Being in the middle of nowhere, with no way to contact those I left behind, created a space for growth. I found it both exhilarating and challenging—being disconnected from the world I was used to felt like flipping a coin. On one side was the thrill of living entirely in the moment, unattached to the steady ping of messages or the urgency of news. On the other side was the gnawing awareness that those I loved were still living their lives without me, and I couldn’t instantly be part of their moments or share my own. This experience, however, taught me something profound: there is beauty in this disconnection, a freedom that opens space for the unexpected and the new.
By: Kate Hanson, Colby College
I’ve come to know and love this place and I can’t wait to look back on my time here and think about how a remote little campground in Chilean Patagonia came to be my home for three months.
By: Jillian Downey
Follow along with Jillian to discover the world of aquatic macroinvertberates living in the River Cochrane.
By: Miles Al-Chokhachy
The next day, we applied our new snorkeling knowledge during a river cleanup. We got all suited up and drove to a different section of the river, right in town. Twelve of us in wetsuits entered the water, and I think the only way to describe it is “controlled chaos”, as my instructor Ben said.
By: Margaret McCarthy
Ever seen a real-life glacier? We have! This week, all thirteen of us, Lily, Clau, and Danny drove to the coastal town of Caleta Tortel to study bryophytes and lichens near Jorge Montt Glacier.
Then I tilted my head down to see more clearly and saw that a Western Barn Owl was sitting in the car by my feet.
Kiera Burke – Colby College gives a run down of Round River’s mid-semester week-long homestay in Patagonia
That’s me milking one of Leo’s cows. This was the first time I ever milked a cow! I was only able to get a cup of milk in the same amount of time it took Leo to fill a whole bowl.
As we headed out for the first day of transects in Kaziikini, everyone had one thing on their minds: lions!
I do not know how I got to the point in my life where I watch a woodpecker family for 14 hours, but I had so much fun doing it.
The group traveled down the street for a banging cultural event filled with Bayei games, songs, and dances.
The overall goals of this trip were to learn about the integral practices of “Leave No Trace” in the backcountry, the geomorphological features of San Lorenzo, and the natural environment of alpine zones in Chile.
By Helena Karcher, Weber State As I stepped onto the tarmac at Maun International Airport, ears still popping from the quick descent from the sky, I read the sign on the building: “Welcome to Botswana.” Wow! Who would have ever…
Oliver Bunker, University of Vermont
In a world so big, I know I feel helpless at times thinking how my little life is going to make an impact. That’s just it though, no one life is little. Society is not going to flip on a dime, living a sustainable life doesn’t require you to move to Patagonia and start a farm, it can begin as simple separating your compost or choosing organic produce and ethically raised meat.
By Sam Gerrish from University of Puget Sound It’s 6am, and I’m up early to write this and to pack, because today we are leaving basecamp for the last time. Yesterday afternoon marked a week until we disband completely. I…
By Betsy Brown from University of Puget Sound, Patagonia Program Fall 2024 Join Betsy and an entirely unplanned guide, Phoebe, as they give us a tour of Basecamp at Aquasol in Cochrane, Chile. They answer nearly all the questions you…