At OAT, we pride ourselves on having the best Trip Leaders in the world—talented individuals who can transform ordinary travel experiences into extraordinary adventures. What makes me proudest is the flood of positive feedback you’ve sent in about your Trip Leaders over the years. Here’s a recent example from Lois H.—followed by a bit of good news.
Dear Harriet,
I just returned from a delightful trip to Costa Rica and wanted to tell you about our wonderful Program Director, Rafael Calvo. I have gone on 16 Grand Circle trips and this was my first experience with OAT. Rafael made the trip a real pleasure with his explanations of all the plants, birds, mammals, insects, etc. as we hiked the wetlands and forests and traveled by boat to and through the national parks. As we traveled along the roads in the bus, he would have the driver stop so that we could observe the local plants or birds. And, when we were on the boat, he found the local monkeys or birds that were hiding. The various discovery opportunities were most enjoyable and the home-hosted lunch with a local family was delightful.
I will recommend this trip to all people who enjoy beautiful flowers and birds as we do, with a small friendly group. Thank you for offering Real Affordable Costa Rica.
Lois H.
17-time traveler & Vacation Ambassador
Medford, NJ
Lois, thank you for taking the time to write to me about Rafael. I think you’ll be pleased to hear that Rafael took time from his busy schedule to write to me, too—and you can check out News & Views to read his firsthand account of some memorable OAT moments.
If you’re interested in learning more about our Trip Leaders—as many of you have told me you are—I encourage you to meet a selection of Trip Leaders from Costa Rica and throughout the Americas right here on our website. We’ve been working hard to share more of their background information and insider tips with you, and I think you’ll enjoy the results.
When it comes to sharing, OAT travelers have always been generous with feedback, photos, and travel stories—and I hope you’ll keep all of it coming! Recently, I’ve been impressed to see some of you embracing digital media—and I do mean impressed, because keeping up with technology has never been my strong suit. Here’s one example from “photo storyteller” Barry J.
Dear Harriet,
My wife and I recently returned from a fabulous OAT trip, Real Affordable Costa Rica. We took lots of photos (around 2,000, counting the extra pictures sent to me by our travel companions). I make photo stories as a hobby as well as writing and telling short stories. I’ve attached a story from our Costa Rica trip. I hope you enjoy it.
Barry J.
2-time traveler & Vacation Ambassador
Hendersonville, TN
Barry, what a fun way to present your travel photos! Adding music really helps to bring the destination alive. I would love to publish more videos here in Harriet’s Corner, so I encourage all of you OAT videographers out there to send me your masterpieces. In fact, I wish I could see a video of this soccer game, if any of you happened to be on this trip with Jim & Marilyn F.:
Dear Harriet,
It didn't take long for Karree to learn that when it comes to children, soccer is a universal language.
Due to always listening to our positive comments about Overseas Adventure Travel, our daughter Karree decided to take her first trip with OAT. She had chosen Route of the Maya, and she asked us if we’d like to go. Without hesitation we said, “Yes!” It was a fantastic trip and the time spent with our daughter was wonderful.
At our home-hosted dinner in the little village of San Luis Pueblo Nuevo, a lovely family hosted us. They had a small house. The dining table was outside under a covered porch, with the kitchen area in a shed next to the house. They spoke no English and we spoke no Spanish. We enjoyed lunch, smiled, and used sign language during the meal. After lunch we were struggling with what to do next when Karree spotted a soccer ball, picked it up and then casually rolled it across the yard. By that time she had the children’s attention, so she kicked it to them. The kids responded in a flash, and the game was on! Karree and the kids had so much fun and the adults cheered and watched with enthusiasm.
Jim & Marilyn F.
21-time travelers & Vacation Ambassadors
Altoona, KS
Jim and Marilyn, thank you for helping to make OAT a family tradition. It seems like Karree is a born OAT traveler—spontaneous and adept at communicating without words!
Finally, I felt it was important to share this email from Constance H. As we get older, we need to pay more and more attention to our health—even if we don’t feel like anything in particular is wrong. Before a strenuous trip, Constance’s vigilance in regards to her fitness level just might have saved her life.
Dear Harriet,
I would like to tell you my story, I think it’s a bit different. I have taken 6 trips with OAT and had a 7th planned for next week to Nepal & Bhutan. Before every trip I’ve taken, I always read about how active or strenuous the trip will be and try to evaluate whether I am up to it—because there always seems to be one person who shouldn’t be there, and therefore holds up the group. So thinking about altitude and stress, and being short of breath from time to time, I went to my doctor for a check up. I am in very good health; I take vitamins and expected no problems. My husband and I own a restaurant, and I work a five-day week. After a few tests and a chest X-ray, I was diagnosed with lung cancer!
That was in June. I have been operated on and now am in my last two weeks of chemo and radiation. All is going well—so well that I will be planning a trip in the spring, I hope. It was caught soon enough and hopefully I will have a clean bill of health.
I tell friends I think OAT saved my life. Thank you again for the good travel advice.
Constance H.
6-time traveler & Vacation Ambassador
Toledo, OH
Constance, I am so pleased to hear that you’re on the road to recovery after such an ordeal—and I hope that you’ll be back on the road less traveled with OAT soon. I’m touched that you appreciate our advice to get checked out before every adventure, but really, OAT didn’t save your life: you did. I hope your story will encourage more of your fellow travelers to take the extra precaution before traveling—at the very least, to ensure that you’ll get the most out of your adventure … but in rare cases, to get the most out of your life. Thank you for sharing.