Panama: Undiscovered Territory

There's more than a canal in Panama?

Spanish Emphasis, Reef & Rainforest, and Summer Semester courses sure are experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Panama, enjoying all the hidden treasures it has to offer.

After a weekend of snorkeling in the island chain of Bocas del Toro (a Panamanian province), they are playing soccer with the local kids living in Solarte as well as doing a city tour of Bocas Town. Even more unique is their tour to a dolphin caye where there are typically three dolphins living and swimming with visitors. If that is not enough excitement, the group is renting bikes to ride to a grotto and where they can walk through some caves in the area.

But as they say, all good things must come to an end. Reef & Rainforest will return to base on Thursday for their last day, including a city tour of San Jose. The other two courses (Summer Semester and Spanish Emphasis) will split from R&R to do a three-day homestay in the beautiful, mountainous town of Volcán. So while they have to say adios to Panama and the memorable activities they did there, the homestays are commonly the students' favorite part of their time with CRROBS.

Panamanian sunning or Costa Rican living? We'll see what the students prefer in the end.

Girl Scouts Make Tamales

Yesterday was the longest these 13-14-year-olds had ever spent cooking, preparing, and waiting for dinner. That's what happens when your meal of choice is the Costa Rican tamale.

We didn't know what time it was (because Outward Bound's policy is that no student wear a watch), but most of the day was devoted to tamale activity:

• Morning (after breakfast): used machetes and knives to cut big, broad leaves from banana trees
• Afternoon, hour #1: boiled meat; cut up banana leaves into long strips; used meat broth to make the corn meal paste; boiled rice; prepared fire to boil leaves in large pot
• Afternoon, hour #2: rolled and tied banana leaves; boiled rolled leaves for one hour
• Afternoon, hour #3: cleaned and cut potatoes, red peppers, carrots, and cilantro
• Before dusk: removed banana leaves from pot, untied them, unrolled them, and dried them; rolled corn meal paste into balls
• Dusk: on criss-crossing banana strips, smushed one ball of corn meal; layed meat, rice, and vegetables on banana leaves; folded leaves corner-to-corner and tied rope around each tamale
• Evening: boiled tamales for two hours
• Night: opened tamales to let cool for fifteen minutes; then eat! Buen provecho!

The girls had a great time interacting with our local Tico neighbors who taught them how to do every step of the process (in Spanish). By the way the girls chowed down on the tamales, we'd have to call it a success.

Groups Are Changin'

18 Julio, 2009

Unfortunately, we said "adios" to over 60 students (15-Day Multi Element, Catching Waves #2, Rainforest River & Reef #1, 15-Day Reef & Rainforest, and 15-Day Surf Intensive) last week. Hopefully they'll remember the time they had here and what they learned. The Facebook Fan Page has albums and videos of their courses. (If they're not posted yet, they will be!) They had a lot of great things to say upon departure last week, such as:

"I found that I am capable of more than I even thought possible and I am thankful to know I am able to do it."

"I had the time of my life, and I'll never forget this place."

In the upcoming weeks, we hope our new groups feel the same way:

15-Day Multi Element (June 17): went waterfall rappelling today, leave for hiking tomorrow in Santa Maria de Dota

Instructors: Shannon and Carlos

15-Day Reef & Rainforest (June 17): left our base yesterday to hike La Danta today and La Flecha tomorrow

Instructors: Diego and Pablo

15-Day Surf Intensive (June 17): left for the beach in Playa Avellanas yesterday

Instructors: Carlos and Zach

Girl Scouts Catching Waves #3: leave for Playa Avellanas tomorrow to begin surf lessons

Instructors: Dunia and Amy

Girl Scouts Rainforest, River & Reef #2: leave for hiking in La Danta tomorrow

Instructors: Mauren, Olivia, Lucia and Yisel

And let's not forget our super students, who have already been in Costa Rica a while with CRROBS! We hear they're having a great time, and they're sad it's coming to an end in the upcoming month:

Summer Semester: already trekked the whole country from Caribbean to Pacific, and now they're in Manuel Antonio to surf; see their update video from when they had a transition day at base last week: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1023384761062&ref=mf

Instructors: Donna and Ormidas

Spanish Emphasis: met up with Summer Semester in Manuel Antonio to surf after four days of white water rafting last week

Instructors: Donna and Ormidas

30-Day Surf Intensive: met up with 15-Day Surf in Playa Avellanas yesterday to begin surfing

Instructors: Carlos and Zach

24-Day Multi Element (A): return from surfing in Manuel Antonio tomorrow

Instructors: Ryan and Santiago

24-Day Multi Element (B): they're busy with local Costa Ricans (aka Ticos) at their homes -possibly milking cows, playing soccer, harvesting sugar cane, cooking and playing in the river; the homestays include: the Lopez's yesterday, Hernan's today and Rancho Tinamu tomorrow

Instructors: Owen and Pablo

Hands-On Spanish

Learning Spanish while zip-lining? Rafting? Surfing? Hiking? Rappelling? Kayaking?

Spanish is getting to be a little more fun to learn.

Costa Rica Outward Bound created a 30-day Spanish Emphasis course after more and more Spanish high school and college classes (and individual Spanish students) signed up for CRROBS courses to be immersed in the language and culture. Tico instructors provide day-to-day conversation and lessons, and students spend quality time with families at the homestays. The next course begins July 23rd, and we are still getting new applicants.

Milandra, a student from last year's Spanish Emphasis course said:

"I felt like a sponge the entire course; soaking up the beauty of the culture and country, learning Spanish and learning about myself. I don't want to go home. I realized how little is required to be happy. Living so simply was eye-opening, and in the end, much more rewarding. It's different from any "camp" you will ever participate in; these are once-in-a-lifetime experiences that will stay with you and contribute to your life."

If you want to read more about the Spanish Emphasis itinerary, costs, and benefits, click here: http://www.crrobs.org/courses/itineraries_summer_spanish_emphasis.html, but keep in mind the next course starts July 23rd.

Veranito de San Juan

St. John's Little Summer

Typically around June 21st (summer solstice) of every year in the Southern Hemisphere, the Veranito de San Juan reaches Costa Rica. But this year it's late, and we are enjoying a break from rain in the middle of July.

Our rainy season (or winter, as locals call it) lasts from May to November. Mornings are sunny, and rain begins in early afternoon. It's also a little warmer.

During a veranito, however, this rainy season takes a break for about two weeks. The temperature gets a little cooler, and the sun is out. Basically, it's the same weather we experience from December to April during the Costa Rican summer.

Luckily for our nine courses now, they are experiencing a lot less rain than usual. Our instructors reported happy, dryer camping trips. Pura vida!