Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Hola amigos!

So it’s been a while you all left Costa Rica and beautiful Bahia Ballena behind, and took all your great memories home. Wow, how time flies! I can still remember the first evening in Pacande, filled with never ending name games and pizza. By the time we got down to home base we were sure it would be a great session, as you guys were already making friends and mixing! That session was such a memorable one. How many tree protectors did we make?! I still remember Ali and Liz hammering in the rain, and the look on their faces when they finished, epic! The dance class was definitely a highlight, and Victoria was rocking it in the traditional dress, with Pilar and Ben tearing it up in the Kumbia. Of course, who could forget the amazing singers we had in the group…Ilana and Carmen NEED to record a duet together, and Bella wowed us with that hidden voice in the talent show, beautiful. Speaking of the talent show, Regina and Rodrigo’s dance was definitely…memorable!

One of the highlights for me was the trip to Corcovado. Despite the rain, it was such an epic day. We saw monkeys, koatis, a bazillion different trees and insects, and although Jenna was on the hunt for a sloth which never materialized, it was still pretty epic. Seeing the whales was just unreal, even if Emma and Jenna were nearly lost from our boat as the driver made quick turns at an insane speed!

Chilling at home base was always fun, and the hammock you guys so kindly got us has made it more homely. The games of Mafia were so fun, especially with Cesar as the narrator, what a poet. The never ending games of spit with Maddie, yahtze and rummy with Lilly, Lyla and Rylan, or watching Lilly play a guitar like a ukelele, home base was a special place. I even have a special place in my heart for the scorpion that appeared in Ilana, Leah and Jenna’s room, which incidentally came back to visit my room in session 3!

You guys all worked so hard at service. I remember Eric showing me how to saw when we were working on the litter museum at home base, and oriol working with one of the kids..cute! The museum Leah painted is all ready to be installed by the whale festival, and the tree nursery is growing so quickly.

All in all, what a fab session it was, with a fan bunch of young people. We are glad we got to be a part of it, and thank you guys for all the memories!

Besos x

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Summer Blog Posts

July 11, 2016

Buenos dias from Alajuela, Costa Rica!
After a long day yesterday for many of us travelling from many different parts,we are now on the way to beautiful Bahia Ballena and eager to get settled in to Home Base. Yesterday we had lunch in a place near our hotel, and got to know each other playing icebreakers and games. Our last student arrived at 8.30 last night, and we had pizza together before hitting the hay and recharging with a good nights sleep. We will take the bus down to Bahia today, (stopping off to see some crocodiles along the way!) and will send more news from there!

Hasta pronto,
The PTP team.

Day 3

Today was the third day of the GLA Protecting the Pacific program, we went surfing, cleaned up the beach, and went on a walk around the Ballia community. For the first half of the day, we went to the beach and were split into two groups. For the first 2 hours one group surfed while the other picked up trash along the beach and then switched activities for another 2 hours.  Travis, Henry, and Fabricio taught surfing and almost everyone managed to stand up on the surfboard. This was the first time surfing for many of us so it was a great experience. Wayne led the beach clean up and gave impromptu lessons on different trees and wildlife. During this, one group saw a family of monkeys and other animal.

After lunch Wane took us on a walk around the community, he taught us about different trees, plants, animals, customs and places. We learned that the mangos in the U.S.A and actually called Mangas, and that real mangos are actually much smaller and oranger. Before we went back to our home base we stopped at a supermarket and bought snackadoos.

Bella and Ben

July 14, 2016

At the start of day four of the GLA Protecting the Pacific program we started off the morning with a community service workshop here at the GLA home base. For this workshop we were working with wood to construct trash museums to showcase the litter that we collected from the beach on day three. Once complete, these displays will be placed at strategic locations (such as the entrances to beaches and/or inside businesses with heavy tourist traffic). The goal is to show people how they are impacting the Costa Rican environment with their waste. Our hope is that people will be ore conscious of how the dispose of their trash after seeing our displays.

After the service project we ate lunch and loaded into taxis, which took us to Forjando Alas. Forjando Alas is a nonprofit organization that runs after school programs for children in Uvita. We all got the privilege of meeting and interacting with the local children there during multiple cut-throat games of red light green light, heads up seven up, and soccer. The kids were super funny and adorable. After stopping for a quick snack of watermelon and bananas, we said goodbye to the kids and the local volunteers at Forjando Alas and drove through a downpour back to the GLA base. We wrapped up the day with some finnnnnnnnnne feed and a talk about “The Six R’s of Sustainability” with Travis.

-Elizabeth and Ally

 

7/15

Day 5

We woke up early and had a busy day from the start! Some of us decided to participate in an optional workout by the pool this morning before a delicious breakfast. Afterwards we bonded by sharing what we can offer the group and what we would like to learn. This led to some impromptu Spanish lessons, yoga classes, and guitar jam sessions. The vans picked us up for a bumpy ride to the mangrove where we had an amazing guided tour in kayaks. Completely immersed in nature, we saw some crocodiles (from a safe distance), ibis birds, tiger crabs, an American pygmy kingfisher, and plenty of other birds and insects and spiders. Although it did start raining on us towards the end, over all it was a very peaceful experience.

Upon returning to home base at the Canto de Ballena Hotel, we ate lunch and were visited by Anita, a dancer. She taught us different kinds of traditional dancing including merengue, salsa, and the traditional Costa Rican cumbia. She even brought a traditional dress for some of us to try on and dance in. Our day came to a close when Travis, the local GLA director came and talked to us about the importance of the mangrove and our actions effecting the environment. He inspired us into writing a letter to the Costa Rican government concerning the conservation of the mangroves and their importance in everyday life. They are an essential part of the ecosystem here and are very valued. Then we had another great dinner and some downtime with lots of rest to prepare for another day of adventure and action.

 

Rodrigo y Ilana

July 16, 2016

This morning we had an early start with a busy day ahead of us. 6:3o wake up and 7:00 breakfast. We began our adventure by heading to the beach. When arrived we split up into two groups. Group one started to collect trash and mangrove seeds intended for planting. The second half got into the water for some surfing and learned about the function of waves. After a two hour period both groups got some snacks and switched roles. During the service some students spotted monkeys, tucans, and other exotic trees. While the surfers learned all about the ocean and caught some gnarly waves. Following this the entire group went back to home base to get some lunch. After the group got some free time and later headed to participate in some more service work. As a group we headed to the tree nurseries where Travis assigned us with specific tasks. The group split into three subgroups. One worked of painting signs another touched up on paint work and the last group built tree protectors. Although it was quite rainy and super muddy we as a group made the best out of the situation and got a lot of work done. After a hard days work we arrived at the hotel to clean, play some games, and lastly eat dinner. We finished the day off with a great experience and a deep appreciation for our environment. Pura Vida!!

Leah Y Victoria

July 17, 2016

Today we woke up at 6:30. WE ate breakfast and headed to Vivero, the tree nursery. We were very productive today, painting signs and planting a variety of saplings. Three girls from the local community named Carol, Maria and Nicole, came to the nursery and helped us with our service. The group played “Drop the Sheet” to introduce ourselves to the girls and it was a lot of fun. After 4 hours of hard work, we headed back to the hotel for lunch. Following lunch, we had 2 hours of (much appreciated) free time, which was spent relaxing by the pool and laying in hammocks.

After this, Pilar and Travis came to the hotel to give us a presentation on “The Plastic Age.” Most people seemed very interested by the information Pilar gave us. We learned about the current and future impacts of the excessive use of plastic on the Earth and our every day lives. We split into groups and each group discussed how we could make small changes to form a solution for several overall problems. To end the day we had a delicious meal and prepared for the busy day ahead of us at Corcovado National Park.

Emma y Jenna

July 19, 2016

Today we had an early morning, waking up at 5AM for a delicious pancake and pineapple breakfast. After breakfast we walked to the beach, strapped on our life jackets, and prepared for a bumpy boat ride to Corcovado Nacional Park, located on the Osa Peninsula. Our boat ride was filled with laughs, plenty of rain, and the occasional whale spotting. We were lucky enough to watch a mother whale playing with her calf.
Once we arrived at Corcovado, we set out on a rainy adventure through the rain forest. We saw a variety of animals, including Spider monkeys, Howler monkeys, Sea Turtles, Coatimundi, Brown Pelicans, American Oyster Catchers, Trogons, Bats, and a Tiger Heron. Returning from our hike, we were met with a hearty lunch consisting of refried beans, rice and chicken, nachos, sandwiches, and fresh fruit. On the way back, we stopped for more whale watching, and saw dolphins and sea turtles as well. We arrived at the beach, made a pit stop at the supermarket, and finally dried off at the hotel. To end the day we ate a tasty meal consisting of rice, beans, plantain chips, and potatoes.
Eric and Regina

July 20, 2016

Today, we woke up at 6:30 for a breakfast of watermelon, eggs, homemade cheese and freshly baked bread. We left at 7:15 to go on a walk along the Whale Tail, which is a natural formation of volcanic rocks that forms the shape of a whale’s tail.  Our guide, Wayne, led us through the jungle and taught us about some of the animals and plants that exist there, along with some of the history of the town. We swam in the beautiful ocean and some of us got a little bit sunburned. After our adventure, we went shopping and bought some coconuts. We headed back to the hotel and had some lunch (consisting of salad, rice and beans, and a potato dish) and then free time. At 2, we headed over to Vivero (the tree nursery) and did some service, which consisted of painting signs, building benches, and cleaning up the property. We decorated tree protectors with the logo of Geoporter and painted beds for saplings. After, we walked over to the soccer field and played an awesome game of futbol with some locals. They were incredibly friendly and talented players. All who played were very sweaty, so when we got back to the hotel, we jumped in the pool for a refreshing swim. At the end of the day, we sat down for a delicious dinner of frittata, rice and beans, and plantain chips.

Carmen y Lili

 

 

July 20, 2016

We woke up at 6:30 for the usual breakfast. After this we went zip-lining which was extremely fun and I’m speaking on be-half of everyone when I say that. The views were absolutely amazing along with the fun ride up and down the mountain. After this we headed back to the hotel to have a great lunch consisting of salad and rice and beans. After lunch we were doing some service at Forjando Alas which consisted in helping to build the playground for the new Forjando Alas building. During the first hour of service it rained really hard therefore everyone ended up with there shoes covered in mud. After service we went back to the hotel for a fresh shower and the taco dinner.
-Rylan and Oriol

Day 11 July 21, 2016

We began the day with an early start of 6:30 a.m. We had our traditional breakfast of rice and beans, bread, queso, and fresh fruit. Our quote of the day by Thoreau was “an early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.” Taking that to heart, we began a long trek up to the waterfall and natural pool. Along the way Wayne, our guide, let us try some fresh sugar cane from a community member’s garden. The swim was refreshing after our long hike.
On the way back to Home Base, we stopped to do some souvenir shopping. We bought handmade bracelets, mugs, and t-shirts. We stopped at an artisan coffee shop, where we enjoyed nutella iced coffee, and maybe purchased some coffee grounds to bring home ;).
After returning to the hotel for lunch, we were treated to a cooking lesson from the awesome cooks of Canto de Ballenas. We made fresh salad, coconut rice, and delicious empenadas, which we enjoyed for dinner. While some were cooking in the kitchen, others were participating in various team-building activities.
During our free time we enjoyed an impromptu concert from the talented Carmen and Ilana. Then our mentor, Emily, taught a lesson about responsible consumerism. To be a responsible consumer, one must consider a product, where it came from, what you do with it, and how you dispose of it.
Looking forward to our last full day at Canto de Ballenas!
-Lily & Lyla

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

As Ric would say, “Hola chicos!”. Or, in Wale’s words: “Hey fam!”

How are things going back in the United States? Your International Director and Mentors miss you, and talk about memories from our time together often. From day one we knew you were a lively group with lots of personality, and that energy kept us going throughout our time together. Each of you was a special part of our GLA family and brought something unique to our experience here in Costa Rica. Because of you, I learned so much about what it means to be a leader, and to live life to the fullest!

It seems like our time together was only yesterday. Remember when we organized the nursery like bosses, passing baby trees down the assembly line? I’m glad nobody was stung by the huge scorpions we found. Rosbin talked about how grateful he was for your hard work two weeks later when we were back at Horizontes. The nursery still looks stellar, and will be filled with more little trees that will grow for hundreds of years! One of my best memories from Horizontes will always be our guide, Freddy, emerging from the darkness in his oversized rain poncho, machete in hand, ready to take us on our night hike in the pouring rain. Speaking of rain, who could forget our day at Coco Beach, when our peaceful ocean swim was interrupted by torrential downpour? At first we stayed in the water, but then darted back to shore when we realized our things were getting soaked (RIP Abbey’s sunglasses). Even though our plans for the day completely changed, your laughter and smiles made this one of my favorite memories of the summer. What about macheteing to save the Guaycan Trees? The tractor ride to the plantation was half the adventure. These trees will continue to grow, and who knows? Maybe one day one of you will bring your grandchildren to Costa Rica and show them the trees you helped protect!

I will always remember exploring hidden beaches, collecting seashells, and riding the rapids where the river fed into the ocean at Playa Iguanita.  And then of course, watching the sun set while eating the world’s best BBQ, complete with roasted pineapple and plantains.  After our hard work in the dry forest, camping at the beach was the perfect transition into our next week in the rainforest.

I loved seeing your faces when we arrived at Bromelias. I miss cooling off in the mineral pools at our beautiful Rainforest home base, watching the rain pour down from the safety of the comedor, and all of the beautiful plants that surrounded us there. Freja, how is your bullet ant bite doing? I hope you are telling all of your friends you survived the most painful insect bite of the rainforest! I checked in on the garden that some of you built at Buenos Aires, and sure enough, little green sprouts are popping up in rows! Soon the garden will be producing bunches of tomatoes, radishes, and chiles. The school has even begun clearing more land for garden plots to produce an abundance of healthy food for the students. It was our group that inspired this project! At Gavilan, the last GLA group of the summer worked to complete the tables and chairs that you began. This community space that you made out of tires and cement will bring a splash of color to the town, and will provide seating for all the soccer games to come!

We hope that with the new school year in swing, (some of you in college now!) you don’t forget the lessons you learned while here in Costa Rica. Each of you is a leader in a different way, and I cannot wait to see where your lives take you! You pushed yourselves out of your comfort zones, worked hard in the communities, asked many questions about yourselves and the world, and developed new friendships that we hope you don’t leave behind! Remember to keep in touch with your mentors and fellow GLA family members in the coming months (and years!).

With love,

Your Mentor Allie

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Summer Blog Posts

7/16

After an array of flights and layovers and car rides, it was unbelievably relieving to arrive at our destination! It is obvious that Costa Rica is incredibly ecologically and geographically diverse. The prominent greenery is so beautiful and pure, as we saw today in our first walk around Estación Experimental Forestall Horizontes (the dry forest). Due to late arrivals by Aurora A., Isabel A., Mayenga F., Merari R., and Raquel C., they are not in the picture below. I speak on behalf of the group when I say that we are all so exited to explore, learn, and achieve the sense of attainment when completing our projects. After a rather relaxed first day, there is so much in store for the next two weeks, and it is going to be great!

We are excited to meet the rest of our teammates tonight and tomorrow!

Written by Freja W.

7/16

It’s day two, and our final members of the group have thankfully finally arrived! Today we started our first community project. We began our reforestation project, working at the tree nursery and organizing the trees. It was super hot and sweaty but we’re all getting used to the heat. Everything here is beautiful and we’re all getting pretty comfortable with each other. So far the trip is amazing!

July 20, 2016
Today, we woke up on the beach after camping there in tents. The day before we took a huge army truck on an hour ride to Playa del Iguanita. Upon arrival, most of us went swimming after putting down our stuff. Some people went and split up to go kayaking and paddle boarding, and others went to explore the beach. When walking down to the end of the beach on high tide, there is a huge stream where a river flows into the ocean. Some of us went in the stream and it was like a natural water slide, it was so fun! After that, people kept swimming and relaxing until dinner was ready. We had a barbecue, which was delicious! We also had s’mores over a fire after dinner. Soon after, the tents were ready and people went to bed. The next day, day six, we woke up on the beach and had a quick breakfast. Some people went swimming or kayaking, while others sat by a small fire. We then went back to Horizontes on the same army truck, and when we got back we basically had all free time. Overall today was really calm and fun!

UPDATE: The trip will have limited WIFI and DATA, posts may become less frequent.

Past week

It’s been tough trying to get the blogs written and up without wifi or service, but it’s still possible! This is going to be a very long update! We apologize for the wait, we haven’t been able to write anything without service. The trip was absolutely amazing! It’s been a few days, and within that time everyone has become so close. We’ve done so many things together, and everyone’s had a great time! The difference between the dry forest base called Horizontes and the rain forest base called Bromelias was crazy! The rainforest is so much cooler temperature wise, and also a lot more humid. The amount of rain there was also incredible! We woke up everyday to massive showers. It rained every couple of hours, no matter what. Whenever we went on hikes, the mud was crazy! It was pretty hard for a lot of us to keep our balance when hiking since it was so slippery. Personally, I fell about 4 times in only one hike! However, those falls were worth the sights we got to see. On one hike, we got to the top and watched a beautiful waterfall under the canopy of trees. On the way back from that same hike, we stopped at a hot spring type body of water and some of us went for a quick swim before continuing back down. Another day, we took a smaller hike to another waterfall, and this one we could swim in! We walked up to the top of the waterfall to see the view, and along the way we witnessed some bullet ants! They’re absolutely massive, and they get their name from the amount of pain people feel from their bites; they’re the most painful bug bites out there! In fact back at the base, one of us got bit by one; but she’s ok now. The pain only lasts a couple hours. On some days we had classes, including a dancing class, a cooking class, and a painting class. All three were super fun! We also began our service at the Buenos Aires and Gavilan sites. We were allowed to choose between building a greenhouse at Buenos Aires, or creating cement and making tables at Gavilan. Both groups split up and did their work for a couple of hours each day, and both projects went by smoothly and we were able to finish our work in the communities! We made very good friends with the kids there. Even with a language barrier, it was still so easy to communicate and make friends! One of the days, we had a big soccer game with the community in Buenos Aires and some Gavilan kids, and it was so fun! They’re all so good at soccer! The next day was the longest, and it was our last full day together ever. We went to Guachipalin’s Adventure Park, and did so many things! We started off rafting in solo tubes on a river for about 45 minutes, which was so fun! The fast parts of the river were the best, and at some points we were in a sort of lazy river area when the river slowed down and lacked rapids. The next thing we did was zip lining! There were multiple concourses, and at some points we were allowed to hang upside down like a monkey; it was super fun! The view from the zip lining was absolutely gorgeous as well. After that was horseback riding to another waterfall that we could jump off of. The horses were so fun to ride! At the end of the day was hot springs, where we rubbed volcanic mud all over ourselves. It was so relaxing and fun! When we were done, we had our final dinner together at a restaurant, then we headed back to the base in the dry forest, which was Horizontes. The next day, today, was the saddest of them all. It was time to leave! The night before, we all said our goodbyes. One group left early in the morning at 4 am, and some of us got up with them in order to say goodbye. The next group left at 9:15, and we all said our goodbyes at the airport. It was very difficult to say bye to the people who we’ve been in such close quarters with over the past two weeks, and most of us cried. We had all become such close friends, and most of us knew that we were probably never going to see each other again, at least not for a long time. We all agreed to keep in contact! The trip was great, and the people were greater. The departure was hard, but the experience and the people are some things we will all never forget. Pura vida!

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

As Ric would say, “Hola chicos!”

How are things going back in the United States? Your International Director and Mentors miss you, and talk about memories from our time together often. Our group had a unique bond from day one. Each of you was a special part of our GLA family and brought something unique to our experience here in Costa Rica. Because of you, I learned so much about what it means to be a leader, and to live life to the fullest!

It seems like our time together was only yesterday. Remember when we planted Ron Ron Trees in the nursery our first day at Horizontes? Even though we were covered in dirt and sweat, Zach’s sweet playlist and our conversations made the time fly by. Rosbin made sure to mention that you were the best group he has ever had at planting those trees! That is an accomplishment to be proud of. I bet you all miss the beloved Rosbin, who led us in clearing the trail that will be used by researchers in the near future to explore and study the dry forest at night! One of my favorite memories of the summer was sharing our Stories of Self. Remember the crazy storm that led us to take refuge in the comedor, all of our bathroom breaks, and munching on peanut butter and guava jam in between stories? Your bravery in opening up, and the connections you discovered that you had with each other was astounding. As you go about in your “normal” lives, do not forget the connections you can find with people who may seem completely different than you, and always remember that sharing your story is powerful. I know that I will hold those three hours we shared to be one of the experiences that impacted me the most this summer.

Our time at Playa Iguanitas was the perfect transition from the dry forest to the rainforest. (Getting there was half the adventure!) The warm water, delicious food, and perfect sunset will be forever seared in my mind. I am glad that Mitch survived being stung by a sting ray (What a story to tell!). Matt, Julia, and Jessica S. were quick to rush to his rescue. I would do anything for one of those Costa Rican S’mores right about now! Though I must say, I don’t miss the vicious ankle-biting ants that surrounded camp.

I loved seeing your faces when we arrived at Bromelias! I miss cooling off in the mineral pools at our beautiful Rainforest home base, watching the rain pour down from the safety of the comedor, and all of the beautiful plants that surrounded us there. At Buenos Aires, the community will finish the fence that we began, which will keep the animals out from the new garden that will be planted in the area we cleared on the last two days of service. At Gavilan the community members will soon finish putting together the final pieces of the trash cans you painted. Your designs will brighten up the community, and help keep the environment free of trash for years to come. Though our rainforest projects were small, they will have a lasting impact on the small communities there.

From soaking in hot springs, cacao beans falling from the sky, to good conversations and true friendships, our two weeks together will always be seared in my mind. I hope that with the new school year in swing you don’t forget the lessons you learned while here in Costa Rica. Each of you is a leader in a different way, and I cannot wait to see where your lives take you! You pushed yourselves out of your comfort zones, worked hard in the communities, asked many questions about yourselves and the world, and developed new friendships that I hope you don’t leave behind! Remember to keep in touch with your mentors and fellow GLA family members in the coming months (and years!).

With love,

Your Mentor Allie

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Summer Blog Posts

July 31, 2016

All students are safely arrived !

We finally made it to Costa Rica! After hours of travelling from all over the United States, almost everyone is at the home base, which is Estacion Experimental Forestal Horizontes! We started our day at the Home Base with a delicious lunch consisting of beef, rice, and vegetables. Following our meal we took a quick look around the area that we will call our home for the next week, until we travel to the rain forest. New arrivals soon came, interrupting an intense game of Spoons. Everyone then went to the salon for ice breakers and a scavenger hunt! The winners got the first showers of the day, sadly leaving everyone else a sweaty mess. Dinner soon followed, with lasagna and a birthday cake for dessert for the birthday girl, Jessica. A few more card games followed dinner and we then had a meeting in the salon discussing our schedule and the house rules. Now it’s time for a few more card games, hammock time, showers, and then bed. It’s been a great start to a great trip!

Note: Vladimir, Zachary, Macy, and Kelly not pictured due to late arrivals

¡Hola, friends and families!

Today is our second day here at Horizontes in Guacaste and we have already experienced so much that we can’t wait to share with you all when we return. It is hot here but the facility and area is absolutely beautiful! Everyone is getting along great; it is almost as if we’re long time friends! The food and kitchen are amazing. They’re able to suit any of our dietary preferences.

First, we learned about the culture, everyday life, and Horizontes. There was a lovely presentation given to us by one of the staff members here, Rosbin. Plus, today we got down and dirty! We walked to the plant nursery at the facility and got to work! The group bagged dirt and planted Ron-Ron tree seeds. We successfully planted approximately 300 trees. These trees will be used to replace older trees in Costa Rica to efficiently conserve the forests as much as possible. After planting, everyone cleaned up from the dirt and went to eat lunch. We had delicious fish, rice, potatoes, veggies, and salad along with a delicious juice called Cas, a juice from a local fruit. Once we ate, we got into teams and played jeopardy on our knowledge of colones (Costa Rican money), the culture, code of conduct, scenarios, safety, and more. It was a great and fun way to learn about the culture and expand our knowledge of this country! Then, we watched a TedX talk and discussed the message and who we are as leaders. Shortly after,we ate dinner and had fajitas and veggies with fresh pineapple juice. It was a great meal! It is 6:41 pm here in Costa Rica and we will be going on a night hike at 7:15 tonight. We will get to tour the lucky trail around Horizontes. After our hike, we will call it a day for our adventures today!

We can’t wait to see the adventures to come throughout the rest of our days here! We miss you all and can’t wait to share our stories!

¡Adios for now!

During water break while planting trees

Bagging the dirt for trees

Planting the Ron-Ron trees

The group after our night hike

After finishing our first service project

August 3, 2016

¡Hola friends and families!

Yesterday was another amazing day for our group! We helped make a beautiful hiking trail here at Horizontes by clearing bushes with machetes and rakes. We cleared about 2 miles of the trail in just a few hours. After, we went back for lunch and then went on another service adventure! The group travelled about 30 minutes to a local community, El Triunfo. There we painted the chain link fence around the local school to help prevent rust. Then we went to the local soccer field and played with local kids in soccer, tag, and hide and seek. It was amazing for our first experience of community interaction here. We went back to the home base and talked about our stories and connected on a more personal basis as a “family.”

Today the GLA family went on a beautiful morning hike and took a surprise trip to the beach! The hike was a couple miles but we got to see a beautiful area where normally a waterfall runs in the rainy season but, it was a bit dry today. Then, we got to go to a beach about an hour away. We swam, had muddy sand fights, and body surfed for hours. We visited small shops and got a chance to mingle with more locals at the markets and locally run stores. We’ve all become incredibly close in just these few days; it’s unbelievable that we’ve all only known each other for four days. Everyone here has been bonding through all the hard work, dedication and fun times.

From having sand-throwing wars in the ocean to translating for each other in the stores and bonding with each other more and more, it is such an amazing experience.

Well, adios for now! We miss each and everyone of you a ton but couldn’t be anymore thankful for this experience,

¡Adios!

 

August 5

¡Pura vida, everyone!

These past six days have been absolutely amazing! Yesterday we finished our service project here at Horizontes. We successfully cleared more of the new hiking trail with our machetes and rakes! We came back for lunch and then headed out to a near by beach for a short camping trip. When we arrived, the tents and mattresses were set up and ready to go for us. The group headed straight to the ocean to swim, kayak, paddle board, and have tons of fun. Sadly, we had to come in for dinner but ate a delicious BBQ dinner. We ate and watched the beautiful beach sunset. Once it was dark we ate s’mores around the campfire, went and stargazed on the sand, told stories, and played many games. We couldn’t have ended the night any better. We woke up to breakfast around the campfire and then headed back out to the ocean to swim, kayak, and paddle board some more. Eventually, we headed back in to clean up camp and load up in the bus. We ate lunch when we got back and relaxed the rest of the day. Today was mostly a transition for us as we head into our second home base, Bromelias.

Just to let everyone know, we leave tomorrow for morning for the rainforest at the Bromelias home base. There will not be phone service or wifi so families will not be able to contact kids. In the case of an emergency, there will be a way to contact. Students will have phone service again next Friday night, August 12th when we arrive for our last night here in Costa Rica. We will be at our first home base on the last night.

We miss you all!

¡Hasta luego families!

August 9, 2016

¡Hola amigos y familias!

This trip has been absolutely amazing! On Saturday, the group travelled to our second home base, Bromelias, for the second half of our service project! The day consisted of traveling, stopping at the local super market, and getting settled at our new home. Plus, we learned how to make chocolate from scratch out of cacoa beans! It was delicious!

The next day, Sunday, is when our service began! The group was split into two. One group went to help in Buenos Aires to build a fence, cabinets, and shelving for the local school. The other group traveled to Gavilán to build trash cans, make tables and chairs out of recycled tires, and paint the projects they build. These two groups will be working hard on these projects from Sunday until Thursday. After a few hours of service, the groups went back for lunch and then hiked to a nearby waterfall and swam in the swimming hole. After, the group went to a dance class to learn the salsa, reggae, and many more dances. We enjoyed it and can’t wait to share some dance moves with you! It was a great first day in Bromelias!

Yesterday the groups split off again to work on their service projects in Buenos Aires and Gavilán for the morning. It rained quite a bit but the groups worked through it and still accomplished a lot with their projects today. After service, we went back to Bromelias to have lunch and enjoy some free time to relax, talk, or swim in the mineral pools. Then, we went to a local home in Gavilán to take a painting class by Herado’s wife (Herado is the community leader of Gavilán). Herado gave the group a tour of his medicinal plants and herbal garden after the painting class. It was great to learn more about the culture and medicinal side of Costa Rica! The group went back to enjoy family time, dinner, and hit the hay so they could be well rested for more great work on service projects!

Today the groups had a relaxing day off from their work. This morning, everyone took a hike to another near by waterfall to swim, climb, and adventure. We also went to swim in a hot springs on the way back to the home base on our hike. After a fun four hours, we came back for lunch and some free time to hang out. Then the group went to the Buenos Aires school to take a cooking class from a local community member. Then, the group came back for mentor groups, family time, and a movie night. It was a great, relaxing day for the group. We are ready for our last two days of service then adventure day.

We have four days left here in Costa Rica. We’re cherishing every single moment and we wish it would never end. It’s been an amazing experience and we can’t wait to share the stories and lessons we’ve learned with you guys!

Well, ¡adios y hasta pronto!

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Hola chicos,

I am hoping this letter finds you all happy and healthy. I can’t believe that it’s been months since our adventure. Can you? I think about you, our service projects, and adventures on a daily basis. You truly had an impact on me.

My main highlights are the great community service projects we worked on. When I left Costa Rica, the organic school garden at Escuela Gavilan had tons of little vegetables and herbs growing. Soon enough, the students will be able to enjoy casados (do you remember what that is?) made with the vegetables that YOU planted. Way to go, way to dedicate yourselves. Additionally, the tables, chairs, and flower garden at Escuela Buenos Aires never looked better. Your hands are on those tables (literally). A more beautiful school creates a more positive learning environment. I am extremely proud of your hard work and dedication. You did it, way to go!

What a beautiful time spent together. It’s incredible to think of how much we did in just a few days. Let’s all take a moment to remember the delicious food, the beautiful beach where we spent the night (Playa Iguanita), all the laughs we shared, Sean’s “heyyyyyyyyyyyyyy”, Selena’s connection with Carlos, dancing with Manuela on her birthday, Tobias cracking us up on the bus’ microphone, Giovanni’s laugh, our adventure day at Guachepilin, and most importantly, all the connections and memories you made.

I hope the time we spent together left you with sprouting seeds of self and community development. I encourage you to continue doing great things, to continue exploring the world, to remember the way you felt in Costa Rica and what sparked those feelings. Continue challenging yourself. Appreciate all the small moments, they are often the best.

You made my summer extremely special and I thank you for it. I came home as an upgraded version of myself, and it’s all thanks to you and the Costa Ricans we met on our trip.  Our summer was simply unforgettable.

I wish you all the best. I hope our paths cross again.

Love,

Ric Barron

 

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Summer Blog Posts

Day 1

La Pura Vida has started! The Costa Rica – Empowering Rainforest Communities group is great. All flights arrived on time 🙂

The group arrived in waves – mid morning/early afternoon and late afternoon. The early group had lunch at our Horizontes Home Base. When the second group arrived at the home base, the first group gave them a tour and got them oriented. Mary, Madeline, and Tamara led some interactive activities before dinner. Speaking of dinner, we had chicken, beans, rice, salad, avocado with jugo de guanabana (sour juice) and jello as dessert. After dinner we saw some horses, played some games, created community standards, and reviewed the program. We ended the night with some “shout outs” at about 8:30pm. Everyone was tired, but we are off to a great start! Next blog coming soon!

Day 2

Today was our first full day in Costa Rica. We started off the day in the classroom where we got to learn about Costa Rica and what it has to offer from Rosbin, our local director at our Horizontes Home Base. We also established four different committees to focus on the different aspects of our trip. They are: culture, media, language, and fun!

After lunch we had our first day of service in the Horizontes nursery – we packed soil in little bags and planted seeds. The seeds we planted are part of a 24,000 plant reforestation project. We got to learn about the different trees and how much they are worth. We have really gotten to know each other and have become a community. For example, we all got together and listened to Tobias play some strings while Danielle sang. To end the night, we learned about preventing forest fires with a surprise visit from Toño Pizote (Costa Rica’s Smokey the Bear). We miss you, see you soon :).

Sincerely,

The Media Committee – Mary, Zoe, Kim, and Jordan

Day 3

Hola!

On our second full day in Costa Rica we all piled into a van and drove to a field in the middle of the forest. While we were there we used machetes to clear weeds that were surrounding the trees so that they could grow. We worked so well together that we accomplished two days of work in only a few hours. After lunch we drove to a nearby community and picked up trash with the local school children. After the hard work we played a game of soccer with the locals (They were way better than us) and shared empanadas with them. Then after dinner we went on a night hike where we got to see some of Costa Rivas dry forest inhabitants. Then got a goods nights rest.

Xoxo from the media committee,

– Jordan, Mary, Kim, and Zo

June 18, 2016

¡Hola!

The past few days have been very busy. On Thursday morning we started the day by planting trees in front of our Horizontes home base with Rosbin. Later that day we drove to Playa Iguanitas, a beach nearby to swim, snorkel, and kayak. Even though it rained a little, there was an amazing sunset and even a double rainbow! Then we spent the night under the stars.

The next morning we had free time on the beach before heading back to Horizontes. On Friday night we celebrated Manuela’s (one of our favorite cooks) birthday. And then we were all surprised by una cimarrona, a band that played drums and trumpets for us as we danced around. Later that night we started packing to leave for our new home base in Bromelias.

We are sad to leave all our new friends in Horizontes but excited for the rainforest! There might not be any Internet and service at the next home base so this may be our last blog post for the next few days. But we cannot wait to talk to you soon.

Puts Vida,

Jordan and Mary

June 23, 2016

The past few days have been my favorite days so far on this trip. We first got to Bromelias late Saturday afternoon and met the staff. On Sunday we got to start our service at one of two different schools Buenos Aires, and Gavilán. At Buenos Aires we are working on re painting the tables that previous GLA members have made. We also are painting 2 liter bottles to plant in the ground and make a border for the garden. They are using the garden to grow plants to help feed the students. At Gavilán we are clearing the ground and putting up a cover for the organic school garden for a safe place for students. After service we have been spending time with the members of
the community. We have had a dance class, painting class, and a cooking class all taught by locals. On Tuesday we went on a hike up the volcano on Oscars land and got to see a waterfall and swim in the hot springs. We are looking forward to getting back to are service projects tomorrow and finishing them up. We miss you and we will see you soon.

Xoxo Jordan

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

As Ric would say, “Hola chicos!”

How are things going back in the United States? Your International Director and Mentors miss you, and talk about memories from our time together often. You stand out as a group who took initiative, and demonstrated true leadership throughout your two weeks in Costa Rica. Each of you was a special part of our GLA family and brought something unique to our experience here in Costa Rica. Because of you, I learned so much about what it means to be a leader, and to live life to the fullest!

It seems like our time together was only yesterday. Remember our sweaty hike through the forest, and the boa constrictor that crossed our path? That view over the forest was stunning!  What about macheteing to save the Guaycan Trees? The tractor ride to the plantation was half the adventure. These trees will continue to grow, and who knows? Maybe one day one of you will bring your grandchildren to Costa Rica and show them the trees you helped protect! Macheteing around the soccer field in Triunfo was quite a challenge, but upon returning to the community, I can tell you that it looks better than ever! Remember playing hopscotch and tag with the kids there, and our intense futbol game? What about the day we had the surprise of spending the afternoon at Playas del Coco? (Thanks Fun Committee!) Sipping from coconuts with a straw, swimming in the water, and shopping for elephant pants was the perfect was to see another side to Costa Rica.

I will always remember exploring hidden beaches by kayak, collecting seashells, and good conversations at Playa Iguanitas.  And then of course, watching the sun set as Mitchell dug a giant hole with a kayak paddle, and later playing Mafia in the darkness as the waves crashed just feet away. After our hard work in the dry forest, camping at the beach was the perfect transition into our next week in the rainforest.

I loved seeing your faces when we arrived at Bromelias. I miss cooling off in the mineral pools at our beautiful Rainforest home base, watching the rain pour down from the safety of the comedor, and all of the beautiful plants that surrounded us there. At Buenos Aires, the beautiful trash cans you created have been used constantly throughout the summer. They bring a splash of color, and are remnants of your hard work in the community.  At Gavilan, the recycling center is looking better than ever! All the muscle you put into mixing cement and the creativity and artistic skill you brought to the walls will have a lasting impact on the school. I hope you have not forgotten dancing the night away with Minor, Carlos, and the rest of the community, cooking delicious enyucados and prestiños, topped with a sweet, warm honey sauce, and soaking in the hot spring on our rainforest hike. What about our final futbol game, when Gerardo gathered us around and thanked us for the time we had put into improving the community, and creating connections with the children there? He was such a humble man, and I know he truly appreciated your presence in the community.

We hope that with the new school year in swing you don’t forget the lessons you learned while here in Costa Rica. Each of you is a leader in a different way, and I cannot wait to see where your lives take you! You pushed yourselves out of your comfort zones, worked hard in the communities, asked many questions about yourselves and the world, and developed new friendships that we hope you don’t leave behind! Remember to keep in touch with your mentors and fellow GLA family members in the coming months (and years!).

 

With love,

Your Mentor Allie

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Summer Blog Posts

First group photo (Editor’s note: Kai Pohlhammer not in photo due to late arrival)

Hola from Costa Rica!

Day one is almost finished, and 17 out of 18 participants have arrived safely to the GLA home base at Horizontes. We have just gotten a call from mentor Ellen, and Kai, the last member of our group, has arrived at the Liberia airport and will be here shortly. We are eager to have our whole group together at last!

After arriving from the airport this afternoon, the students ate a late lunch of rice, beans, chicken and veggies cooked by our wonderful chefs; Maria, Manuela and Ana. After lunch, the team got to know eachother a little better with some ice breakers, and a short nature walk in the property surrounding the Horizontes property. After dinner, we began discussing what our next two weeks in Costa Rica will look like, and what our expectations are for this adventure of a lifetime.

Tomorrow will be a full day of becoming orientated with our home base (a research station in the dry forest), as well as spending time working at a plant nursery.

We all are excited to see all that these next two weeks will bring!

 

June 29, 2016

This morning after we woke up we went to have a traditional Costa Rican breakfast of Gallo Pinto. While we were eating breakfast we got to enjoy monkeys playing in the trees and iguanas soaking up the morning sun. After that we did our first official orientation and played some fun activities getting to learn more about each other. Following lunch we went and worked at the nursery on location of our home base. While packing bags and planting seeds we learned collaborative skills to communicate with each other as a team. Hopefully just like the seeds will grow, so will our friendships over these next two weeks.

Later on after dinner, we went on a night hike and got to learn about the wild species that lurk amongst the night. Trekking through the dark, although we couldn’t see, we bonded through the silly jokes, and our experiences learning about wildlife with Freddy.

We can’t wait to start on our next adventure, bright and early, 7am tomorrow morning.

Signing out,
Costa Rica Media Team
Peyton
Jason
Alese
James
Kjersti

July 6

As the media team, we apologize for not updating you daily for we have been very disconnected and have been immersed into the Costa Rican culture. As of now we have transferred bases and settled into our new home in the Costa Rican forest. For the past few days we have been doing plenty of exciting activities such as hiking to waterfalls, swimming in mineral pools, foraging for fruit, and learning to be aware of our surroundings and the species that live amongst it. For our service work, we have spilt up into groups and spent time working on these sites doing different types of service work that will benefit the lives of these children that will one day be using it. Other exciting activities that we have really enjoyed was learning new dances and taking painting classes. We will update you soon about our upcoming activities.

Pura Vida.

– Media Team