Greetings to the students of our fifth Costa Rica Beachside Service Adventure session of
2018!

Your proud team of directors and mentors – Callie, Daya, Carlitos, Bridget, Sam, Sophie,
Chanel, Bethany, Kasia, Michael and Ila- had the most amazing and memorable time with
each and every one of you. We hope that the following moments during the ten days we
spent together felt as meaningful for you as they did for us.

We had five service projects during the session, each one enlightening, challenging, and
enjoyable in their own way. Those of us at Escuela Paraíso spent our first day of service
adding finishing touches to the ocean themed mural in the front of the school. We also used
our creativity to build a playground made of tires and paint a minion planter. We learned how
to use cement in order to ensure that the tires were placed steadily in the ground. We even
had the chance to spend August 8th at the English Festival listening to impromptu english
speaking competitions followed by a spelling bee and precious moments with the students.

We’ll forever be bonded by our love for the caramel fudge that we ate in the school.
At Pargos, we were a small but mighty team of five. We played a lot with the students
including playing red rover. During mentor sessions, everyone had a nickname, including
Olga. We also painted murals with the students in Pargos and had fun helping them place
their handprints in the mural.

The people who were working in Avellanas had a blast working with with local leaders such
as Frank and Cindy. Each day, we picked up garbage along the beach in a local community
called Los Pargos. We also learned how important it is to pick up garbage along the beach,
especially microplastics, which are what the fish and other sea creatures ingest. Our service
combined painting and hanging signs to encourage people to take care of the beach.
On the final day Pargos and Avellanas groups got to plant trees, hang out with Lola (the
giant beautiful pig that lives at the local restaurant), and had a surprise surf lesson.

All of us working with Restoring Our Watershed (ROW) had a host of adventures and
surprises, including, eating moringa seeds, planting trees in La finca, beautifying the recycle
centre in Las delicias and playing games with the students there to teach about the
importance of recycling and of taking care of our planet. We enjoyed getting to know our
motorcycle-riding community leader, Alberto, with whom we made an energetic circle.

We used mentor groups to reflect about the day, listen to each other and visualizing our future.
Finally, VerdiAzul shone: We had a blast playing soccer with our local leader, Pan and
stargazing at night. We used mentor group time to finish our turtle relay races and it felt like
we were staying up late cramming for an exam with our second local leader, Bryan. We gave
our all as we dug holes and transplanted trees in extreme heat, nonetheless, we did it!

From the meaningful: sharing stories of self, reflecting on what it means to be a responsible
tourist and effective leader, participating in our final appreciation circle; to the thrilling:
Snorkeling! Canopy ziplining! Trying gallo pinto and trying new things in general; to the
downright fun: nightly games of UNO, bus ride dance parties, T25, playing soccer with
members of the local community at 5pm…No question about it, we will remember our ten
days with you for years to come. We hope that wherever you are (perhaps someplace just a
little bit colder?), you are able to look back on your experience with GLA and use what you
learned to be the change you want to see in the world.

¡Pura Vida, Mae!
-The GLA CR Beachside team

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our 2019 programs, or enroll now.

Greetings to the students of our fourth Costa Rica Beachside Service Adventure session of
2018!

Your proud team of directors and mentors – Callie, Daya, Carlitos, Bridget, Sam, Sophie, Chanel,
Bethany, Kasia, and Ila- had the most amazing and memorable time with each and every one of
you. We hope that the following moments during the ten days we spent together felt as
meaningful for you as they did for us.

We had six service projects during the session, each one enlightening, challenging, and
enjoyable in their own way. Those of us at Escuela Paraíso spent our first day building a table
with Orlando. We even used our creativity to build a playground made of tires and paint a
minion planter. We spent Venticinco de Julio participating in the celebrations at the school and
enjoying precious moments with the students. We’ll forever be bonded by our anthem “Mi
Paraíso es tu paraíso.”

With Playa Marbella, we painted gorgeous signs for the community and hammered tons of nails
while cheering each other on. We planted over 150 trees in 1 day, watered trees, and
interacted with our local leader Lori. Lori also prepared limonada for the whole group, wasn’t it
delicious? We also learned Arroyito, a very upbeat song. ¡Chuls!

Escuela Marbella also sang Arroyito and enjoyed one another’s company while eating tons of
snacks during mentor group and having thought provoking debates on the bus. We painted
parts of the school the beautiful colors of sea-foam green and mint. We also learned what it
means to be the “Guardianes Pura vida.”

With Huerta Vida y Salud, we celebrated Venticinco de Julio at Escuela Delicias with Josh, Aron,
and David. We enjoyed watching a horse race, eating corn, playing soccer, painting tires,
digging holes, and breaking up soil in la Huerta. We’ll never forget “Bucket Boy” and the phrase
“love to see it.”

All of us working with Restoring Our Watershed (ROW) had a host of adventures and surprises,
including, eating moringa seeds, and getting to know our motorcycle-riding community leader,
Alberto. We also spent time with Doggie and Dave while working with different plants, worms,
and seeds. We learned how to plant “mata” in different locations, met “machete-man” and
spent time in the Venado community picking up trash and painting garbage cans.

Finally, VerdiAzul shone – with sweat, but also with pride and glory – as we carried heavy logs,
dug deep holes, and worked on the turtle hatchery (Calypso and Lalo provided the emotional
support). Towards the end, our service paid off because we got to witness the release of baby
turtles with Pan and Valerie. On our last service day, along with all of us at ROW, we played
soccer and put on relay races with the local kids of the Venado community, face painted,
collected garbage and played tiburón y peces.

From the meaningful: sharing stories of self, reflecting on what it means to be a responsible
tourist and effective leader, participating in our final appreciation circle; to the thrilling:
Snorkeling! Canopy ziplining! Trying gallo pinto and trying new things in general; to the
downright fun: nightly games of UNO, bus ride dance parties, star gazing, Yoga at 6 am…No
question about it, we will remember our ten days with you for years to come. We hope that
wherever you are (perhaps someplace just a little bit colder?), you are able to look back on your
experience with GLA and use what you learned to be the change you want to see in the world.
¡Pura Vida, Mae!

-The GLA CR Beachside team

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our 2019 programs, or enroll now.

Greetings students of Costa Rica Beachside Service Adventures 2018!

Your dedicated team of directors and mentors – Callie, Daya, Michael, Carlitos, Bridget, Sam,
Sophie, Chanel, Bethany, Ila, and Kasia – would like to reach out and reflect on some of the
unforgettable moments we shared living together in Junquillal. We hope the ten days we spent
as a group were as meaningful for you as they were for us. Each service site had a unique story
and presented enlightening challenges, and each one of you adopted that story as your own
and grew because of those challenges.

Those of us at Escuela Paraíso tackled a handful of projects in the local schools with Chanel
and Sam. We painted la huerta (the orchard), built a playground from scratch (including a
makeshift tractor made of painted car tires), and painted a mural for the kindergarten. We didn’t
forget to have fun along the way – in the morning we sang the Paraiso song we wrote ourselves,
and got to spot howler monkeys at the service site.

Kasia and Ila led team Marbella Escuella, where the students worked ceaselessly to paint the
schools murals and signs raising awareness about the environment and beach cleanup. We had
a satisfying and rewarding last day of service, when we got to meet the kids we’d been working
so hard to support. Other highlights from our service days include playing with the dogs on the
site, perfecting our “Marbella Estrella” cheer, and drinking Lori’s Lemonade.

Carlitos led team Marbella Reforestation, during which we planted and watered trees for the
local community (the community has a system where for every tree you cut down, to build a
house for example, you have to plant two!). Like Marbella Escuela, they got to enjoy iced
lemonade made by Lori, a wonderful Italian woman who’s been living for many years in Costa
Rica with her family. And one of the best memories of the session – students dancing to the
Brazilian song choreography!

We also had the chance to start a new service project with Bridget at the Vida y Salud Organic
Farm. Here, we learned about sustainable farming practices that benefit the environment and
make use of local resources, made fertilizer from leaves, and weeded. It was all worth it
knowing that it supported Rodolfo and his family, particularly his child Saul, who quickly became
a celebrity among our group.

All working with Beth at Restoring Our Watershed (ROW) had the opportunity to look at and
understand more deeply some of the most prominent environmental challenges that Costa Rica
faces today. For example, we learned about the importance of Vetiver grass to the prevention of
soil erosion and water retention. We painted signs and bins at schools to encouraging recycling
among students, learned alongside local high schoolers, and even teamed up with Verdiazul to
facilitate a day of learning for local students at Rio Seco.

Finally, at Verdiazul, an organization dedicated to sea turtles and beachside
reforestation,Sophie led her tireless team to dig holes and put posts to build a fence along the
shoreline. Building the fence was an important achievement, as it will help prevent the public
from parking on the beach and destroying the plant life that’s so essential for protecting against
erosion. When we weren’t laboring under the hot sun, Verdiazul group got to know our local
leaders, Pan, Valerie, Bryan, and Dani, and with their help planned fun activities with kids from
the local community.

When we weren’t laboring away, we got to drink coconut water straight
from the coconuts, practice our Spanish, pand have great bonding sessions by the pool.
From the meaningful moments: sharing stories of self, reflecting on what it means to be a
responsible tourist and effective leader, participating in our final appreciation circle…to the
thrilling: Sea kayaking! Canopy ziplining! Trying gallo pinto and dragon fruit!…to the downright
fun: fire twirling, playing soccer against a local women’s team, bus ride dance parties, beach
yoga…Sin duda, we will remember our ten days with you for years to come. We hope that
wherever you are (perhaps someplace just a little bit colder?), you are able to look back on your
experience with GLA and use what you learned to be the change you want to see in the world.

Now if you would all put your hands over your heart, and repeat after us: “Voy a reír, voy a
bailar, vivir mi vida, GLA la la la la…”
And dude… Where’s chicken?

Pura Vida!
-The GLA team

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our 2019 programs, or enroll now.

Greetings students of Costa Rica Beachside Service Adventures!

Although our session has come to a close, all of us still here at Junquillal – Callie, Daya,
Michael, Carlos, Bridget, Sam, Sophie, Chanel, Bethany, Ila, and Kasia – would like to reach out
to you one last time to reflect back on some of the unforgettable moments we shared. We hope
that the ten days we spent together as a group were as meaningful for you as they were for us.
It was incredible to watch you grow among the five available service sites. Each had a story of
its own and presented unique challenges that were enlightening and enjoyable in their own way.
Those of us at Escuela Paraíso divided and conquered in the local schools with Chanel, Sam,
and Ila.

On our first day, we caught a glimpse of a school-wide celebration before students went
away for 15 days of vacation. Some painted a large marine themed mural that featured The
Little Mermaid, while others worked in the orchard or “la huerta” constructing gardening boxes
from scratch. At the kindergarten CenCinai, Ila’s team really shone – with sweat all over their
backs. They were responsible for weeding, adding soil, tilling, and planting Martita’s garden,
who encouraged them each day with a friendly smile and delicious fruit during their breaks.

Kasia and Carlitos led team Avellanas, where we contributed not only to the beautification of
Playa Avellanas, but also the health of the local ecosystem that has been damaged from human
development. We also left our mark on the beach with the signs made of wooden boards that
we sanded ourselves. And don’t forget our signature hand clap and work song (“Limpieza de
playa, en Avellanas, con mis hermanas, vamos a hacer”)!

We also had the chance to start a new service project with Bridget at the Vida y Salud Organic
Farm. Here, we learned about sustainable farming practices that benefit the environment and
make use of local resources, made fertilizer from leaves, and weeded. It was all worth it
knowing that it supported Rodolfo and his family, particularly his child Saul, who quickly became
a celebrity among our group.

All working with Beth at Restoring Our Watershed (ROW) had the opportunity to look at and
understand more deeply some of the most prominent environmental challenges that Costa Rica
faces today. For example, we learned about the importance of Vetiver grass to the prevention of
soil erosion and water retention. We painted signs and bins at schools to encouraging recycling
among students, learned alongside local high schoolers, and even teamed up with Verdi Azul to
to facilitate a day of learning for local students at Rio Seco.

Finally at Verdi Azul, an organization dedicated to sea turtles and beachside reforestation, we
helped clear out an area for future turtle eggs. Sophie and Michael lead students as they
passed buckets of sand down to a pile and dumped them out to let the ocean take the sand
back. It was hard work under the sun and in such heat and humidity, and we were rewarded for
our labor when we all got the rare change to witness baby sea turtles being released into the
ocean.

From the meaningful moments: sharing stories of self, reflecting on what it means to be a
responsible tourist and effective leader, participating in our final appreciation circle; to the
thrilling: Jellyfish stings! Canopy ziplining! Trying gallo pinto and dragon fruit!; to the downright
fun: fire twirling, nightly games of UNO, bus ride dance parties, Zumba/T25 at 6 am…Sin duda,
we will remember our ten days with you for years to come. We hope that wherever you are
(perhaps someplace just a little bit colder?), you are able to look back on your experience with
GLA and use what you learned to be the change you want to see in the world.

Now if you would all put your hands over your heart, and repeat after us: “Voy a reír, voy a
bailar, vivir mi vida, GLA la la la la…”

And dude… Where’s chicken?”

Pura Vida!
-The GLA team

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our 2019 programs, or enroll now.

Greetings to the students of our first Costa Rica Beachside Service Adventure session of 2018!
Your proud team of directors and mentors – Callie, Daya, Michael, Carlos, Bridget, Sam, Sophie,
Chanel, Bethany, and Kasia – had the most amazing and memorable time with each and every
one of you. We hope that the following moments during the ten days we spent together felt as
meaningful for you as they did for us.

We had four service projects during the session, each one enlightening, challenging, and
enjoyable in their own way. Those of us at Escuela Paraíso chose an aspect of nature (such as
trees, farmers, sloths, monkeys, etc.) to paint in a school mural. We were lucky enough to see
the Paraíso students’ artwork and performances as part of the school contest, play soccer and
dance bachata, even witness a circular rainbow! With Avellanas, we sprinted after our intrepid
and sometimes zany community leader, Frank, as we picked up trash on the beach and painted
signs for the community. As a reward for our hard work, Frank and “Pollo” gave us surf lessons
and hosted a little fiesta at a neighborhood restaurant. And don’t ever forget our signature hand
clap and work song (“Limpieza de playa, en Avellanas, con mis hermanas, vamos a hacer”)!

All of us working with Restoring Our Watershed (ROW) had a host of adventures and surprises,
including milking a cow (some of us for the first time!), eating moringa seeds, and getting to
know our motorcycle-riding community leader, Alberto. Finally, Verdi Azul shone – with sweat,
but also with pride and glory – as we carried heavy logs, dug deep holes, and painted signs
(Calypso, Floppy, and Lalo provided the emotional support). On our last service day, along with
all of us at ROW, we put on relay races, did educational crafts, and (“Pato, pato, VACAS”) had a
stampede of cows interrupt our game of Duck, Duck, Goose. “Verdi Azul is very cool!”

From the meaningful: sharing stories of self, reflecting on what it means to be a responsible
tourist and effective leader, participating in our final appreciation circle; to the thrilling: Jellyfish
stings! Canopy ziplining! Trying gallo pinto and dragon fruit!; to the downright fun: fire twirling,
nightly games of UNO, bus ride dance parties, Zumba/T25 at 6 am…No question about it, we
will remember our ten days with you for years to come. We hope that wherever you are
(perhaps someplace just a little bit colder?), you are able to look back on your experience with
GLA and use what you learned to be the change you want to see in the world.

Now if you would all put your hands over your heart, and repeat after us: “Voy a reír, voy a
bailar, vivir mi vida, GLA la la la…”

Pura Vida!
-The GLA CR Beachside team

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our 2019 programs, or enroll now.