Leadership Sesmester Costa Rica Outward Bound.

This is something my wife put together. I hope it is to your liking. It is a compliation of clips from our Outward Bound leadership semester.

Costa Rica Outward Bound Reaches Out To Boy Scouts

While working for CRROBS some of the things we’ve been involved with are reaching out to Boy Scouts. Thus far this is the letter that we sent out to over 300 (One at a time, and made personal) Council leaders.

I hope you like it, and feedback is appreciated.

Dear Boy Scout Leader:

My name is David Roberts, and I am the Marketing and Communications Director for Costa Rica Rainforest Outward Bound School (CRROBS). As an Eagle Scout (1995, Troop 45, Gamehaven Council), I look back fondly upon the memories made while climbing through the ranks to Eagle. Presently, the values and character instilled from Scouting help me make better life decisions today.

While a Scout, outings were part of what made the whole experience worthwhile. Shared adventures bonded us together not just as a troop, but as life long friends. It is my belief that Scouts and Troops from your council would benefit from having an adventure with CRROBS. We offer open enrollment courses for individuals as well as custom courses, where as a troop you can create your own personalized itinerary. In addition, for every 8 scouts a chaperone comes free!

A few ways to explore the spectacular beauty of Costa Rica with CRROBS:
• Hike through Rainforests and Cloud Forests
• Surf world famous breaks
• Whitewater Raft Class III rapids
• Kayak in rivers and two oceans
• Scuba Dive
• Snorkel
• Rappel down exciting waterfalls
• Learn about Costa Rican culture by staying with local families

Please visit our website at www.crrobs.org for more information. In addition be sure to watch some of our clips featuring our activities online

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLoClfNepHs

Cheers,
David Roberts
Marketing and Communications Director
Costa Rica Outward Bound
www.crrobs.org
david@crrobs.org
1-800-676-2018

Tri-Country Semester 2007

Costa Rica

Rushing to SJO International

It was early in the morning. Liliya and I had been sleeping in the student dormitory which was connected to the cafeteria, until we moved into our new house. Typically, due to the sun rising and the birds chirping I’m awake right around 6:00 A.M, though sometimes when groups are arriving and departing at late and early hours I’m up even earlier. Stepping outside the door at quarter to seven, and I was greeted by one our Water and Wave Semester students.

Water and Wave had officially ended their course the night before. Often times when people finish their course with us they spend the night in a hostel, and stick around Costa Rica to see some more sights. Other times they stay one last night with us, followed by a drop off in the airport.

This case was a little different; a group of students were going bungee jumping right after the course ended. I had made an exception seeing as it was a group activity to allow her to come back onto base for the night after her course ended. This young woman had a flight very early in the morning. Unfortunately she hadn’t gotten back in time after bungee jumping the night before to make any arrangements for getting to the airport. Our drivers were not expecting to have to take her.

After discovering that her flight was at 9:00 AM and it was not almost 7:00 AM, I called our Program Director Cristian Lopez from my office, who then called Mauricio, one of our logistics specialists. At 7:15 we had her stuff loaded in the back of one of the CRROBS vans and were quickly driving up the hill, towards SJO airport. This was a pretty iffy thing to do, and was really skeptical as to if it would work. Typically you need to be at the airport at least two hours before departure, especially when traveling internationally, and we were embarking straight into bumper to bumper traffic.

The traffic in San Jose is terrible. I’ve been thinking they need to create a large loop like they have in major US cities. As it is right now, a driver going from point A to point B has to cut straight through heavy traffic to get there. What sort of affect a loop in San Jose would have on the ecology, commerce, etc… I can’t say for sure exactly, however I would appreciate a shorter drive to SJO.

After an hour of teeth grinding traffic, and skillful maneuvering on Mauricio’s part, we arrived at San Jose International Airport with 45 minutes to spare. After getting her unloaded, I found that I had to have my passport at the gate to acquire entrance, since I did not; I wished her good luck, and happy travels. As far as I know she is the only person who I am acquainted with, to ever make an international flight with less then an hour to spare.

Cross posted at Travel blogs.

SCUBA in Panama

Some Costa Rica Outward Bound students underwater in Panama. One of our leadership students was filming.