Today, if you were to observe our group from afar, you might see a group of students who went on a serious adventure. While there is truth to our group being made up of students and us going on an adventure, deeper down, so much more was happening.
As we were on the bus to El Younque, there was a definite mix of emotions. These emotions were caused by what students were thinking about the upcoming experience with Montaña Explora. Beneath the surface, every student was feeling both nervousness and excitement in some way. In this situation, it was impossible to know what someone was feeling without talking to them and understanding what was happening inside their head.
One of the most exciting and thrilling parts of the day is watching the guides leap off large cliffs and dive into seemingly very shallow water. From our perspective on the surface of the water, everything looked shallow. What we did not know was that lurking below the surface were 20-foot deep pools that, if dived into, would be perfectly safe. The key part about diving into these deep pools is knowing what is under the surface. These pools were in particular places, and only the guides knew where the pools were. The guides figured out where these deep pools were through experience and exploration.
After a long day of exploration, we returned to basecamp and found some much-needed nutritious burritos. The beauty of eating a burrito is that everything is wrapped inside the soft brown tortilla. Other than the tortilla, one can not see the ingredients of the tortilla. Without finding out what is under the surface of the tortilla, one can not fully understand the taste of that specific burrito.
Throughout almost every aspect of today, things under the surface affect how each of us experiences the day. Without understanding each student’s emotions, it would be impossible to understand each student’s experience. Without understanding the guide’s extensive knowledge of these waterways, one would be scared for their safety. Still, because these guides have extensive knowledge of what is below the surface, everyone stayed safe.
Like everything in life, there is so much more happening that is not obvious, and to understand what is happening, you must look below the surface.
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