Sol Encounter Founders
Scott Samelson
Scott
Samelson came to Costa Rica in 2000 to work for the Costa Rica Rainforest Outward
Bound School. He spent three years working for the school as a lead instructor
and the whitewater program manager. During that time he became fluent in Spanish.
Scott has spent 5 years guiding rafts and kayaks in Costa Rica, Colorado, Nevada
and California. He has also worked as a mountaineer guide in South America,
a mountain bike guide in the Dominican Republic and a ski guide in California.
Scott has traveled to more than 40 countries around the world and holds Costa
Rica in a class of its own. He is a certified Emergency Medical Technician
(EMT), is a Swift Water Rescue technician and holds two Bachelor of Science
degrees in Botany and Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University. In the
fall of 2005, Scott will relinquish his main guiding duties for Sol Encounter
to embark in medical school at the University of Colorado.Shannon Freix
Interestingly
enough, Shannon Freix first came to Costa Rica in 2001 for a white-water
kayaking course where Scott Samelson was her instructor. Captivated by
the lifestyle
and adventure sports, Shannon decided that she wanted to be in Costa
Rica year round, not just for vacation, and in 2002, moved here to live
permanently. Shannon has spent the last 2 years working as a Resident Director
for
an internationally
known study abroad program sharing her passion for Costa Rica with high
school and college students from the US. She is an expert in the logistical
aspects
of Sol Encounters with experience planning and leading groups as large
as eighty, as well as creating personalized itineraries for honeymoon
guests that look
for a unique and special experience. Futhermore, having lived and worked
in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica and traveled much of
Central America, Shannon is an enthusiast for the Latin-American culture and
people.
With a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication from the University
of Texas and a minor in Spanish, Shannon is fully bilingual and loves
to share
her passion
for Costa Rica with others. Shannon is currently working in the state
of Montana for Americorps with goals to merge many of the Americorps
ideals with those
of Sol Encounter. In the fall of 2005, she will reestablish her role
as the head of Sol Encounter.