Time Capsule Letter

We can’t believe that it’s been so long since our Costa Rica trip ended! I can still remember the sound of the ocean lulling us to sleep each night and the sound of the howling monkeys (and the falling mangoes) waking us up each morning. Often times, it seems just like yesterday that we were waking up early to watch the (foggy) sunrise, splashing in waterfalls and making clay masterpieces in Matambu. You’re probably starting school soon (and even college!) but we wanted you to know here in Costa Rica we are still thinking of you and the impact we made this summer together.

Our time spent together here truly did make an impact. Restoring Our Watershed (ROW) and all the schools and communities that we served are so grateful for your time and dedication. Henry and his family will continue to support reforestation efforts and continue producing local honey thanks to your commitment and encouragement. I know that each time the students and teachers practice their flashcards they will remember your smiles and your passion for their learning. And most importantly, I know that our time together has had an amazing impact on each one of you.

The knowledge YOU gained on this trip about yourself and the global community we hope will go on to serve you and the communities that you become apart of as you go forward to lead and inspire change in the world! We know how integral each person is to a community and the incredible difference each person can make in cultivating meaningful change and we strive to continue to seek out opportunities to make new connections and new experiences.

Another thing, I can’t forget is how much fun we had together here! You guys were a huge part of making this trip so fun by being such a close- knit and respectful group. We experienced the Pura Vida culture by learning to dance and make casado with Dalia. We visited Tamarindo and shopped for souvenirs that would bring smiles to our families’ faces. We also got to explore the farmer’s market in Santa Cruz and the beautiful landscapes of Monte Alto. (Your beautiful paintings are displayed in the the vivero!)

We worked really hard and also had a blast together! Whether it was playing mafia together, games of scattergories, card games (that involved slapping and screaming) or exploring new activities together- it was so much fun because we got to share it with you- the 2019 GLA Costa Rica group!

Remember our Group’s OMG- “One Meaningful Goal”- that we created at the end of the session? We pledged to continue to seek out new experiences and make new connections with others. We promised to stay in touch with others and hopefully keep some of that mindful “pura vida” lifestyle in our hearts. We would love to hear how that is going! Have you continued to build friendships and plan new adventures?

Remember to share your personal goals with GLA too, they would love to see how you are BEING the CHANGE back home!

Thanks for helping to make these special memories in an amazing place and good luck with all your personal goals and endeavors!

Pura vida,

Emily and the Costa Rica Team

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Monday June 17, 2019

Hello to all!

What a day!

After the LONG long journey some of us had to arrive here in Costa Rica we then spent a couple more hours awaiting the rest of the group—no worries though—luckily our students came prepared and we whipped out the uno and some other card games to pass the time.

Once finally uniting the group we headed towards the homebase! After a quick stop in El Centro Verde—to eat some all familiar cheeseburgers prepared by Dalia—we headed to Playa Callejones to begin unpacking in our new home for the upcoming next 3 weeks.

We will be living the Costa Rican dream the next 21 days in our ocean front homebase equipped with hammocks and a fire pit for the true “pura vida” experience. We are excited to hang up and hang out this week as our schedule is very packed with activities!
We shall keep ya updated!

Pura Vida,
Your IFC team

Tuesday June 18, 2019

Started the day with an exploration of the manglare on paddle boarding, and spotting wildlife. Back at our home base, we had a delicious lunch prepared by our local host. We enjoyed our base at the beach, and took a nap in the hottest hours of the day. We visited the permaculture eco-center where we are going to do some of our community service. Back at home base, we admired the beautiful sunset. The day was intense but incredibly fulfilling!! 🙂

Wednesday June 19, 2019

Today was day 3. We are all finally here! We slept in this morning and then ate a traditional breakfast of gallo pinto and fried bananas. After break days, we learned about Restoring Our Watershed (ROW)—the organization we will be working with on our service projects. Then, we learned how to cook our own Casado and worked together to prepare our own lunch.

It was delicious! After lunch, we took a tour of El Centro Verde (the nursery) and prepared materials for our school projects. Then we returned to our beautiful home base and had dinner and ice cream. After dinner, we practiced our Spanish skills. We are so excited to practice our Spanish in the schools tomorrow!

Thursday June 20, 2019

Day 4 is done! Today we started off bright and early at 6:50AM. After a delicious breakfast, we headed down to La Florida school, where we had our first day of service. Mainly, we went over Spanish flash cards to help them with reading (we occasionally made fortune tellers with them). We then headed down to the vivero to eat a delicious spaghetti lunch. After our bellies were full, we decided that it would be fun to share embarrassing stories. This was achieved by writing them down in a piece of paper and guessing who wrote it; it went very well.

Our next activity made us close in a different way: salsa dancing really was a treat. After the ever intense dancing, we moved off to Yolanda’s cafecito. Some of the activities that we did included making tortillas and empanadas, drinking some delicious coffee and playing Pato, pato, gancho(duck, duck, goose). We finished off the day by playing some minute to win it games and eating dinner. Overall, a fun and eventful day!

-by Aaron Sterling

Friday June 21, 2019

Hi everyone! Today was kind of a crazy day, but we had a lot of fun anyway 🙂 To starts off the day, we had a delicious breakfast made by Rita. Then, we headed off to the school to play some games with the kids. We played “pato, pato, gancho” (duck, duck, goose), papa caliente (hot potato), fútbol, and frisbee! The kids are the sweetest, and they were full of energy!

After this, we visited the vivero and we ate some delicious burritos made by Dahlia. We then had a change of plans, and instead of going to the beach, we hung out and played some games (UNO and mafia). When we left the vivero, we stopped at the Pulpería to grab some snacks for the room. Everyone stocked up! We came back to home base and then we had some dinner. Now, we are just hanging out making bracelets, enjoying the rain, and eating snacks. Excited for tomorrow!

-by Adriana

Saturday June 22, 2019

Hello everyone! Today, we met a group of local high school volunteers and did some service with them. We started by filling small plastic bags with soil and then, planting plants in them. Afterwards, we ate chicken, rice, beans, plantains, potatoes and salad for lunch. In the afternoon, we went to a farm and planted trees atop the mountainside on the property. Next, we went to an internet cafe and enjoyed fruit smoothies and fries.

It was a great day and I’m looking forward to tomorrow!

-by Ana Ziebarth

Sunday June 23, 2019

Welcome to day 7 everybody! We’re one week through our trip, and super excited for the upcoming two weeks. Today we had an early start at 6:50 with a breakfast of pinto de gallo with a special treat (cereal). We had to get up early in order to make it to our destination of the day: barra honda national park. The drive was a little long — 1.5 hours long — but once we made it, we had a great time! We hiked to the highest lookout point of the mountain and had a nice picnic lunch with a view.

Along the way to the top we saw a bunch of capuchin monkeys! After the hike, we headed back to home base to do some much needed laundry and cleaning. Although our clean porch didn’t even last past dinner… speaking of dinner, it was great too. After dinner we had some time to hang out as a group and fill out our week 1 pulse checks — basically a checkup for how the trip has been going so far. And if this blog post has shown anything, I hope that it shows that the trip has been great so far. We’re all super excited for the upcoming two weeks!

Blog post by Ben Norin

Monday June 24, 2019

Hi everyone:) Today was day 8 in Costa Rica. We started off the day with another delicious breakfast made by Rita. We then jumped on the bus and headed to our first day at Las Delicias. We worked with elementary school aged kids on word comprehension and of course we got to spend recess with them!

After service at the school we headed to the vivero and ate great quesadillas made by Dalia! We stayed at the Vivero for a snake show presented by Vincenzo Salvatico, a reptile specialist. We learned about many different species of snakes located in Costa Rica.

We ended the day with a trip to Playa Negra and dinner at the homebase. It was a super fun day and we can’t wait for tomorrow!

Love, Ellie <3

Hello families – we already updated Thursday’s blog, but the two below were sent by staff for Tuesday and Wednesday, so we’re moving the jump link back up to here!

Tuesday June 25, 2019

Today we woke up at 6:50 and went to service at the same school at yesterday. We were in 3 different stations where the students moved through. There was one syllable station, one flash card station and a eco education drawing activity.

After service we went to the vivero and are a wonderful lunch. From there we went to playa avalles beach. We enjoyed smoothies, pizza and swimming. There was also a very large pig named Lola.

This evening we ate rice, ham and zucchini. We then had a activity where we completed each other anonymously and then review what others said. We are now making bracelets and soon off to sleep.

-Jayson

Wednesday June 26, 2019

For today a bright sunny Wednesday we drove out to go on a boat tour! We saw so many things including crocodiles, herons, and the biggest iguanas on the planet! After a few hours on the boat we made it safely to solid land for lunch.Which was chicken, rice, beans, and for dessert rice pudding.Finally we went back on the bus to visit the vibrant town of Nicoya.The wildlife of the rivers and the little city were both amazing adventures!

Ta ta for now!

-by Kaitlyn

Thursday June 27, 2019

Hola! Today we enjoyed an excellent day. We began with a fulfilling breakfast at our base then drove on the bus. We were welcomed with the beautiful faces from the children at the Guadpote School. There we made stations with fun activities to help improve their education. We also enjoyed playing with them during their recess.

After, we went to the vivero for another nutritious lunch and prepared items for the next day. Finally we went to Henry’s for a cafecito and were treated with a walk around his beautiful green lands and taste of his family’s homemade specialties like their rich honey. Back at the home base we finished up with our own activities including dinner. We miss our family and friends but enjoy the relaxing Costa Rican breeze. Pura Vida.

Con Amor,

Karina H.

Friday June 28, 2019

Today is day 12! We started off with a nice breakfast made by Rita at home base, and then went to the Venado school. There we worked with kids, ranging from 1st to 4th grade, using flash cards, playing bingo, and drawing pictures.

We ate our lunch on the go and headed to Playa Avellanas and spent some time in the ocean! We sat down at the restaurant on the beach and ordered some other smoothies and snacks.

After we got back to home base, we packed for our excursion to the nature reserve the next day, went out for a sunset swim, and ended the night by playing cards.

Love, Kate <3

Sunday June 30, 2019

Hi Everyone!!

Today was day 13! Can’t believe we’re more than halfway done with the trip. This weekend is our first overnight excursion, so we got to sleep in and take our time this morning. We left home base and drove to the farmers market in Santa Cruz district. There we bought fruits like apples and coconuts, and we bought out an AMAZING empanada stand. Next, we drove to a pizza place to have lunch. You can imagine that everyone was so excited for that. After, we drove to El Toledo Reserve which is our home for the next two nights.

We learned some history about the reserve itself and then took the bus to a beautiful lookout 900 meters up. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen. We had a yummy dinner and got ready for bed after this. All was quiet until Ellie and Lea discovered spiders in their room. After a lot of shuffling, the three rooms went from 5 people each in two of the rooms and 3 in one, to 8 people in one room, 3 people in one, and 2 in the last. I hope tomorrow night isn’t as hectic. But all in all, it was a great and relaxing day!

Con amor,

Laila

>Monday July 1, 2019

This morning we woke up at the Monte Alto nature reserve and a group of us drove to watch the sun rise at 5:30.

We proceeded to eat breakfast with a beautiful view at 7, and then headed on the bus for our hike at 8. We walked through a forest full of biodiversity and finished our trip with a waterfall where we cooled down and swam.

At around 1 we bussed to Matambú- an indigenous territory where we ate lunch and proceeded to learn about their culture. They taught us to make pottery, shape whistles, and carve fruit. As we ended our day they proceeded to show us their bees and taste their honey.

To finish the evening, we ate dinner at the reserve and ended the night off in our mentor groups explaining our life stories.

-by Lea

Tuesday July 2, 2019

Our last day at El Toledo began with a breakfast that consisted of pancakes, eggs, fruit, and coffee. After breakfast we went to a painting workshop. Prior to the workshop we embarked on a brief nature walk, led by a park ranger, from which our art was to be inspired.

We returned to El Toledo for lunch and to pack up. Then we set out for a coffee tour at hfjshdhej. It began with taste test of three different coffee blends and after we learned about different types of coffee beans and how they are grown, harvested, and exported from Costa Rica.

After the coffee tour, we returned to home base where we watched the sunset and had a familiar dinner made by Rita and Sonny, whom we all missed.

-by Marielle 🙂

Friday July 5, 2019

Written by Sara

Time Capsule Letter

Hello Students!

Can you believe it’s been one year? At this time last year we were plunging into Alfredo’s lake, belting out the lyrics of “To My Love” and probably deep in a game of assassin! It often feels like it was yesterday that we were painting the ceiling in Santa Teresa, laughing with Steven as he mooed for everyone and beautifying Chacón!

Costa Rica is quieter without you all. The energy you all brought was unmatched and electric, and even for such a small group you all left quite the impact around here! We hope you find yourself still laughing about getting soaked on our boat cruise, or the delicious pineapple tour with Michael, or maybe even now you still practice bachata at your school dances. I am sure many of you are getting ready for a final year in high school or maybe even heading off to college, but we hope you never forget your time here with us.

Remember our groups OMG- “One Meaningful Goal” – that we created at the end of the session? You all pledged to find an organization in your community and volunteer or donate once a month. How is that going? Do you feel like you have held up your end of the deal? We would love to hear about it. Have there been any changes in your community, or did this program inspire you to make a change somewhere else?

Remember to share your personal goals with GLA too! They would love to hear about all the ways YOU are BEING THE CHANGE after your program!

Thanks for helping to make these special memories in an amazing country and good luck with all your OMG projects!!

Cheers!

Lyndsey, Susan, Sofia, Scrappy and Kitty.

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Saturday August 3, 2019

Hello to all friends and family!

We had a full first day with the 14 Day Initiative for Children Costa Rica program! As students trickled in from all around the world, we took our first six students over to the mall to walk around and grab some lunch! Once everyone made it safely, we embarked on our four hour journey to the home base in San Carlos. As we got close to the home base the sun set over the volcano and mountains and it was a warm colorful welcome for the exciting days to come!

We arrived at the home base right as it was getting dark but just in time for a group photo! Everyone checked into their lakeside cabins, as dinner was being prepared. A delicious local meal of pork, salad, potatoes and rice and beans was served and all the students were sleeping before 9pm! A busy first day in the books but everyone is excited for the days to come! Stay tuned!

-Lyndsey, Sofia, and Susan

Sunday August 4, 2019

Hi everyone! Today was a fantastic first full day here in San Carlos. We started out the morning with a traditional breakfast of gallo pinto, scrambled eggs, and fresh pan fried cheese from the dairy farm down the road. We spent the morning in orientation with some fun name games mixed in! Our group really got off to a great start, and we have bonded already. After a lunch of fried chicken, vegetables, rice, beans, and fried yuca, we headed to the lake to take the swim test.

Shortly after, we walked down the road to watch a local soccer game! We were also able to meet some neighborhood kids whose school we will be volunteering at throughout the next two weeks. When we returned to home base, we were treated to a few cool animal sightings! We were lucky enough to see howler monkeys and owls right outside of our cabins. We enjoyed a spaghetti dinner and are spending some time relaxing after a long day. We can’t wait for what the rest of the trip will bring and are excited for our first day of service tomorrow! Stay tuned for more!

From,
Sofia, Lyndsey, and Susan

Monday August 5, 2019

Hello Parents!

Today was an amazing first day of service. Everyone had lots of fun at the schools, working with the kids and creating new connections. While it might’ve been a bit of an early start, we were all excited to not only teach, but to learn as well. We split into two different groups, one going into a smaller school and one to a larger school farther away. One group was painting desks and gardening, and the other group was teaching English while also practicing some Spanish skills here and there.

After some new bonds were being formed between us and the students, we went over to the soccer field and played a game before heading back to home base for lunch. The rest of the day was more relaxed, and we had lots of fun swimming in the lake, and jamming out to music.

Before dinner, we had an eye opening experience with an interesting activity called banana split, focusing on how the wages of one banana are split throughout each level from the farm to the shelf. Overall, a great start to the program, and I’m excited to spend more time with my new friends in the program and at the school.

Hasta luego,

Lucas

Tuesday August 6, 2019

Hello parents once again from Costa Rica! Today (day 4) we split into our service groups and helped the same schools we did yesterday. My group went to Santa Teresa where we kept the kids busy by playing fun games as well as teaching them English. Our service group painted the ceiling (most of us were pretty short)!

After visiting the schools we went to the dairy farm! We were taught how natural cheese was made. We also saw many cows and pigs… very cute! Later in the day, we had the opportunity to see some more of the town and visit a small shop. As each day goes by, we get to know a little bit more about each other and Costa Rica!

From,
Martina

Wednesday August 7, 2019

Hello family and guardians,

Today was amazing! During service we painted a wall, sanded a railing, and helped weed a garden, along with helping the students during English class at the school. This school has its own vegetable garden that students can bring home to their families, which makes weeding the garden an important and helpful task. After lunch we got to see an organic pineapple farm. Our tour guide Michael was hilarious and very educational. We learned that this farm produces roughly 50,000 pineapples a week!

At the farm, we got to try a lot of pineapple straight from the field and learned what features make a pineapple the best pineapple to pick in a grocery store. When we got back, we got to do an activity called “Story of Self”. All the students take part in sharing their life story. Everyone has a unique path that brought them to GLA which makes this activity especially interesting. These five days being in Costa Rica have been so fun and we all will never forget these memories!

-by Ashley V.

Thursday August 8, 2019

Hey parents! It’s day six, and we are still going strong. Today at Santa Teresa, we used our time washing the internal walls of the school in preparation for painting them on Monday. We also played a thrilling game of soccer with some of the kids! Lunch was made by our Peruvian dance instructor Manolo. It was a traditional dish from Peru called “arroz chaufa.” The dish was a rice with onions, cabbage, eggs, and different meats.

After lunch, we were treated to a lesson in Latin dance. While this was out of most of our comfort zones, we all ended up enjoying it. We learned Bachata, Swing Criollo, and Salsa. We each danced all of them, and some of us had more success than others, but it was a very encouraging and welcoming environment. In the evening, we finished up the last “Stories of Self,” and we all got to know each other on a deeper level. For dinner, we enjoyed more Peruvian food, and we are excited for the rest of the trip!

From,
Lilian

Friday August 9, 2019

Hello Parents!

Here is the daily update about our Costa Rican lives! Today we all visited the larger school, Chacón, and did manual labor like painting and washing buildings to make them bright and beautiful! Because the kids do not have English class on Thursdays and Fridays we sadly did not get to teach them today, but as always it was fun to exchange hellos and such with them.

In the afternoon we had a “coffee chat” with the owner of our residence Alfredo, where he told us about the history of Costa Rican coffee, the Costa Rican coffee industry and his personal family’s story in the coffee business. We also got to taste test his family’s coffee versus another common Costa Rican one and compare the differences.

Next we had lake time and got to do the thrilling jump off the upper dock for the first time in the trip! Alfredo even jumped in in his clothes after seeing all the fun we were having. Later we had mentor group check ins, and a delicious dinner of shrimp alfredo (yes we see the irony). Altogether a great and exhausting day.

Chao for now,
Sage

Saturday August 10, 2019

Hello friends and family!

Today the group had an exciting and eventful day water rafting in the river! We were excited to get an extra hour of sleep this morning and wake up to a relaxing day off from hard work doing service at the schools. We took a bus ride to the river and split up into groups, seeing all sorts of birds, trees, reptiles, and other animals. We even saw a crocodile, shown in the images listed. After having authentic snacks and coffee along the San Carlos River and seeing species of wild turkey, we made a quick stop to the supermarket for some late night snacks and headed back to home base to chill at the lake and play some games. We especially enjoyed running around on the field in the rain. Thanks for reading and see you tomorrow!

Hasta luego,

Izzy

Sunday August 11, 2019

Greetings from Costa Rica,

Today, we started the day off with a beautiful breakfast by our BFF, Alfredo (home-base owner!). Then we started our one hour drive to go zip lining through the jungle surrounded by clouds and birds. It was me and Gavin’s first time EVER! Afterwards we headed to a stable to have a picnic lunch and go horseback riding up the side of the Arenal volcano, we saw a sloth and all trekked through a waterfall.

As the day came to an end, we stopped in the town of Arenal and bought mucho souvenirs and some Costa Rican ice cream. The day ended with another great meal that included taquitos, a cabbage salad and the typical rice and beans! We cannot believe it’s Sunday- we have mixed emotions about it being our last and final week here in Costa Rica.

-Adios Amigos-

Gavin and Cora

Monday August 12, 2019

Dear parents,

Today was a blast. After a delicious, hearty breakfast of fluffy pancakes and fresh, local fruit, we packed up our backpacks for service. Our trip to the school was interrupted by a special surprise: a drowsy sloth napping in a tree! My service group had a great time at the bigger school (Chacon), where we spent some time weeding the community garden and were also rewarded by getting to participate in their gym class; wow, those kids can run! After lunch at home base, we loaded up the bus for a little road trip to the hot springs.

We spent the afternoon relaxing in clear, steamy pools surrounded by luscious forests. We stopped to buy “mamones” (Lychee) from some locals on the side of the road and proceeded to belt our hearts out on the drive back to camp. For dinner, we were spoiled once again with yummy burritos, salad, and the famous rice and beans. Our post dinner activity involved a beautiful bonfire and a discussion about travel with our lovely mentors. After another fun-filled day, I think we are all ready to fall into bed!

Can’t wait to see you all soon,

Ava

Tuesday August 13, 2019

Today we woke up, had another great breakfast and went to our second to last day of service. My group went to the Chacón school for our last time, and the other group went to Santa Teresa for their last time, and tomorrow we’ll switch. At Chacón today, we painted bricks of a garden area, weeded the garden, and then participated in the P.E. class, which was very fun. The other group at Santa Teresa finished painting up the interior walls of the classroom, they also enjoyed playing soccer and more games with the kids.

We all came back and had lunch and then packed up and got ready for our excursion. Today we went to an animal sanctuary, which was very fun and very different than ours. It was so great to see all the different types of animals; my personal favorite was for sure the monkeys! When we were done exploring, we headed over to a local coffee shop, oh, and don’t forget we stopped by Walmart! Ending the day, we jammed out to music on the bus ride back to home base! We miss our parents tons! Adiós!

– by Ashley S.

Wednesday August 14, 2019

Hi friends and family!

Today was a cloudy and rainy day in Costa Rica. Luckily, the weather the rest of our time here has been enjoyable. Service was restricted due to the weather; however, we still managed to paint inside a classroom and carry heavy books to help out at the bigger school. In the afternoon, we settled down to enjoy the rainy day by watching a movie and eating homemade cookies.

Afterwards, we participated in a cooking class. We made handmade empanadas and vegan burgers. Finally, we all sat together and talked about how our time here has impacted us and how we can continue making a change in our own communities. We can’t believe it’s already Wednesday! We are all so excited to come home and talk about our adventures!

-by Jody

Thursday August 15, 2019

Hey parents,

We can’t believe it’s the last day! Today we invited the children from Santa Teresa where we do service at for a field day. We also invited the students’ mothers, since today is Mother’s Day in Costa Rica. We made cards, bracelets, played soccer and played a few rounds of musical chairs. After that, we packed up to return home and then did some goodbye activities. We’ve had a great two weeks with lots of friendships made and service done. We’re excited to see you soon!

~Michelle

Time Capsule Letter

Hey y’all!

By the time you get this, it will have been several months since our fantastic two weeks in Costa Rica! We hope you’re doing well with your OMGs (One Meaningful Goal) and will use this letter as a reminder to check in with all of the 26 friends you made on the trip!

When we think about your group, we first remember how impressively hard you all worked during our community service days; painting the whole building at Santa Teresa, finishing dozens of desks and benches are Chacón, and pulling out a record-setting number of weeds. The cows were especially appreciative for the extra food! Not to mention our last day of service at home base with all of the kids from Santa Teresa, with fútbol, face paint, and fried yuca!

Ziplining and horseback riding were great opportunities to face some fears, and any day that included ice cream had to be good, right? Your stories of self were all inspiring, and we are so proud of you all for sharing in front of such a big group!

Who remembers trying their Spanish with Juan Carlos or doing the “Cotton Eyed Joe” with the local kids out by the lake? We will never forget the peeing monkeys from the boat tour, or the massive amount of snacks you were all able to consume in such a short period of time! We’re still thinking about Alfredo’s pancakes and arroz con pollo.

We hope you enjoyed watching us try to dance with our teacher Manolo, struggling to make perfectly circular empanadas, and scrubbing paint out of our hair. We loved playing cards, jumping into the lake, and after dinner chats with you all!

We hope to hear from you about the amazing things you’re going to do in the future (is anyone still learning Spanish?). In the meantime, keep believing in your ability to make a difference and being the change at home!

With love,

Sofia, Nicole, Susan, and Richyth

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Friday July 19, 2019

Hello everyone!

Yesterday we had a successful day at the airport, where students came from both the U.S. and U.K. to meet and begin our program. We drove from the airport to our home base in San Carlos and had a delicious first dinner together. Everyone was ready for bed after a long day of travel, and the rain and chorus of frogs helped us all drift off to sleep.

Today was our first full day together. We got to know each other with a few different ice breakers, learned about our service project and mentor groups, enjoyed time at the lake both swimming and kayaking, created our community agreements and celebrated a birthday. We are looking forward to what the next day will bring!

Hasta luego,
Sofia, Nicole, Richyth and Susan

Saturday July 20, 2019

Today was an awesome day for all of us in Costa Rica! We had delicious pancakes for breakfast with hash browns and lots of watermelon. Soon after, we left to go on a raft tour down the San Carlos River. On our excursion we saw howler monkeys, a crocodile, lots of birds, and a sloth! After finishing our river tour, our rafting guide Jorge taught us how to make hot chocolate using cocoa powder, sugar, and powdered milk.

We then finished this activity with some tasty tortillas and plantains! On our way back to home base we stopped off at a local supermarket to stock up on some Costa Rican snacks. We then had lunch and enjoyed a relaxing and cooling dip in the lake. We then played some introductory games and proceeded to create illustrations to represent our personal “Story of Self.” To finish our day we enjoyed hamburgers and fries for our dinner!

More fun to come!
Mia, Rachel and Chloe

Sunday July 21, 2019

Daily Dose of Dee and Dani

Hola amigos! Today was day four of our journey in Costa Rica. We started off the day with yoga at 7:00am and followed with a delicious Costa Rican breakfast. We then had a group simulation of how bananas are sold and had to figure out the best way to split the profit. We learned what actually happens when the money is split and talked about how the workers are often treated. We then had a scrumptious lunch consisting of chicken straight from the grill. We then boarded the fun bus and made our way to the Finca de Piña, or Pineapple Farm (Spanish word of the day!)

We saw the way pineapples were picked and sliced. We then boarded a tractor and took a tour of the farm. On the tour, we each got many tastes of the juicy pineapples that were freshly picked. When we arrived back at the farm, we were treated to pineapple empanadas, pineapple marmalade, and piña coladas (alcohol free of course ;)). When we got back to home base we played an EPIC game of kickball! Group two won by seven points. We learned more about our mentors as they shared their “Stories of Self” with us. We then headed straight to dinner and were treated with some sick pasta! Thanks for tuning in! Pura Vida!

Love,
Dee and Dani

Monday July 22, 2019

Hello! We started our morning doing yoga at 6:15am, and then we went to breakfast and had pancakes with eggs and hash browns. After our delicious meal, we got ready for service at our two schools: Santa Teresa and Chacón. At Santa Teresa, we played soccer, kickball, duck duck goose, made bracelets, played hide and seek and taught some of the students words in English.

At Chacón, we pulled weeds from the garden, painted desks and benches, and visited the Science Fair that the students were having. Later in the afternoon, we hopped on a bus and visited the hot springs. We enjoyed swimming in pools of various temperatures but most of all the water slide that went 20 MILES PER HOUR!!! We stayed there for a few hours and then came back to home base where we told stories of our lives and ourselves and enjoyed a dinner of rice, chicken and beans. Now we are off to bed 🙂

Love,
Charlie and Sophie

Tuesday July 23, 2019

Hola! Today was another amazing day in beautiful Costa Rica! We started the day with breakfast and divided into our service groups. Two of our service groups went to Chacón (which is the bigger school), and the other went to Santa Teresa, which is just down the street. At Santa Teresa, we helped renovate the school by cleaning the walls and painting the ceiling. Even though there was no school in session, on breaks we were able to play soccer and kickball with the kids.

At Chacón, we began weeding their vegetable garden until we were able to interact with the children. We played a variety of games with them that they introduced to us and we introduced to them. Overall, the kids were eager to learn English, and we were happy to teach it to them.

After working at the schools, we came back to home base and had lunch. Then we continued to have lake time where some of us went kayaking while others hung out by the dock. Later in the evening, we met with our mentor groups, where we were able to get to know our mentors and talk about the different aspects of leadership. One of the highlights of the day was attending a cooking class, where we learned how to make veggie burgers. Alfredo also taught us how to make the perfect empanada. Both were absolutely delicious, and we will be bringing the recipe home to all of our families!

After the cooking class, we had “Story of Self” where friends on the trip were able to share their history, about themselves, and their purpose for attending the program. To top off the day, we celebrated Alfredo’s son’s birthday with cake and ice cream!! We are sadly quickly approaching the halfway point of our stay here in Costa Rica, but we are excited to see what’s left to come! We miss you all dearly!

Signing off!
Sarah, Nicole, and Hannah 🙂 <3

Wednesday July 24, 2019

Good evening parents! Today as the students of GLA, we went to service with both groups completing our volunteer work through either painting benches and weeding the herbs/veggie garden at the large middle school, or washing and painting the outside of the small elementary school. At the middle school, we experienced a celebration of the independence of Guanacaste, performing local dances and explaining the different regional foods- a wonderful opportunity for cultural immersion! Some of our fellow GLA students at the elementary school also relished the opportunity to practice their Spanish with the local staff whilst repainting the outside of the school, to which the staff were greatly impressed with their linguistic skills.

After a hot and humid day at service, we were treated to ice creams before eagerly jumping into the lake to cool off. To our delight, we put our lovely home base owner, Alfredo’s, esteemed coffee to the test, comparing it to a popular favourite in Costa Rica from which it was unanimously concluded that Alfredo’s was by far the most delicious! We then spent time continuing our ‘Story of Self’ in which students boldly talked about their lives in front of their peers, evoking a stronger sense of friendship between us as we get to know our newfound friends more. We cannot wait for what tomorrow brings us here in paradise! 🙂 Thank you for reading!

Peace and ciao,

Soph the Goat and Molly B 🙂

Thursday July 25, 2019

¡Hola from San Carlos!

Today was the start of our second week in Costa Rica! Yoga was an option this morning for some early risers; however, we chose to catch up on our beauty rest. We started our eventful day with a delicious breakfast of pancakes and strawberries. One service group went to the Santa Teresa school to continue cleaning and painting the exterior walls of the school building.

While, the other two service groups spent their time weeding the garden as well as painting several desks at the Chacón school. After spending time at both schools, everyone was treated to a Peruvian lunch. Manolo, our dance instructor, made a traditional dish consisting of rice, chicken, sausage, egg and scallions for us all to enjoy.

Shortly after, we trekked across the field, avoiding the many ant hills, to the yellow house for a dance lesson. We learned salsa, bachata and a traditional Costa Rican swing dance. It was super fun to experience Costa Rican culture through movement. Later on, our mentors showed us a parody video on “voluntourism” and we broke into smaller groups to discuss true service learning.

Afterwards, individuals were given the opportunity to share their “Story of Self.” We ended the day with yummy taquitos, some of us not noticing the toothpick. Looking forward to another fun-filled day of even funner activities.

¡Pura vida!

xoxo, Betsy and Maddie (aka the best leaders of the day)

P.S. Hi mom! Oh, and dad.

Friday July 26, 2019

Hi everyone. Today we had another eventful day of service and a visit to a local zoo. In service, we were split up into groups. One group went to the smaller school and continued to paint and fix classrooms while the other group painted benches and weeded in the garden. After service, we had a delicious lunch of fried chicken and more rice and beans. Yum!

After lunch, we had an hour to rest before we headed to the zoo. During our visit to the zoo, we saw many different animals unique to Costa Rica. Something interesting about the zoo is that it is an animal rescue center, so instead of locking up animals, they take care of them until they are ready to return to the wild. Lucky for us, it was very rainy 🙂 I think we would all agree that the best part of our trip today was buying ice cream and snacks at the end of our visit.

We drove through a nice scenic route on the way back after it stopped raining, where we saw many mountains, schools, local communities, and other Costa Rican animals. Finally, we concluded our exciting day by sharing our “Stories of Self” and a pasta dinner. Lucky for the parents, you get to see all of your favorite children in just four short days! We can’t wait to share the rest of our journey soon. Peace out.

Julia, Genevieve, and Maddie L.

Saturday July 27, 2019

Good morning to all reading this! This morning we started our day off with delicious fluffy pancakes, pineapple, and gallo pinto. Then, half of our group went on a hike around Alfredo’s property. The hike was hot but had amazing views of lakes and country side and cattle. While half of the group was on the hike, the other half went to Santa Teresa (the small school down the road) to finish up painting one of the classrooms.

We then had chicken, rice, beans, and veggies for lunch. We went on a snack run to Walmart and saw a beautiful small mountain town. Then, students went to McDonald’s and a local bakery where they got fresh smoothies and pie. On our trip to town we saw Arenal Volcano and a lot of other beautiful scenery because it was less cloudy today! We had a great day and can’t wait for the following days!

Josie and Anika

Sunday July 28, 2019

¡Hola GLAmilia! Today was an eventful Day 11 for the Children’s Initiative here in Costa Rica. The group split up for a day of adventure in horseback riding and zip-lining. Near La Fortuna we conquered fears and trekked and explored around the local volcano, Arenal. Horseback riding was led by our experienced in house rider, Dee, where we made our way through the jungle, across streams, through the rain, by waterfalls, and to the top of a mountain for a breathtaking view of Costa Rica.

At zip-lining the group suited up and got a quick practice round before venturing into the canopies of Costa Rica. We rode on 12 lines, each one more thrilling than the last. At one of the lines, we even zipped at around 1000 feet. Adding to the wonders of our trip, both groups spotted sloths (they look more like coconuts) among the trees. We made our way back to home base for a quick souvenir and ice cream stop in La Fortuna.

By chance, the city was celebrating their 50th anniversary and we danced to the parades in the streets. Afterwards we got back to home base and finished up our stories of selves and settled in for another night after a long day of fun. ¡Buenas noches!

-by Dana, Emma and Arden

Monday July 29, 2019

Hello GLA Family,

We had an amazing day today here in Costa Rica! We started off our day with some delicious pancakes and fresh fruit. We then headed over to service. One group got to help around the garden and in the classrooms at Chacón. Another group painted the finishing touches at Santa Teresa so that when the children return to school on Wednesday, their building will be totally repainted!

Afterward, we had some lunch and went to a local dairy farm. We got to milk a cow and see how milk and cheese is made. We even got to try some! We came back to home base and took a refreshing dip in the lake.

After, during mentor groups we reflected on our personal goals for post-GLA, and then we created a group goal for when we return home.

In the evening we enjoyed a scrumptious dinner, and celebrated a birthday with some cake! We were even more surprised with a bonfire to conclude another wonderful day!

Adiós,
Kayla, Lily & Kristina

Tuesday July 30, 2019

This morning we had our last yoga session at 7am. Then, we had breakfast at 8am. After breakfast, we all came together and planned for our summer camp with the kids from Santa Teresa. The kids came to home base around 9am, and then we began playing games with all of them. Many of the girls decided to color, make bracelets, and draw while most of the boys decided to play soccer and run around in the field. We also went down to the deck and played musical games with the kids.

They LOVED playing musical chairs and freeze dance, and we loved watching them sing and dance. After our music games, we came back to the main house and continued drawing and hanging out with the kids. We also had face paint, and the kids loved drawing all over our arms and legs in all the different colors. The kids left around 12:45pm, and we had lunch at 1pm. At 2pm, we talked about the big airport trip tomorrow and we all packed and got organized. We also had lake time for the last time. Most of us decided to dress up for our last night here so after lake time we all got ready and went down to the deck to take pictures with all of our new friends that we are sad to say goodbye to.

We then did some goodbye activities which included an appreciation circle where our peers would tap our back when one of the mentors said a statement that described someone else. After that, we all got a piece of paper taped to our back and all of our peers wrote on the paper a nice message or word so we can remember everyone. We had our last dinner at 7:30pm where we all sat together and said thank you to Alfredo for having us at his home. We have had a great session here and have all made friends that we will have for a long time.

– by Hunter and Lauren

Time Capsule Letter

Hey Session 2!!!

We hope you are all off to a great start of your school year and that your OMG (One Meaningful Goal) is coming along nicely. We can’t wait to see what you’ve accomplished so far! We have certainly been missing you all and still thinking about our awesome two weeks together everyday. I am sure you all have shared many stories and memories with your friends and families – now, we want to share some with you!

What first comes to mind is our trip to the pineapple farm, where we met two new friends to add to our group of 22: Michael and Justin. Watching them slice up fresh pineapple for us was such a cool (and tasty!) experience, and I’m sure no tour will ever compare to Michael’s hilarious commentary. We also can’t forget our most adventurous day of horseback riding and zip-lining. That was such a great way to kick off our trip and to celebrate Hannah’s birthday!

We were all so proud of those who conquered their fears that day and tried something brand new. Of course, we hope everyone is still enjoying a treat from one of our other favorite activities – a personal presentation on coffee growing and tasting by the man, the myth, the legend: Alfredo! What a unique opportunity it was to learn from someone so passionate about their trade!

Aside from all of our adventures outside of home base, some of our most favorite memories occurred when we were all just spending time together. We will never forget hearing about various cuddle puddles and coffee chats, guessing who would be the next one to wear the crazy red sunglasses, singing along to Disney songs, trying to figure out who/what the heck DJ Juul is, and many, many more.

So many bonding moments brought our group so close together. We also loved listening to everyone’s Story of Self. It takes courage to share something so personal, and it was a privilege for us that you all chose to open up in that way.

Lastly, let’s remember perhaps the most challenging, but meaningful, part of our trip: service. Do you all remember how hard it was to say goodbye to the neighborhood kids? They absolutely loved you!

Each and every one of you made special connections with them, and that is something that both you and they can cherish forever. We also accomplished so much in our renovation project at Chacón! Those students now have freshly painted desks, and the teachers got a classroom makeover. That is not something that they are always able to prioritize, so it’s a big deal that we were able to do it for them.

All in all, we spent an incredible two weeks together. We hope that this program has inspired you to “be the change” (don’t forget the backwards ‘e’) in your lives back home. On our end, it is an honor to be a part of that! We will never forget any of you, and we hope you stay in touch and reach out to us for absolutely anything. We are more than happy to help you in any way possible. For now, keep being awesome, keep changing lives, and keep living your lives in the same way that we spent our short time together: “dummie lit.”

Love,
Sofia, Nicole, and Susan

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Tuesday July 2, 2019

Greetings from San Carlos, Costa Rica!

Today we had an eventful first day at the airport. Students arrived at all different hours and from all different parts of the world. For some it’s their first time out of the country, while others have more experience. Everyone is looking forward to the next two weeks in Costa Rica. We arrived at our home base in San Carlos in time for our first meal together where our local director, Alfredo, was waiting for us with plenty of spaghetti and garlic bread. We got acquainted with roommates, explored home base a bit and some had time for a nice game of pool. Everyone is ready for a good night’s rest and a great first full day together tomorrow.

Hasta mañana,
Sofia, Nicole and Susan

*Not pictured in group photo Lalie Montagnier (she went to bed early after a long day of travel)

Wednesday July 3, 2019

¡Hola a todos!

Today was a first full day here at the Casa de Alfredo. We went through many different orientation activities which allowed everyone to get to know each other and learn more about our hopes and expectations during these next few weeks. Some fun activities included: learning one another’s hopes and fears, a turn and talk, a scavenger hunt and community agreements.

We also had time at the lake where people swam and got to use the kayaks. Since the students here in Costa Rica are currently on holiday, we have the opportunity to create a summer camp on Alfredo’s property. We started planning a variety of activities and games for the students so that we are prepared for their arrival on Friday. Tomorrow we will be visiting a nearby school, Chacón, where we will continue the work of the first Initiative for Children session- refurbishing school desks and chairs. Now it is time to get some rest.

Hasta mañana,
Sofia, Nicole and Susan

Thursday July 4, 2019

Hola desde Costa Rica and happy Fourth of July for all celebrating!

Today was packed with fun-filled action. Some began the day with yoga; others woke up just in time for coffee and locally grown pineapple. We then went to one of the schools in the area to refurbish the desks and help out in the gardens. Our group came home to a delicious lunch, followed by a two hour long bachata and salsa lesson. After a small break and some lake time we had a mentor group activity discussing regional commerce and planned the summer camp activities for tomorrow. Finally, we had burritos for dinner and then a bonfire as an ode to Independence Day in the United States!

Con amor, Gadea and Christian :>)

Friday July 5, 2019

Good day to all!

Today was the first day of summer camp! We had many different activities with local children. We played soccer, kickball and tag. We also had the wonderful opportunity to teach English through games such as animal charades, dancing or bracelet making. Also, we all learned a great amount of Spanish by simply hanging out with them and during lunch.

After lunch, we relaxed at the lake for an hour after a tiring morning with our new Costa Rican friends! We then got the opportunity to learn about the history of coffee in Costa Rica and about coffee making and quality, thanks to Alfredo whose family has been making coffee for nearly two hundred years. After a long albeit fruitful day, we were able to relax once again by the lake and admire the clear and beautiful sky!

-by Lalie

Saturday July 6, 2019

Hola a todos y pura vida!

We started the day off with going to a raft tour through the San Carlos river. We saw different animals like crocodiles, monkeys, beautiful birds, sloths and also many different kinds of trees. It was very hot but very interesting to learn about the fauna and flora of Costa Rica. When the tour ended, we tried some typical Costa Rican food, and it tasted delicious. When we came back to the house we began to share our “Stories of Self” in order to get to know each other better. After a long day, we had time to relax and have fajitas for dinner together.

-Leti and Olivia <3

Sunday July 7, 2019

Buenos tiempos!

We started the day by splitting into two groups for our two main activities. These activities were horseback riding and zip-lining. Horseback riding was thrilling because the guides took us up mountains to see part of the volcano and the amazing view. We also got to run through the field with the horses which gave us all an adrenaline rush. Secondly was zip-lining and it was breathtaking. The views from the treetops were one a kind. Rain or shine we all had such an amazing day, only to end it with a party! We celebrated Hannah’s sweet sixteenth birthday with cake and candy (sugar overload)!

-Lauren & Lily 🙂

Monday July 8, 2019

Hola amigos y familia!

Today marked the halfway point in our GLA adventure, and it was a fun one! However many times the rain got in the way, it was still one impactful day! We started it off with a great breakfast and then a trip to the school we had visited earlier in the week to continue our service. We left off having prepped the desks for painting which we completed today. All was well until it started pouring down rain in the middle of our work which made us relocate to the gymnasium. We came back to home base covered in blue from our hard work.

Then we changed into swimsuits and headed out to the hot springs, which is a naturally heated pool of water. We had to for the rain to calm until we could get in, but once we did it was very relaxing. We even found a water slide where many races to the bottom took place. We had chicken, french fries, rice and beans for dinner. Overall a wonderful first half to the trip.

Hasta luego,

Maggie y Zoe

Tuesday July 9, 2019

Another beautiful day with the kids, and more working at Chacón, the bigger school. It was a rainy morning here in Costa Rica, and we were worried that none of the kids would be able to come. Thankfully, we ended up having more than expected!

To start off our wonderful day, we began with drawing and friendship bracelet making. Next, we played freeze dance, tag, and an intense game of soccer. To finish off our incredible day, we ate a fantastic lunch. During the second half of the day, a second group of us went and completed service at Chacón. We continued to paint the children’s desks.

After our meaningful work was done, we all met back at Home Base, and got ready to go to a dairy farm close by. There, we got to milk the cows and learn how cheese was made. Later that night, we got a cooking class from the chefs. We made homemade empanadas and veggie burgers for dinner: they were delightful. At the end of the night, we all gathered in a judgement free zone, and listened to our fellow GLA members, share their amazing life stories.

¡Hasta pronto!

Hannah and Willie

Wednesday July 10, 2019

Hello, this is Amanda and Abigail. We are your blog narrators today!! Today was pretty snazzy – we painted many desks and chairs at the school we have been working at, Chacon. While we were at Chacon, our group discovered a craving for chicken nuggets. Nicole, Susan and Sophia, being the true ballers that they are, finagled a trip to Ciudad Quesada so we could go to McDonald’s and get chicken nuggets.

We also went to Walmart which was very fancy and got more snacks for us all. We ate a traditional Costa Rican din din called “ollacarne” and it was very smack. Our day overall was pretty fantabulous!!!! We are so excited to spend more time at the school to help renovate and play with the coolest kids ever. Amanda and Abigail out!!!!!!

PS… Hey mom what’s poppin’ in Apex??

Thursday July 11, 2019

Good day to all!

Today sadly was our last day at the Chacón school. As such, we were all extremely motivated to get as much work done as possible in the short amount of time that we had. We managed to finish painting all of the desks, chairs and benches in a beautiful combination of blue and gray. We were all very euphoric at the idea that Costa Rican children would now be able to learn in a better environment.

After lunch, we all went to visit a pineapple plantation about an hour away from home base. We all got to taste delicious fresh organic pineapples as well as other foods made of pineapples such as empanadas or piña coladas (non alcoholic, of course). Michael, our legendary tour guide made the experience miles better with his dark albeit sarcastic sense of humour.

After a long day, we were able to devour Alfredo’s delicious hamburgers in preparation for our last day with the kids tomorrow!

And how many other people can say that, mom? (Melo)

-by Karl & Melo

Friday July 12, 2019

Good day to all! Today was our last day with the children from Santa Teresa. We started off by playing soccer and making bracelets. We then started a game of musical chairs and did some face painting. The moment finally arrived after lunch when we had to say goodbye to all of the Costa Rican children, considering it was the last time we would see them on this trip.

Many people were quite emotional after having spent a couple of days with these very nice kids who perfectly integrated into the group. We spent the next couple of hours in doing yoga taught my own very own mentor Nicole, swimming in the lake, and even some napping after a very eventful week. We then ate a delicious spaghetti dinner to end a satisfying day.

From,
Henri

Saturday July 13, 2019

Howdy. This morning started off with a wonderful coffee chat (Jonas @the.fam.jonas and Sela @selakeating are the creators) followed by an equally as wonderful cuddle puddle. Unfortunately, the cuddle puddle came to an end when we went on a hike – we all survived (the heat). After returning to home base and dousing ourselves in water, we had a delicious lunch prepared by our bestie Alfredo.

Then, the cuddle puddles continued until it was time to leave for the zoo. It was pretty rad except for the deer that followed us around. On the way home, we bussed down to Disney music and stopped at the souvenir shop. ‘Twas lit fam. We split into mentor groups and learned about how to apply the knowledge we acquired in Costa Rica to our lives back home. We also started an a capella group. In summary: dummie lit. Time to hit the hay!!

Sela Keating and Jonas Lippert
P.S. Hey Laura

Sunday July 14, 2019

Dearest Parents,

Tonight is not a night for sadness. Tonight is a night of gratitude. We have all been in close quarters for two weeks and bonded seemingly on the first day. We are grateful for those of us who are a shoulder to cry on, whether it be in hoots or in wails. We are grateful for those who make us remember why we love the children, whether they themselves are children or not.

We are grateful for the lack of judgement, allowing for our true selves to peak out behind our masks. Tonight cannot be a night for sadness, because the only thing sadder than leaving these amazing students, these selfless staff members, and these caring mentors would be to mope our last hours together away rather than living the pura vida. Tears will be shed, that is inevitable, yet more importantly smiles will be shared.

I want to thank you all for being so invested in us and making this all possible. Without you, I (Jack Healy) would not have been able to meet some of the best people I’ve ever met in my life. All of us came together in some odd mixture of chaos and openness, and out sprouted a family tree. We have gone through thick and thin, been there for each other, and realized how big of an impact we can make.

I feel as though I am a new man, and I’m ready to take what I’ve learned here and make the best out of what’s around at home. As this is a night of gratitude, I want to thank you again for making me and many others feel the happiest they’ve ever been. I am currently getting eaten by bugs, and I need to get out of this chair. Jack is signing off, and goodnight.

Time Capsule Letter

The two weeks in June spent on Alfredo’s farm in San Carlos, Costa Rica were tremendously memorable. As we flew in from various parts of the United States and abroad we loaded into vans to head back to the home base site. Lush greenery and mountainous views aided the excitement of the volunteers.

We began to make friends and slowly open up to one another as we introduced our various hopes and fears as one of our orientation activities. On day three we celebrated Arbor Day by inviting young students from a nearby school called Santa Teresa to plant trees at the home base property, and we loved the opportunity to practice our Spanish.

The following day we integrated into the two partner schools. We taught in classrooms, started sanding desks for the larger school, and played games with the Tico youth. As the days progressed so did our activities, and on the twentieth of June a dance instructor visited the home base and gave us all an incredible lesson on both salsa and bachata.

One of the most notable aspects of this program was the rural location on a lake near a pineapple farm, and the food certainly was memorable as well. On June 22nd our group went rafting down the river near Muelle, a town nearby. We splashed each other and saw wildlife we will never forget such as alligators, sloths, monkeys, and birds.

During that evening we were given an opportunity to try Alfredo’s coffee that he considered to be some of the most delicious in the region. On Sunday students had a great time riding horses near Arenal Volcano and ziplining. This was the first time horseback riding for many of the volunteers and many mentioned that it was one of the most beautiful experiences.

While our experiences varied from getting to visit a farm where we milked cows to ziplining, some of the best moments were spent by the lake swimming and playing games. We danced, laughed, sang karaoke, and enjoyed the beautiful view from home base.

As the days began to close in toward the end of the program many of us were sad to leave the young students we had bonded with. Our last day at Santa Teresa school we viewed traditional dances from students and we performed our own dance from the United States.

It was truly a beautiful moment for the group to be immersed in both cultures. In conclusion, we created friendships with local students and among one another which we will never forget. Language usage increased dramatically toward the end of the program and we left their comfort zones on various occasions.

Thanks to our help, we were able to leave the students with desks and chairs in better conditions than before. From our time shared in smaller groups with mentors to group activities led by our director, these two weeks in June were unforgettable for all of us.

Pura vida,

Keaton, Sofia, Susan and Nicole

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Sunday June 16, 2019

Hola desde Costa Rica!

After a long journey for many, all the students made it safe and sound to San Jose. Some of the earlier arrivals had a chance to visit a nearby mall and even met pickachu. We all made it to home base in time for a delicious meal that included grilled pork and pineapple, mashed potatoes, and a variety of veggies arranged by Alfredo, our local director. Tomorrow starts our first full day in the country, and we are looking forward to what the day will bring.

Saludos,
Sofia, Keaton, Nicole and Susan

Monday June 17, 2019

Hola a todos,

Today was our first full day on the program. We had a busy day filled with orientation, get to know you activities and lake time. Everyone got in the lake for a bit- whether it was using the kayaks or just swimming in the temperate waters. On the dock we played pool and participated in a conga line. We also got to know our mentor groups. At dinner we practiced one of our community agreements, inclusiveness, by uniting all the tables. Tomorrow we’re excited to begin working with one of the two schools where we will be doing our service.

Hasta mañana,
Sofia, Keaton, Susan y Nicole

Tuesday June 18, 2019

Hey guys,

So today was our first real day of service. We got to sleep in a little and started the day off with breakfast at 8:00 and the option of yoga at 7:15. After breakfast we went over games and stuff that we could do with the kids. The kids came at 10:00; they came from a small school of about 15 from down the road. We paired up and planted trees with them then played games incorporated with english words. The kids ate lunch at 11:30 and after that we said our goodbyes.

Later we got a tour of the cows and learned more about them. We also took a walk up the property and got to see a small nearby church. After, we spent time swimming in the lake, met in our mentor groups to talk about our “story of self,” and had dinner. We all had so much fun getting to meet all of the little kids for the first time even though some were a bit shy. It was a good chance to practice Spanish!

We really look forward to getting to interact with them even more.

-by Kayleigh and Trever

Wednesday June 19, 2019

Hello everyone!

This morning after breakfast we split up into two different service groups. One went to the small school, Santa Teresa, down the road from home base, and the other group went to the bigger school, Chacón. At the small school the GLA students helped teach the children their ABCs. We played soccer and danced with the children and helped bring color to the school by painting the bathrooms. At the bigger school, we helped repair chairs and desks. We also helped teach the children different words in English. After lunch back at home base, we learned how to cook homemade veggie burgers and empanadas. For dessert we celebrated Ellie’s birthday with cake, ice cream, and fruit salad.

See you later,
Eden and Chaeli

Thursday June 20, 2019

We started the day at 7 a.m. with warm pancakes and syrup from Alfredo. We split up into our service groups, with Susan’s group going to the smaller school, Santa Teresa, and Keaton and Nicole’s groups going to Chacón. At Santa Teresa, we taught them some animal names in English and played Pictionary, before splitting up even further to play soccer and dance. The kids had a lot of fun teaching us traditional dances, and some even drew us pictures. At Chacón, we refurbished old desks for the students. We also played tag and ninja with the younger students.

After lunch back at Home Base, we learned two traditional Latin American dances; the salsa and bachata. We started off learning the basic steps, but soon we partnered up and mastered some harder techniques. After the dance class, we got some well-deserved free time, and most of us spent it cooling off in the lake. Our day ended with our usual Chow Circle, and burritos for dinner.

Chao!

-by Ananya and Erica

Friday June 21, 2019

As another day in the GLA program passes by, new experiences do along with it. But today brought new adventures that the other students and I were all eager to embark upon. After a standard, but much appreciated breakfast we visited a Spanish elementary school to paint chairs and desks for future students, and show off some dance moves to the eager children. Subsequently the GLA group visited a lecheria (dairy farm) where we were all thoroughly immersed in the unique process of milking cows and uncovering the behind the scenes of farm life.

Finally, upon return to home base, we all dove into the unwinding atmosphere of the property lake, swimming and playing games has become a habit here. Finally we concluded the night with riveting performances of various kids in a home base karaoke night! Even though the beat has stopped, the music of Spanish culture continues to play within us all. As we have all learned to say: “Pura Vida!”

Christine and Keshav

Saturday June 22, 2019

Today our group woke up to a series of rainstorms that lasted throughout the day. After a group favorite breakfast of pancakes, we went rafting down the San Carlos river where we saw all sorts of species of animals including crocodiles, howler monkeys, snakes, and bats. After rafting we were brought back to a lookout where we were treated with fresh tortillas, cheese, plantains, and a series of Costa Rican coffee. Much to our surprise, we were able to go to a supermarket after rafting to stock up on all of the junk food that we have been missing out on.

To further add to our learning aspect of our trip, our very own Alfredo taught the group about the history and cultural aspects behind coffee. This activity allowed for the group to try two different types of coffee and compare and contrast. To end off the day, many people played in the rainstorms to distract them from the heat. Finally to wind down, we broke off into mentor groups to further dive into each individuals personal life. Can’t wait for you all to see the exciting blog tomorrow!! Bye!!!

-Barrett and Ellie

Sunday June 23, 2019

Hola amigos!

Today we had an eventful start to our second week of the program. We started the morning extra early with our traditional breakfast of eggs and fruit. We then split our group into two to different sections to go zip lining and horseback riding. Each group got the chance to experience both activities with a lunch in between. During the horseback riding we learned how to control the horses and took a trail ride up to the base of Arenal Volcano. We rode between rivers and through the cloud forest. The zip lining course took place in the same area. There was a series of ziplines that varied in length and speed. After our adventures zip lining and and horseback riding, we went souvenir shopping in the town of La Fortuna and got ice cream. We look forward continuing volunteer work out the school tomorrow!

Hasta pronto!

Hallie, Mae, and Elli K.

Monday June 24, 2019

Today we were done with our weekend break and back to the schools for community service. At Santa Teresa, we taught them more English by playing various games with the children such as Red Rover, Duck Duck Goose, Kick Ball, and Soccer. The kids there loved all the games and were very excited to play. At Chacón, we began removing weeds on the walls of the school. Later, more chairs and desks arrived that needed to be broken down, sanded and then painted. Some of us got to work with the kids in classrooms today, and the rest will tomorrow.

After service, we came back and ate lunch and then changed to get ready for hot springs. It was chill and relaxing to sit in the hot springs after a long day of service. Afterward, we had more free time before dinner. We had pork, noodles with tuna, and yucca (a traditional Costa Rican dish). We then had more free time before we went to bed and fell asleep.

By:

-Ian, Oliver, and Sahil

Tuesday June 25, 2019

This morning we woke up to a sunny day and had a great typical Costa Rican breakfast with gallo pinto and scrambled eggs. After breakfast Bigotes, our driver, took us to the school where we taught second graders how to say and identify animals and fruits. Then the kids had recess and we played soccer, duck duck goose and did the hokie pokie. When their recess was over, we taught the kids about their family trees and how to says Grandpop, Grandmom, Mother and Father in English.

After service, Bigotes drove us back to home base so we would have a quick lunch before heading to the pineapple farm. Later that afternoon we arrived at the pineapple farm to a refreshing cup of a fresh and smooth pineapple juice. We then continued to get on the tour bus and toured the property of the pineapple farm where a very funny tour guide gave us samples of pineapple and told us about the history of pineapple farming in Costa Rica. We are now about to finish off our fun-filled day with a bonfire.

-Elizabeth, Afonso, and Temile

Wednesday June 26, 2019

Hello everyone, greetings from Costa Rica! Today was a very eventful day. We first went to Chacon for service. At Chacon, we painted chairs and desks to help renovate the classrooms. We also gardended and worked with the kids in their English classes. Shortly after, we visited a wildlife conservatory where we found an array of native animals such as monkeys, birds, snakes, and much more. After the zoo, we had a traditional Costa Rican dinner called ollacarne which consisted of a soup with beef, corn, and yucca. We finished the day off by practicing many different dance routines that we will present to the children of Santa Teresa tomorrow.

Hasta luego,
Jess, McKenna and Neel

Thursday June 27, 2019

Buenos días!

We started off our day with a traditional Costa Rican breakfast and then headed down to Escuela Santa Teresa (the smaller school), where we participated in their Arts and Education Festival and played musical chairs with the children. We had the opportunity to see them dress up and perform a series of customary dances. In turn, we shared a classic American dance: the Cotton Eyed Joe. Afterwards, we said our goodbyes to the children at the smaller school, as it was our last day volunteering there and had our final mentor group once we returned to home base. We spent our afternoon having a rainy lake day and creating several goals for ourselves for the next year. Later, we witnessed many karaoke performances to songs such as “Firework” and “Don’t Stop Me Now” and ended the evening with another home-cooked meal provided by our GLA staff.

Hasta luego!

Eleanor and Molly

Friday June 28, 2019

Today was our last full day here in Costa Rica! To start off the day, we traveled to Chacón, the larger school, where our group finished painting, and crafting together the desks for the children. Sadly, after a long day of work, our group had to say our final goodbyes to all of the children that we had worked with thus far. When our group arrived at home base, we all gathered together to play a series of games including personality games as well as silly ones.

These activities gave our group one final time to really grow closer to each other and value everyone as a group. Looking back on our two weeks in Costa Rica, our group reminisced over all of the fun and unforgettable times we had experienced together. After thanking our hardworking staff, eating a homemade dinner, and talking to each other for hours, our group finally wound down and said our final goodbyes to one another. Thank you all for experiencing this trip with us! Bye!!!!!

-by Chloe and Caroline