A team of Camp Merri-Mac and Camp Timberlake CIT’s recently experienced the trip of a lifetime. Together, they backpacked miles of rugged, mountainous jungles and rafted crystal clear whitewater. They explored caves, climbed giant trees and surfed the big waves of the Costa Rican Pacific Coast. During the trip, they enjoyed eating a variety of fruit from the jungle trees, fish from the rivers and beans grown on the mountain slopes. There’s nothing like sipping coffee that was grown right in the same mountains through which we trekked! Our team made sugar from cane, chocolate from cacao beans and learned what it is like for families to live “off the grid,” days from civilization, raising their own food, relying upon wood fire for cooking and rivers for water needs.
This training trip provided so many valuable opportunities to learn and reflect upon important aspects of leadership; aspects that are critical to being a successful counselor at camp. It was refreshing to “disconnect” from smartphones, devices and all of the busyness of our lives back home. Trekking through the beautiful remote Costa Rican nature restored our minds and bodies, allowing us to really dig into what it means to be a “servant leader” at camp.
What an amazing and memorable trip it was!