Hi everyone!

We hope your school years are off to a great start, and you are still filled with fond memories of summer days in Gandoca, Costa Rica! It was such a joy to share part of our summer with each of you, and you made history as the first ever GLA summer Sea Turtle Initiative group! What an awesome time we had together!

We loved exploring the biodiversity of Costa Rica on the Caribbean coast with you. From seeing sloths and monkeys in the wild to night patrols on moonless nights with starry skies to Timmy and Jimmy in Room 1 to fresh fruit juices at each meal, we hope that each of you walked away from the summer with a new eye for nature and ideas about how you can live more sustainably every day. Thanks for the energy and curiosity each of you brought to our service and our adventures! You each have unique gifts that will allow you to impact the world in meaningful ways. We hope this trip has inspired a passion for travel and service!

Here are some specific memories of our time together that we hope will make you smile:

-Eating more rice and beans than anyone ever imagined

-The crazy driver at the zip lining place

-Making our own hot chocolate from cacao on the organic farm tour

-Cooking lunch together—patacones and picadillo!

-Learning to surf—Hang Ten!

-Intense mafia games

-Making smoothie bets with JP

-Capture the flag at dusk

-Using real aloe to treat the inevitable sunburns

-Kibu the cat

-Playing “pato pato ganzo” with students at the local school

Thank you for a great program! And of course, PURA VIDA!

-The Costa Rica Sea Turtle Staff (Clint, JP, Remy, and Erin)

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our new destinations for Summer 2018, or enroll now.

PTP Squad 2017!

It’s been a while, huh? I’m sure time has flown by, just like it did when we were all together in Bahia Ballena. Whether we were planting trees, learning how to surf, checking out monkeys, or simply chilling in the pool – the time passed super fast, and that’s the reason for this time capsule letter! Although it may seem like ages ago, the time we shared together and impacts we made are definitely worth taking a minute to remember.

You guys made an incredible imprint on the community and environment during your time in the PTP program. The trees you transplanted are being maintained and growing into healthy adolescent plants, now in the National Park Marino Ballena. The time spent creating and painting tree protectors are doing their job well and can be reused to help us continue the reforestation project. The plastic whale is a spectacle for the entire country!

Let’s also not forget all the knowledge you gained on the trip that has now encouraged you to refuse and reduce your own plastic consumption. Now you’re aware of how so many little actions can affect the ocean. When you guys think back on our trip together, there’s probably a ton of fun (and hilarious) moments that come to mind first. We saw monkeys, coati, crocodiles, exotic birds, a sloth, turtles, whales, a red eyed tree frog, and dolphins! We learned how to dance and sang karaoke style on our bus rides.

We played endless card games, and ate incredible meals (shout out to Sonya and Joans, the real MVP’s). We jumped off rocks into rivers next to waterfalls. We cooked a traditional meal, and went out for pizza. Best of all, we shared music, games, and tons of great stories. The mentors–Hannah and Desiree– loved being able to share these experiences with you guys. Thanks for all the hard work you did while you were here and thanks for making it so fun and memorable!

Some special moments from our trip:

– The adventurous (and rainy!) boat ride to and from Corcovado National Park

– Seeing a school of dolphins play just feet away from our boat – Seeing a mother and baby humpback diving around us

– Learning from Alban and his majestic hair

– Going “Boom, Boom” on the zipline and flying through the mountains, howling and conquering fears

– Ogres, Wizards, and Elves “SAME THING”!

– Watching howler monkeys play in the trees around us

Saludos! Keep shining.

-Hannah Calloway, International Director

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our new destinations for Summer 2018, or enroll now.

PTP Squad 2017!

It’s been a while, huh? I’m sure time has flown by, just like it did when we were all together in Bahia Ballena. Whether we were planting trees, learning how to surf, checking out monkeys, or simply chilling in the pool – the time passed super fast, and that’s the reason for this time capsule letter! Although it may seem like ages ago, the time we shared together and impacts we made are definitely worth taking a minute to remember.

You guys made an incredible imprint on the community and environment during your time in the PTP program. The trees you planted are being maintained and growing into healthy adolescent plants. The tedious time spent creating and painting tree protectors are doing their job well and can be reused to help us continue the reforestation project more efficiently. The school in Bahia Ballena is looking great and the students are loving the new paint jobs! Let’s also not forget all the knowledge you gained on the trip that has now encouraged you to refuse and reduce your own plastic consumption. Now you’re aware of how so many little actions can affect the ocean.

When you guys think back on our trip together, there’s probably a ton of fun (and hilarious) moments that come to mind first. We saw monkeys, coati, crocodiles, exotic birds, a sloth, turtles and dolphins! We learned how to dance and sang karaoke style on our bus rides.

We played endless games, and even had our final party. We jumped off rocks into rivers next to waterfalls. We cooked a traditional meal, and went out for pizza. Best of all, we shared music, games, and tons of great stories. The mentors – Hannah, Desiree, and JP (gone but never forgotten) loved being able to share these experiences with you guys. Thanks for all the hard work you did while you were here and thanks for making it so fun and
memorable!

Some special moments from our trip:

– The adventurous boat ride to and from Corcovado National Park
– Seeing a school of dolphins play just feet away from our boat
– Having tons of ACTION PACKED days
– Telling ghost stories and learning about La Mona
– “I ran farted”
– Exchanging conspiracy theories
– Swimming into a waterfall cave!
-Creating ideas and plans that will help the Semilla de Ballena Nursery grow and prosper

Saludos!
The Protecting the Pacific Costa Rica Team

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our new destinations for Summer 2018, or enroll now.

PTP Squad 2017!

It’s been a while, huh? I’m sure time has flown by, just like it did when we were all together in Bahia Ballena. Whether we were planting trees, learning how to surf, checking out monkeys, or simply chilling in the pool – the time passed super fast, and that’s the reason for this time capsule letter! Although it may seem like ages ago, the time we shared together and impacts we made are definitely worth taking a minute to remember.

You guys made an incredible imprint on the community and environment during your time in the PTP program. The trees you planted are being maintained and growing into healthy adult plants. The tedious time spent creating and painting tree protectors are doing their job well and can be reused to help us continue the reforestation project more efficiently. The school in Bahia Ballena is looking great and the students are loving the new paint jobs! Let’s also not forget all the knowledge you gained on the trip that has now encouraged you to refuse and reduce your own plastic consumption. Now you’re aware of how so many little actions can affect the ocean.

When you guys think back on our trip together, there’s probably a ton of fun (and hilarious) moments that come to mind first. We saw monkeys, coati, crocodiles, exotic birds, a sloth and most incredibly whales! We learned how to dance and sang karaoke style on our bus rides.

We played endless games or What are the Odds, UNO, and Volleyball games together. We jumped off rocks into rivers next to waterfalls. We cooked a traditional meal, and went out for pizza. Best of all, we shared music, games, and tons of great stories. The mentors – Hannah, Desiree, and Jack loved being able to share these experiences with you guys. Thanks for all the hard work you did while you were here and thanks for making it so fun and memorable!

Some special moments from our trip:

– Rapping about Travis’ and Canelo’s lives
– The adventurous boat ride on our return from Corcovado National Park
– Seeing a school of dolphins play just feet away from our boat
– Listening to funny and enlightening stories being told during ‘Story of Self”
– Painting the school
– Watching a baby whale be taught by its mother how to swim
– Canelo joining us at the waterfall
-Creating ideas and plans that will help the Semilla Ballena Nursery grow and prosper.

Saludos!

-Jack and the PTP Costa Rica Team

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our new destinations for Summer 2018, or enroll now.

PTP Squad 2017!

It’s been awhile, huh? I’m sure time has flown by, just like it did when we were all together in Bahia Ballena. Whether we were planting trees, learning how to surf, checking out monkeys, or simply chilling in the pool – the time passed super fast, and that’s the reason for this time capsule letter! Although it may seem like ages ago, the time we shared together and impacts we made are definitely worth taking a minute to remember.

You guys made an incredible imprint on the community and environment during your time in the PTP program. The trees you planted are being maintained and growing into healthy adult plants. The tedious time spent creating and painting tree protectors are doing their job well and can be reused to help us continue the reforestation project more efficiently. The school in Bahia Ballena is looking great and the students are loving the new paint jobs and the garden that you helped start to make, as students in other programs have continued your progress! Let’s also not forget all the knowledge you gained on the trip! The hours spent picking up microplastics have served you to refuse and reduce your own plastic consumption and now you’re aware of how so many little actions can affect the ocean.

When you guys think back on our trip together, there’s probably a ton of fun (and hilarious) moments that come to mind first. We saw monkeys, coati, crocodiles, exotic birds, and even a sloth! We learned how to dance and sing karaoke together. We played endless games of BS, Assassin, UNO, and random Beach Ball Pool Games together. We jumped off rocks into rivers next to waterfalls. We cooked a traditional meal, went out for pizza, and drank way too much coffee. Best of all, we shared music, games, and tons of great stories. The mentors – Hannah, Desiree, and Jack loved being able to share these experiences with you guys. Thanks for all the hard work you did while you were here and thanks for making it so fun and memorable!

Some special moments from our trip:

• Having the most diverse karaoke session ever – from “Goosebumps” to “Baby” to “Big Green Tractor”
• When it poured rain the second to last day at home base and you guys used it as a bathing opportunity
• Seeing the crocodile devour a pelican at Corcovado National Park
• Seeing a school of dolphins play just feet away from our boat
• Listening to funny and enlightening stories being told during ‘Story of Self”
• Painting the school…..and eachother
• When Anna the dance teacher and Wayner put on a show as we learned traditional dances
• Calling everything “dank”
• Canelo overcoming his fears and chasing the cat away

Saludos!
Jack and the PTP Costa Rica Team

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our new destinations for Summer 2018, or enroll now.