Bryan Pushkar
First Year at BOSS: 1997
Current Position: Master Instructor
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
Currently Resides In: Portland, Oregon
I came to BOSS because:
Although I had been taking backpacking trips for several years, it was not until I found myself sitting by a spring in Southern Missouri that it suddenly hit me: People lived and thrived out here for generations, long before we had nylon and aluminum. Right then I knew I wanted to learn the skills to live without the modern gear that many consider essential. I started looking for a school and found BOSS, then immediately signed up for the 28 day course.
I teach at BOSS because:
I still have that thrill of the first day I realized I wanted to learn these skills and the excitement I felt on my course as a student. Every day at BOSS I learn more about the world and myself, and I thoroughly enjoy the process of teaching. BOSS offers a unique environment for learning as well as teaching and I really appreciate being a part of our students’ experience. I believe the skills we teach and the challenges we provide give students important perspective for the choices they make in life. I also teach at BOSS because of the unknown. Instructing a BOSS course is unlike almost any other job. In most jobs you can predict fairly well what you will be doing on any given day, but not at BOSS. Because of all the variables we have on our courses, each day requires a broad range of skills to deal with a wide spectrum of challenges. The best part is when something unexpected happens and all the plans are off the table and we start fresh with our skills, experience, and the situation at hand.
About Bryan Pushkar:
I love to travel and explore. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel through many places in the US and also to parts of Canada, Mexico, Peru, Bolivia, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Slovakia, Kenya and Tanzania. I’ve also had the privilege of visiting the Seri in Mexico, the Maasai, various Andean highland cultures and several Indonesian tribes. In addition to travel I enjoy cycling (road, mountain and cross) and I like to paddle my kayaks for day trips or backcountry adventures. I’ve recently joined a Dragon Boat team and enjoy practicing and competing in races. I’m newer to the pacific northwest and am excited to learn more about the plants and animals of this region.
