Come to NOLS Mexico!
Imagine a land of stark contrasts: ocean and desert, cactus and pine, teeming seas and sparse shores. This is the Baja Peninsula, a land of unique wilderness opportunity. NOLS Mexico is the home of our ocean-based programs where you can learn how to sea kayak and sail as well as backpack.
Creative Team members Brad Christensen and Brian Hensein spent a week in Baja California filming some of the most stunning footage we’ve ever seen.
They pared it down to the very best material to give potential students an idea of life on a course in Mexico. The video is overflowing with student testimonials, instructor insights, director knowledge, and images that transport viewers into the courses in “the best classroom in the world.”
Take a moment to escape and consider a trip south.
Permalink | Posted by NOLS on Feb 21, 2012 in the following categories: Mexico
Baja California boasts all-female I-team
Heading out on the last ration, I went to see two semester groups making their way down the Sea of Cortez in Baja California Sur. Two of the groups switched on Nov. 10 from either sea kayaking to sailing or sailing to sea kayaking. Each took on four new instructors and, in particular, FSB 2 welcomed one of the few all-female instructor teams in NOLS Mexico's history, which was comprised of dynamic instructors Cass Coleman, Claire Marian, Sally McAdam and Jessie McGreehan.
All four are all smiles and completely in their element as I ask them how they are doing. NOLS Instructor Sally McAdam says they are setting the standards high for the last leg of the semester course but are doing so with a softer approach, which includes a lot of music. Both Sally and Claire are learning the mandolin and Cass and Jessie are already quite accomplished guitarists, so evening music circles have become a splendid way of ending each great day on the water.
Two of the semester students who had to be evacuated temporally are now back in the field and fully recovered, having brought new energy back to the group. I chatted with one of them, Jacob O'Brien, to find how he likes his new instructor team. He said, “they are all so solid and complement each other incredibly well.”
NOLS student Caroline Johns mentioned they must choose a mentor soon, (who they will specifically look up to for guidance and report to on their personal development throughout the sailing experience) but that she has absolutely no idea who to pick, because they are all so awesome!
It's great to see such a fluid instructor team and after seeing a few courses traipsing back through the NOLS branch, I just know that hearing FSB 2's stories and seeing them again is going to be memorable.
Permalink | Posted by Merran Smith on Nov 30, 2011 in the following categories: Mexico
The Travelling Tamales
Early November was a busy time for the Mexican tamales, as they made two trips north of the NOLS Mexico base to San Lucas, Baja California for what was supposed to be the “mega-switch.” Instead, it turned into something more along the lines of the “eternal switch” because of whimsical weather patterns. The Norte winds put up a challenge for the two semester courses that were supposed to unite and dine with the tamales Nov. 10 before switching to sea-kayaking or sailing for the final leg of their courses.
Confused? Well it all began when Rations Assistant Cecilia Avila came up with the idea to cook tamales at the NOLS Mexico branch to be brought to the mega-switch, providing a fresh Mexican experience for NOLS students and instructors. However, life can be hectic at the NOLS branch, and the only time to cook them was about a week prior. It took a lot of planning as cornhusks, the ingredient that forms the essential blanket-like covering for the tantalizing surprise inside, had to be purchased two hours north of the base in Santa-Rosalia.
Tamale is Mexican dish that encompasses cornhusks with a mélange of olives, meat, potatoes, maseca, cornhusks, and green peppers. Head cook Rosario Avila says tamales are usually reserved for special celebrations such as Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and the Feb. 2 holiday Candelaria. She says typically people eat a cake with figurines inside it sometime in January. Whoever ends up with a particular figurine must make the tamales for friends and family on the day of Candelaria.
What a terrific frenzy it was making 200 tamales, as a lot of the in-town staff joined in the unusual event. Even Equipment Manager Meredith Young (whose passions do not necessarily involve cooking) said it was “a real family team-building experience” and that through it all she was able to connect on a deeper level with most of the Mexican staff. Rosario, too, said it was, “muy divertido porque mucho gente ayudando y haciendo muchas bromas y entonces reir mucho” (it was very fun because a lot of people helped and made a lot of jokes, so we all laughed a lot)!
With the last special tamale touch being to tie the ends of the corn husks together with the surprising strength of palm leaves, the tamales eventually came alive … but with their life purpose still a week ahead of them, they had to lay low in the NOLS Mexico freezer awaiting their mission.
Finally, the day came and, along with fellow adventurers Mexican arroz and Mexican ensalada, the tamales made their way up north with the help of cooks Cecilia and Rosario. The students were very appreciative of the authentic Mexican experience, and one of the courses even sang a thank you song to the two cooks. One might just say the travelling tamales were a riveting success!
Permalink | Posted by Merran Smith on Nov 25, 2011 in the following categories: Mexico
El Jardin de NOLS Mexico!
When NOLS Mexico's new intern, Dalila Osuna Toba began working here in May she realized almost immediately the potential that the compost had for gardening and the possibility of extending the sustainability practices of the NOLS Mexico branch that much further. As one might note by being here, it's not the easiest to grow produce here because of the limited supply of water that is transported from the nearby community of Mulege once or twice a week, but that hasn't stopped Dalila.
She is currently in the process of pursuing her dream of a garden here with the help of Rations Manager Rebecca and base assistant Harry. The compost in previous years has been separated into different bins, one of which has supplied ample food for a pig that is usually purchased each year by NOLS. But the bins fill up quickly as head chef Rosario Avila typically cooks lunch and occasionally dinner for a group of anywhere between 20- 40 people, especially when groups of NOLS students are here either preparing for a course or just returning from one. And even with a NOLS pig, there is still a lot of compost to be used!
If you are paying close attention, throughout Baja California, one can see that worn down tires are quite often used for planting which is great as the planet goes through an abundance of them and produces a massive amount of tires each day! With the help of Harry, Dalila was able to cut out rings to extend the surface area for planting as well as make decorative patterns resembling flowers by turning the tires inside out. Definitely not an easy feat!
Fortunately, the partner of one of Dalila's cousins, who works out at a nearby farm, had plenty of seeds to donate towards the project. So Dalila has been busy planting all sorts of spinach, beats, carrots and onions, in the hope that this pilot project will grow into something more substantive and that energy can be diverted from shopping for fresh fruits and veggies in town towards gardening here at the NOLS Mexico branch.
Hopefully one day, the garden could also supply enough food to send out on re-rations for NOLS courses. Already in the past decade the NOLS Mexico branch has managed to go from buying food from the United States to providing a more Mexican diet to students embarking on courses, making cooking that much more fruitful and dynamic and lessening the environmental impact considerably.
This is definitely not the beginning of NOLS Mexico's sustainability initiatives. Here at the base, there is also compostable toilets with re-used sails which act as doors for the banos (bathroom stalls). And after taking a shower, one must then pump the water back up into a tank, which then disperses water for irrigation throughout the vicinity. Definitely a good way to build up muscles and get ready for sea-kayaking!
NOLS Mexico furthermore makes good use of the sun with all the solar panels daily keeping the batteries charged which helps make everything run smoothly here at the base. For sure having the branch off-the-grid has helped the branch come up with alternative solutions towards sustainability. But as we can see with Dalila's garden project, so has individual initiative and creativity!
Permalink | Posted by Merran Smith on Nov 16, 2011 in the following categories: Mexico
La Dia de los Muertos in Mulege, Baja California Sur
It's now been nearly a week since 'La Dia de los Muertos' here in Baja California, Mexico and I'm still finding it difficult to write about one of the most incredible experiences I would say (from my limited time here), Mexico has to offer.
'La Día de los Muertos' or 'The Day of the Dead' celebration seems to vary in length but in Mulege, which is the closest town to the NOLS Mexico base and where most of the Mexican in-town staff live, it took place on November 2nd. Several of the NOLS staff invited us to partake in the festivities of the evening which commenced with visiting Mulege's elaborate graveyard.
Bumping up and down in Cayo's pickup truck, passing the euphonic sounds of ricocheting basketballs and lively youthfulness at a nearby outdoor court, we arrive at the cemetario, or cemetery of Mulege as dusk is descending and candles are beginning to be lit.
Only it is not like any other cemetery I have ever seen, for it is cradled by colinas, which are low-lying hills that seem to protect and bestow shade upon those that are already 'sleeping' or awaiting their partners to join them for the next journey or segment, following their death.
It is not a somber or tragic feeling in this graveyard but rather one shrouded with mystery and awe. A profusion of flowers toppling over tombs and yet many bouquets still to come, as we see locals entering from all corners of the cemetery.
As we meander our way through (straight lines almost non-existent), we see plates of favourite foods and bebidas (drinks) placed in front of many tombs, numerous family or friends actually haven brought chairs themselves to sit and visit with passed loved ones.
After moving on from the cemetery, we wander our way down to the plaza of Mulege, where apparently a new teacher at the local school, believing heavily in celebrating Mexican culture to foster a sense of Mexican identity, has organized a stage where several dances by the local school children are about to take place.
The smells and flavours of local food stands such as palomitas with chilli sauce, tostadas, nachos and chicharones tempt us greatly, despite being absorbed in the show and ornateness of the costumes.
Amidst the grandeur of the show, I find myself hoping that NOLS students out on courses might also be celebrating this special day or learning something about it. Luckily on most NOLS courses in Mexico, there is usually at least one Mexican instructor, so the chances are sure high!
Permalink | Posted by Merran Smith on Nov 11, 2011 in the following categories: Mexico
Cultural Connections at NOLS Mexico
At NOLS Mexico, you will not only learn how to hike, sail or sea-kayak, but you will most likely come across a sensational cultural experience with local people such as rancheros (ranchers), cocineras (cooks) or pescadors (fishermen).
This morning we returned from a small fishing village called San Nicolas, located at the end of a rugged dirt road which meanders through the hilltops of Baja California Sur for about 1.5 hrs after leaving Highway 1. After bumping our way down to the Sea of Cortez, the smell and curiosity of both donkeys and cows welcomes us.
We are there to pick-up the sea-kayak seminar which is designed to enable already qualified NOLS instructors in other 'fields' to diversify their knowledge and skill set by learning to instruct sea-kayaking. After not finding the group (which typically spends its last night south of the village), we made our way to the homestead of local pescador, Chico. At Chico's, we hoped there might be a chance of reuniting with the group, since instructors often bring their groups to meet or have a meal there sometime during their course.
As I stumble along throughout Chico's yard, I am awestruck by his lifetime of collected treasures and creative projects (including a dam he built, along with an extensive network of trenches to irrigate his garden). Unintentionally, I keep stepping on previously fallen Iemons from his lemon tree. The tangy scent sprouting up, making his home smell heavenly.
Chico's real name is Francisco and he has been living with his wife Francisca in this beautiful, quaint area for over twenty years. Along with his father, he planted the first palm trees which now cover a large extent of the village and many of which he has used machetes and hatchets to carve out chairs and other pieces of unique furniture with.
Looking around inquisitively, NOLS Mexico Rations Manager, Rebecca Spiro, asks Chico about the snake skin she sees wrapped around a pole in his house. He tells us a story about when his daughter was quite young and very sick. The family, he says had tried everything to cure her and nothing seemed to do the trick until one day a soldier arrived in the village and told him about the medicinal properties of a certain part of a viper snake, which he tried and essentially cured his daughter.
At that moment we look up to see some of the NOLS seminar students entering Chico's yard. Like us, they seem bedazzled by Chico's oasis of serenity which surprises us all considering the story he tells us about the hurricane that came through three years ago.
Nearing the end of our visit, Chico hands us the freshest and most delicious banana I have ever had from his banana tree, Afterwards he collects the peels, knowing his cow will appreciate them immensely.
Permalink | Posted by Merran Smith on Oct 26, 2011 in the following categories: Mexico
The allure of Baja California
Well, it's been several weeks since I arrived here at NOLS Mexico, and what can I say? I think it would be an exquisite place to take a NOLS course! Here's why…
I once did a NOLS course in Yukon, which was absolutely incredible. As much as I love the place, mountain weather definitely holds true to a myriad of possibilities. I remember one fellow on my course who tried desperately the whole time to keep all his clothes dry … day 28 came around (only two days of the course left) and there he was with a giant smile on his face, finally having achieved his goal. Don’t get me wrong, that NOLS experience was incredible. But as I sit here on the veranda of NOLS Mexico, I realize the allure of the Baja California option.
Here, one does not need to worry about the eternal struggle to keep dry and warm. Conversely, one does not need to worry about being too hot, for the Norte and Elephante winds blow steadily down the Sea of Cortez and offer constant respite from the heat.
Going out to re-ration a sailing and sea-kayaking course the other day, I saw the students full of happiness and excitement, the winds offering the new sailors bountiful opportunities for improving their skills. I hear their next re-ration will be at San Nicolas, a remote Mexican fishing village.
This is incredible— students get a feeling of Baja California Mexican culture by often having at least one Mexican course instructor, eating locally prepared fish tacos and being welcomed by a half-Mexican in-town staff at Coyote Bay! Sometimes there is even the special treat of seeing Mexican employee Clemente Diaz (whose father was part of the foundation of NOLS Mexico) bring home fresh clams that he often uses as bate to catch fish!
Students have often mentioned they had done little hiking, sea-kayaking, or sailing, if any, before coming here. In that way, their feelings are right on par with other NOLS students around the world … all setting out to develop their skills together and see each other grow in leaps and bounds, with relatively little disparity in the beginning stages.
Permalink | Posted by Merran Smith on Oct 26, 2011 in the following categories: Mexico
Congratulations to Jamie, Andrew, Jesse, Deborah, Kurt, Chris
Saturday night, a few truly outstanding members of the NOLS team were recognized for their work. Each recipient of the 2011 staff awards was given a standing ovation by the crowd in attendance at the reception and a plaque.
Jamie Musnicki—Combo
Our first award recipient is an instructor and program supervisor. She took her Instructor Course in 2002, and since then she has accumulated just over 200 weeks in the field.
Jamie has taught four instructor courses and countless instructor seminars. She is a “go-to” instructor for the staffing office, as she is a backpacking, mountaineering, winter, and climbing course leader. She is known for her excellent work ethic, superb attention to detail, and commitment to training staff.
NOLS Pro has noted her “high-quality work, extensive expertise, and ‘can-do’ attitude.” These qualities were exemplified on the India Air Force Mountaineering Course on Denali. Jamie worked tirelessly to provide a safe and successful expedition that greatly improved NOLS’ relationship with the India Air Force. Once again, she proved invaluable when she agreed to fly to India at a moment’s notice to help support the instructors and students who were involved in the recent and tragic fatality.
Jamie has also worked as a mountaineering program supervisor in Alaska and is presently a winter program supervisor at the Teton Valley. As a program supervisor, she shines under pressure, has great vision and action, works exceptionally well as a member of a team, and is an advocate for staff.
Andrew Knutsen—In town
Andrew started his NOLS career in 2006. He cheerfully helps employees no matter how busy he is or how hard the question might be. He has a high level of expertise and can fix most problems or answer most questions on the spot. If he can't, then he'll do some research and keep digging until he finds the answer. While he primarily works with in-town staff as information systems desktop administrator, he willingly helps any NOLS employee work-related or not.
One question on our annual evaluations is, “what have you done to improve yourself and your position?” Andrew’s response exemplifies a great work life balance. He got certified as an OS X Apple Technical Coordinator and expanded his house sitting from cats and dogs to include horses.
Andrew is a great ambassador for NOLS. He is an avid hiker and proud member of the long-distance hiking community. He often shuttles folks who are on the Continental Divide Trail between road heads and town, which puts NOLS and Lander in a good light and also supports the use and preservation of our classroom.
He is an actor and has participated in a number of theatrical productions in Fremont County such as Man of La Mancha and Guys and Dolls. In November, he will play the role of Robert Starveling in A Midsummer’s Night Dream.
Jesse Quillian—Instructor
Jesse started her career in 2000 as a student on a Himalaya Backpacking course. She has been a staple at the Rocky Mountain Branch since her Instructor Course in 2005. Thirty-five of her 41 courses have been based out of Rocky Mountain.
From the beginning of her career, she has continually worked to improve and expand her skills. In 2007, she took the initiative to expand her winter skills by taking a NOLS snowboarding course in the Teton Valley.
She brought her extensive horse background to NOLS and quickly became an integral part of Three Peaks Ranch. She played an important role in finalizing the Horse-packing Instructor Notebook.
In 2008, she became a program supervisor at Rocky Mountain and split her time between Lander and the Ranch.
In October of last year, she left her job in-town to focus on full-time course work. She joined the annual faculty program, and, in the past year she worked an unbelievable 35 weeks in the field. Students of her last course noted her passion for teaching, knowledge of the NOLS curriculum, great sense of humor, and her extreme fitness—perhaps the result of 35 weeks in the field in one year.
Not surprisingly, she was not present to accept her award because she was in the field proctoring an Outdoor Educator Semester.
Deborah Nunnink—In town
Deborah is known for working and living the values we all hold dear at NOLS. She has been a key member of the NOLS community and the Lander community since 2002. She has exemplary expedition behavior and always does more than her part. She is committed to education, wilderness, and leadership.
As operations director, Deborah has transformed many ways that we do business, and her commitment to efficiency has made it possible for NOLS to prosper in challenging times while other organizations have been challenged. She helps our individual schools better themselves and has helped develop many key employees at NOLS. She strives to build programs and operating areas that are sustainable, effective, profitable, and fun.
When she was interviewed her for her job, a former boss stated she enjoys having contests and playing games with fellow employees. He also made it clear she almost always wins those games (he actually seemed a bit perturbed about this). What he didn’t say was that when she is on your team everyone wins and so does our mission.
Executive Director John Gans wasn’t able to attend the reception and admitted, “One of the hard parts of being away for this annual meeting is that I am not personally able to award this recipient. She has given so much to our organization and has been a real key to our success.”
Kurt Hotchkiss—Instructor
Kurt came to the school in 2007 on a river instructor course in Utah. He has been working consistently since then in our programs in Utah, Idaho, India, and Brazil and will work in Patagonia this spring.
Since 2007, he has accumulated over 100 field weeks working river, sea kayaking and hiking courses. In 2011 he spent 28 weeks teaching classes on the water.
He is well known for his laid- back style and his excellent student outcomes. He is a fantastic coach on the river, and students comment that he is fun yet informative, respectful, and has an incredible passion for the outdoors and paddle rafting. His self-awareness, commitment, communication, and creativity are reflected over and over in his performance evaluations and are what make branches so happy to have him back.
A recent evaluation noted he did a great job of not only coaching students, but also his junior staff. He held students to high standards while respecting the knowledge they had gained from their previous semester sections. He sat down with his patrol leader and charted out the next steps in his development to course lead.
He is not able to be here as he is presently canoeing on the Amazon with semester students.
Chris Brauneis—In town
Chris first came to NOLS in 1992 on a Fall Semester in the Rockies. He worked in the Rocky Mountain issue room on and off for several years before taking his instructor course in 1997. Since then, he has worked 146 weeks in the field.
In 2004, he began work in the Rocky Mountain Program office in both the evacuation coordinator and program supervisor roles. He has shown extraordinary patience and professionalism in answering hundreds of parent phone calls.
The staff who nominated Chris for this award said the following:
“I personally am more successful in my job for having him as a friend and co-worker, as are dozens, if not hundreds, of others at NOLS.”
“His presence at the branch makes me want to continue to prioritize field courses in Lander, and I can’t imagine working in town at the RMB under a different supervisor.”
Chris is also known for his random-acts of kindness such as personal emails thanking employees for doing some aspect of their job or offering to help an employee out either personally or professionally.
In 2007, Chris became the Rocky Mountain program director where he currently oversees the supervision of 350 field staff annually. His dedication to the student experience is always forefront in his actions.
Please join us in congratulating each of these remarkable members of our team—this year's employees of the year.
Permalink | Posted by Casey Dean on Oct 18, 2011 in the following categories: Alaska, Alumni, Environmental Stewardship & Sustainability, India, Instructor News, Leadership, Mexico, New Zealand, Northeast, Pacific Northwest, Patagonia, Professional Training, Rocky Mountain, Scandinavia, Southwest, Teton Valley, Wilderness Medicine Institute, Yukon
Learning Leadership Comes in All Forms in Baja California
For those who must leave the 'field' or rather a section of their NOLS course because of medical issues such as sprained ankles or migraines… all is not lost and according to two NOLS students, there is still much to be learned at the NOLS Mexico Base!
Currently, students Cliff Mosser and Leah Geller are recovering here at the NOLS base waiting for their crew to finish off the hiking section of their semester course in Baja. The course entails spending the first month learning hiking and Leave No Trace camping skills, the second month learning sailing and navigational skills and the third month learning sea-kayaking skills and refining the leadership skills they learned throughout.
Cliff has thoroughly been enjoying his time at the branch and mentioned, "I know it sounds cliche, but everything happens for a reason and with already having completed a NOLS course in Alaska, it has been awesome getting to spend time here and see the inner workings of the NOLS Mexico branch as well as getting to meet the people who make it happen".
Upon entering the rations room, I see Leah busily weighing and packing spaghetti noodles for upcoming rations. Speaking over the music, she says she's been learning a lot about how to do rations for courses, how the equipment issue room works and how the instructors meet several days prior to a course to put together the maps and routes and go over what they will be teaching individually and as a group. Most of all, Leah emphasizes how nice it's been to see how close everyone is at the Mexican NOLS branch and how much they help one another.
Beside us is Cliff, who adds that when he came here, he felt immediately right at home and that, "it definitely links into me wanting to pursue a career with NOLS in the future, either working at the branch or as instructor". Although he realizes how passionate about either sailing, sea-kayaking, hiking, etc, one must be to actually be an instructor for NOLS.
Another day has arisen, following yet another stunning Baja sunrise. For the second time, the students will be going out with sea-kayaking instructor Kate Moylan and sailing instructor Claire Marion for private lessons in Coyote Bay, to help prepare them for the next leg of their adventure!
Permalink | Posted by Merran Smith on Oct 13, 2011 in the following categories: Mexico
Miembros Nuevos de la Familia de NOLS Mexico/New Members to the NOLS Mexico Family
This year things at the NOLS Mexico base in Baja California Sur are heating up and have sure kicked off with gusto! Already three semester courses are underway in the field and one has just recently switched to their sailing section in the Sea of Cortez. All this organization and diversity has been made possible with the help of several new members to the NOLS Mexico family.
The base heartily welcomes sweet new Rations Manager Rebecca Spiro who just recently graduated with a Masters of Contemporary Art and her boyfriend from London, Harry Hudson (who was recently re-named "Pancho") will be assisting around the base. Becca is definitely going to have her hands full this semester, but so will Meredith Young who is coming all the way down from Yukon, Canada where she spent the summer working for NOLS as an Equipment Manager. We are very thankful to have the equipment guru here herself!
Last but not least is George Van Sickle - the new Sailing Program Supervisor who has recently written a sailing manual for NOLS and has been coming down to Baja to teach since 1985! Not only did George come down with his depth of sailing expertise, but his family drove down all the way from Yukon to join him - including his wife Kate Moylan, a sea-kayaking instructor herself, and their golden retriever Abigail or newly renamed in Spanish as 'Abigita'. 'Abigita' just had to have her first haircut and is now looking ready for la playa (the beach).
The Mexican family ambiance is definitely a unique aspect of the NOLS Mexico experience to highlight and furthermore includes Assistant Director David Campbell, his wife Jamey (also a NOLS instructor) and their two children Kai and Luca.
But the real heart and vivacity of the Mexican NOLS branch lies in the Mexican staff, including Cecilia Avila, Aldo De La Peña, Ximena Carrion, Ocadio "Cayo" Osuna, Eder Arreola, Doña Rosario Avila, Dalila Osuna, Concha Diaz, Trini Diaz, Clemente Diaz, Carolina Cortés and Ignacio "Nacho" Avila. The benefit of having such a family-run NOLS environment is that it helps students feel immediately right at home as soon as they step foot in Baja California and throughout their time in Mexico!
Permalink | Posted by Merran Smith on Oct 13, 2011 in the following categories: Mexico
