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

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 19

Hi GLA Spring Break families and friends,

We had a great arrival day and got settled in to our Home Base in Playa Junquillal. Ofir, Rocky, Oliver, Ryan, Kaito, and Lilly arrived first and were able to catch the first sunset.

Julien, Adrian, Jack, Samantha and Katelyn arrived just in time for dinner. (Aysha unfortunately missed a connection flight, but will be joining us on Day 2.) We all had a delicious typical meal casado de pollo, which is chicken, rice, beans, and salad with fried plantains.

After dinner we got to know each other a bit more and played some games. The students are looking forward to a full week of fun.

Pura Vida!
Heather & Juanca (GLA Directors)

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BLOG POST FOR APRIL 20

Feliz Pascua (Happy Easter) to all those who celebrate.

Shout out to Ryan and Kaito who woke up at 6:30 and went on a run with our International Director Heather on the beach! We started the day off with gallo pinto for breakfast. After that we made some community agreements, when through orientation, and saw the turtle hatchery. During pool time we had our health checks. After that we had some chicken fingers, fries and salad for lunch. Then, after some rest we sunscreened up and headed for the beach. There we boogie boarded, body surfed, and played beach soccer (it was a tough match but the Goats came out on top with an assist from Oliver and a goal from Kaito, shoutout Goats GK Lilly with 12 saves)

After the beach we grabbed some smoothies and headed back for home base. Aysha finally arrived so our group is complete! We had some time to shower before a beautiful sunset and chow circle. For dinner we had some roast beef, mashed potatoes, and vegetables. During dinner we listened to some live music. After dinner we had some service reflection and talked about our plans for tomorrow’s service. Can’t wait!

Written by the LODs (leaders of the day):

Lilly, Oliver & Ofir

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BLOG POST FOR APRIL 21

We started off the day at 7:30 am with breakfast. We had rice with beans, sausage, and pancakes to fuel for day of service at the Guanacaste Water Center. People were separated into groups who dealt with plants, seed collection, and groups who cleaned up leaves and sticks to prepare for composting. Everyone worked hard despite the intense heat.

To start off the the afternoon first we had lunch. It was delicious arroz con pollo with salad. For dessert we got a nice cold popsicle, it was very good and refreshing. After lunch we picked ceiba tree seed out of fluffy pods, then we did some more service in the nursery where we replanted trees and raked. After finishing we stopped at a local grocery store to get some snacks and came back and got ready to watch the sunset.

Once we came back from service some of us went went in the pool. We had a chow circle talking about our highs and lows of the day during the sunset at the beach. For dinner we ate spaghetti, garlic bread, and salad. And to finish it off we came back to the office and played a fun questions game called Hot Seat. Before free time, we enjoyed some delicious mangoes. 🥭 It was a great day!

Leaders of the Day~ Sammy, Adrian & Kaito

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

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 12

Happy Arrival Day!

The Liberia airport was quite busy today with all the people coming to Costa Rica for Spring Break. Emerson, Isaac, Eddie, Dylan, and Pearl were the first of our GLA group to arrive. After getting settled in to their rooms, we all went on a beach walk and enjoyed the sunset.

Everyone was excited for their first taste of Costa Rican food at dinner. We had delicious “casados de pollo,” which is the typical plate of rice, beans, salad, and grilled chicken. Mallory, Roxy, and Izzy made it just in time for dinner with our Local Director Juanca. (Ava will be joining us tomorrow to complete the group!)

After dinner we went over the schedule, discussed the guidelines for Home Base, and did some personal goal setting. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the week has in store for us.

Pura Vida! 🇨🇷🌴

Heather & Juanca (GLA Directors)

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BLOG POST FOR APRIL 13

Good morning families & friends,

We had some early risers this morning! Our Local Director Juan Carlos and Izzy woke up at 5:30 am and went for a super awesome sunrise run, where they saw horses and walked on the beach afterward. We all started off our day at 8 am and had gallo pinto for breakfast with scrambled eggs, fresh fruit bowls, and yogurt. it was super yummy and we were all extremely full after. After that was orientation in the GLA office, where we took turns writing community agreements on the white board.

Our leaders of the day, Izzy and Emerson (the people writing this blog entry) went over the schedule for the day, as well as what we would need to pack for the day. We had some pool time and health check-ins. Then we went upstairs to the restaurant and had lunch, which was chicken tenders, french fries, and salad. Then it was beach time, we got in the bus and headed over to Playa Negra, where the sand was super hot! The waves were huge, and we played football in the water, followed by volleyball on the beach. Once we were done, we headed over to the beachfront restaurant and ordered some tropical smoothies.

As we were leaving the beach, we got word there would be a sea turtle release! So we drove over to the sea turtle hatchery and each received half of a giant hollowed out nut that looked like a coconut but apparently wasn’t a coconut. We drove over to where the eggs were originally laid in order to not mess up the turtles’ instincts, as turtles will return to where they were born to lay their own eggs. We each got to use our hollow nuts to hold a baby turtle, and release them onto the sand, where they then took off towards the ocean. It was adorable. Before dinner, we went to the beach to watch the sunset and talk about the ups and downs of our day.

Finally, we had a dinner of cerdo y ensalada y pure de papas. Fue muy delicioso. Tomorrow will include a long day of environmental service, so we need to get a lot of very good sleep. Emerson forgot to mention the UNREAL sunset that we saw. Most probably the best sunset any of us have ever seen.

Leaders of the Day – Emerson and Izzy

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BLOG POST FOR APRIL 14

Hey everyone! Today is Monday, April 14th. Today we had a very full day. We woke up at 6:30, and had breakfast at the restaurant around 7:00. We had pancakes, sausage, yogurt, and gallo pinto. Afterwards, we headed over to the Guanacaste Water Center where we did a lot of service work. We mixed compost, raked dry leaves for the compost and to allow the water to pass to the ground, and collected guanacaste tree seeds.

After around 2 hours or so of work we took a lunch break and tasted different types of honeys. Each was from a different type of bee, flower, and all were unique flavors. We did a scavenger hunt to learn about the different impacts that the center had on the community and why our work was important. We also learned about the origin of the Guanacaste region’s name: “gua” originated from the native Nawal peoples’ language, meaning tree. Each different type of tree starts with “gua,” hence the Guanacaste tree.

After our break, we made our own soil mix, mixing different types of minerals and dirt, to later be used for planting. We also tasted the cashew fruits, which had an earthy/odd taste, that may not have been a fan favorite. After a long day of work, we had a wrap-up discussion and popsicles. We headed onto the bus and visited a local supermarket, or what the locals call “el chino” to buy local snacks and drinks. We then rested for an hour while some went in the pool or showered, and had dinner afterwards (pasta and garlic bread, and salad) and received a Cultural Talk from our local director, Juan Carlos. We also told eachother scary stories, and our own variations of the classic “La Llorona” legend. Overall it was a long day of hard work, but we all feel fulfilled and cleansed. See you all tomorrow!

-Leaders of the Day

Dylan & Roxy

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BLOG POST FOR APRIL 15

Buenos días! This morning of our GLA adventure, we woke up bright and early ready to go eat breakfast. Once breakfast was over we got ready to go zip lining, the people were really helpful and we even saw a monkey! After zip lining was over, we enjoyed a delicious picnic meal supplied by the amazing restaurant owners here at Tides resort.

We then visited the grocery store which was very fun and interesting with all their local snacks and fresh fruits. When getting back to home base, everyone took a dip in the pool to cool off from the heat, before preparing for dance class. The instructor was very passionate with his positive energy, and great teaching style that made it so enjoyable. Learning the native Guanacaste dances as well as salsa, gave us a better understanding of the culture of Costa Rica. Having chow circle was also very interesting in seeing how everyone’s day went!

We then ended off the day with some delicious stir fry for dinner and some cold ice cream for dessert. Following, we played team group activities to get to know each other and connect better, even knowing the smallest things about someone like their dream pet, can help create a better dynamic! Before bed everyone ate some delicious, freshly cut mango, and some played a round of corn-hole by the pool. Then it was lights out and time to sleep!

Written by Leaders of the Day: Isaac & Pearl

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BLOG POST FOR APRIL 16

Hola! This morning was another early rise service day with breakfast at 7 am once again. Today french toast and gallo pinto was in the menu and after that we got ready and walked down to the beach towards the Verdiazul Sea Turtle Hatchery. We met Valerie and her amazing team and Zoey taught us about the four types of sea turtles that lay eggs in guanacaste.

After, we helped prepare new holes for the nests and helped clean up the beach. It was a hot and tiring morning of work so by lunch time we were all ready to jump into the ocean, fully clothed haha, for a quick refresher before we went back up to the hotel for some delicious picadillo for lunch. From there we had some time to relax and chill at the pool before we were on the road again and headed to a traditional empanada cooking class which taught us to make the dough out of fresh grown corn and water just as the indigenous people did.

After some delicious empanadas we went across the street to play a competitive game of soccer with the children of the neighborhood and met a small puppy. After being beat in soccer we headed back to the hotel to eat tacos for dinner (which was a fan favorite!) Lastly we all came together to learn about responsible travel, Costa Rica’s economy and the impact hotels have on the local communities.

LODs: Ava & Mallory

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BLOG POST FOR APRIL 17

Today was our last full day in Costa Rica! We woke up extra early, and raced onto the bus. We had empanadas on the bus. Some people slept on the way there, and some people ate on the bus. Once we got to Flamingo bay, we hopped on a small motorboat, which then took us to the bigger boat. The bigger boat was a catamaran, which was super duper cool! The amazing staff offered us fountain drinks, juice, and water, as we enjoyed lounging and taking photos on the front of the boat on our way to an island.

When we arrived to the island, one staff member guided us on a snorkelling tour! In the aqua blue water, we saw hundreds of fish, sea urchins, and beautiful coral! After that, we swam to the island and discovered a hermit crab nest under a tree, and declared the island, NCtopia (nonchalant), with the hermit crabs as our citizens. We then explored on the rocks and found many hermit crab babies and shells. As beautiful as they were, we weren’t allowed to take any shells home, as it is against Costa Rican law and would cost a fine. We hopped back on the boat and ate delicious burritos and pasta salad.

On the way back, we stopped at a souvenir shop where we bought shirts, necklaces, and other touristy charms. We got back to home base to apply aloe, shower, and pack up our items to go home. We then took final photos of the sunset on the beach, had a very deep final chow circle, and a delicious hamburger and fries dinner, where we laughed and laughed. We then finished off the day by reflecting on our goals from the beginning of this week and making a goal for the next year. We then had an appreciation circle (a GLA staple!) where we are given prompts like “tap someone who inspires you” and anonymously elect people. We then wrote each other notes and filled out a feedback survey. This was such an unforgettable trip where everyone formed such close bonds!

LODs – Eddie & Izzy

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!

COMING SOON!

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 29

Dear GLA Costa Rica Spring Break Service Adventure Families,

Hello – We are so glad all students have arrived!! Yesterday we got settled into our beautiful beachside resort in Junquillal, Costa Rica. We will be busy over the next days with orientation, our first day at the beach bodyboarding and maybe beach volleyball, ziplining, learning local dance moves in a dance class, making some local dishes at a cooking class on a local farm, and a catamaran trip with snorkeling.

Our first service day is tomorrow at the Guanacaste Water Center where the work changes with the seasons. We will work with their tropical plant nursery, learn about and mix different kinds of organic soils, and sort and prepare seeds for the seed collection of different species that are useful for watershed management, habitat, and as foods and even medicines.

Student leaders of the day will be writing a blog post every one to two days to keep you updated about all the great things they have been up to. Our schedule is packed so besides the blog we won’t be on phones very often. We truly hope the students enjoy a break from their phones and immerse themselves in life on the beautiful Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

We have 3 staff directly with the students, plus the support of our very experienced homebase staff, and of course the 24/7 support of the office staff. We look forward to a great program and keep your eyes open for the first student blog!

Best,
Clint, Juan Carlos, and Nina

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 30

Hey family,

Today was really fun! We started off our very first day by waking up and having breakfast with a beautiful view of the beach. After that, we did orientation which included fun games to get to know each other and information with an outline for the rest of the week. After orientation, we all went to the pool and enjoyed the coconut trees and sun and swam. We then went to lunch and got ready for the beach!

We went to Playa Negra just up the coast from us. Here we played volleyball, enjoyed the big waves, and got to talk to Cato, our lifeguard. We then stopped by a small village called Rio Seco where they were having their annual local horse festival, and watched the Tope (they parade by w their nicest horses and dress) and saw vaqueros, the cowboys. We came back sandy and happy, enjoyed a delicious dinner, got ice-cream, and enjoyed thirty minutes of phone privileges. We then did mentor groups and called it a night. Today was so much fun and we can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds!

Best,

Ani Zoley and Lucinda Ernst

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 31

Today we woke up early, prepared to work and got ready to help the community. We drove to the Guanacaste Water Center to see it and pick up tools and then went to a farm with horses. The water center focuses on reforestation and we were using shovels to gather fertilizer- horse manure! We all worked diligently knowing that we were helping the conservation center.

After working efficiently, we finished the loading fast and packed the bags of manure to be transported back to the water center. We ate delicious food there and then helped out with making compost and planting seedlings. We also got to try local honey made on the farms around us.

When we came back from our service, our group was lucky to have the chance to release freshly hatched olive ridley turtles to the ocean. The moment of releasing the turtles was nothing less than cathartic to me (Max). Later we met up to hear Juan Carlos talk about Costa Rican culture, then some of us had a quick swim and off to bed. Zip lining tomorrow!

Maxine Burns and Max Mitchell

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BLOG POST FOR APRIL 1

Hi everyone,

Today was really fun. We went to do a zipline tour, which included a mini bungee jump, a swing and 10 zip-lines through forest canopies. It was exciting, especially when we saw a marine iguana hiding in the trees, only a few centimeters away.

Afterwards, we headed to a beach called Playa Conchal. It was beautiful, with clear blue waters in a bay filled with shells and lush greenery.

When we arrived back to the hotel we ate some yummy tacos. Then we had a mock debate about the development of the Costa Rican coastline. We were in teams representing locals, tour guides, environmental groups, developers, and the government. We debated and came to a compromise to support a decision about a new resort while also weighing the pros and cons. Overall it was a very full but exciting day.

Kaelana Calvo & Swan Sun

PURA VIDA!!!

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BLOG POST FOR APRIL 2

We started our day with french toast and fruit. After, we went to the beach to help with the turtle hatchery where we dug sand to create a bank so the water wouldn’t reach the hatchery. We also got to release 72 baby Olive Ridley turtles. Then we walked back just in time for lunch. After lunch we had some free time to enjoy the pool, play cards and rest.

After our free time we each did our own research project on different species of turtles and animals. We each had some time to study our animal and then we presented them. Later we took the bus to our cooking class where Anais showed us how to make empanadas in her home. We got to pick mangos from her mango tree and cut and eat them. We also had a coconut fall right next to us while researching for our presentation so we opened that while we were there. When we finished making empanadas we went to the soccer field outside of her house by the local school to play some soccer. A lot of the local kids joined in- they were really good!

When we got back we had some time to get ready for dinner and then we ate. At the end of the night we had our mentor talk where we wrote down our personal goals and our group goals as well. Then we played a quick game. When we finished our mentor talk we all went to sleep early as for we had to wake up early in the morning for our catamaran trip. ¡Adios!

Clara Perry-Villa & Livia Gray

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BLOG POST FOR APRIL 3

Today we set off by 6.45 am, heading about an hour north to a beach to meet our catamaran. We took a smaller boat out to the catamaran, and then enjoyed a cruise along the coast and islands.

We anchored in a little cove where we snorkeled, explored the beach, and enjoyed the stand up paddle-boards.

We had a nice lunch onboard with fresh fruits, wraps, pasta salad, different kinds of fresh salsas, and lots of different tunes to listen to. Then we headed back to homebase to get packed, rest, enjoy the pool, and had some nachos as a midafternoon snack. And get ready for our dance class!

We learned some Caribbean and Latin steps, then went out for a final local folklorico dance on the beach at sunset.

Afterwards we stayed on the beach just enjoying the view and taking pictures all together for one last evening. Then we had a nice dinner together and some farewell activities to reflect on our time together and all the things we’ve done and accomplished.

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 22

Dear GLA Costa Rica Spring Break Service Adventure Families,

Hello – We are so glad all students have arrived!! Yesterday we got settled into our beautiful beachside resort in Junquillal, Costa Rica. We will be busy over the next days with orientation, our first day at the beach bodyboarding and maybe beach volleyball, ziplining, learning local dance moves in a dance class, making some local dishes at a cooking class on a local farm, and a catamaran trip with snorkeling.

Our first service day is tomorrow at the Guanacaste Water Center where the work changes with the seasons. We will work with their tropical plant nursery, learn about and mix different kinds of organic soils, and sort and prepare seeds for the seed collection of different species that are useful for watershed management, habitat, and as foods and even medicines.

Student leaders of the day will be writing a blog post every one to two days to keep you updated about all the great things they have been up to. Our schedule is packed so besides the blog we won’t be on phones very often. We truly hope the students enjoy a break from their phones and immerse themselves in life on the beautiful Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

We have 3 staff directly with the students, plus the support of our very experienced homebase staff, and of course the 24/7 support of the office staff. We look forward to a great program and keep your eyes open for the first student blog!

Best,
Clint, Juan Carlos and Nina

PS- Just as the first students arrived we had baby turtles at our turtle conservation program!

Just after getting settled into their rooms the students got to go to the conservation area and release the baby Olive Ridley turtles and watch them waddle down the beach and slip into the waves. Fun!

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 23

March 23rd was the first full day of the GLA spring break adventure program. We woke up and began our day enjoying a wonderful Costa Rican Breakfeast. It is called Gallo pinto. This meal includes a mixture of black beans and rice and locals tend to eat it with many meal of the day. After breakfast we had an orientation related activity that helped bond the GLA group and improve our leadership skills.

After lunch time we headed over to the beach and spent time boogie boarding as well as adventuring on a volcanic rock formation. The rock included a naturally made cold plunge. When we were at the beach we enjoyed playing volleyball with the staff members and drinking tropical fruit smoothies. We headed back to home base around 4:30 pm to enjoy another wonderful meal which included pork loin with applesauce bbq, mashed potatoes, and salad. We spend free time bonding or swimming in the pool! Later we had a mentor group meeting and then to bed because we have an early morning starting service tomorrow.

Alexia Soare and Hayden Bashein

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 24

We began our day with delicious pancakes with sausages, fruit and yogurt before heading off to the Guanacaste Water Center to complete our first full day of service. Upon our arrival we began by learning about the water center and how it helps the environment, and getting to know the Water Center team.

Marcia, the director gave us challenging but rewarding tasks to begin our work. We moved and watered plants, learned about important species and collected and sorted seeds for their seed bank, and helped create compost and good soil. After we finished our these jobs, we had a typical Costa rica lunch of Arroz con Pollo (chicken, rice and veggies) and played an educational treasure hunt. This required us to go around the gardens and forest and gather information about the environment, the world wide watersheds and importance of trees.

Our favorite part of the day was learning how to start the growing process of the plants, which will grow into trees and be donated to local families and schools. Schoolchildren are taught what the different plants are good for and then choose one for their home. In conclusion we all contributed and played an important part in helping support the environment.

After returning to Homebase we feasted on pasta before diving into a Costa Rican culture talk. Where we learned all about Costa Rica and expanded our Spanish vocabulary.

As leaders of the day we made the toughest days easy.

Charlie Fashny and Marlise Touw

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 25

We woke up and went to breakfast. We talked about the word of the day, which was Amigo and Amiga. Later, we headed over to the zip line place, where we learned a lot about nature and zip lining through the trees. On our way home we stopped to explore a supermarket to see what Costa Rican snacks they had. After that, we went dancing and had a dance class.

Then, we had dinner, and we had tacos. They were great! After the tacos, we saw a short video about local development and environmental issues with interviews of locals, for example about how tourism can affect the nature in this country. We then split into groups representing different groups such as locals, builders, government, tour guides, and environmental groups and had a debate about a property being built in Costa Rica and whether or not it’s a good idea. Then, we played a little game of murder mystery, which was interesting. Now, it’s bedtime. My favorite part of zip lining was the adrenaline.

Luke Fashny and Connor Kulis

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 26

March 26th was the 5th day of the GLA program. Today we woke up and enjoyed delicious French toast made by the kitchen. Quickly after we headed straight down to the beach to help our local sea turtle hatchery and complete more community service hours. We dug holes up to 7 feet deep and carried buckets full of sand back and forth across the beach. We had a fun time helping the Costa Rican community! When we got back home we enjoyed pico de gallo with rice and lettuce. We then completed a research activity individually. Everyone was given a turtle to research and make a presentation about. We learned many new facts about turtles!

Did you know there are 7 turtle species, with 5 able to be found in Costa Rica!!

For the last part of our adventure today we learned how to make empanadas. We used potatoes and beans and they turned out to be very tasty. After enjoying empanadas we played soccer with some local kids and had a very fun time with them! Last but not least we had a delicious stir fry for dinner.

Lexi Soare and Ella Leung

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 27

Today we set off by 6.45 am, headed to the beach to meet our catamaran. We took a smaller boat out to the catamaran, and then enjoyed an hour long cruise out past the islands and then anchored at one of the islands with an arch through the rocks and a tiny beach. It was a windy day but we snorkeled some and saw some fish and then all climbed onto the giant lily pad tied to our boat. We enjoyed swimming and trying to stand up paddle board in the waves—which involved a lot of falling into the water 🙂

Then we had a big lunch of fresh fruits, wraps, pasta salad, different kinds of fresh salsas such as pineapple jalapeño and a sour cream one. After a big lunch we enjoyed the cruise back along the coast. We then stopped in a little town to explore the souvenir shops and stores. Then we hiked along the coast to a secluded white shell beach called Conchal. We all had a swim in it for a while with its funny waves that floated us back and forth back and forth from the shore- because it is a shell beach it is much steeper so the waves are really different.

Then we hiked back to our bus and went back to homebase to cool off and pack and clean before dinner. Before dinner we all went out to our beach for last beautiful sunset together, taking pictures and just enjoying being together on the beach. Then a nice dinner together and some farewell activities to reflect on our time together and all the things we’ve done and accomplished. Up early the next day for our last breakfast and headed to the airport all together.