I didn’t have an opportunity to travel much when I was a teenager. As I got older I made it a point to travel as much as possible. I especially enjoyed getting out into nature, viewing wildlife and testing my physical limitations. As I experienced more and more places I started to think about how much I learned about the places. The culture, the people, the geography and history of an area. I even learned about science and biology. I thought if only I could have done this while I was in high school I might have attended college and actually has a plan for my future.

My most recent trip was to Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a fabulous place to learn about nature, and to test your physical endurance. It is an adventure paradise. While in Costa Rica I climbed a volcano, bathed in hot springs and followed a river for 12 miles on a canyoning trip. Canyoning is a difficult adventure. It requires endurance, strength, intelligence and especially teamwork. You and your team of 5-8 people must work together to overcome any obstacle and reach the end. We rappelled down waterfalls and jumped from boulder to boulder. All the while helping each other so that we all reach our destination together. Along the way seeing a great deal of wildlife and learning about the geology and ecosystems of the country.

Costa Rica offers a wide variety of activities for teens. They could try out canyoning for themselves in Arenal and learn about volcanoes in the process. They can learn to surf in Jaco from professional surfers. People that actually surf for a living. What a great life! They can learn about cloud forests in Monteverde. learn how coffee is grown and made and drink coconut water from a fresh coconut. Every day in Costa Rica is a learning experience.

Teens today are expected to make an incredibly important decision about where to go to college and what to study at a time when they haven’t yet experienced enough of the world to really be able to make those decisions. I can’t think of a better way to get some of that precious experience than to take a trip aboard to someplace wild. I think traveling abroad on an adventure can teach kids to see the world differently. Teach them how to work as a team, and maybe along the way they find something that really grabs their interest. That something can shape their entire lives.

I think back to that teenager I was 25 years ago. With all of the prejudices, opinions, and judgments that I had, and have lost from meeting people around the world and living in their different cultures. I wish I could go back and tell my former self that the best education you could ever receive is that form traveling.  Travel should be an essential part of a healthy curriculum. It would do a great deal for the minds of our young people, empower them and encourage them to seek a brighter future.