More than any other group this summer, this group had one lesson driven home: you can’t control mother nature!

Our first full day in Costa Rica was spent soaring over the cloud forests, while tapir, toucan and sloth sightings filled waiting time in between ziplines. The cumulative joy and excitement you all experienced was tangible, and seeing you all so fully engaged and full of anticipation for what was to come was truly a gift to all of the GLA staff. Watching the shooting stars as we rode into home base our first night gave us a beautiful reminder of how vast mother nature’s wonders really are.

Experiencing the transformation on homebase was equally as rewarding. Rising to the challenge of living without wifi, mirrors and hot water for a week was a testament to your commitment to the program and your ability to persevere in unfamiliar situations. From critters to weather, each of you confronted the day’s challenge with the strength and humility that we know will translate into your future leadership endeavors.

Mother nature had some alternative challenges in store, with heavy rain maintaining an almost daily presence. Wading through water in Parismina gave us an invaluable glimpse into the lives of Parismina’s community members, and drove home another important lesson about the importance of gratitude and rising to the challenges of adversity. Soaking wet, twelve of us were welcomed into the home of Ana, who prepared a local favorite, prestiños. The warm, sweet treat was a welcomed respite from the extreme weather outside. Because her home was flooded, Sayleen brought all of the ingredients to prepare empanadas to the ASTOP home base; another example of the generosity and hospitality we enjoyed in the tiny Caribbean village we were fortunate enough to call home for a week.

-Mentor Brittany Patangay

 

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Do you remember that time you went to Costa Rica? how you came to thrive in the jungle on the Caribbean Coast?

It’s been a few months now since our trip but in some ways it still feels like yesterday….

We can still see Brody dancing the floss while keeping the group in fits of laughter with his one-man band practice, Ocean communicating to Sayleen’s cat like Doctor Dolittle, Jenna cutting some decent shapes on the dance floor, Sarah mowing those local kids down on the soccer field, Taryn curled in the hammock with a good book, Tania making light work of the sweeping duties like camp mother, Maggie making set point with her killer volleyball serves and who could forget about Kamis, Jackson, Alex and Kat’s duck-diving team, Ella Z’s photographic eye, Ally’s delicious birthday cake, Maddie’s great contributions to bus debates, Teya’s hidden surf talents, Emilio’s obsession with all things coconut, Molly’s awesome welly-boots, Hannah’s environmental focus, Karina’s music, Ella K’s compassion and Tori’s tyre walking.

Boy did we have some fun, surfing under the sun in Playa Negra, frolicking in the waves near home base , enjoying snack times after supo runs, trying to find drink bottles in the sand while blind folded, seeing caiman, monkeys, roseate spoon-bills and even a swimming dog on our boat tour, and of course the time we got to watch the rare Hawksbill turtle nest. Afew shout outs must also go to the uneventful sunrises, long bus rides, the cooks for the delicious food and all the mosquitoes that didn’t bite us!

Seriously though, now you have had time to reflect we hope you feel a sense of pride in the contribution you made to the village of Parismina last season. All your rubbish collection efforts meant there were less mirco-plastics on the beach that could affect the turtles nests and your presence on the beach during night patrol prevented those poachers from coming out. We gave another few turtles the chance to live. Not to mention the fact that you were able to become comfortable with being uncomfortable, I bet you haven’t been as itchy, sweaty or tired since your time in Parismina, but that you might now have a new found confidence to tackle anything that life throws at you. It was truly amazing to see how well you banded together to overcome the challenges you faced, how you accepted those around you when they might have not looked or felt their best and came to embrace cold showers, limited service, heat and bugs. Being unplugged was a great way to connect with each other on a deeper level and appreciate our surroundings, I know we were lucky to get to see so many weird and wonderful wildlife during our stay.

We really hope you feel empowered to put into practise some of the things you learnt about conservation while you were in Costa Rica, every little bit can make a difference and things like water and power conservation at home doesn’t have to cost any more time or money. We now know the harmful affects of plastic on the planet and how we do have the power to change the outcome by being more conscious about where we spend our dollars.

So with this in mind, go forth, go be the change you want to see in the world, and remember these seemingly little moments because one day you may realise that they were the big ones!
We wish you the best in your next phase of life, in whatever you choose to do. Go well 🙂

Best,
Emily and the rest of the Sea Turtle Team

 

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Dear Alex, Amelie, Anthony, Parker, Charlie, Erin, Eva, Kara, Jayden, Jade, Jack, Izzy, Greyson, Gehrig, Karson, Kenai, Kiera, Kristen, Maddie, Minnie, Nolan, Reece, and Serenity,

Hola, maes! You were our very first group for the summer in Parismina, and we couldn’t have asked for a better collection of humans to start us off.

And what more perfect way could there have been to begin our adventure than speeding through the rainforest with the friendly guides at Braulio Carrillo National Park Canopy zip-line tours? We started off with a look at the tapir mama and baby, caught a glimpse of a sloth in the trees, and saw a couple of little armadillos nosing around the forest floor at the last platform. Speaking of which–a couple of us got to finish the course with a real bang, zooming across half a mile of jungle on the AdrenaLine in the pouring rain!

After moving our luggage from the bus to the boat, we sped through the network of canals from Caño Blanco to the back entrance of home base–the Green Gold Eco-Lodge outside of Parismina. You guys were troopers, slogging your luggage through the jungle in the darkening twilight. At the other end a reward was waiting–an outdoor lounge full of hammocks that came to be trusty friends over the course of the trip.

From our very first night patrol, luck was with us and we got to witness a giant leatherback turtle building her nest and laying her eggs. Our ASTOP guide, Pito (Carlos), was so knowledgeable and passionate and his expertise really enhanced the whole experience. He and Irvin led us out on four nights to protect and observe the turtles that come every year to make their nests on the beach where they were born. Adding to the magic were the fireflies in the trees, the bioluminescence in the sand, and the spectacular shows of lightning that made sky, well, lit.

Mako’s turtle talks provided some background information on the species that nest in Parismina and the efforts of ASTOP to protect them, and on our first visit to town we got to see the hatchery where eggs are relocated to mature in peace until the baby turtles are ready to make their rush to the sea. Once again, Pito worked his magic and brought a couple of tiny leatherback hatchlings for us to observe as they began their perilous journey (that will hopefully result in a return to their home beach in sixteen to twenty-five years so they can lay eggs of their own).

We also got the benefit of Jason’s expertise about the local environment. The first time was during the morning where he took us on a tour of his farm, pointing out the various plants and animals he shares his home with. It was a hands-on experience, where some of us emerged with red achiote war paint, and everyone got to taste the water, meat, and sponge of the coconuts that seem to grow everywhere. It was a treat for us mentors to see our group of super-cool teenage students get excited about sensi plants that close up when you touch them and about the capuchin monkeys that came to steal bananas before breakfast.

Another morning, he took us on a boat tour where he seemed to be able to find interesting animals behind every leaf. We saw two caimans (at least), and a crocodile, in addition to huge iguanas, an emerald basilisk, weird-looking roseate spoonbill birds, and tiny, bright poison dart frogs (both strawberry and blue-jean).

For service, you guys worked hard to patrol the beaches, and to pick up trash during the cleanup, from big bottles and lonely shoes to lollypop sticks and toothpaste caps, down to the tiniest bits of micro-plastic that are the biggest threat to the turtles and their nests. On our last day of service, you worked together to paint beautiful signs for the forest and town, urging passersby to care for the turtles and the environment and to remember how we’re all connected.

You swam in the rough, chocolate-milk-colored waves off our black sand beach, and you fell down, stood up, fell down, and stood up again during our surf lesson with Naima and her instructors in Puerto Viejo. During our big day in town, you visited the homes Sayleen and Ana, who generously invited you into their kitchens and showed you how to prepare empanadas and prestiños. Then you got a chance to shop at the local artisan fair at the ASTOP casona and headed over to the playing field to make friends with the local kids over volleyball and futbol.

For the mentors, the times we got to know you best were during night patrols and mentor groups, on the long bus rides and the times we rose early to watch the sun come up over the Caribbean. We loved hearing your insightful comments about complicated issues like conservation, poaching, and service and having a ringside seat as you made new connections and started to realize how much power you really have to change the world. It was a privilege to learn about your great tastes in music and anime, about the service and conservation work you’re already doing at home, and about your hopes and dreams for the future. Not gonna lie, it was also pretty entertaining to watch you flossing, working yourselves out of the human knot, and trying to remember not to swing in the hammocks. And don’t forget the afternoon we all got down with Maya during our dance lesson.

We hope you had as great a time as we did, and that your time with us taught you a little more about turtles, conservation, and yourselves. All silliness aside, it was really touching to see how you pulled together to comfort each other during hard moments, to protect each other from harsh words, to celebrate the special day of one of your own, and in the end, how you showed one another how much of an impact each of you made on the group during our appreciation circle on our last night.

We really believe that you are the leaders of our future, and the best hope we have for protecting our planet so that there are turtles to see and beaches to surf when your children and grandchildren are the age you are now. You each arrived with your own stories and we feel proud and lucky to be involved in one small chapter, and grateful to have you be part of ours. Don’t let anyone make you believe that you’re too young, too inexperienced, or too anything to make a difference. You already have. You already are.

Ciao from the Turtle Team!

 

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Hi girls,

Wow. It feels like just yesterday we were waking up to the sound of howler monkeys at Angels
Ecolodge. Although I miss the gallo pinto and delicious, fresh fruit, I don’t miss their howls at all!

I still remember Saoudatou’s morning jams pumping us up for full days in the Costa Rican sun
and humidity. By now, you’re probably back to school in the States. How different are your
classrooms there compared to the hot, chaotic classrooms in Costa Rica? We wanted you all to
know that here in the Nanadamojo watershed, those kids are still thinking of you, your animal
bingo, water workshops, and recycling centers. We made an impact together this summer.

Like Matt said in his first talk with us, the people here truly remember you. You should all know,
the Nandamojo watershed is a better place than when you came. El Centro Verde (the plant
nursery) is green and thriving, and Marcia will continue to plant new trees all over the watershed
as the rainy season continues. The kids are using their recycling centers in the schools.

The families and children we visited during out cafecitos have fond memories of our time here
together. Our friends and fellow soccer players will remember our fun, lively (sometimes
competitive!) games. And more importantly, the knowledge YOU gained on this trip we hope will
serve you and the communities you go on to be in for the rest of your life! We now know how
important water conservation is, and how to reduce our water consumption meter. We also
know how deforestation affects climate change, and how even the act of planting one seed, or
one tree, can make a positive impact on the environment.

Another thing I remember about the trip is how much fun we had together! And how many times
we laughed together. We played jeopardy, and you girls got almost every question! We thought
about how we want to change the world and how we want to act in the future. We played with
young kids and hung out with high schoolers, and made friends even with language barriers. I’ll
always remember the sweet heart drawings the school girls gave us. We hiked through Monte
Alto, and painted with Ivan and Marcia. We saw beautiful sunsets at Playa Negra and ran from
thunderstorms at Playa Avellanas. We went whitewater rafting and jumped from boat to boat.
These memories will last a lifetime!

We worked really hard and also had a blast together. Whether it was during mentor groups,
playing in Monte Alto’s waterfall, figuring out riddles at El Centro Verde, scarfing down the
delicious food at Casa del Sol, playing tag with the high schoolers, doing face masks, or
exploring new places together- it was that much fun because we got to share it with all you guys
— the 2018 GLA Costa Rica Initiative for Children group! Thanks for helping to make these
special memories in an amazing place.

Pura Vida,
Megan and the Costa Rican team

 

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My, how time flies! Your experience in Costa Rica may seem like it just ended yesterday, or you may think of the memories as far-off experiences in your mind. No matter how it feels, those memories will stay with you all. Even as you begin to adjust to life in the US, to school and friends and work, your summer in Guanacaste, Costa Rica will stay with you. The little EcoLodge where you made a whole new group of friends, mostly human but also 3 Golden Retrievers and a lot of friendly parrots, will hold a special place in your heart.

You all began the trip with high expectations of service and fun, and in the end, those expectations were changed into reality. You visited schools in Guapote, 27 de Abril, Playa Junquillal, and more. You visited the tourist-friendly town of Tamarindo, the beautiful white sand beach of Playa Blanca, and the bustling little city of Santa Cruz. In the nature reserve at Monte Alto, you learned from the founder himself how the reserve works and has grown over the years. You tried foods cooked with the sun’s power at Casa del Sol, and talked to the strong women who run it. In mentor groups, you had important and sometimes difficult discussions about the world.

Most important of all, you made life-long connections with young people all across the province. With the children you participated in activities that promote caring for the environment and our limited supply of water. One of the most rewarding parts of the trip was seeing the children’s smiling faces; everywhere we went, children were always the most accepting and most willing of hosts.

With your new connections, understandings, and experiences, you will all better understand the world we live in, and be able to make a change in it. The love and unity you felt as a group will never be lost. The impressions you made on the Costa Rican people you met will never be forgotten. As you learned, the way to change the world starts with small steps: it starts with you.
Thank you all!

Peace and Love,
Your friends at GLA

 

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