An Alzar School Holiday

We are lucky to have so many great friends here in Chile. It’s a reflection of how warm and welcoming the people are down here. We’ve spent the last week getting ready for the Rivers of Chile 2011 program to begin, and so many people have been helpful and generous that we can’t start the program without sharing our experiences of the past week with you.

When we arrived in Santiago we knew that our first stop would be Curico, Chile. Our Jean Bierle Scholarship students have all come from this town and these families have been very supportive of what we are trying to do. We wanted to catch up with our alumni and see what they are up to. Rosario, RoC ’08 alumni just took her PSU (the Chilean equivalent of the SAT/ACT, but more elaborate and with higher consequences). She gets her results on January 3rd and will go to school to become a speech therapist/pathologist. She was one of the leaders of her graduating class, and we are so excited to see her take the world by storm. She is completing service projects around Chile before her classes start in late April, including volunteering in a prison for females and mentoring a young group within her church group.

Titi, RoC ‘10 alumni is also waiting for her PSU results (the pressure is on for good scores so she can receive a scholarship to medical school). She is working sports camps for girls this summer and one of her favorite expressions is “girl power.” Love it.

After catching up with alumni, we ventured south to Valdivia on Dec. 23rd, where we spent the night with Alzar School instructor Claudio’s family. They were nice enough to store all of Alzar School’s gear for the last year. We had a fabulous dinner and stayed up late hearing stories and sharing photos. His parents had us try traditional Holiday foods and drinks. The next morning Claudio’s mom, Patricia, took our instructor Jeff into town to see the sea lions at the fish market while Sean and Kristin packed.

Rosario’s family invited us to spend the holiday with their family at their grandparent’s farm. We were honored to be invited and had no idea what was in store for us. First of all, Rosario’s aunts, uncles, and grandparents are just as nice as she is. They welcomed us with open arms into their beautiful home. Rosario’s grandparents live outside of Chillan, on a farm, but not just any farm, an organic fruit farm. What a delicious surprise! Cherries, blueberries, and raspberries were in harvest and we wandered through the trees picking fruit.

Their family opens gifts on the night of the 24th, and does a gift exchange of sorts where they each have one person they need to buy a gift for. There is lots of clapping and kissing as each person delivers their gift and then the recipient thanks them with a hug and a kiss on the check. It was a very gracious and warm way to see the holiday shared.

We are now waiting at the airport for the students to arrive so we can share this amazing place with them. Hurray for travel and hurray for new places, experiences, and cultures.

Llegamos en Chile

We love Chile, and every year that we come down I am instantly reminded why. The countryside is stunning, the people are friendly and welcoming, and we spend time laughing and amused by the simple things.

Instructors Jeff, Kristin and Sean arrived in Chile on Monday, the 20th of December. In a long plane-ride induced haze we rented a truck, loaded up, and drove south. We arrived in Curico, and our first stop was Completitos where Sean had his first of many "barros lucos con palta sin mayonesa." The damage from the earthquake is still quite visible. Roads and bridges are still in repair, temporary housing is apparent within towns. And some of the buildings that appeared on CNN coverage of the event remain in ruins. It is a powerful reminder of the lasting impact an event of that magnitude leaves behind.

We stopped by to visit our first Jean Bierle Scholarship recipient, Rosario, and her family. We had a great time catching up on events since we saw them last in March. Rosario just took her college entrance exams and has her fingers crossed she will be accepted to fonoaudiología school (speech therapy is our best guess). We are sure she passed with flying colors and will be off to Santiago to begin her studies in March.

We spent our first night in the sleepy mountain town of Los Quenes. As we were about to crash after two long days of travel Sean and I realized our first hiccup in what we thought was a brilliant plan. Last year we decided to leave our sleeping bags at a friend's house at the end of our trip, so we don't have to lug them back and forth. The only drawback being that our bags are currently in Valdivia, nowhere near our campsite in Los Quenes. It was a chilly night for Sean and myself, but we survived.

Sean awoke to discover that a flip flop disappeared in the night. We suspected it was one of the town dogs. We made friends with Christian, a seven year old who lives next to the campground. Christian thought about our problem for a minute, and then without a word bolted off. About five minutes later he returned with the shoe. He knew which dog was notorious for steeling shoes and knew where it slept. It was a "welcome back to Chile" moment.

We rafted the Teno yesterday in our tiny 9.5 foot raft. It's a hoot! Super responsive and perfect for 2-3 people. I think our students will love it.

Today we will visit CONIN, the orphanage we help, to see what sort of service projects they are interested in this year. This is one of my favorite parts of our time here. We will run a few errands and get ready to head south to collect our gear before we spend the holidays with Rosario's family. We look forward to the arrival of our students and in the words of whitewater legend Wayne Dickert, some "big booming fun."

Hammer Flats Service Project

This fall, the Alzar School has been helping out the City of Boise Parks Department by engaging in a service project at the Hammer Flats location. This was an area that a developer had plans to build a large housing development, right above the local, immensely popular Black Cliffs, a sport climbing site. The plateau is also home to many animals, including coyotes, antelopes, foxes (which we saw while working on the area these past few weeks). Earlier this year, conservationists scored a major victory when the City of Boise decided to purchase the land and create a wildlife preserve.

Our mission was to walk the perimeter of the preserve to check on the status of the existing barbed wire fence. Alzar School staff and volunteers from the Boise High School Outdoor Adventure Club went out on three different occasions to help out with this project, logging over 30 hours of time helping the city. One of the days included walking in the pouring rain! In the end, we determined that 1/3 of the fence was missing, several sections were broken, and there is a fence bisecting the property that we hope will be removed to make it easier for deer, elk, and antelope to roam.

We were so impressed with the teenage volunteers on this project. They had great attitudes about hiking through the steep, wild terrain (rain or shine). Another group is going to be working on creating a mini-documentary about the efforts to protect the area.

All is good in Alzar world!

Update from one of our first students ever - Scott

Recently, an alumni of Alzar School, Scott, came through Boise and stayed with administrators Sean and Kristin Bierle. We asked him to describe what he'd been up to. Scott was on the "Chilean Expedition 2007" program, almost 4 years ago. This is what he had to say:

I went through the Alzar Chile program its first year, when I was a sophomore in high school, this was one of the best months of my life. The expedition lasted about a month, during the school year. Although I did miss school, in the month I completed all of the work that my classmates had to do sitting in a classroom. I even got ahead of my class in a couple of subjects, when the teachers fell behind a little. Instead of 6 hours in the class room I was able to finish the work in only 1-2 hours a day. The class work was not the most important thing about this trip. We went kayaking every day except one when we went into Argentina to climb a volcano.

Since the trip, I have started working as a safety kayaker and kayak instructor for a great company on a class 4-5 river in Washington. I work there for a lot of the summer, during the rest of the year I go to school at the University of Washington. My intended major at the UW is astronautics and aeronautics because I am very interested in planes and flying. Going to Chile also made me fall in love with South America, since then I have been to South America a lot. I lived in Ecuador for my senior year of high school. I hope that I will be able to go back to Chile and do some more kayaking in the near future, hopefully with Alzar.

We are super proud of our alumni and the things they accomplish. You can look forward to more content from their perspective in the coming months.

A Broad View of Wilderness

Sean Bierle, Alzar School Head Teacher, was recently published in the Journal for American Whitewater. His article, with photos, can be found here: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Journal/show-page/issue/5/page/7/year/2010/


A Broad View of Wilderness

Most of the time, beginner kayakers, canoeists, and rafters learn our sport on runs that are not widely considered “wilderness,” often because of the ease of teaching on roadside runs. With the rise of whitewater parks around the country, some of their first experiences might not even be a result of the beautiful combination of rain, snowmelt, gravity, and unique geologic features, but rather attributed to giant pumps, filters and conveyor belts.

It’s easy as an experienced boater or an instructor to forget the amazing sensation these beginners encounter in this introductory period—namely the realization of the untamed power of a river. I would argue that even on “town runs” or at whitewater parks, these fledgling students to whitewater sports feel as if they are in the wilderness. I believe it is the feeling of being slightly out of control, with elements that are foreign and unforgiving (like those darn eddy lines!).

I’ve been paddling for a decade now, and am not sure what my first true “wilderness” run was. Perhaps it was the Jarbridge-Bruneau, done as a kayak self-support trip. Or, a float down Desolation Canyon in Utah. Maybe it was quick pre-permit season trip down the Middle Fork of the Salmon. I know there were a lot of runs down the roadside Payette and the interstate-parallel Pigeon, and laps at the whitewater park in Charlotte first, and mixed in between. Every experience has reminded me that I need something wild in my life to be content. Maybe the new-to-whitewater students we teach are looking for something wild too.

Whatever the reason, I propose that experienced mentors, be they professional instructors or just friends sharing their passion, have an opportunity to really hook these beginners into the sport, and through instruction, to further foster a love of wilderness. Maybe these newly introduced paddlers will join the chorus of us advocating for the protection of rivers that deserve it. As we expose more and more people to whitewater sports as parks move into more and more urban areas (like the US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte), we are harnessing a new generation of paddlers who could step up to protect the classic wilderness rivers we enjoy. They will likely get their start someplace that an elitist might not say is “wilderness,” but it is a start, and mentors fill the gap between the introduction to whitewater and the lifelong passion for enjoying and protecting rivers.

There is, I believe, a unique opportunity to capture the imaginations of young people through whitewater sports. As a high school teacher, I see how much stimuli the upcoming teens are exposed to daily. Given the chance, the majority of teens would have at least one earphone in at all times, preferably texting while watching streaming video on the internet. Whitewater sports are alternative experiences that also deeply engage their senses, get their hearts pumping and muscles moving.

So, let’s get these teens into whitewater in whatever fashion possible. Let’s replace their normal stimulus fix with ours, which is like baiting the hook. And then, when they are ready, let’s move them onto more remote rivers in a responsible way, with education and training. Let’s teach them about the Wild & Scenic act and what it does to protect rivers. Let’s teach them Leave No Trace principles as they apply to river corridors. Let’s partner these students with experts from the agencies that manage the rivers so they can learn more about them.

I am writing this article while in the middle of an expedition with the Alzar School (www.AlzarSchool.com), the nonprofit school of which I am the Head Teacher. Our group of students is currently learning and honing their whitewater kayaking and rafting skills on the Klamath, Cal Salmon, and Payette Rivers, all not terribly remote. But, they’ve been away from showers and cell phones and internet for a week now, and we’ve yet to hear anyone is bored. They’ve camped and been bitten by mosquitoes; they’re sunburnt and tired; they’re excited and happy.

Earlier this week, we floated down Indian Creek in Happy Camp, California. During our trip, we removed trash with the help of the USFS River Ranger, Dave Payne. Students got to see a fun, small, Class II creek and remove several hundred pounds of trash and abandoned metal. The next day, we floated into a riverside campsite on the Klamath River and, again under Dave’s guidance, restored a heavily overgrown beach to camping perfection.

In a couple of weeks, we will take group of graduates and alumni on the Lower Salmon River with Barker River Trips hosting our school. For this special program, we are partnering with Idaho Rivers United to produce a campaign to raise awareness for that river’s bid to become Wild & Scenic. I know the students (and teachers) are chomping at the bit to get to this wilderness run.

This project is the synthesis of elements the Alzar School holds imperative to our organization. It will provide adventure as students kayak and row the big water of the Salmon. It will engage them in service-learning as they spend hours of their summer vacation working on this campaign. Academically, they will be challenged to write professionally-crafted blog entries, to produce high quality videos, and to design an engaging website. And lastly, they will become true environmental stewards as they spread awareness for a section of river that could join its tributaries to make a ridiculously long section of protected river that is saved for future generations of paddlers and wildlife.

This project will be made possible by first introducing the teens to the sport, then honing their skills to get them ready for such a trip, and then giving them a structured, well-supported chance to get out there. I am confident that these teen leaders will fall in love with wilderness rivers the way I have. And this model of introduction, then instruction, and then opportunity to serve should also work with beginners of all ages.

While I am sure that this issue of American Whitewater will feature incredible stories of daring paddlers charging on wilderness rivers around the globe, I encourage us all to remember that feeling of wildness that we got as beginners, and how that planted a seed in us. Our first experiences have led us to become lifelong river lovers, and lovers of rivers will be the ones who speak up with their actions and votes to protect the rivers.

The next time you are on the “town run” or surfing at the park-and-play spot and you see a newbie out there, encourage them. Tell them about the overnight trip you finished on the Chattooga, or the week you spent last summer on the Colorado. Whet their appetite with river tales and maybe the next time this magazine runs an issue dedicated to “wilderness,” they will be the ones submitting articles about their adventures and efforts to save wilderness rivers.

Report on the Camp Cup Challenge 2010 - Record numbers!

I'm excited to tell you that this year's Camp Cup was an astounding success! Kristin and I departed Boise on Friday (July 16) after sending off our last student from our alumni program, "Plus," and started the cross country drive to NC. Somewhere just outside Laramie, Wyoming, our beloved van decided it would go no further, leaving us with out transportation.

Fortunately, our broad network of supporters came in handy. Katie Hawkins, past Alzar instructor and current member of our Advisory Committee, lives in Denver (about 2.5 hours from where we broke down) and was able to drive up to rescue us and Pebbles. Because we were transitioning from a 15-passenger van to a small economy car, we had to condense our belongings. That meant leaving behind our playboats, AIRE landing pads, and other luxuries.

As we headed to Denver, we discussed as many options as we could. The only option not on the table: canceling the Camp Cup. We knew that we had to get to NC by Monday morning so we could put on this incredible event. In the end, the best option proved for us to fly from Denver to Charlotte, where more supporters were able to shuttle us over to the Nantahala. The biggest bummer of the whole breakdown: having to board Pebbles, the official Alzar School mascot, in Denver because the airlines would not let dogs on (it's too hot outside for the dogs to wait in their kennel's during plane changes). The shame is that I had been training her all spring to respond to commands that come with a Southern accent, in preparation for our Southeastern debut. Alas, it was not to be in 2010.

Anyway, going into Monday of the Camp Cup (a training day for all interested camps), we were not sure how many participants we would have. In 2008, when we first revitalized the event, we were excited to have 88 kids. Last year, we had 122 and we doubted we'd be able to top that. On the training day, camps were coming in late, with small groups (initially), so we mentally prepared ourselves for a slightly smaller turnout. Our guest coaches, Pablo McCandless (former Olympian), Wayne Dickert (Ambassador from NOC), and Juliet Jacobsen Kastorff (Endless River Adventures kayak guru), were great about helping the kids improve their paddling in anticipation of the big event.

On Tuesday, van after van of kids arrived at the Nantahala Outdoor Center for the official race day. We ended up with 141 kids, a new record for the event!

Thanks to the growing number of kids and volunteers who have been to the event the past two years and know its traditions, the event was smoother, even with the extra folks around. Some of the great changes this year, to continue to tweak the event even better: pizza at lunch (instead of sandwiches, which the kids LOVED), more t-shirts (though we still underestimated the numbers, so some volunteers sacrificed theirs for the kiddos), and the additional sponsorship of WorldKayak.com, which significantly boosted our free raffle for the kids.

I had some great conversations with folks about the purpose of the event this year, and here again I want to stress how pleased we are with the Camp Cup and the role it plays. Instead of a competitive atmosphere, young paddlers are brought together to mingle and meet other paddlers. The camps' staff have the opportunity to share ideas and make professional connections. It reunites some of the legends of paddling from the area (like David Jones, Lecky Haller, and Fritz Orr).

Obviously, we have to thank the many sponsors of the event, who generously provide money and prizes. They are a big reason the event is possible. Thanks to: the NOC, ACA Dixie Division, Alzar School, Snapdragon, WRSI Helmets, World Kayak, and Endless River Adventures. And, especially, thanks to the camps that make this community event possible: Camp Mondamin/Green Cove, Camp High Rocks, Camps Chosatonga/Kahdalea, Camp Merrie-Wood, Camp Glen Arden, Camp Carolina, Camp Gwynn Valley, Camp Illahee, Camp Wayfarer, Camp Falling Creek.

But, the biggest reason the event is a huge success are the kids. They come together with the right frame of mind and positive attitude. They cheer each other as they make runs through the slalom gates or down the Falls. They scream and laugh during the Counselor Cup event at lunch and volunteer to help take-down everything at the end of the day. Seeing how awesome these young people are definitely makes coming from Idaho to NC each summer worth it, even if the van breaks down in the process.

Check out photos at our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/AlzarSchool

- Sean Bierle

Student Blogs 2 continued

Robert

I have never really thought about how much I have grown as a leader and paddler from day one last year to now. I guess I could say that I now wake up on time according to our daily schedule, which is something I had a lot of trouble with last summer. Not only can I now wake up on time but I can also run class IV rapids confidently, another big step from last year. It was hard to see how much I had really changed from last summer but now looking back on last F.L.O.W. expedition, it is now obvious.


Tess
July 4, 2010
This morning we ran the Lower South-Fork of the Payette. I swam twice because I missed my roll. Neither were bad, but the water was cold and after my second swim I got on the raft. When we finished the run, we went to the Gutter to clean up the trash and do some surfing and roll practice. After we ate lunch, the clean up began. We filled three trash bags, and even found a kayak. It had a huge hole it and people had obviously taken whatever they could from it. The drainplug and all of the bolts and screws were missing along with the left thigh brace. Sean and Kristin will bring it to the Alzar World Headquarters to use the plastic to repair other boats or turn the kayak in to a planter. After that I got in my boat and practiced my roll, for the rest of the time we were there. I did more than 15 rolls I am now feeling a lot more confident about getting on the river.

Round 2 Student Entries

John
There are 2.5 more days left of this 3-week expedition and its crazy to think that I’ve been away from home this long. It’s one of those situations where it seems like its been forever but it also only feels like I’ve been gone for a week.

Idaho and California are beautiful states and it’s going to be hard adjusting to the puny Appalachian Mountains back in North Carolina.

I am psyched to take home the paddling skills I have learned out here and tear it up back east. It’s weird referring to my home as “out east” when its normally me referring to “out west.”

I am about to start the grand adventure called College, and I think the best thing I could have done to prepare for school is this program. I am definitely taking more home than just paddling skills.

I miss everyone at home though and I can’t wait to see everyone. It has also been about three weeks without Internet; I won’t know what to do with myself when I get home.



Gregory
July 4, 2010
Happy July 4th. On our adventures around the Wild West the scholars of Alzar School have never seen anything as amazing as the Great Western Mountains Orangutan. It is as mysterious as Big Foot. Few people have ever seen the monstrous creature. More people believe in Big Foot so far. It was a cool July day in Garden Valley, Idaho. The group of 10 was playing a friendly game of ultimate Frisbee at the local High School. It was a long throw to Kristin to score a point when out of nowhere it appeared. The great creature rose suddenly, jumping into the air. Screaming loudly it smacked the Frisbee out of the sky using its 5-foot long arms. The other 9 scholars looked on in amazement as the orangutan flew gracefully through the sky, landing smoothly. The beast was at least 8 feet tall and was wearing faded blue shorts, which ended above the knees. Its shirt was very dirty, but appeared to be white reading, “Big Foot is my Bro,” on the front. Once everyone had sized but the 7 ft. 300 lb, pure muscle animal he turned and said calmly to the scholars, “mind if I play?” The scholars accepted nervously. The game went on and the orangutan was an ultimate Frisbee beast. Sorta. And from that day on everyone believed in the Great Western Mountains Orangutan and everyone named him Gregory Wallingford.



Patrick
Sup everyone. Just coming to the end of F.L.O.W. even though I’m sad its coming to an end, I had a fantastic time. The upper Cal Salmon Run had to be the sweetest run we have done, besides the canyon of the SF Payette. I’m doing very well except I hurt my shoulder today but anticipate being back to paddling soon. I’ll see everyone soon- take it easy in B-town, I’ll be shredding again soon enough.



Jami
July 4th, 2010
What an independent day!!! I got my roll down! ‘Course I still got to dot the I’s and cross the T’s, but I did 15 rolls today, so I’m going to just say I got it down!

But wait, there’s more! I had my independent leader day on the 3rd! I was fairly stressed and had prepared for less than ideal debrief, but to my surprise everyone said I did good!!! Chica chica!

So things are going swimmingly (but with a set roll that should change!) and there are so many things I can’t wait to tell you all when I arrive back in Boise (which is currently a mere hour away for tonight before we’re off for the Snake).

Oh, and guess who gets to shower tomorrow for the first time in 13 days!!!!

Lots of love and hugs!



John

(***Disclaimer: Big Foot was not spotted and there was NO lightning, it was a sunny 90 degree day***)

Two weeks ago I found myself in one of the most bizarre situations one can experience.

Well here I was following Patrick down the rapid named Rattlesnake. Little did I know he was taking As I am being tossed me down a not so pleasant line. All of the sudden there is a large curler wave and then chaos as I am tossed into a rather large hold that has yet to be named.

and turned violently in the hole, I realize that I am not alone. Starring at me frozen in the depths of the hole is none other than Bigfoot himself. When I thought being stuck in a hole couldn’t get worse, Big Foot punches me in the face. I mean how RUDE!

Then, when I thought being punched in the face while being worked in a hole couldn’t get worse, a bolt of lightning stuck me.

This was a bad situation and ended up swimming. But in the end I found a really nice serving spoon as I walked down the shore to my kayak.

Round 1 Student Blog Entries

Henry
This past week I have really enjoyed the opportunity to paddle in both a kayak and a raft. So far on the trip we have paddled sections on Indian Creek, the Cal Salmon, the Klamath, and the Trinity River. I have been frequently alternating from kayak to raft. I am new to kayaking and like having the option to use the raft on more challenging rapids. I have also found that I really enjoy rafting and look forward to improving my rafting as well as kayaking skills.


Gregory
So far the rivers in California have been beautiful. We’ve paddles the Klamath, and Cal-Salmon. We also paddled two creaks Indian Creek and Clear Creek. They were all cold, the creeks more than rivers. Today (6/27) we paddled the Trinity River. The stretch of river had some really nice rapids on them. I swam once and got two combat rolls. Yesterday (6/26) when we were getting off the Cal-Salmon a lady who was a member of a local Indian tribe told Sean the actual names. The Klamath is Ish-Keish and were not sure about the Salmon. Now that we the students must lead the day things run a bit different. The leaders of the day have to write out a schedule the night before and when their day comes they (2 people) have to moderate the group to follow the schedule. But were all still having a good time. My Chaco tan is coming along pretty well, it’s exciting. Well until next time, goodbye.

Jami
Hello Boise!!!
Alzar Schooling is going so well and I can’t wait to go rafting with my Dad to show him my new knowledge and moves! But of course Alzar has gone far beyond introducing me to kayaking, and improving my paddle rafting knowledge and skill. For example, today was my first day as Leader of the Day. I was in a pair (thank goodness because I honestly don’t know how I’d do it on my own at this point). It defiantly pushed me from my comfort level but with the fantastic group of people I can’t think of a better time to push out of my comfort box. I am missing home but only at night when my mind is not being filled with knowledge of rafting and leadership!
Love to all my friends; hope you are all doing brilliantly!
And love you mom and dad!


Patrick
Sup Ma & Pa Just chilling out in the sun! You know how I like to do it. I’m having a great time out here in Cali, can’t wait to come back to B-town to paddle. I miss you guys can’t wait to see ya. We have been paddling everyday so I’m pretty sore! But I’m having an awesome time. I hope you have been paddling yourself mom! See ya in a couple weeks. PEACE!

Robert
Going into my second summer of Alzar School, I was expecting to improve on my paddling skills and also to have a lot of fun, but I did not expect that this summer would be better than last summer. So far I have managed to run each rapid safely and have only had to swim once so far, which is a lot better than last summer. Also the rapids that Sean and Kristin have chosen for us to run have been amazing. Each rapid continues to swallow my small kayak into the surf and submerge it deep into the river, leaving me with a brain freeze and boat full of water afterwards. While some of the sections have been laid back and mellow, there have also been some pretty intense rapids that require a lot of thought and energy to navigate. I hope that Sean and Kristin continue to increase our difficulty level of river sections, which will in the long run make me not only a better paddler but also a better leader.


John
Confidence is something very important when you are paddling now a stretch of river, especially down a rapid called “Gaping Maw” which is aptly named given that one has to pass through rocks that look like teeth and paddle down the right to avoid three, not so pleasant, hydraulics which could work you like none other.
While one half of my mind tells me to get out of there, “humans were not meant to go down rivers in stupid mango colored pieces of plastic,” the other half tells me, “come on you know all you need to do is ferry down the tongue of the river and stay on the right side, and punch through the final hole at the bottom. Well this is where confidence comes into play. What do you know; I’m already going downstream towards the Gaping Maw.
Here comes the tongue, the roar of the rapids all around, the adrenaline is flowing. The senses become sharper and then I hit the tongue, time to get myself to the right or face the digestive system of the Maw, a nasty river left hole. I’m at the right now only to be pushed into an eddy right above the hold I need to punch. I can’t turn around and I wouldn’t dare to back out into the hole. I’m stuck and the adrenaline starts wearing off. I need to get out of my boat and move upstream to a bigger eddy.
I get out, move my boat, put my skirt back on and then the confidence comes back and what do you know, I’m peeling out into the current and the adrenaline comes back. I start paddling my heart out, here the hole. WHAM! Water pours over me but I made it, oh wait it grabs my tail, flips me over backwards. I expect the sucking and tumbling sensation of the hole, but it doesn’t come. I roll up and there is everyone else. I fought the Gaping Maw and came out victorious, a little wet but its all good. The mind is powerful and fear can break you. Confidence got me through the fear and I’m glad I could say I ran the Gaping Maw.


Tess
Hey Mom and Dad!
I’m having a great time, trying new things and meeting lots of interesting people. The boating has been awesome and I can already feel myself improving. But I still miss you both-Jake too- I can’t wait to see you again. I’ll call you as soon as I get a chance. Love you!


Sam
Right now I am camping on the shore of the Trinity River. I have no idea exactly where it is, but I am told that it is somewhere in California. I’m having a great time so far learning how to kayak, and I am able to roll completely on my own. I still swim half the time though. Its fun to learn the river lingo too, it’s pretty similar to ski lingo. I am realizing more and more how much the two sports have in common. Using some of my new ling: this letter is pretty much cooked so I’ll peel out and write y’all later.

A quick update from the Somes Bar Store

We are a week into FLOW, paddling along the Cal Salmon River. The students are doing great, and each bring a unique perspective to the program.

Tess: Tess was co-leader of the day today and did a great job. She tells great stories about the Salt River and makes us all want to come down and visit!
Sam: Sam was co-leader of the day today and planned an action packed day of whitewater (watching him paddle you would not know he was a beginner seven days ago). He is currently cooking chili and cornbread with John and Sean.
John: John stretched himself and ran the Butler section of the Cal Salmon today- and he did great. He keeps the group laughing with his quick wit and excellent Australian accent.
Henry: Henry is learning so much and has discovered that he really enjoys rowing a raft. He is getting quite proficient and enjoys spending time in the boat with Pebbles the dog and Alzar School mascot.
Patrick: Patrick has impressed the group on a number of occasions. Day one it was his uncanny ability to fall asleep in cars, and last night with his scary stories around the campfire. He is tons of fun to have around and has been super helpful with all things "river."
Jami: Jami is learning to kayak so fast! She transitions between groups of students with ease and can make the best out of any situation. She frequently plays DJ for the van rides and can do a great British accent.
Gregory: We had no idea that Gregory was going to have such a great kayaking foundation! He is very aware of what needs to be done and one of the first people to volunteer to work on a task.
Robert: Roberts ran a section today that he wasn't ready for when he was on the trip last year and was really excited about it. His makes Cajun food from New Orleans sound amazing.

Happy in Happy Camp, CA

The Klamath River has been good to the Alzar School students thus far. We have been working hard on tuning up skills both on and off the water. Today we ran the "Urban Run" on Indian Creek as a group along with Ranger Dave, who has been working as the River Ranger for the Klamath National Forest here for 30 years. Our section is named the "Urban" section because you see about three houses as you float. The creak is beautiful, with crystal clear cold water and dramatic rock faces. The rapids are fun, particularly the section aptly named the "Narrows" where the river constricts to approximately eight feet wide. Everyone did fantastically... many of our students paddled their hardshell kayaks and our beginners used inflatables.

As we floated we pulled trash from the riverbanks and loaded it into Ranger Dave's raft. We had a pretty impressive load in the back of the raft by the time we got to the takeout. Among our finds: a rusted culvert, other random metal over 6' long, a pot, a chair, several bags full of small bits of trash, and a toy car. Along to help were two interns from the Student Conservation Association who were really impressed with our students and their attitude about helping and ability on the water.

It was a great day- fun was had by all. Thanks to Dave, Lisa, and Stephanie for making it happen!

Preparing for FLOW

As one of our FLOW 2010 students reminded the world via Facebook today, "T- 38 hours until FLOW and lifejacket tan lines." I don't know if the students or Alzar School staff are more excited.

The Alzar World Headquarters has been a flurry of activity over the past week- and we are almost ready. Student lesson books are bound, the oil is changed on the van, we used 12 oz. of seam seal to waterproof group shelters, and Pebbles has a new bandanna to greet the students and their parents. We have meetings arranged with representatives from Idaho Rivers United, and a Salmon Fish Hatchery near Cascade, ID, the home of Kelly's Whitewater Park. We went to the grand opening (along with almost every other Idaho boater) and were very impressed with all the town had done to make the park happen.

Looking past FLOW, this summer is packed with activity for the School as we complete current programs and plan for the launch of Alzar School's first academic year in the Fall of 2012. Summer programs include FLOW and FLOW+, the Camp Cup Challenge and a fund-raising event in NC, and tours of High Mountain Institute and Colorado Rocky Mountain High School.

Stay tuned for photos and posts from the students!

Gjttjmtma

One great first stride.

The Alzar School is feeling very humbled at the moment. On May 1st, our Board of Directors worked very hard to invite their friends and family to a free fundraiser breakfast. The main purpose of the event was to tell people about our mission of developing and educating teen leaders, and to ask those who supported our mission to contribute financially.

The event was hosted at the BEAUTIFUL Microsoft Conference Room, overlooking downtown Boise. There were 100 seats in the facility, and every one was taken (with several of our former students volunteering to stand around the outside of the room). There were people from all walks of life there... folks who were interested in the program for their kids, outdoor professionals, environmental advocates, business people, you name it. There was a great community feel to the whole morning, as Alzar students welcomed people to the breakfast and performed some music, as well as the fact that we had excellent donated food and coffee.

Kristin and I gave a short presentation about the school that included testimonials from both our US students and Chilean scholarship recipients. We described our long-term vision of making the Alzar School tuition-free, and explained how our leaders would go out and tackle social and environmental problems.

Our Board decided to instigate "Classes" of donors, with people who donate this year being a member of our "Founding Class." Donors could choose to donate at a number of levels, ranging from "Pupil" to "Valedictorian." And, they could pledge support for multiple years.

In the end, we were humbled because a huge number of the folks who gave up part of their Saturday to come learn about us chose to help us financially, and many pledged support for multiple years. We were able to raise more than $10,300, making a FANTASTIC first stride towards our dream of financial stability and viability. It allows us to continue to offer our programs at heavily subsidized low tuition rates. And it reminded us how if we can spread the word about our mission, other people will support the idea of creating the next generation of leaders to make the world a better place.

A giant thanks must go out to our volunteer Board of Directors, who made this event possible. And, of course, we owe a lot to our sponsors, who made the event pleasant and fun:

Microsoft
Brown Box Organics
Grasmick Produce
Costco
Fred Meyers
Big City Coffee

We will likely have many more fundraiser events in order to achieve our vision of becoming tuition free, but I think I will always remember this one as the first stride we took in really getting public support for our programs. Thanks again!

Update on Alzar School's relief effort for Chile - by Kristin

I noticed the first signs of damage from the 8.8 earthquake while waiting to pass through customs in the Santiago airport. Tiles had been removed from the ceiling to check for structural damage and spider-vein cracks climbed the walls. The car rental department had been moved outside of the airport into huts while construction crews worked to repair portions of the building.

As we drove south on Ruta 5, distancing ourselves from Santiago we saw increasing signs of damage. Bridges were separated from their foundations, and were either down completely, or supported by scaffolding. A few detours were set up around the most damaged bridges and a few chunks were missing from the roads, but other than that travel remained easy and smooth as we drove to Curico, home to our 3 Chilean alumni.

We arrived in Curico about one in the afternoon on Wednesday. The damage was initially deceptive, as many house walls facing the street remained upright, but if you peeked around the corner you realized that the rest of the house was completely demolished behind it. We drove through town, amidst piles of rubble and began to see the extent of the damage. The hospital where Rosario’s dad used to work is condemned, entire blocks were leveled, and many small camping tents were set up in a yard full of crumbled adobe bricks where entire families (Chilean style- so we are talking about 6+ including extended family and grandparents) were living. Some of the most dramatic photos were from the church- see above.

We spend the afternoon checking in on friends, and the orphanage we work with, CONIN--all of whom are safe, and whose structures suffered only minor damage from the quake. We spoke with Joyce, the headmaster of Orchard College to get the contact information of a few rural schools who needed help. We then picked up two Alzar School alumni, Rosario and Titi, from school and got to work organizing over 200 lbs of school supplies into individual packets of supplies for the 90 students in these rural schools.

We set off for Los Coipos, about an hour and a half southwest of Curico early Thursday morning with the help of Valeska, another Alzar School alumnus, and her friend Violeta. We arrived to a single room classroom at the end of a long dirt road where nine elementary school students and their teacher were conducting class. The students opened their bags with enthusiasm, and were most excited about the cards ANSER Charter School had made in their Spanish class. We helped the students pronounce the names of the authors of the cards, gave lots of hugs, and then left to meet with the headmaster in charge of 150 students in the rural areas of region VII of Chile.

We met her down the road in a nearby small town. This school housed 40 students before the quake, but suffered significant damage, and were now setting up desks on the basketball court as all the classrooms were unusable. While the court was covered with an aluminum roof, the teachers were very concerned about the coming winter. Winter brings cold temperatures to this town and lots of rain. The basketball court is not enclosed, is at a low point on the property, and usually has about 1-2’’ of standing water when it rains. We knew the supplied we had, and the funds Alzar School students had worked so hard to raise, would be put to good use in this town.

After a tour of the facilities and seeing the extensive damage, we presented the headmaster with about 100 lbs of school supplies and about $500 to use for the repairs of the building. The teachers were overwhelmed and there were a few tears from all as they read a few of the cards from students in the States. While they will not be able to repair the entire building with what we were able to contribute, they told us that it was overwhelming to have support from people so far away. Eugenia told us the support made it easier to start the hard work of rebuilding and welcoming students back to school. We told the teachers that our students in the U.S. had contacted us on the morning of the earthquake wanting to know how they could help. This is what Alzar School is all about, creating global citizens who are sensitive to the needs of communities around the world.

We drove another two hours to a coastal town, Boyeruca, which had been hit not only by the earthquake, but also by the tsunami that followed. Along the way we got a flat tire (story of our life in Chile), and stared out the window at the destruction we passed (the vast majority of the rural structures were compromised). We could see the surf before we could see the town, and knew that we were going to see an entirely different type of destruction in this town. As we arrived you could see debris along the hillside where high-water had crashed into the shore. The elementary/middle school was one of the first buildings in town. We were greeted by the headmaster, Freddie, outside what had been the front of the school. The entire front of the building had been slammed with water and it collapsed all the front wall of the building. We could see straight into the classrooms as if it was a dollhouse. He showed us the high-water ring along the remaining walls (about 2 meters high) and told us about how they spend the last few weeks removing sand, and dead fish, crabs, and dogs, from the building. While touring the damage we experienced a small aftershock, which we later heard was a 4.4. This school had already constructed two emergency classrooms, which were essentially wooden tents.

A large water container was outside of the school along with a port-a-john, as no running water was coming to the town. We had enough individual school supply bags for each of the students, as well as some classroom supplies and funds we left with the teachers. I am not a construction expert, but it wouldn’t surprise me if this school needed to be leveled, and reconstructed from scratch.

I was so proud to be able to go down to the country which has been a second home to us, and share support from Alzar School Alumni. Upon my return I spoke with my father, who went to Haiti after their earthquake to perform surgeries in a make-shift hospital. We compared experiences, and both felt like it wasn’t going to be any one act that “saves” anything. It is the collective actions of so many, and continued support that is going to make a difference.

Thank you to everyone who donated, and supported the cause. Alzar School will go back to each of these schools in December this year on our Rivers of Chile 2011 trip. We will be in contact with them to hear about progress between now and then and learn more about how we can help when we return.

Wow! Our students rock.

This year, the Alzar School led a group of students in Chile. While there, we enjoyed the amazing rivers and geography, but the students were mostly amazed by the warm people. They made great friendships with our Chilean students, instructors, and supporters.

On February 27th, Chile was rocked with a magnitude 8.8 earthquake, the 7th largest ever recorded. Over 500,000 people were left homeless, and 700 died as a result of the earthquake. Coastal towns were hit hard by tsunami waves that hit after the event. This was on the heels of the extremely devastating quake that hit Haiti and caused over 200,000 deaths. Because of the stability of Chile's government and the more modern building codes, Chile was able to survive the quake with fewer deaths. But the country was still reeling from the effects.

It was amazing to see our Alzar School students respond to the news. Before I had even woken on the 28th, our East Coast students were messaging us on Facebook to ask about our contacts there. They were also directly contacting the friends they met down there. And the theme that was repeated in all communications was "How can I help?"

Teenagers can make a difference in the world. That is one of the central beliefs of the Alzar School. We could have never anticipated an earthquake would rock Chile so soon after we left, but we spoke many times with our students about the chance for them to give back to the communities they belong to. When they learned the news, they jumped to action, putting their leadership training to use. Different ideas poured in from all over. Lizzy, from NC, organized an event called "Chili for Chile." She invited tons of friends over and raised awareness for the quake, bringing in over $100. Olivia, from Boise, collected supplies at her university. Other drives are still going on. In another week, Kristin and I will shuttle these supplies down to Chile and distribute them on behalf of the students.

We can only imagine what other projects these leaders will take on. We can't wait for the day when the Alzar School is full-time and has the ability to train these young leaders for months on end. We will be able to take an opportunity like this, and immerse the students in the process of impacting change on the world. With an even longer stint in a place like Chile, we are sure that they will grow an even deeper appreciation for the importance of being a global citizen, and will continue to respond to emergencies like the quake in Chile.

Kelly's Whitewater Park

This past weekend, Kristin and I headed to Cascade, Idaho to meet with some of the folks leading the development of the new whitewater park there. This park, which will be known as Kelly's Whitewater Park (KWP) and looks like it will be SWEET.

Thanks to the mayor of Cascade, we were given a tour of the site and the visitor's center which is under construction. The in-stream features look really promising, though it will be hard to tell what they're like until the water comes up this spring. What's probably the most amazing part of the whole place is the visitor's center. They've decided to go all out for this thing, with rough log finishing and stone floors. There will even be fancy granite counters in the restrooms. Plus, there is an amazing, huge viewing room. This room has giant glass walls with 180 degree views of the features. There's a fireplace for you to warm up around after surfing, and a committee is working on museum of the history of Cascade. Pretty impressive.

Along with the new facility, the Friends of KWP are planning several key events this summer. First, there will be 4 Hometown Throwdowns for local paddlers to participate in. And, on the 4th of July there will be a giant concert.

But what we're probably most excited about is the group's plan to provide 5 free lessons to all kids from 9-18 in Valley County. This is a huge opportunity for the youth of that area, exposing them to a lifetime sport that they can access in their backyard. We're trying to help them with this mission, and know that it will be wildly successful.

Our trip to Cascade reaffirmed our desire to permanently settle our campus in that area. We were able to stay with a wonderful local family who gave us lots of beta on potential sites for the school. We're hopeful that our dream of a basecamp will be realized in the very near future!

Rivers of Chile 2010 Trip Report in Numbers

2 flat tires
9 bags of mintitas (Kristin's consumption only)
10 different sections of river
2 swings
1 chalkboard
100 lbs of orphanage supplies donated
= amounts of butt and hockey puck bread
15 pots of beans
11 new friends
3,000+km traveling in country
4 consecutive days of chocolate cereal for breakfast
7 packets of mayo
1 pair of lost tennis shoes
5 volcanoes
2 tarantulas
2,078 photos (coming soon to the website album section)
7 teacups
2 birthdays
2 asados
1 broken paddle
1 polite discussion with the Chilean police about drivers license qualifications
10 elements of leadership
70+ packages of SPRIM
1 time pulling the trailer when Hakuna Matata just couldn't make it
3 dozen churros
4 golden retrievers

EQUALS ONE BACAN (Chilean slang for awesome) TRIP

Thank you to everyone who made this trip possible...and keep an eye on the blog and website for the photos.

Un nuevo desafio

Al transcurrir la semana los instructores, nos propusieron un nuevo desafio poder ser lideres por un dia, en un comienzo pensamos que era facil, pero luego nos percatamos que el trabajo era en parejas siendo asi un poco mas complicado, ya que la responsabilidad era compartida, y tambien la toma de decisiones.

Pasando los dias llego el momento de ser lider junto a Olivia y presentar el plan, en ese momento comprendi que ser un lider, requeria organizacion y dispocicion para que todos los planes propuestas fueran realizados en la hora acordada con orden, eficacia, y finalmente obtener resulatdos positivos.

Pero como siempre hay cosas inesperadas se nos presentaron algunos promblemas en la realizacion de las tareas, pero los cauales pudimos enfrentar correctamente, gracias al apoyo de los instructores, de el grupo en general, y de aquillas constituidas clases de liderazgo, con un exitos plan B y un poco de flexibilidad. Asi fue como pudimos concluir positivamente el dia y finalmente con opiniones contructivas en el "debriefing."

Considero que para mi Alzar School ha sido poco a poco un aporte para aprender cosas nuevas como enfrentar problemas contionamos, desarrolar mas el espiritu de lider, el trabajo en equipo y asi muchas cosas mas...

surfing in pichilemu

here we are in cabanas Santa Irene , in front of one of the best surfing spots in the Chilean coast , enjoying our last days of Rivers of Chile .
today we had a good surfing session in the morning then we start cleaning up group gear getting ready to leave to Santiago. also we had a great dinner at a local restaurant and shared our best moments of this trip , for sure cross feeling finishing this course , i happy that i got to know a lot of new friends and cool people and for the other side a little sad that the trip is almost over .

At CONIN, the Chilean orphanage we work with. This year Alzar students painted an old swing-set (previously without swings), built swings, and painted a mural that has a portion that is a chalkboard. We spent a lot of time with the little kids, giving hugs and playing games. Lots of smiles, lots of giggles, good day.

Rosario and Titi giving us a concert at our Asado

Huckin' Meat, by Conner

It's been some time since I shared about our bread-scapades, and in that time we have been up to some rather amusing shenanigans, most notably hucking our meat. We were also shredding gnar on the Fuy, the Enco, the Trancura and the San Pedro, just to name a few. Almost everything has been rather big, person-sized waves, rhinoceros-eating holes, with one or two 30 foot drops thrown in for good measure. No big deal.

The stretch of the upper San Pedro was probably the most difficult stretch of river that I have done to date. I managed to survive some very mondo features, some very hungry whirlpools, and "El Reloj," my first Class IV. After some more rad river running, we found ourselves in Radal National Park, home of the fabled Siete Tazas (7 Teacups). After a rather stunning deck sampling of the near perfect falls, we started our journey towards the rather hellish put-in. Finally, after lowering all of our boats down a near vertical hillside overgrown with coligue (looks like bamboo), we were graced by the glorious presence of the superb canyon we were about to huck our meat. The walls were chiseled and exquisitely carved, and the water was so clear that it shed the false perception of only being a few feet deep. After panning your head, it was easy to forget that you had a set of falls over 4 times your height coming your way. But when, during the longest drop during which I had time to think, I remembered it was money. Despite initial feelings of trepidation, it was totally and very, very worth it. Huckin' my meat as mondo fun, serene, and beautiful. I'm comin' back.

Open Arms, by Cameron

Despite the great rivers I paddled, and magnificent views I've seen, the culture or environment has been the most enjoyable. I would love to come back to paddle Chile again, but the attitude of everyone here is what really draws me to come back. For instance, I'm not afraid to even ask a police officer a question, because unlike some places in South America, you can trust the police. In fact, they get offended by bribes and will fine you, even possibly put you in jail, not from any personal experience, of course.

Last night, we went to a former Alzar student's house for dinner. Her family was very welcoming, and the experience was awesome. I had no previous encounter with having dinner at a non-US house, so it was a big change. Everyone in the family knew English except for the two-year-old, so I was not completely anti-social, but at the same time I was engaging as much as I can. Overall the cooking was great and so was the hospitality of the family. The Chileans are the most hospitable I have met so far.

You Will Remember

We are reading poems by Pablo Neruda, the Chilean nobel laureate during dinner. Here is the one we read tonight.

You will remember that leaping stream
where sweet aromas rose and trembled,
and sometimes a bird, wearing water
and slowness, its winter feathers.

You will remember those gifts from the earth:
indelible scents, gold clay,
weeds in the thicket and crazy roots,
magical thorns like swords.

You'll remember the bouquet you picked,
shadows and silent water,
bouquet like a foam-covered stone.

That time was like never, and like always.
So we go there, where nothing is waiting;
we find everything waiting there.

-Pablo Neruda

Un momento por favor...

After spending two weeks under the Chilean sun, I've received my first ever chaco tan. I'm estatic, and I'm still trying to figure out what that is. What is it about the strappy skin damage on my feet that puts me in a state of such jubilation? Perhaps my toasted brown skin, much more appealing than the doughy white from winter in the states, yierlds a similar satisfaction to that of roasting a perfectly golden marshmallow (without the gratification o f eating your delicious final product, of course). Perhaps its because of the distinction I'll receive among my peers when I return to the hippie school I attend. Or maybe it reflects the thrill of freedom and new experiences, both exciting and awkward, this trip has offered. Living in the midst of a foreign wilderness without the conveniences of modern society is such a relief to me. There's no way technology can disrupt the close bonds that are forming in this small group, or pull you away from the awe and respect the mountains we camp below command. No pressure to look good or be on your best behavior. No disturbances while I try to learn the language and traditions of a rich culture. Living a vagabond lifestyle, searching for the next rapid to paddle. To me, it is liberating. Or perhaps, its not a tan at all. My first real shower I take after three weeks might wash all the traces away. I hope not.

Whales, Dragonflies, and Unicorns, by Zoe

I remember being a little kid pretending to go on exotic, dangerous adventures. Never did I expect it to be anything like this. I can speak and understand people speaking a totally different language I'm spending time with and learning from some of the most talented people I have ever met.

I couldn't iagine being anywhere else but here. It seems like we have been friends forever, this is such a raw environment that there is no need to put on an act or to pretend to be something we are not. We're somewhere where we can bond over a passion we all share.

It is slowly but surely sinking in that we have less than a week left here, but as we drive throught the dusty mountainous countryside to "siete tazas" I'm thinking about how amazing it is here and how much I love it. Even if it does mean pulling an overloaded trailer up a steep dirt road because the truck wan't able to make it all the way up. Or maybe, eating dehydrated potatoe pearls under a wet darp trying to stay dry because all we really wanted to do was sleep. But then I realize that it doesn't really matter what happens no matter what we can find something about the situation to laugh about, like personifying our vehicles, or making fun of the boys' constant need to "man charge (aka listen to music)."

This trip is changing me as a person, and I can't wiat to see what the next few days have in store.

Some more photos! 1/10/2010 (more tomorrow too)

Good experiences, by Titi

I feel like I’m in another country. Being all the day with people that aren’t Chilean, and in places that I haven’t been before is awesome. In all these days I have been able to improve my English a lot, learned about other customs, and also show my culture doing things that I never thought I would be able to do with them. Getting to know each one of these students has been incredible, there are all different people with different characters, but at the end they are all excellent people who I’m going to keep in my memory forever. This experience has been wonderful, maybe when this course is finished I will not be an expert kayaker, but I’m going home with lots of good memories and excellent experiences.

Flowing and Growing by Lizzy

When I signed up for the Rivers of Chile expedition I was expecting to learn how to kayak. Now, with little more than a week left here, I’m realizing that we have been taught so much more than eddy turns and peel outs in school bus munching waves. I’ve learned that made up play moves like “Grace Kelly with a belly” are far more fun than any move could ever be. That no matter how many times you point up trying to explain you are from the US, people sill don’t get it (wonder why?). A flat tire taught me flexibility. A stinky van introduced me to some awesome people. The list goes on and on forever. Ultimately, little things are teaching me little by little not ot take anything for granted and to go with the flow. My goals are to stop taking things for granted and to appreciate the little things, and to make every roadblock an exciting detour. We have one life, there’s a lot of time, but not enough to waste any. It seems that some of the best things in life pop up when and where we least expect them. What better way to get the most out of life than appreciate every person, and thing and not take yourself too seriously.

Blog #2 by Fletcher

Hi everyone! Sorry it has been awhile, we have been traveling and paddling a whole lot, so far we have paddled the Rios: Claro, Fuy, Enco, Licuara, Trancura, and the San Pedro. They have all been so so so much fun! I have gotten some amazing pictures. The paddling has mostly been really fun big water! On the bridge-to-bridge section of the Rio Fuy I hit a wave that was so big it flipped me straight over backwards! It was incredible! SO MUCH FUN! Yesterday and today we have been hiking in a National Park at the base of an active volcano! It erupted two years ago, so we got to see the paths of lava flows! It was incredible! We are not making our way back north, and will be getting to Santiago on the 16^th and then I will come home! I miss you mom and dad, Charlie, Jake, and Petey and everyone else! Thanks! C-ya soon!

Update

Everyone is healthy and learning tons! We had another great day on the river, Claudio taught an intro to river rescue class and Valeska when downstream for the first time. The group was very supportive and it was pretty exciting for all of us. We have begun the team leadership days, and will have mid course updates from the students shortly about their experiences. The group is working together well, and remain eager to lear about the culture and the rivers of this beautiful country.

We did another food buy today, the students are getting better at this, and I am looking forward to pitta pizzas tonight (cooked by Lizzy and Fletcher)

More Photos from Chile 2010

Enjoy these new shots. As you can see, we're all having a great time.

Blog Post #1 by Fletcher

Hi everybody! I miss you all! I am healthy and having a blast! Yesterday we paddled the Rio Claro in Los Quenes- it was awesome! One of the coolest things was the ride and hike to get to the river. The road we took up the Southside of the river was really really bumpy and steep. There were times when I thought our 12-passenger van wouldn't make it. We got through. After we got out of the van we picked up our boats and hiked about a mile until we ran into a gorge with only a single log crossing the canal. We move the boats one by one with ropes attached. It was epic. And this was only to get to the river!

The actual river was a blast! I was paddling a Big Wheel, and was joined by Conner, Zoe, Sean, and Calin. The river was beautiful. We were in a gorgeous canyon and the water was crystal clear. Every time I looked up I lost my breath because of how incredible the whole picture was. The river was so much fun. I didn't swim (knock on wood) and it has only made me want to paddle even more! So far the whole trip has been amazing and I am sure it will keep being amazing. I miss everyone back home. Bye for now!

Conner on Bread

I am a man of many tastes in bread. The smell of a fresh baguette caresses the olfactory as if you are settling into a long lost pair of favorite shoes. Here in the land of "butts" and "pucks" you generally have two choices. As the imagination would suggest, butt bread is creatively shaped like, well, a butt. Just as originally, hockey puck bread is formed like a puck. A dense and tough skin protects the juicy and doughy meat inside. Word has it that there is an event in the Chilean edition of "Gladiators" called the "eliminator" where stale hockey puck bread is shot at you out of a cannon. The local urban legend about butt bread is that it is great for making delicious sandwiches. I can still recall my first experience with butt bread. I ripped apart the two halves, graciously filled them, applied liberal amounts of PB&J and enjoyed thoroughly. It made my day just a little bit brighter. Hopefully this is just a small sampling of what the fertile bakeries of Chile have to offer.

Climate and River Diversity by Cameron

Chile has the most diverse climates that I know of. WHen I look at the Chilean scenery I have to associate it with other places that I have been ot, in order for me to understand it better. An example would be of one of our van rides to Choshuenco. One instance I thought I was going up the windy roads of hte Blue Ridge Parkway of North Carolina, then I felt like I was on Highway 1 of California, because of this mountainside road over viewing a gargantuan lake. I thought it was the coast of Chile briefly until I could see the fain opposing side of the lake through an eerie fog. Then I thought I was in Hawaii with 50F weather, but that was when I could not associate this country with other places. Its just that amazing and it has to be described by experience.

Just as the climates are diverse, the rivers are as well. The first couple of days we paddled a technical river which has exposed rocks creating many features like concentrated water chutes and mini whirlpools. Now in Choshuenco, we are paddling big water with more volume. This is where many rocks are submerged and features like big waves are formed. I could get really detailed about this, but one thing I wish I had would be a camera.

Some photos from Rivers of Chile 2010

A few photos from the trip so far...
















New Year's Eve fun!











Students enjoying a wood-fired hot tub in an old wine vat.

!Mi experiencia en Alzar School! by Valeska

Me enfocare principalmente a lo distinto que somos las personas, hablando puntualmente sobre la variedad de culturas que existen en el mundo, pero en esta ocacion me referire a los estadounidenses.
Bueno, analizando desde el primer dia que comparti con ellos pude pecibir los distinto que somos, desde lo que comemos y vestimos, hasta como realizamos last areas diariament, por todo esto las personas solimos crear inuduntariamente ona objecjecion ante esto, y creemos ciegamente en los dificil que puede llegar a ser convivir con ellos y hasta generamos un “No, es imposible” y cerramos la posibilidad de vivir experiencias de este tipo y so tetigo y me costa que si se puede, no es tan dificil llevar una vida juntos , so va en como miremos las cosas, y la dispocicion que tengamos, ya que he poolido compartir unos dias juntos a ellos, done he ido adquinendo diversas cosas como valores, pequenas costumbres, y hasta un poco mas el idioma.
Debo reconocer los impresionante que es para mi su manera de ser y de ver las cosas, es admirable ese espiritu de chicos exploradores, buscando aventuras entre muchas cosas mas.
Tambien agardecer la oportunidad que me brindo Alzar School, para poder ser participe de todas estas hermosas aventuras de las cuales he pocelido estar presente junto a los demas intregrantis , los cuales me han hecho sentir comoda, por su atencion y dispociion. Ya que gracias a todo esto poco a poco he ido aprendiendo cosas nuevas para mi.

Smaller, by Lizzy

Everything is smaller here. From the toilets to the soda to the people, it seems like everything has been put into a massive shrinkifier. I am having a hard time deciphering whether everything in the US is just unnaturally humongous, or if everything here is small. There are two things, however, that are larger than life here: the mountains and the amount of joy and peace. The mountains are breathtakingly wild and huge and awesome. You can almost feel and taste how alive they are. As far as joy goes, I’m already blown away. In Los Quenes, our sweet first campsite, I saw people that by our standards would be poor, but glow with definite peace and joy. So here in this majestic country of big and small, I am having the time of my life and can’t wait for more.

Friends from the US by Titi

Maybe to some people it is really hard to make friends, and is more difficult if hte others speak a different language. But one of the most interesteing things that have had in these days is proving that it is no impossible to make friends even though they are from other countries and speak a language that is not my first language.

I am starting to love this trip, talking in English all day is something that I really ike, and the best thing is that if I make a mistake nobody laughs at me. Instead, they help me and tell me what is the correct manner to say it.

One of the things that impressed me a lot was the people who I am traveling with are really attentive that makes me not feel alone. I hope to keep in contact with all the US students and with the instructors too.

We are having some problems with the blog. We have entries written from all the students and are working to get them uploaded. We know you want to hear from these students!

As I am writing this, it is our fourth day in Chile and already I have achieved great things. Among sewing clothes by hand for every orphanage, planting forests in barren areas of the country, discovering a way to power cars without the use of fossil fuels, and basically just saving the world before bed time, I have managed to roll a kayak! I wish I could say I did it in the snarling, pissed-off waters of a class seven rapid, but that would be a lie. Since I am dead set against any form of lying, I will admit that I rolled in a pool. Rolling is one of the first kayaking techniques our instructors teach beginners, such as me. This surprised me because I had always assumed that rolling was an advanced kayaking skill, a novelty I would learn much later in my kayaking career. However, knowing how to right your boat is important for sustaining one’s life when paddling, especially when you are just beginning. Therefore, it is important to know how to do at any level. Sorry if this explanation is boring any experts. This is solely for the benefit of my biggest fans (my family) who don’t know diddly about kayaking.

The pool we beginners (which include the two Chilean natives, Titi and Valeska, and myself) were learning in was actually just a large hole lined with river rocks and filled with river water. I cannot emphasize enough how cold the water was. It was frigid and resembled the color of scum. Cotton drifted from the trees creating a summer blizzard and dusting the surface. It looked a little questionable, but we had no fear. The first few times I was tipped under while still attached to my boat, I panicked a little and sucked great amounts of green glacial water up my shocked sinuses. Once I started wearing nose plugs, everything went much more smoothly, even though I looked ridiculous.

Being flipped upside down with the knowledge that my entire bottom half is attached to a giant banana can be disorienting at times. A few times I flailed around underwater still attached to my kayak looking like a chicken without a head, and eventually whoever was instructing me at the time would save me. They swear I was only under for five seconds, but I know it was closer to five minutes. As soon as I regained my composure, everything went swimmingly. I have been able to roll at least once by myself during each session. After the sessions, I am tired and shivering, but filled with a great sense of accomplishment. So far I love kayaking, Chile, and all of the people I’m sharing this fantastic experience with. I can’t wait to paddle in an actual river, but you’ll have to wait until next time I’m afraid. I better wrap this up. Try to keep living your mundane lives until I return. Hasta luego.

- Olivia