Check back often as we'll be adding new questions and answers
with Chris regularly.
Q: What was your most memorable/powerful moment? Chris: After our last course, when it was all said and done, the roommates and I reflected on our time together. I reminded them of where we had come from and all that we had accomplished together. In that moment I could see, and I knew, that we had transcended beyond the shackles of the televised world and that we had had an authentic experience and had truly touched the lives of others. We had been real with one another, and that had made all the difference.
Q: What do you want people to know about Outward Bound? Chris: Outward Bound has the potential to change your life and to open up your perspective on yourself, others and the world. I have worked with hundreds of students and all of them have discovered something meaningful during their courses. There is a magic to it, which is hard to replicate anywhere else.
Q: What do you miss most when you are out in the wilderness instructing?My wife and daughter. I have gone without food, water and shelter, and none of that compares to the feeling inside when I am away from my family.
Q: What was it like to work with teenagers who were impacted by Hurricane Katrina? They were impressive. Each of them had a sense of resolve and strength that inspiring. But then at the same time they were like normal teenagers thinking about the things that teenagers think about. It was great to have them all together. I think it was meaningful to them to hear the stories of others who had different experiences during the hurricane. They were some of the most remarkable people I have met.
Q: How has the Real World changed your life?
Well, I don't have a TV and don't imagine that I ever will. But I now have an appreciation for all that goes into a television show. The insider's view that I got on how it all works was fascinating. I honestly can't watch movies or television now without thinking about all of the people behind the scenes capturing the drama.
Q: What do you do when you are not instructing courses for Outward Bound? I exercise obsessively, play with my daughter, hang with my wife and teach 9th grade humanities at an alternative high school in Thornton, CO.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about your experience with each of the Outward Bound Interns? Chris:
Tyrie - is an exceptional teacher. He believed in all of the students and gave his best efforts. Kept us all laughing and is a model of professionalism and the type of compassion that is essential for instructors at OB to have.
Alex - the most fit and dialed of the crew. He wired the skills and never passed up a single challenge. He was top of the class so to speak. I enjoyed the competitions that he and I challenged one another with, particularly our race at the top of Mt. Champion.
Stephen - is a smooth talker, who is a delight to talk to about ideas and controversial topics. He is one smart guy and so easily wired conceptual material while at OB. I believe that Stephen truly had a religious experience on top of our last peak.
Davis - the essence of kindness. It was obvious that Davis loved being outside and getting in touch with the wild places. His motivation and intrigue was contagious.
Jenn - an amazing woman with a true commitment and sense of integrity with regard to students. She was always on it and kept me laughing. In some ways she felt like a little sister.
Brooke - definitely won the most improved award. Brooke was utterly terrified from the beginning, but then transformed herself into a confident female intern. Brooke's personal growth was a highlight for me.
Colie - a natural leader who puts things in motion and had a deep personal connection with the background that our students were coming from.
Q: What was the craziest moment with you and the interns/roommates? Chris: Craziest? Can I say the whole thing?? It may not seem that crazy, but I think living with them in the mountains when they were going without showers and wearing their outdoor clothing and then showing up at the house and seeing them all gussied up. It was like night and day.
Q: How did you react when you found out you were
going to be working with The Real World?
I’ve worked for Outward Bound
for ten years and really believe in what we do and the way
it positively affects people’s lives. So, I was really
excited about the opportunity for Outward Bound. I was also
excited about doing something that for me was a new personal
challenge. I was a bit nervous about being on television and
representing the entire Outward Bound organization. I also
wasn't sure if the combination of The Real World and Outward Bound would work, or if the Real World roommates
would assume the level of responsibility and professionalism
that is essential for Outward Bound employees.
Q: What did you like best about your experience with
The Real World?
Hands down, working with the roommates and the students and
seeing all of them grow and become awestruck with their own
capabilities.
Q: What’s it like to have cameras capturing
your every move?
At first I felt like I was on stage, and I am terrified of
public speaking. I would also clam up a bit whenever the camera
popped up in my face. But when every word you say is being
taped and your every move is being filmed, and you do this
for days on end, you eventually relax into it and except the
surreal nature of it all. With all the commotion, it also
was possible to feel like I was more important that I really
am.
Q: How long have you been working at Outward Bound
Wilderness?
Ten years.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
That's tough to answer because there are a myriad of reasons
that keep me coming back to Outward Bound. But I would have
to say that it’s the profound combination of exploring
our remaining wilderness areas while also experiencing and
witnessing the changes that students go through when they
surpass their own preconceived limitations. Being immersed
in nature and watching individuals and groups find newness
and renewal within themselves has kept me inspired with this
work for the last decade.
Q: Why/How did you become an instructor?
I took a 22 day mountaineering course in the High Sierra when
I was 17, and towards the end of the course I had developed
a single focus: to become an Outward Bound Instructor. I asked
my instructors how best to accomplish this and they said,
"Go into the mountains and learn from them." So
I did. I traveled around the globe searching out new adventures
to challenge my understanding of how to live in the wilderness.
I also read a ton of books about mountaineering and adventure
education. I then applied to work in the North Cascades and
got the job. I will never forget the day when I drove to work
with my truck filled with gear for a summer in the mountains,
and thinking, "Here we go..."
Q: What do you say to someone when they ask you what
it was like to work with The Real World?
I think most people assume that the roomates are dysfunctional,
and so they want to know about that. I believe, and try to
share with them, that the roommates are really like any of
us. They have their flaws and their strengths. But, when they
were in the wilderness they became better people, and I believe
that is true for most, if not all of us. All in all, I enjoyed
the experience far more than I imagined I would.
About Chris
Chris Carithers grew up in Seattle, WA and took a 22-day Outward
Bound course when he was 17 years old. He completed his course
with a passion for the outdoors and a single goal: to become
an Outward Bound instructor. After traveling the world and
gaining additional wilderness skills, he reached his goal
at 22 years old and began instructing for Outward Bound in
the North Cascades. Now for over 10 years, he has instructed
both short and long courses in Washington, Oregon, California,
Utah, Colorado and Wyoming, and has taught students about
Outward Bound while rock climbing, backpacking, canyoneering,
white water rafting and mountaineering.
He has earned his BA in English from Colorado College and
a Masters in education from Colorado University. Chris is
also a 9th grade humanities teacher at MESA highschool in
Thornton, CO. He is married and has a 9 month old daughter.
Chris: After our last course, when it was all said and done, the roommates and I reflected on our time together. I reminded them of where we had come from and all that we had accomplished together. In that moment I could see, and I knew, that we had transcended beyond the shackles of the televised world and that we had had an authentic experience and had truly touched the lives of others. We had been real with one another, and that had made all the difference.
