True Nature Travels Blog

Year of Service in Costa Rica: The Society/TNE

IMG_20140325_164817 (1)We’ve had an incredible year of service in Costa Rica through our True Nature Costa Rica Service and Adventure Programs in partnership with national leadership organization, The National Society of Leadership and Success. We just wrapped up our 4th outstanding group of students last week representing “The Society” from chapters across the country, participating in global service missions in Costa Rica over Spring and Summer school breaks.

The Society/TNE programs bridge the two organizations’ shared mission to bridge the international community through service. With True Nature Education’s focus on mindful travel through service work on both the land and local communities throughout Costa Rica, Society members can expand on their dedication to the greater good of communities and become true leaders abroad.

1972248_10152204627005812_6132098145353937964_nFrom our March trip, Kathryn Hima of Stratford, Connecticut:

“I believe coming on this trip took me out of my comfort zone, no actually, it expanded my comfort zone. I feel I am a changed person now and that I am able to to see and experience the beauty of planet Earth. I will take the memories or Costa Rica with me as I keep on with my journey of life.”

Screen Shot 2014-12-02 at 10.46.57 AMFollowing the June program, Candice Wroblewski of Michigan shared that she had:

“A truly amazing, eye-opening experience. You get a taste of Costa Rica that cannot be duplicated. You get to see how the Costa Rican people live as well as the rainforest and nature. I will remember this trip and these people forever. The guides were incredible and you can tell that they genuinely want you to enjoy yourself. The trip and the friendships made are priceless. ¡I love Costa Rica! ¡Pura Vida!”

Our second incredible summer program, which took place in July, can be summed up in Tim Wilson’s description:

“It is amazing to see people from all over the country come together for one week and have so many new experiences and help so many people of foreign country. Unforgettable.”

Our final trip of the year wrapped up with our December program with another great group of students dedicating their Winter Break to service. Kendra Hopkins of Greensboro, NC, told us that:

“While on this trip I have found myself doing things I have never done before and accomplishing a lot. I have meet some of the most incredible individuals the States have to offer. I am beyond grateful for this experience!”

 

True Nature Travels Blog

In Costa Rica with The National Society of Leadership and Success

It’s not everyday that you can play with monkeys, build a school, eat three delicious meals straight from the farmland you are staying on, take a swim and practice a little yoga. But, on a True Nature Education Service and Adventure Program, this is just one day during an action-packed week of activities. 
 
What is the Service and Adventure Program? 
“While on this trip I have found a piece of serenity. I have found a part of myself that I has long been missing, and feel so thankful to have made some lasting friendships!  I will never forget this trip and feel so blessed to have gotten to come.”
 
– Melissa Kraak, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Our Service and Adventure Programs are an exciting new way to experience the authentic rich culture of the incredible country while also doing work to support its people and communities through preservation of the land and the environment.  In a time where our world is becoming more and more of a global family, what better way to be part of the bridge of support we are creating?
 
We’ve got an amazing group of student leaders representing nationwide chapters of The National Society of Leadership and Success in Costa Rica this week spreading the global service mission. The National Society of Leadership and Success is a national service and leadership organization throughout over 400 college campuses around the country. Here is just one day from their itinerary this week:
 COFFEE

7:30am: Breakfast

8:30am: Transport to BBI Monkey Sanctuary for Service Work

12:00pm: Lunch

1:00-2:00pm: Swimming

2:00pm: Service Work

4:00pm: Labyrinth Walk

5:30pm: Return to Karahe for Dinner  (Announcements for Next Day)

7:00pm: Evening Circle/Letting Go Exercise with Special Nature Items to hold on to

 

Atah5

Our Service and Adventure Program can be customized for just about any type of group you have from a church group to a corporate business retreat.  We love working with our good friends at The National Society of Leadership and Success. 
“This has been the most amazing experience in my life. I feel so blessed and privileged to be a part of this trip and provide my services to help others! I have never felt more useful and purpose driven, than on this trip. I hope to take a lot of what I have learned back home with me and become more involved in other service opportunities around the world, as well as in my own country. I just want to thank everyone involved who has made this trip possible and for providing us with two wonderful people to lead us around and grow with us!”
 
– Jenny Modesitt, Monroe, North Carolina

As they close out 2014 with their last program with True Nature, we are excited as we look to 2015 for four more Service and Adventure experiences planned with them. They are also open to any other student from a university looking to get something more out of their school breaks.

What are you waiting for? Check out some more pics from our recent trip and call us today to start planning a life changing experience for a group of your friends!

Atah8
Atah6
Atah2

Pura Vida!

True Nature Travels Blog

Photos From-the-Road for December Service & Adventure Program with The Society

IMG_5480December is upon is, which means we’re ready to kick off another Costa Rica Service and Adventure Program with members of The National Society of Leadership and Success (aka The Society) from chapters nationwide! Our next amazing group of student leaders touched down on Costa Rica this past Saturday, December 13th, and we could not be more excited.

Society members will have the opportunity to take their dedication to leadership and service on an international mission to communities in need in Costa Rica. The Society and True Nature Education share similar missions and values in their dedication to the “good of the community” through community service.

Students representing The Society will take part in a special travel opportunity that focuses on service that is directly immersed with the local communities in Costa Rica. Service projects will involve land restoration, community centers such as schools and libraries, working with native animals, and more.

New opportunities will continue in exciting adventures in activities such as surfing lessons, parasailing, horseback riding, rainforest zip-lining, sea kayaking, exploring waterfalls and volcanoes, and more.

This group represents schools from across the United States, including:

  • Georgia Southern University
  • Old Dominion University
  • Widener University
  • UCCS
  • University of North Carolina-Greensboro
  • North Shore Community College
  • Sam Houston State University
  • Kent State University
  • UMass Boston
  • North Carolina State University
  • University of Tampa
  • MCC
  • Alamance Community College
  • University at Buffalo
  • Ohio State University
  • South Piedmont Community College
  • St. John’s University
  • Auburn University at Montgomery

Follow along with updates From-the-Road as we share glimpses into the experience throughout the week. You can connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for photos and updates.

 

True Nature Travels Blog

The Meaning of Pura Vida: Setting Intentions for the Universe through Service

image of 1140x530
Village Rep Lindsay Padilla
One of our TNE Village Representatives, Lindsay Padilla

About 4 years… About 1460 days… About 35,040 hours… About an amazing person…

I still can remember the exact moment (which was four years ago) when we had the pleasure to welcome a group from the True Nature Education Costa Rica Center in our village. They painted two houses for many happy faces in our community.

People always say that time flies so fast. Maybe this is true, however, in this moment, time just decided to stop in front my eyes.

We were ready to toast with a cup of sugar cane juice in my garden, and my friend, Raylene Gerber, was there, with a beautiful student group as well as two more great women (the teacher and a mother).

But before I can continue with this testimony, I have to tell you something…

Anita, a smart 11-year-old girl, had just appeared there (two days prior), and we invited her to join us. Raylene turned to me and said with a smile, “She was the girl who has a brother (Ariel) and lives just there (pointing to Anita’s house). I remember her; we painted her house.”

Wow! Raylene has been volunteering here in my village for many times for many people, and in this moment, she remembered Anita’s face, recognizing her four years later.  I can’t imagine how many people she has seen in the last four  years, but she recognized her!!! That makes me think that when you make something with love, when your heart is open to new experiences and when your intention is to write a beautiful story in the pages of the universe, things like this happen.

10173176_10201812334766101_1843104376_o
TNE Village Representative Raylene Gerber on the left

Raylene Gerber, you are a blessing for the Earth! You did more than just paint her home… You put color to my week! You made me feel so happy to know how much you love everything you do. That is exactly what Pura Vida means!!!

I can spend all night writing about the beautiful experiences we have seen through the support and endless effort that Joshua Canter and his family have done in our community. I can say that True Nature Education really offers an opportunity to anyone interested in taking part on the positive change we all wish to see in the world.

After sharing this, at the end of an amazing week, I can say Buenas Noches, amigos. 

True Nature Travels Blog

Learning to Let Go – From the Road with the Society in Costa Rica

Beach Cleanup
Cleaning up Costa Rica’s beaches.

One of the main themes that we practice at True Nature Education is the function and meaning of mindfulness.

We have found by subtly utilizing mindfulness in our programs our participants are able to have a more memorable, rewarding, and profound experience while traveling with us. Why is this? Because when we are mindful we are able to experience the moment more fully, and therefore can truly enjoy the fruits of our life. These “fruits” are especially rich and inspiring are especially rich and inspiring when traveling, on retreat, and learning new things, in a new place.

On the second day of our retreat, the National Society of Leadership and Success group members had a great discussion about using mindfulness in letting go of unnecessary elements and allowing room in our mind, body, and spirit for the incredible raw beauty that Costa Rica was shedding upon us in our journey through the country.

Beach Cleanup Post Group Shot
Post beach cleanup group shot!

Here’s some reflection from Kathryn, from this discussion:

Have you ever thought about what you’d like to let go of in your life?
At 6:15 AM, I decided let go of the hate to make room for forgiveness.
Letting go was the theme of the Day 3 as we entered into the Second Stage of our Costa Rica Journey. I began my morning with yoga and ending my night listening to a young man’s beyond inspiring poetry. Today was another wonderfully full day, filled with cleaning up the beach, parasailing, and becoming one with the rain forest at Manuel Antonio National Park. Every day that I am here I learn more and more not only about the wilderness, but about the fascinating people who I am sharing this adventure with, and most of all, about myself. Today was a good day. Todo Bien. (“All good”). Pura Vida.
– Kathryn Hima, Western Connecticut State University, CT

 

Stay tuned with us on Facebook and Twitter for snippets of the program in action. You can also visually follow us on Instagram, @truenatureeducation.

True Nature Travels Blog

Happy New Year! One Cycle Ends and Another Begins…

We want to start by wishing everyone a wonderful Happy New Year from all of us at True Nature Education. New Years always brings the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. We just completed our best year yet at TNE and look forward to an incredible 2013!

Just in time to wrap up 2012 we completed our Costa Rica Tikkun Olam and Adventure Program. With the auspicious timing of this program ending on NYE, it was fitting that it turned out to be one of our most special programs to date. Throughout the week the group had a very unique, caring, and collaborative energy which continued to grow to the end.

In addition, this group being from Asheville, where TNE is based, had an added element of meaningful connection, knowing that not only will the group get to continue to grow together when they return, but we at TNE can also grow with them back at home in the US.

The final day of the trip had us waking up to a warm and sunny morning at Finca Luna Nueva Lodge. Following yoga we gathered together with Ishmael, our naturalist guide, and headed to our reforestation project.

The Rabbi shared some poignant words about the relevance and importance of planting trees in the Jewish tradition, and with that said we headed out with our trees and began our planting.

Once again one of TNE’s groups took part in the expansion of the explanding corridor of the Children’s Eternal Rainforest. The group planted the trees with such mindfulness and care, a reflection of the group itself, with some making special dedications to friends and family with the plantings.

Following the project we headed back to Luna Nueva one more time to prepare for our departure. Leaving the farm for the final time, we made one final stop at the San Rafael School. The children met our shuttle with smiles, taking our hands and following them into their classroom. Together we took part in a very special time of connection, sharing, and celebration for our time in Costa Rica and in the village. The activity culminated in our offering of the school supplies (altogether they weighed 60 pounds!) which the group brought from the US and which we carried all week with us. 🙂 We shared in waives, smiles, and a big “a dios” as we drove down the road for the final stage of our journey.

Our final night back at the Orchideas Inn, we sat around the same table, as we did the first night, sharing appreciation for one another, stories, and setting intentions for how we plan to bring this energy back home. The group flew into the sunset yesterday arriving home just in time to bring in the New Year with family.

We want to thank everyone from our group from North Carolina, New York, and California. We have coined the group the first cohort of The Costa Rica Toucan Alum’s.

Wishing everyone the best from TNE!

True Nature Travels Blog

Day 2: Inspiration in the Wild on the CR Tikkun Olam Service & Adventure Trip

Today began with a shot in the arm of enthusiasm and inspiration when after breakfast we were introduced to Jennifer, president of Kids Saving the Rainforest, who told us the story of how she encouraged her 9 year old (now 23) to start a non-profit to plant trees, which has now grown into a full operation of a wildlife sanctuary and monkey conservation efforts. We left for a full day in Manuel Antonio looking forward to our service work with and her long-term volunteers tomorrow. Our challenge will be entertaining the monkeys!

We met our naturalist, Freddie, at the gate of Manuel Antonio National Park. Together, we marveled at the spiders, lizards, rainbow crickets, two-toed and three-toed sloths, and white-faced monkeys. No wonder they want to save the rainforest! The only rival to Freddie at spotting the wildlife was eagle-eye Noa Meiri.

Our nature hike ended at the beach where we set up to eat our bag lunch just in time for a cool shower. That didn’t last long enough to interfere with our afternoon activities: parasailing, horseback-riding, duck diving the waves, ocean kayaking, and shopping. Sandy and tired, we watched the sun sink into the ocean, as we sang “Eli Eli- we pray that these things never end: the sand and the sea, the rush of the water, the crash of the heavens the prayer of the heart.”

 

 

Today’s blog was written by guest blogger and retreat co-leader, Rabbi Batsheva Meiri, from Congregation Beth HaTephila of Asheville, NC.

True Nature Travels Blog

Real-Time Costa Rica Updates for our First Retreat of the Season

It’s hard to believe that the holiday season has surrounded us already and 2012 is coming to a close, which means that our 2012-2013 Retreat Season is just about to begin!

To kick things off we will be Costa Rica Service (“Tikkun Olam”) Adventure Program beginning this Sunday, December 23, and continuing through New Years Eve on December 31. The retreat is in partnership with the Jewish community at large in Asheville, NC, where True Nature Education is based out of.

Co-hosted by TNE Founder Joshua Canter and Rabbi Batsheva Meiri of Beth Ha Tephila, the retreat will also include participants from Warren Wilson College and The Asheville Chabad House. The focus of the retreat will be to deepen the commitment of service through  outreach projects in the local villages, working with the local population, and the native environment of Costa Rica. Participants will also take part in exciting excursions and adventures throughout Costa Rica.

Stay tuned to the blog for real-time updates from the retreat with photos, thoughts, and event happenings from the trip. You can also follow along with periodic updates from our Facebook page, as well as join the conversation on Twitter via #costaricaservice from our handle @truenatureed.

 

True Nature Travels Blog

On Thanksgiving and the True Nature Education Mission

A note from Joshua–

In a time where our world is becoming more and more of a global community, what better way to become part of the bridge of support we are creating than by finding a way to give back to those in need.

As Thanksgiving approaches our united focus comes to that of sharing appreciation for all that we have as well as sharing with those that might not have as much.

The essence of Thanksgiving lies at the heart of True Nature Education. We planted the seeds of this grassroots company fresh off of moving into a small rural village in Costa Rica. So moved by the authentic openness, generosity, and hospitality of the local, simple-living Costa Ricans, we then vowed to implement a service component into all of our programs, from yoga retreats to corporate retreats to travel abroad programs.

The CREER Service Organization, TNE’s sister organization, continually strives to do in-depth research to understand the true needs of the people in the villages of Costa Rica which we visit. Here are the three areas of service which our volunteers take part in when joining us in Costa Rica.

Read more

True Nature Travels Blog

Travel Tip Thursday: Mindful Awareness in New Surroundings

When giving orientations and presentations to first-timers, we always emphasize this as the number one key aspect to being safe in Costa Rica. There is so much life in the beautiful land of Pura Vida, Pura Life. With this, there are also many creatures (just to name a few….sloths, monkeys, lizards, alligators) and places to visit where you need to use caution. To do this, the simple teaching is to be aware.

There are many amazing volcanoes and mountains for the hiker, but be sure to plan accordingly. The terrain can be challenging so be sure that you don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you’re not in good shape, know that there are many 3K and 5K trails that are just as worthy of accomplishment. When you embark on your journey uphill, bring along an ample water supply as the water can be quite hot and humid. Stay in tune with your hydration level to avoid any mishaps. As you trek through rainforests, pay close attention to your map and compass; it’s easy to get lost, so be sure to remain in the moment and be attentive to your surroundings.

Costa Rica has some of Central America’s most poisonous snakes, including the fer-de-lance and the bushmaster. Be aware of each step you take as

Read more
1
2