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

Hello from Paraiso, our new home for the next 2 weeks. We had staggered arrivals today and have enjoyed getting to know the students as they arrived. Jude, Maisie and Anna arrived in the morning and spent the day settling in and playing games. Our second group arrived at home base just in time for dinner! We are excited to have the evening to explore home base and get to know each other. We have 9 students in the air or waiting for their flights right now- It has been a day filled with delays and cancellations. We cannot wait to (hopefully) be all together tomorrow.

Julianne, Leo, Amy, and Milena

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

On the first day of the GLA program, Medicine & Healthcare Discovery, we were all nervous, but these feelings were also filled with excitement. We got to explore all the site of Paraíso’s, the town center with local stands and the market, with all the treats (Oreos!) we need. We first began with brief introductions, getting to know all of the people we would spend our time with for the next 14 days. A game that would be an adequate ice breaker for all of us, besides the general, “What is your favorite ice cream flavor?” is Mafia. This game allowed for playful debate, trying to find the killer among 21 innocent people and 2 angels, who save the lives of those chosen by the mafia. After getting to know more about each other, we began orientation, where our AMAZING mentors guided us through our GLA journey. Through interactive games and activities, we learned more about the rules of our program, Costa Rican culture, like Pura Vida.

After the thrilling orientation, we made our way to the buses that would take us to a dance class. Many of them were hesitant to dance, unsure if we would look silly and coordinated. However, we ended up killing it, especially the boys. After our dance class, where we all broke a sweat, we made our way back to the home base. We finished the last parts of orientation and had a practice session for the vision screening tests that will start tomorrow. We got into our groups of 3-4 and learned/refreshed ourselves on terms and sentences in Spanish.

We ended this first full day in Costa Rica with the Chow Circle, a GLA tradition that is done before dinner. We reflect on the day, through shout-outs and feedback for the leaders of the day, finally ending with one collective clap. We can’t wait for the next 13 days and the journey that awaits us!

Jude & Maisie

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Today, we started our day bright and early, with a wake-up call at 6:15 and a delicious breakfast at 6:45. Then, we put on our scrubs and headed to our first day of service, which involved vision testing conducted at a low-income community center. During vision testing, we got to test the local children’s eyesight! It was a great opportunity for many of us to test our Spanish and the kids’ eyesight. This was an opportunity for us to assist low-income families who may not be able to afford vision testing and glasses otherwise. After the vision testing, we changed out of our scrubs and headed across the street to play soccer with many of the local children whose vision we tested. The game was very exciting, and it ended in a tie with a score of 3-3!

In the afternoon, we had a delicious lunch and then headed to Sanatonio Durán, which is an abandoned tuberculosis hospital. The hospital has been known to be the most haunted place in Costa Rica! We took many pictures there and enjoyed the view. To end our traveling time, we were surprised by the new friendships we made in our stop at McDonald’s to get ice cream, as we all laughed together and shared a bit about our outside lives. Back at home base, we had some free time before playing a connecting game called Heads Down 7 Up. Then we had dinner and ended our day with our mentor groups, a time when we split into smaller groups to debrief about our day and the program.

We’re looking forward to the rest of our time in this program!

~Melany & Varsha

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Authors: Sienna and Vaughan

Today we all woke up at 6:15 in the morning and had a delicious breakfast that reminded us of home. Some chocolate chip pancakes fresh fruit was a perfect beginning to the day. Then we got our scrubs on and headed over to the Paloma Community Center to conduct some vision screenings. Even though the screenings were mostly meant for younger kids, we also helped some adults discover that they also needed glasses! We spent the whole morning there and headed to our homebase for lunch. Lunch was also delicious! We had Caribbean chicken and rice, with a wonderful sauce. Finally, it was time for some Football (soccer).

We got to the field and played a fun game, splitting the teams among the few locals and finished in a brutal domination, 10-2. Heading home some students had the great idea of getting some McDonalds ice cream. McDonalds was quite unique, unlike those in America, with a small stand which only served ice cream. We were able to shower off after the soccer game and started our preparations for our dental campaigns. We all created some sort of song or skit that we could perform in Spanish for young students to promote dental hygiene. Finally, we ate some incredible Mexican lasagna for dinner and started to get ready for bed.

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Similar to the celebrations of Ziva’s 16th birthday in the evening, together was a day filled with memorable activities. The day started off with students awake at 6:45 and delving into a scrumptious, quick breakfast at 7:15. After finishing our food, we eagerly departed for more eye exams at Julian Volio Elementary School and spent unforgettable time helping children for more hours than scheduled. The children were excited to meet us, and numerous students were interested in getting to know more about us, ending with them asking for our autographs!

During service, we unexpectedly faced a power outage, but were able to make valuable use of that time connecting with students by playing games. Close to an hour later, we successfully finished service and headed back for a quick filling lunch, preparing us for the walking tour of the city. As a group, we visited the Basilica de Los Angeles, Museo de la Comandancia, and Cartago Central Market, the last being where we all participated in a scavenger hunt. We then headed back on the bus for a short trip to get traditional ice cream on a stick that we enjoyed outside on the streets of San Rafael.

Prepping for tomorrow’s dental campaign, we headed to Walmart, where the infamous $96 snack run was made. But not to worry, purchases aligned with the service and other investments for the beach were made as well! After a long day full of activities, we were able to head back home.

When we arrived home, we were happily greeted by a homemade Costa Rican dish, which we were all excited to indulge in. Following dinner, all of us chimed together to surprise and sing happy birthday to Ziva’s sweet 16th birthday, which she graciously shared with us. Ending with mouthwatering tres leches cake, we all sang and celebrated with Ziva and enjoyed cake together. Finally, using the materials bought for dental prep, we finished crafting all the items necessary to create our engaging oral hygiene lessons for kids.

We are all looking forward to more days similar to this one!

-Aran and Ziva

---

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Today everyone was happy we got to sleep in, wake up calls were at 6:45. We had a marvelous breakfast, of French toast, and scrambled eggs. After breakfast we left for the school, to finish our eye exams. The kids were super excited to see us for the second day, asking for autographs, and pictures. After we finished the eye exams we went back to each classroom, to give our dental campaign presentations. Our dental campaigns were to promote good dental hygiene. After each presentation we gave the kids toothbrushes!

After we finished our dental campaigns, we came back to our homebase for lunch. For lunch we had Sopa Aztecas (Chicken soup) and rice pudding. We all thought the food was very delicious. After lunch we had a guest speaker, Eduardo Mendez. He was a guest speaker from the elderly care center we will be volunteering at next week. He spoke to us about how elderly people are treated in Costa Rica, and the resources they receive. The speech he gave was amazing and taught us a lot.

For our afternoon activity we split up into two groups. One activity was a cooking class, where we made jam filled empanadas. The empanadas we super delicious! And the other activity was a pulse check. The pulse check was an activity to check in on us and see how we were all doing. The next activity was musical chairs, which we chose for our leader of the day activity. For dinner we had pork chops with a peach barbecue sauce. Then after dinner we got free time until bed to rest for Early day tomorrow as we head to Uvita!

– Cecily and Rylan

---

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

We kicked off our morning bright and early with a 6:15 AM wake-up call. After a quick but energizing breakfast, we set off on our journey to Uvita, where we’ll be staying for the next two nights. The drive took us through breathtaking views through the mountains.

Midway, we made a short pit stop to stretch our legs and take in the beautiful scenery. After arriving, we enjoyed a delicious lunch and then hit the beach for surf lessons. The water was perfect, the waves were fun, and we even spotted playful monkeys swinging through the trees! Everyone had a blast riding the waves.

Later, we checked in at the hotel which had spacious rooms, a pool, and a cozy restaurant. We felt so happy and relaxed. The day ended on the sweetest note—with some well-earned gelato and lots of newly formed memories.

– Annabelle and Clara

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:

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 9

Hola de Paraíso!

We had a great day exploring Paraiso, our home in Costa Rica for the next two weeks! After picking up the students that arrived today, we spent the afternoon getting settled, playing games and preparing for the two weeks ahead! We enjoyed typical Costa Rican meals and are heading to bed to get some sleep after a long travel day. At the time of this writing on Monday evening, Addie and Kaylani are arriving in a few hours – we can’t wait to meet them!

Hasta Manana,
Julianne and Leo

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 10

Written by: Oyinda Emuleomo and Julie Aneja

To kick off our first day in beautiful Costa Rica, we ate fresh fruit and prensadas, a typical breakfast item in Costa Rica which is a tortilla filled with cheese and eggs. Then we started Orientation and got to know each other better with games and icebreakers and established our house rules. After breakfast, we walked to a nearby park where there were many vendors with jewelry, food, crafts, and clothing. After returning to home base, we finished up our orientation and then we ate lunch.

After lunch, Juanca came to train us for our vision screening tests we will be performing the next few days on students at a nearby elementary school. We learned how to set up the room, and key phrases we will need to communicate with the students. Following this, we bonded over a game of ‘Catchphrase’ and waited for our bus to take us to Las Brujas, a soccer field that one of our staff owns. We played a game against the locals and split up into two teams, Puma FC and The Celtics. Puma FC won the game with 7 goals against 2 from The Celtics.

We drove back to home base, and all took well-earned showers and ate dinner which was pasta with cheese or red sauce and garlic bread. We reflected on our time here afterwards and thought about what it would be like to go without our phones for majority of the day. We ended the day excited to make many new friends tomorrow and make an impact on the community. We also can’t wait to put on our dance shoes for our Zumba class tomorrow! What a fantastic first day!

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 11

Today we had an early wake up call, to ensure that we arrived on time to help elementary students with vision screening tests. It was a productive session where we screened 80 students and 20 of them will get glasses with their choice of frames delivered to their school. We practiced our Spanish conversation skills and played with the students during recess.

After three hours of hard work, we rested at home base and reflected on how we could improve our Spanish speaking skills for the following days. A few people went on a run around the park down the street. We headed out for our activity, a dance class featuring multiple types of local dances. After that we got a treat at a local ice cream shop. We returned home to eat dinner and rest from a long, active day.

-London and Ali

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 12

Today was a day full of activities, helping others, and exploring. We started the day with a yummy pancake breakfast and mangos before we headed out to the school. When we arrived we set up the vision screenings and prepared for the students. Because we had younger students today, we had to teach the children different hand signals in substitution of the alphabet. They adapted quickly, and we all improved in our Spanish as we had to explain the directions in Spanish. During the break we enjoyed playing red light green light with the kids as they all got their energy out. After another round of vision tests and play time, we headed back to home base, had lunch, and got ready for our next activity.

Our second activity was visiting a haunted sanatorium created by Doctor Duran. He created this hospital in 1918 for his daughter that suffered from Tuberculosis as he wanted a better way to treat these patients in isolation. As of 1973 it has been abandoned and a tourist attraction since. It was interesting to see all of the different rooms knowing the history behind it all making it perhaps a bit spooky. After exploring for about a hour, we visited a Walmart on the drive back to get snacks and craft activities.

Throughout the day, we exercised our leadership skills through goal setting and journaling and further expanding our knowledge on TB. These activities were helpful because we got to reflect individually and as a group especially when it came to goal setting. We ended the night with dinner which was a soup with a side of jack fruit and mango. We are looking forward to doing the vision tests and playing with the kids tomorrow!

– Olivia and Laila

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 13

Day 5 in Costa Rica! We started off the day bright and early at 6:30 am for breakfast, which included banana bread, fresh fruit, and yogurt. We then headed off to day three of the vision screenings at the school. After testing and doing Matt’s (our photographer’s) interviews, we were rewarded with ice cream and smoothies.

At around 12:30, we headed back to homebase for a lunch consisting of bbq ham, pineapples, and salad. Directly after lunch, we wrote out some questions for our guest speak who is a lawyer, social activist, and is involved in the wellbeing of Costa Rica’s elderly community.

After that, we took a long much-needed break and prepared ourselves for the cooking class . We then tried our hand at making jelly empanadas, and it was pretty epic. Matt left us after class for a new adventure in San Jose [he will be missed 🙁 ].

After, our leaders of the day (us) led the group in a very wonderful activity that had everybody at the edge of their seats. We ended the night with a dinner of traditional tortilla chicken soup and rice pudding.

And that was it! 🙂

Adios muchachos!

-Addie and Camilla

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 14

Written by Mia and Livia

Have you ever flown across the mountains held by nothing but a rope?

Well, that’s what GLA Costa Rica did today! We started the morning with a scrumptious French toast and fruit breakfast before heading to La Carpintera mountains, about 30 minutes from our home base, where we conquered a 20-minute hike up ALL STAIRS, thirteen ziplines, and two thrilling free falls. It was exhilarating!

Later today, we headed to a serene park called Laguna de Doña Ana, where we had a traditional Costa Rican picnic lunch. We beat the downpour and could play field games like volleyball, soccer, and even jump rope! Finally, we headed to our home base for dinner and a leadership activity.

We can’t wait for tomorrow!

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 15

Today was quite an adventure! We woke up and had a delicious breakfast- empanadas. We set out on our journey and started off hiking by Turrialba, an active volcano that erupted in 2012. This was a very steep and intense hike; however, we got to hike in the clouds and saw breath-taking views. After the hike we got back and had a filling lunch which was chicken and rice. This gave us more energy to move on to our 2nd task of the day, which was to prepare for a dental campaign where we were divided into groups to do a skit or a song on the importance of dental hygiene. We came up with creative and fun skits about dental care. Which will later be performed to elementary kids, where the goal is to instill enthusiasm in the kids.

After we headed to a scenic lookout/park called Orosi. The view of the lookout was spectacular, and you could see the whole city and a valley where there was a river that provides water and electricity for the major cities of Costa Rica. We had a pit-stop to Walmart to pick up a few necessities for the Dental Campaigns. After the pit-stop we finished the Dental Campaigns. After a long hard-working day, we had dinner and ended this eventful and busy day with a relaxing game of Pictionary. This was a fun game and a great way to end the day!

-Kaylani and Iman

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 16

Written by Oyinda and Julie

This morning, we had bread rolls and fruit for breakfast at 9:00 AM. 30 minutes later, we departed to Loyola, the school that we volunteer at, to finish up the remaining vision screenings and performed our skits/song to the students about the importance of brushing your teeth. We ended up staying there until around 2:30 PM, and afterwards, we headed back to home base for lunch because we were all starving.

We had some free time before our guest speaker, Dr. Melissa, came to talk to us about the difference between public and private healthcare. We learned a lot from her and now have a much better understanding of healthcare in Costa Rica compared to the healthcare system in the United States. We also learned about some of the physical therapy exercises we will be helping with at the elderly care center tomorrow and Wednesday.

After that, we ate dinner, which was traditional Costa Rican food, like tacos. We were supposed to debate public and private healthcare but were so exhausted after our long day that we made a group decision to move it to tomorrow. We practiced different kinds of dual exercises and went over the phrases we will need to communicate with the elderly that we’re working with. Lastly, we had mentor groups where we talked more about how healthcare is different based on different aspects of your identity in the United States versus in Costa Rica. We are so excited to visit the elderly care center and apply all the new things we have learned.

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 17

Today marked a milestone in this GLA program, having our first senior living visit. Waking up early, we set out to give physical tests to the elderly to determine their risk of falling over. Proceeding with tests such as standing in certain ways and walking four meters as fast as possible. Another brain stimulating activity we did was having the elders do certain movements that challenged them.

After the senior visit we got back to homebase, ate lunch, and set out to leave for the national museum of San Jose. Some things inside the museum included a butterfly garden, and remains of the army’s equipment. After the museum we walked around downtown San Jose, went to local bakeries, and went to the market to shop for souvenirs. We came back home and played an exhilarating game of charades and then a few of us learned how to do sutures.

– Mia and Ali

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18

By Addie and Iman

Hola amigas! Welcome to day 10 of our Costa Rican adventure! Today we started off the morning at 8 am with delicious oatmeal with fruit, and bread. Then we headed over to the elderly center for our last day of service for this trip! It was a wonderful end to service, filled with laughter, games, and bonding with the senior citizens. We then headed back home around 12 pm for lunch which included meatballs, mashed potatoes, and veggies. Yum!

At around 1:30 pm we headed into the heat of Cartago for a guided walking tour by our very own Jaun Carlos! We visited the Basilica of Our Lady of Angels, which is the largest church in Costa Rica, and went on other fascinating adventure afterwards. This included a museum tour of Cartago Municipal and a quick tour of the famous Cartago Ruins. In the middle of these tours, we initiated a quick scavenger hunt inside Cartago Municipal Market. We ended off tis tour with some delicious ice cream that store was founded in 1948!

After this adventure, we came back home for a (classy) debate! We had 2 teams of 2, debate the pros and cons of the Private and Public Healthcare systems n Costa Rica. So informative and a lot of fun! We ended the night with dinner at 6:30 pm and packed for our beach excursion that takes place tomorrow and Friday. Well, that’s it! Can’t wait to see you tomorrow with a blog after a super fun day at the beach!

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19

Yesterday was a day filled with lots of travel and good eats! We started off the day with th yummy pancake breakfast at the home base and then made the four hour journey to Uvitas-making time for extra stops for snacks and candy. When we arrived we had lunch near the hotel from a cute resturant.

Once we checked into the hotel, we unpacked and did a swim test before heading to the waterfall. The waterfall was beautiful and we all swam in the cold water for about an hour and a half before hiking back up the hill to get ready for dinner. We enjoyed a pasta dinner and then hit the supermarket for some late night snacks before going back to the hotel and doing a fun game. Lastly, we all went to our rooms to go to sleep, excited for the next beach day.

– Liv and Laila

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20

Today we visited the beach, participated in a surfing lesson, saw an amazing view of from Uvita Perdida, and had delicious pizza for dinner. Although the tide was high in the morning, resulting in almost no beach, we still had fun playing in the water and going to the pool after. Some even collected sand dollars. We returned to the beach after lunch and learned to surf. After surfing class we played some games on the beach before going back to the hotel, taking showers in record time and going to a viewpoint before dinner.

London and Kaylani

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21

We had a great last day in Costa Rica. After breakfast we headed back to Cartago to do one final leadership activity and celebrate an amazing two weeks. We ended the night with a dance party and roasting marshmallows. This was an amazing group of students and they will truly be missed.

Julianne and Leo

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 21

It was arrival day for our program! All students have arrived safely to Costa Rica despite some redirected flights, and we’re so excited to have everyone together on the ground! For those that arrived earlier in the day, we did swim tests, read by the pool, and played werewolf. We’re thrilled to have the full group together to start our adventures!

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22

Today we spent 3 hours on the bus and 1 hour on the ferry. We arrived in La Cascada in Montezuma. We were welcomed by the owner and their three dogs. As we were getting settled, we spotted howler monkeys and white faced capuchins. We ended the day with orientation and dinner.

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23

The first thing we did was head to this turtle conservation place, they told us about the different types of turtles and how they make their nests. We were also shown how to dig their nests and even got to try it ourselves. After we went home and got washed off we headed to the beach. We weren’t able to swim at the first beach but we got to swim at the next one for a little bit. Once we got home and had dinner we did some group activities to get to know each other better.

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24

Today was Day 4 in Costa Rica. After an amazing breakfast made by our hosts, we went straight into our service work for the day. We worked as a group to clean the beach so a sea turtle would be able to nest. While it was hard work, we all helped out and kept each other motivated. After that, we went back to home base for lunch, which again was delicious.

After lunch the group was given the choice to go have beach time or group time. Half the group went and enjoyed the sun, sand, and water, while the other half took a much deserved break. Around 3:30 we all met back up for our leadership activities. In that we focused on our personal and communal goals for the trip. We then spent the rest of time before dinner having a little game night.

After dinner we’ll be going on our first patrol watch for the turtles! In all, an amazing day, full of group bonding.

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25

Today was so much fun. We started with working on the beach picking up logs & building a barrier. Then filled it with sand. Then after as a reward we got to swim in the ocean, which was a lot of fun & really refreshing. The water was the perfect temperature. After lunch we had two options to go to an amazing waterfall but you had to wear tennis shoes and would most likely be wet for the rest of the trip. I didn’t go cause I only had 1 pair of closed-toed shoes but I heard it was amazing. When they got back we had dinner then left to do our last night patrol. Unfortunately we didn’t see any turtles but I still had fun anyway. I’m really enjoying this trip but also can’t wait to see my mom back home.

– Lena

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

Today we drove to a national park where we enjoyed a beautiful 1km walk where we saw a crocodile, multiple lizards, various birds, crabs, monkeys, giant ants, and lots of other unique wildlife! After that we took some time to have lunch and go to the ocean for many hours before the bioluminescence tour. During the bioluminescence tour the weather was less than excellent with light showers and some beautiful lightning just over the horizon behind the mountains of the peninsula. Once we got into the water it was like swimming in a sea of stars. There aren’t many words to describe the beauty of the bioluminescent phytoplankton, and finally we enjoyed a delicious meal made by the park staff before a tranquil drive home. I think everyone is going to enjoy our late wakeup tomorrow.

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

Today we were lucky enough to sleep in an extra hour. After waking up we began to pack up our bags to get ready for our next destination. Later, we took a trip to Santa Teresa and got to walk around the different shops, cafes, and other cool places. We then walked down to the beach to watch the sunset, and we were pleasantly surprised to see a double rainbow. To finish the day we learned how to salsa dance, and had the opportunity to dance with the kitchen staff of the hotel. Overall it was an activity packed day that was extremely enjoyable.

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Today we left the beautiful Montezuma and arrived at our new home base in Parrita. Along the way we stopped at a restaurant for a delicious lunch and shopped at the massive gift shop there. We then passed the famous crocodile bridge and saw a few of the fearsome predators. Once we reached our new home base we had an excellent dinner and participated in a debate about eco tourism and the tradeoffs of economic development and conservation. Now we are enjoying the stunning property and great pool, excited for the next week of activities.

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Today started off with the best surprise the group could have hoped for, sea turtles had hatched in the hatchery of Playa Bandera (where we were volunteering) earlier this morning! The owner, Victor, gave us the opportunity to release them into the ocean. It was truly the experience of a lifetime!

After that, the group worked on painting the fence around the hatchery in order to protect the young, sensitive sea turtles from the rust that the salty air could form. After 3 hours of hard work in the sun (and snacking on yummy fruits!) the group headed back to the hotel for lunch and pool time.

In the afternoon, the group was visited by a guest speaker, Alexa Santanos, who gave a presentation about the program that she’s a part of called Bandera Azul, which works towards protecting a beach called Playa Bandera, by awarding communities for their environmental sustainability efforts and organizing beach cleans. We also discussed the importance of protecting and caring about the ocean and marine life. Her presentation was very moving, and we were allowed to reflect on our own solutions for Costa Rica’s coastal struggles. She also helped us practice our Spanish! Using information from the presentation, the group did a “Shark Tank” simulation to pitch ideas to improve the marine life in Costa Rica. The stakes were high, the judges were harsh, but the groups worked together and came up with FIVE great ideas!

And finally, to end the day, the students separated into their mentor groups and had meaningful conversations where they learned more about each other, strengthening their friendships and bonds. Overall 10/10 day!

– LOD,

Habiba

---

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Today we had an early wake up call to go on our ziplining adventure! During our exciting excursion we got to do many different tricks, including the Superman (laying on our stomachs). After we finished ziplining the cooks had a delicious lunch waiting for us. Then, we got to go explore the butterfly garden. There we saw numerous kinds of butterflies, snakes, and even 3 rescued crocodiles! We finished early at ziplining so we got rewarded by getting to go to the market. We were then lucky enough to be welcomed into Lulu’s house where she taught us how to make cheese and bean empanadas! After pool time and dinner we got to surprise Sam for his 30th birthday! We are all so thankful for the experiences we have had, and the friendships that has come from it!

– Sophia

---

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Dear families,

Today we drove to a new turtle hatchery in Playa Hermosa and got the chance to stop by the beach right before arrival to witness the discovery of a new nest! There we met Laura while she loaded the newfound turtle eggs into a bag. Once at the hatchery, she showed us how to dig a new nest into the ground and we got the privilege to place all 70 eggs into it ourselves! Once our future turtles were safely placed inside, we got to service which consisted of clearing the area of thick logs, vines, coconuts, vegetation in order to prepare for this years hatchery to be built. Government officials also helped our work by clearing thicker stubborn weeds. Everyone worked the hardest they had yet to finish the service in under 2 hours, helping each other carry, gather and pile up in order to clear the land. Following our volunteering, we had an amazing lunch and got a few well deserved hours to relax and go to the pool. Then, at 3 we had a dance class with Kenneth where we learnt salsa steps, bachata and worked in partners to perfect our costa rican coordination. We then had dinner and proceeded with mentor groups, where we got to tell each other about our life stories, ending the day off bonding with our fellow peers and mentors.

---

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Today, July 2nd, we had an amazing day filled with exploring the natural beauty of Costa Rica and enjoying time in the sun. We started the morning off with a trip to the most famous national park in the country, Manuel Antonio. We were led through a detailed tour where we saw every kind of wildlife you could imagine. Crabs, SLOTHS, snakes, butterflies, bats, hummingbirds, crocodiles, monkeys, you name it! After our beautiful walk, we arrived at the white sand beach with teal waters. While we were swimming in the ocean a surprise showed up, another GLA group! They were the 2-week wildlife conservation program and we got to socialize with them for a while. After our beach day concluded, we walked around the local town scouring for souvenirs, coffee, and ice cream. One of my absolute favorite parts of this experience has been meeting new people and exploring new places and that is exactly what today was all about. Pura vida, chicos!

– Loulou

---

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Today we started off the day packing our bags, as this would be the last day at the 2nd location of this expedition. We would be arriving at our last location, Puerto Jimenez! We ate breakfast and left for our long bus ride, but first we stopped for an amazing surfing lesson! It was hard at first but we all managed to get the hang of it at the end and rode some sick waves! We then continued our car ride and stopped at another location of a different GLA group for lunch. After a long 4 hour car ride, we arrived at Puerto Jimenez.