MIND

THE

GAP

Editor’s Note I remember when I was 14 and I first suggested to my parents the idea of a gap year. They kindly

rejectd it. None of us took it seriously, as I was a kid just entering high school. But I continued arguing for it,

the only reason being to rebel. I gave up quickly and didn’t think of it again until the summer before my

senior year when I was talking to a friend who was about to embark on her very own gap year to be spent in

Tanzania helping kids and what not. She explained that she didn’t want to rush into college quite yet, and

believed that she could get an equal education outside of the classroom. As soon as I got back from my

summer excursion I told my parents about my idea. The initial response was less than enthusiastic, but I was

still optimistic. Things looked good.

At first my ideal plan was to split the ear into 3 parts: one travel trip (something where I backpack in

Europe or kayak in new Zealand), one archeological dig (like the one Bridget did in those pants books), and

one Chewonki-esque trip (working on a farm. Along with an education). I figured the trips were all different

enough that is I didn't like one, I wasn't trapped.

It ended up being really difficult to find a legitimate archeology program and most of the ones I

found were for college students, so I figured I'd do a dig when I'm older and if I'm still interested in it. Find-

ing the farm school was less difficult. I found a good looking program called Kroka that offers education

with nature. The travel trip was easy to find, what was challengning was choosing an area to go. I ended up

setling with NOLS, as it offers college credit and is quite educational.

I’m burnt out. I don’t want to rush. I don’t want bad habits to carry over to college. I think I deserve

the opportunity to learn outside the traditional classroom setting. Plain and simple, I want to take a gap year.

In the following pages are my plan.

-Annie

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Table of Contents

Editor’s Note

Kroka

NOLS

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KrokaFor the first few weeks of this semester our home will be our Farm Base Camp in Marlow, New Hampshire. Each day begins with early

morning chores: cutting and splitting wood, carrying water, caring for the farm animals, preparing and cooking our breakfast over an open

fire. In peaceful silence we will greet the day before breakfast. Generally, academic work happens in the morning while craft and work

projects as well as the arts are in the afternoon or evening. We will study Spanish, learn about New England's past and present, engage in

environmental and natural history studies and nutrition. Every day there is time allotted to write in our journal. We will also read, discuss and

write about relevant topics regarding New England. On a bike expedition we will travel to local farms where we harvest vegetables and

prepare the earth for the cold months ahead. Back at base camp we will preserve our harvest by making sauerkraut, pickles, and jams and

drying meats and vegetables. During this time in New England, we will make backpacks and knives for our travel to Ecuador. Biking, running,

swimming, paddling, caving and rock climbing will be some of the activities to help prepare our physical bodies for the expedition ahead. By

late September, our community of students and teachers, now a strong and close-knit group, will embark on our journey south.

October/November/December: Ecuador

On Hacienda Palugo the Mysteries of the High Lands will begin to unfold The following leg of the journey takes place at the foothills of the

Ecuadorian Andes near Quito on Hacienda Palugo. We will focus on the Inter-Andean region, its people and traditions, music, geography and

history. We will observe the daily weather and look at the stars in the Southern Hemisphere. Spanish becomes the language of our daily life.

Skilled natives, craftspeople and old time farmers will teach us about practical designs and architecture, local materials and hand tools. We will

make Penco(Agave) drums, whose sounds reveal the mysteries and influences of Andean music. We will learn about the ecological and

economical value of native plants and their products. Our felted vests from local sheep wool will keep us warm in the coming weeks. We

plant, harvest, milk and collect eggs. We learn how to use animal products, how to cook simple meals, make yogurt and cheese and bake

bread in our hand made clay oven. After a month of living in the Highlands, we will prepare our packs, pull out the compass and venture over

hilltops across the Eastern Andes following the watercourses that feed the rivers of the Amazon Basin. We will have the opportunity to

experience the living history of indigenous Amazon tribes. We will learn about trees, roots and vines for the purpose of building the frame of

our cataraft, which will carry us to the remote village of the Shiwakotcha natives. The indigenous people will teach us about life in the jungle.

We pole and paddle a dugout canoe; we ride the river, fish, gather food and learn to identify plants and how to use them. We study the history

of the nomadic tribes, and the Amazon River's ecosystem, ecology and ornithology. We will look at the impact of the modern world and the

oil industry on the Amazonian Tribes. The contrasting realities of Ecuador and New England will open our eyes to the needs of people in the

developing countries and the positive role we can play in bringing about change. "The Final Expedition..." For many weeks, the glacier-covered

volcanoes will have provided us with water for living, farming and paddling. These giants, connected with the soul of the Earth are responsible

for the shapes and the richness of the Inter Andean Valley. At 19,200 feet, Mt. Cotopaxi is the highest active volcano in the world. Its base is

about 35 miles away from Hacienda Palugo. Its summit will be our final destination. Our handmade backpacks will be filled with the food we

have harvested. Our bodies will be strong from the daily work on the farm and our travels to the jungle. We will climb the mountain listening

to the rhythm of the kena. Upon our return to Palugo we will reflect on our experiences by preparing a theatrical presentation for the

community, our family and friends.

December:

Return to New England We will take a few days to reflect on the journey we just completed and with a new sense of responsibility to live a

conscious life that will guide us into the future we will say goodbye to one another.

The mountains are the means, the human being is the end, the idea is to improve the human being,

not to reach the top of the mountain. -- Walter Bonatti

Semester on

the BordersThis is one of the most geographically diverse semesters at NOLS.

Your adventure will begin in the desert Southwest, a land of cactus and javelina, and as winter subsides you will move north, to the lush Pacific

Northwest with its snow-covered peaks and forested islands.

During the only spring semester that combines both desert travel and maritime skills, you’ll experience a wide variety of adventures that will

allow you to be a well-rounded wilderness traveler on land and sea.

You’ll begin at NOLS Southwest in Tucson, Ariz., for wilderness first aid, backpacking, and climbing, and then transition to NOLS Pacific North-

west outside Seattle, Wash., for sailing and sea kayaking. From scaling a rock wall in Arizona to slicing through the waters of British Columbia,

you’ll have the time of your life and see just how versatile the NOLS curriculum is.

Wilderness First Aid (WFA)

Hosted by the NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute, this 20-hour section covers CPR and first aid specific to wilderness emergencies and is

essential for anyone spending extended time in the outdoors.

Student Sean Bryant stays hydrated in the deserts of the American Southwest. Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

Photo: Josh Beckner

Backpacking

Whether hiking in Arizona's rocky Galiuro Mountains, with rugged cliffs and natural springs, or New Mexico's Gila Range, the first designated

wilderness area in the U.S., you will learn the essentials of backcountry living and soak up life outside.

Rock Climbing

The Southwest promises warm, sunny weather and enough climbing routes to keep you roped up and cranking hard. We'll set up a base camp

at either Cochise Stronghold or Joshua Tree National Park, from which to learn top-roping, anchor building, climbing movement, and even

multi-pitch skills.

Sailing

The coastal sailing section takes place in the northern reaches of the Strait of Georgia and Desolation Sound in British Columbia, Canada. You’ll

learn how to sail and navigate 36-foot keelboats, each carrying a group of students and an instructor. On-water classes include boat handling,

charts, coastal navigation, and seamanship.

Sea Kayaking

You’ll paddle the remote waters of British Columbia’s central coast on this section, visiting pristine sandy beaches, majestic fjords, ancient

moss-covered rain forests, and remote islands and sea caves. At the same time, you’ll learn a range of technical skills, from basic to advanced

sea kayaking strokes to weather awareness and knowledge of tides and currents. Whales, sea lions, and wolves are just a sample of the wildlife

you could see on this amazingly wild waterway.