Measuring a Memory

How do you measure an experience and how it affects you in the moment or how it will affect you in the future? Does a trip like this steer you in one direction or another? Will the people you encounter be there in the future? How did you affect your foreign environment during that short time?

I’ve witnessed some amazing connections during our journey. Connections between students from different parts of the US. Connections between teachers from different backgrounds. Connections between guides and operators, foreigners and a new environment, preconceived notions and reality, between fears and victories, behaviors and consequences, connections between the present and the yet to be decided futures of a group of great students, great travelers, and new friends.

The premonition is that a few if not all will look back on this trip from their cubicle, or college dorm room, or while in a bar somewhere in the world ten years down the road and think about the time they had when they were 13 yrs old in Costa Rica without Mom and Dad for the first time. I know for a fact that I wouldn’t be here today if not for my early travel experiences, thanks dad. It all affects us in different ways. Some may never travel outside the US again, my guess is with a shiny new passport and first flights underneath their belts, the travel bug will get more and more contagious.

The people (Ticos) here are so warm and convincingly content, true peace seeps from their eyes. Our guide, and driver, and everyone in the Eco-tourism business that has facilitated our stay have been a true delight to be around. Costa Ricans care deeply for their country and love sharing it.

Here we are, dropping down out of the mountains into San Jose on a rainy and wet tropical Wednesday. One more full day of fun to go before we fly out, the kids can’t believe it’s almost over, they are really getting to know each other now, sharing things from the past and making new memories together. Tomorrow, we take outrigger kayaks into the pacific and play in the ocean for the first time this trip, then say our goodbyes at dinner and head for the airport Friday morning. It will be bittersweet, it always is. I miss my garden, my cat, my friends back in beautiful, sunny Portland but for now I’m trying to savor la Pura Vida.

A memory is as immeasurable as frienship or love, it simply exists. How will this trip affect the students in the future? The beauty is in the unknown.

El Rio da y el río quita

Mr. Sinner here…boy what a jam packed trip! We’ve traveled through 4 provinces, crossed countless rivers and canyons, white water rafted one of the most scenic rivers in the world, released endangered leatherback turtles into the ocean, seen three species of wild monkeys, fed and learned about rehabilitated exotic creatures, zip lined, hot springed, got an education and ate lunch on a sustainable farm and stayed in places from rustic, spider inhabited cabins to Westin Hotels styled bungalows in the shadow of Arenal volcanoe!

Tomorrow we trek through the jungle to a site where we will repell down waterfalls and challenge our canyoning skills! And now, for the reason behind the title. After arriving exhausted to San Jose, the next morning we were on the Pecuare river on a 24 km stretch known for its remoteness and natural beauty. I was set with my new GoPro 3 strapped to my helmet capturing some awesome moments with the students in our paddle raft led by our guide Ya Ya. We made it with precision through some 2’s and 3’s before coming to a stretch of narrow elevation drop and a rapid known as Rodeo. We were part of a nine raft caravan which at times got very bumper to bumper. We attacked rodeo like it was our umpteenth time and rallied through a few more big waves before clapping our paddles together yelling, “Pura vida!” We came to a couple calm pools and I dipped my helmet back into the water. When I came up, I thought…what a cool shot it would be to record the back bend into the water! So, of course, I press record and dunk back again, this time with a bit more force….not even thinking, I come up and one of my students says,”Mr.Sinner! Your camera! Two seconds later it’s gone, sunk like a rock to the bottom. Out of sight, out of my grasp forever. I shrugged it off and said to my students, masking the pain inside, we will have to just make memories in our minds from now on. I was still in shock. But it did make me think about our possessions and what really matters in life.

The lead guide who was on the raft in front of us said it perfectly, “sorry man, but, el rio da y el rio quita”. The river gives and the river takes.