After a long flight and a stunning bus ride from El Calafate, we finally got here. El Chaltén, home sweet home for the next 12-weeks.
Due to similar flight and bus connections in Buenos Aires or El Calafate, most of us met before we arrived on program! I’m happy to say we were all stoked to be together and to meet our “Outdoor Family” for the duration of the program.
One of the biggest challenges we will probably face these next 12-weeks is going to be living, eating, sleeping and spending all of our time together. This is why the first days are always the most important to get to know each other and start building trust and team spirit between us all. That’s where our Pure Exploration facilitator and instructor, has been playing a huge role in the first few days in El Chaltén.
The first morning, our program instructor took the whole group on our first breathtaking hike, providing icebreakers and bonding time on top of the mountain. Although we can see the National Park peaks from town, once we were up there I was speechless. I think this is when I realised where I was really going to spend my next weeks and how lucky I am to be here… I have never had such a beautiful classroom view, check it out!
Once back in town, we spent the next few days focusing on making ourselves at home in the hostel, the city and with each other. All the team building games the program instructor has given us have really helped in building the group’s communication and coordination. But more importantly, I think the opportunities the instructor has given us to start reflecting on ourselves has been good bonding time because we all have a story to tell and want to get the most out of the program.
A few days before leaving home, I was sharing how excited and scared I was. How do I feel now that I have spent a few days with my new "Outdoor Family"? Good. Positive. Excited. Our new home is breathtaking and everyone’s background is so different that this is making our team really interesting. It’s amazing to see how we can already support, and help each other. It's cool to see how this little group of people who were strangers five days ago is becoming a little group of… friends!
I couldn’t be more grateful for being here.
Coralie.