Archives for March 2019

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Monday April 15, 2019

Hola from Costa Rica!

We have a long day of travel behind us and are looking forward to our activities in the next few days.

All students arrived at the Tijuana airport late Sunday night for a flight to Mexico City, and after a layover there, a flight to San Jose, Costa Rica. From there, we took a three-hour long bus trip to our home base, arriving around 3 pm. A few afternoon activities included unpacking, kayaking, and swimming in the lake. We are eager to wake up early tomorrow after a good night’s rest to complete our service for the day at a local school here in San Carlos, Costa Rica.

Stay tuned for more updates!

-Amalia Koch

Tuesday April 16, 2019

Hello everyone!

Today was our first full day in Costa Rica. We woke up at 6: 30 and had a wonderful breakfast with some fresh fruit. We did service for 3 hours at the local elementary school in the town of Boca Arenales. We cleaned out the lot where the animals were at where they eventually want to grow crops. The elementary has some nice murals around the campus. When we came back, we had a nice lunch, got to hang out in the lake and we went swimming, kayaking and got to jump. We ended the night with dinner and hanging out with our friends.

Ariana Mondaca

Wednesday April 17, 2019

Hello People!

Today as a group on our second day in Costa Rica we began with a delicious breakfast of eggs, chorizo, and grilled cheese. Not the sandwich grilled cheese, but actual grilled cheese(Many kids thought it was french toast). After breakfast, we all boarded our bus and began our second day of service at the elementary school, where we began finishing up our work in the lot previously mentioned.

As a group we loaded all of the sticks and large branches we cleared from the field the day prior into a classic homemade Costa Rican trailer. We also tore more rocks and concrete out of the field, leaving the plot of land ready for farming. Once we finished there, we boarded the bus and came back for another delicious lunch.

We then journeyed to the animal refuge in town where we saw plenty of native Costa Rican animals such as Pumas, Baby Sloths, Monkeys, Snakes, and even a huge Crocodile. Then, we made our way to the local supermarket and loaded up on junk food and exchanged our American dollars for some Costa Rican Colones.

After that we came back to camp for our final great meal of the day and began getting ready for our night hike which would conclude our day. On the night hike we journeyed on foot around the property our camp sits on where we saw horses, toads, and lots of spiders. It was a day full of satisfaction, fun, and great time with friends.

-Sam Vasquez

Thursday April 18, 2019

This morning we woke up around 7:30 to a beautiful breakfast that included, fruit, eggs, bacon, cereal, and pancakes (my favorite)! After breakfast we played a serious game of exploding kittens. This is a card game that includes many scenarios in order to avoid the exploding kitten. If you get the kitten you’re out! Others played Uno, swung in the hammock or made friendship bracelets. Then we walked to the nearby chapel where Mr. Correnti taught us all about Holy Week and reminded us why we are here to serve.

The tiny yellow chapel, built for the owner’s mom to have a place to pray, was on a hill where you could see a volcano out of the door on a clear day. After leaving the Chapel, we decided to walk to a local store where we got ice cream and other snacks. (Editors note: As I write this I have discovered that Mr. Correnti loves the pop artist Dua Lipa and is currently sitting next to me blasting the song One Kiss and dancing around the room with Mr. Anzar. Lol)

After getting our snacks we were ready for a coffee talk. Alfredo, the owner of the ranch we are staying at, told us all about the coffee here in Costa Rica and even let us sample some different kinds. He actually owns a coffee plantation and produces delicious coffee called Ñor Alfredo Coffee. Later, we all went to the lake to kayak or swim while others took a siesta. After swimming, we played some more exploding kittens, showered and headed over to dinner. Tonight, we had barbeque chicken, French fries, beans, and more. As I am finishing up writing people are headed to the fogata (campfire). Where we will enjoy each other’s company and eat marshmallows (probably while Mr. Correnti and I blast Dua Lipa).

Pura Vida,

Kate Clifton

Friday April 19, 2019

What’s up amigos!

We had kind of a late start today, which was much needed because of all the late nights we have had (and the insane games of exploding kittens should I dare add). We got to wake up around seven and eat a delicious breakfast and overall have a very relaxing morning at the home base.

After breakfast, we headed over to witness the stations of the cross at the local village. Not gonna lie, on behalf of all the students on the trip, we were all a little tired and not the most excited humans when it came to head over to the village. Despite this, when we got there, we jumped right into action and immersed ourselves into the town’s culture and religious traditions.

It was beautiful to not only witness the story but walk alongside Jesus on this special day. It’s not every day you get to walk through a foreign country with the one and only Son of God! Jokes aside, it was surprisingly a great morning, I guess we all just need to keep an open mind about things. Afterwards, we headed over to get ice cream with iguanas! It was super cool, and we saw a bunch of iguanas!

After this quick visit, we got back to home base and ate our lunch, and then immediately jumped in to a soccer game. The laughs definitely made up for the heat and sweat! Afterwards, we left to adoration at the local church, which was very beautiful to witness. On the way there we blasted Bruno Mars songs and sang at the top of our lungs.

Afterwards, we made our own empanadas (which I think many of us needed the help with cooking) and hung out before dinner. Finally, we ended the night telling spooky stories by the lake and probably another round of exploding kittens. Or another one. Or maybe just ONE more…

Pura Vida, Roji 😊 + A little motivation from Frijolito staring at me as I write this

Saturday April 20, 2019

5:30 am: ¡Buenos Días Chicos!

Now, you may be thinking, “hmmm maybe not the best time to start” but when I say it was worth it…it was worth it. Drowsy and tired, we awoke with the simplest idea of what our day had in store: horses + water. Everyone dragged on out of their rooms aware there would be a light breakfast. But to our surprise GLA had prepared for us the classic scrambled eggs, pancakes, refried pinto beans, and some fresh yummy fruit. And of course, you could never forget the Ñor Alfredo coffee. 7:00 am rolls around and now it’s time to head onto the bus.

The group was split into two: Don Ricardo and Mrs. Beeche with group 1 and Don Kevin and Ms. Leon with group 2. Later on, we arrived at the site where group 1 would begin their horse back riding. Everyone jumped off the bus as group 2 stayed on board. Just about a 5-minute ride away was the site of our so called “hot springs”. I know, we’re both thinking of the same thing.

Needless to say, we arrived at Kalambu Hot Springs WATER PARK. Group 2 hopped off the bus and waited in line for a good hour before the park opened. We had an opportunity to play games like slide, sticks, and even taught Mr. Correnti and Ms. Leon some of our youth slang. Once the park opened, we placed down our things and found huge water slides and tubes; even rides like those at our Aquatica back home.

Best of all, lots of pools surrounded by greenery and the stunning view of the volcano. By now it was time for lunch and both groups met at the water park cafeteria. Now we had switched and group 2 had arrived at the horse site while group 1 had their turn to share in the water park fun. Each horse was specifically chosen by height, weight, and horse experience and I was given a beautiful horse named Princesa.

One by one we commenced our journey through the jungles of Costa Rica. We enjoyed a horse ride filled not just with amazing beauty but even things like 60-year-old craters from the last volcano eruption! We were taught to steer the horses with their reigns and developed loving or even some not loving connections with the animals. Nearly 2 hours later we made it back down the mountain in awe of the stunning scenery.

Let me just say, this ride was by far the best thing I have EVER experienced in my life. It was time to head back to home base for dinner, but we made a quick stop in La Fortuna for a few souvenirs and some relaxation. After arriving at base, we had dinner and got ready to head back into Boca Arenal for a beautiful Easter Vigil Mass. We were able to witness the baptism of two adorable little babies and 4 other teens into our Catholic Community. The mass was filled with lots of joy in celebration of our risen Lord!

We even renewed our faith with a blessing of holy water and palms by the priest. We ended the celebration with a caravan around the town to let everyone know that Christ has truly risen! On our way back home, we enjoyed a little bit of music fun and soon enough it was lights out! I know this is getting long but what can I say; it’s been a great day! Onto the next!

Pura Vida,

Christina Hernandez 😊

P.S. don’t be surprised if I end up with a horse when we get back home, haha!

Sunday April 21, 2019

Greetings from Costa Rica!

Today we had a more relaxed morning, with a nice late start and breakfast at around 9 AM, the latest we have started our day on our adventurous trip. While it was a more chill start of the day, we spent our free time at the lake at the home base, and in the afternoon we went to a zipline up the mountain near the Arenal volcano, it was super fun and the students also had fun looking at the teachers scream and shout as they were going fast on the “Tarzan swing”.

Afterwards, the group got around an hour of walking around La Fortuna and some of us tasted a Costa Rican “granizado” (which is a Mexican “raspado”(shaved ice) with powdered milk and lechera.). On the way back everyone on the bus had a great time singing along to music.

Pura Vida Mae, Camilo. Yeahhhhhhhhh.

Monday April 22, 2019

Hola Amigos!

We started today with service at the elementary school. The service entailed a variety of different projects such as taking out the weeds in the school’s garden, painting tires for decoration and cleaning the newly bought area next to the school. Let’s just say that the paint was very messy and some of us came out with a new skin complexion. After service, we came back to home base and ate lunch. After lunch, we got ready to leave for a boat ride.

When we got to the place to board the boat, we found out that we were going to go rafting. We separated the group into 3 different boats, and we were able to swim in the river and even see howler monkeys!! After rafting, which was incredibly fun, we relaxed near the river and ate mini tortillas with queso fresco. After rafting, we went back to the home base and had a delicious dinner. After dinner, some of us played card games, and some of us went to the lake to stargaze.

Pura Vida, Hennessy

Tuesday April 23, 2019

Today we were able to do service at a smaller school that only had 13 students! All the students were incredibly energetic and outgoing. During this service day, we did different activities with the children such as playing soccer, dancing to music, and playing musical chair. In the end, everyone was soaked with sweat and were tired out by the little children. After service we went to the nearby corner store and bought ice cream and cold refreshments. When we went to the home base, we had lunch and then got ready to leave to the iguana souvenir store.

However, before getting to the souvenir store, we stopped at the supermarket for some snacks. Once we got to the souvenir store, we were able to get some more ice cream and see the iguanas. After the souvenir store, we went back to home base and went to the lake. During our lake time, most of us went swimming and kayaking. After lake time, we went to our rooms to finish all our packing and get ready for dinner. For our dinner we had some delicious hamburgers!!! And we are ending our last day with card games.

Pura Vida,

Hennessy

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Friday April 12, 2019

Video from day 1:

Mascoma – Galapagos Day 1

Saturday April 13, 2019

Hola!

Sunday April 14, 2019

Video from day 2:

Mascoma – Galapagos Day 2

Monday April 15, 2019

Two Perspectives:

Today after a long day of traveling yesterday, by plane and boat, we experienced out first day on Isabel Island in the Galapagos. Initially waking up earlier than expected because of the intense heat, we all went out into the open hall to sit and talk for a good two hours before breakfast. We then went down and enjoyed out great breakfast before the beach. We walked a couple blocks, but not before stopping to adore a puppy, then we saw the beautiful beach. We roamed around all afternoon looking at the boardwalk and swimming in the water that was warmer than the air.

We then went back to the hostel for lunch before proceeding on a walk. After a short bus ride we walked and learned about Galapagos flora and fauna. We came upon a lava tube in the rock and learned about how they were created. We travelled on a path, which continued us to a mangrove cove where we then walked out to where it met with the ocean and observed some blue-footed boobies. After our swim we walked on the beach all the way home to the hostel where, after re-cooperating from most of our what seemed like second degree sunburns, we ate dinner and retired to one of the room where all the students joined in a movie night.

-Jaida Michetti

This week has been full of firsts and I´m so happy that GLA has made this trip possible for me. Despite my annoying allergies, I´ve had a wonderful time experiencing a completely different culture and landscape than back at home. The guides are very knowledgeable about topics other than just the history of the island and it´s animals. They have given me very insightful information about customs and traditions but also laws and regulations that differ from my own country.

I really enjoy learning about the differences in our day-to-day lives and staying here in Galápagos at a family owned hotel has really given me a chance to do so. I really enjoy the things we have done so far on the trip: the market, the equator visit, the beach walk on Isabella Island and the lava tube and much more. I´m going to college for architectural design and this trip has given me much inspiration and new ideas for people in different markets. These are all wonderful things that GLA has made possible for me and I´d say that they have given me a once in a lifetime experience.

-Adidas Murphy

Wednesday April 17, 2019

Although today was our last day in Isabela Island, it was one of the busiest. We started off our day with a hike where we got to see flamingos and marine iguanas. Towards the end of our hike, our guides surprised us with a visit to a breeding center for giant tortoises, where we got to see different species native to the island and learn about how the center is working to help increase and protect the population. One of my favorite parts was seeing the baby tortoises that were living in the dark box, which simulates where they would be in the wild. After visiting the center, we returned to the hostal and ate lunch. After lunch, we went to the beach where we kayaked and snorkeled.

It was amazing to see all of the marine life, especially sharks. It was both exciting and terrifying to see them swimming underneath us. Before we left the beach, we all played a game of volleyball, which I really enjoyed because volleyball is my favorite sport. After our walk back and eating dinner, we went to play a soccer game with some of the locals. It was really interesting to see the interaction between the two teams. Overall, this trip has been an eye-opening experience and I´m so happy to be able to be a part of it.

-Cassidi Timlake

On our last day on Isabella Island we started our morning with a hike through the mangrove lagoons. We were able to see animals that we only used to see in pictures, like the flamingo. Further on in our hike, we were surprised with a visit to the tortoise breeding center. While we were there, we learned more about the tortoises such as their breeding habits, their ups and downs of their population, and interesting facts about their physical appearance.

After visiting the breeding center, we hiked back to the hotel, where we had another delicious lunch. In the second half of the day we split into two groups to go snorkeling and kayaking. I did not participate in either because I have a very bad sunburn, but I was able to swim very close to a sea turtle and a group of sea lions. After we played some beach volleyball with one of the local boys who was very kind. After a couple of games we went back to the hotel and had dinner and the power went out.

Although the power went out, we were still able to play some soccer games against the locals who were very good. It is much different than the type of soccer we play in the U.S. Over all, I had and amazing experience on Isabella Island and I an very fortunate to experience what the island has to offer.

-Brennen Murphy

Thursday April 18, 2019

Yesterday was a travel day. We took a two hour boat ride to Santa Cruz Island, leaving the beautiful Isabela Island behind. We got to our new hostel, Arena Negra. We settled in and then we were on our way to our work site. There we had a fancy lunch, it was delicious! My favorite part was when we worked. We cleared a pile of trees and put them along the fence and tree line and then we got these cool picks. We used these picks to dig up rocks to help keep the trees we are going to plant, safe from tortoises. When we called it a day we walked back up, got some coffee and headed back to the hostel for dinner and to sleep for the next day.

-Lizz Pelton

Yesterday we traveled from Isabela Island to Santa Cruz Island by boat where many members of the group slept, but I saw some seabirds eating fish. We then took taxis to the hotel, changed, then went to an amazing lunch at the worksite. We then proceeded to work at the worksite by stacking cut down invasive tree species and collecting rocks to protect the indigenous tree species we were replacing the invasive ones with. We then traveled back to home base where some people stayed and others went out to look at the town. In the night we first went to the pier to watch the native aquatic species do things at night. We then stopped at some stores where we brought some touristy stuff. Then we returned and fell into a slumber.

-Henry Clough

Friday April 19, 2019

Yesterday we took a five-mile hike to Tortuga Bay in the morning. We passed many lizards and cacti along the way. At the end of what seemed like a never ending red brick road, we reached the shoreline where we discovered the softest sand in the world. It felt like flour!

We made our way down the beach to the cacti. We learned that cacti are like sponges on the inside and that they take years until their spikes fall off of their trunks. From there we swam in a calm section of the bay where we relaxed and cooled down. Though it was difficult to leave, we left the bay and trudged back to the hostel where we enjoyed lunch.

After lunch we took the bus to our work site in Santa Rosa. This was the most fun bus ride; our dj did a great job! At the work site we worked in teams to dig up rocks, plant trees, move trees, and move rocks. It was very hard work but in the end we could see the big difference that we had made in two and a half hours. We were all very eager for dinner, which was delicious. Some of the group went to town to shop while others stayed in. All in all, it was another successful and fun day on Santa Cruz Island.

-Natasha Lockwood

Saturday April 20, 2019

Today was the last day in paradise. What started off with a simple walk to the Charles Darwin Research Center on Santa Cruz Island. There we learned about the three different types of iguanas, types of tortoises*, and about evolution. We then proceeded to hike to the Grietas where we swam around and cooled off.

After that and having lunch, we finished off at our work site and got to go through an amazing lava tunnel. At the end of the day we had some chocolate, dinner, and birthday cake where we got to say our goodbyes. I had an awesome time and words will never do no justice. I am the videographer for this trip and videos will soon be up on the blog.

-Brandon Straker

Thank you for visiting our Program Blog FAQ page. Below is a collection of frequently asked questions that we receive from parents about the GLA program blogs.

What are GLA program blogs?

We created GLA program blogs so that parents and family members could follow along on their student’s journey abroad! The blog posts are a great way for the program staff to share a recap every few days of what the students have been up to during their program, such as service projects, learning activities, adventures, and more.

Will there be a blog for my student’s program?

Yes! Every session for each program will have its own individual blog page where new posts will be added.

Who writes the blog posts?

Blog posts are compiled by the onsite program staff (International Director/Mentors), and the text portion is written either by the staff themselves or students who volunteer to write them.

How do the blogs get posted?

Program staff send each new blog post to our Blog Team at GLA headquarters via email. A member of our Blog Team will then add the new post to the blog, and parents will receive an email notification that there’s a new blog update.

Will there be photos posted on the blog?

Yes, absolutely! Program staff are always encouraged to send photos along with blog posts whenever they can. However, due to internet accessibility on the program, blog posts may occasionally only include text.

How will I know when my student’s program has new blog post?

You will receive an email notification each time there’s a new blog post for your student’s program. These email notifications are automated, and they are sent to the parent or guardian email addresses we have on file for the student’s account.

When will I see the first blog post?

The first blog post for each program is what we call the “Arrival Post.” The Arrival Post is posted on the first or second day of the program, and typically includes a group photo of the students along with a short note from program staff.

How often will the blog be updated throughout the rest of the program?

After the Arrival Post, program staff typically send new blog posts 2-3 times per week. However, this range may vary dramatically from one program to the next and typically depends on internet connectivity in each location as well as the rigorousness of the program schedule that week. In the event a new blog post will be severely delayed, we will do our best to communicate that on your specific blog.

Why do some new posts show a previous date?

When you receive a notification of a new blog update and you go to read the blog, you may notice the new post is dated for yesterday or even two or three days ago. This is completely normal and extremely common. The date on each blog post is the date that the post is actually about, which does not always align with the date it is posted. Due to many program factors (such as internet connectivity, busy program schedules, off-grid excursions, time zone differences, etc.), program staff may not be able to compile and send new blogs same day. In addition, our blog team may not always be able to post new blogs right away depending on what time of day/night the blog post was sent in.

When does your Blog Team post new blogs?

Due to the program factors noted above, as well as the volume of programs running simultaneously around the globe, we are receiving new posts from program staff all throughout the day, evening, and overnight. Blogs received during office hours will be posted same day, and blogs received in the evening and overnight will be posted the following day in the order they were received.

Will blogs be posted on weekends?

Arrival Posts will be posted the day they are received – weekends included. Standard blog updates received on weekends may be delayed until Monday morning depending of the volume of blog posts we receive over the weekend.

Can I reply to the blog email notifications?

When you reply to a blog notification email, the replies go to our Blog Team at GLA Headquarters. The Blog Team members are not physically on the programs, and this inbox is not monitored 24/7. For any questions or concerns regarding the program, or if you need to get in touch with your student or the program staff, please call our 24/7 parent hotline at +1-619-758-3031 for immediate assistance.

Why am I not receiving email notifications when there’s a new blog post?

If you are not receiving email updates when there’s a new blog post for your student’s program, it may be due to one of the three common reasons below:

You have unsubscribed from GLA emails in the past:
If you have ever hit “unsubscribe” on an email from GLA – such as a promotional email, newsletter, etc. – then you have opted out of all emails from GLA, including the blog update emails. This is the most common reason for parents not receiving the blog email notifications, and we can certainly opt you back in so you will receive future emails.

We don’t have your email on file:
As mentioned above, blog update emails are automatically sent to the parents or guardians listed on the student’s account. So another common reason for not receiving these emails is that we do not have your email and contact information on file.

The email we have on file is outdated or no longer used:
If you are listed as a contact on your student’s account, then blog update emails will be sent to the email we have on file. Emails that are outdated or no longer in use will come back “undelivered.” Be sure to confirm with your GLA Travel Coordinator that we have the best contact email on file so you won’t miss a blog update!

Why doesn’t the link in the notification email go directly to my student’s blog page?

The link in the notification email goes our Program Blog Homepage, and all programs are listed in alphabetical order where you can select your student’s specific session dates to read the blog. The blog link for your student’s session will remain the same throughout the program, so if you’d like to bypass the homepage in the future, simply save or bookmark the link you to your student’s specific blog page. You can then go directly to that page whenever you receive an email notification of a new blog post.

Can I add other family and friends to receive the blog email notification list?

Our automated blog notification emails are reserved for parents and guardians only, however, you are welcome to share the link to your student’s program blog with anyone who wishes to follow along!

Who can I contact if I have another question about the blog?

If you have a question about the blog specifically, you can email our blog team at blog@experiencegla.com, however, this inbox is not monitored 24/7. For all other questions or concerns regarding the program, or if you need to get in touch with your student or the program staff, please call our 24/7 parent hotline at +1-619-758-3031 for immediate assistance.