Hola chicos,

I write to you from Hotel Mi Tierra in Alajuela, at the top of the fire escape, where I can sit on a dry ledge and watch the rain come down over the city in swells. By now, all of you have ascended into the sky, and the city is foggy with cloud, each almond leaf gleaming beneath the orange street lamps. In a moment, Jonny and Sandro and Ric and I will walk down that same hill you know so well, from the Casablanca to the Taco Bar, to have our final dinner together—to reflect on the amazing time we spent these past weeks.

By the time you read this, you will be deep inside your fall. Your mosquito bites will have healed, your Isla Cana sunburn will have faded, and you will no longer be used to mud and a daily explosion of rain. Perhaps you will have forgotten some of our inside jokes, or gone on to explore another fabulous place. Perhaps you’ve been busy with college applications and athletics schedules. But in this Time Capsule, I want to call you back to Rancho Quemado, to your brightly painted cabinas and the open-air biblioteca and the warmth of a hospedaje dinner.

I want you to remember what it felt like the first time you communicated with a community member, whether fluently or in halting attempts at Spanish. I want you to remember the conversation we had about service work: what it means to really partner with a community, to build relationships rather than Instagramming strangers, and why we ate lunch at Laguna each day. Remember weaving up a dirt road on a borrowed bike, walking up a river in rubber boots, seeing monkeys dangle from the trees and scarlet macaws loudly cackle above your heads, plunging into a refreshing jungle pool. Remember what it felt like to take ownership of the group as Leader of the Day, the quiet intimacy of sharing the stories of our lives, and the realizations we came to about how culture shapes our needs and wants.

Remember pulling rusted nails from boards with a hammer; remember digging holes and wrestling with tire tubes and planting seedlings into black plastic bags. Remember working alongside Pilo and Yolanda and Marvin and Nudia and Jonathan. Remember what it felt like to rush onto the boat in Drake Bay, and what it was like to sidle up to whales and dolphins. Remember how your friendships were built under that hot sun, cracking open coconuts. Remember the songs you danced to on the bus and the way Ric said, “Hola, chicos.”

You were only in Costa Rica fourteen days, but what a fourteen days they were! By the time we circled up last night in the dining room of Hotel Mi Tierra, I was stunned by what we had built together, and what a loss it would be to leave. By now, of course, you know more about the way you’ve taken your experiences with you—whether through a greater openness in your friendships or a new take on world events or a new passion for Spanish.

I believe each of you took with you a little bit of the pura vida ethic, a rich perspective and vitality that I hope is still enriching your lives. In Costa Rica, you were brave: facing a spider egg sac explosion in your bedroom (!), snakes at service, and the height of a zipline in the canopy. In Costa Rica, you acknowledged to your peers what might be able to do better, and you applauded them for what they did well.  Most of all, you examined what you had been told about the world and service and what it means to “empower” a community. What is poverty, and what is simplicity? What do we need and what do we want? What is the best way to live with each other? And most important to me, how will you amazing people be of service to the world in the future? What will it look like for you to be the change you wish to see in the world?

Will you bring the people you care so much about to Rancho Quemado, to help this little community in its search for sustainable, community-based ecotourism?

We will be missing you these next months, chicos—the hotel seems so quiet without your echoes—but we also want you out there, connecting with your home communities and planning your next travels. Go be your biggest selves—and please stay in touch if you need anything.

All our best,

-Kati, with love from Jonny and Ric

 

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Yoyoyo! Yo wassup!!!!!

Congratulations, you all are now officially GLA Alumni!! I write this letter with a heavy heart because We miss you guys! Your energy, your positivity, your shenanigans, your laughs, your smiles, and most importantly those big ol’ hearts you guys have that you used to connect and serve the people of Rancho Quemado with! It seems like yesterday where we were all hanging at Paraíso, playing spoons or uno and drinking smoothies, or against our better judgement getting too close and jumping in the water to swim with humpback whales . You’re probably back in school (or starting college!) but we wanted you to know that here in the heart of the Osa, Rancho Quemado, we are still thinking of you and the impact we made this summer together.

We write to you with the hopes of taking a walk down memory lane. Why? Because it wasn’t that long ago that you arrived in Costa Rica, where you and 17 of your peers gathered to learn what it means to serve, to be immersed within a new culture, to learn what I means to be a global leader, and most importantly to develop lifelong memories and relationships that we hope will continue to shape you as you grow into tomorrow’s future leaders within the United States, Canada, Brazil, and beyond.

So let’s start at day one: airport pickup day! Do you remember your excitement when you realized you were boarding an international flight by yourself for the first time? You may have only felt overwhelmed and exhausted, but you were, at that precise moment, growing immensely. It was that day when you met some of your closest friends, you just didn’t know it yet… Later, after everyone had arrived (except Jacob) and you were all making hand written assumptions of each other. We are sure that you will never forget just how uncomfortable you felt that first day; “Will I make any friends? What have I gotten myself into?”, were surely some thoughts that poured through everyone’s mind that night. However, you were only looking around the table at some of the people you would become very close with.

Let’s fast forward a bit to one of the biggest decisions you ever made; who was going to be the birdy, and who was going to be the perch, or if it’s even worth it to wear a rain jacket anymore? Through building filters with Pilo or working on the garden with Yolanda, zipping through the jungle, swimming with whales, and getting to know the people of Quemado you all were becoming closer and learning valuable lessons along the way. By stepping out of your comfort zone, you were not only growing closer to those around you but you were learning to grow within yourself and understand how you operate as a leader, and what are true wants or needs. You used the strength you have inside and the energy and passion of each other to reach beyond language cultural barriers, spiders in your rooms, and long GLA sessions to make an impact on the environment and the people of Rancho Quemado that they will never forget.

Finally, we take this walk down memory road to remind you of that deep bonds that you all formed with your GLA family. Sitting in circles at the biblioteca telling your stories to each other you began to open up with each other and learn that your peers were funny and heartfelt. And then at Laguna you shared your life albums and really began to learn just how complex, deep, and amazing each of you really were. Bonded by the fact that despite our individual struggles, we were the few with the opportunity to step far outside of our comfort zones, to not be held back by anything in order to use our talents, passions, and empathy to give back to our fellow humans. We realized that when we opened up, and we shared our true selves snd got vulnerable with each other, we began to recognize those formally strange faces not just as close friends, but as family: all in it together.

While it may have been hard to say goodbye, especially on our final days in Rancho, it’s important to recognize that the memories and tears we shared with the people there and for each other were a sign of the timeless bonds that you all developed. So now, as the months have passed, take the time to reach out to your GLA family, and the memories of your first yoyoyo, swimming in jungle pools, fighting the urge to pet every dog, getting caught in torrential downpours while working on the jungle trail, and playing soccer game on the last night. Remember to keep the energy and passion that you had for the work and beauty in Costa Rica, and strive to always impact the world both near and far.

-Jonny Altrogge

 

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Hola my young friends,

I hope that you are all doing very well wherever it is this letter finds you. Your GLA family misses you. Thank you for saying, “yes” to this opportunity and for allowing us to share it with you. Given the impact of the experience, we often reminisce about our time together. Each of you was a special part of our experience and brought something unique to our lives in Costa Rica. Because of you, I grew as a person and learned much more about what it means to be a leader and living life to the fullest.

It seems like our time together was only yesterday. Remember how lovingly the community welcomed us open arms and hearts? Remember the rally? Remember the rain? The opportunity we had to spend time with Yolanda, Pilo, Enrique, Marvin, and everyone else was a true blessing. That opportunity has undoubtedly shaped me in many ways, some that I may never realize. I trust that it has shaped you in many ways as well. I encourage you to continue embracing and seeking similar life-shaping opportunities.

Your group had the privilege to work with the garden and filter projects – you would be incredibly proud of how much work has been done since your work. The filters located all over Rancho Quemado are helping the community minimize its impact on their natural habitat, a commitment that we can all agree is very important. The garden project is well underway as well. It may not be finished yet, but each of you that contributed left your mark, no matter how big or small. Way to go team.

My favorite memory was the community farewell. I invite you to take a pause from reading this, close your eyes, and take yourself back to that day. Feel the feelings of gratitude, love, appreciation, and connection. Listen to the people speaking. Perhaps you didn’t understand every word, but I bet you felt their sincerity. You all created that experience in two short weeks by persevering, putting others first, staying present, stepping out of your comfort zone, and being selfless. As we spoke on our last day in San Jose, that opportunity is available to you every day, take it. Continue creating what you created in Costa Rica my friends. Please get in touch if I can ever be of service.  

With love,

Your friend Ric Barron

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our new destinations for Summer 2018, or enroll now.

Hola my young friends,

I hope that you are all doing very well wherever it is this letter finds you. Your GLA family misses you. Thank you for saying, “yes” to this opportunity and for allowing us to share it with you. Given the impact of the experience, we often reminisce about our time together. Each of you was a special part of our experience and brought something unique to our lives in Costa Rica. Because of you, I grew as a person and learned much more about what it means to be a leader and living life to the fullest.

It seems like our time together was only yesterday. Remember how lovingly the community welcomed us with hand-made bags? Remember the rally? Remember the rain? The opportunity we had to spend time with Yolanda, Pilo, Enrique, Marvin, and everyone else was a true blessing. That opportunity has undoubtedly shaped me in many ways, some that I may never realize. I trust that it has shaped you in many ways as well. I encourage you to continue embracing and seeking similar life-shaping opportunities.

Your group had the privilege to start the garden and filter projects – you would be incredibly proud of how much work has been done since your inauguration. The filters located all over Rancho Quemado are helping the community minimize its impact on their natural habitat, a commitment that we can all agree is very important. The garden project is well underway as well. It may not be finished yet, but it wouldn’t have the opportunity to be finished had you not started. Way to go team.

My favorite memory was the community farewell. I invite you to take a pause from reading this, close your eyes, and take yourself back to that day. Feel the feelings of gratitude, love, appreciation, and connection. Listen to the people speaking. Perhaps you didn’t understand every word, but I bet you felt their sincerity. You all created that experience in two short weeks by persevering, putting others first, staying present, stepping out of your comfort zone, and being selfless. As we spoke on our last day in San Jose, that opportunity is available to you every day, take it. Continue creating what you created in Costa Rica my friends. Please get in touch if I can ever be of service.  

With love,

Your friend Ric Barron

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our new destinations for Summer 2018, or enroll now.

Hola Session 6 Students!

It’s hard to believe that it’s already been nearly three months since your adventure here in Costa Rica! Time really does fly!

Rewind back to our first day in at home base in Parrita – you had all just arrived, and we could tell some of you didn’t know what to expect, and many of you were definitely out of your comfort zone having never traveled abroad before – especially on your own! But we were confident that you’d learn the ropes and get to know each other very quickly.

We dove right into Mentor group discussions, and we’re proud of you guys for opening up and helping to learn more about one another, even after knowing each other for just a short time. Seeing our students form connections and get to know each other early on is always wonderful, and it makes the remaining days together that much better.

From your very first day out and about in Parrita, all the way through to your final day here, you all truly immersed yourselves in the local community and got to experience the culture and interact with the people.

The ten days we all spent together were so wonderful, and our staff will never forget the experiences we shared and the memories we all made.

Here are some of our favorite recollections from session six:

-Painting the fence and tire playground at Escuela Lourdes. We’re so glad you guys got to add in your artistic touch!

-Watching you all pick up new words and sayings in Spanish. Muy bueno!

-Helping LuLu with trees and plants in her nursery

-Playing Futbol with the locals! You guys swore they were better, but we think you played great, and you certainly had a great time learning some moves!

-Laughing your way down the river in our whitewater rafts and playing in the waterfalls

-Mark’s group lessons on storytelling

-Star Powerrrr!

-LuLu’s cooking lessons. Picadillo – yum!

-Dolphins!

-Dance class! You guys sure picked up those dance moves quickly, and it was so fun to see you let loose and soak in the local music

-Our farewell dinner. The food was delicious, and our group sharing activities were so fun, but also bittersweet because we didn’t want you all to leave in the morning

Some of you are still in high school, and some of you have already gone off to college, but wherever you are in the world, we want you all to know we miss you, and we wish you the very best for everything your futures hold. Maybe one day you can come back and visit us, and we can relive some of the awesome memories we made during your time here!

Adios for now, fellow adventurers!

-Your Costa Rica Beachside Staff

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our new destinations for Summer 2018, or enroll now.