AAVE Trip BLOG » 2007 » March
March 26, 2007
It was an outstanding SUMMER! THANK YOU!!
Posted by Annemarie in : Bold West, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
AAVE was a great success for Nicholas. The trip leaders were fabulus leaders. Nicholas was exposed to a wide variety of kids who appeard to work well as a group. The communication before, during, and after the program was outstanding. I wish I could go on your trips! Thank you!!
March 22, 2007
Summer Camp in Ecuador & Galapagos!
Posted by Jenny at AAVE in : General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
AAVE is a FANTASTIC post-camp experience! Ben went to Ecuador & Galapagos with them and it was a MOST impressive, well-run, generous trip. Incredible AAVE staff supplemented with experienced South American guides. College boy Ben wanted to go to Thailand or China with them this summer however, high school senior summer is the limit! We were very disappointed that we had not found out about them earlier in high school as this company for summer travel is a winner.
Best regards,
Janet Marks (aka Ben Sann’s mom)
March 21, 2007
This Summer I learned anything was possible!
Posted by Annemarie in : Ultimate Colorado , add a comment
This summer I went on “Rock and Rapid” in Colorado. I met the greatest group of people and the best trip leaders that anyone could have met on a wilderness trip. In total, we were fourteen people in a group; two leaders and twelve teenagers. Once we all met each other, we couldn’t stop talking. We became a family and I believe we will still stay a family as long as we remember that trip.
My toughtest and proudest moment came when we were hiking up a mountain. We knew we all had to reach the top of the mountain, but that morning my first words were, “I can’t go up that mountain.” Everyone in the group was disappointed. I was able to lean on my friends for help throughout the day, and in the end I reached the top of the mountain. I realized that I can do things if I believe in myself. With this trip, I noticed that I was capable of doing a lot of things that I didn’t think I was capable of doing. I learned to have confidence in myself, to believe that I can do anything even though I know it may be hard to do. All I have to do to get over an obstacle is to just believe in myself.
Since my trip I’ve taken a new attitude home. I play soccer, basketball, and track. I am going to play these sports no matter what and I will still be able to do well in my classes. I just say to myself, “I know I will, I can do this, I know I can!”
This summer showed me that I can do anything no matter how difficult it may be, with my new motto, “I CAN.”
-Juana Maritza, RR #3, 2006
The Most Spectacular Summer EVER!!
Posted by Annemarie in : Boot Saddle Paddle, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
This summer was abslutely the most heart-stirring, breathtaking, and spectacular summer I’ve ever had in my entire life. I loved every magical and challenging moment of it all. From the beautiful sights to the extremely difficult hike in the Grand Canyon I thought this trip was incredible.
Throughtout my trip I kept reminding myself how unique I was to have had such an opportunity to experience something so amazing. The first seven days of my trip were the hardest, most beautiful and exciting days of my entire life.
The Havasu hike was the most difficult part of the whole trip but it was totally worthwhile because when I hiked down to Havasu Falls, my heart stopped from the beautiful breath taking view. I know that from the entire trip that moment will be the one I cherish for my entire life. My trip was exciting, challenging, and life changing in millions of positive ways. The accomplishment I felt when I completed the hike at the Grand Canyon, the metamorphism I saw occur within myself, and the mysteriously never ending waterfall I heard when I reached the bottom of Mooney Falls were all things that not many people experience in their entire lives.
My group had a special bond that most people spend their entire lives trying to create. My group was there for each other, we could talk to each other about anything and everything, expecially about our dreams, fears, and problems back home. It was a group effort to make sure no one became an outcast, and to make sure there was no tension between anyone. Something I’ve learned on this trip is that you can get along with absolutely anyone in this world. I realized that ingnorance will get you no where in life, but that patience and tolerance will allow you to achieve your goals.
I’ve found my self-confidence, I’ve reached self-awareness, and I’ve been able to open up the bottle of feelings I’ve kept closed for so many years.
Jessica Ramalho, BSP 2006
March 14, 2007
Best Teen Summer Camp EVER!!!
Posted by Jenny at AAVE in : General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
This past summer I traveled to Utah on an adventure program. I learned to rock climb, camp, white-water raft and backpack. My friends and I spent many of our nights under the broad sky, sleeping outside of our small tents. Whether we were in the Moab desert or the Desolation Canyons, the earth’s atmosphere was clearly visible from north to south, east to west. I had rarely seen this view of space in Wellesley with its trees and houses.
Tired from the long days of activity, I would lie in my sleeping bag with dirt on my face and mosquito bites covering my legs. Backpacking through mountains and forests with thirty pounds on my back for several hours left me exhausted, yet satisfied. Despite my sweat-stained clothes and mud-caked skin, I felt the cleanest I ever had, for I was real. I was everything a human being should be. Happy, stress-free, aware of my surroundings, accomplished, strong and optimistic. As I looked up at the stars, I felt connected to the earth like I was strung on a puppet’s thread from up above, as if I was living the way the sky wanted me to. I felt large, because I was sharing something with nature that not many people are able to share. I was able to share an organic way of living. We were, after all, using only a few necessities to survive in the wild.
Though I felt large, a feeling of insignificance hid deep inside me. The stars have been here for ages. Each human has barely lived here for one century. Our small hearts beat, our tiny stomachs digest, and our miniscule eyelids blink. Underneath my happiness at the time, I knew life seemed purposeless, for we are small specks without meaningful motives. The time at which I learned something very important was a few moments after I recognized life’s hollowness. I concluded that life did have a purpose after all. It was to feel how whole I was feeling, stripped of materialistic anxieties. I was as Chloe as I could be, and that was good enough for me.
March 12, 2007
The Impact of AAVE Teen Adventures
Posted by Chris in : General AAVE Trip BLOG , 1 comment so far
There are two different occurrences that have affected my academic record most. The first one is my desire to learn and retain knowledge from school rather than just doing work in order to receive the highest marks. The other thing that has most vitally impacted my school career and life in general is something I have done every summer called Americas Adventure Ventures Everywhere, or AAVE. They have both contributed greatly to who I am inside and outside of school.
Although it may seem as though learning the most, and receiving the best grades go hand in hand, I have found throughout my academic career that this is not always the case. I have received much more satisfaction out of understanding concepts, rather than getting a letter grade on a report card. I think this quality will help me tremendously in college because I will be able to master skills and enjoy using them, rather than just holding a diploma. I also am much more proactive in my school work, when I am working on a subject I am interested in. I feel that I would sincerely enjoy being an engineering student because math and science interest me.
AAVE is a program I have been involved in every summer, where thirteen kids and two adults from around the world meet for the first time in an interesting place to travel around the globe. For example I have traveled to Alaska, Hawaii, France, Spain, Italy and Thailand and met kids from Lebanon, France and Brazil and participated in activities like Ice-climbing, white water rafting in glacier water, zip lining across a 300 ft span in the Italian Alps, and riding Elephants and bamboo rafts in a Thai jungle. The make up of every group is always unique and usually very culturally interesting. I’ve also discovered when visiting these diverse cultures that there is just as much knowledge to be found inside the class room as outside. By exploring these cultures and different countries my studies have become more relevant to the real world. Although it may not directly correlate to my academic record, AAVE has been such a big part of my life, that it impacts everything I am involved in.
These two events or circumstances have not only affected my academic career, but have made me who I am. I think my desire to learn, and my ability to see the big picture make me a valuable candidate for your University.
Todd Wallis (AAVE Adventure Camper)
Go Beyond with AAVE
Posted by Chris in : General AAVE Trip BLOG , 1 comment so far
The idea of AAVE is BEYOND. GOING BEYOND. Beyond expectation. Beyond your horizon. Beyond the ordinary. Beyond what you thought you could do. Beyond what you thought someone would do for you. Beyond the value you thought an experience would have for you (your child/my child)!
M’Lou Wallis (proud parent of two AAVE campers)
Alaska Summer with AAVE
Posted by Chris in : General AAVE Trip BLOG, Ultimate Alaska , 1 comment so far
I would recommend definitely doing the Ultimate Alaska trip. It was the best experience of my life. While I was there I had a blast, met some of the greatest and most diverse friends, and when I came home I was extremely bored haha!! I had been backpacking once before in New York, but it was a really lame half day trip, so I would say I went there without backpacking experience. I had no trouble with it. As long as you’re in shape or athletic or willing to give it a try you’ll be fine and I’m sure you’ll have a BLAST! I actually met great friends from all over the world from Belgium to New York, and I recently met up with two of my friends, one from Philly and one from New York, in the city last month. The views are great, the activities are so much fun, and you’ll come home completely matured and changed … your parents will notice it. And AAVE is the best possible company to go somewhere with. Abbott is in contact with the leaders throughout the trip, he pays for the group to go to a movie or dinner when we’re in town, and it is just a very professional yet personable company. I am going on another trip with AAVE this summer to Costa Rica to study spanish, and I can’t say enough things about them. The Alaska trip was great, I have great pictures and videos from it. If you have any questions feel free to email me.
Kaitlyn Smith
Connecticut
China Adventure Was Wonderful!
Posted by Chris in : China, General AAVE Trip BLOG , add a comment
Abbott,
I remember having so many questions before I agreed to send Kelly to China on the AAVE adventure trip … It was an absolutely wonderful experience for Kelly! She always felt safe, the itinerary was excellent, and the guides were superb. I applaud AAVE for finding Shoni (not the correct spelling), a very experienced Chinese tour leader who escorted them for the entire trip. He spoke excellent English and was a mature and wise man who educated them and was a good role model. Rory, the AAVE trip leader, was also excellent and was able to bring out the best in each child. Kelly still talks about Rory and what a wonderful person she is– she had a very positive impact on my daughter. I am sure that the person chosen by Abbott to lead the adventure and AAVE will be excellent as well.
I would say that the trip is rigorous and that you should be prepared for long days with extensive travel within the country. Also, the food is all authentic so if you are not comfortable with new dishes you may not enjoy the food.
I believe AAVE has developed a wonderful program over the years, and although the China trip is one of the newer programs Abbott’s years of experience allows him & his team to craft a trip that is of the highest caliber. I highly recommend the China AAVE trip and believe it is one of the best offered for teens. I wholeheartedly recommend AAVE.
Sincerely.
Deb Usher