by Maria Koropecky, Storytelling Coach, Author & Hiking Guide
This past weekend I pushed myself far out of my comfort zone – I went outside and took part in a Wilderness / Remote First Aid certification course with 5 others under the hot July sun – and even though it was challenging, it was worth it!
We spent all day Saturday and Sunday on a little patch of grass at the edge of the forest near Eagle Lake, here in Victoria, BC, Canada, role-playing all kinds of scenarios we might encounter (but hopefully never will) in natural settings, away from urban centers.
The Wilderness / Remote First Aid training is all about coming across an event, assessing the situation, thinking on your feet, making quick decisions, being resourceful, and taking action – all while staying calm under pressure and caring about the gift of life.
Out of all the things we covered, I mostly enjoyed the activity where we worked as a team and built a stretcher from wooden poles, rope and a tarp, and then carried our instructor through a narrow forest path over logs and a fence, calling out anything that might be in the way, keeping in constant communication with each other.
I loved being part of a team and I realized I had been sitting at home, laying low working on my own during COVID for long enough, and now I am ready to spread my wings, join a bigger flock, and fly again!
Completing this course allows me to build on what I had started in 2019 with my Camino adventure, when I solo back-packed across Spain, which lead to writing my novel, Closer to Indigo, and then filming my TV series, Saanich: Emerging Land; Emerging People with my GoPro, all while coaching Spiritual Storytellers to connect with nature and tell their own stories.
And now with my new Wilderness / Remote First Aid certification in hand, I’m feeling called to continue on this path and take people on guided hikes in the wilderness and I AM NOW OPEN FOR WORK AS A HIKING GUIDE and STORYTELLER.
So, if you or your organization are in search of a passionate, experienced and safety-conscious hiking guide and whether your retreat center or resort is nestled in British Columbia or beyond…
I’d be happy to hear from you. Together, we can create extraordinary hiking experiences that blend the awe-inspiring beauty of nature with the transformative power of storytelling for people from all walks of life.
Feel free to reach out to me directly to explore potential collaborations, discuss exciting opportunities or simply exchange ideas. Let’s hike the trails together!
#Hiking #Storytelling #professionaldevelopment #team #work