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Author: Ruby Rodríguez

Notes from a Peruvian Master of Experiential Education

por Carol Bosch – Caceres Bird from Chattanooga TN

What would be your earliest memories in the outdoors with a connection to Nature?

Growing up in an urban area (Tampa) in the 70’s my outdoor experiences were limited to nearby beach trips until my family bought some farm land. I loved exploring and running around while my parents worked on the barn and house. There was a river near my home that I adored and still do to this day. I spent a lot of time there too. Just enjoying the scenery and peace. However, my parents were not into the outdoors. No camping or hiking, EVER! My dad was adventurous in his own way though. We once drove from Lima all the way to Cusco on a trip back to my home country of Peru. It was an amazing experience and the things I saw driving through the Andes opened my eyes to a larger world that I knew I wanted to explore.

He also took us to the Smokey’s after I begged him for a real camping trip. We rented an RV and stayed for several days in a campsite near the park. I was hooked after that. That is when I first saw the city of Chattanooga (on the way to the Nat’l Park from Fl) at the age of 13 and decided I would one day live there. My husband and I ended up doing just that. Didn’t know a soul here but moved here in ‘92 with our first baby and a small carload of stuff. It was a great decision. This area is incredible for outdoor opportunities of all kinds.

What makes the outdoors special to you?

It is where I find peace and feel rejuvenated. It fulfills some of my wanderlust and sense of curiosity. You can take the same hike a dozen times and its always different. It just feel right to walk through different terrain and just be. Its been a huge part of my life and something I have passed on to my three boys. Almost all of our family outings and vacations included hiking or paddling of some kind. They are grown now but I see it has impacted them and encouraged them to live a healthy and adventurous life. Our oldest and his wife climbed Half Dome a couple years ago. I honestly don’t love hearing about it because it alarms me, but I’m also so glad they did. Our twins (age 19) hike and paddle still, with us and on their own. One of them hiked and video documented all the trails on Signal Mountain, where we live, for his senior project in high school.

I paddle a lot with my cousin Carmen who has found a love for the outdoors as well. My friend Jaime and I also hike and paddle together. As a fellow Latina (Cubana), she shares a desire to promote diversity in the outdoors and we have an Instagram page called Senderos Unidos where we post some of our favorite experiences. The outdoors is something that for years was considered a place for men to bond. But it’s absolutely for women too. We feel rejuvenated, clarity of mind and a sense of freedom from so many obligations and worries there.

” It was the first time I had met other women like myself who enjoyed the many of the things that I did”.

Carol Bosch

What is your favorite outdoor outing to date?

Over the years I’ve hiked and paddled in Florida, here in TN, N GA, AZ, CO, MN and abroad in Peru and Ireland.  The most perfect, single day was at Great Sand Dunes Nat’l Monument, hiking, sand boarding and enjoying the incredible uniqueness of the area. It was a perfect, clear day…the kind that stands out in ones memory for a lifetime.

But I think the most significant hikes in my life were in S.E. Alaska. I met my husband of 26 years while working in Glacier Bay. We hiked and paddled all over that summer! Experienced wolves running past our tent one night saw bear tracks as big as a dinner plate. It was untouched wilderness with no cell phones (early 90’s) and like nothing I had experienced before.

The lodge we worked at had a boat for tourists to tour the glaciers and we were allowed to hop on for free with our gear and kayaks. They’d go a few hours up-bay from the lodge and drop us off on one of the islands. We had to be at the same exact place 2-3 days later for pickup. This was next level hiking and camping! Memorable and transforming. We also made some great friends there and the connections were strengthened by these shared experiences outdoors.  It was the first time I had met other women like myself who enjoyed the many of the things that I did. They had some of the same wanderlust and desire to be outside. They taught me a lot and inspired me to seek my way apart from what I had known in Fl , in urban Tampa.

However, my home state has become increasingly important to me. It has changed a lot since those days. Fl is a true wonder (much more than just the malls, theme parks and the stuff of Fl Man news headlines!) and I’m fortunate to still visit often I love paddling the springs and hiking through the Everglades. It’s a different world. As I get older I get more nostalgic and maybe that’s part of it, but the sun, the sounds, the wildlife, and the uniqueness of it all come together for me in a way that is hard to explain. A full – circle feeling I guess.

What is on your outdoor bucket list?

My outdoor bucket list includes the Inca Trail in 2020. More of Ireland and Yosemite. I’m also planning to paddle the 190 mile Calusa Blue Way and hoping to get my cousin or Jaime to join me.

In a nutshell…

I’m passionate about the outdoors and it has been a huge part of my life since I was in my very early 20’s.  I was never encouraged as a child to be adventurous. Never allowed to venture to far into the woods or on a trail. My family was busy establishing themselves in a new country. Maybe that was part of it. It just wasn’t part of their culture and experience. But, as an immigrant child, you weave between two cultures. I was lucky that I was able to find my way and seek out opportunities that allowed me to enjoy the experiences I have had.  Now, as an adult, a mom and a teacher, I want others of all backgrounds to be exposed to the beauty of the outdoors and know that it is for all of us, regardless of how or where you grew up. I have students that have never seem some of our area parks, much less hiked any of the trails. I really want to see stereotypes broken and I love to create new relationships through a shared love for hiking, paddling, climbing and camping.

I try to use my educational background to bring real experiences to my students and connect them to their communities and our natural resources.

Fun and Learning Outdoors with PLUM LANDING and LO

por Brianne Keith and Luis Villa

Latino Outdoors and PLUM LANDING, a PBS KIDS digital environmental science project produced by educational media producer WGBH in Boston, have been longtime partners in the outdoor movement.

From the get-go, Latino Outdoors and PLUM have found many ways to “cross-pollinate” over their shared missions to get kids and adults outdoors, connected to their environment, and to foster an inclusive identity around the outdoor movement. Both organizations recognize that the outdoors provide learning opportunities that are difficult to replicate inside of four walls.

This is why when PLUM was looking for hosts for a new set of videos on exploring the outdoors, PLUM went right to Latino Outdoors’ founder, José González. Jose hosts four fun videos that show parents how to find nature in their neighborhood, how to make the most of their time outside with their kids (and make it a science learning experience, too!), and get inspired to get outside. Building on Jose’s seasoned experience, these videos show how exploring the outdoors is easy; it’s beneficial to your whole health—mind and body—and can bring the family together.

PLUM LANDING is unique in that it is one of the only places online where kids can explore and share ideas about the environment, and find inspiration to go outdoors. The site is chock-full of resources—from videos, activities, games, Apps, online drawing tools, badging missions and more—with the goal of getting kids 6 to 9-years-old and their families excited about the environment, along with making time outside a fun learning experience.  Recently, kids at Fuente Nueva Charter School (a Spanish immersion school in Arcata, CA) had an opportunity for fun and learning outdoors. Together with a team from Latino Outdoors, the kids used PLUM’s educational toolkit “Wild Wind” to learn about wind speed, direction, and some of the ways humans can affect it.

For more, visit pbskids.org/plumlanding.

Just Your Average Latina – Pt II

por Kaitlyn Medina

In February ’19, we met Kaitlyn Medina, an outdoor, experiential educator—you know, Just Your Average Latina. At the time, she was on her way to Patagonia and Cuba to co-lead a 90-day gap semester.

Well, she’s back. And her stories have us doting on her!

“This semester was one of my favorites in terms of the Itinerary. The first two months spent in Patagonia/Chile were unbelievable. It felt like I was dreaming, being able to spend so much time outside and in places that not many people get to see in their lifetime. Cuba was a major throwback! We stayed in a small town along the coast named Matanzas, it was our homebase. The biggest take away from Cuba was from one of our guides, she advised us not to try and understand everything that we saw but instead just take it in. To accept it for what it was and not to overthink or over analyze. I’m such a curious being, so my default is to ask questions constantly about why things were or weren’t a certain way. However, her advice allowed me to remain present and refrain from prejudice or unfair judgments and accept the country for the colorful place it is.

As an instructor I was pushed to grow, to become even more flexible, be confident in my abilities, and ask for support even when I didn’t want to. During a 90-day trip you learn so much about yourself and your students. One of my favorite parts is the facilitation of activities that allow for vulnerability and openness. It can be difficult at times to create a group dynamic that’s inclusive, positive, and loving. I have students who come from so many different parts of the US, their experiences are different so managing that brings its challenges. With the help of my co-leader we can guide our students through their new experiences. We give them a space where they can feel free to be themselves, express their ideas, but also learn how to co-exist with others. We find it easy to forget to connect with another person when we focus in on the negatives. So, what we help foster is creating connections with each student in positive and uplifting ways.

Managing group dynamics is tricky business, it’s never something that is just fixed or that just becomes great, you constantly work at it to maintain it. As instructors, we’re intentional, communicative, open, honest, and patient. There were times during the semester where I felt like I made a mistake in choosing to follow this career path. It takes a village to run a semester successfully. I’ve grown into someone who’s learned that reaching out is a good thing, to collaborate to make the experience a better one, and to be confident in my abilities.

In the end, I’ve learned that it’s all about enjoying life. Keeping a positive outlook and reminding myself not to take anything too seriously. That allows me to appreciate my job for what it is, and I love it.

I’m stoked for my next trip, which will be in Hawaii. Leading a two-week trip with some awesome folks, doing some service work, surfing, and all while camping on gorgeous beaches. Mientras estare en San Gabriel Valley. If you want to go on a hike, need a climbing buddy, or want to hangout outside let ya girl know.”