In April 2021, I started the training to become an outdoor guide. My goal was to move safely in nature, to meet like-minded people and to acquire new skills outside the daily office routine.
So I travelled excitedly to eastern Switzerland and with “Outdoor Academy” to the first of 5 outdoor modules. In the forest, my 19 course colleagues and I were introduced to basic outdoor knowledge. Among other things, we were taught the art of building camps and I learned how to build my own “bedroom” with a plastic tarp and a few strings. In addition to material science, there was also learning content about aesthetic place design, how to use rope and how to cook for groups.
During the 5 days in the forest, many things became clear to me. Not only that I still had to stock up on clothing and equipment. The forest floor was covered with snow and the temperatures dropped to -4° Celsius at night. I only survived the cold nights thanks to my helpful colleagues. I was allowed to borrow a down jacket and an additional bivouac sack. I also realised in the forest that I felt comfortable in nature, despite the cold nights and the extreme conditions already at the beginning of the course. I wanted more outdoor in my life. The time in the forest continued to resonate at home for a while and the thought of quitting my current job and flat grew louder in me. On the edge of my comfort zone, I realised that I wanted to step out of my safe frame. And as you know, that’s what I ended up doing.
The following 4 modules were also dedicated to a specific discipline. So I was able to acquire skills in the disciplines of trekking, snowshoeing, canoeing and sea kayaking. We were not only taught technical know-how, but also leadership skills such as group dynamics, feedback culture, decision-making and resilience. Wrapped up in nature, we were, besides the learning content, also busy with satisfying our basic needs: finding a suitable place to sleep and setting up a bedroom, preparing and cooking food, helping to build the group camp, looking for an undisturbed place for the toilet etc. I found the course days intensive, entertaining and enriching on all levels. We were in a world of our own, in close contact with nature, the 4 elements, the fellow travellers and with ourselves.
A week ago, the 5th and last outdoor module took place in the south of Sweden. After 7 days beside, on and in the water of the Baltic Sea, I can now call myself a certified outdoor guide! I’m grateful for the inspiring encounters, the friendships, the instructive impulses and the numerous moments that took me out of my comfort zone. A huge thank you to everyone who accompanied me on this journey. It was an unforgettable time.