Hi session three!

Arrival day was full of introductions and getting to know each other, as well as settling into home base. You were all happy and excited to finally be on your DR program, and we were thrilled to have you and couldn’t wait to start your activities!

Day two started bright and early with a bus ride up to Brison, and a four mile hike up the mountain. It was super hot, but you guys pushed through and made it to the top where we got to sit down for a delicious lunch and enjoy great conversations throughout the group.

When we got started with your service, you were truly immersed into a brand new culture where you’d be working to build a house for a family of six! Meeting the family was really special, because it makes the service work that much more meaningful when you can meet and interact with those who you are helping. You guys took on a whole bunch of different jobs, including mixing cement, cutting and securing chicken wire, separating bottles for insulation, and finishing the walls for the structure. You all kicked butt!

To balance out your awesome service work, it was time for some fun. The group went to Sosua and got the chance to snorkel with the tropical fish and experience the beauty of the coral reefs up close.  

Next, we continued with our service efforts by helping to restore a school in the community of Severe. You all had the opportunity to learn more about the local culture and how the community receives the volunteer work of student groups like yourselves. Back at home base, we continued the discussion and opened up for questions and commentary in order to gain a deeper understanding of issues surrounding the local community.

It was wonderful to see how passionate you all were about learning and truly understanding the full scope of your service work and how your efforts will affect the community long term.

-Your DR Beachside Staff

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Hola session two (all 26 of you)!

As we think about the awesome 10 days you spent here in the Dominican Republic, we can’t help but be flooded with great memories!

From day one, your group was off to a great start. You all arrived safe and sound to home base, and quickly began settling in and getting to know each other. We could tell right away that lifelong friendships would be made during this experience.

The following day we kicked off your activities, starting with a bus ride up to Brison. You guys said the bus felt like a sauna – and you were right! We’re used to it by now, but we definitely understand how intense the Dominican heat can be if you haven’t experienced it before. But you guys were troopers, and we made it to Brison, and the gorgeous views were totally worth it!

We got to hike the mountain and have lunch with Dona Maxima, who has met many of our GLA students in the past. She made us delicious homemade chicken, and it was so good, some of you guys were still talking about it days later!

Your service begun in the Cano Dulce community, where you were introduced to the William and his four children. This was the family you’d be helping to build a home for. It was so cool that his children were around during your service so you could get to know them and learn more about the family you were directly helping with your efforts. We were so proud of how you all took charge and divided up the various tasks in order to get as much work done as possible in the time given. The progress you made was amazing!

For the next part of your service, we headed to Las Cuevas to help at a local nature preserve. You guys planted tons of trees, which will make a huge and long-lasting impact on local reforestation efforts.

After all of your work the first few days, you were due for some R & R. So we headed to Playa Alicia for some fun in the sun. Whether you were lounging on the sand, romping in the waves, or playing games on the beach, your day of relaxation was well-deserved!

The next day, you guys got right back into it and continued kicking butt with your service in the Severe community. Once again, you all conquered your tasks and divided them up in order to maximize your progress. Such good thinkers!

Next up was another well-deserved day of adventure, which included ziplining, swimming in Dudu Lagoon, exploring mysterious caves, and enjoying some refreshing virgin Pina Coladas on the beach.

On your final day, we recall you all chatting and reflecting about your experiences, what you learned, the obstacles you overcame, and the bonds you made with one another, as well as members of the local community. Nothing makes us happier than to know our students feel a sense of pride and accomplishment for the service they completed here in the DR.

We miss you all and hope you are having an amazing year, whether you are back at your high school, or have moved forward to college or another adventure!

Sincerely,

-Your DR Beachside Staff, 2017

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our brand new Dominican Republic program, designed with alumni in-mind, or enroll now.

Hello students!

Session one was a blast, and you were such an awesome group to kick off our summer program!

We spent day one getting to know each other and learning the ropes of home base, which would be your new home for the upcoming 10 days. The next day, we jumped right into our activities, and it was a great start to your service adventure! We started off with a bus ride to Brison trail, and then had an amazing meal courtesy of Doña Maxima. Her cooking is always a hit with our students, so we’re glad you guys got to experience it too. Especially her homemade fried chicken – muy delicioso!

On day three, we started building the bottle houses, which many of you were excited about after seeing photos and videos of the building process from previous years’ programs. You all truly cared about the process, and the bigger picture behind the structures you were creating, and we are so proud of all your hard work!

One of the highlights for us staff members was seeing you all interact with the local community, and gain a deeper understanding of the culture and daily life. Plus, who could forget the epic basketball game between you and the local teens!

Here are a few of our favorite memories from Session 1:

-Seeing you all work together and support each other during your service

-Exploring the caves in Las Cuevas

-Taco night!

-Ziplining into Dudu Lagoon

-Watching you all give horsie and piggy back rides to the local children. They loved it so much!

-Pina Coladas and Strawberry Daiquiris (virgin of course!)

-Beach volleyball and frisbee at Playa Preciosa

-Home base pool parties

-Snorkeling with all the tropical fish

We miss you guys, and we’re so grateful to have gotten to know each and every one of you. The work you did here has made a lasting impact on the local community, and we hope that you will come back to visit us in the future!

-Your DR Beachside Staff

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our brand new Dominican Republic program, designed with alumni in-mind, or enroll now.

Hey Brooke C, Brooke Z, Charles, Claire, David, Griffin, Justine, Kyle, Maddie, Marcellus, Nick, Sarah, Tori, Zane, Zoe,

By the time you are reading this, you will all probably be back at school, your memories of surfing, playing sports, and doing service in Bahía Ballena, Costa Rica a fond yet distant memory. As your leaders, we too have wonderful memories of our time spent together.

Those of us who live in Bahía Ballena see the evidence of your hard work and dedication each time we observe the beautiful garbage platforms and signs around the neighborhood. We also are reminded of the fun times we had working with the local kids like Leandro, Jaffet, Sofia, Natalia, and Matthew when we pass them in the street and they want to give us a high five and reminisce about the fun times they had this summer.

Our aim was to help teach you how to surf, and during your five surf lessons in the Marino Ballena National Park, you guys impressed with your great listening, tenacity, and constant ability to smile and have fun. Your surf skills developed greatly during your ten days with us and we sincerely hope that you will be able to take that skill forward with you in your lives.

More than anything, we were so stoked that you all began to understand why it’s so important for surfers and anyone who spends a lot of time in or near the ocean to work together to keep the marine environment clean, healthy, and beautiful. We learned that everything ends up in the sea, so we can all do our part regardless of where we live by cutting back on plastic use, reducing our consumption, and preserving energy and water. All of these actions will help to protect our wonderful Planet Earth — the place that we call home — as well as the world’s oceans.

Your aim this summer was to complete highly desired projects for the community, and you guys were oh-so-successful in this mission. Our program made a very positive impact on the community of Bahía Ballena, and the locals are still so excited. You guys worked a lot, learned a lot, and we hope also had a lot of fun!

Some of our sweetest memories with y’all:

-Stopping on the side of the road when Wali spotted 2 sloths

-Your positive attitude during the hike. Yes, it was challenging, but y’all rocked it!

-Watching you become friends and seeing your personalities begin to shine

-Our epic rafting trip down the Savegre River with Cristobal, Luís, Michael, and Ronny

-Handstand competitions at the base of the waterfall

-Our memorable river battle!

-Fun times with Nadine

For us, it was a blast and even better because we got to share it with all of you — our sixth GLA Surf, Sports, and Service Adventure group of the summer!

Thank you so much for your dedication and overall positivity this summer! We wish you all the best of luck in the future. Remember to always follow your hearts. Please reach out if ever you need anything.

~Dave, Adrianne, Jenny, and Gibran