“…it’s not the years in your life that count.It’s the life in your years.” -Abraham Lincoln Abraham has good insight here, especially as it pertains to our courses. Yet, if he was about to send his son on a Outward Bound Costa Rica course, we could probably bet that he, too, would inevitably ask the […]
When Virginia LaGrow was accepted* into the Rainforest River & Reef course in 2009, she had no idea what kinds of adventures she would face and what she would learn. But after returning from course in July, she knew what she experienced and the lessons she learned were worth sharing. From school to a Girlfest […]
What do they do with all of those skills? This “Leadership Series” has almost completed answering this question for seven Leadership alumni as we anticipate the coming of our next Leadership Semester course students arriving this week on April 1st. This week we profiled Alex, the sixth of our seven profiled leaders. Leadership Alumn #6: […]
Surprisingly overlooked, backpack covers are practically crucial when traveling anywhere, much less to a country that is almost half rainforest. The purpose is obvious: rain protection. (For traveling nomads, it can also be helpful to prevent instant petty theft.) Now, to answer the ever-famous common question posed by incoming students for every packing list item, […]
When students read “Spring Break” on their annual school schedule, “rainforest challenge” is not typically the first thing that comes to mind. But this year, for 14 State University of New York (New Paltz) students, 10 Tallahassee Community College students, and 10 Canterbury School students, it was. And after hearing their feedback, they seem to […]
One of the most crucial parts of the scuba certification education process is learning about aquatic wildlife. Why ‘crucial?’ Because a human’s touch can be fatal to an entire species; and on the flip side, marine life, too, can be fatal for humans. The lionfish, while not fatal, does fall in the “danger” category, as […]
An Adventure Ballad The semester students are on course down here for many days,and for this, the courses are arranged from phase to phase. The Panama Phase began for Outward Bound U.S.A.,filled with a variety of activities in the Bocas’ bay: Scuba certification, free dives, and bike riding;sea kayaking, snorkeling, and learning about guiding. Instructors […]
“I see that this traveling experience will bring to me greater understanding of the world in its entirety. Knowing this, I will better understand how the contacts of the world connect.” Kelly Wolf, an 11-year Girl Scout from Ohio, has quite the dedication to community service, surprisingly at the young age of 16. And most […]
What do they do with all of those skills? This “Leadership Series” hopes to answer this question for seven Leadership alumni, one each week until the next Leadership Semester course begins on April 2nd. Leadership Alumn #5: Joe Ewing Leadership Course: Fall 2008 Hometown: Castle Rock, CO University: Western State Colorado University Currently: Recently hired […]
What haven’t our current students been doing around Central America in the past 24 hours? Only four courses are out right now, yet they’ve managed to stay busy in almost every activity just within a small period of time. The Tri-Country Semester, Water & Wave Semester, OB USA, and SUNY New Paltz have covered a […]
One of the most common questions is how to prepare for hydrating oneself on course. It is best to begin with the question: “Are you hiking on course?” If the answer is yes, bring a camelback in addition to a water bottle. If not, only a water bottle is necessary. As for water bottles, any […]
14 eager students, 7 adventure-filled days, and 2 tough instructors. State University of New York, New Paltz arrived with excitement on Saturday, the 13th. Our Custom Course Manager met them and reported, “It’s refreshing to have such a motivated and enthusiastic group.” Let’s meet the instructors that have the pleasure of leading this group of […]
What do they do with all of those skills? This “Leadership Series” hopes to answer this question for seven Leadership alumni, one each week until the next Leadership Semester course begins on April 2nd. Leadership Alumna #4: Donna White Leadership Course: Spring 2007 Hometown: New Bern, NC Currently: While awaiting her return to instruct more […]
With all the activities and locations, it can be hard for families & friends to keep track of students in the field. All our current courses will transition phases soon, so we expect them all on base (in San Ramon de Tres Rios) this week. We’ll do our best to get photos- read below to […]
by Debbie Mayer On Sat., Feb. 20th, & Laura Statesir got to join the families in Piedras Blancas for their annual party. Family & friends all gathered by the school in Piedras Blancas for an all-day affair of soccer, food, music, and great company. Piedras Blancas is not only where our students conduct homestays, but […]