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

Here are a few things you can expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

COMING SOON

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

Here are a few things you can expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

COMING SOON

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

Here are a few things you can expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 11

Hola from Costa Rica!

We are so excited to welcome 16 amazing students to playa Junquillal! After a long travel day we enjoyed burritos on the bus ride home, getting to know the students and learning about the adventure awaiting us this week. We can already tell that this is an amazing group of students, and we can’t wait to spend the week with them!

– Juanca, Jorge, and Julianne

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 12

By Matthew Ellis:

I was a leader of the day. I enjoyed this day as it was mostly calm and most of the day we were hanging out, learning about costa rica. Overall today went pretty well and proud are behaving.

—

By Sierra Crews:

I started the day with a fun activity while trying to remember the other kids names. We also did a game about rules & whats ok & whats not, which was helpful to remember them. After we had chill time & then I’m pretty sure we ate breakfast after that.

Then some time later we took the swim test which was a little draining but after me & my friend played with a water polo ball which was fun. Then I took a quick outdoor shower.

We all chilled & then walked to the beach to learn about the turtles & the different types which there were 7. This was such a special experience for me, bc the turtles got released & I actually got to take the turtle in a coconut & let them waddle on to the sand which was so cute! I LOVE turtles. The sunset was also really pretty. Then me & my friend Emily got popsicles which they only cost $1?! Cheap! After we all ate dinner which was steak, cooked veggies & baked potatoes which reminded me of Thanksgiving.

It was all so yummy! I then took a nice shower :). I am so excited to see what tomorrow is going to bring. I really love dance so the dance class will be fun. I’m also excited for all of the meals.

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 13

Today we got the opportunity to support the upcoming local sports center. We started with clearing the playground of weeds and it went very well. I enjoyed painting signs with my peers and hanging out on the basketball court. Then we went to the beach and hopped in the ocean. Overall, it was a fun day.

-Oliver Barbeito + Emily Lee

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 14

By Tenaya Stoney-Stevens:

Today we all experienced zip lining and had a fun time enjoying ourselves in the trees. We then relaxed on the beach and enjoyed the smoothies at the beachfront restaurant.

—

By Samuel Goldberg:

My experience today was amazing. First, I got up and woke everyone up and told everyone the schedule and we ate breakfast. Then we went ziplining. I told everyone to apply sunscreen and to have a great day. And then we got back home and ate a great lunch. Then I made sure everyone had water and sunscreen, and we made our way to the beach. Then we surfed some waves and got some smoothies and took some photos on the beach. We participated in a leadership, where we played duck duck goose during sunset. Then we came back home base and took some pictures and we ate. Then we did a GLA activity at homebase that taught us how to spot problems in the world locally, nationally and internationally.

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 15

By Audrey Norbraten:

Today we painted signs like surf boards, wood peices for community service. Then we headed back ate lunch and most of us jumped in the pool to cool off. Then we made our way to a cooking class and made Empanadas at abuelitas house.

Then we bought fun things at the market at home base then the power went out.. We then ate dinner and after that Jorge and I set up b-day decorations for Sam’s b-day and we celebrated it. Overall it was a great day.

—

By Ian Collins:

Today was awesome being a leader. I loved making the signs and helping the community while having fun! We also did a super cool cooking class where we made our own empanadas which were really tasty. Then we finished the night with a nice market with local vendors. In all, today was an amazing day and for sure one to remember.

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 16

By Drew Arnold:

Today I got the opportunity to be a leader we woke up early in the morning and had empanadas for breakfast we then drove over to the catamaran and were floating for about 4 hours while many of us got some pretty bad sunburns it was overall a great time. We then went to the beach for a surf lesson which was fun and very helpful as every two people had a dedicated teacher for them. After the surf lesson we relaxed and got food at the restaurant on the beach and finally we came back to home base for dinner.

—

By Claire Stephens:

Today was probably one of the best days of the week! And that is saying something because everyday has been fun! We woke up early and got on the bus to headed to the beach with the boat. We had empanadas for breakfast which were interesting but good. When we got to the beach we had a little extra time so me and the other leaders lead a game of Simon says which was a good pass time. The boat was a super cool experience and was very nice. We had good food, snorkeled, swam and tanned. After that we headed to another beach to take a surfing lesson. A lot of people already knew how to surf but it was fun practicing and catching waves. I used my leadership skill to make sure everyone was having fun and included. We were all pretty tired but it was a very fun day!
Being a leader was very fun and helpful.

—

By Mineya Barnes:

Today began with early wakeups for our catamaran trip. As a leader, our job is to make sure everyone is on time and prepared for the adventures ahead of us. We arrived at the beach a little too early for the trip so we pivoted to our leadership activity. Our original idea for the activity was mafia, but we realized that we would not have enough time for a full game, so we pivoted once again to a game of Simon says. We were on the boat for many hours and there wasn’t very much leading required.

We then went to a different beach for a surfing lesson. By the time our lesson was finished, most of us were tired and more than a little sun-kissed. We had free time until dinner and most of us showered or took naps.

Our day was closed with the passing of our leadership to three new leaders who will take on the responsibility tomorrow.

The day was filled with trial and error and major flexibility from all. Through frequent reminders, we were able to keep everyone on time. I enjoyed being a leader of the day and I hope tomorrow’s leaders enjoy it just as much.

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 17

Given that most of us got a lot of sun yesterday, we got a little creative and did indoor beach olympics in the morning. This consisted of a sing-off, human etch-a-sketch, Costa Rican trivia, group charades, and the towel challenge. Las iguanas came out in the lead!! We then took some time to pack for our trip tomorrow and took a short dip in the pool. After lunch we went to a farm where we learned about nature and got to milk and feed baby goats. We then made it back to homebase just in time to take pictures at sunset and close the day with a karaoke night. We went to bed to be well rested for tubing and hot springs tomorrow.

Hasta manana!

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 18

We had a great last day in Costa Rica! We took a morning bus ride to Canyon de la Vieja where we had an amazing lunch with at least 10 different food options. After lunch we went tubing down class I and II rapids. We got a little competitive in the swimming portions and a great time was had by all. After tubing we took a dip in the hot springs and covered ourselves in exfoliating mud.

We then had some free time to get settled in the hotel, do a fun leader of the day activity led by Sophia and Kendall, and get ready for our closing dinner. We finished the evening by an activity showing the things we appreciate about each member of the group and a *slightly* later bedtime to close out an amazing week.

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 19

This morning was bittersweet as we said goodbye to 16 phenomenal students. It was an impactful week filled with hard work, laugh, adventures, and deepened friendships. Thank you so much for sharing your students with us this week. We are so proud of each of them for all their hard work and growth over 9 short days. They will truly be missed! We wish them all safe travels back to Carmel, and we hope to see them again on a future GLA program.

Juanca, Jorge, and Julianne

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
2. We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
3. Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
4. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
5. Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 4

Hola from Costa Rica!

Julianne and Juanca here! We had a great first day in playa Junquillal! After a what was a long travel day for most of the group, we enjoyed a sunset beach walk, getting to know each other, and a night swim! As we are writing this the students are enjoying playing volleyball in the pool and catching insects. We can already tell this is an amazing group and are excited for the week ahead!

Hasta mañana,
Juanca and Julianne

Please note – some students had not arrived yet when the photos below were taken. We will have additional photos of the full group in future posts!

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 5

Today was our first day of the GLA Spring Break Service Adventure. We met up at 8:20 for a breakfast that consisted of traditional Costa Rican Galla pinto. Orientation was next, where we discussed expectations and the GLA Code of Conduct. After orientation, we took a short bus ride to the Callajones beach. Students hung out in the water while enjoying coconuts from a local vendor.

We then returned to home base for lunch before heading out to release baby turtles. After that, we played a quick game of mafia and ate dinner. We then did a leadership activity going over our values and priorities. We then were able to hang by the pool before lights out. Overall, today was very fun and successful, and we’re looking forward to the rest of the camp!

Gabby, Marco, and Nelson

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 6

Today we woke up and had a delicious breakfast of pancakes and some traditional Costa Rican beans and rice. After breakfast we headed to the park near the local turtle hatchery and started our first service project. We painted some tables and benches with creative designs and messages about preserving nature.

Following painting, we headed back to home base to enjoy lunch and then get ready for the beach. We took a short bus ride to Playa Negra, where we enjoyed some beautiful waves and boogie boarding under the afternoon sun. While at the beach, we enjoyed various smoothies and drinks from a local shop and played fun card games.

Heading home from the beach, we even got to see some adorable monkeys lounging in a tree! When we got back, we got ready for dance lessons and enjoyed an exciting dance class, where we engaged in a heated dance battle.

After dancing, we headed to the restaurant to have the delicious dinner of spaghetti and Alfredo. Following dinner, we played some card games and had a relaxing night.

Julia, Rocky, and Jeremiah

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 7

We started off with a late Easter egg hunt for team points. An exclusive shout out to Rocky on team Coconut Crackers for his exquisite Easter egg hunting talents. Next we took a long bus ride to the canopy (zip line) and kept spirits high with an on bus karaoke session. Everyone showed exemplary courage during zip lining especially those who had never done it before! After that, we took a quick nap on the bus ride to the beach and splashed about in the pristine Costa Rican waters.

Back at home base, we partook in a discussion about the UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) and managed to share our respective opinions with candor using our newfound personal values. In our evening leaders of the day activity we partook in an exhilarating game of volleyball by the poolside, and took the opportunity to share about our ancestral lineage.

Before lights out, we shared our findings from our leader of the day challenge “remember one truly mind opening thing someone has shared about themselves in a conversation today”. Overall, from the zip lines to the Pacific Ocean waves, today we learned the true meaning of “Pura Vida”.

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 8

We started the day with a breakfast of French toast. After that, we spent time painting tables, tires, and pillars, and we also helped pick up trash around the area. Later, we played some pool games together. For lunch, we had pork and rice. We then practiced for our talent show and worked together to cook homemade empanadas. After finishing the cooking, we went to a local market at our home base. It was a busy and fun day.

Jeremiah, Savannah, and Henry

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 9

We started off the day with an optional 5am sunrise beach walk. By 7am we were on the bus, playing games all the way to the ocean front, where we were met with crystal blue waters and a dolphin sighting from the catamaran. We spent the afternoon snorkelling, swimming and singing along to our favourite songs. When we got back, we caught our final Costa Rican rays of sun with our newfound friends and took group photos.

As the sun set, we thought back on what we had learned from this trip: what fears we had faced, where our adventures had lead us, and who helped us get there. We finished off the day with one last pool party and a talent show. Before bed, we shared some of our final goodbyes and plans for our next adventures.

Esme

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 10

Juanca, Jorge, and Julianne here! We had such an amazing week! This morning was bittersweet as we said goodbye to all of the students we have had the pleasure of spending this last week with. It was a joy to see all the friendships that formed, the growth in leadership skills, and the enthusiasm of this group at all the activities and challenges throughout the week. They will truly be missed! We are wishing everyone safe travels back home, and we hope to see them again on a future GLA program.

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
2. We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
3. Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
4. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
5. Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR MARCH 28

Hola from Costa Rica!

We are so excited to welcome 16 amazing students to playa Junquillal! After what was a long travel day for many of us, we enjoyed getting to know each other in the pool, going to the beach, and learning about the adventure awaiting us this week. We can already tell that this is an amazing group of students, and we can’t wait for the rest of the week with them!

– Juanca, Julianne, and Ryan

BLOG POST FOR MARCH 29

Our first day in Costa Rica began with breakfast and orientation.

Next, we organized an intense sandcastle competition at the local beach, and headed to the pool to cool off.

After lunch, our local director Juan Carlos gave a cultural presentation about the beautiful nature of Costa Rica. We visited a sea turtle hatchery, where we were taught about the native species of turtles that lay their eggs there, and simulated their work by digging up ping pong balls.

This mimicked the actual texture of the egg shells, which we explored up-close with gloves. We experienced a live release of the newborn turtles under the sunset. We followed up with a game of Mafia, and ended the day with a Scottish dance, taught by our native Scottish mentor.

We’re excited for tomorrow!

Ava, Reagan and Caz.

BLOG POST FOR MARCH 30

We began our first day of service with a delicious breakfast. We then headed out to our service work for GEA. We worked with Fran in the community of Los Pargos picking up trash along roadsides. We finished up our service with painting and sanding signs for a local school.

After our hard work we had an amazing chicken finger lunch and had relaxation time by the pool. We then headed to Sandy Beach to boogie board and play in the waves. On our way back we stopped for smoothies at a local shop and returned to home base.

Finally we learned about the Latin culture by dancing with Leo and even creating our own dances. We ended our day with an amazing pasta dinner!

Bella, Sarah, and Andrew

BLOG POST FOR MARCH 31

We started the out the day with a delicious local breakfast. Then we were off to zip lining where began with a rappel before soaring through the beautiful greenery. After zip lining, we had a picnic style lunch.

On our way back to home base we stopped at a local supermarket and got some snacks and drinks, and saw some monkeys.

After we got back we spent some quality time in the pool getting a tan and having fun. Then we went to the beach for a beach team bonding tournament where we played a bunch of fun games and had a lip syncing battle.

After we had a quick bbq style dinner and went right into our leadership activity. The activity was led by our mentor Ryan. We learned about sustainable development goals to address issues on a local, national, and global level.

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 2

Hi again,

Juanca, Ryan and Julianne here! We had such an amazing last day today! We spent the morning going on a catamaran, swimming and paddle boarding. We then had a picnic on the boat and headed back to home base for one last dip in the pool. We finished the night with a talent show and friendly mentor group competition before doing a closing activity and saying goodbye to our “LA girls,” who are leaving early tomorrow morning. Thanks so much for sharing your students with us. This was truly a special group and we had an absolute blast spending the last 6 days with them.

Juanca, Ryan, and Julianne