Expedition Skills

• Emergency preparedness
• Safety management and basic first aid
• Shelter construction
• Outdoor cooking
• Conservation practices
• Ropes and knots
• Stove use and maintenance
• Leave No Trace wilderness ethics
• Nutrition and ration planning

Backpacking

• Proper fit and loading of packs 
• Moving efficiently over rugged terrain 
• River crossings
• Distributing group gear fairly amongst the group
• Group travel
• Route Planning
• Weather signs and forecasting

Sea Kayaking

• Boat fit and packing techniques
• Paddle Strokes, braces, and rolling
• Open water rescue techniques
• Towing
• Surfing
• Beach camping

Surfing

• Riding a board
• Reading rips & ocean currents
• Reading waves
• Surf zone safety

Scuba

• Principles of SCUBA
• Gear and equipment
• Buoyancy and decompression
• Emergency dive skills
• Confined and open water SCUBA practicums

Intercultural Exchange

• Spanish Language Skills
• Create connections through learning local traditions
• Expand perspectives on daily life and beyond
• Adapt to the values of a different culture
• Build understanding of your role in a global community
• Learn to prepare traditional Costa Rican meals with fresh ingredients 

Group Dynamics

• Leadership and decision making
• Followership and expedition behavior
• Communication & Conflict Resolution
• Individual and group goal setting
• Independence and Interdependence
• Intercultural communication and exchange
• Community building and empathy

The coastal and river environments of Costa Rica provide a perfect backdrop for expanding wilderness travel skills. This small tropical nation is fast becoming a renowned destination for whitewater rafting, surfing, rainforest trekking, and eco-adventures in general. About the size of West Virginia, Costa Rica has a variety of climates including tropical dry forest, rainforest, and cloud forest. For the surfing phase The Pacific Ocean will provide participants with exceptional surf conditions year-round for beginner to advanced surfers. On the surf expedition the group will camp, cook, hike and surf together. On the hiking phase students will tarp camp as well as stay in homestays. Sometimes students will cook their own meals and sometimes the family at the homestay will provide meals for them. When at our rainforest basecamp students will have bunk bed style dorms to share and meals prepared for them by our kitchen staff.

These regions are the ancestral lands of the Chorotega, Malécu, Rama, Bostos, Nicarao/Nahoa, Huetar, Tjer-di/Teribe Broram, Brunka, Bribri, Buglé and Ngäbé nations.

The Bocas del Torro archipelago is located near the Caribbean border with Costa Rica. The islands are home to a rich, heterogeneous culture including the indigenous Guaymi-Ngobe people who are direct descendants of the original inhabitants of these islands and the afro-Caribbean Bastimentenos. The Guaymi communicate in both Spanish and their traditional language, of which there are only about 2,000 fluent speakers left in the world. Their dwellings are typically constructed on stilts over the water with grass-thatched roofs. The Guaymi-Ngobe community on the island of Solarte is the staging ground for the scuba element of the course. 

These regions are the ancestral lands of the Guaymi-Ngobe.

Leadership

An important part of this Outward Bound course is our leadership curriculum. Beyond lessons and discussions about leadership, students will practice the art of leadership. Throughout the course students will be put in charge of leading their group through a variety of activities and discussions. Believing that leaders must be able to teach and present in front of a group, our instructors place an emphasis on developing teaching skills. Throughout the semester, you will have the chance to teach several lessons during the course.

Service

Service projects are often incorporated into Outward Bound courses through coordination with local land managers, conservation groups, government agencies, or social service agencies. While on expedition, students are encouraged to practice service to the environment and their team by sharing responsibilities and following Leave No Trace ethics throughout the course.

Solo

The Solo experience provides an important break from the rigors of the expedition and gives students the opportunity to reflect on their Outward Bound experience. With sufficient food and equipment, students will set up camp at their own sites, using the wilderness skills learned during the first half or two-thirds of the course. The solo will be up to 72 hours on a long course like this. 

Often located along beautiful shorelines or peaceful rivers, campsites are chosen to offer as much solitude as possible (yet be within emergency whistle-signaling distance of other group members). Most students spend their Solo time journaling, drawing, or just thinking and resting as they process lessons of the course to focus on their goals for the future. Instructors check on each participant at least daily.

Final Expedition

As the course progresses, the instructors work to hand over responsibility for leadership of the expedition to you and your teammates. Throughout this semester your group will have multiple opportunities to put your technical and leadership skills to the test by taking on all of the challenges and rewards that are a part of planning and executing a successful expedition in each of the skills areas. Your culminating final will allow your group to organize and undertake an expedition and prove to yourselves that you are ready to navigate, cook and set up camp yourselves, motivate each other, sort out differences of opinion, push through challenges, and work together to safely achieve each day’s travel goal.

Surf Training

Alongside our experienced instructors, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how to read wave conditions, maintain equipment, and practice surf etiquette and technique.

Gain skills in the basics of surfboard selection, beach & surf safety, pad­dling techniques, and popping up on your board. Venture to the Pacific Coast and practice what you’ve learned in the warm tropical waters, great for beginner surfers. Steps away from the waves, your instructors will teach an initial surf lesson, and you’ll begin to practice your new skills in the water. As your skills progress, you will realize just how amazing this spot can be and your ability to learn new things. Alternatively have fun in the tropical waves on a boogie board.

Sea Kayaking

Depart early to your “far from the tourist route” trailhead, which will take you to some of the most spectacular hidden gems in central Costa Rica. Enjoy hiking through pristine cloud and rainforests, learning about the flora and fauna that thrive in one of the most biodiverse countries of the world. Make camp under tarps along the trail or on host family farms with the sounds of the for­est to lull you to sleep. Debrief, dive into Costa Rican culture & traditions, and learn about your new rainforest surroundings through nightly meetings to gain the most out of this unique experience.

Continue hiking through jaw-dropping rainforest areas. Spend a night at a Rainforest Eco Lodge where a breathtaking mountain view and local family welcome you. Learn about how locals live in this remote part of the coun­try while enjoying a beautiful open-air, sustainable rainforest home. At nightfall, venture out for a mini excursion to spot rare and colorful Costa Rican tree frog species in their natu­ral habitat at a conservation site on the grounds of the lodge. Spend the night in cozy dorms overlooking the mountains.

Scuba Training

Cross the Panama border to your island home in the archipelago of Bocas del Toro. Begin the basics of Scuba – learn about theory, the equipment, and the important skills needed to have fun diving. Boat out to multiple dive locations to see spectacular tropical coral reefs and colorful fish that surround these islands. Continue to build on your diving skills as you glide and explore new coral reefs, sunken cat­amarans and shipwrecks. Learn more about the amazing plants and animals that make this ecosystem their home and explore the unique beauty of this ecosystem at night through a bioluminescent night snorkel dive. Glide through the waters as thousands of magical biolumines­cent lights illuminate your path.

Spanish Language

Throughout your course experience you will participate in service projects and cultural immersion activities. Grow your confidence in speaking to locals and interacting with local school children. Learn to communicate across cultures when buying produce for your group from the vendors at the local feria (farmer’s market) just minutes from our rainforest basecamp. Participate in dedicated course days specifically for Spanish language learning.  

Cultural Immersion 

Develop connection and understanding with people of different cultural backgrounds by immersing yourself in Costa Rica culture. Learn about the Tico (Costa Rican) traditions, practices, and values all while refining your Spanish speaking and listening skills at your group homestays. Activities may vary depending on what the families are working on that time of year but you can expect to be preparing foods from scratch under the guidance of your instructors and host families. This experience will take you far from the touristy parts of Costa Rica and allow you to connect with others through cross cultural exchange. 

Solo

The Solo experience provides an important break from the rigors of the expedition to give students quiet time to reflect on the Outward Bound experience. With the basics of food and equipment, and with safety a top priority, students will take some time away from the group to be alone at sites of their own, using the wilderness skills learned during the first part of the course. Often located amidst lush greenery or peaceful rivers, Solo sites are chosen to offer as much solitude as possible (yet be within emergency whistle-signaling distance of other group members). Most students spend their Solo time journaling, drawing or just thinking and resting as they process lessons learned and focus on their goals for the future. Instructors check on each participant at regular intervals.

Service

Service projects are often incorporated into Outward Bound courses through coordination with local land managers, conservation groups, government, or social service agencies.

On this course, students will be able to give back to the local community by volunteering on service projects where they will gain an understanding of the impact every individual can have on people, wildlife, and the environment. For example, students may participate in a beach clean-up, help a local hatchery prepare for sea turtle nesting, or assist with the high elevation rainforest reserve where the local government runs an environmental education reforestation program for local school children.

While in the wilderness, students are also encouraged to practice service to the environment and their team by sharing responsibilities and following Recreate Responsibly ethics throughout the expedition.

 Weather and a Typical Day

The short answer to the question of “what’s a typical day like?” is that there is no typical day on an Outward Bound course. Weather, wind, wave, and river conditions will determine whether or not we can participate in planned activities and where we go each day. We assess the weather several times a day to help us make decisions about our expedition plans, and we frequently have to amend our plans to meet the changing conditions. For this reason, we need to maintain the flexibility to make the best safety and educational decisions for the changing environment.

Travel Within the Course

There will/can be a considerable amount of travel between the different sections of the course. This will be done primarily in Outward Bound vans and buses (with the exception of a mid-course flight on the Maine to Bahamas and FL Keys to Costa Rica semester courses). All ground transportation during the course is included in tuition and fees but flights are not. Please pay close attention to the clothing and equipment lists and bring only what you need. Storage space will be limited, particularly when we are traveling.

Mail

You will be able to send mail out during the course, as well as receive mail during the domestic section of your course (as applicable). DO NOT SEND LARGE PACKAGES! 

We do not recommend sending mail to students during international sections of their course, or throughout international courses. 

Equipment & Personal Belongings

Read the equipment and clothing list thoroughly and carefully consider all that you bring. Some storage is available at the base camps, but space can be limited. Rugged cameras, quality sunscreen, notebooks and pens are well worth bringing. Expensive jewelry, valuables and many changes of casual clothing are not.

Cameras

HOIBS strives to provide a camera for your group to use while on course, however it is not guaranteed. Any pictures taken with the HIOBS camera will be posted for you to access after the course. You can also bring a camera if you want to record the events of your course. However, because the course is rigorous and the climate is wet, you run the risk of losing or damaging your camera. A durable waterproof camera/case will help protect it from the elements. Keep in mind that access for recharging is extremely limited. Please do not bring large amounts of camera equipment. 

Vaccines and Medical Facilities

Each of our International locations have reliable medical facilities which we can access from our course areas within a day. All instructors are Wilderness First Responder certified. Our instructor/student ratio, as well as the skills of our instructors, ensures solid evacuation procedures in case of an emergency. We carry a wilderness first aid kit. Please bring only medications that are prescribed to you; do not bring any additional medications. Instructors will brief the group about treating drinking water, and other routine safety and health precautions while on course. Please contact your family doctor/physician or nearest travel clinic for the latest on medical travel updates on the area to which you are going to travel. Your doctor can help you decide which vaccines you should get prior to your course. For further information on recommended vaccines, see: CDC WEBSITE

Passports/Visas

You must bring a valid passport with an expiration date of at least 6 months beyond the date of your return flight home. Every student should consult the following web site to ensure that they meet immigration requirements for passport and visa needs: https://www.state.gov/travel/

We also recommend that you make two copies of your passport, one to keep with you during the course in case you lose your original, and one to leave at home. If you do not currently have a passport, you should start the application process NOW. It can take many weeks for your paperwork to be processed and a passport issued. For passport information go to: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports.html

Breaks on Course

This course is demanding. In order to keep you motivated and energized, break times have been scheduled during the course. Breaks will be half a day to one day long and may allow time for you to contact home, do laundry, and possibly to explore a town. Outward Bound staff will maintain responsibility for student well-being during breaks, and will remain easily accessible during unstructured free time. During breaks, students are expected to obey all local laws and customs and exhibit appropriate behavior, defined as behaving in keeping with Outward Bound core values, and abstaining from drug and alcohol use. Course expulsion may result if laws are broken, or behavior endangers self, others, property, or the reputation of Outward Bound.

Money on Course

Money will be needed for meals during break days. In addition, there will be occasional laundry expenses, some new clothing, toiletry articles or souvenirs to be bought and lost or damaged Outward Bound equipment to pay for. You may also need cash to pay for medical expenses, should you become ill or injured. The course schedule and locations do not support banking hours, and travelers’ checks are often difficult to cash and sometimes are not accepted. Visa charge cards are accepted in most populated areas, and there are ATM machines for cash advances in some areas. We recommend a combination of cash and a debit or credit card. Semester students should bring $100. At the end of course, time permitting, students may be allowed to use that money to purchase souvenirs.

Student Independence

There will be times on this course when instructors will not directly supervise you. This will include time around camp, cooking or setting up tents, sleeping, and solo. We have found that a degree of independence is an effective educational tool, and we expect that all students come to this course with a willingness to learn skills and effective expedition behavior, and practice them without instructor supervision, either alone or with other group members. 

Drugs and Alcohol

Use of alcohol, tobacco or non-prescription drugs is absolutely forbidden on your semester course. These substances would not only detract from your performance on the course, but can create significant safety and health issues for all participants. Use of these substances while on course will result in your immediate expulsion from the course without a refund. Bring only medications that are prescribed to you, in the original, labeled prescription vials.

Emergency Messages

You will, at times, be in remote areas without telephone contact. Emergency calls are defined as calls that can’t wait until regular business hours. Examples of emergency calls are that you are unable to make it to the course start on time or you have a family emergency while on course. Please call 855-802-0307, and follow the prompts.  This will forward you automatically to our on-call cell phone and you will receive a response in a timely fashion.

Academic Credit

College credits need to be arranged BEFORE you start the course, and cannot be set up once the course begins. To learn more contact your Course Advisor, or go to http://www.outwardbound.org/classic/academic-credit-outdoor-leadership-programs/.   Hundreds of colleges have granted credit for Outward Bound courses in our 40+ years of operation. Again - you will need to check with your counselor or registrar BEFORE you take the course. A semester course would most likely satisfy credit requirements for classes in Wilderness Expeditionary Skills, Wilderness Camping and Travel, Wilderness Skills Practicum in Sailing, Whitewater and Sea Kayaking, Map and Compass, Wilderness First Aid, Group Process and Leadership, and Environmental Science and Ethics.

International Medical Insurance While on Course

We are please to announce that as part of our commitment to students participating in course-related foreign travel, Outward Bound has invested in global medical and security assistance through a group membership with On Call International (Outward Bound Group ID: 100109CPPD19). If you are on a non-international Semester Program, you will want to consider purchasing travel/trip cancellation insurance. 

Please take a few minutes to read the summary of services and benefits in the "On Call" Travel Services and Benefits section below, to ensure these are adequate for your individual needs. The Travel Insurance Plan includes a robust menu of benefits that are listed in the summary. This benefit package covers the majority of options one would find when purchasing travel insurance as an individual, but does not include trip cancellation coverage. If you desire coverage for trip cancellation, you should purchase this separately.

Outward Bound is not liable, financially or otherwise, for loss of, or damage to, property. You should make sure that all personal belongings are covered by a homeowners or other insurance policy before the start of the program.

Partners/ Subcontractors

We occasionally choose to work with other reputable organizations and individuals to assist us in delivering our courses. We establish these relationships in part to improve the quality of course delivery, and to add additional resources and expertise otherwise unavailable to us. We work with Outward Bound Costa Rica, Outward Bound Brazil and The Island School/ Cape Eleuthera Institute in the Bahamas.

Please be aware that most trip cancellation policies will provide fee-based services that will be redundant to those included with your On Call membership. To avoid incurring additional expenses while on course, Outward Bound students should refer to the OB/On Call program for these services.

On your HIOBS program, you will learn four important Outward Bound Core Values:

• Compassion
• Integrity
• Excellence
• Inclusion and Diversity

Some of the most important lessons you take home are learning about yourself and your community while acquiring backcountry skills and having an adventure. As you will be traveling through wild places on your expedition, you’ll also learn to protect and appreciate the unique, unspoiled environments through which you travel.

Gap Year and Semester Courses

Our Gap Year and Semester expeditions are designed to provide opportunities for students to develop wilderness skills, to practice and learn about teamwork, and to foster each individual's leadership abilities. These programs combine the rigor of a series of adventurous expeditions with the interpersonal challenges of living in a small community - which takes resiliency, character, and the determination to succeed through collaboration, compassion, and effort.

Amidst rugged natural landscapes, you are given the opportunity to learn to lead and to follow, to adjust plans to changing realities, give and receive honest feedback, and earn the confidence borne of hard-won achievement. Our Outward Bound instructors coach students to step outside their perceived limitations, to assess risks, and to work together on expedition to achieve more than they thought possible - and also to find ways to transfer these "a-ha" moments back to life at home, work and school.

In the wilderness, you can take the opportunity to unplug from your everyday life, practice these skills, and along the way build amazing new connections that will serve you wherever you go.

You need to be physically fit, and motivated to live, learn and work together within your expedition team. You will need to be ready to work and live with crew mates with different views and values from all different parts of the country and world. No previous wilderness travel or camping experience is necessary—all travel and leadership skills are taught from the beginning, and each day of the expedition builds on the previous one.

On Call International Insurance Overview 

As part of our commitment to students participating in course-related foreign travel, Outward Bound has invested in global medical and security assistance through a group membership with On Call International.

 Member services and related benefits that are included with your enrollment:

• Pre-trip preparation and health planning
• Assistance with and coverage for emergency evacuations
• Assistance with and coverage for medical care and coordination
• Assistance with and coverage for response to crime or security situations

Not included under this membership:

• Coverage for international travel before course start or after course end
• Motivational early departure or expulsion
• Tuition reimbursement for early departure for any reason

As a member of our Outward Bound group you have access to pre-trip medical, security, and personal safety advice and services. Examples include up to date advice on: recommended vaccinations, food and water safety, and security risks.

 While on course outside the US, should health issues arise, or in the unlikely event of serious injury, illness or a security crisis during your course, On Call International provides expertise and resources to help us select the best options to manage the situation. For example, if you lose your medication, need to see a doctor, get pick-pocketed and lose your passport, or have an incident resulting in illness or injury, you and your Outward Bound instructors would work with On Call International to determine the best course of action. The On Call International network of medical and professional service teams operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, all over the world.

Please note that Outward Bound’s International Travel Program and related services and benefits, only applies to Outward Bound (“school sponsored”) courses and activities, travel related to a sponsored course or activity, and travel (directly) between the international course or activity location and the US. This program will not apply to any international travel you might choose that is unrelated to the Outward Bound sponsored course or activity. If you plan to extend your plans beyond your Outward Bound experience, we recommend you purchase separate travel insurance for any international travel planned outside of your Outward Bound course and sponsored activities.

We are pleased to be able to provide this level of service and benefits to our students and their families participating in International Outward Bound courses. If, after reviewing this letter and the summary, you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your course advisor, or refer to the website of On Call International, and enter the Outward Bound group ID 100109CPPD19.

** Please be aware that most trip cancellation policies will provide fee-based services that will be redundant to those included with your On Call membership. 

On Call International Membership FAQs

What is On Call International?

On Call International (On Call) is one of the world’s leading medical and security assistance companies. Your complimentary membership is included when you enroll in an Outward Bound course with international components. The plan entitles you to a host of pre-trip and international travel assistance resources.

What are some of On Call International’s services?

A 24/7 Assistance Center for immediate access to worldwide medical, security, travel and emergency assistance.

Along with a robust list of pre-trip services, On Call provides medical evacuation and repatriation coordination; political and natural disaster evacuation coordination; including coordination of payment of overseas medical bills (where Guarantee of Payments are accepted)  as benefits through HDI Global Specialty SE, UK Branch.

Transportation of a family member to join a hospitalized student (if they are hospitalized more than 3 days), accommodation while visiting a hospitalized student, return of dependent children, and return of a traveling companion are also services coordinated through On Call International.

Who do I contact if I have pre-trip medical or security questions?

By dialing the 24-hr Assistance Center or by sending an email to [email protected], members have access to pre-trip medical, security, personal safety and travel advice and services. Examples include up to date advice on: recommended vaccinations, food and water safety, and security risks.

Outward Bound students and their families should visit the On Call International online portal to familiarize themselves with all the services that On Call offers, both pre-trip and while abroad.

Please go to mysearchlightportal.com and at the prompt for the Group ID website login, enter Outward Bound’s Group ID number: 100109CPPD19

If you have a medical or security related question or emergency during your course, the Outward Bound staff overseeing the course activities will coordinate contact with On Call International on your behalf.

Who do I contact if I need assistance when I’m on a course outside of my home Country?

Any contact related to initial coordination of services will be made by the Outward Bound staff overseeing the course activities. In the unlikely event that you are separated from the course and are alone and in need of assistance, you will have contact numbers for local staff and services as well as the 24-hour On Call International Global Response Center contact information 1-603-952-2669.

Do I get an individual insurance card?

No, you will not receive an individual On Call International insurance card. The Outward Bound staff overseeing your course will provide you with a briefing of expectations in the event of an emergency.

Travel and Medical Insurance Plan Benefits FAQs

What is covered under the International Travel and Medical Insurance Plan?

The insurance plan covers medical expenses, including hospital room and board, inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures, emergency outpatient care, labs and x-rays, inpatient and outpatient mental health, physician office visits and prescription drugs if in connection with a covered injury or illness. See policy summary below for a full list of benefits and limits.

The insurance plan also covers all costs related to services provided by or coordinated by On Call International as listed in the summary below.

Insurance Plan Design:

The insurance plan provides benefits (through HDI Global Security SE, UK Branch) for the reasonable and customary charges incurred by a participant for a covered accident or sickness up to a $500,000 maximum per person per occurrence. Coverage will be provided for each benefit or service as listed in the summary below.

Who do I contact if I have questions about the policy, benefits or how the plan works?

On Call International

Call collect from anywhere in the world:    

 +1 603-952-2669

Call toll free from US or Canada

1-844-884-1210

[email protected]

Claims Processing FAQs

Will I receive an insurance card?

No, you will not receive a separate insurance ID card. On Call International will simply confirm eligibility through Outward Bound after a claim is received.

If I receive a bill for services I received, what should I do?

When outside of the US, you, or Outward Bound on your behalf, may be asked to pay for medical care first and then need to seek reimbursement. If Outward Bound has paid on your behalf, they will submit bills directly to the Claims Administrator. If you have paid for covered services directly, you must submit the claim directly to On Call International. An On Call claim form must be completed in order to receive reimbursement for medical expenses. Please note, All Inpatient Hospital treatments or care, Surgery or Surgical Procedure, computerized tomography (CAT Scan) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Emergency Medical Evacuations and Repatriations, Repatriation of Remains and Burial, Emergency Reunions and Trip Interruption must be pre-authorized by On Call International and these are not reimburseable benefits.

Is any other information needed to pay a claim?

If the treatment you received was a result of an accident, you might receive a letter asking you for information about the accident, e.g., if it was the result of a car accident, from playing sports, etc. Your claim cannot be processed without this information, so please respond to the letter promptly.