Time Capsule Letter

Seems like just yesterday we were watching those gorgeous Junquillal sunsets together, chanting “Leader of the Day”, getting smoothies and nachos from the hotel bar and embarrassing ourselves to eat dinner first. The Beachside staff (Michael, Daya, Sergio, Nora, Kevin, Cassie, Richyth, Jackie & Jacob) miss y’all so much! We hope that your summer in Costa Rica had a lasting impact on the ways you think about the world and your role in it. We hope you’ve continued to think about how to be responsible travelers, you’ve thought about the impact humans have on our beautiful planet, and you’ve shared those lessons with others!

Here are some of our favorite moments from this session:

Our tubing adventure where almost everyone fell over at the waterfall, followed by hot springs and the GLA Pain Olympics (who can keep their hand in the hottest hot spring the longest?)

-The traditional dance class that ended in an epic dance-off!

-The perfectly timed flat tire at the coconut stand

-Beach time with craaaazy waves

-The unexpected beach time where we finally all went in together

-Zip-lining through the trees

-The tortilla making competitions

-Snorkeling with our noodles, off the side of the catamaran

-Soccer with the kids in the rain, and chatting with them in Spanish

-Rallying at 9pm (thank you Kate!) to wake up for a sunrise Zumba

-The Toy Story 4 crew

-When Kevin pushed Sergio in the pool and got our final party started

ROW

-When an anonymous member of the ROW service site got trapped in the bathroom for a hot minute.

-When the puppies at the ROW site were jumping all over Dakota and it was so precious.

-When the kids at the ROW service site guessed Jacob was 14 years old and Julia was 29 years old.

-The last day of service, throwing the EM balls we made into the river with the kids.

-The day Albertino talked to us about his goal to reduce his trash, what he considers trash, how he repurposes everything and has produced only one small bag of trash every three to 4 months.

VerdiAzul

-When the little brown dog stole the whiteboard marker and Nora couldn’t get it back so Alex had to.

-When we got to see a newborn turtle make its way to the sea for the very first time?

-Completing Bucket of Dreams so well!

-When Kyra ate 3 ice creams at mentor group

-When those kids annihilated Juanca and Kai with water guns?

Avellanas

-When Aiden was walking with his weapon and his trash bag. Then a street dog that at the end was Cindy’s dog run to him and started to play with and the bag and broke the bag with the trash inside!

-When we went to the service with a little puppy sooooo cute! Everyone was in love with the cute dog!

-When we were playing the game of matching words and flip flop (Emmett and Adam) matched their words on their first try

Marbella

-When Lori made us ride ATVs to the beach

-Patrick and Dylan trying to get the vines for the dream catchers and ended up swinging like Tarzan

-Playing soccer with the students of Marbella and losing

Paraiso

-The first time we worked on the Huerta and completely killed it! We worked so well as a team and nearly finished it in the first 2.5 hours. It helped to create a precedent of hard work and determination that maintained throughout the trip.

-When Sharon dropped her phone 2 minutes on the Catamaran.

-Shanakay braiding everyone’s Hair

Junquillal School

-The satisfying feeling of cleaning, painting, organizing and decorating an entire classroom for the Junquillal community

-Working together to solve the bucket of dreams as a new team and then guessing who wrote each dream

-Playing “lollipop” instead of “eggs and bacon” to accommodate all dietary needs (hey Serena)

-Ayden locking herself in the bathroom to effectively sand the door and frame

-Delaying our last mentor group so you could all have a solid farewell with our GHG chant included (GHG on 3!)

Thanks for all the incredible memories! Keep exploring and asking questions – we are excited to see all the things you do in the future!

Much love,

Michael, Daya, Sergio, Nora, Kevin, Cassie, Richyth, Jackie & Jacob

Here are some of our OMG (One Meaningful Goals) from the last night of mentor group. Have you stayed true to your commitment?

Junquillal School:

Marbella:

Get involved in our own communities!

ROW:

Reduce waste/trash they produce by:

-Stopping the use of plastic straws in their families.
-Start repurposing products and recycling.
-Continue volunteering with environmental organizations.

Avellanas:

Meet 10 new people, write down associated stereotypes, have more conversations to break down stereotypes

 

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Saturday June 15, 2019

Hello Family & Loved Ones!

All students have arrived at our gorgeous home base in Junquillal, Costa Rica. Many had been traveling since late last night, but everyone is now happily in the rooms they’ll call home for the next 10 days.

Those that got here early walked on the beach, completed the swim test and hung out by the pool. Many got in during the afternoon and played games at the airport until their bus was full. By the time sunset came around, we were only without eight students. With their arrival at 9pm, we were finally complete!! We can’t wait for the adventures, service learning, lifelong memories, and deep friendships that await.

Pura Vida!! More updates to come.

Your Beachside Service Adventure Team,
Michael, Daya, Nora, Sergio, Kevin, Jackie, Jacob, Richyth & Cassie

More photos from yesterday (arrival day)!

Sunday June 16, 2019

Orientation Day of Beachside Service Adventure Session 1 was a giant success! We kicked off the our summer with a welcome circle including some quick Spanish learning, an active game, and a mindful moment. Then we announced service projects; students will be working with local organizations painting schools, cleaning up beaches, replanting trees, building hatcheries for sea turtles, restoring the watershed, and beautifying the community.

Every student successfully completed the orientation photo scavenger hunt learning about environmental risks, inventing the perfect disciplinary policy, hysterically acting out “code of conduct” skits, and learning about Costa Rican culture and how to be respectful travelers. Pura Vida! All students also met their service/mentor groups today and started to discover the leadership curriculum focused on GLA’s leadership pillars.

We talked in small groups about what leadership means to us and when we have been leaders. Then the “Bucket of Dreams” activity was a very fun (and often frustrating) way to actively learn about teamwork, support, and the different styles of leadership. While students wrote in their journals, mentors completed the health checks with each student to make sure everyone is happy, healthy, and having a great time!

After a review of water safety and the final swim test, we met up to watch the sunset and walk on the beach. We enjoyed a peaceful 6pm sunset, ate dinner in our new friend groups and then all the students had free time to relax, walk around the hotel, and play games. In the evening, mentor groups met up for a talk about values and to make our community contracts.

It has been a very long day, but we are so excited to meet our local community organizations and start service learning tomorrow!

Monday June 17, 2019

Last night we announced the first pillar of leadership: Living our values. Afterwards, we split up into our mentor groups and did an activity to discover our personal values and brainstormed on some group values and examples that we thought were important. Today we had an early start with breakfast at 6:45 am, and then we went straight to our service sites with our mentor groups.

The group at Junquillal School painted the walls, and on their off time, they played soccer with the kids. The group at ROW (restoring our watershed) learned about preserving water using watershed and vegetation. They also planted and transferred saplings. The group at VerdiAzul started their post/fence making process by sanding down logs. They even got to see a baby turtle make its way to the ocean to start its new life!!

At Paraiso School, students cleared all the weeds in order to plant new seeds, which the surrounding monkeys found very interesting. They also got to watch the 6-year-olds in their dance class, which was adorable!! At Avellanas, students picked up trash on the beautiful and famous beach with charismatic local leader Frank. At Marbella, students sanded wood and prepared signs about caring for the environment. They also saw some howler monkeys!! After coming back for lunch, we took some time to get ready for the beach!! We all went to the local beach and got to swim among the huge waves and play some volleyball with the mentors.

Later, we were fortunate enough to hear from a local who has lived in Junquillal for over 30 years. She talked about Costa Rican culture and history, specifically about the Guanacaste province. After that, most of the kids took our nightly trip to see the sunset over the beach while current leaders of the day and tomorrow’s leaders of the day debriefed. Finally, the night ended with Chow circle where leaders of the day presented the shout outs, schedule and tomorrow’s announcements, as well as the leader of the day knighting for tomorrow’s leaders of the day.

-Alex W., Stella C., Olivia K.

Tuesday June 18, 2019

Last night in mentor groups we had a mock debate about a controversial issue in a beach town not far from us. Some represented Hotel Riu, a conglomerate company from Spain that is accused of environmental and human rights violations. Some represented MINAE, the ministry of the environment in Costa Rica. Some represented Fraternidad Guanacasteco, an organization representing the local people. And some represented La Municipalidad, the local (and possibly corrupt) government. The discussions got very heated, but many were able to come up with sensible agreements for a very complex problem.

This morning we got off to an early start getting on the buses at 7AM. It was a 2 hour drive to the Adventure tours. It’s tubing time! Everyone got their tubes and walked down to the rapids. It was an hour long float down the river speeding through the heavy currents and over the waterfalls.

After tubing down the river we had an amazing lunch of fruits, pasta, chicken, beef, corn, etc. After lunch we got time in the Gift Shop for souvenirs before heading to the second excursion of the day, the hot springs!

A quick shuttle ride and hike brought us to three natural hot springs of varying temperatures. Along with the volcano heated pools was exfoliating mud to relax everyone before the long day of service tomorrow.

After a couple hours of unwinding with our natural spa treatment we headed back. Halfway through our drive home, one of our buses got a flat tire… but it was a blessing in disguise for us AND the man selling coconuts by the side of the road. We got a much needed car break with refreshing “pipa fria” (cold coconut water). By the time everyone had theirs, the bus was back up and running!

We got back to home base just in time for a beautiful sunset and dinner.

-Patrick

Wednesday June 19, 2019

After a long morning of service work, we took a cultural excursion to the Chorotega Eco-Museum to learn about the indigenous tribes that once ruled this land. We had a pottery class to make our very own bowls using traditional techniques.

In mentor groups, we discussed how to “connect our heart to our head” when supporting a community that’s not our own. In other words, how can we be responsible in the way that we provide service, making sure that we maximize positive outcomes and minimize the possible negative consequences of our actions?

Thursday June 20, 2019

Beachside started our 6th day with a zip-lining adventure and pool activities. Some students had the opportunity to zip-line first while others stayed back and enjoyed pool time with music and games. After every student had their opportunity to zip line, the afternoon came just in time because it poured showers right when we got back to home base and stopped right before we started service.

At service:

Paraiso gardened and helped students study

Avellanas picked up trash on the beach and some local school kids helped them out.

Marbella went to a local school, planted some trees, cleaned up the beach, made signs and played some soccer with local school kids to end a hard day.

Verdiazul went to the beach and dug holes for the new turtle hatchery. They put posts in the ground for the fencing.

ROW planted trees and worked on community beautification.

Junquillal School continued painting the local schoolhouse.

-by Cole

Friday June 21, 2019

Our mentor group topic last night revolved around the well known ted talk “The Danger Of A Single Story” by Chimamanda Adichie. The students learned how known first impressions can’t be the only story. There is always more to someone, something deeper inside the surface. We need to unite and dig deep instead of hopping on the bandwagon and believing everything we hear. We need to stand up and see for ourselves, because most of the time, the single story is false, yet so many people believe it to be the only truth.

Today at service:
-VerdiAzul picked up trash and painted at the beach
-Marbella picked up trash at the beach planted signs, and made dream catchers near the pool
-Junquillal finished painting the upstairs of the school and started prep work on the first floor
-RESTORE OUR WATERSHED volunteered at the local school to help with their garden and water filtration with planting new vegetation.
-Paraiso hoed and plowed the garden to prepare it for seed planting. In addition, we started out murals, table and tire paintings in order to beautify the school.
-VerdiAvzul: Our service started at the recycling center. Here we helped sort the recycle and trash of the community. After we finished, we returned to VerdiAzul building and planned out our activities for tomorrow’s service with the local children.

In the afternoon, we had “rally day” where we separated into three groups. One group learned traditional cooking in the house of Doña Yolanda who has lived there for over 50 years. One group played traditional games with local leader Frank. One group played a game of soccer with local kids. We rotated every hour so that we all did every activity.

-by Christine & Sophia

 

Saturday June 22, 2019

Today, sadly, brought an end to our service projects. We began the day by heading out to our service sites, and finishing what was left to be done. We are all sad to have to leave the projects we had grown so close to behind, but it was truly amazing to see all the progress we made from day one.

After we left the service site, we changed into our swimsuits and headed out to the beach to soak up some sun while enjoying the waves. Some of us went out in the ocean to swim, while others stayed back and just enjoyed the sand between our toes.

When we all had gotten enough vitamin D for the day, we took our treck back to basecamp where we changed out of our swimsuits and into our finest dance attire! We received lessons on traditional Costa Rican dances from our two phenomenal instructors, Leo & Sai. It’s probably more than fair to say that most of us had sweat all the way through our shirts. Nonetheless, it was an amazing experience.

We ended the day with our usual sunset watching on the beach and chow circle where we discussed our plans for tomorrow. There was a lot of the word “last” written on the schedule, which was a tad sad to see. We all have had such amazing experiences here, have made so many new friends, and have made so many memories we will take home with us. No matter how sad we may all be to leave soon, we still have one more jam-packed day of fun ahead of us!

-Briana

Sunday June 23, 2019

Today was an amazing last day of an amazing trip. We took a trip on the Catamaran, stopping for snorkeling and lunch. We had an impromptu beach hour in Tamarindo, where waves were calm and the whole group could finally all be in the ocean at the same time! We had a local vendors set up at our resort so we could load up on locally-made souvenirs. We had an anonymous appreciation circle where we could tap our friends that have impacted us in so many ways. We had our last mentor groups and discussed everything that we’ve learned, how to take action, and set a goal. And finally, we had a pool party that we never wanted to end!

It has been an incredible 10 days that we’ll remember forever! We hope all students a safe trip home on Monday, and continue on with a fulfilled life of service, learning and leadership!!

Lots of love from your BSA team,
Cassie, Daya, Jackie, Jacob, Kevin, Michael, Nora, Richyth & Sergio

Time Capsule Letter

Believe it or not, our time in Costa Rica has come to a close! We remember bouncing up and down on the horses as they trotted through the mud, the impromptu cake and dancing in the restaurant in Orosí, and our final affirmation circle that left us all feeling so good afterwards. If we could rewind time, we would do it all again to cherish the moments that flew by so fast. We hope that you have gotten off to a strong start this school year, or are making the most of whatever opportunity you’ve chosen to pursue this fall. Each mentor is back in their home city, busy teaching and reminiscing on our impactful three weeks we spent together in Costa Rica

Rest assured that in each community we entered, you left your mark. Our journey began in Liberia where we were hosted by Don Jose and Doña Sharon. Your kind spirits and boisterous laughs made our hosts feel apart of the GLA family. Secondly, our team of awesome VIDA vets led us through Martina Bustos, where we conducted family visits and received an eye opening outlook into what life is like for many Costa Ricans. In Cañas Dulces, you worked alongside the vets to perform surgeries on cats and dogs, which ultimately helped create a healthier community for pets to live in and educated their owners on safe animal ownership practices. In Orosi, you shared your love with the dogs in the Asociacion Voz animal-refugio pet shelter, taking them on walks and beautifying their home.

One thing we can’t forget about is all of our community bonding time during siesta and activities. From white water rafting to ziplining through the canyons, we hold those moments dear to our hearts in which we were able to form genuine friendships that will hopefully last a lifetime. We experienced Costa Rica culture by learning how to dance to criollo music and making ceviche. Our host Marvin Sr. took us on a trip to his cow hotel, where we got a deeper look into how milk is processed and livestock is cared for. On the beach trip to Playa Grande, you had local surfers teach you how to ride the tico waves. Pura Vida!!

Remember your mentor group’s OMG – “One Meaningful Goal” – that we created at the end of the session? Delonte’s mentor group pledged: to use our experiences from Costa Rica in order to improve our community and ourselves. Hannah’s mentor group pledged: to take advantage of the opportunities presented to you, to give back to your community, and to be grateful for all that you have. Lastly, Kasia’s mentor group pledged: to look at yourself. Do you like where you are right now? If not, take action to your own hands. Remember to always be grateful and positive. Pura vida!

We would love to know how that is going! Have there been any changes in your home or local community? Let us know!

Delonte, Kasia, and Hannah

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Thursday July 11, 2019

All students arrived safe and sound in San Jose on Thursday and we were thrilled to meet our second group for the summer! After a long day of travel (for most) we made our way to our Hostel Lajuela where we ate a delicious fresh lunch of veggies, falafel, and pineapple chicken. Students then spent time getting settled in their rooms and getting to know one another.

Many even jumped into games playing cards and of course, one of our favorites, Uno! When the majority of students had arrived we made a quick visit to the local bank where students exchanged money and then had a chance to purchase a few snacks for our travel day to Liberia tomorrow.

It was a great opportunity to get a little taste of San Jose before we embark to Liberia for the week! We closed the night with a scrumptious dinner- filled with more fresh and hot local foods. We are so excited to have this next group and are looking forward to our first orientation and travel day tomorrow! Pura Vida 🙂

~GLA Mentors

Friday July 12, 2019

Today we went on our first community service mission: Family visits. We visited the homes of some families in Liberia with pets, and did a survey about their animals living conditions and animal welfare, and further educated the families on how to improve their pets life with what they have. We also de-wormed and gave them flea and tick medicine, which gave students a hands on experience. It was a very culturally emerging experience for students, and also was an eye opening opportunity.

-Aurora Aaron

Saturday July 13, 2019

Today was pretty cool. NEVER a dull moment. We woke up before 7 am, which was a first time in a long time for me. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were solid. I garnered a group consensus that the pink drink tasted like bubblegum-flavored medicine, but some people liked it so I don’t know. Group activities were fun. The bus was loud as always. I heard someone’s pet peeve is people being loud. Colby had trouble with a riddle.

We laughed at him. Will tried to show everyone his “magic trick” to which everyone was disappointed. Many bracelets were made. Group activities were fun. Speed-dating and capture the flag was fun. Multiple points in CTF were taken away because they kept changing the rules, but the winners indeed still won like it’s nothing. Shoutout to Kylie for a clutch flag capture and Will for putting his body on the line to win the game. He ran into a bush. He has cuts across his back.

Sunday July 14, 2019

Today was our first clinic day!! We woke up bright and early at 6:00 to eat breakfast at 6:30, which was gallo pinto, eggs, and toast. Then, we went to the clinic to participate in surgery on the animals. While only some of us had the chance to work as an assistant surgeon, the rest of us were “anesthesiologists” and learned to record the heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, and more during intake, surgery, and recovery. We met some very good dogs and cats and finished early with a very successful first clinic day overall.

After we got back to the hotel, we had a very delicious lunch, which was salad, beans, and rice. During “siesta time” we continued making friendship bracelets. Some of us even learned how to make them correctly today!! We then took a short trip to a town in Liberia, where we had ice cream, danced to music, ate some food, and met some cute dogs!

After that, we took a quick stop at Walmart to get some snacks, necessities, and matching clothing. When we got back to the hotel, we quickly reflected on our day and ended with dinner of chicken with vegetables, corn, and French fries prepared by the fabulous Don Juan and Doña Sharron. We can’t wait to spend more quality time together the rest of this trip. ¡Pura vida!

Monday July 15, 2019

Today was an adventurous day. We did so many fun activities like zip-lining, horse back riding and even went to a black sand beach. We started our day at 8 o clock with horse back riding. We rode horses through a beautiful Costa Rican forest until we reached a cove that had a really cool waterfall. After we finished swimming we hopped back on our horses and headed back to go zip-lining.

Zip-lining was so much fun and contained many different activities like rock climbing and even a rope swing. Later in the day it began to get cloudy although we still went to the beach. Swimming in the crashing waves, looking for hermit crabs in the tide pool, and the overall exploration of the beach made the day complete. When we were all in the ocean we had sand fights and splashed in the water. At the end of the beach day it started to pour so we had to rush to get our stuff but the rain just added to the fun.

-by Matthew P.

Wednesday July 17, 2019

Today started bright and early at 7 when we departed, after an amazing breakfast of pancakes, for our last day of service.

We spent the next 5 hours working hard, and were able to spay 3 cats and 6 dogs. After service we headed home to have lunch and say goodbye to our amazing vets who accompanied us in the clinic.

Later, we went across the street to hop in the pool, play paintball, or hang out and watch.

We had chow circle which is when we all talk about our day or write in our journal. Dinner time!!

For dinner we had spaghetti and salad! It was delicious. Now everyone’s favorite part of the day… siesta. Then bed time, for our big beach day tomorrow.

-by Toby M.

Saturday July 20, 2019

Today was our first full day in Orosí. We started the day by going to an animal shelter. At the animal shelter we scraped paint off the walls, painted the cages, weeded the garden, played with the dogs, and took the dogs for a long walk. There was this one dog that especially stood out to us. We called her big chungus because she was overweight but very cute. She was so sweet and loved to get belly rubs. Although it was not as educational as working with the vets, it still felt good to help those in need.

After our work at the animal shelter, we went back to the hotel where we were met with a brief lunch complete with a chocolate banana smoothie and scrumptious mashed potatoes. For our afternoon activities, we traveled to a popular mirador site with the most beautiful views. We all had a great time watching the boys goof around with their photo poses. For our next stop we traveled to some ruins next to a playground where we all took turns showing off our gymnastic skills and athleticism. To top off our afternoon we stopped at a smoothie shop and stocked up on snacks.

Overall it was yet another great day in Costa Rica and we can’t wait to spend more time here.

-by Mia and Colby

Sunday July 21, 2019

This morning we returned to the shelter to continue painting and walking the dogs. Attempts to adopt a few of the dogs were made again to no avail.

We went hiking up a trail by our hotel after lunch to the hotel owner’s home. The hike was tough but the view was worth it. On the way down we either ran or walked which was fun. We then had siesta where we bonded with each other some more. After dinner we got dance lessons from the hotel owner’s son.

-by Eli

Monday July 22, 2019

Today the GLA group went to Haciendas, a hot springs oasis. There were three different pools, one hot, one warm and one cool. The hot springs were high up above the central town of Orosi. The view was absolutely stunning! We spent most of our time relaxing in the steaming pools, or eating food from the bar. I would totally return again, it was one of my favorite experiences so far. Adios! Pura Vida 🙂

Wednesday July 24, 2019

Today GLA groups went to service, then we went hiking at Monte Sky. We are able to go see the beautiful nature of the rainforest and also go to see two different waterfalls. The weather changed on us many times during the trip, it rained a couple of times. Later we returned back to the hotel and ate lunch and after that went into town and bought stuff at a local store.

Thursday July 25, 2019

Today, we took a hour and a half bus ride to the volcano Irazú, it was very cold because we we were at a high altitude so we all came in a circle for body warmth. After the fog cleared up, we were able to see the crater which had a very small and light blue lake at the bottom. We stopped at a overview of the city, and took pictures. When we came back to the hotel, we ate lunch, and had our dance class for an hour. The class was fun and the teacher was very outgoing. After the class, we played capture the flag and a little bit of soccer.

-Moriah Galindo, and Jared Beaufiat

Sunday July 28, 2019

Today we went to the animal shelter again. We were put into 3 groups and rotated bathing the dogs, walking the dogs, and painting the walls. After, we went back to the hotel and wrote for the dogs to post on Instagram to give them more recognition. Then we ate lunch and played soccer. After, we had a cooking class and made mango ceviche which tasted very good. Some of us even tried habanero peppers which were REALLY spicy. We then had a delicious dinner and did a group bonding activity. Afterwards, we went to mentor groups.

Tuesday July 30, 2019

Today was such a beautiful day. It was the warmest it’s been in such a long time. Blue skies and barley and clouds, which made it a perfect day for white water rafting. White water rafting was so much fun and very dangerous. The rapids were nothing like I’ve ever seen before. We were in groups of 5 and 6 and had excellent instructors that guided us the whole way. We even got a chance to let our boats become slides and swim in the water. Rafting was definitely a highlight of the trip.

After white water rafting we came back to the hotel, had lunch, then headed off to a beautiful cow farm. The farm was on the edge of a river which was also surrounded by huge green mountains. It was now almost 6 o’clock and we started to get dressed for dinner. Dinner was made up of Costa Rican entertainment and then we had delicious homemade pizza. What an amazing day.

-Matthew P.

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Monday June 17, 2019

On Monday, after a long awaited arrival, 17 fantastic students touched in San Jose, CR. Arrival day was full of delays, but once students arrived to home base, they had a taste of local cuisine and hit the bunks promptly thereafter.

The following morning, students tried “gallo pinto”, platanos, y huevos accompanied with a fresco for breakfast. Students took a tour of Orosí, where they will be staying for the next week. Throughout the day, students got to know each other through ice breakers led by mentors and the International Director.

After lunch, all 17 went through orientation and a official welcome to the GLA Animal Rescue Project Service Program. In the evening, they drafted their hopes, fears, and dreams, which will be discussed in more detail today.

-GLA Staff

 

Wednesday June 19, 2019

Hello, my name is Zurayah, and I’m making the blog about the first day at GLA. From all the stories I’ve heard, travel was very easy and comfortable and I know that mine was too. The morning after arrival, we ate breakfast at the hotel (it was Gallo pinto, eggs and potatoes). After that we went back up to the hotel to get to know each other even more by getting partners and interviewing them. After interviewing, we got into groups of four and introduced each other. Then, we got into one big group and introduced one another again. Then ,we all went to the soccer field to play “Big Wind Blows,” a very fun game that helped get to know one another. When we were done with that we played hot seat which was a nice game for everyone to get to know each other a little more. We each had one minute to be asked questions rapid fire style!

We then had our first “siesta,” which is just a little break. After that, we went to town for a walking tour it was very cool to interact with the local community and get to see how everything worked. When we were on the tour, we went to the amazing green bridge, and it was breath taking. After that, we walked to the bank to exchange money then walked home. When we all arrived home it was lunch time, and I’m pretty sure everyone was hungry. After lunch, we had another siesta and then went into orientation. Then we had dinner. After dinner we got into our “Mentor Groups” and wrote our hopes, fears, and dreams for GLA. After that, we played a couple rounds of Uno then went to bed. That was the first day at GLA and it was so fun, and I want to thank the GLA staff for being here and being a part of our lives.

Thursday June 20, 2019

Dear parents,

Today was our first day of service at Antonio’s (our local director) mother’s animal rescue. Alejandra and Antonio have created a safe home for 32 stray dogs from the streets of Orosi. We got the privilege to go and help out where we were needed. Our first station was sanding all the rust off of the cages (Sid and Jocelyn were the champions at this). Our next rotation was dog walking (our favorite and most entertaining rotation). For some this “walk” was more of a run. For example Carly had Spanky- a sweet but hyper dog – although she gave a good effort to keep up.

After lunch, we were off to the beautiful hot springs that gave stunning views of the mountains and valley of Orosi. On the bus ride over we discovered Champu’s love for the song Despacito. While in the warm springs, we spent an hour trying to take one underwater picture (which we never actually got). The remainder of the time was spent sitting in a circle playing games, answering riddles, and of course the beloved game of mafia.

After dinner, we gathered into our mentor groups to speak about our hopes, dreams, and fears. After this powerful exercise, we all reconvened to share our findings with each other.

-Abigail Schrock 😉

 

More pictures from Thursday!

Sunday June 23, 2019

Pura vida!

Welcome to day 6! We started off the day with a superb breakfast, as usual. (It was eggs, gallo pinto, toast, and papaya.) Then we headed over to the shelter and got straight to work! We repainted the walls a beautiful turquoise blue, and made sure the dogs got a good walk and lots of love. Back at home base we spent our siesta time playing some intense games of Uno and shared lots of snacks. After lunch we all walked down to the soccer field for some group activities. We played capture the flag and had a big competition of sloth, gecko, mosquito, (which is basically Rock, Paper, Scissors).

After that we were off to dance class! We leaned to salsa, merengue, swing dance and hip hop. Next we had our second siesta. We spent the majority of it hanging out and putting face masks on each other, even the mentors! After dinner we all got together for an activity called the “affirmation circle”: We sat in a circle and everyone in the room complemented one person at a time. I think all of us can agree it was pretty emotional and fulfilling. Our final activity of the day was mentor groups. We talked a little bit about writing our life story and played some games. It was a good way to end the day.

-written by Karson Forslund

Monday June 24, 2019

On our last day in Orosí before traveling to Liberia, the group started off their day with a Costa Rican classic- gallo pinto and eggs- unless you were a part of the exercise group, which got up bright and early at 6:30 to do Hannah’s killer boot camp exercises and yoga led by Abigail. We continued on to our last day of service at Antonio’s dog shelter where we bathed, brushed, walked and said our reluctant goodbyes to the furry friends we had made. Our original plans to hike to Montesky-the waterfall- were rained out, so instead we changed around the schedule.

First we completed an anchor activity which allowed us to delve into the economic side of the banana planting and manufacturing industry. And then afterwards we went on two field trips. First sightseeing the valley from high up in the mountains, and then to the ruins of a 16th century chapel, where we also got to play on a playground way to small for us and see parrots in the trees overhead. Before returning to home base we stopped by a little market where we picked up snacks and practiced our Spanish.

After having our last dinner at the hotel Tapanti before switching home bases in Liberia we ended the night with a big game of intensive charades led by Hannah and Kaisa which ultimately led to a win for Kaisa team during a hardcore final tie breaking round between the two mentors. Afterwards, we finished up our packing and went to bed early to prepare for the early and long journey ahead of us the next day.

Tuesday June 25, 2019

Today we woke up bright and early to leave for Liberia and we ate breakfast that was served on lilac leaves. We had to wait a few hours for a different bus to come because the champú bus had technical difficulties. Once the new bus arrived, we all piled in and drove to San Jose for Vida orientation, a swim test, and lunch.

After we finished lunch, we switched to a bigger bus and drove a few hours until we stopped for a break. After buying food and souvenirs at a pit stop where there were many parrots, we drove to Liberia and stopped at a supermarket for a few minutes. Finally, we drove to our new hotel where we got settled in our rooms, ate dinner, and had free time until 9:00 when it was time for lights out. Everyone was exhausted at the end of the day and just wanted to rest up for the next day!

Wednesday June 26, 2019

Today we woke up bright and early at 6:30 AM. Breakfast consists of Gallo Pinto, eggs, ham, and coffee and/or juice. After our yummy breakfast, we boarded our luxurious bus and headed for the first day of service.

Our initial reaction was mixed. We were overwhelmed by our surroundings and had an urge to help. The vets introduced themselves to us and we voiced our expectations for our service. We then split into groups lead by Dr. Jelly and began our day. The different groups visited houses to perform wellness checks and survey the families on the wellbeing and care of their pets. Some of the students, like Sam, were able to exercise their Spanish speaking skills.

We asked the families simple questions to get an understanding about the wellbeing of animals within the community. Because of the home visits, we were able to complete surveys and deworm many animals. Out of the four groups, around twenty houses were visited and many more animals were treated. At the end of the service, we gathered in a circle to discuss our feelings about the day and what we were thankful for. It was a very reflective day for us and we learned a lot about our selves.

After service was over, we went back to home base for lunch. For lunch, we had refried beans, chicken, and salad. Everyone was thankful for this meal.

After lunch, we had a quiet siesta time. After siesta time we had decided to go to the pool. We spent about two hours at the pool and had a very good time. We bonded at the pool and had a very good time with one another. After the pool we had dinner. Dinner consisted of rice with chicken, beans, and salad. After dinner was a longer siesta time filled with reflection and quiet time for students. It was a very interesting day overall full of learning experiences and memorable times.

-Rebecca Brown and Gianna Marino

Thursday June 27, 2019

Our day started way too early for most: Breakfast started at 7:00. (But a couple people and I woke up at 6:00 to work out and do yoga.) By 8:00, we were dressed in scrubs (we felt super cool) and on the way to the small community of Pijije. When we arrived, we set up everything in a tiny 2-room shelter under the guidance of the four Vida veterinarians: Dr. Mari, Dr. Carolina, Dr. Erika, and the lead vet, Dr. “Jelly.” We taped trash bags over folding tables and distributed materials to the designated intake, surgery, and recovery areas. After about 30 minutes, we had a clinic!

We were divided into groups of four student vets per official vet. One student would be the assistant surgeon, and the other three would administer anesthesia, check vitals, and hand tools to the surgeon. Soon, the clinic was officially open, and each group got their patient, which they were responsible for from the moment they entered the room to the moment they were back in their owner’s arms. The energy in the clinic was incredible. Everyone had an essential role. There was never a moment of standing still; we always had something to check on, something to do. Words won’t do justice to this experience, but I’ll just say this: We didn’t understand how taxing and rewarding being a vet is until we became one for a day.

In total, we completed 5 surgeries today— four dogs and one cat, all castrations. (Plus we treated a sick puppy.) This may seem like a small impact, but the underlying impact was much greater. We taught many families and young kids about animal welfare, and prevented perhaps 50 offspring being born that wouldn’t be cared for. These people who love their pets no longer feel helpless. We made our mark on the small community of Pijije, and the Pijije’s openness and gratitude made a mark on us. That’s all we could’ve asked for.

By the time we got back to the hotel, our adrenaline had worn off and we were physically and mentally drained. We ate an amazing lunch (rice, meat, pasta, salad), and had a long siesta time.

Then, we went to a 2-hour Zumba class, which was tiring but fun. It was dark by the time we arrived back at the hotel. We took showers, ate dinner (what was for dinner), had more siesta/bonding time, and finally went to bed, feeling exhausted but completely fulfilled.

-Carly Phoon

Friday June 28, 2019

Today, Friday the 28th has been a great day even though and partly because it fluctuated to a great degree. Most of the fluctuation began the night before as plans were changed for breakfast to be at 8:00 instead of at 7:30 and deciding to go and do ziplining and horse back riding. When we came down to breakfast, we were delighted to find that a food that many of us had been longing for had been prepared and was about to be put on our plates. This food was pancakes. They were very good and students tried their hardest to enjoy them and as many of them as possible. This food had been greatly anticipated, for we had thought that we were going to get these for nearly three days.

After breakfast we all grabbed our stuff and piled into our very luxurious bus. When the bus finally stopped, we got off to find a cabana style building in which we checked in and got wrist bands. We proceeded into a wooded area where we were given demonstration on how we were to be ziplining. We went through a series of zip lines one by one, sometimes having to wait for the trees to stop blowing so violently against the line. Eventually we got to a point in the course where you stepped off of a ledge and dropped straight down to another platform, from which you had to rock climb back to the previous platform. Continuing the course, our group was partially split up by the rock climbing and ziplining. Many more unique attractions came further along, as we found a slide that dropped you down into the canyon until the zipline caught you from falling into the trees, a Tarzan swing as well as wire and wood staircase.

After finalizing our time on the zipline we sat near the bus and got food and drinks for a short while. Succeeding that, we followed a downhill silvan path to a large barn where we all mounted beautiful, medium sized horses. After a 20-minute ride, thrilling for some and terrifying for others the group stopped and dismounted, walking over to a waterfall, river and small natural pool. Those who wanted too got ready and took a swim in the nice water, discovering a nearly fantastical tunnel of trees heading up the river. Those who did not go into the water watched from above, relaxing and tanning. Getting back on the horses another 20 minute trip was taken back to the stables. Everyone got safely back on the bus, hungry and tired realizing that it was already 2:30.

Riding back there was a lot of traffic due to the protests that were happening in the street. On the way back we stopped at a grocery store so that everyone could fill their snack stashes. That grocery trip is the epitome of the wisdom, “Don’t go to the grocery store hungry.” Arriving back to home base in Liberia we all sat down, ate a long-awaited lunch and socialized in rooms with each other for a solid hour. After this time to relax we organized ourselves and walked over to the soccer field, forked over the money to rent it for an hour and played a spirited game out on the slippery AstroTurf field. Those who were not participating in the game were sitting on the sidelines cheering others on with pre-made signs and small cheer songs made up for players on the spot.

After finishing the game and petting to very cute dogs that we meet at the field, the group walked back to home base and had a 45 minute siesta before dinner to relax and hang out with friends. Dinner immediately proceeded the siesta with rice meat patties, chicken, refried black beans, mashed potatoes, green beans, and fruit juice. With the conclusion of diner, we all had another short siesta and then sat in a large circle and listened to Kasia’s touching story of self. Once she had shared the mentor groups split off and went to their separate locations and one person shared in Hannah’s group and others shared in Kasia’s group. After mentor groups we had a siesta for another 45 minutes before going to our rooms and having lights out at 9:00 p.m.

Monday July 1, 2019

Beach Day!!!

Today we started off the day going to our first beach at 6:30 am. We went to the black beach where we went paddle boarding, banana boating, and went looking for shells and rocks. We spent about a hour and a half looking through the tide pools and looking for monkeys before our paddle boarding instructor got to the beach. We tried surfing with the paddle boards until we left that beach to go to La Playa Grande. On the hour bus ride there, everyone realized that they were super sunburnt and very tired.

Once we got to the second beach we got surfing lessons. It was really cloudy, but everyone still loaded up on sun screen. We spent about 2 hours surfing and getting smacked by the huge waves coming in. Once we got back to the bus, the mentors realized that everyone was burnt, so we made a pit stop at a Walmart on our way home to get aloe. We got home around 9 pm, and everyone went right to bed.

More photos coming soon!

Thursday July 4, 2019

Today started off with our last day of service. We said goodbye to all our favorite dogs and put our handprints and names on one of the walls. After that we went to the Montesky hike where just about every kid felt like they were going to pass out (but not actually!). We saw 2 beautiful waterfalls and some of us got a little wet. We also stopped on the way back down to drink some coffee and make some cheese tortillas with the infamous Pedro. After the rest of our hike back down, we came back to the hostel to eat lunch which was yummy quesadillas.

After our hike to Montesky, we had a cooking class with Javier. We were making our own individual bowls of chifrijo. From the very beginning we were chopping tomatoes, onions, and cilantro that we would be putting in our own servings. When the chopping had slowed, we sang “Star Spangled Banner” while using plastic bowls and spoons for percussion. Soon we had each made our own bowls of chifrijo and none of them were the same.

Once we had eaten our fill, dance classes started. Sebastián moved quickly through warm-ups, and soon we were jumping and kicking in unison. The dances were fast and we often got lost. By the end of the session we had performed each dance in small groups and cheered each other on. When the music kept playing, we formed a circle and individually stepped into the center to show off our moves.

– Abigail

Friday July 5, 2019

Today we woke up bright and early to go whitewater rafting! There were about four- six people in a boat plus a rafting guide. The guides taught us how to front paddle, back paddle, and do a paddle high five. We made sure to wear suns shirts and plenty of sunscreen! The rapids ranged from classes 1, 2, and 3 and were very exhilarating! Halfway down the river, we took a break where we were able to jump and slide off the rafts into the water. Everyone joined in on the fun as the raft guides tossed us into the chilly water. At the end of the ride, we noticed that we had crossed under a walking bridge that we had passed over on the very first day of the trip! Everything had come full circle.

After rafting, we visited a ghost town up in the mountains. There, we saw an abandoned hospital that we could walk through and explore. At the entrance of the town, there were vendors selling strawberries with chocolate sauce that were were very popular amongst the students!

When we arrived back at home base, everyone began to prepare for the farewell dinner. During this time we also wrote affirmation notes for each person on the trip. We ended the night with a lovely dinner, cake, some toasts, and an affirmation circle.

– Rebecca Brown

Time Capsule Letter

Hola from Costa Rica!

We want to check in and see how you have been since our days in Costa Rica together. Remember the clinic work we did in Liberia and how happy the owners were to take their dogs home after a successful surgery? Jose calling out, “Que pasa, Owen?” Swimming at the waterfall? In addition to helping families in Liberia, we were able to help out Antonio and his family’s shelter in Orosi in between trips to Turrialba Volcano, the Cartago basilica, and the hot springs.

Your work in Costa Rica impacted not only the animals and families, but it impacted other students and the communities at large. We hope that the knowledge you gained here was carried back home and bettered the lives of animals and communities around you. Our group OMG of communicating with the people around us and helping to educate them is an invaluable part of being the change.

Whether that’s through teaching your family to reduce single-use plastics or volunteering at your local shelter, your impact can have a lasting effect on those around you. Create lollipop moments in your work and see the benefits unfold.

Pura Vida!
Rose Krzton-Presson, Rocky Maronde, Juan Carlos Soto, Julianne Roller

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Tuesday August 6, 2019

Hola from Costa Rica!

We started our first day here by moving into our hostel in Alajuela. As we waited for our peers to arrive, we got to know each other and settled in to our rooms. In the afternoon, we took a walk to the town center and enjoyed some Pops ice cream before the rain started. After dinner, we played an ice breaker game and started learning about what to expect in Animal Rescue Project. We are heading to bed soon, but still expect Ayla, Eve, Tai, Sophia, and Penelope to join us later tonight.

Buenas noches!

GLA Staff

Thursday August 8, 2019

Today was our first day of service with Vida, we commenced home visits for families that are in need of help. In the morning for breakfast we had gallo pinto, toast, bananas, and eggs. During the home visits we got to see how some families in Costa Rica live and helped the animals by giving them flea and tick medication as well as a pill that helps prevent worms.

We did surveys with the owners asking how they take care of their animals. We came back to the hotel and had an amazing meal for lunch including pasta, beans and rice, corn and salad. After lunch we went into town, did a scavenger hunt. It was fun and exciting to be able to explore the town better and to bond with each other.

After the scavenger hunt, we went to an ice cream shop called Pops. After we filled our bellies with ice cream, we went to a super market and explored the different kinds of food and got snacks for ourselves. Tomorrow is our first day of working with the veterinarians, working with the animals. We will be helping with the intake, surgery and recovery of the animals. During this we will be learning, handing the veterinarians tools needed, and helping them as much as needed.

-by Sophie and Milah

Friday August 9, 2019

Today we did a service day at the clinic, where there were three stations to go through; intake, surgery, and recovery. We had groups of three and followed our patients through all stations. We experienced dogs with different conditions and there was also one cat patient. Along with creating a personal bond with all of the patients, we were able to learn and see what really goes on at a vet clinic. It was really nerve-racking to help with surgery, depending on the patient.

Specifically, there was a high-risk patient named Ginger, who had to have a quick spay surgery due to how ill she was. Ginger had a sexually transmitted tumor and an infection from giving birth and has been ill for 11 months. When we did home visits, the owner was reluctant to bring her in, but she thankfully brought her and two other dogs in to get spayed and neutered. Ginger was not expected to make it through surgery, and we were all very emotional, but she made it through surgery and went back home! After a successful day impacting the community, we were able to participate in a soccer game with GLA staff along with a relaxing time at the pool right after.

– by Teagan Widman & Kamyah Hugee

Saturday August 10, 2019

The morning began with bright faces, and even brighter attitudes. We all were eagerly anticipating a fun filled day with high action, life changing experiences. Quickly after the sun rose, we found ourselves eating a scrumptious breakfast. The beautifully prepared meal filled our stomachs with food and our minds with a ravenous need for adventure. With no time to waste, we quickly made haste towards the bus. The bus sped off into the horizon with us, who wanted nothing but a highspeed trip through the canopy. Upon arriving at the zip line facility, we were given a safety briefing followed by getting strapped into the expansive system of wires and rock walls that span across the Costa-Rican canopy.

Like a troop of monkeys, we swung from tree to tree via thick wires hooked into the even thicker trees. After about an hour and a half of high-speed fun, our focuses shifted to the local equestrian population. Each one of us was assigned a horse, the leader of the horse pack Mr. Bean, or as the locals would say, Señor Frijole. We trotted through the jungle and made our way to a cute little waterfall. We jumped, we swam, we splashed, but most importantly, we laughed. When our time at the water was up, we quickly mounted our four-legged friends, and trotted back to the bus. This peaceful mood was so rudely interrupted by the large dark rain clouds looming above. The downpour began! Those of us who didn’t partake int the swimming for fear of getting wet felt like fools. As a group we learned to simply enjoy the downpour.

The horses sped up, and so did the rain. After an eventful 10 or so minutes, we made it back to the bus. The group was sopping wet. After some time to recuperate and lunch, we went to a local beach for an hour or two of much needed relaxation. Upon arriving home, we all took showers and had a good laugh. This was undoubtedly the best day yet. We lived, we laughed, and we learned. The End.

– by Jackson Derrick & Ayla Leuenberger

Sunday August 11, 2019

Today we started the day early and excited to set up the clinic. There were six patients in line before we opened. Today went by quicker since we were all experienced. All of the surgeries were spays and neuters, and we learned a lot about veterinary medicine.

After the clinic, we went to visit Llanos de Cortez and swam in the waterfall. The waterfall was around 60 feet tall, so we were not allowed to jump off. We saw a lot of native animals, like monkeys and scorpions. A scorpion crawled onto a small boy’s shoulder, Max. We headed back home for a well-needed siesta and enjoyed a delicious dinner courtesy of Jose and Sharon.

– by Jared Segota and Eve Pace

Monday August 12, 2019

The morning was bittersweet, both exciting and sorrowful. We all got up early for a delicious breakfast, then quickly moved onto the bus to get the last clinic day started. The clinic started slow, but with some encouragement from the Vida staff we successfully spaded and neutered our nine patients. We then had to give a very heart wrenching goodbye to the lovely Vida staff.

Once we wished the best to the Veterinarians, we came back for a much-needed two-hour siesta. The siesta was followed by a long day of competition. We were split into groups of three and faced off mentally, physically, and socially challenging games. By the end everyone had a great time and got to know each other better. Afterwards, we all gathered together to congratulate each other on our hard work. Today was fun and we are excited to depart to our next hotel and continue our journey to make a change.

Jackson Wentworth & Max C.

Wednesday August 14, 2019

This morning we woke up. We were excited to do service at the dog shelter, but because of poor weather we were not able to. Instead we went to the shelter and introduced ourselves to the dogs and learned how Antonio and his family run the shelter. After that, we went back to the hotel to have our breaktime and lunch. Then we proceeded to go to the aguas termales (hot springs). We spent a couple of hours at the hot springs enjoying our time and becoming closer friends. After that we rode the bus back to the hotel and did our daily chow circle. At the circle we shouted out each other about our special accomplishments we made during that day. In all it was a wonderful day.

-by John and Owen

Thursday August 15, 2019

Today we were able to help Antonio paint the shelter which gave it a more vibrant look and look more inviting. We were also able to walk the dogs in a beautiful setting, which was fun and eye opening to be around animals in a different environment. But we also faced some struggles because some dogs were more difficult than others, but it was fun to learn from each other on how to face those problems. In the afternoon we went on a steep hike up to a big waterfall Monte Sky. It was a challenge to hike, but it was beautiful. We also took a cooking class and learned how to make tortillas.

-by Penelope and Diego

Friday August 16, 2019

After our 8:00 AM breakfast of eggs, toast, gallo pinto, and ham, our bus driver, Shampoo, hauled us to Antonio’s shelter. There, we participated in an excitingly fun dog walking and painting session. While one group walked dogs, the other group painted the walls and dog cages, after an hour we switched. Our arrival back to the hotel consisted of a quick nap sesh and a glorious lunch consisting of delicious pork and rice. A 30 minute bus ride brought us to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels. At the church we learned about the history and were able to purchase souvenirs and drink holy water. We then ventured to the mall where we were allowed to walk around with a buddy for two hours. We got back to the hotel and had an intense dance session where we learned the ‘Lovers Quarrel’. After dinner we engaged in the leadership activity where we wrote down and discussed our One Meaningful Goal. We are super excited for our last day of service tomorrow!

-by Maisy & Sydney

Saturday August 17, 2019

Today was the final day of service at the shelter. The students spent their morning walking the dogs they have come to love, as well as finishing their painting project at the shelter. Antonio was extremely grateful for all the work students have done this summer, and while it was hard to say goodbye to the sweet pups they have bonded with, the service they completed made a huge difference for Antonio and his family to help them run the shelter. After lunch, we went on an afternoon hike to Turrialba – an active volcano in Costa Rica. We were able to see the impact zone, where trees were burnt from previous eruptions. After an exhausting day, we had a pizza dinner and spent time together.

-by Mentor – Julianne

Sunday August 18, 2019

Today we had breakfast at 8:00 AM at the Tapanti hotel, then we headed out for San Jose. We made a pitstop at a beautiful lookout spot along the way. We arrived in San Jose and went to the souvenir market. We were there for about an hour and 30 minutes. It was very cool, there were a lot of different things, including homemade things. We were all able to purchase souvenirs to bring home to our friends and families! After the market we went to the Hostel where we ate lunch. We then went to Zoo Ave and looked at all the different animals. Zoo Ave is a zoo and rehabilitation center for animals in Costa Rica. We saw a jaguar, mountain lions, moneys, birds, and a sloth. Afterwards we went back to the hostel and had our final dinner. We spent the evening with our friends we have made over the past two weeks and will be sad to leave them tomorrow.

-by Tai and Teagan

Time Capsule Letter

Hola from Costa Rica!

We just want to check in and take a moment to remember the fun times we had together last summer. We miss working alongside the Vida veterinarians at clinic, waking up to the sunrise over the Orosi valley, and all the fun walks we had with the shelter dogs. Hopefully everyone has had a chance to take the knowledge they gained in Costa Rica and take it home to help the animals and community members there.

Remeber our group OMG (One Meaningful Goal) we decided to pursue after going home? It was to use the leadership skills we developed in GLA. Have you found the opportunity to raise awareness, give time, or brainstorm new solutions to make the world a better place? We want to hear the ways you’ve found to “be the change.” We saw how your effort and passion helped the communities in Liberia and Orosi and want to hear how you’ve helped other communities.

Pura vida!
Rose, Rocky, Juan Carlos, and Nia

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Sunday July 21, 2019

Everyone landed in San Jose today and moved in to their temporary rooms in Alajuela. Most students had the chance to visit the park, cathedral, and ice cream shop before returning home to look at the week ahead, play a get-to-know-you game, and get some rest for our first full day in Costa Rica. Sophia M joined us later in the evening and we are so excited to get started learning with Vida Volunteer in the morning.

Buenas noches!

-GLA Staff

Monday July 22, 2019

Today was a travel day. We are all excited to be working with GLA and are looking forward to the experiences to come. Today began with an introduction to the Vida leadership team, and they talked about how we are going to be assisting the veterinarians. We went on a journey to our home base in Liberia, a 5 hour bus ride with a stop at a local restaurant and gift shop.

We saw macaws and had our first introduction with some of the dogs that roam the area. Not too long after we finally arrived at Hotel Wilson. We had a welcome greeting with the owners and soon enjoyed a delicious dinner. We did a quick icebreaker to get to know each other, and reviewed the code of conduct by performing skits. Tomorrow we look forward to our first day of service in the community where we will be doing home visits.

Authors: Nia Edwards (staff), Kari Fenner, Julia Persinger

Tuesday July 23, 2019

Today, July 23, was a marvelous day in Costa Rica! To start the day off with our act of service doing in-house checkups, surveys, and medicine administration to animals in need of the basic necessities of life. They were more than happy to see a fresh face, get a good belly rub, and take some healthy medication to make everyone’s lives a little easier.

The GLA teens learned new techniques to administer medications and how to facilitate survey interviews meanwhile practicing some Spanish! To end the day for the hardworking teens, we took a stroll into downtown Liberia where a little competitive scavenger hunt brought lots of laughs and smiles to their faces. The teens can’t wait to see what tomorrow has in store from them!

Wednesday July 24, 2019

Today was our first day of clinic! We woke up,ate breakfast,and hoped on the bus.When we arrived in our scrubs,we assisted in setting up tables and supplies for the day.Patients began piling in and we began our work.We took vitals in the heat and prepped for surgery.We spayed and neutered 6 dogs of all breeds and sizes and one member for each group was the vets assistant.The other 3 moniterod breathing.We headed back to home base for lunch and rest.Some of us made bracelets and the played with the neighbors dog.Then we ate dinner and did leadership activities with mentor groups.We are all looking forward to the activities tomorrow!!

Thursday July 25, 2019

Today, we had excursion day! First, we took a trip to Hacienda Guachipelín and started off with zip lining. We repelled and rock-climbed through the canyons, then headed to the other side of the location for horse back riding. We followed a trail to a waterfall and swam to cool off.

For the second half of the day, we drove to Playa Panama. Some of us finished our swim tests, while others walked down the beach or tanned. Then we were met with a man selling copa, a dessert new to us all! While some enjoyed they’re snack, others met Nacho: a seahorse.

We finished the day back at home base with two very different, but interesting leadership activities. To end the long day, we all made bracelets and relaxed.

-by Sofia Mucha and Kayla Egan

Friday July 26, 2019

Today was our second day at the clinic, it was an eventful morning. We had a lot of unexpected pregnancies with the animals that the vets were working with. Although we had a lot of twists and turns, we ended up saving and bettering the lives of many animals. We also got to work with cats which was also exciting. The vets were very insightful and were knowledgeable about the animals.

It was really cool to work with real hands on situations with animals. We look forward to our last day in the clinic tomorrow. After lunch and siesta, we had a fun spirited game of soccer. After dinner, we had mentor groups were shared our fears and our role models. It’s our last full day in Liberia and although we are sad to leave, we are looking forward to our work that awaits us in Orosi.

-by August Lambrecht, Ryan Morgebstein

Saturday July 27, 2019

Today we had our final day of clinic service. We had many animals including dogs and cats. At the end we reflected on our work and the impact it had on the community. We came back, ate lunch, and siesta(ed). Later we competed in “Space Jams” where we split into 3 teams and went head-to-head in 7 challenges. Soon after, we had dinner and talked about what we would be doing in Orosi for the remainder of the trip. We’re so excited to start our next adventure with GLA!

Authors: Maddy Kassoy and Annie Ganem

Wednesday July 31, 2019

Today we went back to the shelter and walked the dogs and painted the shelter. After our community service we had dance classes and a hike to a waterfall. At the dance classes we learned to salsa dance. On are hike we visited two water falls and they were super pretty to see.

-Adeline and Tina

Thursday August 1, 2019

Today was the last day in Orosi. We started the day off by visiting the dog shelter for the last time. While we were there, we finished painting the dog cages and crafted posters with positive messages about the animals. Next, we traveled to the Turrialba Volcano where we hiked 3 miles and explored parts of the volcano. Finally ending the day we ate our last meal of pizza and Coke and made s’mores by the fireplace.

Authors: Matt Skweres, Charlie Hoke

Friday August 2, 2019

Today was our final full day in Costa Rica. We left from Orosi to San Jose to visit the artisan market for some shopping and then Zoo Ave after lunch. We finished the day with a final activity called Appreciation Circle and are going to bed to rest for our flights home tomorrow. Pura Vida!