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

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

¡Buenas Noches desde San José!

We’re thrilled to share that 20 of our 23 students have safely arrived in San José, with three final students (Hinnah, Rowan, and Nathaniel) scheduled to arrive around midnight! After a long day of travel, everyone is settling in, a little tired but full of excitement for the week ahead. We also had a special reason to celebrate today: it’s Deven’s birthday, and we surprised him with balloons and a local cake to mark the occasion!

Tomorrow kicks off with orientation, where we’ll dive into the details of our upcoming projects and begin forming connections as a group. We’ll also start planning for our summer camp activities and school beautification service work, and students will meet with their mentor groups for the first time—a space for reflection, connection, and support throughout the week.

This week is packed with meaningful community service, immersive cultural experiences, and of course, a few adventures along the way!

We’ll be posting regular blog updates so you can follow along and see what we’re up to.

Pura Vida!
—The GLA Team (Olmán, Rudy, Kelly, & Olivia)

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Our GLA Middle School Service Adventure program was off to the races today! We had an action-packed day at home base and prepared for our first day of service at our program’s site, a local school, tomorrow! Our leaders of the day, Vianne, Deven, and Ally help explore more of what we did below!

The second day of the program we started off by having breakfast. Shortly after that we started to plan our community service for tomorrow by splitting into four groups. Each group planned different murals for different sections of the school. Each group also made posters for the school and then we presented them!! – Vianne

Today during our free time, we were able to learn more about our peers on the trip. For example, we were able to play soccer and football, which were super good activities to help bring people closer. Being with everybody for 10 days it is important that we talk with our peers. Another activity that we did was we all gathered around at a table and were able to talk about where we live, and what we do in our daily lives. In doing this we were able to learn each other’s personalities and were able to identify our similarities and differences. – Deven

We went on a trip to the market! We took the bus there and all got a bunch of food from the store. This trip was nice because we got to see Costa Rica through the bus windows and got to buy things from the store. Some food is pizza, cupcakes, fruit, donuts and much more! This was a great part of our day! – Ally

We finished our day by dividing the students into two mentor groups, where they will meet nightly and discuss program topics more in-depth. We’re so excited to start service and dive farther into the program tomorrow!

Pura vida,

The GLA Team (Olmán, Rudy, Kelly, Olivia, and students!)

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

¡Buenas noches!

Today marked our first day of service at the local school! We’re hosting a summer camp to keep students engaged and inspired during their vacation, while also contributing to school beautification efforts. Since local funding doesn’t always cover these improvements, our group will be painting murals and refreshing areas around the school to create a brighter, more welcoming environment for the children and community. Here are some words from one of our leaders of the day:

An activity we did today was providing service to a local school by repainting murals on campus and playing with the students. This was definitely the highlight of my day as we were able to paint more visuals onto the walls for the children and have fun with the kids. Even though there was definitely a language barrier, we didn’t let it stop us from having fun and learning more about each others cultures.
– Hinnah

We’re excited to see the transformation unfold and look forward to sharing the final results with you soon!

In the afternoon, students visited a local property where they enjoyed a crash course in Spanish, learned traditional dances, and cooled off with a swim in the pool. Tomorrow is our first adventure day as we’ll be off to La Fortuna for a chocolate tour and then an afternoon at Baldi Hot Springs.

– The GLA team

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Hola!

Today was our first full adventure day! We explored two very different but equally fun sides of Costa Rica. We started the day with a chocolate tour – learning how cacao is grown, harvested, and turned into chocolate. We even got to try some along the way! In the afternoon, we visited Baldi Hot Springs, where we relaxed in the natural thermal pools and had fun on the water slides. It was a great way to unwind and enjoy a day of adventure and connection. Here is a recap of the chocolate tour from one of our leaders of the day:

We took a long bus trip to a small cocoa bean farm. It wasn’t in the typical spot for a farm because you want to be as close to the equator as possible. But the purpose for the farm was mainly educational and fun. We tried different stages of chocolate, like the bean after roasting or the paste of grinded beans. Exploring the farm and seeing lots of cocoa beans and birds was also cool. Overall we learned a lot and enjoyed our time learning about the history and origins of chocolate and cacao. – Zane

Our leaders of the day had a few more reflections from yesterday’s experiences as well that they wanted to share…

Yesterday we had fun learning some basic phrases in Spanish, followed by a dance lesson where we learned to do the tango, bachata, and salsa. After we finished the classes, we got to enjoy the pool there and spend time in it until we had to head back. Overall, this was a very fun experience that was filled with learning and helped us get to know each other better.
-Arman

I enjoyed my day yesterday. I am very happy with the Spanish lesson. One phrase I learned from the class was “Como Estas”. Which means “How are you?”. I feel like this phrase is very interesting and useful. I am looking forward to learning more Spanish in the future.
-Miles

We’re looking forward to continuing our service work at the school tomorrow, followed by another adventure day on Thursday!

– The GLA Team

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

Today was a full and rewarding day of service at the school. We continued our beautification projects—painting murals, benches, stairways, and railings throughout the campus. The space is really starting to come to life with color and care.

In between projects, we spent time playing with the local students and wrapped up our afternoon with a pizza party to celebrate our summer camp together. It was a joyful way to connect and reflect on the fun we’ve shared over the past week.

Friday will be our final day of service, when we’ll focus on finishing touches and leaving things better than we found them.

We ended the evening with a large group activity followed by some free time to relax and connect as we begin to prepare for the close of our time together. Time flies! Tomorrow is another adventure day… stay tuned for pictures from the beach!

– The GLA Team

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Today was such an adventure!! We left home base in the morning and hiked about 30 minutes through the rainforest to get to the beach. The trail was super green and beautiful, but also definitely a little tough. It was hot and humid, but everyone stayed strong and kept encouraging each other through it.

Once we made it to the beach, it was so worth it. The ocean looked amazing and the whole place just felt peaceful and dreamy. Some of us swam, others chilled under the trees, and we all just enjoyed being there. It honestly felt like the perfect little escape.

We had lunch by the beach, and after all that hiking, it tasted so good! Everyone was kinda tired from the sun and the walk, so we had some time to just relax and vibe. It felt like the group really connected in a calm, easy way today.

Since we were all super tired by the time we got back, we didn’t do a full reflection circle—but I know everyone felt proud of what we did today. You could tell by all the smiles and quiet little moments where people just looked happy to be here.

Even though it was exhausting, today felt special. Like we all got closer without even trying. I’m really proud of everyone for showing up, supporting each other, and being present in the moment.

Leader of the Day Genevieve

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Today was our final day of service at the local school! We completed the last touches on the murals and wrapped up painting projects around the campus. Saying goodbye to the students we worked with during summer camp was bittersweet, and we celebrated the week’s efforts and connections with a stop for ice cream on the way out.

In the afternoon, we headed into Alajuela for a deeper dive into Costa Rican culture. We visited a local tortillería to learn about traditional food preparation and enjoyed fresh empanadas. Afterward, we explored a nearby market, where students had the chance to try local fruits and pick up a few souvenirs.

In the evening, we held a large group debate focused on the impact of tourism in Costa Rica. Students did an impressive job articulating their points and gained new insight into how travel affects communities, economies, and the environment.

Tomorrow, we head out for our final adventure day—stay tuned!

-The GLA Team

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Today we made the trip to Jacó for our last full adventure day in Costa Rica! We spent the morning ziplining through the treetops, taking on a high ropes course, and exploring a butterfly garden. It was a fun, active day full of challenge and discovery.

After dinner, we gathered for our final mentor group session to reflect on our time together and talk about the goals we want to carry with us when we return home.

Tomorrow is our last full day in Costa Rica. While we’re sad to see this experience coming to an end, we’re grateful for all the memories and new friendships made!

-The GLA Team

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Today was our last full day in Costa Rica, and we made the most of it! In the morning, we traveled just over an hour to La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park, where we explored the beautiful trails and wildlife sanctuary. We walked through a butterfly garden and hummingbird garden, and saw sloths, snakes, a jaguar, and many other animals before hiking down to see the stunning waterfall. It was a unique and memorable place to explore on our final day.

In the evening, we shared our last dinner together at home base. Afterward, we gathered for an appreciation circle, where everyone had the chance to share kind words and reflect on the connections we’ve built. It was a bittersweet evening filled with laughter and gratitude as we wrapped up this adventure-filled journey together.

Tomorrow we say goodbye to Costa Rica, but the memories and friendships we’ve made will stay with us for a long time!

Hasta Luego!

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!

JULY 13

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 landed in San Jose. Ace, Lily and Annika arrived in the morning and spent the day settling in and playing games. Our second group arrived at home base in the late afternoon! We spent the evening doing a supermarket run, making signs for our rooms and playing catchphrase. We are excited to meet the 7 students that are arriving tonight and tomorrow, and we cannot wait to (hopefully) be all together tomorrow evening.

Julianne, Milena, Brett, and Lucy

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JULY 14

We started our day with a wake-up call from our leaders of the day, Gracie and Ace, around 8:00 am before our 8:30 breakfast. We ate chocolate chip pancakes, papaya, white cheese, and bizcocho de queso. We hung out until our orientation at 9:15 which covered our GLA itinerary, safety protocols (which included some safety scenario reenactments!), GLA policies, and GLA/Costa Rican values. Students also made living agreements with their new roommates which included things like shower schedules, bedtime, wake-up times, and cleanliness. Today was filled with a lot of new icebreakers like name-games and would-you-rather’s. We learned that Raelynn could do a back handspring and Guy studies quantum physics in his free time. The students had many opportunities for free time, but chose to spend it together playing more games, like Mafia, a fun roleplay game. Afterwards, we had beef lasagna, salad, rice & beans, and more papaya for lunch. Our guest speaker, Melisa Montiel, came in after lunch to talk about Costa Rican healthcare and to debrief us on what we are going to be doing at the elderly care center tomorrow morning. We then took a trip to the local park and supermarket to grab some snacks before dinner. For dinner we had fish, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, and fresh fruit. The students then played more games before we discussed the cell phone policy and our opinions on social media. Many students agreed that their favorite part of their stay so far were the people they’ve met and the connections they’ve made. We had some down time until lights out.

Gracie and Ace

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Hola! From all your kids in Costa Rica. We started off our day at 7:45 eating rice, beans, corn cake and, watermelon for breakfast. Once we were all done eating we left at 8:30to start our service with the elders. While we were there we did a warm up dance with them, played a date game, then we tested some of their abilities like how fast they walk, how many sit to stands they can do, can they draw a clock, and can they connect the numbers.

After we finished we went back to home base to eat lunch at 12:30. For lunch we had chicken, potatoes, roasted pineapple, vegetables, and lemon mousse pudding. At 1:30 Edward came and talked about the population in Costa Rica, mainly about they elders and how in 2035 their will be 1 million elders living and how family only have 1 or 2 kids.

Once that was finished we got 25 minutes of down time. Then we left to play a game of soccer with the locals, which was very enjoyable for everyone. After we headed back to home base to shower and have some down time before dinner.

Before dinner we always have a chow circle to shout-out what everyones did from the day, for example someone shouted out that everyone did a great job on their first day of service. For dinner we had rice, beans, pork, and vegetables. Once that was finished we had a culture presentation and we learned more about the culture and that they have no military and they don’t celebrate Halloween.

After all of that we were surprised with s’mores to end out day.

Gracias, Lily and Alivia

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

We started the morning by traveling back to the Elderly Care Center where we danced and played different games with the residents to help utilize their motor and cognitive skills. We then came back to Paraíso to have a lovely lunch before we listened to a presentation about the social determinants of health for tuberculosis. The presentation gave background needed for our adventure to a tourist site of an abandoned tuberculosis hospital named the “Sanatoria Duran”. After our visit to the historical site we took a trip to walmart to get any forgotten necessities, and of course snacks! We returned to our home-base once again to partake in our Leader of the Day activity which was an active game for the entire group before we had a very traditional Costa Rican dinner. After dinner, we broke into mentor groups to have a time of learning and reflection about the GLA leadership pillars and goal setting. We finished the day by taking time to come together and bond even more as a whole group.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

This morning we went to a museum about the Costa Rican currency and gold. We then went souvenir shopping in San Jose. After lunch we played soccer with the locals and to our leaders surprise- we won! When we got back we had great debate about the Costa Rican health system. After dinner we had mentor group games to determine which group got to do laundry first. We painted our face green or white depending for the group and played 3 different games. Our favorite was the contest to see who could sing the most songs with the word “baby” in it. And of course we (the green team) won. Overall, we an awesome day and were so tired we didn’t even get told to quiet down after lights out.

– Guy and L’varion

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Today we started our day a little bit later than usual! After gaining a few extra minutes of beauty sleep we were treated by a lovely avocado toast breakfast and delicious eggs. We then headed into the city of Cartago and visited the Basilica de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles. We had the opportunity to go inside the church and witness the beautiful architecture as well as the worship.

Afterwards, we walked to the Museo Monicpal de Cartago and walked through the colorful gardens. Unfortunately, the museum was closed but we headed to the supermarket to complete a scavenger hunt! Whether looking for Costa Rican fruits, statues, or signs displaying “Pollo Pura Vida,” we were able to navigate ourselves through the busy market by using our Spanish speaking skills. After (winning) the scavenger hunt, we headed to McDonalds to grab some ice cream. We headed back to home base to refuel with a wonderful lunch before burning off many calories at dance class. We performed many variations of traditional Costa Rican dances such as salsa, merengue, and bachata. We all had a great time, including the boys!

We headed back to home base, sweaty and exhausted. Luckily, our amazing leaders of the day planned another scavenger hunt in the park. Groups were assigned with many tasks including singing the Costa Rican national anthem and running around the park chanting, “We love Costa Rica.” The winners were awarded with grabbing dinner first and of course, bragging rights. We then had a cooking class back at home base preparing tomorrow morning’s breakfast featuring tamales. Delicioso! We had some free time and were able to relax after our busy morning. Dinner was fantastic as always! We ate some chicken soup and rice, and many students found it to instill a “home-like comfort.”

We wrapped up our day with mentor groups, each sharing shoutouts per person. This activity was truly special. We were able to shine a light on each individual and make each other feel loved. Overall, we had such a fulfilling and busy day, and we are looking forward to our volcanic hike tomorrow! Pura Vida y hasta luego.

– Sophia and Micah

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

We started the day off earlier than usual, with the leaders waking everyone up at 6:30. We had a wonderful breakfast of the empanadas we made yesterday. Knowing we worked hard to make them made them even more delicious! We also had bread pudding and cereal, so breakfast was extra sweet!

We then set off for our volcano hike. The 1.5-hour-long bus ride offered beautiful views as we climbed our way up. Unfortunately, due to our tour guide getting sick, we were unable to hike up the volcano. Instead, we got to visit one of Costa Rica’s national parks and learn a lot about their history as we hiked through the trails. This adventure tired everyone out, so after returning to home base and eating our lunch of chicken lasagna, veggies and arroz con leche, we got some break time to relax.

Then, at 4:00 most of us set off to Walmart to once again stock up on snacks and any other necessities. And most importantly, we got ice cream. The other (slightly smaller) group went to the indoor field to play an intense game of soccer with the locals that culminated in them winning!! Then, we returned and got some free time.

At 6:00pm, we did our Leader of the Day Activity, which was several rounds of heads up and charades. Our competing teams were Scooby Doo and Salami Chipwich and after some fast paced rounds, Salami Chipwich came out on top. Then we ate dinner, which was a traditional Costa Rican meal called Chifrijo (rice, kidney beans, fried pork, pico de gallo, and avocado) with some tortilla chips, fruit and more rice pudding.

Finally, at 7:30pm we began preparing for our dental campaign. We got into groups and started brainstorming for skits that we will be performing for schoolchildren later this week. Then we had more free time before in room time and lights out at 10:00pm. Overall, today was a very exciting day, despite the slight changes in the schedule!

Ebella and Kavina

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Hello from Costa Rica!

Today we woke up bright and early around 6:45 and ate a delicious and fulfilling breakfast before getting ready for a fun zipline adventure. We left for the excursion at 8:00 and set out to conquer our fears. The zipline expedition consisted of an intense hike up to the first line, and then 11 thrilling ziplines and 2 stomach dropping rappels. Many of us conquered our fears, specifically Alivia. She was faced with a treacherous obstacle when a tree limb fell onto the line she was zipping down. Thankfully, she is fine and looking forward to her next zipline adventure (without the branch next time). To celebrate this achievement, our wonderful cooking staff baked a cake for her.

After ziplining, we came home to a delicious lunch of “olla de carne” and fueled up for the rest of the day. Next, most of us went to another dance lesson because we enjoyed the first lesson so much! While the people that stayed home went to the store to stock up on snacks.

For our leader of the day activity, we took everyone up to the park and passed the volleyball and football around. Then we came home to the incredible smell of fried rice and devoured our dinner after an exhausting day. We all hung out for a little but then went to bed right away to be well rested for tomorrow’s early morning.

– Rhea and Alyssa

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

Today everyone woke up around 6:30 and ate breakfast. After breakfast we got dressed in our scrubs and headed to the school to get ready to do eye exams on the students. Once we got to the school we set everything up and got ready for the kids to come in for their exams everyone was excited to see the little kids. The eye exams went great we screened about 200 kids and most of them we think need glasses and have been sent to be screened for the second time to officially determine if they need them. After the screening they are officially told if they need the glasses or not. After we screened most of the children we ate lunch any enjoyed the rest the day around our home base. Once we got to home base everyone got comfortable and ready to enjoy our afternoon. In the afternoon some of us went to go get ice cream and pizza and then we came back to home base and had some free time. After free time we all went downstairs to play the leader of the day activity and that was a fun game of spoons but with a twist. We then went to chow circle and said our shout outs. Then we enjoyed some dinner and mentor jeopardy and then we head to bed!

– Cat and Jamia

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 22

Oh hello from Costa Rica!

After eating a delicious breakfast we went on our way to a different school to administer more vision tests and dental campaigns for our last day of service! The vision testing was once again successful, and the children absolutely loved our dental campaign skits. After each skit we passed out toothbrushes to each and every child. We then had a little break, but soon after our amazing kitchen staff had made us lunch to enjoy at the school. Shortly afterwards more children were ready to be screened. Then after a successful day of screening over 100 children and educating them on dental hygiene we headed off to walmart to get some much needed snacks for tomorrow’s beach roadtrip. Back at home base everyone is just getting settled in or hanging out in common areas talking about our amazing day. Rae, Cat, Sophia and Kavina made some delicious brownies for everyone while we had some down time!

As 6 o’clock rolls around everyone gets ready for the leader of the day activity.. which was an amazing game of JUST DANCE!! It was such a fun idea and it allowed everyone let loose and bond in such a fun way. We had such an amazing dinner that consisted of chicken tortilla soup and peach cheesecake thanks to our awesome kitchen staff. We then headed into our mentor groups where we played a game of “hot seat”. Which gave us the opportunity to learn some funny or deep questions about our peers such as “how do you like your chicken cooked?” After mentor groups we headed up to our rooms to pack our last bit of things before heading off to Uvita tomorrow! Today was such a successful and fun day thanks to everyone involved.

Pura vida!

Rae and Oliva

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

We had an early start to head to the beach at Uvita. When we arrived we went to La Fogata for lunch and ate some pollo and gallo pinto. Then we checked in to the hotel, took the swim test, and went to the waterfalls to swim. We had time after that to go home and rest before our dinner. Then we had a fun mentor activity of show and tell, with a picture of something valuable then talked about it. After we had a hangout at the pool and then went to bed to get some rest before the beach day tomorrow.

LV and Annika

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 26

I don’t think we can accurately state how amazing these last two weeks have been. We got a little behind on the blog because we were enjoying our last nights together swimming in the pool and singing karaoke. Our beach excursion was filled with lots of time on the beach, surfing, plenty of sunburns and of course lots of smiles! As departure day arrives, we will truly miss each of the students we have been honored have with us for the last 14 days. Homebase feels so empty & we are thankful for the 20 students that made this trip unforgettable. We encountered many challenges this trip and it was incredible to see how the students worked together to support each other and overcome them. Thank you so much for sharing your students with us for the past two weeks. We will never forget the memories we have together. Here are a few of our favorite pictures from the last few days & more will be sent out vía google photos in the next few weeks!

Julianne, Brett, Milena, and Lucy

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 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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Today was our second day in Uvita. It was really nice to get some rest after an action-packed day yesterday. We started the day with a stupendous breakfast made by the hotel restaurant. This hearty meal gave us enough energy to hike to our first destination: Uvita Waterfall. This was a beautiful spot to swim in the river water, although it was freezing cold. A friendly local dog followed us down the trail, which was quite steep for such a small dog. Our amazing mentor, Amy, was brave enough to slide down the 20-foot waterfall! Everyone begged and pleaded to give it a try, but unfortunately, it was against GLA rules :(. Despite the freezing water and the safety rules, we still had a great time playing in the water and soaking up the beauty of the rainforest.

After warming up with a lunch of make-your-own burritos, we walked down to the beach. The beach doubled as a national park, and we were told about some of its features, including a sand bar that is shaped like a whale’s tail. At the beach, we soaked up some sun rays and also got crushed by some massive waves. We, the leaders, planned a friendly game of capture the flag that got a little competitive, but we all had a great time. It was nice to have time to relax and have some fun before we head back to Cartago tomorrow.

After the beach, it started pouring rain so some people looked for shelter in the souvenir shop while others traversed through the rain to get ready for dinner. Everyone dressed nicely for some delicious flatbread pizza. Following the meal, we decided to head to a local gelato shop where we enjoyed some homemade treats. We were all stuffed and ready for bed. All of us are sad to be leaving the beach (and the super comfy beds!), but we are excited to see what comes next. Until next time!

-Lolly and James

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Today we left Uvita at 9:00 am and headed off on a four-hour drive through the scenic Costa Rican mountains to return to our homebase in Cartago. We made one stop along the way at a small store, leaving Uvita’s tropical environment to colder weather. Many people bought chips, candy, and lots of chocolate. We got back to the homebase and took a few hours to unpack, shower and regroup.

Then we had a guest speaker, Melissa Gamboa, a physical therapist who we will be working with during our upcoming volunteering at the local daycare center. Through her presentation we learned about the Costa Rican healthcare systems, including the public and private sectors. Also, we learned and practiced various activities we will be participating in with the seniors. One fun game we learned was a number game where everyone was given a number and had to form larger numbers within their respective groups. Thanks to Veronica for aiding in translation throughout this activity.

Even though we aren’t in the USA right now, mentors planned a very exciting night of Fourth of July themed games and challenges. Home base was decorated with red, white, and blue, with many American classics playing in the background like Sweet Caroline and American Pie. Three groups of our 25 were formed and we played games like chubby bunny, charades, and song battle. In the end, the white team came out on top of our Fourth of July Olympics. Regardless, everyone had lots of fun and tried their best. While today started off fairly calm, we ended off with an energetic Fourth of July celebration and lots of laughs.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Hello Millie and Landers here,

This morning, we left home base at 8 and packed into the buses for an hour-long drive to go ziplining. After a hike up a mountain that was essentially a stairmaster machine we prepared to zipline back down. We did many ziplines but our favorites were the long ones with incredible views. At the end of the course we got 2 “surprises” which ended up being large drops from a tree. Next we headed to a park where we were met with a delicious picnic lunch. Some of us played volleyball while others played on the playground and used the outdoor gym. We even met the infamous cat in the trash can. Our time was cut short due to storms, but don’t fret, that just meant we had enough time to go to Mcdonald’s for our daily ice cream run. Before dinner we played a heated game of “Guess that song,” for our amazing Leader of the Day activity. After a delicious dinner of fish and patacones we had a meaningful mentor group meeting and headed to bed for the night.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

The day started with an early start at 7:15 with a delicious breakfast to help us get our energy for the long hike ahead of us. We then departed at 8 am with a one-hour and a half drive to the volcano hike. At 9:30, we arrived at the national park, Hacienda la Central, to begin our hike up the Turrialba Volcano. During our hike, we were able to experience beautiful and majestic views of nature around us, as we conversed and created deep and meaningful conversations. Once we arrived at the top of the volcano, we were able to enjoy the full experience that our hike was all about. After our long and steep hike, we were able to relax and decompress with a delicious snack at the café.

After arriving back at the home base, we were able to relax and evaluate our thoughts on the hike and our experience due to the extremity of the hike with our peers, and also take some time alone to be with our thoughts. Later on, as our leader of the day activity, we decided to have a calm movie night and to watch “The Parent Trap” with homemade popcorn that the wonderful kitchen staff made for us. After watching “The Parent Trap”, we called it a night and were in our rooms at 9 o’clock.

Veronica and Gigi

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

We started the day a little later today with breakfast at 7:45 where we enjoyed savory cheese and bean empanadas. After a fulfilling breakfast we headed to El Tejar Elderly Day Care Center where we engaged in various activities as well as physical therapy screening. We started off by warming the senior citizens up with dance moves to songs that reminded them of their younger years. Following the warmup exercises, we broke up into groups where we completed a physical therapy screening with them helping to identify their likelihood of falling and prevention of it. Finally, we ended our day at the elderly home by playing traditional Latin American games that were important to them and helped them trigger memories from the past. This time period allowed us to engage with them in various conversations in Spanish.

We then returned home and a hearty lunch was waiting for us before our trip to San Jose, the capital city of Costa Rica. We started off at the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum and were able to explore various exhibits. We then headed over to the souvenir market where we were able to shop for our families, friends, and ourselves. After that we indulged in some sweet treats whether that was McDonald’s, Moyo Frozen Yogurt, or Starbuck’s. We then had a long bus ride back and were all ready for a scrumptious dinner. Then after dinner, we engaged in a closing reflective GLA activity where we reflected on our experiences thus far and set some future goals for ourselves and the group. We can’t wait for tomorrow’s final day before we depart on Wednesday!

-Maya and Margaux

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Thank you so much for sharing your students with us for the last two weeks. We had an incredible experience and homebase feels so empty without all of the laughter (and screaming) that we have enjoyed the last two weeks. Wishing everyone a safe flight home ❤️

Julianne, Leo, Amy and Milena

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

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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

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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!

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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

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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

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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

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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!

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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

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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.

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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

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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!

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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

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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

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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

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

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Pura Vida! As the first day of our 21 day adventure we did a lot of traveling. Beginning the day with games and traveling, we took a ferry from San Jose to Montezuma! Driving through the forest and along the cost gave us a beautiful view of the Costa Rican landscape! From the trees, flowers, and wildlife, we got a glimpse of what kind of adventures we’ll have!

Once we landed at La Cascada, our first home base, we got to try a traditional tico meal cooked by our local GLA family! With hammocks, rivers, and an open and earthy atmosphere, this will a wonderful place to call home for the next 7 days while we start our service and integration with Costa Rican culture. After a long but insightful orientation into the program and how we will Be the Change, we made our community rules and spent the night laughing and bonding!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Today we did our first service. In today’s service we learned about the different turtle tracks and how they lay there eggs. Additionally we practiced building turtle nests. After lunch we went on a hike to a beautiful waterfall where we swam and jumped off rocks. Later we went into our mentor groups where we played games and asked each other questions. After dinner we had our first leadership activity. After the activity before our room time we played some games as a group.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Today we woke up and a ate a great breakfast and then we went to the beach and did our service! We helped move wood and pick up micro plastics. After our service we went back to our home base and ate lunch. After lunch we did our leadership activity and talked about personal and group goals. After leadership time we went to the beach!!! After the beach we came back and had dinner. After dinner we did our night patrol. We all dressed in black and walked along the beach with no lights looking for sea turtles laying their eggs. After we head back to home base and go to sleep.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

Today we woke up to eat a DELICIOUS grilled cheese sandwich. We then went to paint signs to put on the beach. After that, we had a cheeseburger with bacon and lettuce. Then we went swimming in the ocean for a few hours and played volleyball. For dinner we had chicken and mashed potatoes. Finally, we went on night patrol and search for turtles.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 22

Today we went hiking in Curu, then we swam on the beach for a few hours. After swimming, we played volleyball and soccer. Then we went to the island to see bioluminescence, we swam there for about 15 minutes, after we came back to the beach and had dinner and went back to the hotel.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

Today some of us woke up at about 7 AM to go to the tide pools at 7:30. Later in the day, around nine, we had breakfast. After breakfast, we got our clothes that we had washed and packed them up. After packing, we just hung out with each other or in our rooms or in the hammock area. Then we went to this town called Santa Teresa. We split into two groups. Both groups went around to souvenir shops and cafés and just walked around. Some of the group stayed to watch the sunset at the beach in Santa Teresa, while some decided to head back to home base. When everyone was back at home base, we had dinner, and they had a surprise for us, which was basically live music and we got to dance and do some karaoke. At 9:30, we all went to our rooms and went to bed to get ready for the next day.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

We woke up around 6 am to pack our bags and load them onto the bus. At about 6:15 all bags were loaded for us to travel to Parrita.

At 6:50 we had our last traditional home cooked meal in Montezuma with the most amazing chefs! After having a nutritious breakfast, we began our travel journey to Parrita.

The drive to the ferry was around a hour and 15 minutes, and the ferry added about a hour and 30 minutes to the trip. After a chill ride to the next dock, we continued driving for about 40 minutes before stopping at lunch.

We dined at a restaurant called “El Jardin,” and shopped at a souvenir store afterwards. Then, we stopped at a bridge and saw crocodiles. After getting back on the bus, we continued our journey to our next home base.

After arriving at our home base called “La Isla” (the island), we toured the base and swam in the pool before dinner. We then participated in a playful but serious debate about Montezuma’s sea turtle endangerment due to tourism.

After the eventful debate, we hung out before we had in room time, and we went to bed excited for what comes next tomorrow.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

Day nine!! What a blast! We spent the first few hours of the day doing both challenging and rewarding tasks at a nearby hatchery! This included digging out a new turtle hatchery and clearing out any debris in the way. After we were lucky enough to be given a dance lesson, we learned all sorts of different moves and songs, which was very entertaining! Can’t wait for tomorrow!

– Ainslee

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 26

Day 10! Today was adventure packed. We had an early morning and ate breakfast on the road on our way to a fun few hours of zip-lining! Afterwards we were welcomed to Fogon de LuLu where LuLu taught us how to make corn tortillas from scratch. Once back at home base it started to pour and we had time to relax in our rooms. Excited for the adventure to come!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 27

Today we started off the day with a nice breakfast that included pancakes and eggs. Afterwards, we took the bus to service where we would work on a hatchery owned by a man named Victor. When we got there, we found out that he had a surprise for us and we actually got to release baby turtles into the ocean! They were super cute and tiny and some were a lot quicker to reach the ocean than others. Then we got into the harder work like securing a net around the hatchery, shoveling sand around it, and picking up trash along the beach.

After service we drove back to the home base for lunch and some pool/chill time. At 3:00 a guest speaker came to teach us about river pollution and then we split into groups to pitch a conservation plan to our “judges” Shark Tank style. The group that won came up with a reality TV show about volunteers working in Costa Rica. We followed this activity with more free time before dinner. At the end of the day, we did an activity in our mentor groups and then hung out before bed.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 28

Our 12th day! Today began with French toast as our breakfast then headed on the bus to Manuel Antonio National Park. To pass time on every bus ride we have created a playlist together and we have gotten to hear each others music tastes which has been so cool!

At the national park first we went on a guided hike where our guide pointed out various types of wildlife found in the park. Some examples of what we saw range from certain species of spiders (devil spider) and grasshoppers to bats geckos and lizards (like the Jesus lizard) all the way to larger land animals like the sloth and monkeys!

After our tour we were able to go swimming in the beach at the park. It was nice and calm however a native species of algae gave some of us a couple of harmless stings. Then we changed and walked to lunch which was our choice as to what we ate so you can ask your leader what they chose!

After a wonderful lunch (personally I had a cheeseburger and fries with pineapple juice) we walked back to the bus and stopped at a couple of souvenir stores where people bought things like sloth plushies to headbands and towels. On our way back to home base on the bus we stopped for some delicious ice cream. Personally I had a wonderful two scoops of a flavor called brownie explosion but I know people had everything from banana splits to just plain vanilla.

After our last bus ride of the day we packed our bags and loaded them on to the bus as it is our last day here at La Isla in Parrita and we have an early morning tomorrow. After a dinner of fish n chips we got our phones back. I personally have had a blast and everyone is so fun to be around.

This was a nice last day in Parrita.

-Finn Murry

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 29

Our day began early at 5:30 so we could catch the perfect waves for surfing. We packed into the bus and began the long travel journey to our new home base. We had a delicious lunch in the bus and made our way to our first destination, the beach. Once we arrived at the beach we began our surfing adventure where we were taught to ride the waves slowly. I was shocked by how well we all did, almost everyone caught a good wave and I was impressed by the patience and determination we all had. On the way to leave the beach we headed to the bathroom where we saw tons of scarlet macaws gathered across the canopy above us. We then headed back into the bus and continued our travel until we reached our new home base owned by a sweet lady named Isa. She welcomed us into the hotel and we were overwhelmed by the cozy vibe of the hotel and the beautiful rooms. We had some free time and finished off the day with a delicious dinner and some fun games.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 30

Today, we woke up soooooo early and went to service and got the opportunity to help release another batch of baby sea turtles. Afterwards, we walked along the beach and relocated turtle eggs into the hatchery that was built by the previous group. We went back to home base and chilled out before heading into town and shopping for some groceries. Then we had a leadership activity about the five pillars of GLA. We are now hanging out some more after dinner and we will be in bed shortly.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 31

Day 15! Today we woke up early and went to service. We got to release baby turtles (for the third time!!) and then went on morning patrol. My group found 2 nests, one with 126 eggs and one with 65 eggs. After service, we had free time/pool time until lunch. After lunch we went to an insect museum and learned about the importance of saving and conserving insects. To finish the day, we had mentor groups, dinner, and optional arts and crafts.

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 1

This morning we woke up early again for 6:30 service. At service we were able to release another batch of baby sea turtles into the ocean. Afterwards, we did another beach patrol searching for turtle nests. Upon finding the nests, we’d transport the eggs to the hatchery. Today, we found and transported a total of 197 eggs (one nest of 100 and one nest of 97).

As we were walking during service, we spotted spider monkeys. When we got back to the home base we had a delicious breakfast of pancakes, eggs, and sausage. We then had about two hours of free time where some chose to chill in their rooms and others played in the pool. A little after noon, we returned to the insect museum to talk to our good friend Jungle Jim about climate change. We also spotted a sloth in a tree outside the museum.

We had lunch at 2:30 and then left for service once again. This consisted of a beach cleanup along the coast outside the hatchery. We were then able to swim in the ocean and enjoy a distant sunset and big waves. We drove back to the home base to shower and eat dinner and unwind for the rest of the evening.

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 2

Today we woke up early to go to Drake Bay and snorkel at Caño Island at around 6 am. We saw a variety of wild life and marine life like whales, dolphins, turtles and fish. Afterwards we ate lunch and drank smoothies. We then drove home and ate a delicious spaghetti dinner. Yippee!

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 3

Today was a day of rest, after breakfast, we rested until lunch and spent time in the pool. After lunch, we went to town and did some shopping. Then we went to the beach and swam for half an hour because it rained a lot at that time. After eating dinner, we drank hot chocolate outside by the fire and ate marshmallows. We chatted and ended the day.

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 4

First we woke up to eat breakfast, then we started our 7 hour drive back to our first hotel. Around half way through, we had lunch at a buffet and stopped for souvenirs. Then we continued and finished the drive. We arrived back at our original hotel and finally had dinner ending the day.