Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18, 2021

Hola a todos (hello everyone)!

All Dominican Republic: Caribbean Service Adventure students have all safely arrived at our Home Base – Indalo Lodge – here in the Dominican Republic!

Today, we arrived and had the opportunity to reach out to our fellow students and learn more about them.

After dinner, we went over the Code of Conduct and how we can apply the ideas displayed in our everyday lives.

After a long talk about our own boundaries, the day wrapped up positively and the students all returned to their rooms for the night.

-Written by Diallah, Gabe and the GLA Team

While waiting for their arrival, our team has been enthusiastically preparing, carefully implementing all angles of safety, education, and cultural immersion.

Our staff looks forward to sharing our experiences with your students and are thrilled to provide them with such rich learning opportunities during our 10-day program!

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19, 2021

Yesterday, we went to La Colonia to start building a house for a local family.

The woman we were building the home for is deaf and mute.

It is a very impoverished area, and the family does not receive money from the government for the woman’s disability.

We are building two houses on the family’s property.

We began working at 9:00 am by attaching chicken wire to the frame of the first house and finished by 3:00 pm.

During this time, we ate lunch and participated in team-bonding activities.

When we got back to Home Base, we took our swimming test.

After everyone passed, we enjoyed some free time in the pool.

After drying off, we walked to a local ice cream shop and enjoyed the sweet treat by the beach.

We walked back to Home Base, and it was time for dinner.

After dinner, we listened to a presentation about human security, and its importance to the world and specifically, this area.

The next day, we returned to La Colonia and worked on wiring the second house.

We had a great lunch and participated in more team-bonding exercises.

We returned to Home Base at 3:00 pm and had some free time.

Many of us returned to the ice cream shop because it was so delicious.

We walked back, enjoyed dinner, and at sunset, took a trip to the beach to play a few games.

Once we returned, we had some free time then went to bed after a long day!

-Rory, Hannah, Sydney and the GLA Team

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20, 2021

Hi loved ones!

We just finished our first adventure day and had a wonderful day! Most of us rated the day a 5/5 in our evening dinner circle.

First of all, we got some great news today: we all received negative results for our COVID-19 tests!!!! We are so happy this means we can mingle more openly in our student group.

Today we enjoyed swimming in Dudu Lagoon and Grande beach and had even got to eat a yummy lunch at a restaurant. We saw more of the countryside in Dominican Republic and are wrapping up the night with a lecture from 7 Elements about the local economy.

Check out these awesome photos for now, more coming soon! Hugs from Sunny DR!

-The GLA Team

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21, 2021

Today, we started off by going to Las Cuevas de Cabarete!

We learned about the effects of deforestation on the Dominican Republic, all while enjoying the local scenery. We planted seeds to help counteract the effects of deforestation.

After that, we took a guided walk through a nature monument to learn about local plant life.

We then went to our first cave, where we got helmets and flashlights. After a long descent, we got to jump off of a ledge into a deep pool of water. After we dried off, we went to a different cave to explore.

We then came back for lunch, and almost immediately went back to La Colonia, where we finished putting up chicken wire around the perimeter as part of our service project for the community.

We ended the day with an invigorating debate over development due to sporting complexes being built as part of our leadership learning exercises.

-By Wells, Abby and the GLA Team

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22, 2021

Today, we had an optional sunrise walk on the beach. We came back early due to rain and then when everyone woke up we had breakfast.

After breakfast we got ready for our day at the new service site in La Grua. There we got to work on cementing floors while interacting with the local community (known as a Batey).

Community service today was epic and inspiring.

Lunch was special today because we got to have tacos! After finishing up we went back to the lodge for free time and dinner. Afterwards, we learned about climate change and its impacts during a group lecture.

To finish the night we played a few rounds of sardines and some of us even went for a late night swim!

By Juliana, Cassie and the GLA Team

P.S. As a special treat today for anyone checking out the blog, here are some photos of us hard at work at the service site!

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25, 2021

Today we went on a hike up Mount Brison! Once we arrived at the top we ate lunch with the local family Doña Maxima. On our way up we experienced some rain, but that didn’t change our attitudes as we were all happy to be there, browsing for bracelets, bread, and juice from a local family halfway up the mountain.

On our trek up, we were surrounded by beautiful landscapes, grazing cows, and friendly local families who wouldn’t hesitate to say “hola” in our direction.

At the top, we arrived at a delicious home cooked meal prepared by Doña Maxima and got to know her as we practiced our Spanish. We asked about her lifestyle, questioning how she got her water and her source of transportation in Spanish.

Shortly after we got to her house, it started to rain, but we decided to play games and huddle together to keep warm and lighten the mood. As we headed down the mountain in the rain, we had fun connecting to home listening to music we all enjoy.

We ended the hike with the sun back out and happy to be dry and back on the bus.

When we got back to Home Base, we learned about security and the political conflicts between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Now this is a great place to end today’s blog post as we have to go meditate under the strawberry super full moon!

-Sydney, Xia and the GLA Team

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27, 2021

Good evening,

This morning we woke up and ate breakfast before heading to Sosua. We took our second COVID test and we rate it 7/10 experience. We all tested negative, and we are very happy. We then drove to Sosua, a beach town full of lively music, shops, and food. We all got on a beautiful white boat and sailed together to a different part of the island. We got to snorkel which was full of laughs, memories and salt water in our mouths and noses.

We saw a variety of fish up close and got to experience what it is like to be a mermaid. The captain of the boat played music by the artist ‘Pop Smoke’ and it created a dance party. We jumped off the boat numerous amounts of times as small groups, praying we don’t slip off the slippery ledge.

Around noon, we had pizza and drinks on the beach with our sun burned, wet bodies. Also, we got to shop for items for our families, friends, and ourselves. We played “Chicken” and dodged the little fishes in the water for nipping at our feet. The scorching hot sun dried us off as we got on our bus and drove home.

We all took showers and played a meaningful game as a group. We got to learn about our own positives traits that we inflict on each other, anonymously. Lastly, we ate dinner and watched a documentary after about the positives and negatives of charities to foreign countries.

In conclusion, today was full of fun and reflection that we will always cherish.

By Winnie and Molly

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Hello from the Dominican Republic!

Our staff (pictured, left to right-Mentor Ferney, International Director Brittany, Local Director Nilsa & Mentor Jesus) greeted students as they trickled in throughout the day. Sadly, we will not be a complete group until tomorrow, as some delays put a hiccup in connections and arrivals.

With our partial group in tow, we arrived to the lodge, where students were greeted with fresh tropical fruit and ice water to snack on until dinner. In the meantime, students had the opportunity to unpack, freshen up, and most importantly, connect with each other. It was a joy to see students phone free and engaging as they settled into their new Dominican Republic home base.

After a hearty dinner, Local Director Nilsa gave a wonderful presentation to acquaint students with the “Do’s & Don’ts” of the community, which paired perfectly with GLA orientation. We had plenty of time for name games and icebreakers, and the staff was so impressed that students were on a first name basis after just a few hours.

After a day of travel, it was a bit of an early night. Some stayed up to chat with their roommates, others hit the hay right away. Rest is the name of the game, as tomorrow we will visit our first service site and begin working on a house built of recycled and sustainable materials.

Our group will be complete tomorrow, so stay tuned for a full group photo and blog post from a student Leader of the Day!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Written by Bailey Cunningham

Hola familia internacional!

After enjoying a delicious breakfast in the early morning, we took a bus through beautiful scenery to a Dominican neighborhood called La Maranata. We assisted our directors and local community members in constructing a sustainable home, making insulation out of plastic bottles collected from the community. Global Leadership Adventures students collaborated to sort, cut, stack, and fill the walls of the house with columns of recycled plastic bottles while other students secured them with wire and nails. We met the family who will live in the home we are helping to construct. After hours of service work and a hearty lunch, we headed back through the vibrant community, where locals were eating and listening to Bachata music.

Upon arriving at home base, we quickly jumped into the pool, where we listened to music and played games. We found coconuts in the area surrounding the pool and split them open ourselves to try the coconut meat. After drying off we had free time and we congregated in the dining area to play card games and talk while enjoying from tropical fruit and bananas fresh off the bunch.

After dinner we listened to a presentation about political security in the Dominican Republic by Local Director Nilsa. We learned about the political conflict between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and the struggles that Haitians living in the DR face due to xenophobic citizenship laws. We discussed how the political and human rights issues in the Dominican Republic parallel those in our home countries and came to a new sense of gratitude for our own opportunities such as education, healthcare, and food and housing security.

We played a get-to-know-you game called hot seat, where one student sits in front of the group and answers rapid fire questions from their peers, ranging from their hometown to their favorite musician. Even Director Nilsa had a turn in the hot seat after students insisted that she participate!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Hello Families!

Our day started early when some of us – young leaders – went for a run on the beach before breakfast. With the arrival of the two friends we had missing to complete our crew, mentors administrated Covid-19 tests, when all came back negative students were able to roam mask free among one another.

Despite setbacks because of the previous nights rain, we drove back to La Maranata to continue insulating the home we started working on yesterday. Assembly lines formed to sort, cut, stack and place bottles within the walls. Cooler weather and rain throughout the day made our working conditions easier. Soon, entire walls were filled with stacked bottles and we could see all the progress made.

After a bus ride back to the home base, we enjoyed a dip in the pool playing games, listening to music, and socializing.

Following a delicious dinner, Junior Moire, a local director, presented a lecture on economic security. We learned about issues in the Dominican Republic including poverty and social classes.

To end our great day, our team split into two mentor groups where we began a simulated structured debate between four major Dominican parties of interest.

Looking forward for more service work tomorrow in La Grua.

Written by Jack Collins – Leader of the day

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Hello families!

The students got an extra early start to their day today because of a longer than usual drive to a new worksite. Instead of working at La Marinata with the bottles, today we worked at a bateay, which is a poor Haitian community originally designed for the Haitian sugarcane workers.

The work today was much more grueling than what we had previously done. We carried many wheelbarrows full of sand and rocks from the bus to the worksite, made a concrete mixture using these resources, and ultimately finished two concrete floors. The two hour bus ride back was definitely a smelly one, but we passed time by playing games and telling stories.

After we arrived back at home base, koopwe went down to the ocean for the first time, where we swam and played a game of beach soccer. Following the beach we came back for a nice dinner in which we capped off with some ice cream.

The lecture tonight was a very moving one about health security and it was delivered by Enrique Blanco Joachim. He is a doctor that was born in the bateay that we visited today, and was able to give us his story about the struggles of being a Haitian-Dominican trying to get higher education. This was the perfect way to end the day and we can’t wait for the adventures that await us tomorrow.

Written by Pierce Chaseley – Leader of the day

BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

Hello families!

We started the day with an amazing breakfast which included pancakes oatmeal and eggs, and hopped on the bus to enjoy our first day of travel adventures!!

After three long days of service we were able to relax and enjoy our time at Laguna Dudu! The Lagoon was very blue and clear. We all jumped in right away and swam to the center where there was a dock to stand on. Five minutes after we got there it started to rain and it looked BEAUTIFUL on the water.

A group of students went to use the beach volleyball court provided at the lagoon. It was a close game between the snapping turtles and panthers but the snapping turtles pulled thru and won the game by two points.

After the lagoon we stopped for lunch at the Laguna Dudu Restaurant. It was a great taste of the cultural food outside the lodge and the local community.

We then visited Playa Grande, a beach near the lagoon and spent a couple hours with the huge waves. We enjoyed pina coladas which we drank out of real pineapples and got the opportunity to buy small trinkets from beach vendors.

When we got back to the lodge we had a bit of free time, then enjoyed a lovely dinner and moved on to our third activity of the day. We had a student-run-debate about the possibility of building a sports center on top of a Haitian community. We used our knowledge that we gathered from the nightly lectures to form our arguments. Although we didn’t come to a conclusion, it was very successful since we learned a lot about leadership and how official debates work.

We are looking forward to a great service day tomorrow in Caña Dulce building bee boxes!

Written by Abby Beauregard – Leader of the day

 

BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Today started off with another delicious breakfast before we headed out for our service of the day: building and painting bee boxes. Once we arrived, everyone was ready to get to work putting together the frames that go inside the bee boxes. Everyone finished faster than expected so we took a quick trip off the beaten path to see where the bee keeper keeps his bees (no pun intended). This involved crossing a stream on a suspended cable bridge. It was a rewarding trek as everyone got a chance to try fresh honey straight from the honey comb as well as cacao right from the tree. After that we returned to his house and painted some other boxes he had ready. Finally we hopped back on the bus back to home base.

Back at home base everyone had time to chill out before enjoying lunch which had an array of food items which of course included some tasty tropical fruit. After lunch the original plan was to head to the beach but the weather interrupted that plan. So instead we all got on the bus for a trip to the store for a chance to buy some snacks before coming back to the pool.

Joined by intermittent rain showers, everyone enjoyed some time spent by the pool. Volleyball and baseball were included in our pool sesh. Plenty of sun screen was worn judging by the large amounts of unrubbed sunscreen on all the boys backs.

Finally we ended the night with dinner and a lecture on food security. The presentation was engaging and interactive with everyone participating and sharing their thoughts and personal experiences. Along with discussing the effects of over population and climate change we also brought up the importantance of education. The last item on the agenda was an intense game of Pictionary.

-Written by Leader of the Day: Cameron

BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

Blog by: Jackson Boltax

Today was a very eventful bus ride and a great trip to the second biggest city in the Dominican Republic. We started by waking up at 6:00, ate a delicious breakfast (of course) and then headed up to Santiago. We arrived in Santiago after a fun but long bus ride.

We first hit the museum which was actually one of the most interesting m museums that I’ve ever been to. We started with looking at the history of the Caribbean and Dominicans with many very different and important artifacts. We had a guide who was giving us background information on the artifacts. The funny thing was she only spoke Spanish so we had Mia do a great job for us of translating the information. After the artifacts we hit the art museum which had some beautiful and deep paintings.

After looking through the art we had an hour back In the United States where we decided to go get some fried chicken at a fast food restaurant. After grubbing we hopped back on the bus and went up to the restoration war monument which had some cool views a few amazing statues and we took plenty of photos. We decided that some frozen yogurt would hit the spot to finish the trip so we found the nearest frozen yogurt place and cooled off to some nice sweets. We prepared for another interesting bus ride and indeed it was. We drove through traffic hour in the city and that was insane.

We finally cleared the city and it was a beautiful ride, we gained a ton of elevation and we’re even up in the clouds at one point. The long journey ended and we made it to home base and finished up the day with dinner and free time before lights out at 10pm.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Hello everyone
The day started when some students went for an early morning run along the beach and enjoyed the sunrise. We then had a delicious breakfast at 7:00 and headed back to La Maranata, our community service worksite. We arrived at 8:00 and made our way up to the house. The group worked hard for 3 hours cutting, stacking, while others put the bottles into the walls and sealed them in with chicken wire.

We took a short break for lunch and indulged in chicken, rice beans and fruit. After our delicious meal we continued work until 3:30 and the headed back to home base.
We all changed into swimwear and went to the beach for a late afternoon swim. Some swam while others made a mermaid out of sand.

Dinner was followed by a lecture about Divided Island and we then worked in groups to brainstorm solutions to the problems we think are the prevalent in the Dominican Republic.

Written by Willa Moskowitc
Leader of the day

BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Hello Families,

We began today Sunday July 18th with a hearty breakfast of pancakes eggs and other goodies. As usual a small group of students woke up earlier to run and work out on the beach. At eighth O’clock on the dot we departed on the bus for another day of work at La Maranata.

The bus ride out was uneventful and as the one week mark passes everything has become quite routine. At la Maranata we finished cutting and placing the remaining bottles that we had but we still require bunch more. We also started the messy job of concreting the walls. Besides a short break for lunch, we labored non stop until 3:30. As of leaving we had fully finished around a third of the walls and everyone was thoroughly covered in concrete.

When we arrived back at home base we were eager to jump into the pool to rinse off the grime. As usual dinner was at 6:00 but at 7:00 we partook in cultural night. Local director Nilsa instructed us in bachata and merengue dancing. At one point a very bold large crab strolled by. Ferney let us try a Colombian specialty called “big booty ants”; reactions were mixed.

The moon was shining brightly through a foggy haze as we retired to our rooms, tired from another day of service.

Written by Leader of the day, Rocky Slaymaker.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Hello Families
This morning, we started the day earlier than usual with breakfast at 6:30. We had eggs oatmeal and delicious fruit. We departed around 7:30 for Mt. Brison. We were sad to leave one community member behind whilst he spent his time on a slack line. After the 2 hour bus ride to Brison, we began the trek.

Overall, it was about a 2 hour uphill hike to the top. There was a cute dog that we met at the base of the mountain who made it all the way up with us. We named the dog Pepita! At the peak, we ate lunch and bought ice cream to enjoy. On the journey down, we played “guess my animal” games and enjoyed the picturesque view. When we returned to home base, we played games in the pool to cool down after the exhausting hike. Then, we went to play basketball before dinner. Dinner was a delicious meal of beans rice pork and vegetables.

After dinner, we had a movie night where we watched “The Time of the Butterflies”. During free time, we played cards and journaled about the day.We are excited to visit a new work site, La Colonia tomorrow.

Written by Lauren Courtney
Leader of the day

BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Blog by Ava Moyle

We woke up to an overcast morning and were welcomed by delicious hot chocolate that was served with breakfast. After eating, we hopped onto the bus and headed to build a shade house at the village of La Colonia. Once we arrived we were greeted by swarms of clingy mosquitoes but they were nothing we couldn’t handle. We all immediately applied bug spray and walked to the service site where we began working.

We split into two groups of people who sewed pieces of cloth together for the greenhouse walls and people who created poles for the greenhouse base. After a few hours, we were basically finished and ready to eat.

After lunch we sat down and had an insightful group discussion about the poverty that we had witnessed thus far on the trip and what we had learned from it. We reflected on our lives back at home and how different they were from the lives of the children who lived in the villages we had seen. Although some of the sights were painful to see, it seemed that they brought the group a sense of understanding that we wouldn’t have been able to gain any other way.

We then returned back at home base to rest. We channeled our inner mermaids as usual, and played in the ocean waves, which were particularly choppy. We also picked flowers for our hair and swam around a bit in the pool. Today was also laundry day, so we had fun searching through a sea of clean clothes searching for our items. We love laundry!

After a long and busy day we sat down for a delicious dinner followed by a lecture on global citizenship where we learned some very important tips on how to better our world. We each then packed up a few outfits for our overnight trip that we will be leaving for tomorrow! We have all been looking forward to it and excited energy is bubbling throughout home base. See you tomorrow!!!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

Written by Lucas Rode

The day started off with an early morning waking up for breakfast with eggs, toast, oatmeal, and fresh fruit. It took a minute for everyone to fully wake up, but by the end of breakfast we were ready. We made sure to have our bags packed for Santa Domingo and we started to head out.

We departed at 7:00 for a long 6 hour drive to Santa Domingo. It may have bean a long drive but everyone made it by playing games and taking naps. We drove through the mountains for a while seeing all of the amazing views from the top. While driving through the small towns and neighborhoods we saw a new way of living.

Once we arrived we stop for lunch at a Chinese-Dominican restaurant and we got our food. Once we finished our food we made it back onto the bus and went and checked into the hotel. We separated into our rooms to get settled in. After we got settled into the rooms we made our way to the front and got ready to really start our day.

Once we left the hotel we found our tour guide and made are way into Santo Domingo. The first place we visited was the first cathedral made in the americas. After we finished the tour we made our way to a fort and the last house that Christopher Columbus lived in in the Americas.

On are way back we walk through the down town shopping area where we stopped at a bunch of small shops and stalls. We saw a bunch of things like some amazing art and a crazy game of chess. After all of the shopping we made are way back to the hotel where we had dinner and a debrief of the day. Once that was all over we had some free time where we made are ways back to our rooms where we ended our days.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 22

Written by: Rory Gershen-Lewis

Today began quite differently than its predecessors, as we all woke up in a hotel and had breakfast at 8:00 am as opposed to the standard 7 o’clock meal time. We had a tasty delivered breakfast and returned to our rooms to get packed for the bus ride to the waterfall. We packed into the car and departed on a 2 hour bus ride leaving the packed and busy city of Santo Domingo to the more familiar setting of the tropical rainforest of Jarabacoa. On the way, we stopped at a rest stop and enjoyed a lunch with various different Dominican foods.

Once we arrived, we took a short walk down a scenic path to the waterfall. We crossed a little river and prepared to swim. The water cascaded down the rocks, splashing in the small lake. We swam around, and hung out along the rocks at the base. Students then made their way down a short stream along the rocks and took pictures and videos of the beautiful scenery.

After around 2 hours basking in the sun and chillin in the water we returned to the bus and made our way to Rancho Ruisejor. This beautiful remote lodgings in the countryside was a change of pace from our previous hotel. Students played cards, tag, soccer and baseball for a few hours, while others talked with one another.

Before dinner, we met with our mentor groups and had a discussion about a multitude of different topics regarding life in the DR and relating it to our personal lives at home. We had a late BBQ dinner with hamburgers, hot dogs and plenty of roasted veggies.

 

BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

After a good night’s rest, most of our group woke up later than usual and dressed in clothes suitable for white water rafting. We went down to the communal area where we hung out while waiting for breakfast. A few of our community members even helped prepare the ingredients for some delicious breakfast tacos!

At 9:50, we headed out to the river in open-roofed trucks. After getting on our helmets and life jackets, we split into groups, met our guides, and carried our rafts to the water. Our groups spent a beautiful hour and a half on the rapids. Together, we paddled through waterfalls and swam in the cool water. Later, we went back to the hotel to gather our things.

After we triple-checked that we hadn’t forgotten anything, we piled onto the bus. We took a quick stop at a restaurant for a healthy meal of fried chicken and rice, then continued our 3-hour bus ride back to home base. Along the way, students slept, watched movies, and played a Colombian children’s game called Dingo Tango (Which could be described as mix between Hot Potato and Truth or Dare).

When we arrived, we immediately ate dinner and went off to enjoy our free time. Many students played games in the pool while others journaled nearby. At the end of the day, we all came together to play one giant game of Pictionary. Tomorrow we are going back to La Maranata to finish the house, and after this break we’re ready to work harder than ever!

Written by Josephine Alessi

BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

Written by Mia Fierro-Vega

We woke up today to a beautiful sunrise on the beach where some students ran and did yoga. We ate a filling and nutritious breakfast of toast, oatmeal, and lots of fruit. We waited upon the arrival of some needed supplies for our service work at La Maranata. We departed after some delays but were finally on our way.

We put in a full day of work despite the heat and laid concrete on the walls of the sustainable home we are building. At the site we ate a delicious lunch while conversing with one another. We continued our hard work and finished strong, only leaving a few rooms left to finish.

After the bus ride home we had some some fun by heading over to a basketball court down the street from home base and finished with a score of 15-11, while others stayed behind at the pool. We took a short walk back to home base and ate some dinner cooked by our wonderful kitchen staff. Afterward, we played a game designed by a student and had some needed free time before bed.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

Hola! Today was another busy day for us down in Las Canas. A few of our community members woke up bright and early for a morning beach run. The sunrise was particularly gorgeous this morning while they ran through the surf. Like yesterday, we started the day off with a delicious breakfast; however, today, our amazing cooks whipped up a special treat of pancakes. After breakfast, we took off on the bus to do our second to last day of service at La Maranata. As a group, we have seen La Maranata grow from a framework of a house into a reality. As we reach the home stretch, everyone is feeling a sense of pride at our accomplishments.

At the site, we divided into teams of some mixing and laying cement on the walls, some stacking bottles, and a few people wiring the last bits of unfilled wall. Our experience at this point is obvious as teams efficiently worked together to get the job done. The heavy rain and thunderstorms that came through were nothing we couldn’t take, traversing the steep hill on our way down from La Maranata.

When we returned to the lodge, many of our young leaders played underwater games while taking a dip in the pool. For dinner, we ate garlic pasta, veggies, and meatballs.

After dinner, our local director, Nilsa, presented an engaging lecture on NGOs and wind and solar energy in the DR. Following the lecture, we met in our mentor groups, sealing the day off with an in-depth personal reflection.

Unfortunately, before bed, we also received the sad news that, Ferney, one of our mentors, will have to depart early. We will miss you so much, Ferney!

Written by Lillian Holmes

BLOG POST FOR JULY 26

Hey families!

We started off the day with a nice breakfast that was proceeded by a mentor making an early departure from the trip. Although we were all very sad we still had a full day ahead of us.

Our first stop of the day was Chojoba, a local female owned chocolate factory that started in 2014. First we took part in a tour that showed the process of chocolate and wine making. We were even given the opportunity to wrap and box chocolates. Lastly, we were taken to the shop where we all bought chocolate for ourselves and many of you.

Following the chocolate factory we came back to the lodge for lunch but only stayed for a moment because we had a grocery run to make. This didn’t take long which left us with a few hours of free time before dinner. We decided on splitting this time between the beach and the pool in order to make everyone happy.

After dinner we began a very moving activity called Visionquest in which tears were shed. This was concluded by us throwing our negativity into a fire which gave some inner peace but also unlocked many new emotions for others. As a result of this, the rest of the night’s plans were canceled to give us time to process our feelings. Many small group talks took place which brought us even closer. Everyone will definitely sleep well tonight and be ready for our big day tomorrow.

Written by Kennedy Bethea- Leader of the day

BLOG POST FOR JULY 27

Written by Caleb Hecht

Hey families,

Today we started our day with breakfast around 6:30, and departed to the 27 charcos of Puerto Plata, a set of 27 beautiful pools of water in the jungle which we jumped into from platforms at various heights. The water was opal blue and the walls of the ravine we walked through reflected the color of the water; it truly felt as if we were in paradise. Unfortunately, we could only jump into 7 of the 27 because the other pools were dried up.

On the way to the 27 charcos, we had a quick detour when both of our back wheels on the bus popped, but our day resumed shortly.

We went to a restaurant for lunch where we had a classic Dominican meal which consisted of chicken and rice with fruit. We had a long bus ride home, and when we arrived back at home base we rewarded ourselves with some pool time plus ice cream.

We then had a few hours to rest up which was followed by a walk on the beach at night where many little crabs scuttled around. We went back to the lodge and went to bed!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 28

Greetings families:

Oh how the trip is coming to an end! After a hearty breakfast of fresh fruit, eggs, and spiced oatmeal, we all went to La Maranata for the last time of the trip. Though it was bittersweet, everyone headed into the project with a mindset of determination where we split into two groups.

One group spearheaded the bottle cutting, stacking, and stuffing while the other focused on applying chicken wire to the house frame. Once both groups made some headway, the concrete-mixing process started. About halfway in between our day of service, we feasted a lunch of cabbage salad, pork, rice, and fresh fruit. In the spirit of finishing strong, the we all decided to stay longer in order to mix and apply one final batch of concrete. Considering that we had spent 7 days on the La Maranata project over the course of the entire trip, everyone was pretty proud of the work we completed during that amount of time.

After leaving La Maranata for the last time, we took some time to clean up, go to the pool, and relax before dinner. We feasted on salad, chicken, French fries, and fruit. We then sat down for a lecture. We learned about the concept of community security, its role in society, and its impact in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Following the lecture, we had an open Q & A with a returning volunteer from the Peace Corps. We learned how the Peace Corps process takes place and various potential drawbacks and benefits by listening to the experiences of our guest.

Overall, today was absolutely wonderful since we had the opportunity to both give part of ourselves to others and learn from another’s journey doing the same. As leader of the day, one of the responsibilities is to come up with a Spanish word of the day for us all to learn. I chose oportunindad – opportunity because in life we must make the best of every opportunity presented to us or any opportunity we create for ourselves….and what an amazing opportunity this GLA experience has been for each and every one of us.

Regards,
Ava Pastor
Leader of the day
28 July 2021

BLOG POST FOR JULY 29

Written by Jackson Boltax

For our final day we finished on a bang. It started with a delicious breakfast (of course) then we got a covid test where. They rammed The freaking stick up our nose. After we gathered ourself from the test we hopped on the bus and headed to Sosua for some snorkeling. We explored the reefs and saw some beautiful fish. We had a great time and afterwards and enjoyed some pizza on the beach. We bought gifts for loved ones then went swimming in the clear blue ocean. We all proved Brie wrong by not getting sunburned.

We got back on the bus and headed home at 3:30. Students had down time and finished up packing before we eat out final dinner together. We went to the beach and had a huge bonfire where some students roasted marshmallows and others laid in the sand and enjoyed the peaceful night looking at the stars. When we go back to home base, we did an activity called appreciation circle where we reflected on our experiences and friendships made during our time in the Dominican Republic.

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 1

The entire group made it successfully to Rinconcito Verde! Maia, Mia, & Maile met Maggie at the airport (we can’t make this up) and headed to the mall nearby to go to the bookstore while waiting for Henri to get it. The four students then went back to the home base with mentor Patrick, had some lunch and chilled for the day. Caroline, Owen, and Frankie got in around 8 pm after a small delay, and arrived to the hotel with Maggie at about 10. They had a quick bite and then fell asleep quickly!

The next day (Saturday), we had an awesome time zip lining in the morning and doing our swim tests and orientation in the afternoon. The group is already getting to know each other super well and we’re very excited for the two weeks ahead! Stay tuned!

VIDEO OF ZIP LINING – WATCH HERE >>>

 

 

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 2

Today was the first community service project day. Exciting!

Some of us painted tires and others planted tires into the ground and used rocks to make a sidewalk. All in service of our community-based project, which you’ll see more of as we get further along in our work!

Then we visited a local convenience store and got delicious snacks. Later we met our local Spanish teachers, Jafeth and Fanny. We all practiced our Spanish skills and flexed our Spanish muscles. So much immersion all around.

We ended off the day playing cards, eating pasta, and laughing a ton.

---

 

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 3

We started with a yummy breakfast of french toast and coffee before going into town to work.

We spent two hours painting tires and working on the mural before driving to a nearby clinic to get our covid tests – we were all negative fortunately!

Next, we made a special trip to Walmart to stock up on snacks and drinks. Some of us bought chips and cookies while others found fresh fruit like lychee.

We then came back to home base for a GLA activity before enjoying some downtime. For lunch, we ate rice and beans and the yummiest chicken.

Later in the afternoon we learned parts of the body in Spanish class and wrapped our lessons up with some dancing! We sat down to burritos for dinner and played card games in the evening before turning in for the night.

-Maile Talbert

---

 

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 4

Today was another chance for meaningful community service!

Everyone was outside working on the mural or lining up tires around the play area for the local kids. We finished up a bit more of the mural and the line of tires.

After we finished our service we took a trip to the local store and went back to the Home Base to swim in the pool while it rained. We had some delicious pork for lunch along with some rice and beans while we dried off.

After our lunch we started our immersive Spanish lesson where Jafeth showed his group how to make tortillas con queso, a traditional Costa Rican afternoon snack.

After Spanish class, we had some dinner, played some cards and listened to some of our favorite songs before heading to bed after a long and eventful day.

-Henri and the GLA Team

---

 

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 5

¡Hola Maes! (Maes is a slang word used here in Costa Rica that means “bro”).

Today we started our day off by eating cereal and mango. Then, we heard from an amazing guest speaker, José. He taught us about Costa Rican history, economy, culture, the education system, as well as native plants and animal species. He kept us on our toes by speaking a mix of Spanish and English throughout!

Next, we headed over to our service site. Everyone put in the work today painting tires and murals, shoveling dirt, and creating rock paths. We also grabbed some snacks from our favorite local store!

Next, we came back to Home Base where some of us relaxed and others swam in the pool. We then ate a delicious lunch of rice with spinach and chicken. After lunch, Maggie and Patrick led an activity about non-violent communication.

We practiced our communication tactics with each other in English and then again in Spanish class with our incredible teachers. In the middle of Spanish we noticed a double rainbow!

After class we had a quick jamming and dancing session with our teachers. Finally, we had rice, fried fish and papaya for dinner. We finished the night off as we always do, with card games and music. Talk to you soon!

---

 

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 5

Hola gente!

This morning, after a delicious breakfast of piña and quesadillas de queso, we hopped in the van and headed to the service site. Accompanied by a soundtrack of Y2K bops, we got to work painting tires to look like minions, extending our rock path, and priming some of the mural.

During our break, we visited the tienda down the street and bought paletas (a great treat on such a hot day) and a variety of chips. After finishing service, we took a dip in the pool, had an amazing lunch of taco bowls, and started our leadership activity. We learned about the dos and don’ts of adapting to cultural norms as a guest.

Then, during Spanish we made dessert empanadas and ate them while learning about Costa Rican legends such as La Segua, a cautionary tale about the deceptive nature of appearances. Dinner was delicious beans, vegetables, and rice.

Per usual, we finished off the day with some Cotton Eye Joe and card games.

Hasta luego!

---

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 6

We started today with a delicious breakfast of pineapple and empanadas before getting in the van and heading to the service site.

During our service hours, we took dirt from a large pile and spread it out over a portion of the field.

Hopefully, when we finish, the locals will be able to use the field as a soccer pitch!!

As soon as we left the service site, it started pouring rain. Once we were back at the hotel, a few of us went into the pool while it was still raining. We then dried off and ate a delicious lunch consisting of rice, creamy beans, and pasta salad with tuna.

During our Spanish class, our amazing teachers switched groups and we got to experience a different teaching style. After a brief dance break, we helped Fran, the chef who cooks all the delicious food we eat, prepare tamales for our breakfast tomorrow.

We had a delicious dinner of tomato soup with chicken, cheese, chips, and other various add-ons. We wrapped up our day by listening to music and playing card games. Until next time!

-Owen Stafford

---

 

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 8

Hello parents! Today we ate a quick breakfast of pancakes with guava jam and then we were off to Bahia Ballena.

Most of the four hour car ride was spent on roads that winded through the clouds, a surreal experience!

Halfway through we stopped for empanadas de papa and then before we knew it we had arrived at our new hotel Bahia Azul.

After a short rest at the hotel we enjoyed a late lunch of pasta salad, chicken, and yucca fries and headed to the beach. We couldn’t swim in the water but the abundance of souvenirs available for purchase more-than made up for it. Some of us bought crocheted tops while others opted for rings or bracelets.

All of which will be wonderful reminders of the amazing time we will have had on our GLA trip to Costa Rica! Then we had dinner of pork and rice back at the hotel before turning in for the night.

Con cariño,

-Caroline

---

 

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 9

Today was a full day at the beach!

After breakfast we got ready to have our surf lesson. When we reached the beach we met Travis, our surf instructor from Bodhi Surf & Yoga, and shredded that gnar.

After our great surf lesson we took a drive to see the Whale’s Tail, a natural landmark off of the coast in the area. Then we headed to the hotel to have lunch. We packed up our things and visited a different beach.

We walked about a mile to the spot where we swam which had lots of big waves and pretty palm trees. We spent about 2 hours swimming at the beach then went down a nearby street to do some souvenir shopping.

After our shopping spree we headed to a different beach to watch the sunset then back to the hotel to shower before dinner. We got all dolled up and went to a local pizza place for dinner. When we finished our delicious pizza, we played some cards, shared some photos, and relaxed at the hotel before going to bed.

Pura Vida beby!

---

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 10

We had a very busy day today! In the morning we had eggs, toast, fresh fruit, and coffee before our long van ride back to the mountains.

During the ride people napped, sang, snacked, and played games. Once we got back to Rinconcito Verde, we had a delicious lunch of fried fish, rice, beans and vegetables.

After some rejuvenating, we headed back out for a walking tour through the bustling city of Cartago. We got to see the beautiful Basilica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles and the Templo Inconcluso de Santiago Apóstol. We also completed a scavenger hunt competition in a popular food market and celebrated with ice cream and crepes!

Later in the evening we took dance classes where we learned the Bachata, Salsa and Merengue. We sat down to pasta and arroz con leche for dinner.

---

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 11

Hi everyone! Today is our last full day here in Costa Rica, qué triste!

We woke up this morning and had tortillas and fruit for breakfast. Then we left for our hike. We had an amazing time hiking up some very rocky terrain and saw the most incredible waterfalls.

After our hike, we came back to Home Base and ate a lunch of rice, beans, sausage, salad and coconut flan. Then, we drove over to the service site to say a huge thank you as well as a very sad goodbye to the community. We painted our hands and placed our hand prints on one of the murals at the site.

Then, we played a super fun game of musical chairs! After, Juan gave a great speech thanking us for being there and helping, and we extended our thanks back to him and the rest of the incredible community.

After that, we came back to Home Base and had a great group discussion about what we’ve learned here in Costa Rica. We talked about how we can enforce the philosophy of “Pura Vida” into our life and how we can continue to do service work in our communities.

Then we had our send-off dinner, consisting of burgers and fries. We are spending our night appreciating our time together as a group.

We have had such an amazing trip! Thank you to our mentors and all the GLA staff!

-Mia

---

 

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

All students got to Costa Rica and the home base successfully on Tuesday! The students battled the long immigration lines and made it to the staff outside, who transported them along with our fabulous driver Marco to the home base in Paraiso. They ate a dinner of carne asada, arroz, frijoles, and ensalada. We are so excited to get started on the service project and Spanish classes this week!

*Azayli did not want to be photographed but is here on base!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Today was the first day of community service. We drove 10 minutes to a nearby village where we met some of the children and parents of the community. To help, we painted murals, tires, and continued to level the rocky surface of an open area that we will soon turn into a
field. We also had our first Spanish class, where we met both of the lovely teachers and did a couple of introductory activities with the whole group.

Written by Ben Eber

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Today was a big day for the GLA community on many levels. After a breakfast of cereal and fruit, we had a guest speaker, Jose, come to speak to us about the history and culture of Costa Rica. Then, the squad traveled to get their COVID-19 tests where they were all negative! Soon after the trip to Walmart began where everyone bought food and other items they deemed necessities. After a lunch back at the hotel, the group discussed their definition of a comfort zone before having their first legitimate Spanish class. After a chill evening with the big news about all negative COVID tests, the night ended with Zoe clearing out a massive bug and saving the group.

Brian Wolfson

BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Hello GLA families,

On Sunday the 11th, we as a group explored the capital of Costa Rica, San Jose. We arrived in the city at 10:00am and were immediately greeted by our tour guide. The guide was an energetic man who new everything there was to know about the city. The tour lasted two hours and during that time, we visited multiple parks, and other famous locations within the city. After the tour, we got on the bus and took a short 10 minute drive to a nearby park.

Once we found an open spot with grass, we set up blankets and food in order to have a picnic lunch. We ate delicious vegetarian and meat burritos prepared by our fantastic chef Juan, as well as chips and other yummy foods. During this time, the important Italy vs Britain soccer game was going on and everyone was interested in what was happening. Seeing this, the mentors gave us the option of going to a diner in order to watch the last hour or so of the game. At the diner, we enjoyed milkshakes of all flavors as we watched the soccer game.

After the game ended, we took an hour bus ride back the hotel and once returned, enjoyed 2 hours of free time before heading down to dinner. We ate creamy pasta with salad and fruit and before we knew it, day 6 had come to an end.

-By Jonah Bakaler

 

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Today, we went on a zipline tour, where we were greeted by the nicest staff. Then we zip lined and repelled to see some amazing views. After going back to homebase and having lunch, we headed out again to learn the history behind the most important church in Costa Rica, La negrita, where the church offered amazing views of the architecture, and holy water. Then we walked to a church ruin, where the church was started in the 1700s but never finished. Afterwards, we were divided into groups of three for a scavenger hunt in one of nearby markets of Costa Rica. Once we arrived back home, it was time for dinner, and lights out.

By Lillian Lowe

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Today was the first full day after the news of everyones negative COVID tests! It started at 7:30 with a delicious breakfast. Then we headed on the bus to the park where we continued to paint the mural, clear the field, and paint tires. We returned to home base just in time for the afternoon rain. After lunch we participated in GLA activities and then went to spanish class. Dinner followed shortly after class where we enjoyed a tortilla soup while watching Brazil lose the Copa America Final to Argentina.

-by Sarah Colby

BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

The day started with a routine 7:15 breakfast of cheese empanadas. After breakfast we headed to service where the three groups worked on weeding, painting tires, and working on the mural. After roughly three and a half hours of service we headed back to the hotel for some lunch. Lunch consisted of some stewed beef, rice, white beans, salad, and some fruit. When lunch ended we had about an hour and a half of free time. Then at two we had a team building exercise.

After we completed that activity rooms four, five, and six got to do their laundry. Then everyone headed to Spanish class at three and finished at six. At 6:30 dinner started, and offered a selection of rice, beans, tortillas, beef, salad, and fruit. After a delicious dinner the group filled out surveys about how their time at GLA has been so far, and what they would keep or change to make the experience better. The day ended with an intense game of hide and seek.

-by Nick Zeff

BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Today we woke up to clear skies for the first time in several days. The sun was beaming and it was perfect weather for another day of service. After filling up on a hardy breakfast of French toast, we set out to the service site. Maggie’s group took on the task of deepening and digging trenches where the tires are eventually going to be placed. It was hard work that was alleviated in part by the help of Marco “El Maquina” who dug through the dirt and rocks like it was sand. With the mural almost fully painted, Zoe’s team was in charge of applying additional coats and repainting the mural as well as moving the piles of rocks we had dug up in previous days. Inside, Ryan’s group was washing, painting, an applying varnish to the tires.

Back at home base we were greeted with a great meal of rice and beans and chicken nuggets. We had a GLA activity about conflict resolution and then went right into Spanish. We learned about the various symbols of Costa Rican culture, learned the names for different body parts, and listened to some songs. For dinner we were treated to pasta, salad, garlic bread, and horchata. After a chill evening we went to sleep.

-by Shoh Nishino

BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

By Kate Wetherton

We got a bright and early start at 4:50 for student-led yoga and meditation. After an incredible breakfast, we headed out to the service site. We have made tons of progress in just 5 days; yesterday we filled trenches with tires, started the second coat on the mural, and washed and painted new tires. After working for 3 hours in the hot sun we’ve all quickly became big fans of téa tropical. Then we went back to GLA home-base, had a delicious lunch, and did the GLA banana split activity. This activity made us more aware of where our food comes from and how we can ensure we are purchasing from more ethical food producers. We then headed to our 3-hour Spanish class. The night concluded with a dinner of potatoes, fish, and rice from our chef Francisco who never disappoints.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Written by Evan Caldwell

A few of us participated in student led yoga and meditation, and the 5am wake up call that came with it. Breakfast was bread rolls, fruit, yogurt and orange juice. The daily activities began with our 6th day of service digging trenches, clearing fields, washing and painting tires, making great progress on the mural, and chatting with the locals. We returned to the hotel for a quick and delightful lunch of beans, rice, pasta salad, and fruit. After lunch, we drove through the picturesque mountains of Costa Rica for our hike up the Turrialba Volcano. We had a wonderful guide and his two adorable dogs (Galleta and Boti) lead us up the volcano. The views were so amazing we stopped on our way back for another photo op. Dinner was rice, lentils, meatballs, cauliflower, and salad. After dinner we all hung out after the eventful day.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Written by Millie Marsh

The early risers began the day with beach yoga, then joined the rest for a breakfast of rice, beans, and eggs. At 11, we headed to the beach for a surf lesson. The conditions were fantastic, and we soon rode the waves with ease. We traveled back to the hotel to enjoy lunch and relax before heading to two souvenir shops. After our shopping trip, we went to the beach to watch the sunset. We finished off our day with dinner out at a pizzeria.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Written by Ava Valadi

We began the day today bright and early with yoga and meditation at sunrise. After breakfast, Marco, our amazing bus driver, drove us four hours all the way to the beach town of Uvita. Most of us took long, refreshing naps on the bus, making for funny pictures. Once we arrived in Uvita, we had a delicious lunch at the hotel before getting settled in and leaving to spend the afternoon at the beach. While there, we got snow cones, and even had the opportunity to drink coconut water directly from a coconut! We went back to the hotel for a relaxing evening spending time with friends.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

Written by William Resende

We started the morning with a nice breakfast of Bread Pudding and fruit. After breakfast we made our way to the service site where it was raining and windy. There we painted tires inside and placed the dry ones outside in the mud and rain. Because the conditions were not as pleasant as we hoped it to be, we had to cut the service short and make our way back to the hotel. To make up the time, we went at it in an intense soccer game.

After the game we went back to the hotel for a nice lunch of some pork mix with vegetables, tortillas, and fruit. After lunch we had our GLA activity where we discussed local, national, and international problems. Then right before Spanish we were caught by surprise from a 6.4 Magnitude Earthquake. Some of us felt it and others did not. Then during Spanish some of us made tortillas de queso or cheese tortillas and shared it with the rest of the group. And finally we all sat down for a wonderful dinner of fried rice of pork or chicken and coleslaw.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 22

Written by Nehru Madan

Today was our last day staying at the beach. We woke up to a breakfast of eggs and toast, packed our stuff, and left the hotel at 8:00. On the way we stopped at the beach for about an hour for some light swimming and last minute souvenir shopping.

We arrived back to Rinconcito Verde around 2:30 and ate an awesome homemade lunch by our amazing chef Fransisco. After lunch some of us went to play soccer at the park while others stayed behind to relax at the hotel. On the bus ride back from the soccer field we had a dance party to 2010 top hits.

For dinner we were treated to chicken soup and had a relaxing evening before returning to service and the normal schedule tomorrow.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

Written by Azayli Arona

Today we had a late start of our rainy day. For breakfast we had french toast, fruits, and orange juice. 10 minutes away was our service site where we focused mainly on painting/sanding tires, aligning tires, and outlining the mural. It had rained for a while which set back our progress on the mural but it did not stop us from working towards our goal. It was the second laundry day for rooms 4, 5, and 6 as rooms 1, 2, and 3 had received theirs during lunch. The rain had increasingly grown throughout our spanish classes and dinner throughout the entire night.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

Written by Cole Miller

After being unsure whether we were going to be able to go to the service site one last time because of the rainstorm that hit Costa Rica, we were excited to see that in the morning there was little rain. We ate a quick breakfast and headed out for our final few hours of community service.

Fully painted tires were placed into trenches and final layers were painted on additional tires that the next GLA group will use. In addition, to leave our mark on the village forever, everyone put their handprint above the tree on the mural, something that felt important to all. Shortly after, it started to rain and we were forced to say goodbye to not only the hard and amazing work we have done over the past 3 weeks, but also the incredible children we met along the way. Working in the village with everyone felt really special and rewarding, and we are all happy that the children will be able to enjoy the recreational space we helped create.

After getting back from service we immediately began one of the most important GLA activities of the trip, “OMG”.

In this activity, titled One Meaningful Goal (or OMG for short), we were tasked with creating a concrete and reachable goal that we will be able to bring into our lives as well as the lives of others in our communities. Goals ranged from taking larger leadership roles at home, participating in more community service, and improving conflict resolution.

After discussing our OMGs, we were all hungry and ready for lunch. During our lunch of chicken, salad, fruit, and more, two artisan craftswoman traveling across Central America sold unique and beautiful jewelry to many students.

After lunch and shopping, we had about 20 minutes to relax before we all headed off to our favorite activity, COVID tests! That took about two hours and arrived back at the hotel just in time for our final Spanish classes where we finished up and performed our skits that we had been working on for the past few days.

The Avanzado group opened up with a scary tale involving a murderous ghost in a haunted house and the ghostbusters saving the day in the end. The Intermedio group then performed their take on the reality tv show, Survivor. Lastly, the Basico group ended with a traditional Costa Rican tale that involved lots of drama and finished with Kate falling in the pool, something that caught everyone off guard.

The class ended with a sweet parting gift from Jess and the rest of the Spanish teachers to all the students with orejas de elefante, a traditional Costa Rican dessert. After goodbyes were said with the lovely Spanish staff, everyone was ready for a big dinner of lasagna and plantains. After an extremely busy day, most of the group hung out together and told some stories as well as reflected on their experiences.

It is crazy how 3 weeks ago we all came here as complete strangers, but are now leaving as such great friends. We bonded over community service, Spanish class, zip-lining, white water rafting, hiking, the beach trip and so much more in such a short period of time, and all the connections everyone has made feel very special. We learned so much about Costa Rica, about each other and about ourselves and our impact on the world. I truly believe that this incredible GLA trip affected everyone in a positive way and it is sad that it is coming to an end. On the schedule, there is a new quote written every day and today it was: “Every end is a new beginning”. Even though this amazing trip is coming to an end, it marks the beginning of new friendships at home, new ideas and values, and new ways we can use what we’ve all experienced together to positively impact our communities and the world.

 

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20, 2021

After a long day of travel, the entire student group arrived at Home Base!

The first group of four got in around 3:00pm and we had lunch and played games until the second group of 13 came in around 6:00pm.

We then had dinner consisting of a delicious variety of Costa Rican dishes.

After everyone had settled into their rooms, we grouped up again to introduce ourselves and get ready for the busy day ahead tomorrow.A small group of three got in to Home Base just in time to catch all the information. The final group of nine got in at around 10:00pm, ate burritos, and hit the hay almost immediately.

We’re excited for the program and the many adventures ahead now that arrival day is behind us!

-The GLA Team

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22, 2021

Yesterday, we started off the program with ziplining in the morning.

We all pushed our comfort zones but had so much fun- the views were amazing!

In the afternoon we had orientation. We learned about the code of conduct and safety rules for the trip, and ended the day by splitting into our four mentor groups for the next two weeks.

Our first day of service was a success!

We started the day with a hearty breakfast of cereal and quesadillas and then headed off to our service site. After some icebreaker games of “zip zap zop” and Simon Says (or Simon Dice), we broke into four groups and went off to work.

Our project for the next two weeks is to restore a soccer field and play area for kids in the community of Florencio del Castillo.

One group was scraping and painting a mural for the kids, another digging a trench around the field, a third cleaning tires to put around the field as decoration, and a fourth weeding and cleaning the field.

We even got to practice our Spanish with some local kids, such as Derek, who showed us his Guinea pig, Mangita.

After returning to home base, we rested up and then ate lunch – rice, beans, and enchiladas. We then all took swim tests in the pool at the hotel to make sure we are all water safe. While some students were swimming, others took a short Spanish placement test with our Spanish teachers or played cards. We then participated in a Spanish activity all together, ending the day with tilapia for dinner and a group activity where we got to know each other a little better.

We’re all looking forward to learning about Costa Rican culture and more Spanish learning tomorrow!

-Charlotte K. and the GLA Team

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23, 2021

Yesterday

It was a wonderful day here in Costa Rica!

We had a jam packed day. We started the day with a nutritionally balanced meal from Francisco and it was delicious.

Then, we had a informational presentation regarding the history and status of Costa Rica. It was very interesting because us Americans learned more about the culture of Costa Rica.

We proceeded to all test negative on our COVID-19 exams and this put everyone in a great mood! We went to the store to get snacks and it was very cool for everyone to experience a Costa Rican market. Francisco continued to supply a wonderful meal with grilled chicken paired with rice and beans. His meals have steadily been delicious and we cannot wait for the future meals.

After lunch we had a great Spanish class with our lovely teachers Fani and Jessica and they have made the learning very fun and interactive. We interviewed each other as well as wrote reflections.

Following our Spanish class, Francisco, again supplied a wonderful meal. The soup was incredible and it put everyone in an amazing mood going into the Mentor Meetings.

We played the Cultural Norms Game which gave everyone a perspective on other cultures and how they act. We finished the beautiful day reflecting on a great day!

We are excited for tomorrow (and more meals from Francisco)!

-George, Sean and the GLA Team

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24, 2021

After a breakfast of cheesy tortillas and sour cream, we drove down into the valley where we began our community service.

Today, we continued to work in four groups to accomplish our tasks. The Mural Team continued to clean and paint the back wall while the Tire Team cleaned tires that will be painted and placed around the soccer field for decoration.

The two other teams weeded the area and completed the first side of the trench. During our break, some students walked to the tienda to buy drinks and snacks.

Then, we got back to work and some were able to try our Spanish with the incredibly helpful kids of the town.

When we got back to Home Base, sweaty from our work, the group cooled off in the pool and played pool games. After lunch, Spanish class began. Today’s activity was focused on cooking in Spanish and we learned to make sweet empanadas from our wonderful and talented chef, Francisco.

Dinner was spicy tortilla soup. Finally, we wrapped up the day with mentor groups activities and are excited for another fun day ahead tomorrow!

-Spencer, Natalie and the GLA Team

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25, 2021

Day 5 started off great with some delicious scrambled eggs, watermelon, and our usual rice and beans.

We grabbed our backpacks, completed the headcount, and hopped on the bus at 8 am. After arriving to our service site, we played a couple of games with local children. As per usual, we worked from about 8:30 to 12 with a short break to the local market. By the time we left, there was noticeable progress at our service site (on the mural, trenches, tires, and weeding).

Following our tiring work, some of us cooled off in the pool while others showered and rested before lunch. As always, Francisco cooked up a delicious meal consisting of a potato salad, vegetables, chicken, mango, and an exceptional rice pudding.

At 2 pm, it was time for Spanish class! One of today’s topics was our rutina diaria (daily routine), which we all presented to the class. Then, we learned about the parts of the body through various activities. For instance, we labeled different body parts with post-it notes, and later drew and labeled beings of our own. This was followed by a relaxing mediation and massage exercise, during which we were able to “create a bond with nature.”

After Spanish class, most of us rested in our rooms waiting for dinner (tonight, dinner was pasta!!). After playing “I spy with my little eye” in Spanish, we had an introduction to international development. We discussed local, national, and global issues as well as their solutions, and learned about the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

We are well very tired from this fun and busy day!

-Aline, Jaya, Catherine and the GLA Team

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26, 2021

Today was an eventful day!

We started with breakfast and went to service. At the break we were able to go to the mini mart just down the street. We then headed back to the hotel and ate lunch.

After lunch we had Spanish classes and prepared our own dinner from scratch with the chef, Francisco.

Following dinner we had a group activity and were given time to pack in preparation for our beach trip tomorrow!

-The GLA Team

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28, 2021

Today was a day well-spent in the coastal town of Uvita. After a filling Costa Rican breakfast at the hotel, we split into two groups in order to explore the beautiful national park, Parque Nacional Marino Ballena. Each group walked to the tip of La Cola de Ballena, or Whale Tail Beach, and swam in the relaxing, calm bay, surrounded by picturesque mountains and clouds.

While the one group hung out, the other hung ten farther down the beach, where they took surfing lessons and many people tried the sport for the first time ever. For a group with such little experience, we had a lot of success, helped by Costa Rica’s famous waves and our awesome surf instructors.

After the beach, several people stopped by a local coconut stand, where the vendor skillfully chopped up fresh coconuts, giving us a taste of paradise.
We then returned to the hotel for a big lunch, and had a little free time while we waited for the afternoon rain to clear up.

After the weather was clear, we visited two souvenir shops, where we purchased a variety of local-made goods.

We ended the day with a delicious dinner and some ice cream. Pura vida!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

While today was a travel day, there was still a lot to do. We started the day off with a heart healthy breakfast and then quickly transitioned into our long, 4 hour bus trip back to Riconcito Verde.

Marco of course was a fantastic driver, and got us back in no time. The rest stop in the middle was a much needed break.

When we got back to the hotel we ate lunch and then headed off into groups for the Latin dance lesson. The dance lessons were fun, culturally informative, and a great work out as well.

At night, Francisco blessed us with yet another amazing meal (pasta with meat sauce), and we ate it up very quickly.

Finally, we gathered in quick mentor groups and then had our Scottish dance lesson from our resident Scottish mentor, Ryan. It excited the entire group, and was a beautiful way to end the day, as well as learn about yet another culture through dance.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Along side the children of the community, we continued painting the walls lining the field, bringing the park to life with colorful artwork.

Once we had completed a hard days work, we retired to the hotel to enjoy a large lunch of pinto gallo before we picked up once again for our final day of Spanish class. During class, we celebrated the birthday of one of our fabulous cooks, Marco, who has provided us with three nutritious and delicious meals every day of our stay in Costa Rica. Near the end of class, a number of groups presented their unique, final projects that encompassed what we have learned throughout our immersive, Spanish experience. This included a performance of our own, version of “La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens.

After a scrumptious dinner of meatball soup and tortillas, our motivational mentors led us in a final few discussions. We took time to set personal goals and reflect on how we can be the change in our own communities.

Thanks,
Luisa and Abby