Essay from Tri-Country Semester 2009 Graduate: Era Keys

Era Keys participated in the Fall 2009, Costa Rica Outward Bound Tri-Country Semester Course and she has shared her experience with us below.

A Peace of Mind:

A Self-Journey Through the Rainforests of Costa Rica

By Era Keys

Every trial and tribulation that I experienced in each phase; hiking phase, surfing phase, river phase, and scuba diving phase, all brought a clarity and understanding to my life. The family I found and friends I made will shape my life from here on. Although I may never see the wonderful people I met in the small villages and towns in those three countries again, their soul and imprint they made into my life will live on. I am truly gratefully for the people who allowed me to grow into who I am today. Their help, advice and encouraging words pushed me further and higher than ever before.

With each passing phase I grew into the person I wanted to be and left behind the person I had become.  My mind expanded, and I became a more open and positive person.  I had broken free from that dark cell in my life.  After coming home several people looked at me and seemed baffled.  Upon asking for the reason behind this bewildering stare they replied, “You seem at such peace.”  As it seems I had found the one thing I had been searching for in the depths of the jungle: peace with my future and myself.

Costa Rica Outward is not just for kids!

Costa Rica Outward Bound is often associated with university students, the Girl Scouts, and adventurous youth groups and young travelers; however, unlike Trix™, we are not just for kids! We have several adrenaline-charged; make-your-friends-insanely-jealous; economical adult courses which range from an Adult Surf Getaway to venues for a new career in outdoor adventure sports and exploration, such as through our Tri-Country Semester Course.

Why not extend your Labor Day weekend (spending September 5 through September 12th) into surfing daily and camping out by the unspoiled beaches of Costa Rica? How about eating the fish you catch and then, throw in a little white water rafting? You even participate in a local community service project! The Adult Surf Getaway is an 8-day adventure for adults 21 and over. For more details visit our website at http://www.costaricaoutwardbound.org/courses/adult/itinerary_adult_15surf.html

Or have you ever fantasized about being an outdoor adventure sports guide, or follow some kind of career in outdoor adventure, eco-tourism or something similar? Well, for a taste of this kind of life and profession, as well as some practical, certifiable skills--sign up for either the Tri-Country Semester Course or the Water and Wave Semester Course, both starting in September 2010.

Aside from kayaking, white water rafting, surfing, jungle trekking, camping out in the jungle, SCUBA, zip-wire flying and experiential learning—you can earn your NAUI Scuba Certification; get First Aid and CPR Training; Whitewater Training and Swift Water Rescue Training; and there is a potential to earn college course credits in Coastal Ecology, Spanish, Natural History of Costa Rica, and Group Leadership.

Both courses are for ages 17 and over, and take you through Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama.


**BIG COURSE DISCOUNT:  If you happen to register for either the Tri-Country Semester Course or the Water and Wave Semester Course before August 6, 2010—you get $500 off !!! Yes, a $500 discount for all!

For more information about all of these courses, please visit: http://costaricaoutwardbound.org/courses/itineraries_base.html

And do not hesitate to contact enrollment@crrobs.org if you have any additional questions!

Student David Gonzalez speaks frankly about his 24 Day Multi-Element Experience

Just this morning, the entire 24 Day Multi-Element Course left us. It is always a tear-jerker: both among the Costa Rica Outward Bound staff and the students, themselves. This group was an especially gregarious group of Americans, Canadians, Spanish, and English students. They started their 3-week adventure on June 30 and after jungle trekking; white water rafting; surfing; a home-stay with a local family; and a canopy tour (among other fun and challenging activities); they just completed their course today-- full of unforgettable memories and still a little muddy.

We caught one of the students, David Gonzalez, just before he left Base, to return to his home in Spain. In these videos below, David speaks in both Spanish and English (so this will be good practice for all you who have been learning Spanish on course!) Basically, we asked him about his favorite parts of his course; the most challenging parts; and what this course meant to him—what did he learn? Here, listen to what he had to say…

Oscar nominations for our Girl Scouts Underwater Explorers II, 2010?!!

When most people think of COSTA RICA OUTWARD BOUND, they think of surfing; waterfall rappelling; trekking volcanoes; sea kayaking; camping in the jungle; sailing; white water rafting; SCUBA diving; zip-wire flying; and other outdoor adventure sports. But what few may not know is that two core values of COSTA RICA OUTWARD BOUND are community service and intercultural exchange.

At the beginning of this month, from July 3 to July 15, the Girl Scouts Underwater Explorers II (2010), lead by professional and super-fun CRROBS instructors Donna White, Lisa Purul and Carola Coto Mora, took a boat out to our remote base camp on Isla Solarte, located in the Bocas del Toro archipelago, of Panama. When the girls weren’t “playing” in the water, they were playing with the local indigenous children and helping around the community.

Their first service project task was to drain and clean out all the rain-water run-off silt and muck from the local “ojo de agua” (water supply reservoir.) This enabled the entire community access to cleaner water. The second part of their service project was to script, direct and perform educational skits around local issues such as nutrition, cleaning up beaches and roads, as well as how to prepare food more safely for local school children.

The Girl Scouts emphasized the importance of a well-balanced diet and distributed rice and lentils to local school children, instead of their typical “rice and plantains” –because of the high protein levels in lentils. The Girl Scouts also inspired most of the local community to come out early one Saturday morning and do a clean-up of beaches and roads around the island. And lastly, the Girl Scouts introduced a new kind of stove which is cleaner and safer both for the environment and the families using the stove!

Check out the videos below of the skits that the Girl Scouts Underwater Explorers II (2010) scripted, directed and performed themselves…do I smell an Oscar?!!!

We are so proud of all of these girls!!

Skit 1:


Skit 2:


Skit 3:


Skit 4:

Medical stuff: Questions about vaccines and malaria

The two most common medical queries we get at Costa Rica Outward Bound:

1. “Do I need any vaccinations?”
2. “Is malaria a problem?  Do I need to get anti-malarial drugs?”

1. Do I need any vaccinations?

Costa Rica Outward Bound only requires that all students have their diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine.     

However, Costa Rica Outward Bound suggests you schedule a visit with your doctor or local travel medicine clinic, ideally, 4 to 6 weeks before your trip, because your health-care provider will determine what you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, as well as the areas of the country you will be visiting.  You might still benefit from shots or medications and other information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.

2. “Is malaria a problem?  Do I need to get anti-malarial drugs?”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there have been some reported incidences of malaria in the mostly rural, and some coastal, areas of Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.  To date, no one on a CRROBS course (including Field and Base staff) has ever experienced a bout of malaria.

However, Costa Rica Outward Bound suggests you schedule a visit with your doctor, or preferably, a local travel medicine clinic, ideally, 4 to 6 weeks before your trip, because should you decide to take medicine to prevent malaria, you need to allow time for the medicine to take effect.

Other effective ways to prevent malaria include the following:

• Using insect repellent and wearing long pants and sleeves to prevent mosquito bites
• Sleeping in well-screened rooms, or using mosquito-nets

Again, a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine will be able to determine what is best for you, depending on factors such as your health, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities.