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.

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 21

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

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22

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

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23

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

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24

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

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

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

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25

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

– Lena

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

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

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

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

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

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

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

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

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

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

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

– LOD,

Habiba

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

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

– Sophia

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Dear families,

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

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

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

– Loulou

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

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

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Boy oh boy, we had an amazing day today. We started the day right in early at 6 AM to leave for our service. When we arrived at the hatchery, we were pleasantly surprised by a bunch of baby turtles that we got to release into the ocean. After that we began our service work of building a new hatchery. After a long hard three hours, we came back to the hotel for some delicious breakfast and some well-deserved rest and pool time. After that, we had lunch, mentor groups and a leadership activity.

We learnt a lot about ourselves and how leadership is such a big part in our lives. We then headed into town for a nice walk and some grocery runs. Once we headed back to the hotel, we had a delicious dinner and a very festive Fourth of July celebration with root beer floats. And that’s the end day 14 of our amazing trip.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Today we woke up bright and early to go to our service! It was a great service day today — we accomplished so much more than was expected of us and are so close to finishing our work at the hatchery. After a very rewarding 3 hours of service, we had some delicious breakfast and fun beach time! Everyone had a great time wading in the water, looking for shells, or tanning with yummy juices and milkshakes in hand. Then we drove back to the hotel, ate lunch, and were given some chill time to rest after a long day. People spent their time doing different things but we all felt rested and ready for mentor groups. After mentor groups (different groups did different things), we had dinner and spent some time together before heading to our rooms for some hopefully amazing sleep and sweet dreams.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

We started the day early in the morning and went to service. At service we saw little turtles go to the ocean and then we kept sifting through the sand and then put the sifted sand back in its place. Then we had some free time. In the afternoon we went to the insect museum, where we saw amazing insects with beautiful colors. After that we went to town and when we got back we played some games all together.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Today we had another early wake up call at 6 AM and we got in the bus and drove to the turtle hut with a surprise, waiting for us, there were two batches of turtles that were hatched and ready to be released into the ocean! So we took them and gently dumped them on the sand so they could make their way into the ocean. Then, we went back to the hatchery and ended up finishing our work on the new hatchery by the end of the day. After we finished, our hard work paid off because we got to swim in the ocean and have fun on the beach. Then we had breakfast on the beach which was rice and beans, plantains and cheese. After we rinsed off and got in the bus to go to home base and we had lunch. After that we did a leadership activity where we looked back on our goals from the start of the trip and made new ones for when we leave. Then we went to the Biosur museum we went to yesterday and Jim the CEO talked to us about climate change, and what we can do to help. After that we drove back and finished the leadership activity we were doing before. Then we had dinner and then went to bed.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

The day started early, eating breakfast on the bus ride to Drake Bay, letting people wake up or sleep on the way there. Once we got there, we were picked up in a boat together by Drake Divers in order to get us to the side of the island called The Garden, where we would be snorkeling.

The tour began by learning the three ways to handle our lifejackets, and receiving the goggles and flippers. We took our two sessions back-to-back, managing to catch sight of sharks, starfish, multiple turtles, and a variety of fish. As well as the changing landscape of the sea floor.

Finally, we finished the day back at the hotel with a bonfire, and a short activity using sticks being thrown into the fire to represent something we wanted to leave behind. Afterwards, roasting s’mores and reminiscing about favourite memories before the end of the trip. I’m going to miss you all.

SJ

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Today was our last travel day. After breakfast we left behind our 3rd home base and started on the road. Around noon, after a long music filled and social bus ride, we stopped at the other GLA group’s home base to have lunch. There we had chicken and our regular rice and beans. After a filling lunch we drove for another few hours to the gift shop and some bought souvenirs, next we finally arrived at our first and final home base of the 2025 GLA 21 day Marine Conservation Expedition.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

For our last day of adventure we got the opportunity to see a dormant volcano turned lagoon in the beautiful mountains of Costa Rica. There we got the amazing opportunity to kayak and explore the lagoon. On the way back to home-base we stopped for scrumptious strawberry’s and cake. Once back we had our final dinner and partook in a group activity including an appreciation circle which highlighted how close we all got. We are so grateful to have had this wonderful experience. Bitter sweet ending but we can’t wait to see you all back at home.

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 1

Hi family and friends, The GLA Costa Rica: Marine Conversation and Sea Turtle Expedition 14 (MCSTE 14) day program is officially up and running!

Between 7.55am and 11.20pm, all 24 students arrived safely in country.

Today was a chill day in which students got a chance to get to know each other and the staff team.

This morning we woke up early and are currently about 1 hour into our 5 hour trip to Montezuma, where we will be based for the next 6 nights. Later today once we’re checked into our hotel, we will play some energizer games, do some team building challenges and run our program orientation.

That’s all for now folks!

Saludos,

GLA MCSTE 14 Team (Ryan, Fernanda, Cos and Laila)

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

The GLA Marine Conservation and Sea Turtle Expedition kicked off its second day of programming!

We woke up bright and early to catch the ferry from San Jose over to our second home base in Montezuma. We got settled in, enjoyed a yummy lunch, and soon began our GLA program orientation.

We covered important policies, the GLA leadership curriculum, and much more! Afterwards, students bonded through card games and a yummy pasta dinner!

To end the night we developed a Community Agreement to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students.

We are excited to welcome all 24 students to the program, pictured in our first official program group photo!

Looking forward to our first day of service tomorrow!

Best,

GLA MCSTE 14 Team Mentor – Laila Jones

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Hola from Costa Rica!

Today, we woke up and got ready for service at ASVO. ASVO is an organization focused on sea turtle conservation. We learned how to create nests for sea turtle eggs and we also learned about the differences between the species of turtles in Costa Rica!

After service, we walked into town for gelato and snacks at the super market. We spent some time enjoying our gelato then went back to our Homebase for lunch before getting ready for our swim tests at a the pool at a nearby hotel.

At the hotel with the pool we played fun games like splat and follow the leader while small groups of five were assessed on their swimming skills. After every person finished their test we all got in the pool for some swimming time and also enjoyed delicious snacks and drinks at the restaurant.

We ended the day with a delicious dinner and some more team building activities. We talked about the importance of being present during our GLA program and taking a step away from our tech, in order to learn and benefit from this experience in the most impactful way.

So far it’s been an amazing program filled with amazing food, friends, and fun!

Pura Vida from your leaders of the day: Isabelle C, Isabel Y, and Laney!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Friday the 4th we started our morning by celebrating Independence Day with pancakes! Soon after, we left for service to clean the town playground.

After working up a sweat we came back to home base and enjoyed one of the many home cooked meals! To influence a deeper sense the Costa Rican culture, we explored the town of Montezuma and made our suitcases and stomachaches heavier.

Before leaving for night patrol, we had an early dinner, and our very first mentor group in which we learned more about our fellow travelers!

To end the night we had a once and a lifetime experience and saw baby turtles hatching!!! In awe, we would have wished to stay, but due to weather we had to cut the experience short, because of the local weather. Despite the crushing downpour, our spirits were high from the amazing experience!

Pura Vida, from your leaders of the day!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Today, we woke up feeling energized and ready for the day ahead. We had a delicious breakfast and then headed to the beach to assist ASVO with cleaning up. The physical effort needed for this task was a lot harder compared to the previous day. However, we grew together as a group because of the teamwork needed to move some of the larger logs. By moving this drift wood we cleared up space so that the turtles could find the perfect spots for themselves to lay eggs. After around two and a half hours of awesome work we headed back to the hotel for a quick turnaround to get lunch.

After Lunch we all got ready to play some beach volleyball. On the way we walked through a small market with some of us grabing some trinkets. Volleyball was a great time and the beach was beautiful. Halfway through our group split with some of us going to town and the other half staying to play some more.

Following the beach volleyball was our leadership activity where we defined what made a leader and what leadership’s definition is to us all.

Dinner soon followed with some delicious burgers and fries filling us all up for our night patrol with ASVO, an organization dedicated to sea turtle protection. With volunteers from ASVO we patrolled the beach looking for sea turtles and sea turtles nests to collect and protect the eggs.

We all finished the night with sunset circle where we gave shoutouts for the day and assigned our new leaders of the day for tomorrow Andrew and Isa.

Special shout out to Andrew! Happy birthday Andrew!!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

We woke up at 7:30 to participate in some group yoga in the yoga room. These stretches helped to get awake and ready for the day. After that around 8:30 we went down to breakfast and had a delicious mango purée bowl topped with sliced strawberries.

Next up, at 10:30 was the group debate. This debate centred around a conflict between an environmental students club, a local conservation organization, local small business, and the fisher-people’s association. The local conservation organization and the environmental students club argued that because of tourism’s negative impacts on local sea turtle populations, measures should be put in place to decrease tour group size and prevent tourists from entering turtle nesting areas. On the other hand, the fisher-people’s association and the local small business saw this proposed change as a attack on their income and fear that these new restrictions will cause less tourism and in turn less income.

Individuals were put into one of the four groups and were tasked with learning the specifics of each side’s argument. We had to listen and respond to points from the other groups before all finding a consensus decision in the end.

This activity was very helpful as it taught us to not look at an argument as just black and white. Furthermore, each side in an argument has positives to what they are saying and choosing a solution that just benefits one side is often never the answer. After the debate, around 12:30, we had a classic Costa Rican lunch of plantains, chicken and rice, as well as beans. This meal was tasty and filling, allowing us to be fuelled up and ready to go for the afternoon.

After our delicious home cooked lunch, our group got on the bus to head towards Curu wildlife refuge where we would be starting our activities of the day! Once we arrived, we explored one of the many hiking trails in the refuge where we walked across long wooden bridges overlooking the swamp adjacent to the ocean.

After our hike, we set off to one of Costa Rica’s most famous islands, isle Tortuga (Turtle island!). After arriving by boat, we got to play games with our mentors and fellow students in the water and take in the stunning tropical landscape and sunset.

Once it was dark, it was time for one of the most anticipated events of our trip, boating through bioluminescence! Our group split up into two boats and we ventured out into the water, where we got to dip our hands into the ocean and watch the as shimmering sparkles appeared from underneath us.

Finally, we arrived back in Curu where we enjoyed hearty group dinner at the local restaurant and reminisced about our favorite moments of the day before heading back on the buses to home base!

Looking forward to the days full of food, fun and fascinating views coming up! -Isa & Andrew

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

A Day of Sun, Sand, and Surprises: Students Take on the Beach Tournament

The day began with sunshine and excitement as we headed to the first beach for a refreshing morning swim and some much-needed relaxation. With the ocean breeze and warm sand, the group enjoyed free time splashing in the waves and hanging out together. Later, we strolled into town, where some students picked up snacks and treats while exploring the local shops.

After a return to base and a quick lunch, the second half of the day kicked off with spirited beach games at a second beach location. Students teamed up and competed in fun games against each other, creating memories filled with teamwork and friendly rivalry.

As the sun set, everyone gathered for dinner—and just when we thought the day was winding down, a surprise music artist lit up the evening. A local singer energized the group with live music, while students danced and celebrated under the stars, ending the beach tournament day with rhythm, joy, and a lot of laughter.

Pura Vida from your leaders of the day!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Today the group was moving to our new home base. We began by waking up early for our ride to the ferry! On the way we played lots of uppity and positive music like reggae to make the ride better. On the ferry lots of us including myself enjoyed card games like slap jack. Almost everyone played and it made the hour long ferry feel like nothing. In the afternoon we had lunch at the “crocodile cafe,” and then we got to walk on the nearby bridge to see the crocodiles. We saw three huge ones right beneath us!!! Then we drove for what felt like forever to our next HB in Parrita. Our new HB is beautiful with hammocks under plam trees and the ocean right across the road! We ended the day with a delicious meal made by the staff here and met with our mentor groups. Then we ended the day with some epic karaoke(especially by Ryan- the international director) and went to bed after a long day of travel.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

This morning started bright and early with breakfast at 7. By 8, we were on the bus and headed out for our service project—about an hour away. Once we arrived, we split into two groups to help prepare the beach for sea turtle nesting season.

One group got to work cleaning up the sand and clearing trash to make sure the turtles have a safe and clean place to lay their eggs. The other group tackled the tougher job: pulling weeds and digging up huge spiky plants to help make room for the hatchery.

After about an hour of work, we took a quick snack break before switching tasks. Everyone got a chance to try both jobs, and even though it was hot and the plants were intense, we all pushed through and made a lot of progress.

We wrapped up around 11:30 and headed back to base just in time for lunch.

Once back at our base, we had lunch, followed by an informative session led by Ryan (the international director) about the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Since many of us were not familiar with these goals, the activity raised our awareness of just how crucial each one is and helped us see the importance of the work we are doing. We then had some free time, which most of us spent in the pool. After dinner, we came together for a sunset circle and then met with our mentor groups to practice for the upcoming talent show. To finish off the day, many of us enjoyed karaoke, smoothies, and foosball!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

This morning we started our day bright and early with a zip lining adventure. After arriving at the park, we got fitted into our harnesses and hiked about 10 minutes through the forest to reach the first line. Along the hike we saw sugar cane, soursop trees, vanilla bean and pepper corn.

In addition to the many lines we also swung on a Tarzan swing that launched us forward like a jungle rope swing. Many of us chose to do the Super Man line, flying over a river in a full-body harness.

After the Super Man, we all met back at the restaurant for lunch. We enjoyed fresh star fruit, guava juice, and lunch with chicken and rice.

After lunch, we headed back and jumped straight into a high-energy Latin dance class. We learned the basics of bachata, salsa, and merengue, lots of laughs, a few missteps, and some serious rhythm from people we didn’t expect!

Following the class, we had some well-deserved free time to relax, recharge, and reflect on the day’s adventures. Then, we regrouped for dinner, where the food—and the company—was just what we needed before the night’s big event.

To cap off the evening, we held a fun and friendly talent show. Everyone brought their A-game, showcasing everything from singing and dancing to skits and surprising hidden talents. Afterward, we had a mentor group competition, where each group performed a choreographed dance. The Fishes took the win with an unforgettable performance and are now leading in the mentor group challenge!

We ended the night on a sweet note, singing happy birthday to one of our fellow students before hanging out and winding down together. Lights were out by 10:30, but the memories from today will definitely stick with us for a long time.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Today we had breakfast at 7 and immediately after went to our service at the beach where we cleared land for turtle hatcheries. Everyone worked really hard even though the hot sun was tiring all of us. At 11:30 we went back to the hotel but had a stop in the middle where everyone got some delicious ice cream to get our energy back after the hard work! At lunch we had rice, beans and chicken. Afterwards, we got ready and headed to cooking class where we had fun making tortillas and picadillo de papaya. We got back and had a little bit of free time before dinner. We then had our sunset circle before ryan taught us some Scottish dancing and it was so much fun. after that we all hung out before it was time for bed.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Today we woke up bright and early to make and pack our breakfast for the day, and later quickly headed out on an hour drive to Manuel Antonio National Park!

At the park we went on a guided tour and had the chance to look through a special telescope to see all the animals and plants native to Costa Rica up close and personal, sloths, crabs, snakes, birds, and more! Following the tour, we made a quick stop at a concession stand for some snacks and drinks as we headed to the beach to play games and swim in the cool waters.

For lunch we walked to a local restaurant and enjoyed delicious meals like chicken curry and chicken fajitas that we had picked the day before. As we finished our meals we split into three groups with each of our mentors/directors to go explore town and do a little shopping.

Afterwards we had lunch outside of manuel antonio, we headed back to home base and rested for a bit. after that some of us got dressed up and took pictures by the lobby and outside. then we ate dinner, and headed to sunset circle. we played a quick game, and did our last leadership activity. during this activity we reflected on the SMART goals we had made earlier in the trip and how we succeeded or worked towards them throughout our time in costa rica. after we shared some of our personal goals, the group came up with a SMART goal that as a group we would like to work towards once we leave. our group discussed and realized we wanted to focus on sustainable consumption in terms of water. we spoke specifically about taking shorter showers, avoiding single use bottled water, and overall being mindful about our water usage. we ended the night with our second-to-last sunset circle and went to bed to prepare for our last day of service that we have the next day.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Heyo 🙂

Today we woke up at 7am again to have a breakfast of a ham omelet and bread. Soon after, we all hopped on the buses to go to our final service activity, though most of that time was spent playing catch the bacon and shopping at the small market there, instead of playing games with kids as we planned.

After we went back to the hotel, we spent another hour finishing packing our bags and grabbing our final drinks at the bar. The lunch of the day was a taco salad sort of meal with a big tortilla chip with layers of beans, sauce, meat/pork, lettuce, sour cream, and other small ingredients. Immediately after eating our final meal at the hotel, we hopped on the buses again and said goodbye to parrita.

Our ride to the final hotel was long, and I mean really really long. After maybe 2 hours of driving, we made it to the massive souvenir shop, El Jardin, which was filled with magnets, clothes, and various other touristy items.

We finished the night by arriving at the new home base, settling in and having our final mentor group activity.

We closed the night out with our appreciation circle. Where we reminisced the trip we had to close out our 2-week GLA experience!

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 14

Hi Family and Friends, The GLA Costa Rica: Marine Conversation and Sea Turtle Expedition 14 day program is officially up and running!

By 2.30pm 18 of our 21 students arrived in Costa Rica. One more student will be arriving later tonight and two more will join us tomorrow.

Today we had lunch, completed the swim test and then had dinner before having an early night to catch up on sleep.

Tomorrow morning we will be waking up early to travel approximately 5 hours to Montezuma, where we will be based for the next 6 nights. Tomorrow afternoon, we will play some energizer games, do some team building challenges and run our program orientation.

That’s all for now folks!

Saludos,

GLA MCSTE Team (Fernanda, Ryan, Cos, Laila and Stacey)

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 15

The GLA Marine Conservation and Sea Turtle Expedition kicked off its second day of programming!

We woke up bright and early to catch the ferry from San Jose over to our second home base in Montezuma; we got settled in and soon began our GLA program orientation.

We covered important policies, the GLA leadership curriculum, and much more. As orientation continued, we were kindly greeted by several visitors: white-faced monkeys! We took a break to observe the wildlife, ate some snacks, and continued with orientation. Afterwards, we settled for a yummy dinner!

To close the night out students wrote a future letter to themselves to read after their GLA experience, and they reflected on ways they hope to grow from their time abroad. We ended the night by developing our community agreement and welcoming our last two students who arrived!

We can now welcome all 21 students to the program, pictured in our first official program group photo!

Looking forward to our first day of service tomorrow!

Best,

GLA MCSTE Team Mentor – Laila Jones

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 16

Hello from Montezuma!

Today we started off the day with breakfast at 7 am followed by service with ASVO. ASVO focuses on expanding the sea turtle population through creating a habitat for the turtle eggs.

At service we practiced digging holes for sea turtles to lay their eggs in. It was super rainy and we were soaking wet by the end, but we still had a great time. After service we enjoyed some free time and a yummy meal!

Following that we all did a fun leadership activity called Social Sync involving what GLA stands for, such as the phone policy, and some time to get to know each other better.

The last part of the day was spent exploring the beautiful coastal town of Montezuma and a lovely dinner. We began our mentor groups and ended our third day here in Costa Rica!

We celebrated Wyatt’s 17th birthday after dinner with a special cake.

“Pura Vida” from the leaders of the day, Alicia and Aislean!

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 17

Hola!

For our fourth day in Costa Rica, following a filling breakfast the crew left for our first service of the day. Today we cleaned the beach by picking up plastic and trash. We filled so many bags! This work improves the quality of the beach and makes it safer for turtles to come onto shore. After our first service of the day, we came back to another amazing meal.

After lunch we all got together in the Yoga room where we participated in plenty of leadership activities. We created a tree drawing where we expressed where we come from (our roots) and our core values (the tree trunk). We then split off into small groups and agreed on a main goal that we have for this program, and an individual goal we can strive to!

Next we all slapped on our rain jackets and took a stroll into town where we got to enjoy the local gelato! On our way back we played a big game of beach volleyball before heading back to home base.

Everyone showered up before we had a fantastic dinner that Chef Kati prepared for us. We all then surprised Paige with some yummy cake for her big 17th birthday!

The day is not over yet! We then got ready in all black attire for our second service of the day. We walked back to ASVO, where we walked along the beach patrolling the turtles fortresses and had a hermit crab race! At around 10 pm we stumbled upon an olive redly turtle that was ready to lay her eggs. Abby and Wyatt won the race and collected 104 sea turtle eggs and brought them back to the hatchery.

After a long busy day, everyone was ready for lights out and got cozy for bedtime!

I hope you enjoyed today’s update from your group leaders, Willa and Abby! Adios!

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18

Today for our fifth day of the program we got up at 7:00 ate breakfast and then prepared our self for our third day of service. At service we helped pick up logs in front of the beach in Monezuma. It was very exciting to help the beach and make it a better place than we found it. After that then we went back to the hotel where we cleaned up and ate lunch afterwards we headed off for a very fun pool day!! The weather held up very nicely and everyone got to relax after our hard work this morning. After the pool we all headed back for dinner and then got ready for our night patrol at the beach! We patrolled for turtles and helped clean the hermit crabs out of the hatchery. Overall a very fun and eventful day with great sunny weather!!!

Sea you later from Paige

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19

Hello from Montezuma! It is day 6 the second to last day here. We started off the day with a debate about whether to prioritize marine conservation over the local economy or the local economy over marine conservation. We had 4 different perspectives to hear from including the fisherman, local businesses, students and the locals. Before lunch we had a quick check in with our mentor groups about our experience on the trip so far.

After lunch we drove 40 minutes to a beach where we saw Costa Rican raccoons that looked like lemurs. We boarded 2 separate boats and headed out to tortuga island which like its name looks like a turtle. Arriving to the beach we jumped out of the boat and swam ashore. The island was beautiful, had a beach volleyball court, peacocks, and they even gave us fresh fruit. After around an hour of swimming we all got back on the boats and headed towards the bioluminescent.

After 10 minutes of boating and we arrived at the spot looking down into the water small blue dots all around to boat. Sticking our hands in the magical blue swarmed all around us. The tour guides then scooped up a bucket of water and poured it in the boat which was awesome. The dinoflagellates, the creatures that produce the blue light, lit up all around our feet, eventually we went back to the dock and on the way back we could see the bioluminescent all around us. Getting back to the original beach we ate dinner and had spaghetti. Over all it was amazing and everyone had a great time.

Talk to you later from Kaiden and Corinne

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20

Today was our 7th day of the program, and we started it off by getting up at around 8:30 for breakfast. Then, we left for the Montezuma beach at 9:45 for swimming, volleyball, and other beach activities. After that, we walked back to the hotel for rest/shower time. After refreshing and recharging we had a delicious Costa Rican lunch to fuel us for the beach Olympics.

In our beach olympics, mentor groups competed against each other artistic, theatrical, logical, and sporty challenges. There was lots of fun and laughter mixed with competitiveness, and in the end, the Fish Group took the win!

After our exciting games we headed to Cabuya, a cemetery island that is only able to be walked to during low tide. We walked around and took in the beauty before heading back to the hotel for a delicious barbecue dinner.

Lastly, after our meal, we had some live music played for us on our last night in Montezuma! We danced our hearts out to traditional Costa Rican music, and got ready to head out tomorrow morning for Parrita.

Pura Vida 🌺

-Leaders of the Day, Grace and Wyatt

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21

Today, after a late night of dancing, we slept in and woke up to a hearty breakfast of smoothie bowls, eggs, and toast to energize us for our long day of traveling. We departed from Montezuma at 9:45 after saying goodbye to our home base, and headed for the ferry port.

After about an hour on the boat, we headed out to Crocodile Bridge, stopping for a buffet-style lunch. After our meal, we went over to the bridge previously mentioned, and looked down at the crocodiles there.

Then, we got back on the bus and drove to our final stop of the day- our new home base in Parrita. Our new location has lovely communal spaces of an open restaurant/bar area, a pool, and hammocks. It’s also filled with countless wildlife, including monkeys, iguanas, and birds.

After dinner, and unpacking, we met with our mentor groups where we had a quick check-in and played some fun games. Then, it was time to say goodnight, and rest for our first day of service in Parrita!

-Your leaders of the day,

Elle and Hadley

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22

Today was our first day in our new location, Parrita. We started our morning with breakfast then drove to our service with Victor. Victor is a local who saw the need for action in his community, but nobody was stepping up so he decided he needed to. Last year, he saved over 200 nests, releasing 15,000 baby turtles

We first had a surprise with three newly hatched baby turtles who were ready to be released into the ocean. While there, we were accompanied by their friendly dogs. After, we split into three groups; one painted signs in english or spanish about the hatchery and planet, one to make a new turtle nest for the eggs found last night, and one to do beach cleanup in the area. When finished, Victor got some us some fresh coconuts from the tree to drink and eat the meat.

After service we made a pit stop to get fresh mango, pineapple, banana, and papaya. We headed back to the hotel for lunch, then went to our leadership activity. Today we learned about SDG’s (sustainable developmental goals). These 17 goals were agree on by the 193 United Nations member states in 2015. They are goals meant to be accomplished by 2030 to help create a better the world. We also discussed major issues that we saw on a local, national, and global level.

Later, we were able to have a couple hours of free time for bonding to go in the pool and get ready for dinner. After dinner, we met back up to finish our conversation on SDG’s and have sunset circle. Lastly, we met with our mentor groups to practice for tomorrow’s talent show, then spent the last hour before lights out playing pool and singing karaoke.

See you tomorrow!

Leader of the Day,
Maddie

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23

Today we had an early start and enjoyed a packed breakfast on the bus. We had an hour drive to zip lining in the rainforest. Zip lining was so much fun and all of the students participated in exciting activities, such as 10 zip lines, 2 drops, 1 swing, and 1 Superman. (The Superman is a zip line where participants put on full body harnesses and travel horizontally down a zip line.) Afterwards, we took a tour through the butterfly and snake center, which hosted a variety of Costa Rican species. The zip lining place also had three crocodiles, which students were able to see clearly.

We had a delicious lunch including chicken, rice, beans, and salad provided by the restaurant at the zip lining location before heading back to the hotel.

After lunch we headed back to the hotel. We had some free time to take showers, swim, or take naps in the hammocks. We had a dance class led by a Costa Rican dance instructor, where we learned how to do the salsa, bachata, and merengue. The dance class was followed by some more free time in which we swam in the rain. After a quick shower we gathered again for sunset circle to pick new leaders, do shoutouts, and go over the following day. Dinner was at 6:30 where we ate mashed potatoes, chicken with salad, and for dessert, tres leches cake. After dinner we did some karaoke. At 10:00 we got ready for bed, and lights were out by 10:30.

Pura Vida – from your leaders of the day!

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24

We started the day off with breakfast at 7 then took the bus to our service for the day. We met with (conservation organization) to help clear vegetation for a new turtle hatchery. After our service, we stopped at a famous ice cream shop called pops, then drove back for lunch.

Afterwards we met with a local Costa Rican lady to have our cooking class. We started from scratch with corn kernels then turned that into dough for empanadas with beans and cheese. We drove back to home base for sunset circle and dinner, then ended our day with a trip recap quiz, mentor groups and a super fun dance class from our international director Ryan.

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25

We started off the morning early with breakfast on the bus and made our way to Manuel Antonio National Park. We got the chance to see bats, frog eggs, hummingbirds, crabs, iguanas, spiders, and five three toed sloths! After stopping for snacks, we swam at the beach and then headed off to lunch.

After having lunch at a restaurant nearby we headed off to the souvenir shops right down the street. Many of the shops sold dresses, tops, and jewelry. After walking around the shops for a bit, we headed back to our base where we rested before doing our daily sunset circle. Then we had dinner at the base and we wrapped up the night with a leadership activity reflecting our trip.

Talk to you later – From your 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

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 8

Pura Vida!

Today was a great start to our last session. We welcomed 20 students to Costa Rica, each bringing their own energy and excitement. Throughout the day, they arrived at Liberia Airport and made their way to our home base.

Once here, everyone got settled into their rooms, completed health checks and swim tests, and began getting to know each other. In the afternoon, we went to the beach to play soccer and frisbee and and took a lot of photos during sunset.

For dinner, we shared a traditional Costa Rican meal—casado—with rice, beans, chicken, salad, and a taste of local culture. Afterward, we played icebreaker games and talked about our phone policy, focusing on how we can be present and engaged during our time together.

Tomorrow, we’ll have our orientation and begin our first steps toward the service projects ahead. Thank you to all the families and friends for your trust and encouragement. Please continue to follow our journey here on the blog and leave us a message—we’d love to hear from you.

Mentor RJ

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 10

Hello everyone!! Today the students had there first adventure day. It started off with waking up nice and early to drive two hours to the adventure. The students were given on the go breakfast which everyone enjoyed. The adventure of the day was tubing and zip lining! During this experience the students learned to over come some of their fears and step out of there comfort zone. After this fun adventure the students went to go eat lunch at a buffet style restaurant where we celebrated Louis’ birthday in advance.

After lunch the students had the chance to go to a market to buy some souvenirs. After everyone got back from the adventure the students had a delicious dinner prepared by the staff at the hotel. Then the students partook in team building activities involving fair play, good sportsmanship, and Costa Rican culture. When the games concluded the students went to bed to wake up early to start our first day of service!

By Tatum, Rowan, and Liam

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 11

The day started off with an early wake up so GLA students could begin their services. After building nests for sea turtles as well as painting community benches, the attended a Costa Rican dance class. This consisted of multiple traditional Spanish dances. There’s was lots of fun competition between tribes, each team taking home one victory. The day ended with mentor groups where people connected with others and learned more about each other.

By Piper Sean Mia

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 12

Pura Vida! Today we had our fifth day in Costa Rica and our second day of community service!

For our morning Pura Vida session, we played ‘Eyes up, heads down.’ After our breakfast, we set off for service.

In UC, we went to La Florcita and helped build a tire fence to keep the cows away from the children when it’s mango season. We filled those tires with dirt and flowers to keep the playground looking nice. We had also taken trips to get gravel for the playground floor and soil for inside the tire fence. At the end some of us played fútbol with two of the kids that live in the community.

In VerdiAzul, we built three turtle nests by digging holes and replacing the bacteria infected sand with clean sand. We also picked up logs and driftwood that would be in the way of the turtles reaching their nests. Along with that, we picked up the microplastics on the beach to prevent the turtles from choking.

Once everyone had finished their four hours of service, we came back and had lunch and spent time at the pool until we went to a cooking class. At our cooking class, we learned how to make empanadas with one of the locals in the community. After we made and at our empanadas, we all played a 10 v 10 fútbol match between our group tribes. Some of the kids in the community came and played in the match with us.

We got on the bus again and went back to our hotel to eat dinner and do our nightly routine. Something new that we did today was a current events debate and that wrapped up our day!

By Evie, Jack, and Maddie 🇨🇷🐢

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 13

In the morning We played our pura vida game, it was infection tag. Then for Verdi Azul service we dug 5 turtle nests. For UC we finished putting up posts and flowers for the playground. We had beach Olympics in the afternoon and saw baby turtles on the beach.

And happy birthday Louis!

By Gabe, Vivian, Emma