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 27

Bienvenidos a Costa Rica!

Welcome to the Animal Rescue Program blog!

This will be our opportunity to share our adventures and learnings in the Alajuela Province with all of you! And this will be your opportunity to travel and experience with all of us throughout the next two weeks.

Our group has arrived safe, and everyone is settling into their new home in San Ramón (Costa Rica). Most of them were exhausted after traveling for long hours, but everyone showed optimism and enthusiasm!

The group that arrived in the afternoon, explored the home base and had some get-to-know activities with our mentors. We can’t wait for the adventures, service learning, lifelong memories, and deep friendships that await.

Most of the students arrived by dinner to the homebase (that’s why we don’t have many pictures yet).

We can’t wait for the adventures, service learning, lifelong memories, and deep friendships that await.

Please note that under the masks… everyone is smiling!

We are excited to welcome Kendal and Lola, and more photos coming soon!

Pura Vida!

The GLA Team,
Manu, Anna, Fer, Scott, Juanca, Ila, Rubén & Giovani.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 28

The first day is in the books! We started the day with some gallo pinto, a traditional Costa Rican breakfast. After breakfast we did a few icebreakers to get to know each other, and went over the GLA rules and policies. Most importantly, SAFETY!

After the morning session we had the students rotate between touring the home base, making signs for their rooms and taking the SWIM TEST! Everyone passed with flying colors! Every student also got a chance to be in the “hot seat”, where they had to answer rapid fire questions from the rest of the group. We were very impressed with the funny and thoughtful questions and answers the students came up with!

Our last student, Lola, arrived! Just on time for joining mentor groups!

Towards the end or the day we split up into our mentor groups for the first time and had some small group interactions. We all opened up a bit in our mentor groups and started to really get to know each other. Around 9pm we wrapped up our very busy first day, and we’re sure all the students will fall asleep the second their heads hit the pillow! We’re very excited for these two weeks, and got off to an amazing start today.

Sincerely,

The GLA Costa Rican Animal Rescue Staff

BLOG POST FOR JULY 29

Hello everyone 🙂

We started the day in the parking lot at 8am for a great Daily health check! At breakfast we enjoyed a very yummy breakfast.

Then we drove to La Fortuna, a town close by, got covid tested and afterwards were able to shop for snacks, icecream, chocolate, and meet some of the locals. Was a great opportunity to practice our Spanish!

We headed back to the hotel, and met the guest speaker, Raúl, who informed us about Costa Rica’s history, animals, plants, and culture. We enjoyed some pool time afterwards where some played soccer around the pool and others were hanging out playing cards. Then we had VIDA Orientation, where we met the vets and talked about the expectations during service. We had a small break afterwards, split up into our mentor groups, and headed to dinner. We finished our day off with a shoutout circle and headed to our rooms.

Written by Students Samantha, Colin, Kendal, Michael and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 30

Today we had an early morning and breakfast because we wanted to be ready for our first day of service! During community service, we were able to walk the dogs, see their personalities, and learn the basics of dog grooming and care.

We had a scrumptious lunch of pizza and pasta which gave us energy for our afternoon of debate and dancing.

We debated the challenges of a new law around animal cruelty and heard all sides through a lens of empathy. After the debate, we enjoyed a dance where we learned the traditional Latin dance of Bachata as well as reggaeton.

After dance class we analyzed a poem in our mentor groups which helped us connect with our small group by sharing our personal stories. This was a great start to our service and we can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring!

-Turner, Maddie, Jordan, Matthew and the GLA Team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 31

As probably the warmest and most humid day so far, today started out with a morning meditation led by mentor Ila. Waking up at 6:30 am was difficult but the meditation made it worth it. Students started off with a hearty breakfast consisting of gallo de pinto and eggs, as well as pancakes. This ensured that the students were ready for service.

Early on during our second day of community service, we found ourselves in a “ruff” patch. After setting up tables and prepping for the dental procedure, plans quickly changed after the vet’s realized the dogs weren’t able to be under anesthesia at that time because they were fed earlier that morning. The mentors acted fast, and they moved the scavenger hunt to earlier in the day, allowing the students to enjoy some pool time before lunch and making sure service as planned could be fully realized in the afternoon. The hunt required exploring new locations in the property.

Service started again after lunch, where students shadowed and were helping hands throughout the anesthesia and dental work process. At the end of the day, students reflected with their mentors and many noted how involved the students were during the service and how they enjoyed the day overall.

Sophie, Mackenzie, Vincent, Pippi and the GLA Team

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 01

Today was another day of service with our local service partner, VIDA, and it was by far the most exciting and educational so far!

We assisted in the spaying and neutering for several dogs and cats that live at the hotel, and it was both slightly nerve-wracking and super interesting! We also got to pet and hang out with some kittens after surgery, and they were quite adorable.

After our morning of service we ate lunch and headed to a cooking class! After a fun bus ride of exchanging riddles we arrived at the class. We were taught how to make tortillas and empanadas by hand and were also treated to some Agua Dulce, a traditional Costa Rican drink.

After the class we headed back to home base and met with our mentor groups and ate dinner. We’re all excited for a fun day of zip lining/horseback riding tomorrow!

Zach, Max and the GLA Team

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 02

Our first adventure day arrived!

Today we had the group divided into two different activities. The activities in question included a ziplining trek through the Costa Rican jungle and brisk horseback riding through the lush forestry. We all enjoyed our activities to the fullest with prompting from our guides, making it a memorable experience for us all. We stopped at the base of the Arenal volcano for lunch at a local “soda” or family owned restaurant.

After that, the groups went to do some souvenir and snack shopping where the teams bought gifts for themselves, family and friends back at home. At La Fortuna town, we bought yummy ice cream and milkshakes.

We ended our day by reflecting on our adventures through conversations of highs, lows, and growth with our mentors.

We celebrated with a delicious cake our fantastic mentor Scott’s birthday!

Tomorrow we start the second part of our service in The Lands in Love!

-The GLA Team

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 03

Today we split into 4 groups.

It started off for the dog walking group bright and early at 6:45 am, when they headed off to the doghouse shelters and started their service day. Everyone else slept in, and got an earlier breakfast- their service included helping with chicken coops, and general hotel maintenance. Another group went to the office to help Lands in Love.

The dog walking group walked 85 dogs in total throughout the day! They also helped to clean dishes, collars, and leashes. The maintenance group cleaned the gutters, pool area, and helped with gardening. (Colin even had a praying mantis on his head!) The “chicken group” assisted with cleaning coops and cages, and learned about using leftover food and sawdust for composting.

After a long morning of service, everyone joined together for black bean burgers, soy chicken, and fries. Then, we had a much needed break before swimming, soccer, or meditation. Finally, we had mentor groups and a relaxing dinner!

-Lili, Deliliah, Alysse, Annika and the GLA Team

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 4

We have completed another day of service for this week!

After a breakfast of champions, gallo pinto, we started our daily service  project. One group walked dogs, another cleaned horse stalls and chicken cages and the final group helped clean the waterfall trail.

After service we had lunch. Then we rode the buses and headed to Zoo Ave, where the tour guide explained to us the process of rehabilitation: evaluation and diagnosis, medical treatment, adaptation and reintroduction to their habitat. And this is for all of the animals that are in the rescue center .

After Zoo Ave, we came back to Home Base  and ended the night having dinner and going to bed early to be ready for the next day of service.

What a fulfilling and exciting day. We can’t wait for tomorrow!

-The GLA Team

P.S. Here are some photos from today’s activities.

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 5

We started the day with an amazing breakfast, as always!

Full of energy we started our sixth day of service, the third one with Lands in Love.

Some people were walking dogs, other people built gutters around the lake and other people worked with chickens and horses.

We had a break to rest and start the rest of the afternoon fresh. Meeting back in the afternoon, we played some games and had good conversations. All together we played “get to know your friends”, a fun game to get to know the people in the team better.

We wrapped up the day with the classic shout-out circle and headed to our rooms to rest for the almost final day of service.

-The GLA Team

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 6

This morning we started the day by sleeping in, and eating breakfast at 9:00!

We had a short service day cleaning horses, walking dogs, and helping out around the hotel.

After lunch, we packed the busses and headed to La Fortuna for a Chocolate Tour. We got to learn about the process, walk around the cocoa farm, and try some amazing chocolate. We bought some chocolate for the road, and headed back to finish the day off chatting with our mentors, and eating dinner before bed.

-Valerie, Jessie, Colin, Rowan and the GLA Team

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 7

¡Hola a todos! We were ecstatic after a few extra minutes of rest and some started the day with a lovely exercise routine from Scott.

After a nice breakfast we had a guest speaker, Assaf, who told us about the hotel’s history and how fundraising efforts help support the animals. Service was enjoyable but knowing it was the final day was melancholy. We had a quick lunch and made our way to La Fortuna for our COVID tests. We spent time in town hanging out, buying ice cream and other goods.

Afterwards we headed back to the hotel, reflected and set goals in our mentor groups, ate a delicious dinner, and ended another incredible day.

-Samantha, Vincent, Kendal, Lili and the GLA Team

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 9

Today we said goodbye to our 27 inspirational students!

It has been a wonderful experience for all of us!

We hope all students have a safe trip home and continue on with a fulfilled life of learning, values and commitment to make a better world! Keep sharing and shining!

¡Pura Vida!

-Anna, Fer, Giovani, Ila, Juanca, Manu, Scott & Rubén

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 3

Bienvenidos a Costa Rica!

Welcome to the Animal Rescue Program blog, session 2!

This will be our opportunity to share our adventures and learnings in the Alajuela Province with all of you! And this will be your opportunity to travel and experience with all of us throughout the next three weeks.

One group arrived in the afternoon, explored the home base and had some get-to-know activities with our mentors. They all enjoyed their first meal in Costa Rica and even were treated to some chocolate cake for dessert!

Most of the students arrived very late to the homebase (that’s why we don’t have many pictures yet). They were very talkative and open to each other!

We are more than excited to have all the students here and enjoy our full day together!

We can’t wait for the adventures, service learning, lifelong memories, and deep friendships that await.

Please note that under the masks… everyone is smiling!

We are excited to welcome Carson and Jaden, and more photos coming soon!

Pura Vida!

The GLA Team,
Anna, Fer, Jenny, Scott, Juanca, Ila.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

The first day in our Homebase!

Today we welcomed two more students: Carson and Jaden!

We started the day with a great breakfast buffet! Every meal in Lands in Love is a party!
After breakfast we did a few icebreakers to get to know each other, and had some rotations, between touring the Home Base, making signs for their rooms and taking the SWIM TEST! Everyone passed!

Students could go over the GLA rules and policies, and they made their own agreements! Most importantly, SAFETY!

Every student also got a chance to be in the “hot seat,” where they had to answer rapid fire questions from the rest of the group.

We received Alon, one of the leaders of the project in Lands in Love. He told us his story and mission, we all felt inspired!

Towards the end or the day we split up into our four mentor groups for the first time, we all opened up a bit in our mentor groups and started to really get to know each other. Around 9pm we wrapped up our very busy first day!

We’re very excited for these three weeks, and got off to an amazing start today.

Sincerely,
The GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

We woke up to a beautiful Costa Rican sunrise and walked to breakfast and started our day with a flavorful gallo pinto breakfast.

Then we hopped on the bus and made our way to La Fortuna town to hopefully test negative to our covid-test.

We were able to see the beautiful downtown and walked around for a little while and we were treated with ice cream and coffee to end our visit.

Then we came back to home base to have lunch and listened to an informative guest speaker from Costa Rica.

Then we had some free time where we had the option to either go to the pool or rest. After that we were able to meet the Vida Team of vets who we are working with in the next couple of days.
We finished up the day with a successful shoutout circle and a delicious dinner.

Avery, Angelina, Alexa, Mac and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

We woke up with the sun this morning to start our day with Gallo Pinto and freshly baked bread (casero) to prepare ourselves for the big day of service ahead. After breakfast, we were greeted by the smiling faces of the Vida team and the loud roar of over 400 dogs waiting to be cleaned.
We went over the rules and started to set up our stations to wash our dogs. We began by clipping nails, brushing their fur, and cleaning their ears. At first we were jumping away and cringing at the prospect of getting wet, but by the end, we were all soaked more than the dogs, and filled with joy.

We were sad to leave the dogs behind, but were excited to eat our first lunch without masks since we all received negative covid test results! Following lunch we culturally immersed ourselves by learning some traditional Costa Rican dances such as the merengue, salsa, bachata, among others. We finished off by singing Despacito and laughing more than dancing.
Aside from the dancing, we also discussed personal values that we felt defined our character and learned more about ourselves by doing so. We also practiced our debating skills in a discussion regarding the animal welfare law. Our day was filled with laughs and getting to know each other.
We are excited for many more to come!

Written by Hana, Anna, Isabelle, Cami, Alex and the GLA team.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Mañana! That was our word of the day for July 7th of the Costa Rica: Animal Rescue Project.

We started the day with our health checks before breakfast, which was amazing as usual. Then we went to do our service with Vida, the veterinarian non profit we work with. We focused on de-worming, trimming nails, and cleaning ears. We treated a total of 24 dogs today!

After service we ate lunch before going on our hike to the Lands in Love Waterfall. The hike was a wonderful experience, especially since we didn’t have to leave the hotel grounds for it.

We de-stressed after our hike with yoga, taught by one of our very own mentors, Jenny. We all learned some complicated stretches and new techniques to cool down.

We finished the day with a great dinner and a good mentor group, were all fulfilled and excited for tomorrow 🙂

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

First week in the books! The breakfast was expectedly amazing, and fueled us up for a long morning of assisting VIDA with dental cleanings! It was at times intimidating, but incredibly riveting. We can’t wait to get back with the VIDA crew for our final day of service!

After lunch, we made our way to a lovely woman’s home to learn how to make tortillas and bean empanadas from scratch! We were grateful that they were able to accommodate our large group, and we left feeling full of happiness (and empanadas).

We drove back to the home base through the rain, and met with our mentor groups. After that we made our way to dinner, where we were met with a new array of fantastically colored and tasting food!

We finished our night off with an amazing shout out circle, and can’t wait for our journey to the CAT PARK tomorrow!

Anika, Sawyer, Sophie, Maddie and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

After a quick breakfast they started their final day with VIDA, this time performing sprays for dogs and cats in need. After lunch the students enjoyed a wonderfully prepared lunch, cooked by the Lands in Love Staff, consisting of hamburgers, rice and fries.

With full bellies the students plunged into the pool, indulging in volleyball and other games.
Moving into the afternoon, the students enjoyed an abundance of cats in a hike up to the “Parque de Los Gatos” in which cats clambered all over the students. Just before a cultural Asian meal the young leaders broke down the day in mentor groups, talking of highs and lows and things they hope to grow on. Closing out their first week in Costa Rica, the students are ecstatic for the coming activities.

Peter, Miranda, Grant, Sadie and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Another rainy yet temperate day in Costa Rica. Despite this, we trudged to breakfast where we found pancakes, eggs, and gallo pinto, energizing us for the activities that lay ahead.
The activities in question included a ziplining trek through the Costa Rican jungle and brisk horseback riding through the lush forestry. Taking the harsh weather head on, we all enjoyed our activities to the fullest with prompting from our guides, making it a memorable experience for us all. Appeasing our ever growing appetite, we stopped at the base of the Arenal volcano for lunch at a local “soda” or family owned restaurant.

With full bellies we arrived back to a drenched home base to partake in our many different activities including but not limited to a water logged game of soccer, resulting in an abundance of muddy laundry. Others enjoyed the serenity of a nice chess game and yoga whilst keeping dry. We ended our day by reflecting on our adventures through conversations of highs, lows, and growth with our mentors. Leaving an exciting day, we are all eager to venture into what tomorrow may hold.

Grant, Kaitlyn, Molly, Chloe and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

The GLA group left the hotel at around 8:30am, and arrived at GoAdventurePark where they were split up into two groups; one went horseback riding while the other went ziplining, opposite from yesterday.

After their exciting adventures, both groups met up at a laid back restaurant for lunch, which had a beautiful volcano view.

After that, the groups went to do some souvenir and snack shopping where the teams bought gifts for themselves, family and friends back at home. The groups went to La Fortuna in the city to buy yummy ice cream and milkshakes.

Although everyone was very exhausted on the ride back to home base, we ended the day with nice showers all around, dinner and a good night’s rest.

-Carson, Eliza, Alysha and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

We began our Monday with our first morning of service, where we were divided into several different groups. Some of us scraped floors with sandpaper, some of us walked dogs, some cleaned up a lagoon by removing excess Lilly pads, and the final group cleaned up some chicken coops!

We followed service with a hearty lunch of rice, beans and tortillas filled with veggies and “beef”, so to speak. After lunch we listened
To Raul, a native Costa Rican who talked about local traditions and the different regions inside of Costa Rica. After the informative speech, we all went back to our rooms for some much needed downtime/sleep.

We followed that up with a reflective activity, where we learned more about our individual leadership styles and how we all relate. Then we cooled down with some popcorn and a trip to the beloved CAT PARK, or El Parque de Gatos. Dinner was a solid combo of rice chicken and noodles, a familiar yet scrum-diddly-umptious meal.

Ciao.

Mac and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Early this morning we split into our groups for service. between our three groups we walked the dogs, cleaned the pond, and worked on the chicken coops and bunny cages. The staff at Lands in Love was amazing in helping us with all of our jobs and answering any questions we had. We went into lunch feeling pretty content in the work we had each done, and definitely a bit tired.

After lunch we had the opportunity to go on a chocolate tour in La Fortuna, Rainforest Chocolate Factory. We received an informative presentation on the history of chocolate as well as the current economy for it. Then the fun part came, the tasting. We got to taste authentic dark chocolate with a whole table of different toppings. I think we speak for everyone when we say it was delicious.

Finally we closed another amazing day with another amazing dinner. After which we had mentor groups to check in and recap our day.

Georgia, Chloe, Ana and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

We woke up fully rested due to our extended wake up time, and ate a scrumptious breakfast to prepare ourselves for the long day of service ahead of us.

After breakfast, our service groups dispersed into dog walkers, maintenance, fundraising, and poultry support. The fundraising group siphoned through influencers that could be possible philanthropists for the lands in love hotel. The maintenance crews scrubbed panels for the chicken coops and raked lily pads amid a scenery of forestry and several types of poultry. The dog walkers started their day a little bit early to try to keep up with the eager dogs.

Energized after a delicious lunch, we gathered for a dance class, brought back by popular demand. We learned the traditional Costa Rican dance swing criollo and then cooled off by the pool with swimming and volleyball with the locals. We got to know our mentors and staff, who work so hard to accommodate us, through a game that allows students to peek into their mentors’ personal life. We ended the evening with a flavorful cena and ice cream dessert thoughtfully prepared by the kitchen staff. We are looking forward to learning more about Costa Rican fauna tomorrow at the zoo and can’t wait for the second half of a wonderful adventure!

Tia, Alex, Isabelle and the GLA team.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

We woke up excited to see the sun for the first time in about a week. It was our first day on the trip without rain! Another busy weekday, we split up into our service groups to clean lily pads out of the lake, walk dogs, fundraiser, and muck horse stalls.

We had pizza for lunch, which was a nice surprise, with a side of delicious salad. After lunch we visited Zoo Ave; a zoo centered around rescuing and rehabilitating animals. The zoo featured coyotes, Jaguars, monkeys, toucans, and other exotic birds. We even met a friendly macaw who shared a popsicle with a student in the group! After that we proceeded to return home with a rave on the party bus, blasting music and singing along to Katy Perry.

We returned home to celebrate Alex’s birthday with a big, fat slice of chocolate cake. We finished off the night with a prompt bedtime of 9 (or 9:30) pm, exhausted from the day of fun and adventures.

Hana, Avery, Eliza, Miranda and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

TGIF! We have completed our last day of service for this week! After a breakfast of champions, (Gallo pinto) we started our daily service for the hotel. One group walked dogs, another cleaned horse stalls, and the final group helped combat an invasive species of lily pads in the hotel lagoon.

After service we made a quick trip to the sheep/goat field, where we enjoyed each other’s company! Lunch was full of jokes and laughter, and we all chowed down on some falafel burgers. After lunch we had an hour to recharge, and then jumped into a group discussion about “voluntourism”.

We switched gears to an energetic and high stakes game of GLA Jeopardy, where the categories ranged from facts about the hotel staff to intricacies about Costa Rican cuisine.

Dinner was fun and tasty (as usual) and we had some great conversations. After a brief shout out circle we all headed back to our rooms to prepare for an electric morning or white-water rafting.

Signing off, Peter, Jaden, Sophia and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

We woke up on another rainy Costa Rican day. The sky was grey, but the humidity and heat persisted. After having a breakfast of french toast, we departed in two busses on a short drive to the Balsa River. There, we went white water rafting for the duration of two hours, with a break for fresh fruit halfway through. The experience was exciting and a thrilling but fun step out of some of our comfort zones.

After rafting, we headed back to the home base where we ate a quick lunch and took some time to shower and rest. We had an afternoon group activity, which was called “Respect for self and others.” After that was a daily meeting for mentor groups, and then we ate a great dinner.
We look forward to tomorrow’s adventure to the waterfall.

Molly and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

With the generosity of the mentors, we had a late morning after a long and hard week of service.
Some students woke up early and worked out and went to the pool with Scott and Jenny, while others enjoyed a luxurious breakfast at a later time.

We began our official day at 12:15 for lunch and then made our way to La Fortuna for an unforgettable experience at the waterfall. After many pictures and memories, we hiked back up the 500 stairs to the busses.

Upon our return to home base, we had a dinner of scrumptious burritos and hamburgers.
The relaxed day allowed us to unwind and get ready for the adventures to come for the final week of the program!

Written by students Maddie, Sadie, Carson and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Today was our second to last day of service, and one of our participant’s birthdays! Breakfast came with a new flavor juice; papaya, which was fine, but mostly loved by our mentor Jenny, who likes papaya enough for the whole group. We continued on to our service work full of pancakes, gallo pinto, eggs from our loved chickens, and fresh fruit. We beat our dog-walking record with 128 dogs in 4 hours, and the other service projects proceeded with our familiar activities, leaving us all exhausted. Cleaning lily pads out of the pond truly became well-noticed today, as we realized it looks like a different pond now, and our hard work is paying off! It looks so beautiful, and it’s been rewarding to notice the fruits of our labor. Service turned into lunch time, where we were served fresh salad, potato and veggie patties, and rice and beans. After lunch came our siesta; nap time and pool time, which students spent sun-bathing and drinking milkshakes.

After pool time, we participated in a scavenger hunt around the Lands in Love hotel. Teams had to visit the Cat Park, the animals, the staff members of the hotel, and various facilities to gather selfies and points. The winners received snacks and praise, complimentary of the mentors. Following the scavenger hunt we had our daily mentor group meetings, and then a quick dinner. We finished out the day with songs and sweets, celebrating Alysha’s 17th birthday.

Alex, Alysha, Cami and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Our last day of service finally arrived! We are very glad of the opportunity of making an impact in the Lands In Love community! In the afternoon we had the chance to buy our last snacks and souvenir in the great town in LA Fortuna. Do you know that the great volcano Arenal is close by?
We filled up with a delicious meal and then reflected on our experience of service learning with our mentor groups. We are looking forward to our last and exciting adventures at the beach tomorrow! Stay tuned for more action! See you tomorrow!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

This morning the crew had an early morning breakfast to fill our bellies for a very long bus ride to Del Coco Beach. After a wrong turn or two, we were en route to our beachside hotel and had a fun afternoon of sunny festivities. We arrived at a delicious, well-rounded lunch with real meat! Fresh passion fruit juice topped off the meal.

We then loaded back into the buses for a quick ride to the beach where we swam in the warm Pacific waters, climbed across yards upon yards of rocks, and played a competitive but friendly game of soccer with star players Juanca; our local director, and Giovanni; one of our bus drivers!

The sunset was absolutely breathtaking, and we took so many photos. After watching it completely lower past the horizon, and watching the moon rise and light up behind us, we loaded back onto our buses for a quick ride back to the hotel. After showers and getting a little bit fancy, we did a special activity where we got to give personal shoutouts to our friends and create a yarn “web” to visualize our newfound connection to one another.

Then we sat down for dinner and fancy drinks, beautifully plated in the beachside restaurant. After filling our bellies full of fresh pasta with various toppings, we strolled down the beach together by moonlight before a well-earned rest to prep for an early morning.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 22

Today was our final full day on the program! We had a tasty and early breakfast to go to The Catamaran!

After half an hour of lounging on the bow of the ship and listening to fantastic music, we had some swim time in gorgeous blue water. We snorkeled and could appreciate some fantastic fish. We had a very tasty lunch aboard and headed back to home base. Music, dancing and laughter on our bus ride made it smoother and energetic!

Our final dinner was delicious! We all gave each other one final squeeze before heading off to bed, and tried to get as much sleep as possible before a long travel day. We don’t want this trip to end!

The GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

Today we said goodbye to our amazing students!

These three weeks have flown! It has been a wonderful experience for all of us, :ands in Love will miss you!

We hope all students have a safe trip home and continue on with a fulfilled life of learning, values and commitment to make a better world!

Lots of love from the team,

¡Pura Vida!

Anna, Fer, Giovani, Ila, Jenny, Juanca, Scott & Rubén

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 17, 2021

Bienvenidos a Costa Rica!

Welcome to the Animal Rescue Project blog!

This will be our opportunity to share our adventures and learnings in the Alajuela Province with all of you. And this will be your opportunity to travel and experience this journey with all of us throughout the next two weeks.

Our group has arrived safe, and everyone is settling into their new home in San Ramón (Costa Rica). Most of them were exhausted after traveling for long hours, but everyone showed optimism and enthusiasm.

The group explored the Home Base and had some get-to-know activities with our mentors. We can’t wait for the adventures, service-learning, lifelong memories and deep friendships that await.

Please note that under the masks… everyone is smiling!

We feel grateful and excited about having our first student group of the season here.

Pura Vida!

The GLA Team,
Anna, Fer, Scott, Juanca, Ila & Rubén.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18, 2021

The first day is in the books!

We started the day with some gallo pinto, a traditional Costa Rican breakfast. After breakfast we did a few icebreakers to get to know each other, and went over the GLA rules and policies. Most importantly, SAFETY!

After the morning session we had the students rotate between touring the Home Base, making signs for their rooms and taking the SWIM TEST! Everyone passed with flying colors! Every student also got a chance to be in the “hot seat,” where they had to answer rapid fire questions from the rest of the group.

We were very impressed with the funny and thoughtful questions and answers the students came up with!

Towards the end or the day we split up into our mentor groups for the first time and had some small group interactions. We all opened up a bit in our mentor groups and started to really get to know each other. Around 9pm we wrapped up our very busy first day, and we’re sure all the students will fall asleep the second their heads hit the pillow!

We’re very excited for these two weeks, and got off to an amazing start today. This is a special group!

Sincerely,

The GLA Costa Rican Animal Rescue Staff

Anna, Scott, Fernanda, Juanca, Ila & Guillermo

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19, 2021

We got an early start this morning with a generous buffet breakfast.

We all practiced our Spanish by speaking with the kitchen staff.

Talk about true immersion with locals!

We then loaded up the bus and got to see the beautiful scenery of Costa Rica inside of our hotel in the daytime.

We took our COVID test, and despite a few teary eyes and itchy nose, it was all worth it, because we were all negative and can now see each other’s faces without a mask!

We stopped by a traditional Costa Rican bakery, Cafe Montecarlo, for a quick treat and got to exchange money there as well.

We bonded with some swimming and games before lunch, and spent the afternoon with a guest speaker learning all about Costa Rica, which really opened our eyes to Costa Rican history and culture.

We also met our veterinarian leaders from VIDA volunteers that provided general information and rules for the service we will be assisting them with.

We finished the day with our mentor groups and shared a personal fact that helped us learn more about each other.

Then to top it all off, we finished the day with an incredible night swim!

-Olivia, Aisliin, Brogan and the GLA Team

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20, 2021

We got an early start this Sunday morning with a generous buffet breakfast.

We all practiced our Spanish because our leaders of the day explained what food we were having.

Today was the first day that we had service with VIDA where we had the opportunity to work with animals in a dog facility.

We bathed and cleaned the dogs.

We also gave them a nice haircut.

After service we came to our rooms to change and then headed back to reception to have lunch.

In the afternoon we completed the anchor activity where we debated local issues from Costa Rica regarding animal culture to further develop our leadership skills.

We then took two hours of dance lessons, with a great teacher showing us local Costa Rican dances.

We played musical chairs and Pictionary to get goofy and let off some energy.

We ate dinner and we ended the day with mentor groups.

After a very adventurous day, we are very enthusiastic about our second day of service.

We’re having an amazing time with each other and making long-lasting friendships!

– Beltran, Caden, Jackson and the GLA team

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21, 2021

Another early morning in the books, we were all out the door by 7:00am!

We enjoyed a familiar breakfast of scrambled eggs, hash browns, French toast and fruit.

They nailed the traditional American breakfast, and we all felt like we were home sweet home.

After breakfast we made our way to the dog enclosures, where we met VIDA and assisted them with flea and tick treatment, ear cleanings, and feeding the dogs deworming pills.

We rewarded the dogs with a nice stroll through the property after the uncomfortable procedures.

We were able to treat 42 dogs, and the workers from VIDA were very appreciative of the work we put in.

After lunch, we had a little free time and completed a reflection activity in our mentor groups.

After that, we had a nice, scenic descent through muddy and rocky terrain to a beautiful waterfall.

The ascent, while quite strenuous, provided some marvelous views.

We drew on each other for motivation and powered through to the finish line!

We rewarded ourselves with some Marco Polo in the pool.

We wrapped our day up with an authentic Costa Rican dinner. Then, we met with our mentor groups and wound down with a little free time before lights out.

We’re ready to hit the ground running for our final day of service with VIDA. Until next time, GLA Animal Rescue Team signing off!

-Charlie, Zach, Ava and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23, 2021

We started the day with a delicious breakfast of French toast, eggs and fruit. We then hopped in the van and traveled to La Fortuna, a town at the base of a Volcano!

Our Spanish friend Beltrán blessed us with some reggaeton tunes during the drive and we had some amazing views along the way.

We arrived at the horse farm to find some beautiful baby foals frolicking in a field! They were super young and friendly, and greeted us with some big hellos. We then mounted the trusty steeds and set off on a trek through the mighty jungle.

We made a pit stop in a river where we let the horses cool down, and later immersed ourselves in an indigenous tribal hut where we learned a bit about their cultural traditions.

We galloped back to the barn and then ate lunch right next to the volcano! The views were spectacular, and the food was even better.

After getting back to Home Base we participated in a leadership activity, where we all grew to understand each other on a more personal level. We followed that up with some good old fashioned wheelbarrow racing and a game of fútbol! Lasagna and salad was on the menu for dinner, with some vanilla ice cream for dessert.

We got to know our mentors a bit better after dinner with a fun game, and now we’re writing this blog! Today was both meaningful and superb (real quote from us students) and we can’t wait to immerse ourselves in our beds! Signing off!

-Bella S.; Evan; Emma and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24, 2021

Today we started our second part of community service, with our student volunteers split into three groups: social media, dog walking, and construction.

After our service project work, we had delicious Pad Thai for lunch.

Following our free time after lunch we had the opportunity to recharge ourselves in our rooms or attend three different activities. Those were: Going on a tour of the cat park a small walk away, dance lessons after the tour, and pool time before having a dinner of hummus and pita bread.

Lastly we celebrated with chocolate cake for Brogan’s 15th birthday. Happy Birthday Brogan!!!

We ended the day with reflections of the day in our mentor groups before bed.

-Jackson, Edith, Olivia and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25, 2021

The morning started off with our group dividing up for service. Some of us woke up early to walk lots of cute dogs – thank you Beltrán for carrying the chunky dog!

Others went for physical service and some did Indiana Jones action with the cantando Julio.

After a quick clean up, everyone gathered together for lunch and headed to the bus for a two hour drive to the zoo! Jaguars, monkeys, and crocodiles oh my!

We crashed the Souvenir shop for some milkshakes and candy bars and listened as the staff explained their incredible rescue and release program.

After a quick dinner everyone got to experience authentic Israeli dessert and headed to bed to prepare for a day of service and chocolate tasting.

-Aisliin, Beltrán, Bella H, and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26, 2021

We started off our morning with breakfast and service projects, which again included dog walking and painting new dog kennels among other activities.

We had an amazing buffet lunch and we loaded on the bus to head to a rainforest chocolate tour, where we learned the complicated process of turning a cacao bean into our favorite candy bar.

We all tried the rich chocolate although some people liked it better than others. We had the opportunity to tried 70 percent dark chocolate with a variety of toppings such as almonds, chili and sprinkles.

After the chocolate tour we headed back to home base where we finished the day with dinner and mentor groups before heading to bed.

-Ava, Maya, Kyra and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27, 2021

Today was extraordinarily early for some of us, who woke up at 5am for a morning workout led by the “Spanish Prodigy” Beltrán.

After that was another morning of service, where one group created a safer hiking trail by cleaning unwanted debris off of the trails.

The other group walked over 100 dogs! (104!) Can’t forget about Kyra and Edith working the numbers in the social media department.

Lunch was a lip smackin’ array of veggie sliders, noodles, potatoes and rice. We scarfed it down like a pack of hyenas! After lunch, we embarked on a rainy and stormy bus ride to go get our COVID tests! It was a nose-scrunchingly good time, even though tears were shed.

We were met with a tropical downpour on the bus ride back, but made it safe and sound.

After we got back, we reflected on our time with GLA and the lasting impact of our presence here. We were lucky enough to get a chocolate ball with caramel sauce as dessert alongside dinner.

We met with our mentor groups and ended the night with a stellar game of chess.

We’re all ready for our final day of service tomorrow!

-Caden, Zak, Charlie and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28, 2021

In today’s grand adventure, a few brave souls got up extra early for a work out before starting the day.

During our service time, we had a mid morning break to enjoy the beautiful Costa Rican sun. A few of us even jumped in! We said our farewells to the dogs, chickens, social media, and construction teams.

With tears in our eyes but courage in our hearts, We took advantage of the extra sunny day to enjoy a nice swim in the pool, soccer, and an immersive meditation and reflection session.
A ball might have been lost during the soccer game, but we accepted the loss and focused our energy towards a scrumptious last casual dinner. We can’t wait to have our formal dinner tomorrow after lots of ziplining!

Evan, Edith, Bella and the GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Today was our final full day on program! A select few of us got a pre-breakfast workout in thanks to coaches Kyra & Beltrán. We had a tasty breakfast of the normal Gallo pinto, eggs, plantains and pancakes. After fueling up we headed to La Fortuna to go….ZIPLINING!

We zoomed through trees and over valleys on 10 different lines of varying length. We all stepped up and bravely conquered the zipline, cheering each other on the whole way. After completing the course we had the option of rappelling down a rock wall down to the river, which was awesome! I think we would all say it was a pretty sweet morning 🙂

After lunch we made a quick stop at a souvenir shop and our favorite ice cream shop. (POPS!) We ate our sweet treats and hung out in the park in La Fortuna before hopping back on the bus to go back to home base.

We got back to home base and immediately started packing, and followed it up with a final appreciation circle activity. It was here where the emotions started to kick in and we all let each other know how much everyone meant to one another. Some tears were shed and many laughs were had, this group was truly special and we let each other know it!

Our final dinner was delish, and everyone dressed up for our final meal together. Everyone looked amazing, and continued the evening with a dance party complete with limbo, a Congo line and even some monkey in the middle!

We all gave each other one final squeeze before heading off to bed, and tried to get as much sleep as possible before a long travel day. We don’t want this day or trip to end!

The GLA team

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Today we said goodbye to our amazing students!

It has been a wonderful experience for all of us!

We hope all students have a safe trip home and continue on with a fulfilled life of learning, values and commitment to make a better world!

Lots of love from the team,

¡Pura Vida!

Anna, Fer, Ila, Juanca, Scott & Rubén

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 30

We made it to Florissant, y’all! 🤠

We’re so thrilled to have our crew of 15 amazing and bright youth join us here in Colorado. It’ll be full days coming up: leadership skill building, earning their Wilderness Advanced First Aid via the professional team from the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), rock climbing/repelling, and of course give-back time to support our home for the next few days, The Nature Place. Jenny and I (both multi-year staff alum) have been prepping some great activities to support our youth’s personal growth and development and are excited to get to know our crew better!

From here on out, our Leaders Of The Day will take on the responsibility of writing and updating our blog, so stay tuned for new entries about our sweet adventures.

In the Spirit of Adventure,
Diana and Jenny

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Today we started off our WAFA course by learning how to do a patient assessment. We learned the five steps to “size up a scene”. Then we headed outside to turn our knowledge into action. After a full stomach of chicken wings and mac and cheese for lunch, we walked back to the classroom to learn vital signs and how to determine levels of responsiveness(LOR). In the afternoon it was even more intensive increasing our knowledge about spinal injuries and how they play a role in the level of evacuation. It was a super fun and busy day! Can’t wait for day 2!

By Emily and Ruth

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Today, we began class observing a scenario that recapped the Patient Assessment System, as well as other previously learned procedures. Afterwards, we began learning new information focusing on Spine Assessment, head injuries, wounds, fractures, and dislocations. Our favorite part of the day was when we got to play patients in a head injury scenario and spit out a fake tooth (which was really just a tictac, so don’t be alarmed.)

We got to act disoriented and wear fake blood on our heads and in our mouths. It actually felt real to the “First Aid Responders” (the students), and we both feel like everyone learned a lot and are progressing through the procedures more confidently. At the end of the day, we got to celebrate our leaders birthday with a little surprise: a card we all contribute to and a red velvet cupcake! Shoutout to the amazing cooking staff!! We all love them.

Leaders Of The Day: Jackson and Megan

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

We started our day with a delicious breakfast and then got right to work. Right when we got there we jumped into a simulation to show how you would handle a dislocated patella. We then went deep into local cold injuries and altitude sickness (which was very helpful for a lot of us). We broke for lunch and when we came back we got to run a snake bite simulation with a completely unresponsive patient. We had the opportunity to practice all of our fundamental skills. We then ended our day in the game room with fun leadership activity and studies up for another day in the classroom.

– Audrey and Caden

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

¡Cuatro de Julio!

Happy 4th of July! Waking up to Chef Terry whipping up breakfast in the Main Lodge is always something to look forward to. After breakfast, we head to our WAFA course, where we learn about CPR, allergies, toxins and multiple other things. Later in the day, after the conclusion of the WAFA course, Jake and Leo hosted a talent show. From Josh’s original song, to Megan standing on one leg, Jenny took it home with an act demonstrating extraordinary balance. It being the Fourth of July, we had to celebrate with a “bonfire” and a competitive game of Jeopardy to prepare us for our upcoming exam. After the s’mores had been eaten and the Jeopardy game ending in a nail-biting tie, we headed back to our cabins to study before getting some rest for test day tomorrow.

– Leo and Jake

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Haiku about Test Day
By Sachi

Woke up to study
Stressed about taking the test
Heart beats fast at rest

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Due to weather we went bowling, played at an arcade, and dominated in laser tag. We then went to the Manitou Anasazi Cliff Dwellings! The van rides to and from home base were super fun dance parties with pop-music a-blasting!

Upon return to home base we engaged in a lovely debate-based activity in which groups represented different facets of Colorado health care and tried to figure out common goals to work together with in order to serve the most amount of people while working with a tight budget.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

For our last day we went on a hike and rock climbed. We hiked about 3 miles to the rock wall. Along the way we saw horses roaming about and tons of horse poop which made the hike more like a land mine. Although the hike was not too difficult, the altitude had most of us huffin’ and puffin’ but we all made it! After making it to the rock wall we had a quick lesson on how to properly put on our harnesses and helmets, how to belay, and other ways to support our fellow climbers. It was quite the teamwork effort! When it was time to go back to base, we we’re a little grumpy about having to hike all the way back, but luckily the weather worked in our favor and we got to ride in the vans.

To wrap up our day and our trip, we participated in an super fun gratitude activity. We all laid down in a circle with our eyes closed, three people were chosen to stand up as Jenny read sentences that described good qualities. If those people believed one of us showed that quality they would tap that person on the foot. It brightened all of our days to see all the good things our peers thought about us. Next was another amazing meal by chef Terry: chicken and spaghetti bolognese. To end the night we had a guest speaker. He was a local physician who specialized in family medicine and also volunteered at the local search and rescue unit. He spoke to us about his experiences as a doctor, his journey through med school, and about the mental and physical toll of working in search and rescue. After that we were sent to our rooms to pack 🙁 This was an amazing trip, but unfortunately it is time to say goodbye.

We will all miss each other and remember the good times forever!

-Kamryn and Catalina

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 17

By: Amy (GLA Mentor)

Sunshine and clear skies welcomed the group to Anchorage today! While we are still waiting for one of our friends to arrive (thunderstorms in Newark have led to delayed travel!), the remaining 13 have arrived safe and sound with all luggage in tow. Upon everyone’s arrival, we made the 40 minute drive to our home for the next 3 nights: Birchwood Camp. This camp is situated in a forest of trees and along a beautiful glacier lake with views of the mountains. One of our first activities was to hike around the lake, where we identified moose and bear scat and some native plants. We ate a delicious dinner of chili and cornbread and then did some introductions and icebreakers. We are looking forward to a good night of sleep in our cabins and an exciting day tomorrow around Anchorage!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

By: Amy (Mentor)

Today was another great day in and around Anchorage! We began our day with a delicious breakfast of French Toast Casserole and sausage before starting our orientation. We all got excited as we discovered what we will be doing the next 9 days and continued to get to know each other a little more. We grabbed our lunches to go and headed out to explore the surrounding areas. Because the Alaska Native Heritage Center was closed, we changed our course and headed to Eklutna Lake. It was the most stunning scene of turquoise blue water, mountain peaks, and spruce trees all around.

We dipped our feet into the glacier water and then headed uphill for a short hike. After our hike, we headed to the Reindeer Farm in Palmer. Here we had hands on experiences feeding reindeer and moose. Some of us even got to kiss the moose! We also saw yaks, alpacas, elk, and a bison. They also had a super cute farm dog and two cats!

It was a lovely day seeing wildlife and surrounded by beautiful views and sunshiny weather. When we got back to camp, we ate a tasty dinner then headed out to the lake to kayak, canoe, and paddleboard. The water was surprisingly warm so we took a little polar plunge in the water before heading back to camp. We finished the day with a group activity and were so excited to welcome our final member to the group, EllaMae. Tomorrow we head to Girdwood. Can’t wait to see snow and more natural beauty!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

By: Sam & Lily

Day three of the trip and wow, what a day! We started off with some breakfast burritos and then piled into the car and van to take a breathtaking drive along the Turnigan Arm. There we learned about beluga whales and why they are endangered. From there we drove a few minutes further to a ski resort, where we took a tram up to the top. We enjoyed a lunch 2,000+ft in the air overlooking mountains and water. We were then pleasantly surprised with an incredible hike in which we encountered snow, which we of course had to slide down. When it was time to leave, we split up and some hiked down while other took the tram and possibly a nap. We then traveled to a gold mine where we attempted to pan for gold. Let’s be real though, the only gold take was from our bank accounts. We drove home to an awesome campfire in which we ate reindeer hotdogs, played games, and discovered newfound musical talent. It truly was an incredible day, and we are psyched for our travels tomorrow. The end!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

By: Ella and Jack C.

Day 4!! We started off with an early morning walk around the lake at Camp Birchwood. This hike was a great opportunity to observe some wildlife in their natural habitats. We saw a porcupine climbing up a tree and a moose crossing a pasture just behind the boys cabin. After getting dressed, we had a delicious breakfast of cinnamon rolls and eggs prepared for us by the lovely staff at Camp Birchwood. They also packed us BLTs to took with us for later. We waved goodbye to Camp Birchwood and we packed everything in the van for a long ride to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Before arriving, we pulled over to a small parking lot on the shoulder of the highway to check out some cool views of the cook inlet. We got to experience some insane views and crazy wind, but unfortunately we didn’t see any whales. The large rock structure just beyond the roadside parking lot provided us with a short climb to take some great pictures at the top. We then climbed down and got back in the car to finish our journey.

Once we arrived at the conservation center, we once again pulled out our cameras to take pictures of the rescued alaskan animals that the center took care of. We saw bison, caribou, bald eagles, lynx, wolves, bears and more, while on a tour of the center.

After lunch, we then ventured into the reindeer enclosure to help out the center and do some community service. We stopped by the gift shop and food stand before getting back in the car to go to a new hotel in Coopers Landing, Alaska. An ice cream store, coopers landing merch, and showers were the next activities during our free time before a bonding exercise in Dash and Amy’s room. Andy the salmon man prepared us a delicious dinner of fresh wild caught salmon that night, which we ate beside a campfire just outside the hotel. We then retired back to Dash and Amy’s room for a brownie making party and a movie night. Everyone hit the hay hard that night, exhausted after yet another fun-packed, exciting day in Alaska.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

By: Maya and Enrique

Today some of us started the morning with a hike up a mountain. After we all enjoyed some breakfast crepes. Our main activity today was rafting down the kenai river. The rapids were awesome and the views were amazing. We saw around 30 eagles and some bears on the ride back. Then we headed to the new hotel and had some time to relax and get ready for dinner. We had dinner at Addie Camp where we enjoyed some fine dining. To end our day we stopped by Dairy Queen and had our closing circle.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 22

By: Bridget & Rachel

Today was our first big service experience and another beautiful day in Alaska. To start off the day we ate at Everything Bagel’s, then drove to Russian River trail head. There we hiked under the power lines and trekked through miles of mud. Many of us fell victim to the mud, but it brought laughs all around. We saw countless moose and bear tracks. On the way back we cut the seeds of the Reed Canary Grass, to prevent further spread of the invasive species. Once we hiked back, we ate our lunch by the river. After eating, we went back to the Kenai river to learn about salmon. We discovered there were multiple types of salmon and identified a few babies. For the last part of our service work, we picked up trash on the beach and were lucky to witness Alaskans Dip Net Fishing from the shore. To wrap up a great day, we went to Ginger’s Diner and rushed around Fred Meyers for tomorrow’s meals. It was great to make a positive impact on the environment and we can’t wait to do more.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

By: Jack S. & Peyton L.

Today was another beautiful day in Alaska.

We started off the day with a nice breakfast in the hotel and then got ready to go. We packed and left the hotel, headed for Bear Creek Weir.

Today was another big service day. We learned more about salmon and identifying them at the weir before heading on a hike.

We filled up sandbags to help keep them stream intact. Then we started picking up salmon and checking if they were fertile and ready to spawn by feeling their lower belly. Finally we arrived at the yurt village and had some free time followed by a bonfire.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

By: Peyton W.

We kicked off day 8 with some homemade chocolate chip pancakes and waffles (and gluten free pancakes made by yours truly!). Next, we headed over to Seward, a bustling town with plenty of gift shops, cafes, and stunning views. As we walked and shopped around the downtown, we could choose to either look to one side and see an endless mountainside forest or look across the sparkling (and quite windy) Resurrection bay.

After a little exploration of the town, we headed over to the Alaska Sealife Center, where we learned about the history of marine life and ocean geography in Alaska. We also got to see some local wildlife up close! The crowd favorites were the puffins, sea lions, and seal otters.

With some time to spare before lunch from Zudy’s, we spent some more time wandering around downtown Seward. A few of us even bought matching friendship rings from a local artist in Seward, to remember the time we had together here in Alaska.

After lunch, we boarded our last activity of the day, a wildlife cruise around the bay. On the tour, we got to admire wild puffins, sea lions, and seal otters, but the highlight was definitely catching a few glimpses of a Northern Pacific humpback whale!

For dinner, we enjoyed pasta cooked by Luca and an assortment of other delicious food. Then we ended the day with our closing circle, which included our usual traditions plus an affirmations circle and a tootsie roll hug! (Thank you Amy :))

Everyone is looking forward to the activities planned for tomorrow, but we are all definitely upset to only have one day left.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

By: Luca

Last day! To kick off the day we went to a sled dog center, where we were able to pet some sled dogs, ride a sled (with wheels for anyone confused), and see some 5-day old puppies. Afterwards we headed into Seward where we did some final shopping and walking around, from which we then went to the Exit Glaciar hike. Exit Glaciar is a large glaciar fed by the Harding Icefield, and we were able to see it up close and personally. After our hike we headed back to Seward, where we grabbed dinner and got on the Alaska Railroad back to Anchorage. The train ride was about 4 hours and took us through some pristine wilderness. After the train ride we got to our hotel and prepared to leave in the morning.