Welcome to the sixth edition of your newsletter, the last for 2007.  It's only 19 days now until Christmas!  The feature article in this edition is definitely worth a read, whether you have just completed your course or if you completed your course 45 years ago.  It really hit the mark with our staff and we hope it has the same impact on you.  Dan's Environmental Corner is a great complement to the focus of our feature article also.  

From everyone at Outward Bound we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a great 2008. 

Be safe and enjoy.

Feature
Six months on - Larissa Banks

Regular Features
Dan's Environmental Corner
Website tip - Are you already registered?

Regular Pieces
Inspiration - What Outward Bound Wellington is doing for Christmas
What's left for 2007?  What's on in 2008?

What's New
Whatever your ability
Buzz Channel
NEW - Posters and DVD!

It’s been six months since I was sitting on a tree root with my pen and my journal, deciding whether the carrot or the flapjack was next on the menu. The time has gone by so quickly, but if there is one thing that I have thought about every day since then, its Anakiwa.

A week ago, I received the ‘letter to myself’, that I wrote while on my course solo.   I didn’t read the letter straight away, I just carried it in my pocket for a few days. It seemed only right to wait till I was by myself to open it.

I still feel emotional when I think about my course 6 months ago, to the point of tears sometimes. But why? It was not a tragedy - far from it. It was the most incredible experience of my life. Overwhelming. I felt enlightened yet grounded. My course had given me a monumental shift in perspective.

One of the most difficult aspects of my OB experience was adjusting my newfound perspectives to life back at home.

After Anakiwa, everything seemed so different. The bustling city, the bright lights, the streets full of everyday people - who were not part of another watch!  They were strangers. You couldn’t pass them and say “What scheme did you guys do today?” and wonder if that’s what your watch would be doing tomorrow. For a while I pretended that everyone I passed in the street was from another watch, rushing off to the gear store, making sure their duties were done on time.

I just wanted to believe that they had all been through what I had, and to know what it was like.  I didn’t want the vacant looks on people’s faces when I tried to describe my feelings to them.

Time back in the real world went by so quickly. Anakiwa seemed so far away.  I felt that reality was closing in and I was worried my memories of Anakiwa were fading.  How could I hold on to them?

About 3 months on from my course, I went out for a Saturday morning run.  It was beautiful and calm so I ran along the waterfront.  I was struck by how much rubbish there was. People had parked up in front of the beach the night before and dumped their McDonalds and BK wrappers out of their car windows.  Bins were just metres away but the rubbish all lay in the gutters next to them.  So I stopped running, picked some rubbish up and then binned it.  As I kept running I saw more and more rubbish. I couldn’t just keep going past it so I continued to pick it up as I ran along for the next 3 kms.

Afterwards, I felt like I had done something worthwhile. I thought about what our OB instructors had taught us.  If I had just run past the rubbish, I would still have been angry at seeing the litter. Picking it up made me feel less angry at others for not doing their bit.  I felt like I would make a difference, regardless of what others did or didn’t do.

Before my course I might have been disgusted at seeing all the litter, but I wouldn’t have done anything about it.  For me, OB instilled a strong sense of my responsibility to the environment. I think it was the way that at the school we were still living a satisfying existence, without having a major impact on our surroundings.  Your OB course might have helped you realize something different, about yourself or the things around you.  But whatever it is,  every day there will be opportunities to relive your OB experience at home.

I thought that I would change after Outward Bound, and was almost disappointed that I hadn’t. I have still been struggling with the same old stuff. Then a dear friend (and past OB student) told me that Outward Bound is not about changing who you are, but having the experience to draw from. So when faced with life’s challenges, you are better equipped to deal with them.

You have taken the plunge and given up a small chunk of your life to discover what takes many people years to learn. Whether it was 8, 10 or 21 days, the effect of OB are life changing and for all of the right reasons.

Never give up!  Don’t think of your course as a fading memory or be regretful you can’t go back to that experience.  Instead, use it as something to draw from -  in the present and in the future. Every day there will be opportunities to relive your OB experience, so give them a go – why not?

How can you possibly save the planet?  The problem is way too big.  The polar ice caps are melting; global warming is occurring; drought, disease and hunger are everywhere and since you started reading this article maybe 50 species have become extinct.

Now ask yourself what is the first thought that pops into your head when you read this – is it “I can” or “I can’t”? 

Too often we see ourselves as having a small or no influence over the state of the environment.  The truth is that every effort counts and DOES effect change.

“A little bit every day” is what runs through my mind when I pick up a bit of rubbish.  It might not seem much when I drive down the road and see rubbish everywhere, but each bit adds up.  Over a year that’s 365 pieces of rubbish, over 10 years 3650 and so on.  Recycling, planting trees, driving less and educating others can all accumulate in the same way.

You are in control of your effect on the environment.  Use this power wisely and consciously – a little bit every day.

We receive many emails from people trying to register when they are already registered.  If you have already registered you will have received an email stating your user name and your password.  Your username is usually your email address. 

If you have forgotten your details and try to re-register our database will be unable to find you.  Instead click on the 'Forgotten Details' link in the login box (pictured), enter your username and click Send Password. 

If you have forgotten both your username and your password click on 'Forgotten Details' and complete the Login Problems Form found under 'Other Problems'.

We hope this helps!

This year we have decided that instead of giving 'Secret Santa' or 'Chris Cringle' we are each going to purchase a gift for a child and donate them.  Click here to get more information on how you can do this in Wellington; click here for Auckland; click here for Hamilton; click here for Christchurch or enquire how your organisation can help out in your community by phoning your local Citizens Advice Bureau or trying Google.

If you are based in Auckland (Saturday 8th December) or Wellington (Saturday 15th December) we are looking for helpers for the annual Special Children's Christmas Party, which Outward Bound is a sponsor of.  If you are interested in helping out between 11.00am & 1.00pm, and you live in Wellington or Auckland please email Tracy for details.

Next year we are going to be attending or having a showing at all of the Universities, at either Orientation Week or Market Days.  If you are going to be a student, are currently studying or would like to help, please email Tracy, stating which University you attend.  We will email you back with further details.

Starlight is an 8 day course designed for people over 18 years with a physical disability who are independent, active and seeking adventure! Next course dates: 13 – 20 Feb 2008.

Mark, who attended Starlight two years ago, had this to say about his experience: "I would have to say that I have never experienced a week in my life that was punctuated with so many physical and emotional highs…I kept pushing my personal limits and boundaries to points that I would not have believed possible."

Pass on your passion - encourage others to take up the challenge of Outward Bound and discover their true potential.

Learn more about Starlight...

Contact Danielle for more information...

Buzz Channel provides organisations with online tools to undertake market research with their customers and prospective customers. Outward Bound is one of five NZ charities that Buzz has chosen to support by offering free research services, so if you are in an organisation that needs to do some research have a look at their company website http://www.buzzchannel.co.nz

If you don't need to do any research, but still want to support Outward Bound, have a look at http://www.buzzthepeople.co.nz. As well as the research technology Buzz runs an online research panel made up of a large group of New Zealanders who have agreed to answer surveys from Buzz clients.

Every time one of these research panel members completes an online survey, Buzz very generously makes a donation to the five charities. If you join the online panel you can nominate Outward Bound as the specific organisation to get the donation when you do a research survey. 

So if you are looking for effective and fast market research solutions contact Buzz, or to simply help us out indirectly, become one of Buzz Channel’s panel members and nominate Outward Bound for a donation.

In the last month we have not only produced three fantastic, colourful, inspirational posters (A2 size), but we have also launched three brilliant DVD's.  To look at the posters and DVD's use the links below.  If you would like copies of the posters or DVD to show people who you think would benefit from a course send Tracy an email.

Success poster (pdf 203kb)
Leadership poster (pdf 395 kb)
Dream poster (pdf 404kb)

Outward Bound DVD
Outward Bound Professional DVD

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