“Outward Bound shaped who I am in the world. I am very proud of that and will be forever grateful” -Kathleen Wood
Kathleen was an Outward Bound instructor in her 20’s and 30’s, many of those years spent in the Pacific Northwest. Following her time as an instructor, she stayed in the field of people development working with global companies, and then with large systems change efforts focused on global agriculture. Kathleen joined the NWOBS Board in 2016 and now serves as Board Chair in Portland, OR.
Favorite Instructor Experiences
- The series of invitationals we ran in British Columbia with descents down wild (undammed) rivers. The beauty and wildness were incredible.
- Paddling by grizzly bears on the banks eating spawning salmon out of the river thick.
- Shooting practice before the course because we carried shotguns to ward off the bears.
- Waking up to moose 4 feet from the tent and then watching it swim across the river.
- The adventure of knowing if anything happened it would be a long hard road to get out.
- Being able to spend time in places few people would ever see was very special to me, and still is.
Favorite Places
If it’s quiet, with a beautiful view and few to no people, it’s a favorite place. It could be by the water, on the water or up high in the mountains. These places have become a kind of spiritual home for me. And I have found them all over the world. The Italian Alps / Switzerland, Sierras, Pacific Northwest, jungles of Peru or Thailand, rivers of Indonesia, and the western US…. these are some of my favorite places.
Best Thing I Learned over the Years
How to be quiet and notice where you are on every level. In the outdoors, the busy-ness of our everyday lives drops away, and I get to experience what’s beyond that. Whether it’s the meditation of climbing, paddling, backpacking, walking, sitting— being quiet in the outdoors- is the best.
Celebrate and Reconnect with Past Students, Staff, and Local Outward Bound Supporters!
Date: Friday, November 22, 2019 Location: Ecotrust, 721 NW 9th Ave., Portland, OR 97209 Time: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm Tickets: $10 – BUY HERE Additional Info: All Ages Welcome Sponsorship: For event sponsorship opportunities see our Sponsorship Packet Other: For additional alumni benefits, be sure to sign-up for our Alumni Crew Program. For questions, comments, or to talk about your OB experience, contact us at [email protected] |