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Roy Robbers - Aberdovey, Wales, 1976
Reading your site, I decided it was time to inform you about our family tradition.
First of all I woud like to tell you about my Outward Bound experience.
In 1976 I went to Aberdovey for the 4 week general course.
As a young boy of only 16 from the Netherlands it was quite an experience for me!
I am now 51, and I still remember a lot of details from the course.
I was placed in a group with boys who came from several countries and with different backgrounds. With them, I learned to cooperate and work as a team.
Learning how to read a map in mountain surroundings, setting a course and walking in the hills of Wales from ridge to ridge made quite a big impression on me. This took place in sometimes pouring rain or very hot conditions! Making up a camp, cooking your own meal, making a 24 hour shelter. It was all rather character building. Also the rock climbing, canoeing at sea and sailing still give me good memories.
In 1981 I had to go in the army and volunteered for the Dutch Special Forces - The Green Beret Commando’s. The training was very hard but I must admit that my Outward Bound course gave me a good base of experience. In the army I did similar things from Outward Bound such as walking, rock climbing and canoeing; expanded upon with parachuting out of planes and helicopters! Working in a team was very important, something which I had also experienced on the Outward Bound course.
A few weeks back, I went with a commando friend to Wales to complete a tour on motorbike and we visited Aberdovey. We set our route day by day, camped in the wild in our tent and did our own cooking, just like my time at Outward Bound and in the Army.
Our family tradition is that everybody in our family has visited, or will visit Outward Bound at 16 years old. My brother went to Aberdovey in 1975, I did it in 1976, my sister went to Scotland in 1986. The son and daughter of my brother did Outward Bound in Aberdovey in the nineties when they became 16. My son went to Aberdovey in 2008 and my daughter will go to Aberdovey this Summer, 2011. So, altogether 7 members of our family have completed an Outward Bound general course!
All in all it has made a big impression on us and we have found it to be a good character building experience from which you can benefit and look back in pride for the rest of your life.
Roy Robbers
First of all I woud like to tell you about my Outward Bound experience.
In 1976 I went to Aberdovey for the 4 week general course.
As a young boy of only 16 from the Netherlands it was quite an experience for me!
I am now 51, and I still remember a lot of details from the course.
I was placed in a group with boys who came from several countries and with different backgrounds. With them, I learned to cooperate and work as a team.
Learning how to read a map in mountain surroundings, setting a course and walking in the hills of Wales from ridge to ridge made quite a big impression on me. This took place in sometimes pouring rain or very hot conditions! Making up a camp, cooking your own meal, making a 24 hour shelter. It was all rather character building. Also the rock climbing, canoeing at sea and sailing still give me good memories.
In 1981 I had to go in the army and volunteered for the Dutch Special Forces - The Green Beret Commando’s. The training was very hard but I must admit that my Outward Bound course gave me a good base of experience. In the army I did similar things from Outward Bound such as walking, rock climbing and canoeing; expanded upon with parachuting out of planes and helicopters! Working in a team was very important, something which I had also experienced on the Outward Bound course.
A few weeks back, I went with a commando friend to Wales to complete a tour on motorbike and we visited Aberdovey. We set our route day by day, camped in the wild in our tent and did our own cooking, just like my time at Outward Bound and in the Army.
Our family tradition is that everybody in our family has visited, or will visit Outward Bound at 16 years old. My brother went to Aberdovey in 1975, I did it in 1976, my sister went to Scotland in 1986. The son and daughter of my brother did Outward Bound in Aberdovey in the nineties when they became 16. My son went to Aberdovey in 2008 and my daughter will go to Aberdovey this Summer, 2011. So, altogether 7 members of our family have completed an Outward Bound general course!
All in all it has made a big impression on us and we have found it to be a good character building experience from which you can benefit and look back in pride for the rest of your life.
Roy Robbers