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!

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 JUNE 26

Welcome to Paradise: Student Arrival Day in Costa Rica! 🏄‍♀️⚽🌱

There’s something magical about the warm breeze, the sound of waves crashing on the Pacific Coast, and the buzz of excitement in the air—it’s Arrival Day for our Surf, Sports & Sustainability Program in Costa Rica!

Today marks the beginning of an unforgettable journey for a group of curious, courageous, and globally-minded students ready to dive into a one-of-a-kind adventure. From airports across the world to the tropical haven of Costa Rica, students arrived with backpacks full of gear and hearts full of anticipation.

Upon arrival at our eco-lodge, the group was introduced to our program staff, local partners, and each other. The lodge, built with sustainable materials and powered in part by solar energy, is a hub of inspiration. Rooms were assigned, hammocks tested, and the communal area quickly filled with laughter, card games, and curiosity.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

Day 2 in Costa Rica was amazing. We spent the morning hanging out, playing games, and getting to know each other better. Some of us relaxed in hammocks, others tossed a frisbee or kicked around a soccer ball. It was super laid-back, and everyone was just enjoying the warm weather and each other’s company.

Our surfing session was at 1, and we split into small groups to hit the waves. The beach was beautiful, and the water felt amazing. After surfing, the bus ride back was full of energy—loud music, fun games, and nonstop laughs. We’re only two days in, but it already feels like this group has known each other forever.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

It was only our third day in Costa Rica, but it was our first day getting a taste of some of the service work we’ll be completing throughout this trip! We started our day with a delicious egg fried rice for breakfast, and began with an early morning hitting the beach right away for a morning surf session. It was a great way to wake ourself up and start the day off with a tropical bang. We continued getting to know our surf instructors and even though it’s only our second day hitting the waves everyone has already improved so much.

We followed that by a few fun relaxing hours by the pool, filled with volleyball, smoothies and lots of laughs! A tasty pasta for lunch and we were back off into the Costa Rican community. We headed into the oldest hotel in the local community and had the opportunity to learn all about the surrounding ecosystems. Filled with a termite taste test, a tarantula sighting, and lots of crabs, we learned so much about the wildlife around us. Walking our way to the coast, we walked across a long wooden bridge exploring the mangroves as we went. Learning about the biodiverse community when we will be spending a few days aiding in the combat of modern colonization and reduction of biodiversity in the ecosystem.

We learned a lot about the importance of keeping our beaches public and the reality’s of tourism’s effects on the local community. We also made the connection of leadership to mangroves, by discussing how the mangroves sacrifice their own leaves for the betterment of its ecosystem. Overall through the first three days, this group has really started to become a family and embracing this new environment!

Signed – your leaders of the day,
Ava + Henry

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Day 4 was full of new experiences and new friends. We started our day with delicious French toast for breakfast. After breakfast we explored our second service location at the only Blue Flag certified goat farm in Costa Rica. This family business was rewarded for being sustainability oriented and has amazing goat products like cheese, yogurt, and milk. It was inspirational to see their two children step up for leadership at such a young age. We also planted trees at their local farm. After our hard work in the sun planting new trees we worded up and appetite got some snacks and drinks from the local market.

After our trip to the local market we had fried rice and herbal salad for lunch. Before our leadership activity we took a dip in the pool and some of us got in a quick lift. Our leaderships activity focused on the different aspects of leadership and areas we can improve.

We finished our day with a picturesque walk on the beach with plenty of photos and games. After a long day everyone enjoyed our final meal. Dinner was delicious and full of chicken wings, rice, and soup. Finally we had a conversation as a group about the effects of ecotourism and the role we play as sustainable travelers.

Today was a great day full of learning and exploring, we loved being LOD’s.

Love,

Zoe & Matthew

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Greetings and salutations parents,

today was our fifth day in Costa Rica. We started off our day by going to Rancho Avellanos, a sustainable goat farm that sells goat byproducts. We had taken a tour of the farm the previous day so we were already familiarized with the property and the processes of the farm. Today our group of 17 students helped sustain soil in the ecosystem, and plant an uncountable amount of trees. Along with scooping goat droppings and transporting them to the compost to act as fertilizer. We all alternated stations so we all got to experience each job. We did this for three hours and a half from 8-11:30. We followed this with a nutritious lunch and some limited resting time. After this, we made our way to the beach for our third surfing lesson. The students improved exponentially and even a select few were able to surf by themselves without instructors. We continued this for around an hour and a half and followed it up with smoothies from the restaurant on the beach. After this we returned to home base and had a little down time. Then we had a collective conversation about social aspects of this trip. After this we dove straight into dinner and ate delicious chicken with rice topped with a creamy mushroom sauce. Shortly after we all collaborated on designing posters for sports day tomorrow. We wrote encouraging messages in Spanish for the local kids to enjoy. Then we played a quick game of charades and then settled out for the night wrapping up a magnificent action packed day. This was one for the books. Pura vida!

Sincerely,
Your leaders of the day, Maxwell and Marcela

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Today in Costa Rica was full of energy and connection. We spent the morning playing sports with the local kids from the community. We played soccer, basketball, and some fun relay games. It was awesome to see everyone having a great time together. Even with the heat, we were all laughing and giving it our all, teaching the kids new games and bringing the community together.

Later in the afternoon, we had a challenging workout and yoga session led by our mentor, Noel. Noel pushed us physically and mentally, but the feeling afterward was worth it! That was followed by a thirty minute meditation. We did breathing exercises to help us take control of our bodies and minds. Everyone felt calm, strong, and focused. To wrap up the day, we headed to the beach where we played volleyball as the sun began to set. Watching the sky change colors while playing with friends felt like the perfect ending to a powerful and fun day.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Today marks the half way point of our adventure in Costa Rica! We really have been immersed into their incredible culture and been learning so much along the way! We started off the day with eggs, beans, and rice for breakfast. Getting us all pumped up for the day ahead! We had our fourth out of five surfing lessons and even though it was a bit choppy out there we were shredding waves left and right!

After that we got fresh fruit smoothies at a local beachside restaurant, then headed home for a scrumptious lunch of casado a traditional Costa Rican meal. Right after lunch we got the delight surprise of a tropical rainstorm equipped with lots of thunder and lightning! Later in the afternoon, a Costa Rican local welcomed us into her home to teach us how to make empanadas. Which are fried turnover with the outer shell made of mainly corn.Then filled with whatever your heart desires, but we filled ours with beans and potatoes. We were very successful and now all professional empanada makers!

Following our cooking class, we went to the soccer field across the road. We had time to kick around a soccer ball, play volleyball, or just relax and chat. Our time at the field ended when yet another tropical rainstorm came upon us. We hopped on the buses and headed back to home base. Once we arrived we were greeted with a mouthwatering meal of pasta with read sauce and meat. We ended the day with mentor groups where we discussed the ethics of sports in the Olympics.

We had so much fun being leaders of the day and can’t wait for another action packed day ahead!

With love,
Maddie and Julia

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Good morning everyone!!! Today’s leaders of the days were Sophia and Max, and we are now bringing you a full recap of the amazing day we had today. We started the day off with some student lead yoga and pilates class at 6:00am. After an early protein filled breakfast consisting of avacado toast we headed out to the ocean where our catamaran awaited.

The group set sail and after a beautiful ride we arrived at El Agujero. Diving into the beautiful crystal clear water we embarked on a snorkeling journey led by our captain. We saw stingyrays, starfish, pufferfish, and even an eagle. Ater applying copious amounts of sunscreen we headed on back to home base and relaxed by the pool. Following that lovely break Noel lead us on a spiritual meditation exercise. Feeling refreshed and cleansened, we drove down to the local ice cream shop ran by local leaders in the community. The ice cream was amazing and we had a good quick snack before heading back to home base for some delicious Pork Stew. Finally, for mentor Noel had us reflect on our experiences with water and what we can do to save the water on our planet.

More pics coming soon!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Yesterday was one for the books.

We kicked off the morning with a mission, cleaning up the mangroves. Honestly, waking up early didn’t even feel that bad once we got there. It was calm, peaceful, and really eye-opening. We filled bags with so much plastic, and it felt accomplishing.

After that, it was surf time, and the waves were quite big. The adrenaline was real, and even though most of us probably swallowed a gallon of saltwater, it was so worth it.

Since it was the 4th of July, lunch went all-out American: burgers and mac & cheese.

Later in the day we headed to La Esquina, a market. There were food stalls that smelled insane, a thrift shop, and a bracelet stand where almost everyone ended up getting something.

We wrapped up the night around a bonfire, which might have been the best part of the day. There was music, laughter, games, and that cozy vibe where no one wants the night to end.

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 JUNE 27

¡Hola from Costa Rica! – Day 1 Adventure Recap 🌴🍕

Welcome to the GLA Spanish Service Adventure Blog, parents and families! We are so enthusiasmado to have our amazing group of students finally here with us in beautiful Costa Rica! The past two days have been full of smiles, sunshine, and lots of laughter as everyone settles in and starts this unforgettable journey.

☀️ Morning Moments & New Connections
We kicked off the day with a delicious breakfast (yes, the gallo pinto was a hit!), and then jumped right into a fun “Pass the Mic” activity where students teamed up to get to know each other better—instant friendships in the making!

We also asked, “What’s one goal or hope you have after meeting everyone today?”
One of our students, Gabriel, shared:
“I really want to build long-lasting friendships while I’m here.”
We’re already seeing that energy take shape. 💚

🍕 In Pizza We Crust (Our Values Activity)
Next up? One of our favorite activities: In Pizza We Crust! Each student added a “topping” to our giant group pizza, with each topping representing a core value for the trip—think kindness, curiosity, courage, and teamwork (plus a whole lot of cheese).

We also asked, “What’s one thing you learned about someone today that surprised you in a good way?”
Lexi and Caroline shared a fun fact: “All of Pearl’s siblings have really unique names!!”

🏡 Home Base Tourcito
After that, we took a tourcito of our beautiful home base. From the comfy dorms to the hangout chairs and the sparkling pool, students got to see all the cozy corners and cool spots where they’ll be spending the next 21 days.

🌟 Meet the Mentors & Learn the Ropes
Mentor intros followed (such an awesome crew!), and after a tasty lunch and a little free time to settle in, we jumped into the GLA Survival Guide—a must-know resource packed with everything from health tips to house rules, plus a fun dive into the inspiring history of GLA (spoiler: it all started with ALA!).

🕵️‍♀️ Mentor Mystery Game
Then it was time to get detective-y! Students played a clue-based game to uncover who their mentor would be. There was laughter, guessing, and finally the big reveal: their mentor groups! These small squads will be their home teams for reflections, support, and lots of learning throughout the trip.

🤝 Community Commitments & Chow Circle
Before dinner, we came together to create our Community Agreement—a collaborative set of expectations to keep our group strong and united. Then, we wrapped the day with our first Chow Circle, a GLA tradition where we celebrate the day, shout out kindness, and crown our first Leaders of the Day.

🎲 Game Night & Chill Vibes
Evening downtime included epic UNO battles, Monopoly takeovers, and some well-deserved chill time under the stars.

To cap it all off, we asked two students how they’d describe Orientation Day as a song. Their answers?

🎵 “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys.
“It speaks on connecting people in a world where everyone belongs—and I believe GLA does exactly that. Everyone was nervous about being in a totally new place with people they’ve never met, and the activities we did today brought everyone closer.” – Pearl
🎵 “NuevaYol”
“Because we listened to it during Naty’s presentation about self-care and self-regulation.” – Caroline

We’re off to a fantastic start, and we can’t wait to share more updates, photos, and stories with you as the adventure continues. Stay tuned—tomorrow brings new sights, service, and más español!

Pura vida,
The GLA Costa Rica Team 🇨🇷💚

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Hey fam!

We had a great day today — a total WIN! We woke up bright and early and had breakfast at 7 AM. It was eggs, sausage, hash browns, cereal, and some orange juice.

At 7:45, we headed over to the Ruta National Sanctuary. The drive was an hour and fifteen minutes long, but we survived it with interesting “Would You Rather” questions.

At 9 AM, we went to see the various animals, starting with the birds, with the main stars being the toucans and the peacocks. After we took a wonderful picture with the various birds, we went to the butterfly enclosure, where butterflies showed off their beautiful colors.

Moving on from the butterflies, we went to the snake exhibit, with multiple beautiful and venomous snakes bathed in the heat. After the snakes, we went on to see the frogs — showcasing tree frogs and a couple of species of poisonous frogs and their bright colors.

After the frogs, we went on to see the mammals, including sloths, ocelots, jaguars, and pumas. After hiking along the trails and seeing the bright and beautiful vegetation, we went on to lunch at 12 PM.

After lunch at the Ruta National Reserve restaurant, featuring an all-you-can-eat buffet, we went to see the waterfalls. The waterfalls ranged from tallest to shortest but did not lack in strength.

Jose, a guest speaker, told us the history of Costa Rica. This included many facts, such as the 3% of the world’s biodiversity being in Costa Rica, and the fact that Costa Rica has no army. Instead, what Costa Rica specializes in is its education — with teachers in the past teaching as young as age 6, helping kids to read and write.

Pura Vida

Leaders of the Day: Gabriel and Liam

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

We started off the day con una desayuno delicioso of gallo pinto and pancakes in the restaurant 🥞

Following breakfast, everyone took a quick swim test before a few hours of free time 🏊‍♂️Throughout the free time, many enjoyed soccer on the lawn and cards games in the restaurant ⚽️.

The rest of the day was spent playing an intense game of soccer, playing cards games like B.S. and pinky, preparing for the first day of service, and a fun leadership activity with mentor groups.

Everyone had positive comments today and here are a few:

“It’s 9 am somewhere ☕” -Anya

“The pasta was not bad 🍝”-The Italian guy, Francesco

“Today was a once in a lifetime experience” – Sebby

“The coffee and chocolate was delicious🍫” -Chase and Callum

“I loved today a-latte” -Halle

Joke of the day from Anya:

If water was coffee and I was a duck, I would swim my way down and drink my way up🦆. But water ain’t coffee and I ain’t a duck so let’s taste this espresso and get hyped up.

From the leaders of the day, Pearl and Callum

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

¡Hola familia!

We started our day off with a bang with a 7 AM breakfast of rice and beans, waffles, salchichon, mango, and melon. Today was our first day visiting the school—for both us and the little kids! We played soccer and tag with them, and some were even faster than us! Everyone had a lot of fun, and by the end of our time there, we had finished our final draft plans for the murals.

At our Spanish school in Heredia, we took a placement exam and were sorted into classrooms, but we also had time to chill, play games, and visit the central market in Heredia (the empanadas were muy deliciosas).

After we returned, it was time for our usual chow circle and dinner routine, which included the most shout-outs we’ve done all trip, a new leader selection, and our signature exit—saying our favorite color in Spanish.

Dinner today was pollo frito, papas fritas, and arroz! After dinner, we split into our mentor groups for an engaging activity.

Quotes of the Day:

“Costa Rica is chill.” – Gabe
“Nosotros nos divertimos.” – Jake
“Tenemos agua caliente.” – Nathan
“I am the Landa queen.” – Lexi
“Live, laugh, love.” – Liam

“Live life to the fullest.” – Gavin

Pura Vida!

Caroline and Eddy

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

¡Hola familia!

Today we woke up at 6:30 and had breakfast at 7. We got to talk and hang out in the morning. Around 7:45, we went to the school, where we painted and cleaned walls throughout the morning. We also got to hang out with the kids.

Around 11:30, we left, went back to home base, and had lunch. After lunch, we had about an hour of free time, then headed to Spanish school around 1:20. Once there, we had class for about three hours and did a variety of activities.

After school, our mentors let us go to the store to buy snacks and drinks. When we got back to home base, we had chow circle and then ate dinner as a group.

Later, we went to the octagon and built spaghetti towers, working in our mentor groups to see who could make the tallest one. After that, we reflected on the activity with our mentor groups.

Pura Vida!

-Zach and Gavin

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

¡Hola Familia!

We woke up at 6:30am and had breakfast at 7. For the first time in a long time, everybody arrived on time. We had eggs, bacon, sausage, and rice with beans.

At 7:45, we left to go to the school for community service. Our three mentor groups completed painting the walls and the tires. We left the school at 11:30 to go to lunch at 12:30.

We left at 1:30 to go to Spanish classes from 2:00 to 5:00pm. We came back to the hotel and had free time until 6:20. We had the chow circle at 6:20. We introduced our new leaders of the day. At 6:30, we had dinner, and ate chicken strips and fries. We had popcorn and watched traditional dancers that came to the hotel as a surprise.

We had mentor groups where we strengthened our improv skills and checked in on our Spanish. After mentor groups, we went back to the octagon and by 9:15, the day was concluded

— Nathan and Carr

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Hola familia y amigos!

Today we got started early with a main dish of pancakes 🥞, then made our way to la escuela at 8:00 a.m.

After a quick game of tag with our elementary amigos, we got right to work painting beautiful flowers, letters, and classic murals.

Once our service projects for the day wrapped up, some of us joined in our now-daily juegos de fútbol. Unfortunately, Gus’s team won.

By noon, we were back at home base for lunch and some free time.

At 1:20, we headed out for Spanish class, where we practiced the language and cooked some delicious food. We made patacones and natural juice!

By 6:00 p.m., we were back at home base for the evening.

Quote of the Day:
“Face towards the sun and your shadows will be left behind you.” – Pearl

Pura Vida!

-Anya y Hiro

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Hola amigos!!!!

Today we enjoyed a whole lot of gallo pinto (rice and beans) and little sausages shaped like octopuses—muy interesante!

It was the last day of school for the kids, so we made sure to wear our craziest outfits and red, white, and blue for a full Fourth of July 🇺🇸 celebration. We played landa (tag), soccer, danced, and did lots of screaming. People got their faces painted as dogs, cats, butterflies, and the most superior superhero of all—Spider-Man.

For the surprise of the day, we made a cute little trip to the ice cream shop and enjoyed lots of ice cream… even though we all know we’re going to get crepes later 🤭. After that, we were off to Spanish class, where we did lots and lots of learning.

The beginning of our evening activities, of course, started with our Puppy Chow Circle, where we give shoutouts and pick the new leaders of the day. Don’t worry—the new lineup is muy bueno.

Dinner was pork chops, veggies, and mashed potatoes—for balance. And like any good night, we ended it with a game of cards.

—Lexi and Alex

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!