May 2026
What started as a surf retreat in Costa Rica has grown into a global community for women surfers seeking adventure, connection, and time outside. Meet the founders of AWA and the women creating unforgettable surf experiences around the world.
What do an Argentine free-spirited mama and a wild-hearted ex-NYC designer have in common? More than you’d think.
A shared pull toward a simpler life. More time outside. More connection—to nature, to each other.
Mona and Giulia met over a decade ago in Costa Rica. They adventured. They surfed. They survived the 2015 Nepal earthquake. Then, in the middle of a world shutting down, they built something new: A Week Awake (AWA).
Not exactly easy timing to start a new business. But it became their reset button—a way to bring women together when we needed it most.
What started as a surf retreat turned into something bigger. Now they host women in some of the best surf destinations around the world—Costa Rica, Mexico, the Philippines, Morocco. Together, they push boundaries, paddle out, slow down, and reconnect—with the ocean, with themselves, with each other.
And for the past three years, AWA has been part of the T9 all-women crew–our local producers who know the backroads, the breaks, the community. The woman making burritos for surfers. The woman who walks 2 hours each way to sell her handmade jewelry. And the board shaper Christie—running a surf shop and a yoga farm, who joined our crew.
Mona and Giulia don’t just bring women together they build spaces where women can take risks and find joy together. That’s something we can get behind.
Mona: Good Vibes Generator, Planner of Epic Moments
Mona co-founded A Week Awake, hosting women’s surf retreats around the world. After years exploring breaks across the globe, she knows southern Costa Rica like a local, from the dusty backroads to the waves worth chasing.
Giulia: Wild-Hearted Adventurer, Steady Hand BTS
Co-founder of A Week Awake and the steady force behind the magic. From hidden surf breaks to horseback rides through the jungle, she knows the spots – and the people – that make a place feel like home. Walked away from a high-paying city job to build her dream life. Never far from her dog. Never not planning her next adventure.
Title Nine is all about helping women find their wild—building gear, community, and experiences that let you take risks, push limits, and own every adventure. Read more in a note from our founder on our updated brand identity: bold, unapologetic, and...
Title Nine is all about helping women find their wild—building gear, community, and experiences that let you take risks, push limits, and own every adventure. Read more in a note from our founder on our updated brand identity: bold, unapologetic, and...
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Loose plans. Dirt roads, dawn patrol, coconuts on repeat—and a crew of women who don’t wait around for perfect conditions.
