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 JULY 18

🐢 Welcome to Costa Rica! A New Adventure Begins

There’s something unforgettable about landing in a new country — palms waving in the breeze, unfamiliar accents in the air, and 22 excited faces stepping out of the airport in San José, Costa Rica.
We are gathered at our welcome hotel in San José, ready to begin this incredible journey together.

As each student arrived, they were welcomed with open arms and warm smiles by our dedicated staff team:

• Maribel, our International Director, and Jason, our Local Director; will be guiding the group through every step of this experience.
• Esther and Anna, our energetic and caring mentors, are already helping students feel right at home and have a lot of fun.

✅ Stay tuned to our blog for updates on our conservation work, cultural experiences, and unforgettable pura vida moments.

💡Parents: Please know your students are safe, supported, and already beginning to shine. Just a small note — signal coverage and Wi-Fi will not be available during our time in Parismina, but that’s also part of the beauty of this immersive experience.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

🔥 Zipline adventures

Before we arrived in Parismina, our journey took flight — quite literally — through the zipline tour at the Costa Rican rainforest.

On our second day, our group made the journey to home base. The drive from San Jose to the remote, pristine Parismina was long and exhausting, taking up the vast majority of our day. About halfway through our drive to the ferry, we stopped to zipline in the rainforest. At the beginning, the weather was mostly tolerable, however as we went down the last few ziplines, it started to downpour. After ziplining we quickly ate lunch and got back on the bus to continue our journey. Our next stop was about an hour later, our last glimpse at civilization. We stopped at the local grocery store and bought snacks and everything we were missing.

The bus took us to a pier on a murky river that wound around marsh and farmland. We loaded our bags in a separate boat before taking the ferry to the eco lodge. The ride was short but very exciting, as we were super low to the water and were constantly looking for crocodiles. We unloaded our bags and got introduced to our Local Director and owner of home base, Jason, who taught us the rules of the lodge and introduced us to the cooks. After that, we ate dinner which was red sauce pasta, garlic bread, and salad. After that we got into our mentor groups to debrief about our day and just to relax a little. For the rest of the night some people played card games and after all of that everyone went to sleep.

From your Leaders of the Day Finley Keene and Aarielle Arnett.

💡To our families back home — thank you for encouraging these bold young leaders to dive into something real. They’re thriving.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

🌿 Eco Living 101: Lessons from the Lodge

At our home base, the Green Gold Eco Lodge, during our third day we did a bunch of fun activates such as, leadership activates and going to the beach. We had an orientation class where we learned more about the guidelines and boundaries in our program and home base. But the main staple of the day was the night patrol. We had a person come into our home base and talk about sea turtles and what they do. For example, sea turtles are fully concentrated on laying eggs, so much so that researchers can tag, identify, or measure the turtle. That was just one part of the presentation. After the presentation we had to change into our night patrol outfits and go out. While we didn’t see any turtles or their nests, we saw turtle tracks and bioluminescent creatures.

Another part of this day was the games, the game was “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”. The rules are simple. One person can’t see but can hear and talk there job is to get the objective, One person’s job is to see the blind person and rely that info using hand signals because they can’t talk, and finally one person can’t see the blind person but can talk, they relay info they get from the muter person to give directions, correct wrong ways and help the blind person see with commands like, down, right and left. It was very fun!

At the next day, we explored the organic plantation farm around home base, learning about the different fruits and plants growing. Using baskets and shaped sticks, we harvested pineapples, avocadoes, cacao, and mangos. We learned about shampoo flowers and tried coconut water from the different stages of coconut development. In the last stage we tried the coconut meat and other indigenous fruits. Afterwards we went prepared for the beach where we walked and picked up multiple bags of trash. We feel good about our environmental impact and the different creatures that will benefit from it. After the work we were able to play many games with Jason and enjoy everything the beach had to offer, such as bodysurfing in the waves or digging in the sand.

We dried off and did some leadership activities such as building trust, were we draw the river of our life and reflecting upon the day that we had. In a chow circle we expressed gratitude for different things throughout the day. After doing origami in our mentor groups, all of us broke off and played games. Such as card games and night at the museum. Ending the night with charades before heading off to bed. Despite the rain changing our plans for the day, we had a great time!

From your Leaders of the Day Gabriel Merriman and Addyson Gutierrez (July 20st ); and Charlie MacDonald, Aleia Labonte, and Lily Hanlon (July 21st ).

💡Parents: Your students are doing more than adapting — they’re thriving.

Also, due to limited WiFi at home base, we’re not able to send as many photos as we’d hoped. We will send more pics as soon as we can!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

🇨🇷 Tico Life

During this week, our students have come face to face with the real meaning of environmental leadership and the profound connection between what we consume, how we live, and what we leave behind. Then the daylight hours here in Parismina are giving us rhythm, flavor, and a deeper understanding of what “pura vida” truly means.

After breakfast we were supposed to go on a jungle boat tour and see the vanilla plantation, but we started the day raining. Many plans were moved leaving a lot of open time. During that free time, we all bonded over group games and got to know each other. All the games we played helped us reflect on our leadership values. Some values we practiced were communication, connection and trust.

One activity we did was GLA jeopardy. We also played fun fact bingo and a silent game, getting to know more about each other. Afterwards, some women from town came in to braid our hair and give us a dance lesson. During the dance lesson we learned several styles of dance, like salsa, merengue and bachata. Almost all of us got our hair braided and tried different types of braids. In the afternoon we played duck duck goose. During our game the rain stopped so we all went to the beach to continue the game, it was very fun! After dinner, we gathered for mentor groups where we reflect about our day. In the evening, we all got ready for night patrol and split into two groups. Halfway into night patrol one of the groups encountered a turtle but it quickly fled back into the ocean. We all returned to home base late and hung around shortly before going to bed.

At the next day, we took a truck at 9 in the morning to get to town. Then once we got to the town, we talked to the president of ASTOP (the local turtle protection program) about their hatcheries and the information they collect from the sea turtles they find. We walked around and saw all the different buildings and places there. We had cooking lessons and learned how to make empanada’s, we made ones with cheese, beans and both. We had a good view of how the people of Parismina live and how they live their day to day lives.

After our cooking classes and tours, we went to a local smoothie shop and tried smoothies made from a variety of local fruits. Some of us went to a corner store in the morning and some of us went more towards the afternoon. Then after we finished our tours, we went to an Artcraft fair run by some local vendors where 10% of the profit went to ASTOP. The last activity we did in town was playing sports like soccer and volleyball with some of the local children. It was a great opportunity to meet people despite language barriers. We got back into the trucks to head to home base around 5 o’clock and enjoyed a delicious dinner of rice, beans, and stew. We finished our day with some meditation and a giant game of mafia with the whole group.

From your Leaders of the Day Jackson Helmes, Ariel Bohrer, and Lydia Curnow (July 22nd); and Niall Klose, Miles Warnke, and Bradley Green (July 23rd)

💡Parents: Your students are engaging with the world not as tourists. They’re immersing themselves in Tico life or Costa Rican life, and leading every step of the way ¡Pura vida!

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 JULY 5

🐢 Welcome to Costa Rica! A New Adventure Begins

There’s something unforgettable about landing in a new country — palms waving in the breeze, unfamiliar accents in the air, and 19 excited faces stepping out of the airport in San José, Costa Rica. Some students arrived early in the morning, others later in the evening — and we’re still joyfully awaiting our final student, who will be arriving around noon.
For now, we’re nearly complete, gathered at our welcome hotel in San José, ready to begin this incredible journey together.

As each student arrived, they were welcomed with open arms and warm smiles by our dedicated staff team:

• Maribel, our International Director, and Jason, our Local Director; will be guiding the group through every step of this experience.
• Esther and Anna, our energetic and caring mentors, are already helping students feel right at home and have a lot of fun.

“It was a long journey for all of us to Costa Rica, but it was instantly worth it when we saw the natural beauty of the country. We all arrived at different times, but as we met each other we all started becoming friends. We played fun games and had many conversations. Even just at the hotel we saw so much diverse wildlife, such as iguanas, monkeys, and frogs. The first day gave us a small taste of Costa Rica, and made all of us very excited for what’s to come”

From your Leader of the Day Aidan Joseph Kehoe

✅ Stay tuned to our blog for updates on our conservation work, cultural experiences, and unforgettable pura vida moments.

💡Parents: Please know your students are safe, supported, and already beginning to shine. Just a small note — signal coverage is limited and Wi-Fi will not be available during our time in Parismina, but that’s also part of the beauty of this immersive experience.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

🦥 Zipline adventures

Before we arrived in Parismina, our journey took flight — quite literally — through the zipline tour at the Costa Rican rainforest.

Our second day in Costa Rica was filled with anticipation and excitement for what´s to come in our adventure. Everyone arrived yesterday but we were all in good spirits and happy to explore this beautiful country. Our group left early in the morning to start our journey to homebase. The bus ride was beautiful through the jungle. We saw sights we have never seen before.

Our first activity for the day was ziplining. A lot of us had never ziplined before but we all faced our fears. It ended up being worth it and one of the most thrilling experiences in our lives. We even rode a 700-meter zipline. We all came here for the animals and were not disappointed. We saw many different birds, bugs, and coati´s. We also saw an exhibit of sloths and butterflies. One of the favorite exhibits though was the reptiles and poison dart frogs. We then continued our great journey to home base, at Parismina.

We went through bumpy roads and banana farms, making a pit-stop at the supermarket to pick up snacks. Afterwards we arrived at the river where we boarded a boat and sailed through the marshland, full of crocodiles. It looked like a different planet when we arrived. There is so much color here and beautiful flowers, exotic animals as well. For the rest of the night, we got to know each other and settle into our new paradise. To end the day, we all played games and went to sleep.

From your Leaders of the Day Stella Neumann and Aidan J. Kahoe

💡To our families back home — thank you for encouraging these bold young leaders to dive into something real. They’re thriving.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

🌿 Eco Living 101: Lessons from the Lodge

At our home base, the Green Gold Eco Lodge, we’re learning to live with intention. Turning lights off not because we must, but because we understand energy’s value. Taking short showers not as a rule, but as a practice of gratitude of the limit fresh water we have, learning to reconnect with nature, and creating strong bonding with their new friendships.

At the start of day 3 we ran out of water. For this reason, we could not shower or use water until they obtained more. Breakfast was rice, beans and toast. After breakfast we had a leadership activity where we wrote letters about our values, goals and expectations. Then we did an activity where we blindfolded someone and had them find an object by following the directs of our fellow group members. For lunch we had chicken and veggies.

To start the afternoon, we had an orientation class where we learned more about the rules that govern us as well as the boundaries in this location. During this tour we saw cows as well as capuchin monkeys (white faced monkeys). After this tour we had free time and decided to play some volleyball. We had a blast! Then we had a turtle talk where a speaker came in to talk about the turtles and what they need to be preserved from. Finally, we went beach to swim around and played in the sand. The waves were pretty small, but still fun. We had dinner which was rice beans and chips. After the delicious meal we went on our first Night Patrol. We didn´t see any turtles, but we did see tracks leading to and from ocean. We also saw local group during this patrol but didn´t stay to chat for long. After walking for about 2 hours we came back for a well deserved sleep, concluding our third day.

From your Leaders of the day, Kylie Cashwell and Henry Patterson

Parents: Your students are doing more than adapting — they’re thriving, they’re leading, and they’re making a difference.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

*Note to families – Due to limited WiFi, we have not been able to send as many blog photos as we’d hoped. We will include more pics as soon as we can!

🌎 Helping the Coast

During this week, our students have come face to face with the real meaning of environmental leadership — and the profound connection between what we consume, how we live, and what we leave behind.

After breakfast we took a tour around the property looking at the various plants and animals which resided on the property. We were able to try eating many of the plants such as coconut, sugar cane, water apples, cacao seeds, and more. It was very fun and exciting to see how easy it was to plant everything here and was fun to eat all the different foods. During this walk we managed to see lizards, sloths, monkeys, ants, and termites. Our Local Director, Jason, even called over a caiman and fed it chicken strips.

After the tour we ate lunch. Following this we did an activity where we drew a timeline road of our life, review the importance of values, GLA pillars, and what we expect in our future. After this we went out to the beach for a beach cleanup, where we walked for several hundred meters picking up all the trash on the beach. Following this we had some time to either go to the beach for fun or play volleyball. Sadly, the currents here are very strong and there is the concern of riptide so people could not go deep in the water. After this we had mentor groups, dinner, some free time, and a GLA game of modified charades. Then we went to sleep.

From your Leaders of the Day Tristan Ball, John Patterson, and Athan Colon.

Parents: Your students are engaging with the world not as tourists. They’re learning that leadership is a verb — something you do, build, and give.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

🌸 Vanilla vibes

Yesterday we began the day with a jungle boat tour. We went on a boat through the lagoon and saw many different animals. We saw caymans, several species of birds, lizards, iguanas, red dart frogs, and an otter. Jason taught us about all the animals´ habits, diets, and other cool facts. We learned about wildlife, and how the lagoon has changed since Jason was a kid.

Afterword the braiders came, and all the girls ran out to get their hair braided. There were so many different styles done, and some girls added colored string and shells. Despite the language barrier you could feel the welcoming atmosphere. We talked to one of the braiders named Keisha and we were surprised to hear all about the news from the outside world. Lastly all of our hairs were finished, and a lot of squealing and excitement was shared.

After lunch we had a leadership activity and then went on a tour of Jasons vanilla farm. He taught us about how it has overgrown. He showed us how to pollinate the vanilla flowers, how to harvest the beans, and how to replant the vines. We got to smell some of the beans that he has already developed and a bottle of homemade vanilla extract. As our last activity of the day, we had our second night patrol. We split into two groups, and each went in opposite directions on the beach. Although nobody saw a turtle, there were several tracks.

From your Leaders of the Day, Matthew Devine and Liana Parkan

BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

🇨🇷 Tico Life

If our night patrols are teaching us patience and purpose, then the daylight hours here in Parismina are giving us rhythm, flavor, and a deeper understanding of what “pura vida” truly means.

We started our day with a delicious breakfast. After breakfast, we prepared to head into the town of Parismina. We rode in the back of two trucks. Once we got into the town, we got to tour the Sea Turtle Hatchery and saw how the ASTOP helped protect and conserve sea turtles. We walked around the town and got to see houses and shops. Then, we cooked delicious empanadas. We learned how to make the dough and fill them. After that, we stopped at a smoothie place for lunch. We also had burgers from home base that were brought to us. Right across from the smoothie shop was two convenience stores that we stopped at.

We also had the chance to support the local economy at the ArtCraft Feria, that sold bracelets, necklaces, paintings and other crafts. After that, we had our dance class where we learned salsa, Bachata, and some other local dances. Then we played soccer and volleyball with some of the local Parismina kids. We then returned to home base in the same two trucks we came in on. We ate dinner, played some games, and did some guided savasana which prepared us for a long night’s rest.

From your Leaders of the Day, Olivia Nau and Ruari Montague.

💡Parents: Your students are not only conserving wildlife; they’re immersing themselves in Tico life or Costa Rican life — with open hearts, eager minds, and growing leadership skills. They’re learning, laughing, and leading every step of the way ¡Pura vida!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

🦥 Jungle Adventures

We started the day waking up to pouring rain, which because of the rain, the schedule was manipulated to fit the difficult weather. So, we did not start our activities until noon. Our first activity was the reforestation of the jungle, in which we put dirt in bags to prepare for planting and planted more of the sea grapes by the ocean. Then we wrapped up with finding an – unfortunately – already poached sea turtle nest. Jason taught us how to locate the nests with sticks. Then we came back to base for lunch, and to prepare for the beach cleanup and our sea turtle debate. The simulated government proposed a bill to try and stop the poaching and hurting of sea turtles by those who are not professionals. We were able to negotiate the bill through the different parts of the Parismina community and make it have favorable terms (as a treat for being the best ever, we got banana bread).

The beach cleanup was the next activity, when it was still raining, but we managed to pick up a lot of trash collectively. We also saw some more turtle nests which had already been collected by ASTOP (the turtle conservation organization based in Parismina), to give them a safe life under the sand. We came home for dinner, got dressed for night patrol. In mentor groups before leaving, we got to play games and talk about the best parts of the day, ending with origami and playing telephone. Night patrol was the finale of our day, where we unfortunately did not get to see any turtles. One of the groups was able to see a very cool phenomenon, which only happens in extremely rare circumstances and humid conditions, where the moon has a large rainbow around it. We went home and went to bed to prepare for white water rafting the next day, albeit we were hindered in the night by a plethora of cockroaches in our beds.

From your leaders of the day Valen Baygents, Abella Small, and Elise Riley.

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 22

🐢 Welcome to Costa Rica! A New Adventure Begins

There’s something unforgettable about landing in a new country — palms waving in the breeze, unfamiliar accents in the air, and 21 excited faces stepping out of the airport in San José, Costa Rica. Some students arrived early in the morning, others later in the evening — and we’re still joyfully awaiting our final student, who will be arriving around midnight.
For now, we’re nearly complete, gathered at our welcome hotel in San José, ready to begin this incredible journey together.

This marks the beginning of our Sea Turtle Initiative — a program filled with service, discovery, connection, and of course, sea turtle conservation!

As each student arrived, they were welcomed with open arms and warm smiles by our dedicated staff team:

• Maribel, our International Director, will be guiding the group through every step of this experience.
• Chloe and Mysonne, our energetic and caring mentors, are already helping students feel right at home.

Orientation is already underway here at the hotel and will continue once we reach Parismina. Students are beginning to connect, form new friendships, share their motivations, and learn about this amazing country they’ll call home for the next 10 days.

Tomorrow, we’ll travel to the coastal village of Parismina, where the heart of our mission begins — protecting sea turtles, engaging with the local community, and experiencing life close to nature at the beautiful Green Gold Eco Lodge.

This program was designed not just to protect wildlife, but to inspire young leaders through meaningful action. As we like to say: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” And here in Parismina, that change begins with every step taken on a night patrol, every beach cleaned, and every story shared with the community.

Stay tuned to our blog for updates on our conservation work, cultural experiences, and unforgettable pura vida moments.

Parents: Please know your students are safe, supported, and already beginning to shine. Just a small note — signal coverage is limited and Wi-Fi will not be available during our time in Parismina, but that’s also part of the beauty of this immersive experience.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24

🌿 Eco Living 101: Lessons from the Lodge

Before we arrived in Parismina, our journey took flight — quite literally — through the zipline tour at the Costa Rican rainforest.

We began our morning with a visit to “Rainforest Adventure”, where students geared up and soared through 4 zipline platforms, flying over lush jungle treetops and catching glimpses of wildlife below. For many, it was a first-time experience — and one they won’t forget. There were moments of excitement, nervous laughter, and wide-eyed wonder as we zipped through the trees, hearing the rustle of leaves and the distant calls of tropical birds.

After a hearty lunch and saying goodbye to the mountain air, our adventure continued toward the Caribbean lowlands. But reaching Parismina isn’t just a drive — it’s a journey into another rhythm of life. We took a scenic boat ride down a quiet river, surrounded by mangroves, listening to the sounds of nature and watching the dense green shoreline drift past.

It was a powerful transition — from fast-paced travel to a slower, more grounded experience. As we arrived in Parismina, the boat gently touching our home base dock, there was a sense of crossing into something meaningful.

Now at the Green Gold Eco Lodge, our home base nestled in the Caribbean Coastline, we’re beginning to truly settle in. This isn’t just a place to stay — it’s a space that teaches us to live differently. Eco-living here means respecting every drop of water, savoring every shared meal, and being present with the sights and sounds of the jungle.

We’re learning to live with intention. Turning lights off not because we must, but because we understand energy’s value. Taking short showers not as a rule, but as a practice of gratitude of the limit fresh water we have, learning to reconnect with nature, and creating strong bonding with their new friendships.

Tomorrow, our conservation work begins in earnest. But already, through adventure and eco-immersion, we’re laying the foundation for something much deeper than a typical trip. We’re learning how to live differently — and how to lead by example.

As part of our leadership program, we encourage students to thrive their leadership skills through the role of “leaders of the day”, and for time (Jun 24th, 2025) was Taffe McGarrigal and Lucca Farkas moment to shine. And after their experience at this role, they shared with us the following inspiring quote:

“True leaders don’t just give directions-they show the way with heart and courage”

To our families back home — thank you for encouraging these bold young leaders to dive into something real. They’re thriving.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

There’s something almost magical about walking down a moonlit beach in the middle of the night — the stars overhead, the sound of waves breaking in the dark, and the quiet purpose that bonds everyone together. This week, our students stepped into their roles as “tortugueros”, joining the sea turtle conservation patrols led by ASTOP, the local turtle conservation initiative here in Parismina.

We started our day learning more about “Tico culture”. Jason, our Local director, shared with students the story of our home base, Green-Gold Eco-Lodge, the surrounding wildlife, and the different ways of living in Parismina.

Short after that, students started creating our community agreements, things like using kind language, Pura Vida attitudes, respecting the Home Base dog, and playing cards every night. During our activity, Jason called us for an exciting surprise… leatherback hatchlings at the beach! We watched them crawl to the sea to start their life.

Students also where lucky to receive a talk from ASTOP Director (the turtle camp), Jerry, he came at home base to share with them how to dive deeper into the biology, behavior, and threats facing sea turtles in Costa Rica. From eggs and hatchlings to global warming, our students are learning how every action here — no matter how small — echoes far beyond this coastline.

With red lights in hand and the sand cool beneath their feet, students learned how to walk at night in the search of tracks, and what it means to be part of a sea turtle conservation program that stretches across generations. While this first night didn’t brought the reward of a turtle sighting, it gave us something just as powerful: the realization that protecting wildlife is about showing up, again and again, even when no one is watching.

“We are very exited about learning how to find tracks, learning how to watch turtles, and the hole process it has been interesting!” – a group of students shared. “How tortugueros have to do the nigh patrols for so long now… is just admirable”

At next day, our impact continues. We’ve taken part in beach cleanups, removing debris that poses threats to turtles. Each bag we filled wasn’t just about tidying a beach — it was a small act of restoration, of protecting a fragile habitat where sea turtles’ nest, where mangroves breathe, and where a community thrives in harmony with nature.

“I was amazed of all the marine debris we take. We filled 3 full bags of trash!”- a group of students shared. “And it was fun! We play who can recover more trash, it was so exiting.”

There’s laughter, music, teamwork — and a growing awareness of how connected we are to the health of our planet. And of course, there’s also been time for fun! From beach games to relaxing hammock swings, bonding with our home base senior dog, Lazy, these moments of connection are helping us build a community that feels like family.

But this program isn’t just about wildlife and eco-life. It’s also about the leaders these students are becoming. Our leaders of the day for our first nigh patrol (Jun 24th, 2025) were Alexis Engelken and Zoe Senette. while our leaders of the day for the first beach clean-up (Jun 25th, 2025) where Elizabeth Martin and Bennett Gould. And they shared with us the following inspiring quote:

“Being a leader is taking responsibly, without being ask”

Parents: Your students are doing more than adapting — they’re thriving, they’re leading, and they’re making a difference.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

🇨🇷 Tico Life

If our night patrols are teaching us patience and purpose, then the daylight hours here in Parismina are giving us rhythm, flavor, and a deeper understanding of what “pura vida” truly means.

We kicked off our cultural immersion with a high-energy dance class led by local instructors who introduced us to the basics of salsa, merengue, and bachata. In no time, students were letting go, finding the beat, and spinning confidently across the community floor — discovering fun and freedom in movement as they embraced the joy of Latin rhythms.

Our day started with an amazing jungle boat trip! Students learn more about wildlife that surround our HB and Parismina river, there were monkeys, birds, crocodiles, lizards, beautiful vegetation like vanilla. But the most fulfilling sighting was during night patrol, students were lucky this time! We have the great opportunity to experience seen a leatherback nest and lay eggs.

“It was amazing, I love it a lot! I wanted to see it, to see the whole thing process”- a student shared. “I never thought in my life that sea turtles can be that big, it was amazing”.

Our next stop was next day, at “Parismina kitchen”, where students took a walking tour of Parismina’s downtown, visiting key places like the ASTOP turtle conservation facilities, and short after that, they learned how to prepare traditional empanadas and copos (shaved ice) under the guidance of local cooks at their homes. Hands got messy, spices filled the air, and the atmosphere buzzed with curiosity and laughter. After all that hard work, we refreshed ourselves with amazing smoothies.

“They were so refreshing, and tasty!”- a student shared. “They have a great variety of fruit flavors”.

Of course, no visit to Parismina would be complete without a little friendly competition. We joined local teens for soccer and volleyball matches in the village field. No Spanish fluency was required to understand the language of teamwork — every pass, goal, and high-five spoke for itself.

We also had the chance to support the local economy at the ArtCraft Feria, where artisans displayed handwoven jewelry, coconut-shell carvings, colorful paintings, and some students even enjoy having a fun hair braid accessory. Students helped promote the Feria by choosing eco-conscious souvenirs. Supporting artisans shows us how to live our values.

But these experiences are far more than just “fun extras.” Each one is deeply connected to our GLA Leadership Curriculum — and every activity builds a bridge: Connect with the community teaches us how to communicate with courage, helps us build friendships that transcend borders.

Our leaders of the day for our town tour (Jun 27th, 2025) were George and Sophia. And after their experience at this role, they shared with us the following quote:

“Today we really enjoyed interacting with the children in the local town. We also enjoyed playing volleyball with people from camp and local people. In all we had a very fun day learning about the typical town life”.

Parents: Your students are not only conserving wildlife; they’re immersing themselves in Tico life or Costa Rican life — with open hearts, eager minds, and growing leadership skills. They’re learning, laughing, and leading every step of the way.

¡Pura vida!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

🌎 Helping the Coast

During this week, our students have come face to face with the real meaning of environmental leadership — and the profound connection between what we consume, how we live, and what we leave behind.

We’ve been having beach cleanups along the coast of Parismina, collecting plastic bottles, microplastic, wrappers, and more — evidence of how global habits ripple into even the most remote, biodiverse corners of the world.

Back at the Green Gold Eco Lodge, we carried into a different kind of service. On the lodge’s community farm, students contributed to jungle restoration efforts, planting and mulching around native species and helping with the design of handcrafted rustic signs, with important messages meant to protect the wildlife that live among our beloved home based. With paint-streaked fingers and hands full of soil, students worked side by side to leave something positive behind.

“We really enjoyed working with reforestation as a part of this program. We feel that it allowed us to create a real impact here in the local community.” – a group of students shared. “Thanks to our time here, we were able to not only further our awareness of deforestation but also work on the solution for it.”

“We had a great time creating our paintings both in planning and in production” – a group of students shared. “We managed to create very detailed paintings related to the global environment to raise awareness for future volunteers.”

These moments are powerful because they show our students that leadership doesn’t always mean taking the spotlight. Sometimes, it means showing up with gloves on, eyes open, and ears ready to listen. Through the GLA Leadership Curriculum, these service activities are framed not just as tasks, but as opportunities to practice empathy, initiative, and global thinking.

At the next day, our students experienced the wilderness of Costa Rica through the rafting tour at Pacuare. We had a lot of laughs, excitement, and successfully completed 3 hours of intense white-water rafting. Along the river, we waded through Costa Rican jungle, seeing much of the lush green environment and rock formations. For most of students, it was their first time being in an inflatable boat, but our instructors kept us safe through experience and direction. It was an incredible experience.

“Today has a group we took a wild adventure down the amazing Pacuare River. We worked together to have fun and stay afloat while rafting class 4 rapids! Team works and communication is a key aspect of rafting, listening to the guide all commands or a big high five after we made it through. Today were all smiles, laughs, and maybe a bit too much sun!”

Our leaders of the day for our rafting tour (Jun 29th, 2025) were Gabriel Diarte and Ben Segal. And after their experience at this role, they shared with us the following reflection:

“While we all had different ideas for core values, we all managed to come up with common values through dialogue, reasoning, and understanding. The leadership activities helped us understand that leaders must work through everyone´s values to be effective.”

Parents: Your students are engaging with the world not as tourists.They’re learning that leadership is a verb — something you do, build, and give — one piece of coastline, one painted sign, one conversation at a time.

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 28

Hola from Costa Rica!

Most of our group arrived today! Some students arrived bright and early after a red-eye flight, while others flew into San Jose just in time for a late lunch at the Hotel Robledal. Those who arrived early stopped by a Tortillería for breakfast and visited a close-by panderia to get a glimpse at all the amazing breads and pastries they had on display.

As soon as we had over half the group here, we had our first big group lunch while chatting about our lives back home and explaining what inspired us to be on this trip. Following the meal, we moved into our rooms and enjoyed some chill time napping or talking by the pool.

We finished our day with a delicious fish and rice dinner, a few team-building/name games (thank you, napkin holder aka Stewart Bert), and a quick overview of guidelines for the hotel and the program.

We are so excited to meet the rest of our students and begin our trip here in Costa Rica!

Sincerely,

Your GLA staff: Sofia, Rex, Leah, and Ron

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Hello!

We had an amazing day full of laughs and wildlife! It started in San Jose at Hotel Robledal, where we became a complete team after the arrival of our final student! Following a delicious breakfast of coffee and pancakes, we hopped on the bus to make our trek to Utiva. Along the way, the group made a stop at a place called Crocodile Bridge. We spotted a HUGE croc, a caiman, and even watched in awe as two scarlet macaws soared over our heads. We got back in the van and enjoyed the Pacific-coast view for the rest of the van ride to our new homebase (HB).

We finally arrived to beautiful Utiva and were greeted by lunch and some friendly new dogs to pet while we waited in line to wash our hands. Our afternoon consisted of a GLA overview, the swim test (we all passed!), and the Code of Conduct overview. After dinner, Ron led a session about venomous snakes to prepare us for living in the jungle and a hotspot for biodiversity.

With nothing left in our schudule for today, we collected our phones and chatted in common spaces until it was time to go to bed!

We are so excited for tomroow!

Pura Vida!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Hola!

Today we had breakfast at 7:00; it was eggs, rice and beans, watermelon, pineapple, and apples. After breakfast we headed to a community walk in the community of Utiva, including Marina Ballena National park. It was very beautiful and we learned all about the history of Costa Rica, and the plants and animals that make it so special. After the walk we came back to home base and had free time. We swam and played some sports. We then had lunch which was rice, beans, fajitas, and salad.

Then we went to our service site, Kids Saving the Rainforest, where we saw a lot of cool animals, including sloths, spider monkeys, birds, pigs, etc. It was very fun and we all definitely learned a lot. Then we went to the market where we got snacks and things we needed. Then we spent some time relaxing and using our free time to lay in the pool before dinner.

After dinner, we got together as a group to create our community agreement.This agreement states how we want to respect each other, protect our own physical and mental well being, and work as a team while we are here in Costa Rica!

We can’t wait for service tomorrow!

– Leaders of the Day Ella and Abby

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Hola from Costa Rica!

Today we started off early, waking up at 6:00 to eat a quick breakfast and hop on the bus. After an hour long drive, we had a fun day at Kids Helping the Rainforest, making meals for the animals, feeding them, and cleaning out their enclosures. After a long day of working, we headed back to home base for a relaxing afternoon with some rain, and a delicious dinner to finish off the day.

Looking forward to tomorrow,
Sophie and Harper

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Hello everyone!

We started the day off by eating a bright and early breakfast at 6:40. It was extra delicious today, we had chocolate chip pancakes, fruit, eggs, bacon, and a special treat of Nutella!

After we were all fueled up, we made our way to Manuel Antonio National Park. After the 2 hour bus ride we got into groups and walked around. We got to see really cool animals through the telescopes. And there were so many cute sloths. After walking around for a while we finally got to the beach!! We all dove into the water and played around. We even saw the other GLA group at the beach. After a while of swimming and exploring we headed to the restaurant.

Once we were at the restaurant we ate a really good and much needed meal. After we fueled back up/while we were getting ready to leave we spotted monkeys! To top that, we then saw a monkey eating a banana! Can’t get better than that. Once our awe ran out, we hit the shops. We saw some amazing souvenirs, and many people bought some.

Then we embarked on our journey home. After an hour and twenty, we were back at our beloved home base to enjoy yet another delicious meal and even saw some puppies. We are all so excited for the rest of the trip, peace out.

Annika and Lola

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Today we had a later start and got to sleep in, we had fresh fruit, bacon and eggs for breakfast which was really good. After breakfast we headed to the surfing lesson where we learned how waves worked and how the wind affects them. We also learned about rip tides and how to stand up on the board. Then we got to practice before we started surfing. We talked with the instructors which were all really helpful and patient because we were mostly all beginners. As we were leaving the beach we stopped at a stand that sold fresh coconuts which was really cool to see, and we all enjoyed them.

After lunch we had a guest speaker who was a well informed marine biologist, she presented information on the depths of the ocean and all the creatures that live in it. She explained each and every one very well with lots of fun facts and information to keep us engaged and entertained. After we made our own angler fish out of paper plates and pipe cleaners, everyone made different types and styles. It was over all a really cool experience and we’re all super grateful.

At dinner, we celebrated the 4th of July! We had hot dogs and fries followed by some delicious pie with ice cream. We sang songs together while enjoying our dessert.

We are excited for tomorrow!

– Chloe and Charlie Y

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Hi from day 10! Today we started early by returning to Kids Saving the Rainforest for some service in the sanctuary. We started off by making enrichments for the animals, and going into the Capuchins and Macaws cages to watch them interact with their new toys. Then, we listened to a presentation about the importance of replicating the natural habitat in the sanctuary, and habits they’ve been able to observe in the animals.

We then went to the Costa Rica coral restoration lab and then went to the beach to swim and take pictures. Finally, we went back to homebase, then we had dinner and had pasta and then we had mentor groups.

– Leaders of the Day

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 11

Student Arrival Day in San Jose, Costa Rica! Day 1 of welcoming students to Costa Rica: Ocean & Wildlife Conservation Adventure! Looking forward to a fun, safe, and transformative experience for our young leaders!

We have a few more students – Connor, Tahrique, Anderson, Michael, Max, Harper and Sophie – who are arriving later. We can’t wait to meet them!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 12

Journey to Uvita: Kicking Off an Unforgettable Experience in Costa Rica

After a scenic journey from San José to Uvita, our adventure has officially begun! Along the way, we made a memorable stop at the famous Crocodile Bridge, where students caught their first glimpse of Costa Rica’s incredible wildlife and natural beauty.

Once we arrived in Uvita, we dove into Student Orientation—a time to set intentions, build community, and create shared agreements for how we’ll learn and live together over the coming weeks. The highlight? A full group photo with all 22 students and our Mentors Amy and Rex, proudly standing beside the Community Agreements they co-created. These commitments reflect the respect, curiosity, and collaboration that will guide us throughout the program.

We’re feeling energized and grounded as we start our time in this beautiful region. Here’s to an inspiring and transformative experience ahead in Uvita!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 13

Leaders of the Day: Sofia H and Lucy M

This morning we had an early wake-up call at 6 AM and ate a delicious breakfast with the group. Following this, we got on the bus and began our community walk with two kind locals [Community Partners: Noilyn and Henry] where we learned about the beautiful culture of Costa Rica and were introduced to different aspects of Costa Rican Culture. After finishing some locally made ice cream, we bought any last-minute essentials at the supermarket and traveled to our home base for lunch. We then headed to Kids Saving the Rainforest to learn about some of the animals and get prepared for volunteering tomorrow. Lastly, we headed home for dinner and ended the night with some lovely guest speakers and a video showing the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in Costa Rica. – Sofia

Today we started off with a walk through the Marino Ballena National Park and we learned all about the nature and wildlife. We dove more into specific plant species and wildlife. We got to learn and see how locals lived their everyday lives. Next, we stopped at Kids Saving the Rainforest, and we got introduced to all the animals we will be helping and handling all day during our service work tomorrow. – Lucy

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 14

Leaders of the Day: Michael (Mickey) and Leah

Today was very fun and enlightening. We helped out Kids Saving the Rainforest, cleaning the cages, feeding them, preparing food, and giving them enrichment. We got to work closely with sloths, parrots, monkeys, kinkajous, marmosets, and many other cool and exotic animals! It was very interesting to learn about each of the animals’ backstories and their different needs.

Each group got a different experience from foraging for new things to put in the animal cages, to cutting fruit and feeding it to the animals. We learned that insect repellent is harmful to wildlife and that every species and individual animal requires a diet that is tailored to them and their needs. Overall, everyone was able to get a little closer to nature today and further understand why protecting these animals and the rainforest is so important.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 16

Leaders of the Day: Tahrique and Sidney

Beach Day! Today was packed with lots of sights, nature, and animals. We woke up early, had breakfast, and took an hour-long ride to Manuel Antonio National Park. Our lovely park guides pointed out some of Costa Rica’s unique wildlife like frogs, bats, crickets, spiders, and especially monkeys. We were warned of the burglars (monkeys that will still items from tourists), – habits of the capuchins monkeys, but luckily, everyone left with all of their belongings intact.

The beach was slightly cloudy with warm water and mostly everyone swam before lunch. We also enjoyed the hermit crabs that were scattered along the beach. Due to a packed lunch mishap, we ate at a local restaurant and everyone loved it. On the ride home, we played “Guess that Tune?” When we returned to homebase we broke into mentor groups and discussed our goals of the program amidst a short, rain induced power outage. We had a late dinner and headed to bed, tired from the busy day.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 17

Leaders of the Day: Emily and Abraham

Today, we spent the morning learning how to surf. Most everyone was able to stand up on their board and ride a wave, some for the first time. Then we packed up and headed back to home base for some much-needed free time. Most chose to head to the pool and either lay back and relax in the chairs or swim and play games in the water. In the circular pool, we collaborated to make a whirlpool by running in circles until the water spun on its own. After lunch, we had a guest speaker come in and teach us about life in the deep sea. We learned about different creatures that live in the deep, dark waters and how they survive in intense conditions.

Then, everyone took some time on arts and crafts and made their own angler fish out of paper plates. Then we had dinner before a presentation where we learned about different perspectives of ecotourism. We were split into groups, each having a different role such as “Government Official” or “Tourist” and debated and discussed the different viewpoints. Overall, in doing so we learned about the pros and cons of ecotourism.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19

Leaders of the Day: Kalea S and Olivia K

On today’s adventure, we went ziplining! The highlight of the day was getting dropped into the water at the end. After that, we swam in the waterfall and had lunch consisting of rice, beans, chicken, and salad. For our service part of the day, we went to Marino Ballena National Park and did a beach clean-up. After dinner, we had a delicious fruit party consisting of exotic Costa Rican Fruits. In all, today was a success as leaders of the day!