Well, we finally did it. When Scott returned from a seven-day cat-and-mouse journey in Panama last week, we knew it meant one thing: the new van finally arrived.He summarized his cultural experience: “Nowhere are the differences between Central America and North America more evident than in the navigation of law, bureaucracy and borders.” In short: it wasn’t easy.To acquire such a beautiful […]
One of the many great parts of traveling abroad is checking out new currency, and Costa Rican money is no disappointment. With volcanoes, sharks, and jaguars and vibrant colors, the bills are full of Costa Rica´s natural wonders. (Read below for our Outward Bound Costa Rica recommendations and rules for bringing money on course.*) Costa […]
It’s been said that knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice. When it comes to putting knowledge of wilderness survival into practice, few do it better than Les Stroud. Stroud was the host of the popular Discovery Channel program, Survivorman, and is also a filmmaker, outdoor adventurer, singer/songwriter and author. And […]
They have finally arrived. And by “finally,” we mean six months of discussions, office meetings, visits by Carlos Vargas (our spirited and devoted Tico t-shirt distributor), visits to the fabric factories, and long-distance communication with Kat Lusher (the designer) in San Francisco, California. Yes, it’s been a long time since the day Debbie, our Marketing […]
“A very fun, challenging, educational and exciting adventure.” This seemed to be a running theme among the nine students and one chaperone attending their annual Senior Class trip to Costa Rica this June. Luckily, this is the response we hoped they would have given the Journeys curriculum requirement as part of their Teton Science Schools […]
University of Alabama students wouldn’t have guessed any of their days to end to the tune of “Yankee Doodle” when they came here in May as part of their Alabama Action Abroad program. But before bed one evening, as the nightly meeting was coming to an end, the Cacique cued AJ Collins, the Hanashita, to […]
With a name like Stevie Peacock, making a name for yourself is bound to happen. So what does it mean to “make a name for oneself?” Does it mean being a member of the Sarasota Crew Team for two years? Does it mean traveling to France for one of two summers in which she did […]
The next time you are on the beaches of Costa Rica and are astounded by the fashion sense of a group of surfers in their light and dark blue matching rash guards, you might be surprised to know it’s a pack of Outward Bound Costa Rica surf students. That’s right – we have our very […]
University of Alabama returned to us for the second time this school year (see this newsletter article about the service project they completed last December); this time, with Alabama Action Abroad. This group of honors student spent a semester studying global poverty and service, and ended their course with a service trip to Costa Rica […]
When we partnered with Outward Bound USA this year to create a semester course that was partially in the Florida Keys and two-thirds in Costa Rica, we had no idea what an unforgettable – and unique – experience it would be for both the students and the instructors. Among them were yours truly, Orlando Zamora […]
Discovery Kids‘ 2001 series of “Outward Bound” took place on one of our very own Outward Bound Costa Rica Multi-Element courses when nine students came to challenge themselves. Well, that, and to become famous. Zorro, Fuego, Luna, Sol, Estrella, Ave, Chancho, Tiger, and Sloth (as they all nicknamed themselves) spent seven days here, rafting the […]
“I love the feeling of soaring through the air.” -2010 student For some, it’s exhilarating. For others, it’s their worst fear. Both of these types of people would agree: it’s the best way to see the upper canopies of the rainforest. It’s zip-lining. Regardless of how you feel ascending that mountain, gear in hand, […]
Most of you have alumni done this hike into the remote village of Piedras Blancas. You remember it, right? The one up into the upper canopies where you camped, then down to Orlando’s homestay, then the Lopez’s homestay (where you inevitably milked a cow or squeezed some sugar cane), then up to Rancho Tinamu singing […]
It’s hard to believe that a Outward Bound Costa Rica course is the first time some students have ever cleaned, cooked, or led a group. But it’s true. Students who come on course have at least one role per day, and these are rotated to different students each day. In some cases, with smaller groups, […]
Keys? Check.Money? Check.Survival kit? Hmmmm… “It’s not overkill to keep a survival kit in your house or your car.”–Les Stroud, SurvivormanAs we prepare for the upcoming “Jungle Survival” course running for 24 days this July, we have found some very helpful and interesting survival techniques not strictly meant for the middle of the rainforest. The […]