I have always looked up to my Uncle John. I think, in a way, this is something I have in common with all of my older siblings–all four of us went on outdoor education courses as young teens (three of four on the same exact NOLS course that my......Read More
Halloween has always been one of the most important days of the year for me. My family takes pride in being the best decorated house on the block. We would spent a weekend dutifully spreading out fake spiderwebs across out bushes and scattering......Read More
There are very few things that I know feel right for me. The first time I went in the water, I knew it was right for me. When I really, seriously like a boy, I know it’s right. When I first toured Bates (the college I´ll be attending next......Read More
As I huffed and puffed up the 5,000 meter pass, I whispered a phrase to myself over and over again: a person can stand anything for just about 10 seconds. If you’re familiar with this slogan and it’s origin, I praise you. If you’re......Read More
first of all sorry for not using capitalization but my keyboard is sticky and the shift button doesnt work very well (i think a lot of dragons students will identify themselves with this, its a miracle if you find a keyboard where you don’t......Read More
Hola Everyone. We have just arrived in Tiquipaya. We finished spending 5 days in the Cordiera Royale. In the Cordiera we spent a lot of time in nature and I think that as a group it brought us much closer. I am really excited for my homestay and ISP......Read More
Greetings from the other side of many mountain passes in the Andes. The group has returned rejuvenated and proud from our most recent trek in the Cordillera Real. We cooked for each other, had great trail conversations and were generally in awe of......Read More
Dear friends and families, We just set off from Teatro Trono for the Cordillera Real for a 5 day trek. The students are well and excited as are the instructors. Our friend Ivan and guide Percy will make an offering ceremony to Pachamama and the Apus......Read More
The last time I sat down to write was our last day in the jungle. I woke up to the sounds of birds and to the howler monkeys in the distance. The heat of the day and the humid air, even though it was 6am, was already starting to make my clothes......Read More
Dear family and friends, Our mid course came at a natural transition as we moved from Perú to Bolivia. We took our time to transition mixing group facilitation, processing and play in Cusco. We left Perú on an almost full moon view from the......Read More
Hola a todos desde Cuzco, Peru! After a 10 hour bus ride from Puerto Maldonado, we are now enjoying our last 2 days in Peru. For the last week we lived in the outdoors all day and all night. Our sleeping area consisted of a roof and no walls! We......Read More
I’ve spent the past week in the amazon. along with catching and monitoring tropical birds, finding a poisonous spider on my backpack strap, showering in the dark knowing a turanchala was somewhere in my stall, and getting eaten alive by bugs......Read More
I live in the Netherlands, a country with 17 million inhabitants all cramped up together in a place the size of Connecticut. I saw a falling star for the first time on this trip because I am not used to darkness. I ate a fruit I just got from a tree......Read More
Waking up at 5:30 in the morning, we pull on our rubber boots and prepare to help Chris with his mammal population density research. We walk through primary forest, searching for animals along the side of the trail. Chris points out a few tamarind......Read More
Sitting in the boat the sound of a roaring chainsaw suddenly struck the air. Probably off property our Fauna Forever guide Chris exclaimed. He was talking about Boca Pariamanu property. Where they sustainably cut trees down. But this was off......Read More
I leave the jungle tired. The steady strickle of sweat down my face now an old friend. The various chirps and squacks of the many winged creatures taking refuge among the overgrown and intertwining trees, many of which surpass us in age and in......Read More