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Friday August 10, 2018

Welcome to Costa Rica!!

Yesterday was a successful arrival day! We spent the day relaxing at our hotel and getting to know each other. Now that every student is here safe, we are so excited to start sharing this experience as we embark to our homebase at the coast! As we say in Costa Rica…Pura vida!

Hannah Calloway, International Director

Saturday August 11, 2018

Beunos Dias!!!

The first full day in Bailla Ballena was a success. We started with a nutritional, locally grown breakfast, before a quick bus ride to the beach. At the beach we split into two groups. One group went with the fabulous Bodhi Surf instructors begin the first lesson on basic surfing. The second group learned about litter, micro-plastics, and beach clean up. We alternated roles halfway through, so both groups got both experiences. After that we returned to homebase and enjoyed a delicious lunch. Then we went on a walk through the community and learned about wildlife and cultural norms. We learned more about litter with a life sized whale model made of plastic bottles- A picture of how much litter is used every day. We are all looking forward to day two of service in Costa Rica!

Pura Vida!!!!

Sunday August 12, 2018

Hola! Today was a beautiful day in Costa Rica. We went to the beach and swam and saw some bottlenose dolphins. We also learned how to open coconuts and we drank fresh coconut water. We enjoyed quesadillas and potatoes for lunch. After that we went and painted a mural in a local neighborhood. Everyone developed new painting skills, bonded, and had a blast! Then we returned to home base and relaxed, swam, and socialized with eachother. Another great day in paradise!

Pura Vida!!

Monday August 13, 2018

Parents, Family and Friends,

Day 5 in Costa Rica carried its own adventures and experiences. Pancakes for breakfast had everyone ready for surf lessons pt. 2. Today we all learned how to stand up and turn our boards. Everyone had success in one way or the other and we definitely all improved in our general knowledge of the sport.

After surf we went to work on some GLA projects including painting, nailing boards and cutting and measuring planks for signs and structures. After a long dark rainstorm back at camp we learned how to make some traditional Costa Rican entree (i.e. Empanadas and tortillas) and we ate our masterpieces at dinner.
Last but certainly not least was dancing!!

We learned Salsa, Cha Cha, and Merengue. Dancing was certainly the highlight of the night and we all learned, and sweat a lot.

Buenos Noches from the Uvita province!

Pura Vida

Tuesday August 14, 2018

¿Que tal?

Day 6 in Costa Rica rainy season was very productive! The day started off with service building service signs for a reforestation project. We also had lots of fun spotting native animals such as Howler Monkeys, and Leaf Cutter Ants. Did you know that Howler monkeys are the loudest mammals on the planet? After lunch we learned all about ways plastic has impacted the beaches of the planet, sobering experience. Then we got to work on ideas to start preventing plastic use. We had some really practical and creative ideas.

Pura Vida.

Wednesday August 15, 2018

¡Buenas!

Today was our final day of surfing. Our instructors taught us how to properly catch waves while remaining on our boards the entire time. Surfing as a whole has been an amazing experience for all of the students and a great way to connect more to the community of Bahía Uvita. Surfing will be missed dearly by all the students but the lessons learned and the awareness raised to the dangers of plastics to Bahía Ballena and beaches across the world have changed our mindset for the better.

Pura Vida!!

Thursday August 16, 2018

Toady, we had to eat breakfast at 6am in order to take a boat to Corcovado National Park, which contains 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity. As we got on the boat, waves were gradually stronger, making the ride feel like a rollercoaster. Luckily, our guide, Risto, was able to spot dolphins. As we started walking towards the national park, we saw many hermit crabs on the shore. This created an optical illusion, as the sand seemed to be moving. Throughout our hike, the wildlife we spotted was breathtaking: spider monkeys, howler monkeys, agoutis, bats, yellow-headed caracaras, and blue morphos were some of many species we were privileged to see. While we experienced costa rican flora and fauna, we also experienced its culture, as we ate arroz con pollo for lunch. While the park was pristine and remote, we still saw a lot of plastic on its beach, stressing the importance of this program. On the boat ride back, we saw three humpback whales: two mothers and a calf. After a long day, we all relaxed at home base and rested up for the upcoming adventures.

-savannah conway

Sunday August 19, 2018

Wow! The last few days certainly are not the least. Today we went to a beautiful waterfall, a 4Km walk. When we got settled we jumped into the crystal clear water and enjoyed the scenery. We saw monkeys and jumped into the water from a ledge. The waterfall was probably the highlight of the day – but the bakery after may be a close second.

We went to a few souvenir shops and got some quality Costa Rican merch. (Mothers get ready for some key chains)
We all are excited to bring the knowledge that we have gained on this trip back home to our family and friends.

Pura Vida!!

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Tuesday July 24, 2018

Welcome to Costa Rica!!

Yesterday was a successful arrival day! We spent the day relaxing at our hotel and getting to know each other. We are all so excited for our last student to arrive this afternoon, and once Kaci is here, our community will be complete! As we say in Costa Rica…Pura vida!

Hannah Calloway, International Director

Thursday July 26, 2018

Today we did some hard work! We worked in mud with ants and other wild jungle insects as the humidity was with us. We all were sweating and working but everybody was positive, no groans or complaints. It showed how much the kids here don’t care about the conditions as long as we can help the community and just simply our planet. The surfing, ziplining and dancing and other fun activities are just bonuses.

-Written by Pipa, part of the student blog team (paparazzi!). See photo below for this session’s list of leadership roles and those who decided to take them on!

Saturday July 28, 2018

Today we went swimming in the whale tail beach. While walking with friends and mentors, it was filled with fun and facts. There was no dull moment with our group or I’m guessing any group. As you are walking half way through the whale tail you look back to the main land and see how the tail look works both ways. It was truly breath-taking and did not make you miss home. It was paradise. In the afternoon we did service at the tree nursery! It was a great day.

Written by Pipa, pictures by Kayla

Monday July 30, 2018

Usually Mondays aren’t everyone’s favorite. Waking up early isn’t everyone’s favorite either. But today was magical. We all were so excited to wake up at 5:30 and get ready to go on a beautiful hike to Corcovado park. The boat ride was mind blowing. As the air blows in hair with cultural music playing around as you see your peers smiling aside you. We saw a baby humpback whale and its mama. It was breathtaking and all your problems went away as you saw these amazing mammals.

When people capture these animals in pictures you may just think “wow, a whale”. But when you see them in real life, as you put your phone down, it becomes something else. You feel as if it’s just you and the whales. And it is. The hike was just as beautiful. We saw small mammals and insects we wouldn’t normally see. Spider Monkeys that swayed on trees. It was truly a beautiful and once in a life time experience for some kids.

Written by Pipa
Photos by Kayla
(Student Blog team)

Sunday August 5, 2018

It was hard to say goodbye to this group, a few tears were shed as we watched your flights depart. What a wonderful, funny, engaged and passionate group of young people. You inspired us with your dedication to service work and the joy with which you participated in activities. Your ideas and creativity as well as your willingness to engage in new ideas motivated us and reminded us of why we love this job. We are so proud of all we achieved together. We look forward to each of you continuing your journey and hearing of the positive changes you manifest in your personal lives and in your community. Keep being awesome PTP 3.

With lots of love from your GLA team, Sam, Gerrie and Hannah.

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Sunday July 8, 2018

Welcome to Costa Rica!!

Yesterday was a successful arrival day! We spent the day relaxing at our hotel and getting to know
each other. Now that every student is here safe, we are so excited to start sharing this experience! Things today are off to a great start, and we are headed to Bahia Ballena! As we say in Costa Rica…Pura vida!

Hannah Calloway, International Director

Tuesday July 10, 2018

Hello world, parents, and future students. We made it to Costa Rica and are safe and sound at home base! It was easy making friends thanks to the help of our awesome counselors. The food is amazing and don’t even get me started on the fruit, incredible. The sights are awesome and already on the fourth day we’ve done a ton of helpful community service. Also a lot of us learned to surf which was insanely fun! The trip is just getting started and I know it’ll be a great one, we’ll keep you updated!

-Written by Catie Rose McDaniel
-Photos by Bailey and Tori

Wednesday July 11, 2018

Today was amazing not only did we do four hours of service, but we also learned to salsa! The entire day was fun, while doing service, we all swapped roles and kept things interesting. It felt really good to help out and really give back to the community. Salsa was super cool and our instructor was super helpful. Talk to you soon!

-Written by Catie Rose

Friday July 13, 2018

Today we did a lot of service and it was rejuvenating. It felt so amazing to really be helping out, we all got to plant trees! After the work, we also got to play around in the river to cool off after our hard work. Everyone had an amazing time, with all the heat, the cool water was the best feeling ever! Talk to you soon.

-by Catie Rose

Saturday July 14, 2018

Today we took boats to Corcovado National Park, which hosts 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity! The park was amazing and we saw all sorts of wildlife. Bugs, mammals, reptiles, and birds of all sorts of colors. We also looked at the trees, we learned that one tree can host many different ecosystems of many different species. This is one of the reasons we are doing what we are doing, to protect these ecosystems, and see their beauty.

– Catie Rose

Sunday July 15, 2018

We walked to the whale tail of Bahia Ballena, and swam in the cool water for a bit. Only during low tide the whale tail is above water, so it was really awesome to be there and see it. We also went out into the community to play soccer with some of the local kids. I’m not good at soccer, but watching these kids play was amazing, I couldn’t keep up. These tiny kids were crazy strong and fast, they were amazing and it was humbling to play with them. We split up to play with them so the teams were mixed which just made everything better. It was incredibly fun to play with these kids and I honestly wish I could do it again.

Written by catie rose
Photos by Victoria Smith and Bailey Koch

Friday July 20, 2018

It was with great sadness that we said goodbye to everyone today. Looking back over the last two weeks we remember all of the fun, laughter and learning we experienced. The friendships made, the lessons learned and the trees planted will all continue on after this trip. The impact on each and everyone one of us will also continue to impact us in ways visible and invisible. We look forward to hearing of all the amazing change these young leaders will bring back to schools, families and communities. Everyone has departed safely and in good spirits, despite a dew goodbye tears.

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Wednesday June 20, 2018

Welcome to Costa Rica!!

Today was a successful arrival day! We spent the day relaxing at our hotel and getting to know each other. Now that every student is here safe, we are so excited to start sharing this experience! As we say in Costa Rica…Pura vida!

-Hannah Calloway, International Director

Friday June 22, 2018

Today was a very eventful day! First we had a 20 min walk to our first service location. We split into groups and tackled a variety of projects. One group built a table, another painted plant beds, while the others transplanted trees into different bags making them ready to be planted by rivers and beaches. Then we headed to whale bay and began our first surf lessons and beach clean up. The surfing was almost as amazing as the beach views! Everyone was pretty tired after our first full day of activity that we had a quiet night at home base to end the night.

Question of the day: How did your first surf lesson go today?

Carla – ” I loved having this new experience. It was tricky learning to stand but at the end of the day, falling is more fun anyway”

Alice – ” It was pretty good. I fell a few times but you just have to learn to get back up again.”

#surfsup #rad #resforestationnation #riceandbeans

– The Student Blog Team!

Saturday June 23, 2018

Today we woke up early and had Gallo Pinto! After breakfast we had our second surf lesson were we learned to control our speed and direction on the wave. It was pretty awesome. While one group surfed the other spent their time planting trees along the beach. Then we all came back and ate lunch and took part in a GLA activity. The debate was very engaging. After that we had a cooking lesson from the amazing chefs at home base. We made and later ate empanadas and tortillas! We also watched the making of plantain chips. Then we finished the night with our casual mentor groups.

Question of the day: What was your favorite meal of the day?

Rachel Starr – “ My favorite meal of the day was dinner because we ate the empanadas we cooked ourselves and it was a really great experience, I learned a lot, and I can’t wait to go home and teach my family how to make them”

Jackie- “ My favorite meal was also dinner because we got to make it ourselves. It was a great experience because Costa Rica empanadas are different from Mexican empanadas. It was really cool learning how to make plantain chips along with everything else!”

Pura vida!!

Tuesday June 26, 2018

Today was an exciting day full of service at the home base. We carved out wooden signs to hang in the local community to provide color and excitement to trash bins. We also made trash holders that prevent dogs from getting into the trash and stop trash from spilling on the ground. We worked in the sun and in the pouring rain. To make service more fun we were surprised with a slip and slide to enjoy during the rain. After we finished an amazing amount of work we cleaned up and headed to a dance class taught by a local dancer. We got a crash course in the salsa, merengue, bachata, and cumbia. Overall it was a really fun and tiring day!

Question of the day: “What was your favorite part of the day?”

Anna – “My favorite part of the day was the surprise slip in slide. I am still soapy!!!”

Daniel – “My favorite part of the day was the salsa dancing! It was chill and a good release from the hard work we have been doing.”

– Written by Hailey

Wednesday June 27, 2018

Today was probably the best day of the trip so far! We woke up at 5:30 so we could eat and make it to the boats by 7. We took an hour and a half long boat ride to Corcovado National Park. We saw a few whales on the way and some amazing sights. When we made it to the park we took a 3 hour long nature walk through the jungle. On our walk we saw white nosed Coati’s, howler monkeys, white-faced capuchin monkeys, an agouti, and so many other animal and plant species. After our walk we ate lunch at the park and boated back where we got snacks!! Everyone was very excited about the snacks! After that we just chilled the rest of the night because we were all exhausted from our long day!

Question of the day-“What was your favorite animal you saw today?”

Katherine-“I had two. The whale was so magnificent because I didn’t expect to see any so that was amazing. I also loved seeing the ants and learning about their relationship with Mother Nature.”

Luke- “I thought the whale was pretty sick, that was something I was really looking forward to seeing. So yeah that was awesome.”

Saturday June 30, 2018

Today was a fun day! We started off with an early breakfast at 6, followed by a 30 minute drive to the canopy tour. We rode 9 zip lines above the river through the beautiful trees and clouds. We headed back to home base for lunch before service by the river. Service included planting trees on the edge of the river while learning how to use new tools. We ended service with a swim in the river filled with splashing and laughter. Our day finished with dinner at the home base and mentor groups before bed!

Tuesday July 3, 2018

The last day of the program came with mixed feelings. Excitement about going home and seeing loved ones again, but there’s also sadness of leaving behind what many students already called a ‘life changing experience’ in a country with more shades of green than one could possibly count. Parting with newly made friends was difficult for more than a few.

It fills our hearts to have seen these students bond as a group, create such an inclusive, fun and supporting group culture in such a short time. We are incredibly proud of what this group has achieved; they worked so hard and with an incredible dedication that stood out to both international and local staff. And wow, how these students have grown in confidence, self knowledge, social skills and willingness to take action to protect our planet.

Thank you for taking this brave step in your leadership paths, for your willingness to learn and grow and for caring for our planet. Have a save flight home beautiful friends and a soft arrival, now that you are all safely on your way back.

May you all be inspired to follow your dreams and may they become contagious wherever you go!!

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Monday July 2, 2018

After a day full of airport runs, all students made it safely to our hotel in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Bright and early in the morning on July 3rd, we will begin our 8-hour bus ride down to Rancho Quemado. Although this ride is long, it is filled with ocean views, a visit to a famous “Crocodile River,” where, from a safe distance, we can glimpse dozens of crocodiles, and lunch at a beach side market—not to mention our first tastes of typical food! We can’t wait to make it to Rancho Quemado, in Osa Peninsula, where the community will receive us with a traditional dance from the local school children and we will meet the local staff for our program. Then, after a good night’s sleep, the real work and excitement begins! More coming soon!

Written by Lauren (International Director)

 

Thursday July 5, 2018

Since we arrived in Rancho Quemado we have gotten to know the community. We played traditional games with the children and had fun bonding playing soccer. Our first day here we toured an Organic Farm where we saw how the community grows food—we also got to taste some fresh fruit! We made homemade chocolate by grinding cocoa beans. The next day we learned traditional bracelet making and also set up cameras in the rainforest to observe wildlife and the bio-diversity of Costa Rica. We are all having a great time being together and being with the community and we can’t wait to go snorkeling tomorrow.

-Written by Peyton

Saturday July 7, 2018

Hola! Yesterday we woke up early for snorkeling and we saw five dolphins on the way! Then we also got to see a huge school of fish while we were in the water and we enjoyed fresh coconuts on the beach. This morning we ate homemade empanadas for a part of breakfast then did our service work in two groups—painting and working on a community garden. We had the opportunity to meet the man who had the idea to make the garden a space for people with different disabilities. We enjoyed playing soccer with the local people before we went to go talk to community elders, “the Abuelos.” We learned stories of how the community came to be and how life used to be. We’re having a great time so far. More updates coming soon!

-Written by Jackson

Sunday July 8 through Tuesday July 10, 2018

On the 8th of July we started by painting the new fence for the Plaza in the community center then we went on a scavenger hunt hunting for gold and even found some! It was cool learning about how Osa peninsula got its name and seeing antiques that were more than 500 years old on the artisanal gold mining tour. After the gold tour we went on a hike on a steep hill and saw a grasshopper getting eaten by a plant and also a possum!

Yesterday we painted the local library and also went horse back riding to a farm and walked in the rainforest. We all bonded with our horses. We also looked for animal tracks in the forest and saw the skin of a big snake. We can’t wait to go zip lining today!

-Written by Carla

  

Tuesday July 10, 2018

On July 10th we took an hour and a half bus ride to our destination for ziplining! We split up into two groups and saw monkeys and all types of wild life within the forest. After ziplining we went to Playa Blanca, ate lunch, and played games in the water of the Sweet Gulf. We spent the night at an interesting eco-resort and were able to meet the owner whose dream it was to make the establishment. We had a discussion about tourism and eco-tourism and which has affected the area. We realized that not all service work requires building, service requires listening.

-Written by Edwin

Wednesday July 11, 2018

On the 11th our team woke up and went to Corcovado National Park where we were greeted by the local community who lead us into the park and explained the impact of tourism in the area. Before, the area was used only for gold-mining. Inside the park we hiked through rivers and jungle to get to a natural jacuzzi. When we arrived back to Rancho Quemado again we bonded playing flashlight tag at our home base. We have spent nearly two weeks here and can hardly believe that it’s almost over! More updates coming soon.

-Written by Edwin

 

Sunday July 15, 2018

The past couple of days were very informational. On the 12th of July we went to the local dairy farm learned how in a hands on way to milk a cow in the safest possible way for the animal and how to make cheese and other products. It was fantastic! Then we went to traditional cooking classes. The local women teaching us were so friendly and grateful that we shared the experience with them, even if we didn’t make the food perfectly. We even made homemade tortillas!

Later we started service work. We built a wall there to protect the children in the community from falling into a ditch. We also continued working on the sensory garden. We mixed our own cement which has very tiring. The community was so grateful for our work and it was so special to see how we had done a start to finish project that really made an impact.

On the 13th after we finished our service work we had a farewell with the community and they brought home made crafts to sell. We were able to support the community and it was great to connect with them. We played a huge soccer game and I even scored two goals!! It was awesome seeing the whole community coming to play one big game with us and never judging us and always welcoming us.

Yesterday we flew up to San Jose on a special small plane ride and went to central market for lunch. It was a different side of the Costa Rican culture. We also stopped at an artisan market to see local handicrafts. After a night full of pizza and tearful goodbyes, were so grateful we had this adventure together. Now to the airport to come on home and share this this our friends and families!

-Written by Caroline