We have some new faces around base! Join us in welcoming Natalia Kiousi-Adami, our Enrollment & Outreach Manager, and Kyleigh McGrail, Media & Marketing Manager to the OBCR Communications office.
Natalia was born and raised on a beautiful Greek island and made her move to the U.K. at 13 to pursue her studies. She holds a BA in International Business and an MA in International Sustainable Development. Her choice of degrees stemmed from her desire to expand her intercultural understanding of the world, as well as the intersection between international development and ecological issues such as climate change.
Natalia’s passion for adventure, the natural environment and the sustainable development of our people and planet led her to various volunteering and study abroad engagements across Latin America, Europe and Asia. Over the years, she learned that immersing herself in community-centric, ecologically balanced and culturally sensitive experiences that pushed her out of her comfort zone were pivotal in her personal development.
Outward Bound Costa Rica encapsulates just that. It welcomes people from all walks of life who take part in transformative experiences that leave them with a new sense of self and the world around them.
“The amazing thing about my work is that I am able to join groups on specific phases of their program – an opportunity to immerse myself in new cultural experiences, learn new skills and embrace what Outward Bound is really all about,” said Natalia. “I recently joined the Outdoor Leader Semester and Coast to Coast groups on their adventures surfing the pacific coast of Costa Rica and scuba diving the tropical waters of Panama. There is truly something magical about waking up in a tent right by the ocean and starting the day with some group yoga and meditation accompanied by breakfast prepared by the ‘cocineros’ (the assigned cooks for the day) of the group. You really begin to feel part of a family.”
The fun and adventure doesn’t stop there. “Being able to join OBCR adventures is one aspect of the beauty of my work and life here in Costa Rica, but the other is hidden in the early morning rises, having the rainforest and magnificent waterfalls on my doorstep and being surrounded by pure and wholesome people,” Natalia expressed with gratitude.
“Making the move across the other side of the world was one of the best decisions I ever made and it was made all the better by the amazing people and animals I have had the pleasure of meeting here. If you’re thinking about trying something new, something outside of your comfort zone, something that you know deep down will bring you joy, then take that leap of faith and do it!”
To quote Kurt Hahn, founder of Outward Bound, “There exists within everyone a grand passion, an outlandish thirst for adventure, a desire to live boldly and vividly through the journey of life.”
Kyleigh first fell in love with Costa Rica and OBCR’s mission on a Girl Scout Sea Turtle Conservation and Service Destination in 2013 – so much so that she returned as the PR, Media and Logistics Intern in 2019.
Prior to making her way back to OBCR for good in 2022, she completed her undergraduate degree at Auburn University in the U.S. and spent two years at a Colorado-based public relations and content marketing agency working with clients across the health and wellness, nonprofit, education, consumer and financial services sectors.
Kyleigh believes experiential learning that connects us to our natural world is an integral part of continuous personal development, intercultural understanding and a holistic sense of community. She sees her role as marketing OBCR and its programs internationally as a way to encourage others to stretch beyond their comfort zones. Kyleigh is also a Girl Scout Gold Award recipient and Lifetime Member and enjoys the full-circle feeling of seeing Girl Scouts get as much out of their Destinations trips as she did.
She recently spent a week hiking with one of our custom groups, Colegio Europeo, a local International Baccalaureate school in Heredia, Costa Rica. The group hiked from Santa Maria Dota through Ranchos Tinamú to Londres before spending the weekend in Manuel Antonio.
“It has been almost a decade since I participated in my first Outward Bound Costa Rica course, so I was grateful to be back out in the field and be reminded of the magic of our mission,” said Kyleigh.
“I knew our programs to be unique, but on my first hiking course, I experienced what it is to carry everything you need for the week on your back, watch students overcome challenges and deepen relationships, and strip away external distractions to focus solely on the meditative nature of the trek. I got to see our educational model in action, which was especially impactful during reflection times like nightly meetings in which we shared ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ of the day and held ‘open space’ to discuss group dynamics and individual thoughts and emotions.
And it’s not every day you have the privilege of staying in one of the OBCR instructors’ homes, meeting his family, seeing where he grew up going to school and learning about how tourism groups like ours help support his larger community. It’s also not every day you get to hike through muddy tunnels and eat bean-in-a-bag burritos in the pouring rain with 26 students – and while that might not be your idea of fun, it’s mine. And it’s why I believe in Outward Bound and love it.”
Questions for Natalia or Kyleigh? Find them at [email protected] and [email protected], or give our office a call at +1 (800) 676-2018.