes, I even get burnt on one side of my body, and the other side stays white. It's happened more than once, and I don't even know how that happens. One summer, my face turned as red as a lobster and thus began to peel. It was not very attractive. Last summer, my back got burned just from walking around downtown. The only good thing about perpetually getting sunburned is that I know how to treat and handle it. I keep and endless supply of Aloe Vera in my medicine cabinet along with an endless supply of sunscreen. And I aways wear sunglasses and a hat. My saving grace is that once I get good and burnt, that redness turns into a tan. It takes a while, but I can tan, and that makes me different from my red-headed sisters. Now, as a 22-year-old, I accept that I will get fried when I go into the sun, and I just have to laugh about it. I have finally accepted the sad fact that the sun and I are not as good as friends as I think we are.
