Imagine ... hundreds of miles
of forest and river as your teachers.
Journeys that will change your life.
Ecuador Semester: From The Appalachians To The Andes
September - December
Imagine hands on immersion into the cultural, economic and social lives of two
contrasting parts of the world, New England in the Northern Hemisphere and the
Republic of Ecuador in the Southern Hemisphere. Through social interaction with
the different cultures, paddling Amazonian rivers, trekking in the jungle and
exploring snow capped volcanoes you will develop a sense of place and purpose
as an individual within the world.
At Kroka’s Farm Base Camp in Marlow, NH we will immerse ourselves in the past and present life of the Appalachian Mountains. Working on local farms we will harvest the gifts of the summer.
We will study history and culture, geology, geography, weather and folk arts. Through canning, fermenting and dehydrating we will prepare food for the months ahead. We will make backpacks, knives, and study Spanish in preparation for our southern migration. By early October, a strong and close knit community will arrive in the heart of the Andes, at our Base Camp on Hacienda Palugo, outside the city of Quito.
Bridging the gap between two worlds, we will take part in the daily work of the farm, study with local artists and craftspeople, and continue learning Spanish. We will study the mysteries of the volcanic landscape of the Andes and its indigenous people. Then a new journey begins as we depart via cataraft traveling down Amazon tributaries to the remote Village of Shiwakotcha. Here people still live as hunter-gatherer.
The time spent with the Shiwakotcha will give us amazing insights into our common human path, and the inspiration to work hard towards a positive world future where love and understanding will guide change. On the final expedition we will learn mountaineering skills before climbing Mt. Cotopaxi (19,200 feet), the highest active volcano in the world.
Throughout this journey we will observe and ponder, discuss and debate and write our own story. By the middle of December the group will return to New Hampshire, where the Earth is now covered in snow. Coursework gets completed and we will share our journey with families and the public.
New
Hampshire - Vermont Semester:
January - June
Imagine a 600-mile wilderness expedition by ski and canoe, an accomplishment
that will profoundly change your life. During this semester the romance of a
ski track and the song of a paddle, combined with the stroke of your pen, will
provide the education of your dreams.
The New Hampshire-Vermont Semester Program will begin at our Base Camp in Marlow, NH with students and teachers working together to prepare for the expedition. Students will sew a tent that will be their home on the trail, make mukluks, dehydrate meat and vegetables, learn and practice back country sking techniques, and study navigation, nutrition, meteorology and other expedition related topics. The journey begins: three hundred miles on the Catamount Trail from Southern Vermont to the Canadian border! The group will travel for several days, then have intervals of rest and study. During these intervals, teachers and local experts will join the group to share traditional skills, local history, culture, and natural sciences. Upon reaching the Canadian border, the students will spend a month wrapping up the winter portion of the expedition and preparing for the spring. Students will study topics related to the Northeast Kingdom and the Connecticut River Watershed. They will build a 23-foot wood/canvas canoe to carry them down the river, weave pack baskets for their food and belongings, and craft the paddles that will propel them homeward along 300 miles of the Connecticut River. Having traveled full-circle, the length of Vermont and back, students will spend the last weeks completing final coursework and putting together a theatrical presentation to share with families and the public.
Read the Semester Studies Blog
TO APPLY OR LEARN MORE
Please call us at 1-603-835-9087 or email our Semester Coordinator, Lisl Hofer,
at lisl@kroka.org to request a brochure
or an application.
You can also find the necessary applications on our DOWNLOADS page.