A quick update from instructor Ari:
On our final day of the trip, we took to the white salmon river, running some thrilling class III and IV rapids. After having maneuvered the Wenatchee, the students were equipped with paddle techniques and team boatmanship to safely run the river. In a last hurrah, our students worked together to brave the frigid splashes and adrenaline pumping waves of the White Salmon.
Overall, the trip has been a tremendous success. Watching the students transform their nervous energy on the first day into a strong and functional community has been exciting and motivating. We as instructors, have been impressed at the amount of growth seen in the group, with students showing noticeable improvements in maturity, inclusiveness and team work ethic. It was also pleasantly surprising how capable, intelligent and thoughtful our group of young teenagers was in such a large group setting. Through the endless adventures, our group of students truly accepted the Adventure Treks challenge and opened themselves to the community, pushed themselves to work harder, become their best selves and create a positive and fun living space for every member of the community. We are looking forward to watching everyone continue to grow and come back next year for another summer of adventure, challenge, and growth.
And now a few words from Dock…
We’ve all heard that expression, and we want to prepare you for how your child may react following an Adventure Treks trip. It is our experience that students sometimes feel a little down upon returning home. Hopefully, you won’t see this occur with your child, but it is not uncommon for students to fall into a bit of a blue mood following their return to regular routines. They may seem a little sad and frustrated, and they may try to compare everything at home with Adventure Treks. They might even ask to camp out in the back yard!
The reason your child may feel a little sad is directly related to the extraordinary experience we hope he or she just had with Adventure Treks. We call it camp-sickness; psychologists call it an opponent process. What it means is simply that emotions come in pairs. When one thing, such as a great Adventure Treks community, causes a positive emotion, the absence of that experience can create strong emotions on the opposite side of the spectrum. The good news is this common phenomenon is usually short-lived.
You can help ease this transition by making sure your child stays involved in other activities and keeps in touch with friends from the summer. And, most of all, just be patient—your child will come around.
Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to share a wonderful adventure with your child. If you have any questions as your student transitions home, please give us a call! Thanks again for sharing your wonderful children.
Enjoy your reunion!
– Dock, DMAC, Josh, Amanda, Stacey, Kate, Joan, Spencer, and all of our instructors