PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!
Here are a few things to know and expect:
- 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.
- 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.
- Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
- Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
- 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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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22
🐢 Welcome to Costa Rica! A New Adventure Begins
There’s something unforgettable about landing in a new country — palms waving in the breeze, unfamiliar accents in the air, and 21 excited faces stepping out of the airport in San José, Costa Rica. Some students arrived early in the morning, others later in the evening — and we’re still joyfully awaiting our final student, who will be arriving around midnight.
For now, we’re nearly complete, gathered at our welcome hotel in San José, ready to begin this incredible journey together.
This marks the beginning of our Sea Turtle Initiative — a program filled with service, discovery, connection, and of course, sea turtle conservation!
As each student arrived, they were welcomed with open arms and warm smiles by our dedicated staff team:
• Maribel, our International Director, will be guiding the group through every step of this experience.
• Chloe and Mysonne, our energetic and caring mentors, are already helping students feel right at home.
Orientation is already underway here at the hotel and will continue once we reach Parismina. Students are beginning to connect, form new friendships, share their motivations, and learn about this amazing country they’ll call home for the next 10 days.
Tomorrow, we’ll travel to the coastal village of Parismina, where the heart of our mission begins — protecting sea turtles, engaging with the local community, and experiencing life close to nature at the beautiful Green Gold Eco Lodge.
This program was designed not just to protect wildlife, but to inspire young leaders through meaningful action. As we like to say: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” And here in Parismina, that change begins with every step taken on a night patrol, every beach cleaned, and every story shared with the community.
Stay tuned to our blog for updates on our conservation work, cultural experiences, and unforgettable pura vida moments.
Parents: Please know your students are safe, supported, and already beginning to shine. Just a small note — signal coverage is limited and Wi-Fi will not be available during our time in Parismina, but that’s also part of the beauty of this immersive experience.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24
🌿 Eco Living 101: Lessons from the Lodge
Before we arrived in Parismina, our journey took flight — quite literally — through the zipline tour at the Costa Rican rainforest.
We began our morning with a visit to “Rainforest Adventure”, where students geared up and soared through 4 zipline platforms, flying over lush jungle treetops and catching glimpses of wildlife below. For many, it was a first-time experience — and one they won’t forget. There were moments of excitement, nervous laughter, and wide-eyed wonder as we zipped through the trees, hearing the rustle of leaves and the distant calls of tropical birds.
After a hearty lunch and saying goodbye to the mountain air, our adventure continued toward the Caribbean lowlands. But reaching Parismina isn’t just a drive — it’s a journey into another rhythm of life. We took a scenic boat ride down a quiet river, surrounded by mangroves, listening to the sounds of nature and watching the dense green shoreline drift past.
It was a powerful transition — from fast-paced travel to a slower, more grounded experience. As we arrived in Parismina, the boat gently touching our home base dock, there was a sense of crossing into something meaningful.
Now at the Green Gold Eco Lodge, our home base nestled in the Caribbean Coastline, we’re beginning to truly settle in. This isn’t just a place to stay — it’s a space that teaches us to live differently. Eco-living here means respecting every drop of water, savoring every shared meal, and being present with the sights and sounds of the jungle.
We’re learning to live with intention. Turning lights off not because we must, but because we understand energy’s value. Taking short showers not as a rule, but as a practice of gratitude of the limit fresh water we have, learning to reconnect with nature, and creating strong bonding with their new friendships.
Tomorrow, our conservation work begins in earnest. But already, through adventure and eco-immersion, we’re laying the foundation for something much deeper than a typical trip. We’re learning how to live differently — and how to lead by example.
As part of our leadership program, we encourage students to thrive their leadership skills through the role of “leaders of the day”, and for time (Jun 24th, 2025) was Taffe McGarrigal and Lucca Farkas moment to shine. And after their experience at this role, they shared with us the following inspiring quote:
“True leaders don’t just give directions-they show the way with heart and courage”
To our families back home — thank you for encouraging these bold young leaders to dive into something real. They’re thriving.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26
There’s something almost magical about walking down a moonlit beach in the middle of the night — the stars overhead, the sound of waves breaking in the dark, and the quiet purpose that bonds everyone together. This week, our students stepped into their roles as “tortugueros”, joining the sea turtle conservation patrols led by ASTOP, the local turtle conservation initiative here in Parismina.
We started our day learning more about “Tico culture”. Jason, our Local director, shared with students the story of our home base, Green-Gold Eco-Lodge, the surrounding wildlife, and the different ways of living in Parismina.
Short after that, students started creating our community agreements, things like using kind language, Pura Vida attitudes, respecting the Home Base dog, and playing cards every night. During our activity, Jason called us for an exciting surprise… leatherback hatchlings at the beach! We watched them crawl to the sea to start their life.
Students also where lucky to receive a talk from ASTOP Director (the turtle camp), Jerry, he came at home base to share with them how to dive deeper into the biology, behavior, and threats facing sea turtles in Costa Rica. From eggs and hatchlings to global warming, our students are learning how every action here — no matter how small — echoes far beyond this coastline.
With red lights in hand and the sand cool beneath their feet, students learned how to walk at night in the search of tracks, and what it means to be part of a sea turtle conservation program that stretches across generations. While this first night didn’t brought the reward of a turtle sighting, it gave us something just as powerful: the realization that protecting wildlife is about showing up, again and again, even when no one is watching.
“We are very exited about learning how to find tracks, learning how to watch turtles, and the hole process it has been interesting!” – a group of students shared. “How tortugueros have to do the nigh patrols for so long now… is just admirable”
At next day, our impact continues. We’ve taken part in beach cleanups, removing debris that poses threats to turtles. Each bag we filled wasn’t just about tidying a beach — it was a small act of restoration, of protecting a fragile habitat where sea turtles’ nest, where mangroves breathe, and where a community thrives in harmony with nature.
“I was amazed of all the marine debris we take. We filled 3 full bags of trash!”- a group of students shared. “And it was fun! We play who can recover more trash, it was so exiting.”
There’s laughter, music, teamwork — and a growing awareness of how connected we are to the health of our planet. And of course, there’s also been time for fun! From beach games to relaxing hammock swings, bonding with our home base senior dog, Lazy, these moments of connection are helping us build a community that feels like family.
But this program isn’t just about wildlife and eco-life. It’s also about the leaders these students are becoming. Our leaders of the day for our first nigh patrol (Jun 24th, 2025) were Alexis Engelken and Zoe Senette. while our leaders of the day for the first beach clean-up (Jun 25th, 2025) where Elizabeth Martin and Bennett Gould. And they shared with us the following inspiring quote:
“Being a leader is taking responsibly, without being ask”
Parents: Your students are doing more than adapting — they’re thriving, they’re leading, and they’re making a difference.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28
🇨🇷 Tico Life
If our night patrols are teaching us patience and purpose, then the daylight hours here in Parismina are giving us rhythm, flavor, and a deeper understanding of what “pura vida” truly means.
We kicked off our cultural immersion with a high-energy dance class led by local instructors who introduced us to the basics of salsa, merengue, and bachata. In no time, students were letting go, finding the beat, and spinning confidently across the community floor — discovering fun and freedom in movement as they embraced the joy of Latin rhythms.
Our day started with an amazing jungle boat trip! Students learn more about wildlife that surround our HB and Parismina river, there were monkeys, birds, crocodiles, lizards, beautiful vegetation like vanilla. But the most fulfilling sighting was during night patrol, students were lucky this time! We have the great opportunity to experience seen a leatherback nest and lay eggs.
“It was amazing, I love it a lot! I wanted to see it, to see the whole thing process”- a student shared. “I never thought in my life that sea turtles can be that big, it was amazing”.
Our next stop was next day, at “Parismina kitchen”, where students took a walking tour of Parismina’s downtown, visiting key places like the ASTOP turtle conservation facilities, and short after that, they learned how to prepare traditional empanadas and copos (shaved ice) under the guidance of local cooks at their homes. Hands got messy, spices filled the air, and the atmosphere buzzed with curiosity and laughter. After all that hard work, we refreshed ourselves with amazing smoothies.
“They were so refreshing, and tasty!”- a student shared. “They have a great variety of fruit flavors”.
Of course, no visit to Parismina would be complete without a little friendly competition. We joined local teens for soccer and volleyball matches in the village field. No Spanish fluency was required to understand the language of teamwork — every pass, goal, and high-five spoke for itself.
We also had the chance to support the local economy at the ArtCraft Feria, where artisans displayed handwoven jewelry, coconut-shell carvings, colorful paintings, and some students even enjoy having a fun hair braid accessory. Students helped promote the Feria by choosing eco-conscious souvenirs. Supporting artisans shows us how to live our values.
But these experiences are far more than just “fun extras.” Each one is deeply connected to our GLA Leadership Curriculum — and every activity builds a bridge: Connect with the community teaches us how to communicate with courage, helps us build friendships that transcend borders.
Our leaders of the day for our town tour (Jun 27th, 2025) were George and Sophia. And after their experience at this role, they shared with us the following quote:
“Today we really enjoyed interacting with the children in the local town. We also enjoyed playing volleyball with people from camp and local people. In all we had a very fun day learning about the typical town life”.
Parents: Your students are not only conserving wildlife; they’re immersing themselves in Tico life or Costa Rican life — with open hearts, eager minds, and growing leadership skills. They’re learning, laughing, and leading every step of the way.
¡Pura vida!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29
🌎 Helping the Coast
During this week, our students have come face to face with the real meaning of environmental leadership — and the profound connection between what we consume, how we live, and what we leave behind.
We’ve been having beach cleanups along the coast of Parismina, collecting plastic bottles, microplastic, wrappers, and more — evidence of how global habits ripple into even the most remote, biodiverse corners of the world.
Back at the Green Gold Eco Lodge, we carried into a different kind of service. On the lodge’s community farm, students contributed to jungle restoration efforts, planting and mulching around native species and helping with the design of handcrafted rustic signs, with important messages meant to protect the wildlife that live among our beloved home based. With paint-streaked fingers and hands full of soil, students worked side by side to leave something positive behind.
“We really enjoyed working with reforestation as a part of this program. We feel that it allowed us to create a real impact here in the local community.” – a group of students shared. “Thanks to our time here, we were able to not only further our awareness of deforestation but also work on the solution for it.”
“We had a great time creating our paintings both in planning and in production” – a group of students shared. “We managed to create very detailed paintings related to the global environment to raise awareness for future volunteers.”
These moments are powerful because they show our students that leadership doesn’t always mean taking the spotlight. Sometimes, it means showing up with gloves on, eyes open, and ears ready to listen. Through the GLA Leadership Curriculum, these service activities are framed not just as tasks, but as opportunities to practice empathy, initiative, and global thinking.
At the next day, our students experienced the wilderness of Costa Rica through the rafting tour at Pacuare. We had a lot of laughs, excitement, and successfully completed 3 hours of intense white-water rafting. Along the river, we waded through Costa Rican jungle, seeing much of the lush green environment and rock formations. For most of students, it was their first time being in an inflatable boat, but our instructors kept us safe through experience and direction. It was an incredible experience.
“Today has a group we took a wild adventure down the amazing Pacuare River. We worked together to have fun and stay afloat while rafting class 4 rapids! Team works and communication is a key aspect of rafting, listening to the guide all commands or a big high five after we made it through. Today were all smiles, laughs, and maybe a bit too much sun!”
Our leaders of the day for our rafting tour (Jun 29th, 2025) were Gabriel Diarte and Ben Segal. And after their experience at this role, they shared with us the following reflection:
“While we all had different ideas for core values, we all managed to come up with common values through dialogue, reasoning, and understanding. The leadership activities helped us understand that leaders must work through everyone´s values to be effective.”
Parents: Your students are engaging with the world not as tourists.They’re learning that leadership is a verb — something you do, build, and give — one piece of coastline, one painted sign, one conversation at a time.
