Outward Bound Costa Rica

This trip was better than I expected it to be. I did not really know what to expect but it better than I could have ever imagined!!!! It was life changing! The staff is very nice and made it great! I feel like we all became close friends. I think we will stay in touch with each other for many years to come. The staff was excellent and very knowledgeable in all aspects of the trip, from the actual activities to group relationships. I felt I was challenged in many ways. It helped me grow as a person in many areas and ways. I highly recommend this trip and would love to do it again! I would highly recommend this to other kids. I would like to do it all over again! I thought the length of the trip was just right! I wasn’t ready to leave but had to!

I think the camp was really cool, I got to meet new friends and I really enjoyed it. I also got better at surfing and the trip was just a really cool experience. It not only improved my surfing, but also helped me open up more and talk to new people. I think everyone would enjoy a trip like this. I just recommend preparing physically to deal with rough currents in the water while ok surfing, since it can really wear you out, trying to go against the current. All the instructors in the trip were really encouraging and knew what they were doing, which made me feel good. They were also cool to be around. They really helped me out in the water, making me more comfortable with the big waves. They were also responsible, and all of this made me feel comfortable. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone.

Even though we had to change the itinerary because of strikes, my instructors made the most of it. They made bad situations into a great time. For example, we still were able to do everything we were meant to do, like helping sea turtles and painting the classroom in Talamonca and more that no other group has experienced, like feeding baby sheep and holding them. My group was the first group to be able to do some extra tourism, and it was so cool. Plus, the incidents and tourism activities helped create a stronger bond with all of the girls and boys. I will forever be grateful for my experience at OBCR and for my instructors, and course mates. The bonds I have created with them will last forever, and I will stay connected with them for the rest of my life.

I went to the Costa Rica Outward Bound. I absolutely loved everything about this trip, the girls, the staff, and the sights. I learned about the culture and the people and of course some Spanish. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and i’m glad I took it. If I didn’t I wouldn’t have gotten so much out of it. It has changed me in so many ways, I took more risks than i’m used to, I didn’t think so small of those living in another country. Being there taught me to “live in the moment” rather than worrying about what is to come. The girls I was with I truly bonded with them, they taught me to be myself and love who I am. The staff are amazing as well, caring, funny, and teach us about everything around us. I enjoyed every bit of it, from the sunburns to the zip lining. Every little thing was enjoyable.

Cacique [kəˈsēk]: a native chief or local political boss.
I will never forget waking up that morning in a sweat, knowing everyone was going to depend on me. The day my outlook on life changed forever. The day I was cacique.
There were fifteen roles for each of the fifteen girls on the trip to Latin America with me, varying from a cleaner to cacique. Cacique was the job every girl dreaded. Each of the fifteen girls had to be on task and punctual at all times, and if they were not, cacique was to blame. Cacique made the decisions for the whole group, and by the end of day, was the one girl everyone was sick and tired of.
I used to think of myself as the opposite of a leader. I believed I had good ideas, but I always kept them to myself to avoid any external conflict or confrontation. Being cacique for a day forced me to step out of my shell and make decisions for not only myself, but for girls that I cared for like family.
Although I had dreaded being cacique for days, once I asserted myself, my confidence grew. I voiced my once silent opinions and genuinely made a difference in the efficiency of our group. I realized that being a leader is not about silencing others, but rather representing them and being a role model for peers.