Alex Anderson on Salto Coilaco

After a week and a half, we have found the jewels of Pucon. The clean 30 foot Ojos de Caburgua, the clean 30 foot Salto Coilaco, the big waves of the Trancura and the clear, canyoned-in beauty of the Maichin. We’ve also found the good helado (ice cream) the best juice (pina y plateno) and the best cake slices.

Perhaps the most magical part of Pucon, however, is the time we spend together in the Quincho. We collect wood from around the propperty, start a huge fire in the fireplace and sit together playing chess and Liar’s dice. It is a true blessing to have no internet access at the base! The students have gotten very into card games, in particular Hearts and Go Fish. Andy Kirby has consistently been baking beautiful loaves of bread in the wood-fired oven, and David just bought a blender so I can start experimenting with making juices and smoothies for everyone.

And this is how we spend our final days….waterfalls during the day,  studying for finals and card games at night. Everyone relaxing and soaking it in. We’ll be home so, so, SO soon!!

David Hughes has been involved at internationally traveling, kayaking high schools for 13 years, first as a teacher and coach at The Academy at Adventure Quest, and then as the founder, director, coach and teacher for The New River Academy.  What does that mean? When mere mortals come home after a long, long trip in a foreign land, we  get to unpack and put our feet up for a while, indulging in the safety and comfort of home after so long away. While we are doing this, David Hughes is still in Chile, wrapping up the final logistics, putting things away, cleaning up, returning the gear we’ve borrowed. As soon as he gets home, he is immediately piecing together another trip. He is at home in West Virginia, at his lovely home with Fern the cat, for a few months at at time before he’s off again. To sustain this for 13 years, David must tap into reservoirs of strength, determination and energy that I cannot begin to fathom.

What does it mean to be the director of a program? We all work hard here, students and staff alike. But to be the director means that when the rest of the staff are taking a much-deserved break and watching Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (like we did yesterday) David is standing out in the rain, directing the driveway gravelers with one hand and meeting with a furniture maker at the same time (like he did yesterday). When we are recovering after a 16 hour drive home from Ottawa to West Virginia, he is waking up at dawn and driving 10 of our creek boats to South Carolina so we will be able to save some money on shipping.

I do not know how he does what he does. The flurry of activity that we see on the surface is only the tip of the iceburg. He is working while we sleep in on Saturdays, he is working when we crash early on a Thursday night. While we’re all indulging in facebook and gmail, he’s working out payroll and hammering out 1,000 emails to our next Chilean contact. I cannot begin to mention even a fraction of what he does, because I’m not even aware of all that he does!

Yesterday night, we realized there had been a miscommunication with our cook. It was 7:30, we were hungry, and she was no where to be seen! I snapped to attention, grabbed the girls and drove us into town. We navigated through the supermarket with our fragmented spanish, then ran home and furiously cooked up a pretty decent. The french fries didn’t work out too well, but overall our ’scrambled egg french fry suprise’ was well received. We thought up, shopped for, cooked up, serve, ate and cleaned up meal for 14 in the time it would previously take me to cook up a bowl of spaghetti for myself . I was so proud of myself! And then it dawned on me, like a baseball to the side of the head: this is what David does every minute of every day. He navigates 14 of us through a foreign country, aranges the meals, the shopping, the vehicles, the shuttles, the rivers, the put-ins, the shelter, the currency, the budget, leads the meetings…of course, we’re all there to help him, but because he is in Charge, the details eventually filter up to David for his final decision. And somehow he finds the time to read every blog post the students put up, and compliment the little things he loves so much (like Matti Hill mentioning how he ‘pulled himself up by the booty straps.’ Love it!)

About a week ago, the whole crew was sitting around the fire at our lodge in Achibueno. There was rain outside and steam on the windows. The students were playing Uno, Tino and Andy and I were singing, and Matt Smink was reading The Monkey Wrench Gang, having snatched a copy from my American Literature students. David was quietly sitting back. He had been quiet for a long time when I asked him if anything was wrong.

“Wrong? No.” He said, leaning forwards and extending his hands out towards the fire. “I’m just taking a moment to sit back and absorb what I’ve worked for. You know how that goes?”

If there is anything I can hope for David, it is that his life from here on out is full of moments like this one. That he takes the time to sit back and appreciate all the lives he has changed, all the beautiful and fantastic moments that have arisen from his efforts.

With each adventure we take as a school, the photo students have an added task to contend with. They carry their boat over their shoulder, their paddle in one hand and their pelican box in the other.  While the rest of us contemplate our perfect line down the waterfall, the photo students are computing in their heads the equation of light + action+ and available vantage point for shooting. They climb cliffs, scramble down into river beds, fight through steep hillsides of bamboo and thorns, and drag themselves across zip lines to get the most innovative shot.
Being a photography teacher has given me a new appreciation for a photographer’s role in their photographs. This should seem obvious- who else but the photographer could be responsible for their own shot?  But before this semester, I never payed homage to the photographer at all. Looking at a photograph of David Hughes running a huge waterfall, I would think to myself, “David is doing something so awesome! And that waterfall is beautiful! I wish I did things like David did so I could have photos of me like that!” I gave the subject all the credit! And while it’s true, without the handsome boys and girls running big drops in pretty places, none of us would have the portfolio we do. But I never would think, “Wow, what composition this photographer achieved! The exposure is perfect, look how the water seems to be suspended mid air, it must have been difficult to use such a fast shutter speed in that limited light. And the area is so remote- amazing that photographer lugged her giant lens and delicate camera so far into the wilderness!”

Watching Zoe, Taylor and Matt constantly adjusting their focus, change out lenses, climb trees and give up their own oppertunity to run a drop in order to shoot someone else running it,  really makes me appreciate how far they go and how hard they work. Photography is one of those rare things that everyone benefits from. The photo students glow with pride when others admire their work, and the subjects of those photos glow with pride when they put them up on facebook and everyone at home raves about their latest big adventure.

Of course, then there is the hours spent in front of their screen touching up photos, uploading them to Flikr, giving slide shows and writing blog posts.  With internet that flickers in and out, this can be a long a tedious process. My students work for hours at a time perfecting and sharing their photos, and always with positive, energetic diligence.

Thank you Zoe, Taylor and Matt, I am so proud of the work you do!

(C) Matt Smink

In both AP English and English 2, we have learned the term “anachronistic”: an object, phrase, idea or person that is misplaced in time. For example, Shakespeare reference to Clocks in Julias Ceasar is anachronistic, because clocks did not actually exist during that time period. (I was relieved to hear that even Shakespeare made mistakes.) We learned the word at the Siete Tazs, but we did not experience the word until we spent a week at a lodge high up on the Achibueno river. It was as if we stepped backward in time 100 years, to a time where the fireplace- the sole provider of heat and light- was the natural gathering spot for the family, and dinner cooked over it was caught and killed in the backyard.

The lodge was made of roughly hewn wooden planks and stone, heavy and dark.  The main room was dominated by a huge fire place surrounded on three sides by mattress covered benches. The tables and chairs were sturdy, the color of molasses. Every piece was made by hand, and although no two things were quite the same, the room had the most elegant, rugged harmony to it. A small kitchen was tucked into one corner with two over sized kettles sat on the gas burners like fat hens in their hen house, producing a constant supply of steam and hot water for our endless cups of tea and coffee. Onions hung from the hooks on the wall alongside strings of red linked sausages. It was in this kitchen that all our meals were prepared, by the innkeeper, Christian, his girlfriend Angie and their friend Horje. Angie wore a spotless, lime green apron with big red polka dots and a picture of Whinnie the Pooh. It said POOH in large letters. Talk about anachronistic!

Our meals were as delicious as you would imagine them to be amongst the animal pastures and pure Chilean air. The first course was lettuce, shredded cabbage, sliced tomatoes and green peppers all drizzled in oil and lemon juice. Then there was soup, hot cheese soup and tomato soup, and a main course of cheese and rice stuffed eggplant, fried potatoes, zucchini pancakes, pasta with mushrooms and homemade sauce. And that’s just for the vegetarians- I was too buy eating to even ask what the carnivores were eating!

Just like Siete Tazas, the electricity came on in the evenings for a  few hours, providing two bright white lights (that did very little enervate to the darkness) and power our computers, Ipods and cameras. However, as the week continued, we spent less and less time with these things, with the obvious exception of our cameras.  Downloaded movies gave way to marathon games of Uno, Ipods were forgotten as Tino and Andy took requests on their fiddle and guitar. When it rained all day, and the steam on the windows rivaled the smoke in the chimney, I could have sworn we were in some sort of cozy heaven, wherein existed only books, games, earl grey tea and French press coffee.

Although it was tempting (speaking strictly for me) to stay inside the lodge all day stirring up embers and reading, we did venture outside every day to go kayaking and hike the shuttles. The river was clear, blue and granite studded. Although I am better at describing the river in terms of ascetics instead of paddler’s terminology, I can safely say that it was the busiest, most continuous, slot-move-ridden, boof-happy river we’ve ever been on. The first day we ran the lower section, and it was about 9 miles of non stop rapids.  Some were class three, some were class four, and all required constant vigilance. This was not the sort of river where you could point your nose in one general direction and go. It was move! Move! Move! Right stroke, left stroke, left stroke, boof! Twisting between boulders and shooting through slots for hours and hours.

At night, exhausted from the rio, we brushed our teeth in candlelight and lay down in our tents to read the novels that we love so much for the best English class, ever. Some of the boys slung hammocks between trees, and when it rained they rigged an elaborate (and not entirely watertight) tarp system to create a hovel we referred to as “The Man Cove.”

So much more to write! But I’m out of time on the internet! I hope this will assuage your need for daydreaming material until I am in Pucon. We are still very happy, remarkably healthy, and no one can believe our trip is actually winding down! Nooo!!!

We are so very thankful for all of you,

(C) Taylor Cote

Photo by Taylor Cote

Over a beautiful Thanksgiving meal high up in the Andes in a remote lodge on the banks of the Achibueno, the New River Academy enjoyed an inspired poetry reading. Zoe Ross read aloud the poem which was a collaborative effort of the American Literature Class. Zoe, Clay Whitiker, Alex Anderson and Eric Bartl had slaved away on this poem for four consecutive days while we were in Pichilemu, sitting on the beach and using the surf and sand as inspiration. They used their vocab words in the poem; and you could see the jaws drop as they rhymed Convivial with Unbelievable and Unspeakable, Eremitic with Roll the Credits, and many more….Taylor Cote, my ultra-creative creative writing student, read her own poem, the product of many hours of class and free time. Hers utilized an intricate rhyme scheme that pulled us right into her words, and she mentioned every single one of us in her epic.  There was a collective murmur of delight when she rhymed “the scenery is breathtaking, even though we be test taking…” Double syllabic feminine rhymes rock!!

Matt Hill read two poems he wrote, both old fashion ballads utilizing an abab rhyme scheme. He is a buddy Robert Frost, which makes me, his Vermonter English Teacher, extremely proud.

Tracy d’Arbeloff and David Hughes read aloud from Pablo Neruda in both English and Spanish, and Tino Specht gave us an unusual treat by reading an EE Cummings poem in both languages as well. EE Cummings takes his poetic licence off-roading, so to speak, and he is a challenge to read aloud in English. So cheer to Tino for the beautiful reading in Spanish! Eric Bartl read aloud from Robert Frost’s The Road Less Taken, The official New River Academy Poem. And I read two poems, one I wrote in creative writing which I’ll post here, and one that I wrote nine years ago, when I attended a traveling adventure high school.

It was a lively, peaceful and rare gem of an evening.  There was candle light, fire light, steam on the thick glass windows and outside  a sky blazing with stars and a white moon. Inside we listened to one another, applauded each other, and each gave a small speech of personal thanks to each other, our families, the school, the country of Chile, and the people at home who helped us get here.

Thank you! We are so grateful!

–Melina

I think the staff and students would all have to agree that this quarter has been passing us by like a breeze on the beach in Pichelemu.  Classes have been energized by the buzz of all the interesting things around us.

As some of you way know we worked hard last semester to get five days ahead going into this quarter.  This combined with our work at the Maipo and Pichilemu, where it was easy to have  full days of school followed by paddling, has put us far ahead for the quarter.  We are past mid quarter in our syllabi with plenty of time left in chile.

The physics class  has prepared a review of the five chapters we have covered this semester.  Each student is assigned to a chapter and was responsible for putting together a 10 minute review of the chapter complete with a demonstration.  After these presentations we will complete a study-guide and have  an exam.  In their projects I asked each student to prepare an example of a study tool (flash cards, voice recordings of definitions, lists of definitions, related books, papers or articles for cross reference, etc) that helps them to learn the material.

To me this is the most important part of the project.  Defining exactly how it is a student should study is an interesting question.  I don’t pretend to answer it for them.  It is different for everyone.  I didn’t learn the answer for myself until somewhere halfway into undergrad.

We have some very good students with excellent study habits, time management and course work organization skills.  We also have students who don’t know how to study.  They open the book and don’t know where to start or even where they left off.  With all the time our students spend together they have developed the respect for each other that is required to learn from one another.    Finding a way for the student to spend time comfortably learning course material is difficult.  Hearing how upperclassman study may be just what our younger students need.

Andy Kirby

American Literature just polished off Jon Krakaur’s Into the Wild. In order to absorb the reading, the students have been writing reviews of each chapter and looking up the words they don’t recognize. (Krakaur likes to….ahem…demonstrate his proficiency with language by throwing a big amount o’ big words in there!) The book has led to many stimulating discussions about selfishness, materialism and the transcendental values. This was the perfect book to read after studying the Transcendentalists. Next up for the students is The Monkey Wrench Gang, an iconoclastic favorite by Edward Abbey. They are in for a real treat, they just don’t know it yet!

Finally, creative writing with Taylor Cote continues like a dream does, full of words, reading, poetry and raps. She is a worker bee, churning out blog posts and creative pieces left and right. We read Neruda often for inspiration, and have been working on a project that includes both poetry and photographs. Taylor is gifted in both departments, so be ready!

The students sleep inside a wooden dorm house. The girls have their own rooms and the boys are divided into two. Each student has their own bed; some even have a double bed all to themselves.  The beds are outfitted with sheets, blankets, a down comforter (!!!) and pillows. The boys and girls each have their own bathroom with a hot shower, although to be quite honest the showers have a penchant for oscillating between freezing and burning in the same minute. Regardless, we manage to stay warm and relatively clean. In fact, we’re all looking quite dapper lately, because we all did our laundry (for free) in Pichilemu.

We are served three meals a day, which means no cooking, shopping, or cleaning for us! Heaven! The meals have been the best of the trip so far. We’ve eaten ‘melt in your mouth beef’, hot soup, empanadas and pizza. The vegetarians are served elaborate plates of veggies, hard boiled eggs, salad and avocado worthy of making even the most carnivorous 16 year old envious. With every meal we are served fresh bread that is baked three steps away from the kitchen in the bake house. If you wake up early enough, you can catch a glimpse of our hosts making it each morning.

We eat by candlelight. After dinner, the generator hums on and the dining room is aglow with yellow light. We hurry to charge up our cameras and computers, because electricity is not available at any other time. Coke, fanta and the world’s best hot chocolate (and I am an expert on the subject) is available for purchase at the kitchen at any time, and a well stocked store offers chips and giant chocolate bars. However, so far we’ve been so well fed and busy we don’t have the time or need to resort to snacks.

Classes are continuing to speed ahead. We beat the blazing heat of the day by studying in a shady patio. English classes are finishing up their raps that they will read aloud at tomorrow’s dinner time poetry slam. All students and staff are invited and encouraged to share their own poetry, or that of their favorite poets.

I hope that provides you with some idea of how content and safe we are here at the Rio Claro. This group has bonded more than any group of student’s I have witnessed. I love poking my head in the door to remind everyone that study hall begins in 10 minutes, and finding all the students sitting around laughing and telling stores. Limited electricity and no internet is a huge, huge blessing.

I’m going to send this now in case my internet fizzles out. Stay tuned for another email about the incredible, amazing, stunning, ridiculous and “sick” (the term of the hour) adventures we are having running waterfalls on the Rio Claro!

Photo by Zoe Ross

Photo by Taylor Cote

We have been at the Sieta Tazas on the Rio Claro here in Chile for only two days, and we still have five days left. This is the most incredible place we have ever been. The water is clear, blue and bubbling as seltzer water. The waterfalls, ranging in size from 3 feet to 30 feet, are clean and safe. Each one of us has dropped off beautiful falls and emerged victorious at the bottom- throwing our paddle in the air and whooping. Each one  of us has carved a beautiful line down a deep, tight canyon and arived safely at the pool below, where our classmates are waiting to cheer us on and capture us on video camera. Our days here are miraculous, from the sunny classes in the patio to the hours scouting, dropping, running and filming on the Rio Claro, to the hot soup, fresh bread and candlight in the evening. This destination is not only the highlight of the trip, it is also one of the highlights of our lives so far.

Photo by Zoe Ross

Photo by Taylor Cote

Photo by Zoe Ross

Photo by Taylor Cote

In 1972, Augusto Jose Pinochet Ugarte  was appointed commander in cheif of the Chilean army by president Salvador Allende.  In August 1973, with strong and active support from the CIA, Pinochet led a coup d’etat, which overthrew Allende’s democratically elected government. In addition, it disolved the Chilean navy, air foce and national police force. Under Pinochet’s reign, some 200,000 people  went into exile, 80,000 were interned, 30,000 were tortured, and 4,000 were murdered (although these figures are widely thought to be grossly underestimated.) High up in the mountains around San Alfonso del Maipo, New River Academy students view the remains of Pinochet’s handiwork.