Bringing Learning to Life: Reflections from the Boiling River, Part 3
My friends can’t believe some of the things I get up to thanks to the connections I make through my work at National Geographic Learning — from tagging red-footed falcons in Hungary to getting top photography tips from National Geographic photographer Annie Griffiths. Heading to the Boiling River in the middle of the Peruvian Amazon with a team of people led by National Geographic Explorer Andrés Ruzo was a new level of craziness for us all.
I am lucky enough to count Andrés Ruzo as one of my closest friends, but for a long time before we met I was aware of his work through his TED Talk and his features in many of our National Geographic Learning materials. I was already inspired by his work and story, so to get to know him in person was really the cherry on the cake. As Emily Bryson has already said in her blog post about her trip to the Boiling River — National Geographic Explorers are extraordinary people, and it’s when you really dig into what they are doing and how they are doing it you truly realize how special they are. They have seemingly limitless amounts of energy and passion, but what is the real key is how they communicate and share their message. They are skilled in story-telling, in succinctly conveying challenging ideas and concepts and, most importantly, bringing people together. What is remarkable, although seemingly obvious, is that all of this is done in English — across many different cultures, linguistic backgrounds and educational experiences.
For so many in the field of conservation and science, learning English provides a chance to connect to the wider world, and my trip to the Boiling River brought this to light. Karina, a Shipibo-Konibo leader I met, was anxious to use her English to share her culture and knowledge from the Amazon. I also met Felipe, a biologist who worked so hard to practice his English ahead of each field season. Speaking English allows him to not only share his research, but to level up in his university role and open up greater opportunities.
“There was so much to learn from the rest of the team — academically, culturally, and socially. Having English as our common tool of communication at the Boiling River allowed us to unlock and share this expertise and knowledge.”
I have worked in the English Language Teaching Industry for many years, but my visit to the Boiling River highlighted the value of English in this field and also how critical it is to communicate clearly and intelligibly. The Boiling River is an incredible and magical experience, but it’s also an extremely dangerous place to put a foot wrong. The year I was there we had people from all over the globe, people who had grown up speaking English and those who hadn’t. Everyone had something to contribute and bring to the table — from Grimur, our Icelandic jungle Viking and the preeminent expert of geothermal power, to Brittany, one of the most enthusiastic science teachers I have ever met. There was so much to learn from the rest of the team —academically, culturally, and emotionally. Having English as our common tool of communication at the Boiling River allowed us to unlock and share this expertise and knowledge, and this was a vital part of the success of the trip (and our safety on it!)
What Andrés achieves at the Boiling River on these field trips is a microcosm of what needs to happen on a larger global scale if we are to meet the very real challenges that face our planet: bringing people together from a rich tapestry of backgrounds, connecting us to our environment, and really working together to effect change. But none of that works without a tool to communicate and share — and that tool is undoubtedly English.
Are you inspired by Charlotte’s experience with other English language speakers and learners at the Boiling River? Find out how National Geographic Learning programs help students bring English to life.
