The White Snail is DEAD

So let’s start where I left off….

The Routeburn couldn’t have come at a better time. I was team leader on our first day of 9 hours hiking through the Routeburn. We set-off mid-morning carry our “light” packs through the mountains and beautiful valleys of New Zealand. Every turn of the Routeburn was incredible. The lakes were memorizing and the crystal clear blue-green water would trap my ADD attention to the present moment. When we got to Lake McKenzie hut all I could think about was eating my soup and crackers. The last descend of hike was describe by Tim as the underworld of the Routeburn because of the overgrown moss on the trees and rocks. The birds chirping echoed through the undercover of wilderness. The warden of Lake Mckensi hut told us we had a storm warning and high winds approaching. We were all assigned to a hut instead of the original plan of camping outside of the hut. The high winds and fallen trees throughout the night kept me from deep sleeping. We woke up early by the warden announcing there was a break in the storm and to hike down. Kelly, Laura, and I started to head down before the group because we were the “gimps”. WE made it down with just sprinkles beading off our jackets. The Routeburn was over but not the adventure.

Milford Sound Cruise

The Milford Sound Cruise was cloudy and rainy, but it didn’t drown my excitement of riding on a boat. We get on the boat and no one is on the boat except for an elder couple. Although it was pissing down rain as the Kiwi’s would say. The waterfalls were raging with water and all I can say is nothing I wore was dry. I was soaked head to toe because we got to go underneath a waterfall on the boat. It was the Niagara Falls of New Zealand. After enjoying a cup of coffee and attempting to get dry, we were back in the White Snail.

            Now soaking wet with 11 other people in the White Snail traveling though the national park enjoying the beautiful scenery of nowhere. As I listen to Jonsi (thanks Katie), the white snail started to scream and smoke. I’m no car mechanic, but it wasn’t a good sound.  We pull over to see the White Snail was smoking from the engine and completely died. The White Snail was no longer. For a second I thought these would be a great story because now we were stuck in the middle of a national park on a hillside in the rain. AS Adam referenced the Power of Now about accepting the situation and letting roll off your shoulder. We had a two-hour or so wait while Dayne got help. The help arrived and we gave the White Snail our final goodbyes. We had a free relaxing day in Te Anus. Te Anus wasn’t in our plan but it turned out to be a great day because Dayne caught a fish.

Wanaka

The day I fell in love with “Bike Love”. We got to go mountain biking on a private farm in Wanaka. I loved everything about mountain biking. If you like sweating, getting muddy, and powering a machine of transportation then you’ll probably love it too. The feeling of peddling up a hill to receive the adrenaline rush of the other side is incredible. I always like biking around town, but now I might be a little obsessed. At one moment I remember my back tire skidding out on a rock face and becoming terrified about falling. As my mind recollected the advice given to me before to release your brakes because tires are meant to roll.  Laura, Dayne and I pretending to make dirt bike sounds as we mob through sand, mud, dirt, and fields of sheep wouldn’t be a start on how much fun I had. Now craving to buy a hard tail bike as soon as I get home.

Christchurch

            The arrival of Christchurch was on upsetting one. As the earthquake aftermath is still remains in the city. The last night in New Zealand we struggled trying to find a restaurant in the unfortunate city. The feeling of seeing the disaster of Mother Nature was depressing. The city will need to be rebuilt back up. WE took off leaving New Zealand on a great hacky sack session. The next adventures will be in HOT and STICKY OZ!!!  

Final blog

"Commoditization of culture in effect robs people of the very meanings by which they organize their lives."

Based on what you've experienced in the two countries, which is more important, esaving the actual culture, or saving the historic artifacts of the culture? Is there a difference? Are they sharing or selling culture?

Change is inevitable and saving an actual culture can be problematic.  Cultures can be affected by so many kinds of changes from technological advances that change our daily lives to climate change which can also have dramatic effect on culture.  But there is a definite difference between sharing a culture or selling it.  Once you begin selling it,  you've changed it by making it a commodity.  Unfortunately some selling of it may be necessary to save it.  But I don't believe there is a single answer to whether preserving a culture or it's artifacts is more important. It depends on the culture and the values of that culture.
 
For example in the Australian outback the values of the aboriginal culture in that area would speak to saving it.  It appears to be important to them to maintain their culture and identity as is.  Aund unfortunately many aboriginal cultures are already losI would say the American culture in general embraces change yet sees much value in preserving our historical artifacts. For us, Americans, history.... where we came from is important to our sense of identity, and one way of preserving culture is through the saving of historic artifacts and we do value that.  And of course there are cultures within America such as native Americans who place a high value on maintaing their culture. But many American individuals-not everbody-are also fascinated by technology and the changes it brings. So again there is no single answer of what is most important.

There will always be some tension between the desire to save a culture versus moving forward to something new.  The trick is finding the balance that serves the majority of the desires  and needs of a particular culture.  

The Australian outback is an excellent example of the strain of saving a culture by both sharing and selling it. I visited the Outback and both the olgas and Uluru. There is an obvious clash between what the nonprofit  cultural center represented the aboriginals wanted....to preserve their land  and honor its sacredness and what is represented by guides geared toward tourists.  The Australian government took over Uluru but gave it back to its indigenous people in 1985 .  Then the government leased it back and since that time it is a national park with an uneasy alliance between the two. The government demanded the access to climbing the rock remain open which aboriginals oppose,  but the aboriginals then refused access to geologists which was a very smart move as it keeps it safe from mining.  If that became available and precious metals discovered, I would guess it would be hard to preserve their culture.

In visiting the non profit cultural center outside Uluru , the posted quotes of the aboriginals make it clear the rock is sacred to them and they don't want anyone climbing it, while our Australian guide told us they don't mind the climbing as long as people don't leave garbage and are careful not to get hurt.   The aboriginals create art that is sold to tourists which helps fund their needs but are still able to maintain their culture.  The guides told us that the park is closed when there is an aboriginal funeral or ceremony and they are able to maintain a level of privacy.

Learning about cultures helps us save them.  Working to understand cultures and respect them is important because if we don't we change them.  For example I witnessed a lot of disrespect at Uluru ...not only climbing the rock but by littering.

The 3 Tao chapters I chose were #32 unity because when I was leader at the blue mountains it was hard to bring everyone back as a unit after being in separate cabins but I think the canyoning was a somewhat effective way of bringing people back together and having to help each other moving down the rock and being leader that day it was fun to jump off first then show everyone the best way to jump off. The second one I chose was # 37 doing little being a leader for me maybe it was just the days I got dealt but was just telling everyone what was on the agenda today and letting them do there thing and you just have to tell and get everyone in for dinner but other then that people were kind of on there own. The third one I chose was #81 the reward even on cook crew I felt like it was easier to not tell people but we were having so they couldn't throw in there idea for dinner and tell you what they want and don't want it was so much easier to just make the decision for them and not tell. It was fun seeing everyone's successes and growths in the trip, as the leader on the canyoning day it was fun to see the people who went up the canyon make it safely and see that they did it and just at the end of the trip just reflecting on my successes and everyone else's. 

After Manley, we were off to the Blue  Mountains  which were stunning. Although it rained the majority of the time we were there, we still  had fun. We saw many cockatoos  , cookaburras and kangaroos as well as other wildlife. The best part of the Blue Mountains  was canyoning.  I was leader and so I got to do all the jumps first which was a bit frightening but fantastic. Jumping off 15 ft cliffs into unknown water is definitely a rush.  Day Two in the Blue Mountains we hung out in Blackheath.  Someof us went hiking and some went golfing but I had to print out my scuba homework so I stayed  in town to do that.  The bright side was I got to goto an aboriginal show which I thoroughly enjoyed.  There were aboriginal dance performances and I saw someone play a dandaroo.  I even got to paint on a wall of aboriginal designs. Before the show,we walked half of the 900 stairs down into the jungle by the 3 sisters. While waiting for everyone to get back from their activities, some of us watched the thunder and lightning storm roll in .....very crazy to watch.  Then lightening struck nearby and we all felt the current through the rock.  We heard later that some poor soul was actually struck by lightening.  My camera got stolen and my pictures so far lost which is a bummer. Then we drove to Warrumbungles and saw a ton of kangaroos and it seemed like they were everywhere.  We did some hiking and nearly eaten alive by mozzies.  The rain forest camping was great and the Cascade jungle was fun aside from our getting covered by leaches.  It was reminiscent of the scene from Stand by Me although these leeches were much smaller but still very gross.  We had our own cook who made us a dish called bush tucker with kangaroo and crocs as well as some vegetarian sides and lemon myrtle ice cream.  Won't be doing kangaroo meat again.  Hiking in the jungle was fun, and we learned about mites and their mounds which are strong enough to stand on.  They add to the ecosystem by breaking trees down.  Crazy weather including thunderstorms canceled some of our plans but we were able to river raft including raids and waterfalls.  We saw the giant lizards called monitors.

Then we went to Byron Bay.  We started with surf lessons. The next day we started scuba and I focused on that the remainder of our school trip. I saw turtles and many other exotic fish.

Following Byron  bay, I met up with family.  We traveled to Sydney and toured the city including an exhibit on surfing that was awesome.  Surfing is definitely a culture all it's own and this exhibit showed the "artifacts" of early days including long thick boards as well as the clothing music and lifestyle of the 60's.  From Sydney we flew to Ayers Rock.  We were able to do hikes around the rock and through the Olga's. I have never seen dirt as red as the outback.  We drove to the rock at both sunrise and sunset to see the different effects of light and shadows.  Now we are heading on to Melbourne and the areas around it..including the Great Ocean Road.  I look forward to it.

I have wanted to visit this part of the world since 6th grade. I loved this trip.  I admire the pace of life here. We met so many friendly people along the way who shared their adventures and stories.  I will certainly come back here again.



Cary

Byron Bay

Feb 8 Blog

375

“The leader is helping others find their own success. There is plenty to go around. Sharing success with others is very successful.”

It seemed that everyone that worked throughout the dive shop had the mentality that they wanted to share their passion of diving and their knowledge of the aquatic life with our group. On my dive with Liz, I could see her passion for what she did under the water. Her excitement to share and show the aquatic life to us was exuberant; she was pointing out all sorts of small but vibrant snails I would have looked past and sea turtles I could barley see in the distance that would eventually make it our way. Her own reward was sharing her knowledge of the ocean with us, and that shows a leader that is truly passionate about what they are doing.

“Be still”

On our first into dive we were put in small groups of 4, again I ended up diving with Liz. Her calm energy underwater aloud for her to interact with the fish and the lion sharks. She would hold out her hand and the fish would come to her. She didn’t overwhelm them by coming up to them; her stillness would allow for them to come to her. It was a great experience to see this interaction. By being still you allow the things that are supposed to come to you to do so, weather this is aquatic life or even your own manifestations.

“Too much force will backfire”

People go through life within their own process. That process should not be forced it should be guided gently to be pushed outside the comfort area for optimal growth. Everything in life people go through at a different pace. When getting certified, during out last 2 dives the scuba instructors understood this process and did not force anyone who wasn’t ready to complete skills to do so. They we understanding and gave people the time they needed to develop their skills.

275

“Stillness, clarity, and consciousness are more immediate than any number of expeditions into the distant lands of one’s mind.”

Being involved in outdoor activities you have to stay present in the here and now. You have to get out of the rambling of your own mind and become completely aware of your thought process in reaction to what is going on around you. I feel throughout this trip, I learned the most about becoming aware of my own thought process. I didn’t realize before this trip how much time I spent letting my mind travel off to distant lands and not allowing my mind to focus on the present. By becoming aware of the processes of your own mind you learn the about the determinants of what causes various emotions, weather its pure joy, anxiety or fear.

“Unclutter your mind… you will discover that the quality of your consciousness is more potent than any technique or theory or interpretation.”

 Learning to step back and becoming the observer in your own thought process is the first step in realizing the strength within the inner self. The more still I became, the more the universe would show me what I needed. When I would let my anxiety or fear of rock climbing overtake my mind I was unable to find the next holds, but when I became the observer of those feelings and centered myself again, I was able to push on.

“Water is fluid, soft and yielding. But what will wear away a rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard…. This is another paradox: whatever is soft is strong.”

There is no point to be a leader who is outspoken and constantly tells the group what to do. The best leaders allow the group to cultivate within their own process. I learned a great deal about letting the group do things the way in which they think is best. Working together on the same level produced the best results within our group. This is a lesson that is not learned easily but through trial and error. This is a lesson I hope to help guide outdoor education students reach. I have learned to just allow things to flow and to step back and observe and become aware of how they flow in the direction they do. 

250

Personal styles of leadership determine what sort of outcome you want for the group. In certain aspects of leadership the use of authority is beneficial within facilitated activities such as tourist based adventure groups. In tourist activities it is important for tourists to understand the risks involved in the activity and the importance to listen to the guides for their own safety. On the other hand, when to comes to adventure education, I think that it is vital to give the students control over the situation. Students that are learning should be given the opportunity to take the role as the leader in order for their own personal development as an outdoor facilitator. My own style of leadership corresponds to this idea. I think that people should take responsibility to their own learning process and do not need to be told what to do.

Byron Bay and Farewell Australia -Crystal

“Take it easy, and trying to rush matters gets you nowhere.”

            I often rush a matter to its finality. I am very much a visionary. I live in the future and focus on things done well. But what does this leave for the moment? I most assuredly am not living in the present when I am rushing to capture my envisioned finale.

            As far as self efficacy, the above gets the job done, usually well above average, always on time, and if there’s a budget, with some change leftover. This has been my largest contribution to the group. Getting it done well and right.

            But where is the fun? Where is the living? Where is taking it easy and living in the present? Isn’t it about the journey and not the destination? I often, although being extremely self efficant and responsible need to learn to ease up and really enjoy the process.

            A big example of this process and learning curve is the art of surfing being practiced here at Byron Bay. I cannot simply experience on day 3, my vision of ripping and carving through massive waves without first going with the process of learning how to get up on the board… and stay up for more than 3 seconds. So, I am taking it easy in the white-wash, learning how to how to enjoy the moment, knowing that rushing will get me nowhere. 

362

         When a culture no longer lives within the perceived construct of their original heritage and tradition, what then will be its new legacy? Will it not be a pastiche and conglomeration of cultures world wide? Now that we are moving toward one large global village, there is a very unique meta-culture arising.

            This new meta-culture can be considered the death of the past, and the forever shift of cultures previously retained in their bordered microcosms.  And one could easily believe that this is the demise of diversity and cultural uniqueness, and with the ever-increasing commoditization, that authentic lifestyle and living will cease.

            But I see this new linked heritage creating a new way of living. A style of living that although often confused with the “selling” of culture which I have seen first hand with the Maori and Aboriginal cultures, but that regardless of the process, it is still preservation.

            We cannot look to the old and try and fit our growing uni-culture into a shoe that is now too small, but we can embrace the positives of our new emerging lifestyle. A global culture, which although in its newness has made many mistakes, non-the-less preaches tolerance, equality, embraces and pays homage to all races and recognizes the uniqueness of residual culture, family, etc.

“What we call leadership consists mainly of knowing how to follow.”

“Group members genuinely appreciate a leader who facilitates their lives rather than promoting some personal agenda.”

            When our dive group first arrived at the shop we all sat down to fill out paper work on our basic health and to become knowledgeable about the basics of diving.             Many of us were at different levels in the learning process, and some us were there to get certified. All of this information was pertinent for the dive masters who then followed our lead as we gave them information as to what level we were at with diving knowledge.

            Next, we all got into the pool as a group and learned the basics, which we would quickly put to use out on the ocean.

            What I keep noticing in the role of leadership is how often a leader follows the morale of the group, its energy, its unique humor. All are essential for effective leadership. In our case, our DM was spot on. She recognized quite early that Brandon was one of the few males on our trip and was constantly cracking a good joke in that direction. She understood how to take control without controlling us.

            While under water on our dive, if we got too far away she would hand signal to us, or in one joking instance, she tugged a participant down by their ankle.

            She loved her job and in that passion combined with her experience, the trip went as smooth as it could go. She even got us up close enough to a Tiger Shark to pet it! I’m glad she new what was doing. I think too though, she knew our spunky group would really enjoy the experience.

            Back on shore after a crazy fun boat ride we helped pull in the boat and clean up shop. Directive and polite instruction, which was not too bossy, got the job done well. What an enjoyable trip.

250

            Oh how many ways to lead there are. And, in my opinion, a variance to one degree or another is necessary for all the types of leadership roles.

            Sometimes when you lead, an autocratic role is essential. I cannot tell you how many times an authoritarian role has been necessary when dealing with young children as a part-time nanny. Complete maham would exist without this powerful role as I have experienced.

            However, when children get older, they become more autonomous, it is with pleasure that I have introduced a more democratic leadership role. I ask the kids what their opinions and desires are in decision-making opportunities.

            I think in dealing with groups, the democratic role has also been useful to our group in general. A consensus or talked about decision offers no surprise and keeps the peace.

            I think, the most challenging but rewarding type of leadership role is that of the abdicate, which I too have experienced with the kids that I nanny and well, on the trip, which sometimes to my own inner humor we all look like the kids I nanny.             To give you a clear picture of this role, I have often given the kids that I nanny a choice to pick out a treat. Their only constraints are that they must agree upon only one to share, as to not spoil their dinner, (as any good nanny would do).

            To my utter non-surprise at the 100^th go-around with this freedom, the kids that I nanny quickly work egocentrically by picking out their treats and trying to convince the other that they too want that treat, even though one might include blueberries which the other absolutely hates. Some how they truly believe that they can convince the other in less than 5 desperate seconds that they too must love blueberries.

            I have had to step in a couple times and declare that unless an agreement is made amongst themselves, peaceably that they will get no treat at all, but as time has passed they are now aware of this requirement and now work accordingly. Sometimes they struggle but in the process and in the outcome I can see how this leadership role, no matter the frustration, is an important type leadership role. 

Brandon's Byron Bay Bash

My experiences on this trip have shown me I do not need to be anything else other then myself …we are all adequate  – The ways in which I have carried on have been simple and self-driven, hoping to avoid any competition or jealousy. Every person has their own ways of going about there business and with regards to how others do, make a show of holiness or pass out grades for good performance. I have certainly tried not to do that.

            No one person is better than the rest of humanity, nor is one person better than any other on our trip. With Crystal here, that distinction has blurred, but I have tried to be observant of it.

            By avoiding drama during this trip, I have been able to free myself to pursue the activities with clear earnest and whole devotion. I am proud of this, because if I had not, my experiences would have been overshadowed with negativity and affected my efficacy.

If you can preserve culture, you must also preserve the artifacts the culture holds important. You can preserve a didgeridoo, but if no one remembers how to play the song of the Kangaroo, or the Dingo, It is merely something to look at. Conversely, with out the artifact, the culture is lost. What I am driving at is there must be the culture to preserve the knowledge of the artifact for it to be important – or we will simple speculate.

            The Maori in New Zealand have both, and though they have been diminished since European colonization, they fare better then, for example, the natives of America. In Australia, the aboriginal culture seems much diminished. Except for the marketing of the didgeridoo and boomerang, with foam versions sold in toy stores, they have lost more. The Maori fortunately seemed embraced, but the aborigines have been forgotten.

From start to finish, our group of intro divers was treated respectfully and those who had taken open water, but had not certed, were treated no differently then the others. Our Dive Instructor, Liz, was fantastic and worked with all who needed it, meeting everyone at their level. In the pool, we went through skills and each person was worked with, if they needed.

            Through the whole process of heading to the ocean, we were used to help push the boat in the water (duh) but still, Liz was “doing little” and we got the treat of feeling involved.

            Diving I was periodically reigned in with a “This way” gesture, a gentle intervention to keep me with the group.

            Further in the dive, a large leopard shark came with in touching distance … Liz was open to what ever emerges, and we were able to pet it. WOW.

            On the return, the process unfolded much as it did on the way out, only in reverse. WE helped load the boat, move the gear off the boat and wash it up. It was a very smooth operation all in all.

One of the opportunities of this trip was the chance to develop our skills as a leader by being “Leader of the day” In the beginning, we worked in teams to decide when dinner would be ready, brief the group on activities, upcoming events and all of the happenings on the trip.

            Upon coming to Australia, we were singled out and one person was leader for the day. I have seen many people rise to the occasion of stressful days. Loading a trailer, shopping, cooking, and calling operators, all with in the same day.

            As is the nature of this trip though, there are days where there is simply not too much going on.

            I seemed to have landed every single day there is nothing going on to be leader of the day. I have not been responsible for hardly anything on this trip. It’s quite strange really, because outside of this trip I have much responsibility as a guide for the Outdoor Program and the Climbing Gym manager back at the university.

            So I suppose I don’t feel gypped out of an opportunity, because in other aspect of my life, I have already been given plenty of opportunities similar to being leader of the day … but if that were not the case, I’d be a bit butt hurt.

 

Byron Bay- Sunshine, surf, dragonfly's, sharks, aussies, oh my!

OAL 250
I think your leadership style largely defines your ego and type of control you like having over one another. I believe an individual who leads with an autocratic leadership holds little care to learn from others. They are more self-centered and always think they are right, thus never leaving any decision making to other group members. I honestly can not think of many situations where an autocratic leadership would be appropriate.
As far as democratic leadership, I think it is a much better form and concerns almost everyone’s input. A leader under this role allows free discussion/input amongst group ideas and interests but also dictates certain decisions. Sometimes this works great, some groups need that leader to confirm the decisions and make it happen. Although, there are other times when it’s best the leader just gives the members a voice and allow them to decide what should be done or not.
Abdicratic is a total, student-centered approach. The students/members hold the floor and their decisions are what’s valued most. I believe this is a great approach to leadership, but it also depends on the age of the group and their willingness to open up.
Overall, I would personally rather lead any outdoor-adventure based activity or teach in an educational setting under both the democratic and abdicratic leadership. I think being able to mix up and be flexible to both leadership styles, you are more prone to be effective with your students.

OAL 362
I think it’s hard to choose which to save- the actual culture or the cultural artifacts. Both aspects are important to avoid cultural extinction. Saving cultural artifacts are beneficial for both locals and tourists. However, it can also negatively affect the actual culture through tourist influences. Tourists influence local culture by presenting their own norms, environmental alterations/impacts, and their consumption and use of local goods. Therefore, a historical artifact of culture may invite more tourist, which may result in negative impacts on the culture. I believe historical artifacts are both sharing and selling culture. The artifact is considered sharing culture until it becomes exploited by mass people, thus changing it to selling of culture. Overall, culture regardless is affected by tourists and world-wide issues.
The gondola proposition in the Fiorland has both negative and positive impacts. It will indeed provide individuals who don’t have the physical ability to see more of the national park. It will also bring more tourist wealth into the nearby town, Te Anau. A gondola will provide beautiful views and a easy way to experience such beauty.
However, I believe the negatives out-weigh the positives. Building a gondola will not only bring in more people and environmental damage, it will also change the overall persona/vibe in the woods. Instead of Howden hut being a destination for agile hikers and outdoorsy souls, it will bring in people who may be less environmentally appreciative. As of now, when people hike into the hut, they get there and breath in fresh clean air. They chose to make a strenuous hike out to the woods, away from many people and materialistic impressions. However, by building a gondola, this type of breath will no longer go as deep as it now does. Like many other adventure circuits, it can easily be exploited and no longer become desirable. Once a gondola is built, a hotel will be needed, which will bring restaurants, shops, and in the end, a village. I believe it’s best to alter environmental-adventure attractions as little as possible. It causes less damage and keeps the natural beauty in the national park.

OAL 375
Ch. 55- Our scuba guide, Liz was full of vital energy and spunk. Right when she sat us down to brief the dive, her energy was beaming. I could tell she loves diving because she spoke with such enthusiasm. The energy and love she expressed was passed on to me, and I too became energetic. In ch. 55 it states, “Excitement is rooted in passing desires. Vital energy springs from the eternal.” I think these two sentences truly express how someone’s passion can be passed through vital energy an amongst one another.
Ch. 47- After our briefing on diving we got in the pool and swam around. Our two diving guides were very in the moment. They were here now with us, helping us get comfortable under water. Because their present attitude, we were able to also be here and now with them. We were able to do less and achieve more by being aware of what was happening.
Ch 40- This Tao chapter mainly reflects on my process while diving. Being under water was like mediation for me. I was free-flowing, in a calm, present mind state. I was silent in the water, taking everything in. I think such a meditative process probably occurred for many other divers too. I think this mind-state is also important for people who are scared to dive. The guide could have related diving to meditation. By being with oneself, present, and silent, you can overcome your fears of diving (and heaps more).

OAL 275
Ch. 54- I chose this chapter because many times on our trip there has been a ripple effect of emotions. For example, during some activities people rudely and negatively speak out regarding one another’s actions. Once harsh words or motions are spoken, it’s easy for others to also speak negatively. I have learned and I put an effort into staying positive. By returning ones harsh remarks into positive, influential reactions, you can reverse the ripple effect. I have found it best to just smile and laugh. My influences begin with me and ripples outward, so by being wholesome, I can alter negative ripples into positive ones.
Ch. 58- For many of the activities on this trip, I have practiced the unfolding process. I have fought the thoughts of asking questions and in return, I’ve just let the process unfold. I concentrated on being here now. So far I think I’ve been effective at trusting what is happening. I plan on continuously practicing the unfolding process and this quote from the chapter really hits home for me, “If there is silence, let it grow; something will emerge. If there is a storm; let it rage, it will resolve into calm.”
Ch. 76- As a leader and also a participant I believe I’ve been effective at being flexible. On such a trip, it’s important to be flexible. When it rained, I looked at it positively and found another activity to do. When the group wanted to do one thing and I wanted the other, I became flexible. When I hurt my foot, I also became flexible by giving myself non-physical activities such as art. Being flexible is a crucial aspect to wise leadership and also a positive life. We are all growing, and by being flexible throughout the process, we are able to grow more at ease.

~ Mumbalina Fiesty Pants

Manly- The land down under

OAL 250-
I think this article is a great way to explain one persons joy over something that seems so simple to someone else. Obviously Walter looked at Denali and its view differently than the other climbers. He fully appreciated what he saw, even though his body was slowly deteriorating. The other climbers I’m sure, enjoyed the view as well, but they couldn’t smile the same way Walter did. I think Walter knew he was going to die soon, so why not go out doing the one thing you love. He knew the view from Denali was going to be his last, so he looked at it with an attitude of serene bliss and in complete ignorance of his current health conditions. Although I think it is wonderful Walter is able to smile in pain because he was so happy to be where he was, I think his choice to climb was also selfish. Clearly, he didn’t have the knowledge, the physical endurance, or health to sufficiently climb up Denali. Due to his decision to climb, he put other climbers in danger, and left them standing in the cold waiting for him to move his feet. However, this article is also a reminder of how some people forget the beauty they are seeing. They get so caught up with making it to the summit, making record times, or aren’t fully living in the moment. However, those like Walter, are living in the present moment, taking it all in as it comes, and fully enjoying life’s adventure no matter what their health condition may be.
OAL 275
Ch. 11- I have noticed a group field amongst our debrief sessions which has provided effective ways of discussion. This group field is at the centre of the circle, where nothing is happening, and the centre is in silence. However there is silence, each individuals mind is not silent. At least for me, I’m usually focusing on what I’m going to say and what I can bring to the discussion. This sort of silence may be effective by allowing others the chance to speak up or gather thoughts. When the centre is silent, I feel like I am more ready to share my thoughts. Hopefully this group field is apparent in others and it provides an effective way to debrief, rather than ineffective.

Ch. 9- “A wise leader settles for good work and then lets others have the floor.” The quote reminds me how Adam has introduced several of our debriefs. He briefly states his thoughts, and allows us to debrief with each other. Rarely does he interrupt to change group dynamics or to take all the credit. One group session that really reflects ‘a good group’ was the debrief about our ego and how it has affected us and our group members. Almost all of us discussed the ‘ego’ and everyone was given a chance to comment. The whole time Adam allowed the discussion to freely flow, which is a good example of him sharing the floor.

Ch. 12- I think this chapter is a very crucial attribute to letting things go and becoming aware of the overall situation. We can all remember the trailer incident, I wasn’t even there but I could sense the negative energies. The individuals whose feelings were hurt or involved in the dispute, initially acted on impulse. Their actions with one another were not kind and only made the situation worse. What not only they should’ve done, but we all need to learn, is to step back from the fight and pay more attention to the whole body’s reaction. When we can successfully do this, we become an observer, and react less harshly.
After the Routeburn it was obvious the individuals had time to reflect on the situation and let their senses rest. They became more understanding of the trailer incident and were able to let go of their ego. This is why silent reflection and turning inward to digest what has happened is an effective form of the group process.

OAL 375
Ch. 35- Keep it Simple, in order to make our mission stress-free and easy on our body with our bags, it was best to keep the transport simple. By taking a shuttle that picked us up at the airport and dropped us off right at the hostel door, our mission was simple and relaxed.

Ch. 27- “An experienced traveller does not need a packaged tour to go places safely.” Our mission to Manly was our first ‘individual transport’ and it went well for everyone. Our mission was beyond techniques, we went with the flow of our openness and had smooth sailing.

Ch. 24- The most effective way to travel is to take it easy. I took our mission easy by simply asking the info desk for advice and arranged a shuttle. After a travel day it’s best to be easy with yourself and not let your ego take control. It’s easy for your ego to over-run you when you’re tired and hungry. Therefore, I found it best to take it easy and make it to our destination in a present, open mind-state.

~Laura