| Although the main purpose of these training was physical conditioning and developing self-confidence and survivor skills, there were other activities such as language training, visits to the local agriculture extension service offices and a week internship in one extension office. These photos are a courtesy of Steve Gowin from North Dakota, volunteer in Alagoa Grande, Paraiba. |
 | The Peace Corps Training Camps in Puerto Rico were located in the tropical mountains of the State Park of Rio Abajo in Arecibo, near the jurisdiction on the municipality of Utuado. Its primary function were to serve as sites dedicated to physical training and conditioning. Swimming in pools and in the sea was an integral part of the training. |
 | Another training activity was rappelling or rock climbing as shown in this photo. Here you see a volunteer going down the rocks. |
 | Sometimes rappelling was performed in a river/lake dam. In this picture a group of Peace Corps volunteers get ready for their chance to do their routine. |
 | To do this training a lot of precautions were taken to avoid accidents. The volunteers had the equipment needed and expert trainers to go through the many physical activities. |
 | Another training activity was mountain hike in small groups. For this activity the volunteers had a backpack packed with a hammock, some food, maps, compass, personal hygiene items. This group is getting ready to go inside the mountain to find a target point many miles in the rain forest. They are from left to right. Hal Walton, Nelson Jacob, Gerald Rutland, Steven Gowin, Modesto Ortiz, Curt Deville, and Bob Anderson |
 | During the hike the volunteers will find beautiful sceneries like cascades, streams falling from the higher grounds, small rivers, fruits like oranges, bananas and others. Animals and birds of different kinds were also part of the activity. Here is Robert “Bob” Anderson fully packed with everything needed to spend three or four days in the forest. He heads for a refreshing drink along the jungle trail on the survival trek mandatory for volunteers of the Brazil I group. |
 | Meals were prepared on site by the volunteers, there were no fancy meals, only what was found in the forest. Here you can see one group preparing food and resting. In this group Esther Diaz, Manuel Cruz, Corinne Hay. Mel Tolbert and others at meal time. There is no dinning table, neither fancy silverware. |
 | Spending the night in the forest was no fun, the volunteers needed to improvise a tent to get protected from the rain and mosquitoes and a make-ship fireplace for heating and cooking. Here is Steve Gowin studying the topographical map of the area near his “living quarter” for the night. |
 | Here you can see some night activities prior going to sleep, cooking and preparing food to be cooked. Here Nelson Jacob and and Dale Swenson, on the right, trying to eat their meal, in the background is John Schley by the “cooking fire”. |
 | Gerald Rutland climbs a Coconut Palm tree to throw coconuts down to volunteers on the ground who are awaiting the delicious white coconut meat and nutritious milk to add to their meager diet while on survival trek training. There were many coconut palms in the tropical rainforest that provided food and water. Coconuts supplied fresh and delicious water and pulp to eat. |
 | An example of the tropical rain forest vegetation. As any tropical rainforest and because the large amount of rain and water accumulation there is a great variety of animals, plants, insects. Among the fruits available are coconuts, oranges, bananas and many other typical of Puerto Rico. |
 | Joyce Miller on her First day of arrival at Camp Rio Abajo, with in a few hours of arriving by plane from the USA and immediately plunging into the rather primitive camp for survival training. She was washing her food tray after our first meal there. |
