Bahia Aventuras

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You are here: Home / Archives for Costa Rica

The Adventures of Aventuras

January 25, 2010 by bahiaaventuras Leave a Comment

The Adventure of Aventuras – by Kristal Griffith
In September of 2009, four students in the Professional-MBA program at the University of Denver set out on an adventure. They were charged with the mission of helping a business in Costa Rica become profitable while having a positive impact on people and the planet. That business was Bahia Aventuras.
Walter Brenes, the owner of Bahia Aventuras, has had opportunities to work with educational institutions in the past, but chose to work with the faculty at the University of Denver because of their approach. The introduction between Brenes and the University of Denver was made by Global Journeys Inc. owner Franco Marini and staff member Kay LatchmanSingh.
“We felt that Franco, Kay and the DU staff were dedicated to creating an experience that brings people together to enhance people-to-people understanding and grow friendships between people of different countries, languages, cultures, religions, socio-economic classes and political outlooks with an emphasis on equality among all humans regardless of personal circumstances,” Brenes says.
The students traveled to Costa Rica and met Brenes and his staff for the first time on the morning of Sept. 4, 2009.
“I was nervous to meet the Bahia team,” says Geoff Bieging, a P-MBA student. “I didn’t know how sophisticated their business practices would be, nor did I know if language or business practices would be a huge barrier. Fortunately, Walter speaks great English, and he was able to share a vision that is consistent across all borders.”
The participants did have communication help. Travis Bays, long-time friend and Peace Corps volunteer, helped Brenes start the business in 2007. His knowledge of the business and fluency in Spanish and English was critical.
“I cannot express how impressed I was with Walter and Travis,” says Pete Crowe, P-MBA student. “Here are two guys our age who were willing to take a risk on something they truly believe in. They are working to create a successful business and they are always thinking about how the business can contribute to the local community of Bahia Ballena.”
After the initial meeting, the Denver and Bahia teams decided to meet for dinner that evening at a local pizza restaurant called La Fogata. It was a memorable evening for all.
“My favorite part of my entire trip was the evening spent at the local pizza shop,” says Chaun Powell, P-MBA student. “It was important to me because it helped me understand what was important to Walter and Travis. Meeting Walter’s family made it clear to all of us that there is more to this than a business plan and a financial statement.”
“Rapidly we were able to connect on a very intimate level,” Bays says. “From our first meeting to the dinner party at La Fogata Pizza, our relationship as a team was built with shared values underlining friendship as number one.”
Since September, the two teams have been communicating through email and Skype to come up with ideas to build Bahia Aventuras.
It’s been an education of heart and mind for Team Denver.
“I think DU struck gold with Bahia Aventuras,” Powell says. “Walter and Travis’s innate excitement never die attitude, and unprecedented charisma have certainly made this experience memorable. I look forward to future memories made between the two teams as Bahia grows in an ethical and sustainable manner.”
“If anything, it has helped me learn how to probe a business owner and learn some of his/her key touch points,” Bieging says.
“I was truly inspired by Travis’s incredible motivation, Walter’s incredible spirit and how savvy both these guys really are,” Crowe says. “It was refreshing and encouraging to see two friends take a risk on something they believe in and work like crazy to make it happen. And there is no doubt these two will make it happen!”

The Adventure of Aventuras – by Kristal Griffith

In September of 2009, four students in the Professional-MBA program at the University of Denver set out on an adventure.

Team Denver-Bahia AventurasThey were charged with the mission of helping a business in Costa Rica become profitable while having a positive impact on people and the planet. That business was Bahia Aventuras.

Walter Brenes, the owner of Bahia Aventuras, has had opportunities to work with educational institutions in the past, but chose to work with the faculty at the University of Denver because of their approach. The introduction between Brenes and the University of Denver was made by Global Journeys Inc. owner Franco Marini and staff member Kay LatchmanSingh.

“We felt that Franco, Kay and the DU staff were dedicated to creating an experience that brings people together to enhance people-to-people understanding and grow friendships between people of different countries, languages, cultures, religions, socio-economic classes and political outlooks with an emphasis on equality among all humans regardless of personal circumstances,” Brenes says.

The students traveled to Costa Rica and met Brenes and his staff for the first time on the morning of Sept. 4, 2009.

“I was nervous to meet the Bahia team,” says Geoff Bieging, a P-MBA student. “I didn’t know how sophisticated their business practices would be, nor did I know if language or business practices would be a huge barrier. Fortunately, Walter speaks great English, and he was able to share a vision that is consistent across all borders.”

The participants did have communication help. Travis Bays, long-time friend and Peace Corps volunteer, helped Brenes start the business in 2007. His knowledge of the business and fluency in Spanish and English was critical.

“I cannot express how impressed I was with Walter and Travis,” says Pete Crowe, P-MBA student. “Here are two guys our age who were willing to take a risk on something they truly believe in. They are working to create a successful business and they are always thinking about how the business can contribute to the local community of Bahia Ballena.”

After the initial meeting, the Denver and Bahia teams decided to meet for dinner that evening at a local pizza restaurant called La Fogata. It was a memorable evening for all.

“My favorite part of my entire trip was the evening spent at the local pizza shop,” says Chaun Powell, P-MBA student. “It was important to me because it helped me understand what was important to Walter and Travis. Meeting Walter’s family made it clear to all of us that there is more to this than a business plan and a financial statement.”

“Rapidly we were able to connect on a very intimate level,” Bays says. “From our first meeting to the dinner party at La Fogata Pizza, our relationship as a team was built with shared values underlining friendship as number one.”

Since September, the two teams have been communicating through email and Skype to come up with ideas to build Bahia Aventuras.

It’s been an education of heart and mind for Team Denver.

“I think DU struck gold with Bahia Aventuras,” Powell says. “Walter and Travis’s innate excitement never die attitude, and unprecedented charisma have certainly made this experience memorable. I look forward to future memories made between the two teams as Bahia grows in an ethical and sustainable manner.”

“If anything, it has helped me learn how to probe a business owner and learn some of his/her key touch points,” Bieging says.

“I was truly inspired by Travis’s incredible motivation, Walter’s incredible spirit and how savvy both these guys really are,” Crowe says. “It was refreshing and encouraging to see two friends take a risk on something they believe in and work like crazy to make it happen. And there is no doubt these two will make it happen!”

Filed Under: Responsible Tourism Tagged With: Bahia Aventuras, Bahia Ballena, Costa Rica, Costa Rica Peace Corps, Denver, Global Journeys, Peace Corps, University of Denver

Reflect on the great beauty of the Marino Ballena National Park

January 22, 2010 by bahiaaventuras Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Costa Rica Tours Tagged With: Bahia Aventuras, Bahia Ballena, Costa Rica, ecosystems, Marine Eco Tourism, marine protected areas, Marino Ballena National Park, Osa, Uvita

Bahia Aventuras and Thinking Beyond Borders – Bringing different cultures together

December 21, 2009 by bahiaaventuras Leave a Comment

Bahia Aventuras and Thinking Beyond Borders – The Ideal start to a Gap Year Program
In September 2009 Bahia Aventuras teamed with Thinking Beyond Borders for the second year in a row to help facilitate the best gap year program in the world!  Thinking Beyond Borders gap year program is designed for students to explore international development through global service learning and academic study.  The organization has the mission:
To empower youth as agents of proactive change by developing consciousness of global issues.
To translate learning into action.
Thinking Beyond Borders program orientation in Uvita – Bahia Ballena, is an opportunity to prepare for eight months of service learning and traveling throughout South America, Africa, Asia and the USA.  During the orientation students begin exploring the curriculum by learning about various development issues and why they are immediate problems in each country.  They also learn how to travel in a culturally sensitive manner, how to communicate with people when you don’t speak the same language, and how to immerse yourself into a new community.  Finishing out the orientation, students learn the safety protocol, including how to prevent minor illness, general traveling “do’s and don’ts, and good conduct to keep yourself healthy and safe.  The orientation program challenges students to develop new perspectives on themselves and the world. Set goals to reach new levels of personal and global consciousness. Identify strengths and pinpoint areas to improve. Engage in team building and leadership activities that unite this incredible and talented group of individuals.

In September 2009 Bahia Aventuras teamed with Thinking Beyond Borders for the second year in a row to help facilitate the best gap year program in the world!  Thinking Beyond Borders gap year program is designed for students to explore international development through global service learning and academic study.  The organization has the mission:

  • To empower youth as agents of proactive change by developing consciousness of global issues.
  • To translate learning into action.

The Ideal start to a Gap Year Program

Thinking Beyond Borders program orientation in Uvita – Bahia Ballena, Osa, Costa Rica is an opportunity to prepare for eight months of service learning and traveling throughout South America, Africa, Asia and the USA.  During the orientation students begin exploring the curriculum by learning about various development issues and why they are immediate problems in each country.  They also learn how to travel in a culturally sensitive manner, how to communicate with people when you don’t speak the same language, and how to immerse yourself into a new community.  Finishing out the orientation, students learn the safety protocol, including how to prevent minor illness, general traveling “do’s and don’ts, and good conduct to keep yourself healthy and safe.  The orientation program challenges students to develop new perspectives on themselves and the world. Set goals to reach new levels of personal and global consciousness. Identify strengths and pinpoint areas to improve. Engage in team building and leadership activities that unite this incredible and talented group of individuals.

Bahia Aventuras and Thinking Beyond Borders

Together with Bahia Aventuras Team Members and local community leaders, the Thinking Beyond Borders students attend workshops about local community economic development.  Connect with nature and create powerful experiences while participating in whale watching, snorkeling, and dolphin encounter boat tours in the Marino Ballena National Park.  Learn yoga and surfing while living for 10 days where the rainforest and the ocean come together.  They hike through primary and secondary rainforest, swim under waterfalls, play beach soccer and reflect on the journey to come while watching the sunset over the famous Punta Uvita Whale Tail.

Check out the album of Thinking Beyond Borders 2009-10 student photos from the 11 day orientation in Costa Rica!

Filed Under: Responsible Tourism Tagged With: Bahia Aventuras, Bahia Ballena, boat tours, Costa Rica, Gap Year Program, Marino Ballena National Park, Osa, Punta Uvita, snorkeling, Thinking Beyond Borders, Whale Tail, whale watching

Responsible Marine Tourism Practices

December 17, 2009 by bahiaaventuras Leave a Comment

Bahia Aventuras, the KETO Foundation, and the Association of Marine Tour Operators of the Marino Ballena National Park, in Uvita – Bahia Ballena have been working together over the last few months in the development of Responsible Marine Tourism Practices. Through many meetings, discussions, and trainings, drafts of the standards were developed, reviewed, and revised in a consensus-building process.  Development of the standards for Planning of Boat Tours, Boat Maintenance, Training of Boat Captains and Guides, Community Responsibility, Navigation, Whale watching, Snorkeling and Scuba Diving, is only the beginning.  Next, is the implementation phase and then field-testing.  Many local companies are still in the process of adopting the standards and will work together with the KETO Foundaton and the Association of Marine Tour Operators of the Marino Ballena National Park to evaluate their overall effectiveness, attainability, and affordability.
Leading the way in accomplishing the standards is Team Bahia Aventuras.  Establishing a plan for each category, Bahia Aventuras will be implementing the rigorous standards in 2010  to achieve the most Responsible Operation of Marine Tourism possible, and continue providing visitors the best and most sustainable boat and nature tours in Uvita – Bahia Ballena, Osa, Costa Rica.

Bahia Aventuras, the KETO Foundation, and the Association of Marine Tour Operators of the Marino Ballena National Park, in Uvita – Bahia Ballena have been working together over the last few months in the development of Responsible Marine Tourism Practices. Through many meetings, discussions, and trainings, drafts of the standards were developed, reviewed, and revised in a consensus-building process.  Development of the standards for Planning of Boat Tours, Boat Maintenance, Training of Boat Captains and Guides, Community Responsibility, Navigation, Whale watching, Snorkeling and Scuba Diving, is only the beginning.  Next, is the implementation phase and then field-testing.  Many local companies are still in the process of adopting the standards and will work together with the KETO Foundaton and the Association of Marine Tour Operators of the Marino Ballena National Park to evaluate their overall effectiveness, attainability, and affordability.

Leading the way in accomplishing the standards is Team Bahia Aventuras.  Establishing a plan for each category, Bahia Aventuras will be implementing the rigorous standards in 2010  to achieve the most Responsible Operation of Marine Tourism possible, and continue providing visitors the best and most sustainable boat and nature tours in Uvita – Bahia Ballena, Osa, Costa Rica.

Filed Under: Responsible Tourism Tagged With: Bahia Ballena, Costa Rica, Marine Eco Tourism, Marino Ballena National Park, Osa, Responsible Marine Tourism, Uvita

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Uvita, Bahia Ballena,
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