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Saturday June 16, 2018

With all of our students safely arrived, received warmly at the airport, and transported to our local hotel, we can begin to settle in and get to know each other. The day will include supply checks, ice breakers, and first tastes of Costa Rican food! We’re preparing for our journey tomorrow that will include our first ocean glimpses and a special stop at a beach side market. We cannot wait to get to our home base and start to connect with the small and welcoming community of Rancho Quemado and we anticipate a fun journey full of incredible views, getting-to-know-you games, Costa Rican trivia, and of course some rest as well to prepare for our adventures ahead!

-Lauren (International Director)

Tuesday June 19, 2017

All of us have spent the past few days getting used to our new routines in Costa Rica. After everybody arrived in San Jose, we made the 7 hour long bus ride to our new home in Rancho Quemado. Once we arrived we were given hand woven dolls as welcome gifts from the locals.

The next morning, we toured the farm on the grounds we are staying, and tried cacao face masks from beans that we ground ourselves. We also had a great time playing games with the local kids. Our third day was when we began our service. One group began painting different signs, and the other began working on a wheelchair accessible garden.

-Written by Anna

Thursday June 21, 2018

Today is the 21stof June, and we were allowed to wake up later today than yesterday’s sharp 5:00am. There was good reason for this early wake up time yesterday, because we would proceed to make about an hour journey through the jungle to emerge at a coast where we took a boat to Isla de Cañas and snorkeled in search of beautiful tropical fish and turtles. We ended up being able to spend time at the beach and had a great time together in the ocean waves. Today was spent at a local sugar cane farm where we saw how it is processed into the 3 products that locals enjoy. Following that, we saw a butterfly garden, and although it was unexpectedly infested with ants, they cleared out quickly and allowed us to appreciate the beauty the butterflies had to show us. The weather here in the Osa Rainforest is hot and humid, but the amazing local foods, fruits, plants and people totally make it worth the wet clothes!

-Written by Adrian

Saturday June 23, 2018

As we near the end of our first week at Rancho Quemado we are all as excited as ever. Yesterday we woke up bright and early to do service work around the community, followed by an unexpected 1600 meter hike…yikes! Later in the evening we all went to tour the Gold Mines and try our hands at panning for oro(gold). We found a few pieces but only the size of “mosquito eyes.” The evening began with another long hike up a huge mountain…in the pouring rain! Although it was a trying experience it was completely worth it. The view was spectacular; we got to see miles of rainforest spread beneath us, and search for jaguars and pumas on the way down (no luck!).

Today was filled with service work, hiking, and horseback riding. When we arrived back to Rancho Quemado we had a little bit of free time to play games with the locals. Some of us played soccer while others played tag with the kids. We all truly feel like a part of this community now. The day wrapped up with a big surprise birthday party for one of the GLA students (Beyla Munach). There was cake, music, and dancing! In her words it was, “one of the best birthday surprises I’ve ever had! I had no idea what the “Mystery Algo” was going to be, and everyone kept the secret so well. It’s an incredibly warm feeling to have community members and GLA students throw you a surprise party, sing you songs, and even prepare a dance just for you after only a week of knowing each other.”

Adios! Pura Vida!

Written by Sam K

Monday June 25, 2018

Today is Monday June 27th and we have just arrived back from our two day adventure out of Rancho Quemado. On the 26th we went zip-lining through the jungle and some students were able to see spider monkeys for the first time. While half of the students where flying through the jungle, the other half stayed at the lodge of the zip-line to play card games, soccer and relax until it was their turn to go. The second half of the day was spent relaxing on the beach after a nice lunch. That night we also experienced hot water for the first time in a week at the unique eco-friendly hotel in La Palma.

This morning we went on a hike to a water fall in the Corcovado National Park to swim and experience the nature around us while we supported a local-based community tourism. We then ate lunch and headed back to Rancho Quemado for dinner and a reflection journal time before an early morning.

-Written by Luke M

Tuesday June 26 through Thursday June 28, 2018

As we near the end of our stay at Rancho Quemado we wanted to savor every moment we spend here. On Monday, we woke up very early to learn about the process of milking the cows. We got to experience the old-fashioned process on how organic milk is made in the town. This experience was very special to some of the people part of the program. Later in the afternoon, we got to learn how to cook a traditional Costa Rican meal. We cooked a tortilla by hand and made picadillo with the heart of palm. This allowed us to see the behind the scene action of how our meals are made. Not to mention, the tortillas we made were very delicious! Later we continued our very tiring service work of painting and planting the garden. Although we were very exhausted, the positive impact that we made on the community makes it all worth it.

Yesterday, on our last day in Rancho Quemado we were filled with sadness as we needed to part ways. We finished up the last touches of our service work and enjoyed the last minutes of working on the garden. After we were done, the people in charge of the service work gave us short heart-warming speeches expressing their immense gratitude towards us. Later we went to the plaza, the town center, to say goodbye and play with the kids for the last time. The community artisans had their goods out on display for us to buy souvenirs from locals we had gotten to know, rather than from usual market places that are less personal. Although it was sad to say our goodbyes, we were happy to see how much of a positive impact we made to the community.

Today on the 28th of June we had to wake up bright and early to get on a small plane to San Jose. Then tomorrow we will go to the airport and say goodbye to the people we have spent two weeks with. We are truly proud of ourselves and of how much we have grown as people and also we are very excited to go back home. Hasta Luego!

-Written by THE Michelle Moller

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Thursday August 16, 2018

Bienvenidos a Playa Junquillal Session VI of Beachside Service Adventure! From all the staff here, we would like to welcome you, our final session, to your beautiful new home for the next 10 days. Playa Junquillal is located in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica – one of the largest expanses of dry rainforest in Latin America. Believe it or not, we are actually in winter here meaning it’s the rainy season. We’ve come a long way since Session I, and we are so excited to share with you all the fantastic things we’ve learned throughout the course of our program. Here’s to making these final 10 days really count!

Beachside Service Adventures is a program of GLA dedicated to service learning, which we achieve through working with local leaders to achieve goals such as environmental restoration, beach cleanup, and school beautification. We have four service projects this session, which students will break out into based on their interests and availability. Students will be assigned their mentor group, who they will spend with during service, and also at night during leadership seminars. Many of the projects have an environmental focus due to the widespread issue of deforestation in the region. Examples include ROW (Restoring Our Watershed) and VerdiAzul – which works with sea turtle habitat restoration.

Last night, students got their first taste of Costa Rica at dinner… the traditional dish called Casado! It’s comprised of beans, rice, salad, plantains and a protein such as chicken. Students settled in to their cabins at 10 last night to awake to a morning of orientation!

Today, we are getting properly acquainted through various team building activities and leadership seminars. For example, we played the classic Mosquito, Gecko, Sloth (a take on Rock Paper Scissors) as pictured below. Additionally, staff reviewed the various polices and safety protocols. However, instead of a traditional lecture style, students participated directly in this discussion by becoming experts in a certain subject – such as house rules. They shared the knowledge that they learned to other students, which allowed students to take on a leadership role and facilitate more efficient learning.

Later, we discovered our mentor groups and completed the team building activity “bucket of dreams,” which albeit frustrating at times, comes with the satisfaction of sweet victory at the end as everyone works together to retrieve the bucket (picture below). We also had a leadership seminar devoted to leadership style, and finally had mentor groups after dinner where we shared our stories of self.

From all of here at Junquillal we are so happy to have started Session VI! Pura Vida!!

Friday August 17, 2018

We started the day today with the service groups, Playa Avellanas and Pargos School heading off bright and early to the beach, to clean up trash and play soccer with the local students. Meanwhile, the Verdiazul and ROW groups spent their time sanding and painting wooden signs for various informational purposes. After a delicious lunch we traversed to a local beach, Playa Blanca, where we got to swim and soak up the sun. Afterwards, Silvia, a local leader from Junquillal, came and gave a presentation about Costa Rica, Guanacaste, and Junquillal to give us some context for this place we are calling home for these 10 days. Dinner was arroz con pollo or arroz con camarones, a local specialty. After dinner, we spent valuable time in our mentor groups discussing our most important values and how they impact our actions.

Saturday August 18, 2018

We began the day with clear blue skies and lots of sun. You might think it’s a wonderful day for vacationing, however the students were hard at work and committed to their service projects. Around 7-7:45 we ate breakfast that consisted of French toast, the usual rice and beans (gallo pinto), fruit, and fresh juice & coffee. At 7:45am the Playa Avellanas and Pargos School projects hopped on the GLA bus to their service site. There was a change in schedule for the Pargos school team. Due to the fact that today is a Saturday, the school was closed and so they joined the Avellanas group. It’s worth noting that a couple of local children tagged around with us in helping the Avellanas group. When arriving to the beach the staff and students wasted no time and gave full effort to their project. Both groups performed a massive beach clean up and planted a whopping 20 trees near the beach. There were several bags of garbage that mainly comprised of plastics at the end. From what we learned and knew, plastic that is not properly disposed of has a detrimental effect on ecosystems and beaches. When finished, the Avellanas group played a quick but thrilling game of soccer with the children.

While the Avellanas and Pargo school projects were hard at work at the beach, another group, VerdiAzul, was working hard in another beach. The group headed out of the resort around 8am and began their day making informative, attention-grabbing wooden signs. Their goal was to make signs that inform locals and tourists to preserve the beach for turtle offsprings. In addition to making those signs, they worked on planing a highly anticipated field day for the local children of the community. So stay tooned on reading future blogs.

Lastly but not the least is the ROW project (Restoring our Watershed). The group visited Centre Verde, an ecocenter, to begin work on getting seeds ready to plant. The team sanded a massive total of 500 seeds and transplanted 20 tree plants. Along the process, they were educated more about the drought and economy of the area.

These projects were just the beginning of the day and more activities awaited. After lunch, the students prepared for the visit to the eco-museum of pottery. The hour-long bus ride had some sleepy heads. When we arrived, the group separated two groups and alternate from the pottery demonstration to the museum tour and vice versa. We got to learn the process of how ceramics in the local community were made based on the Chorotega ingidenous culture. At the end of the tour, students bought many amazing and intricate ceramics that were actually made from local people but also know that the money goes to support the people. After the trip, we continued with our regular program of dinner and mentor circles. And shoutout to the leaders of the day Anthony on the blog, Coco on leading the dinner circle, Danelia on the schedule announcements, and Lina on the photography.

Pura Vida

Sunday August 19, 2018

We woke up bright and early in time for a 6:15 breakfast of eggs, bacon, beans and rice. After we ate, we got on the bus for a 2 hour ride to an area near Liberia and the Rincon de la Vieja volcano for an exciting tubing adventure! We geared up for the rapids and embarked on a 45 minute tubing excursion through the tropical dry forest. Once the tour ended we were able to see a howling monkey amongst the trees while we waited for the bus to bring us back. The mentors packed a to go lunch for us that we ate while we shopped for souveneirs in the adventure tours center. Once we got back from tubing, we had about an hour of free time that many people used to swim in the pool and then a dance team came and taught us how to dance to various songs. After that, we had dinner that consisted of delicious pulled pork sandwiches and then watched a TED talk for our leadership activity of the day about checking our assumptions and making sure we seek to learn all of the stories about a place and a people instead of just believing one thing.

Monday August 20, 2018

Hello GLA families! Today the Playa Avellanas, Pargos School, VerdiAzul, and ROW Service Groups went into the community and enthusiastically improved it in various ways. The Playa Avellanas Service group traveled to the Avellanas Beach and picked up pieces of plastic and litter. The Pargos School Service Group went to the Escuela Los Pargos and painted a mural depicting a cowboy and cowgirl wearing traditional clothing, with pottery on either side.

The VerdiAzul Service Group planted signs on the beach to prevent cars from driving on the beach where the turtle eggs are in their nests. The ROW (Restoring Our Watershed) Service Group planted sapling trees to replenish the underground aquifers which provide water to the community. Later in the day, the Students and Mentors went to the nearby Playa Negra Beach where Mentor Carlos and Travel Advisor Heather taught many Students to surf for their first time. At the end of the day all the Students and Mentors had a wonderful time surfing at Playa Negra and serving the community.

Tuesday August 21, 2018

This morning, students woke up to a breakfast filled with pancakes, rice and beans, yogurt, and a variety of fruit. We were ready to head out early for a morning full of service. Playa Avellanas went to the beach to clean up areas around mangrove trees and surrounding beaches. At Los Pargos school, the group expressed their creativity by painting a mural. They finished by playing a game of soccer with the local kids. While Avellanas and Los Pargos worked on their projects, Verdiazul and ROW were also hard at work. ROW worked on nourishing plants to better help the environment and learned about reforestation.

After lunch, we were filled with fried chicken, vegetables, and mashed potatoes. The afternoon had so much more in store for us. We learned from a fire performer, who taught us about overcoming our challenges through various activities. We also took a cooking class, learning how Costa Rican’s use corn in their dishes. After sipping some coffee and trying delicious foods, students played soccer with and against the locals before heading back to the hotel for dinner. After a make your own taco dinner, students broke off into their mentor groups to end the night.

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Saturday August 4, 2018

Bienvenidos a Playa Junquillal Session V of Beachside Service Adventures! From all the staff here, we wish you a warm welcome to your beautiful new home for the next 10 days. Playa Junquillal is located in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica – one of the largest expanses of dry rainforest in Latin America. Believe it or not, we are actually in winter here meaning it’s the rainy season.

Beachside Service Adventures is a program of GLA dedicated to service learning, which we achieve through working with local leaders to achieve goals such as environmental restoration, beach cleanup, and school beautification. Many of the projects have an environmental focus due to the widespread issue of deforestation in the region. Examples include ROW (Restoring Our Watershed) and VerdiAzul – which works with sea turtle habitat restoration.

Last night, students got their first taste of Costa Rica at dinner… the traditional dish called Casado! It’s comprised of beans, rice, salad, plantains and a protein such as chicken. Students settled in to their cabins at 10 last night to awake to a morning of orientation!

Today, we are getting properly acquainted through various team building activities and leadership seminars. For example, we played the classic Mosquito, Gecko, Sloth (a take on Rock Paper Scissors) as pictured below. Additionally, staff reviewed the various polices and safety protocols. However, instead of a traditional lecture style, students participated directly in this discussion by becoming experts in a certain subject – such as house rules. They shared the knowledge that they learned to other students, which allowed students to take on a leadership role and facilitate more efficient learning.

And last but not least… today we will find out which service projects we will work with!

From all of here at Junquillal we are so happy to have started Session V! Pura Vida!!

Sunday August 5, 2018

Today we woke at the crack of dawn to eat an early breakfast of traditional pancakes and gallo pinto. Then we went on the tubing adventure of a lifetime. The bus ride, though long, was one of many enriching bonding experiences we shared. Through the joint cultural immersion of listening to Spanish music, we became closer as a group and gained exponential respect for the beautiful culture and tradition by which we were surrounded.

Once in the river we were met with a plethora of new challenges. Firstly, we worked together to ensure the safety of everyone in the group by helping people who had fallen out of their tubes and providing assistance to those who were apprehensive.

Afterwards, we were taught many traditional Costa Rican dances, such as the salsa. This was another cultural endeavor as we were urged to leave our comfort zones and immerse ourselves into another tradition.

Finally, we got into our mentor groups and discussed each other’s personal values. This is pertinent to leadership because everyone’s different values will come together this week to achieve a common goal. In addition to this, the activity helped us reach common ground when it comes to the essence of each person.

Looking forward, we as a group are excited for tomorrow, with it being the first day of service, where we will be able to channel all we have learned these first few days into making a real difference here in Costa Rica.

Tuesday August 7, 2018

GLA had another fantastic day including the students learning to incorporate the new pillar of leadership: Uncover Solutions. The ROW team went to a school and helped the students by painting their recycle bins and making recycling signs so the students will find it easier to sort out their waste. Playa Avellanas went to a beach to hang up signs uncovering solutions to pollution. They also picked up trash to contribute to solving pollution in the ocean. The Paraiso group had a great day painting tires to resemble Minions, flowers, ladybugs, bees, giraffes, zebras, and a well. They bonded over adding details to a mural and improved their Spanish skills by communicating with the students at the school. Today at VerdiAzul we had a great time planting 21 trees together in addition to spending time cleaning up the beachfront. Later, during a break at VerdiAzul, we spent time playing a competitive pickup soccer game with the staff.

Lastly, the team Pargos school played with the happily spirited kids and continued working on the mural for the school! We then went all together as a program to the Eco Museum to learn the tradition of making clay pots, plates, and bowls by the Chorotega Indigenous people. We also learned about the history of this indigenous tribe of Guanacaste. After dinner, the mentor groups got together to watch the TED Talk, The Danger of a Single Story, by Chimamanda Adiche who demonstrates how stories that are told about different cultures turn out to be to be the face of that country. Chimamanda stressed how we need to not look from a narrow point of view, but be willing to explore all of the stories of a people or a place. This was very moving and opened up a lot of the student’s eyes.

Wednesday August 8, 2018

Today we woke up bright and early for another day of service. We all went in remembering the pillar for the day; take action. Paragos continued the school’s mural with help from students. VerdiAzul transplanted about one hundred trees. ROW worked together to plant trees after encountering bulls on the way there. Avellanas headed to a fishing area to pick up trash and then got smoothies and played volleyball. Paraiso finished their school’s mural, painted tires, and watched a spelling bee that was held for students.

After service, we were rewarded with a lunch of rice and chicken. We had some time to hang out at home base and swim in the pool. Next was beach time. Everyone had a lot of fun in the waves, attempting to body surf. A game of soccer was played with a few locals.

Matt Rosensteele for ROW shared with us his experience in the Peace Corp and talked to us about advice he had about doing service. After dinner, we had a meeting with all groups and mentors about “voluntourism” and all perspectives and things we can do to avoid a negative impact on the communities we serve. We look forward to more service and learning tomorrow!

Friday August 10, 2018

On the day 7 mark, the GLA students departed for another early morning service adventure. The beach cleanup group rode to the Avellanos beach and, with help from some benevolent Ticos, began on the journey of restoring the beautiful Costa Rican beach. The run to beat the tide was excruciating, but the work was rewarding.

The Pagros group diligently finished their mural while still having fun playing with the kids. They learned to balance hard work while interacting with the children.

VerdiAzul traveled to where the ocean meets the river and the mangrove trees thrived. There they learned to care for the environment by spending hours planting trees.

ROW went to their service site and continued to focus on helping Costa Rica’s watershed by planting trees. They surprised themselves by exceeding their goal of the number of plants they were going to plant. They were proud of themselves for their efficiency.

Last but not least, the Paraiso group accomplished many things by building a well, painting tires, digging holes, and finishing their mural.

After returning to the resort and eating a delicious lunch, the GLA students divided into 3 groups for rally day. One group started with playing soccer with the locals and learned about communication, teamwork and leadership.

Another group was warmly invited into the home of a family in the community and there they learned how they grow, farm, and cook with their corn. They received the opportunity to make empanadas and try the cultural food and drinks.

The last group learned about the elements of the world with instruction from a performer. They learned how to twirl a baton, juggle, and connect their body with their mind. Each group got to rotate through the 3 stations throughout the afternoon. Once rally day was completed, the groups piled on the buses, sang joyous songs, and returned to the resort for dinner.

Mentor groups talked about their overall experience. They covered the highs and lows of their trip, and what the students needed to improve for their leadership skills. After a long day of learning and hard work, the GLA students took to their beds to prepare for tomorrow’s adventure.

Saturday August 11, 2018

Today, we woke bright and early for a long day of rewarding service and endorphin fuelling adventures!

The group was split into two sub groups. The first group enjoyed zip lining over lush forests and fields of green. The second group experienced the luxury of a catamaran ride, followed by snorkelling, in the glimmering waters of Costa Rica.

Upon arriving to Pura Aventura, the zipliners were strapped into harnesses and driven to a thrilling new challenge. Those of us who had ziplined before calmed and encouraged those who were nervous about tackling this experience. Through teamwork we made it down all eleven ziplines, soaring through thick foliage bursting with vibrant flowers and wildlife.

On the other hand, half of the group was treated to a luxurious ride upon a regal catamaran amongst the many wonders of the Pacific Ocean. Although less adrenaline pumping than the ziplining, the group shared a unique bonding experience which consisted of food, friends, and fun!

After our respective adventures, we returned to home base for a quick lunch followed by service. Today’s service was bittersweet – as it was our last day – but was also a facet for reflection, as we got to look back at what our service consisted of. We also got the opportunity to see the impact that our few days here have had on the community.

For our final full day, our groups did the other adventure so that all students were able to enjoy the catamaran and ziplining. After our adventure, we did the end of the program book-in debate that focuses on the ethics of having mega sporting events like the World Cup. Finally, we had a poolside party complete with a fire dancer and music. We will always cherish the fulfilling memories made within these 10 rejuvenating and eye opening days.

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Monday July 23, 2018

Welcome students and families of Session IV to GLA’s Beachside Service Adventure in Costa Rica! From all of the staff here, we are so enthused at the opportunity to show you the beautiful country of Costa Rica – where we’ve already spent a month and a half living!

Yesterday, we settled in to our new home here in Junquillal. It is always a pleasure to watch students’ faces light up when we walk them down to the beach for the first time. The sunsets here at the Eco Resort are second to none, and walks on the beach with students makes the long flight worth it from the get go! Students settled in to their cabins and later got their first taste of Costa Rica… Casado! This traditional dish is comprised of rice, beans, salad, a protein, and fried plantains. It literally means “marriage” in English, regarding how rice and beans are always together to have a proper Casado. After, we played games and were in bed at 10 pm for lights out to start today – Orientation!

Today students had the opportunity to participate in team building activities and leadership seminars to set the stage for the next nine days here. Mentors and directors introduced themselves and presented to students for the first part of the day. We went over safety policies, service projects, and learned about Costa Rica culture.

It’s always a treat to see just how eager students are to meet one another and participate in activities such as the classic “Gecko, Sloth, Mosquito” – a take on Rock Paper Scissors. See the following pictures for the unique gestures that represent each animal from Costa Rica. Our reigning champ today was Andrew! Other activities followed such as Bucket of Dreams and our “What Is Leadership” seminar.

From all of the staff here we’d like to thank you all for another fantastic day of orientation! We can’t wait to see you grow and learn on the upcoming days of service and adventure.

Tuesday July 24, 2018

Today in Costa Rica the students all started their first day of service and took a quick but rewarding trip to the beach. We started off the day with a pancake breakfast and then each group went to their service sites. Marbella reforestation group went to a beautiful hillside and planted 154 trees. Then everyone met back up for lunch before taking a drive to the beach. After we listened to a guest speaker talk about the history and culture of Costa Rica.

At 7:30 this morning we all loaded onto the bus and drove through Guanacaste to our service sites. The ROW group went to a small school to paint recycling bins and pick up trash. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the day Guanacaste was annexed into Costa Rica, so all the kids were having a party in the yard. They were all dressed in traditional clothes, and they were listening to music and playing games with their toy horses. Marbella reforestation planted trees, and the Marbella School group spent the morning doing beach clean up to give the school a chance to prepare for their festival tomorrow. Huerta Vida y Salud worked on cleaning and painting recycled tires at a small community school in Las Delicias.

VerdiAzul worked on putting posts along the coastline so that cars won’t mess up reforestation efforts to protect the nesting ecosystem of the sea turtles. Paraiso school worked on their school garden. After working at our service site, we headed back to home base to have lunch and get ready for the beach. After spending some time in the ocean, we returned to hear a presentation on Costa Rica and the Guanacaste province. The night finished up in mentor groups where we talked about our values and how they influence our actions.

Wednesday July 25, 2018

Today was a special day in the region GLA is staying in, as July 25th is the annexation of Guanacaste. The six service groups went to their sites between 7:30 and 8:00, and many got to experience festivities for the holiday. Both Marbella groups got to try Costa Rican food and Costa Rican dances. Paraíso saw the children at school celebrate with lots of dancing and music, and after the kids left they returned to work on the playground. Huerta finished putting their tires in the ground and then celebrated with the children and their families. ROW planted saplings and separated Guanacaste seeds.

Verdi Azul made signs to mark turtle eggs in the turtle hatchery, as well as picking up and sorting litter from the beach. The students returned to lunch before driving to a festival for the holiday – they witnessed a parade and got to join in on a celebratory dance. Everybody was surprised by the acceptance and friendliness of the locals. There were a few quick games of soccer with local kids, a visit to the ecomuseum with a presentation on pottery, and then everybody returned to Homebase for dinner and mentor groups. At the dinner circle students had the opportunity to shoutout others who lived their values throughout the day.

Thursday July 26, 2018

Greetings from Costa Rica on day 5 of our trip! This is Emma Pelz and Hannah Johnson.

Earlier this morning we split in two groups for an adventure. One group went zip lining while the other went to the catamaran ride and snorkeled.

The Marbella Beautification group went to the school for the second time today to finish painting. We painted the rest of the walls on the inside and outside of the school while other added flowers to the fence around the nursery. Even though the heat was wearing us down we were able to finish a large portion of the painting. My group worked very well together today and learned a lot about teamwork.

The Huerta vida y salud group went to the organic farm for the first time today. We raked the soil and dug holes for the water to fill up. Me and my peers learned about organic farming and what it is like in Costa Rica. the most surprising thing was learning about the time it takes for the plants and fertilizers to be made. I am proud of my group for pushing through the heat and working hard to get the job done at the farm. An inspiring person today was our mentor Bridget, she was so supportive during the farming and helped us all when we needed it. I learned that it’s always good to try new things because today at the farm I did and it was so fun.

The Marbella Reforestation group made signs, painted them, nailed them to stakes so that they can later be put on the beach to encourage people not to litter.

ROW group planted trees and cleaned up garbage at a community center.

Verdi Azul walked along the beach and cleaned up trash. Later that day, they invited the rest of the group to see sea turtles being released into the ocean.

Finally, The Paraíso School group finished painting tires for a minion themed planter and set it up out front – it’ll be ready to greet the kids and parents tomorrow morning! We also had a group working on a tire tunnel for the play area. Despite rocks and the humidity, we were able to finish the majority of the project!

Overall it was a very fun day!

Photos coming soon!

Friday July 27, 2018

The day started off by the students breaking off into their service groups. The Marbella Reforestation group painted the signs they previously put together in order to promote keeping the beaches clean. The Paraiso school project first began by painting tires in order to create a butterfly. They then dug up holes in order to place tires to create a tunnel. Also, students drilled holes into tires in order to place poles to build a well. ROW planted trees by digging up many holes. Vida y Salud Organic Farm aerated the soil by hand and prepared the soil by fertilizing it. Marbella School painted structures outside of the school such as tires, chairs, tables, etc. Lastly, Verde Azul dug up 37 holes, which would later be used for a fence to prevent people from entering into the baby sea turtle hatchery zone. After service groups and lunch the students participated in a rally day where they played in a community soccer game, took a cooking class, etc. At the end of the day everyone gathered to discuss our overall role in the community, our effect, and the different perspectives that can be interpreted from different activities.

Saturday July 28, 2018

Simply put, today was a banger of a day. ROW and VerdiAzul played games with local young children. Examples were a trash accumulation game, sharks and Minos, soccer, and piggyback racing. Meanwhile, Paraiso beautified the community with multiple rebuilding tasks. Marbella Reforestation helped out the Pitahaya, Frijolar, and Cocos beaches by decorating the designated area with homemade signs providing positive and helpful messages that assist in making the ocean a place of true safety. Huerta, in turn, worked on an organic farm by preparing the soil for an exotic variety of superfoods. All groups learned to socialize with and influence the lives of locals through service and communication. We were collectively surprised about how ecstatic the locals were when we socialized with them. It was quite the sweet surprise, and made us feel mucho bueno. We are proud of the camaraderie that we were able to disperse throughout the Guanacaste community, and we hope to truly internalize the morals and hard work that came from the last day of our service.

Sunday July 29, 2018

Today was our second adventure day, half of us went zipline through a beautiful forest and the other half went to the catermeran and got to snorkel, float in the sea and explore the beach. Today we learned even through the rough parts of life you can use your experience to do something good. We also learned Costa Rican dance and had to get out of our comfort zone.

The most surprising thing today was how well everyone adjusted to something new they experienced. Today I am proud of everyone’s effort to try a new very hard uncomfortable dance. Carlitos was a very inspiring person today when he told us his life story and how he helps kids around the world. Based of off Carlitos back story it taught us that anything you put your mind to can benefit the world in a positive way.

Monday July 30, 2018

Today, July 30th, everyone went tubing down white water rapids. We all learned to be brave and take chances. The rapids were not easy to handle, but through perseverance we overcame our fears. What surprised us the most was how fun tubing actually was. We thought it was overrated and over-hyped, but it turned out to be very exciting.

Everyone supported and inspired each other to try new things today. For example, buying interesting, hand-made artifacts at the artisan fair. Today we learned to sit back and have fun. Don’t overthink because it can be a huge disadvantage. It was the last day of our program, and we are looking forward to heading home, seeing our families, and carrying with us all the learning and friendships from this trip.

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Tuesday July 10, 2018

Welcome Session III of GLA’s Beachside Service Adventure! We are so excited to have finally settled in to our new home for the next nine days here in Junquillal, Guanacaste! Yesterday, we were greeted with the traditional Costa Rican dinner known as the Casada – literally “marriage” in English, which is a dish always comprised of beans, rice, salad, and a protein.

We had a long day at the airport, but today after a much needed sleep, we are ready for a fun day of team building activities and getting to know one another at orientation. After trying gallo pinto st breakfast – you guessed it, rice and beans – we started the day with staff introductions, service project information, and GLA policies.

After, we met our “buddies” for the next 9 days, a way to meet new people and a safety measure to make sure everyone is accounted for. Half the students took off one of their shoes, while the other half received one and had to find their buddy and learn the story of where that shoe had taken their buddy.

Today students will complete activities like the team building exercise“bucket of dreams,” a leadership seminar, and skits and tours to learn the rules of the eco resort. We will also find out what mentor group and service project we will be in!

From all of us here at Junquillal, we are so happy that you all have chosen to eat, sleep, learn and grow alongside of us mentors in the gorgeous country of Costa Rica. Stay tuned for more to come!

Wednesday July 11, 2018

Hola!

Today was the first day of divided service! Our courageous peers in the two Marbella service groups started off the day 30 minutes earlier than everyone else to get to their service sites. There, one group spent the morning at a small farm helping to reforest by transporting and watering the trees in the dry forest. Our other Marbella group spent the morning at a local school cleaning the area to prepare it for painting!

The Verda Azul service group began their first project of building a fence around the sea turtle hatchery and coming up with games to teach local children about sea turtles. Paraiso worked at a different school to help garden, build a playground, and paint murals. ROW planted plants in order for grass to grow to increase rainfall to help the water supply increase. Huerta vida y salud went to another local farm and became very in touch with nature as they took off their shoes and learned about organic growing and education.

After all of the groups returned and ate lunch, we went to Playa Blanca beach! Students enjoyed the waves, sun, and each other! After this trip, Silvia, a Guanacaste local, came and taught us about the history of Costa Rica! Everyone enjoyed learning new facts about the country and about Silvia’s life as a Costa Rican! Today’s dinner circle’s theme was courage, and students got the chance to “shout out” other students who were courageous throughout the day.

We are looking forward to continuing our service tomorrow, stay tuned!

Thursday July 12, 2018

This morning we continued our work at our various service sights. The Verdi Azul group dug holes and put wood logs into them to make a fence to protect the beautiful Costa Rican beaches and sea turtles from cars driving into them. ROW painted and cleaned bins then planted flowers. The Marbella school played with the kids and painted more of the school. They offered us lemonade and fresh oranges. It was hot and sunny but we kept good attitudes and used our Spanish to get to know the kids.

The Paraíso school group finished painting a mural and the garden box and moved it outside and filled it with dirt. After they painted tires for the playground being built. The Huerta Vida y Salud group learned about organic farming and weeded to help prepare for the new crops being planted. After our service projects, we came back together as a big group and went to the Ecomuseum and learned about local pottery techniques used by the descendants of the Chorotega indigenous tribe. We got to try our hand at shaping the clay as well! We returned to homebase for dinner and finished up the night in mentor groups talking about Interpersonal Leadership and how we interact with other people in challenging situations.

Friday July 13, 2018

Today was another busy day of service!

The ROW group put tree saplings in bags to be transferred to places that they can be planted to increase the firmness of the soil. They also prepared seeds to be planted which will grow to further the reduction of the receding landmass of Costa Rica’s shores. Many Costa Rican’s and others are worried about this recession and the effects it may have on Costa Rica and are grateful for the help volunteers give.

The Puerta Vida y Salud group pulled weeds to prepare Roberto’s farm for planting, with the weeds being allowed to grow in order to soften the soil. The volunteers have done this for one day prior to this also but should be receiving a change of pace tomorrow.

The Marbella School group continued with their work from yesterday, painting the walls with designs to appeal to children and welcome them to the school, as well as provide a fun learning environment. This will allow all of the children of the Marbella School to enjoy learning and making them feel safe in the building and with the staff.

Today VerdiAzul broke a GLA record! They dug 43 holes which is the most holes ever dug in GLA history. After this amazing record they painted some coconuts for the kids they were working with. They put turtle backs on the shells of the coconuts for a small demonstration.

The Marbella beach clean up group had another successful day of cleaning! They cleaned up a beach called cocos. The rocks on the beach were called frijoles because they looked like beans and in Spanish beans is frijoles. They started on one side of the beach and cleaned all the way to the other. Then they took a break and took a dip in the ocean.

For the fifth day of service the volunteers at Paraiso school split into two groups for service. One group painted tires at the school for decorations. The other group worked in the garden and planted seeds. After a hard day of service all the groups went to the beach!

First all the groups went to the Blanca Beach but since the tide was so high everyone had to go back to a different beach. We then tried a beach by home base where it was safe to swim. The waves were super fun to swim in and the water was nice and warm. After the fun at the beach we had a guest speaker, Matt Rosensteele. He was in the Peace Corps from 2008-2010. He told everyone about his time there and how important making connections with people is. He taught everyone very important lessons about community service.

Saturday July 14, 2018

Today we started our day early as usual and had a special breakfast like burritos, fruit, potatoes, rice and beans. Then, Carajillos had a debate about different voices of people about economic problems and social problems around the World Cup in Brazil. We learned to come together with an agreement which was difficult. After, we were split into two groups that were Guillas and Carajillos. Carajillos did zip lining that was extraordinary to look at the view up high and landscapes. Guillas did snorkeling in Playa Flamingo and had food on the boat. In the afternoon, we had tacos and did our community service.

Marbella still painted the school and we are almost finished with it. Another service group went the Coco beach, they picked up trash in a dumpster and saw a guy surf. Other service groups like Row and Verdizul combined groups and painted coconuts with the local kids. Paraiso’s service group dug holes for tires to go in, watered plants, put tires in the car they built for the playground, took care of plants, painted steering wheels and chairs. Finally, the service group, Huerta Organic Farm went to an organic market in a town called Tamarindo that shopped for food and organic products. Overall, the day was two groups doing different adventures and doing service.

Sunday July 15, 2018

We had such an eventful day at GLA. Although we didn’t get to do any service today we were out all day doing adventures and cultural activities! We began off the day with an early start with a 6:15 wake up to go tubing in the rapids. There were some mixed feelings about this, some students were scared whilst some were excited however at the end of the adventure through many people getting stuck and many falls, everyone had a positive experience and enjoyed it to the fullest.

Our eventful day continued when we stopped at a community event to try the chopping wood contest and to play soccer with the locals. A lot of girls even got to play a soccer match with the women’s soccer team which was so much fun for everyone involved. Meanwhile the boys and the rest of the girls (later joined by the soccer players) learned a traditional Guanacaste dance. After a very full day we filled up on chicken and mash potatoes, learned about critical thinking and enjoyed a well deserved rest.

Monday July 16, 2018

Today was a beautiful day, it’s been super warm here in Costa Rica since we first started our journey and thankfully we’ve been in the veranito (tiny summer) and haven’t had any rain in the day other than when we are asleep.

We started off our morning today at 7am with breakfast and everyone was off to their service sites before 8am. The Huerta group (Organic farm) continued with their weeding and managed to finish off the full half of the Mandala, which was quite an accomplishment for everyone under the hot sun. They also had a tour of Rodolfos bees that continue to stay on his property year after year which goes to show the biodiversity of his farm.

The Marbella beach cleanup group watered plants due to the drought that comes with the veranito, and they had their fun day where they swam in Loris pool and some of them witnessed a mother monkey with her baby! ROW went to a local school where they painted and cleaned the trash and recycle bins, as well as painted signs. The Verdiazul group painted signs and played a game to find sea turtle eggs located on the beach.

We all headed back to the resort around 12 noon to have a lunch that consisted of rice with chicken, as well as salad with some yummy homemade dressings! We left at 1:30pm to go to the rally where we split into 3 groups and rotated between 3 activities. We played soccer with the local kids (who were all amazing and kicked our butts!), then we had a game session where we watched a guy perform a fire act who also taught us skills such as juggling, balancing, and baton twirling.

The final activity was a cooking lesson with Doña Yolanda, where we made tortillas from scratch. We husked corn and then after boiling the kernels mixed it with water and ash to grind. We then mixed and formed our tortillas and cooked them in a pan over the fire. We got to taste them with homemade cheese and sour cream, it was delicious! We got back around 5:30pm and headed off to dinner circle and had a delicious meal. Mentor groups were from 7-8 and everyone is ready for bed after a long but amazing day.