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!

Breaking News, Mae

To keep you in tune with all things "Costa Rica" (if you are experiencing this place through your child, brother, sister or friend); it's important to teach you this word:

mae (pronounced "my") n.: coloquial term for a friend, such as the American "brother", "man", or "dude". Example: "Que pasa, mae?" means "What's happenin, man?"

Now that we have that cleared up, let's move on to the most recent news.

Kendra, the instructor for our 15-Day Multi Element, just came back with her group from rafting in the Pacuare today! They're busy in their dorm showering and cleaning up right now, and they spend their last day tomorrow doing some touring of the city.

Owen's and Pablo's 24-Day Multi Element group had two students at base today who recounted some of the exciting adventures they've experienced since they arrived June 30th. See this video on our YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/croutwardbound.

Kathleen, our Communications Director, just returned from Avellanas beach after spending five days with the Girl Scouts Catching Waves, and she reports a few fun details: the girls loved fishing (and three of the girls caught fish!), they woke up a few days at 4:45am to surf, ALL girls have gone out past the break to surf (a VERY advanced surfing level!), they went running a few times on the beach, and they taught each other to make useful items out of natural beach debris (including tables and lawn chairs). Oh, and Kathleen adds "The girls loved the soccer game against the locals of Santa Cruz. We lost. I won't tell you what the score was." But we finally got it out of her: 8-2. They return to base tomorrow for rafting on Wednesday.

Scott, our Program Assistant, just returned from a few days in Playa Hermosa with the Spanish Emphasis group. He was happy to report PERFECT weather as well as a successful mission to help nest turtle eggs. To further explain this: poachers find them during this time of year and try to sell them, so the purpose of their experience was to rescue these eggs and put them in a secure place where they could mature and hatch safely.

As for the rest of them:

Girl Scouts Rainforest River and Reef #1 (with Shannon) is coming back to base today! They will get to raft tomorrow, then do a city tour on Wednesday. The Girl Scouts Rainforest River and Reef #2 course (with Olivia) are surfing in Manuel Antonio on the southern Pacific coast. Summer Semester is hiking, hiking, and hiking. They went from Valle Escondido on Saturday to Ante Cuesta yesterday to La Cruz today. Lastly, our Surf Intensive courses are surfing in picturesque Tulin right where the River Tulin empties into the ocean. Ryan and Santiago have led our other 24-Day Multi Element to the Lopez's (Santiago's family!) in Piedras Blancas, a remote village that takes at least two hours by foot to reach from the closest town.

Voted the Happiest Place

Recently, The New Economics Foundation (an independent British research team) did a study of 143 nations on this planet (comprising 99% of the world's population) to find just what populations are the most content.

The winner?

HINT: This country won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for trying to help end civil wars in several Central American countries.

HINT: This country has the highest life satisfaction.

HINT: This country has the 2nd highest average life expectancy (behind Candada).

HINT: This country produces 82% of its electricity through hydropower (water-generated).


(drumroll, please...)


Costa Rica.


Most tourists come down here to relax on beautiful beaches, or test their nerves in an outdoor adventure, or take a picture of an exotic animal. For CRROBS students, they come here to do these things as WELL as improve themselves (their minds, leadership, and whole self). But most people do not think: "I'm going to Costa Rica to learn contentment from the local families."

What part of course do students report to have liked most while on course? What's the activity students most want to spend additional time doing? Homestays. Homestays. Homestays.

It is at the homestays where students see how happy a simple life can be. To quote one of our Service Challenge students, Becky Balk:


"I learned that life is so much more than just material things, and how truly insignificant things that I consider necessary are to my life"


To read more about the Happy Planet Index, see:
-CNN's article: "Costa Rica tops list of 'happiest' nations"
-NEF's official study: The Happy Planet Index
-La Nacion's article (San Jose, Costa Rica newspaper): "Costa Rica es el país más feliz del mundo" (Costa Rica is the happiest country in the world"