Uncategorized - Part 20

June 7, 2024 by Ashley Welter

Costa Rica: Beachside Service Adventure (June 23 – July 2, 2024)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Hello All!

What an incredible experience this has been for all of us! As we sat in the silence of Home Base, once all of you left at the airport, we realized how empty it will feel here without you guys! There was no one splashing in the pool, no one sneaking off to the ice-cream shop and no one coming to sit in the air-conditioning in the office! What are we going to do without you?
There were so many memories that seemed like yesterday – all of you lined-up playing games in the Rancho on the first night, your first dip in the ocean at Playa Negra, meeting your service groups, battling through trivia, writing your goals, showing yours talents, dancing and cooking and running every day through the rain and so much more!

We are so proud of you for dedicating your time and energy and hard-work towards becoming the GLA leaders that we knew you could become. Like we said on the first day, keep working to find your voice and show-up in the way you can and want for this world! Keep raising your hand to getting involved and feel confidence in that we and your peers believe and see so many things in you!

You are the change!

Know that we will continue sharing your stories with the other leaders to come. Sending love, energy and kindness from our little haven on Playa Junquillal always!

Wish you all the happiness in the world!
With love, Michelle

Hola a todos!
I hope you’re all doing well and settling back into life after our amazing time in Costa Rica. We spent 10 days together immersing ourselves in Costa Rica’s culture and landscapes, but more importantly, we dove into what it means to make a positive impact on the world. I saw each of you grow in so many ways over the course of this session. Whether it was overcoming personal challenges, seeing things from new perspectives, or discovering strengths you didn’t know you had, it’s been a joy to witness.

I encourage you to carry the lessons and memories from Costa Rica with you. I hope each of you have learned something about yourselves and the world around you. Keep seeking out ways to be the change—whether it’s standing up for what you believe in, helping those in need, or just approaching life with an open heart and positive mindset.

Wishing you all the best in everything you do.

Pura vida!

Digby

Hey guys!

By the time you are reading this it will have been a while since you all left Costa Rica. I hope you all have good memories from those 10 crazy days. I know that there were some tough moments, but I’m sure each of you are going to keep something valuable inside of you from this trip. Something that is going to help you in your life’s journey. Even if you haven’t realized it yet. Be proud of yourselves for being brave enough to decide to challenge yourselves out of your comfort zone and try new things that you had never tried before. You made it, guys! Stay positive! Keep manifesting the good things you want in your life! And be the change this world needs… You have already taken the first step! See you soon amigos!

¡Pura Vida! – Mireia

Buenas Chic@s!

Miss you already! This experience was full of twists and turns, literally down the river from tubing. You had the chance to make an important impact on the community and on peoples’ lives. You got invovled in environmental work that benefits everyone, including you and the ones you love. Even more exciting, you got to see yourself grow and learn in ways you didn’t think you would.

I had lots of fun with you, seeing you become more of the leader you are. Remember this is just a step in a larger journey that’s bigger than ourselves. I hope you’re home and starting to reflect and maybe even practicing more Costa Rican phrases you’ve learned.

Love you all! Pura Vida!
TJ

Hi guys!!

What a great time we had these past days! I feel so much joy and gratitude for having spent time working with you in service, mentor groups and as a whole community in Costa Rica. I will cherish all these memories at the bottom of my heart with love and appreciation. I would like this opportunity to invite you to always be proud of yourself and your accomplishments remember that getting out of your comfort zone is a great way to showcase your strengths as individuals. I want to congratulate you all for taking the initiative to travel and work to shift your perspective about life by serving a different community.

With appreciation,
Cristopher

Hi you guys :)!

It’s been a while since we began our Costa Rican journey together, but I continue to cherish all the memories we created here in Playa Junquillal! Your passion, excitement, and friendships you built were so inspiring. From floating through the Costa Rican jungle to getting our hands dirty in service, you all showed persistence! I hope you all carry the lessons you learned and your OMG goal and continue to change the world! Remember, every small action can lead to big changes.

Much love- Andy

Hi everyone!

I hope you all are doing amazing and remembering all the wonderful memories from Costa Rica. You should feel so proud of everything you accomplished in just ten days! Coming to a new country with new people is incredibly challenging. Thank you for pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and making the most of your time here. I encourage you to remember that it’s ok to be uncomfortable when trying new things. Sometimes it’s in this discomfort that we learn and grow the most! Keep being courageous and trying new things!

Stay kind
-Emma

Hey everyone,

Hope you’re all doing awesome and getting back into the swing of things after our amazing time at the Costa Rica beachside service! Those days on the beach were seriously incredible, full of lessons learned, personal growth, and tons of fun.

Looking back on our time together, whether it was chilling out on the beach in the mornings or jumping into service projects with enthusiasm, each of you brought something special to our group. Your energy, positivity, and openness to new adventures were really impressive.

Take care,
Marco

Hola amigos 👋🏼

Thank you all for an amazing 10 days! I know it can be super scary traveling to a new country, either with friends or by yourself but you all did it and you all stepped out of your comfort zones during this project! You should be very proud of yourselves! I’m really hoping you can all take something away from your time in Costa Rica and that you take time to reflect back on this trip and the things which you’ve learnt. Sending all the luck across the ocean for whatever comes your way in life, just remember to work hard, even when it gets tough & keep smiling!

Big hugs from your British Mentor – Melissa 🌍 🌊

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things to know and expect:

Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

P.S. Are you interested in supporting the Global Leadership Adventures International Foundation? We invite you to learn more about GLAIF and consider donating here.

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23

Buenos días!!

Wow! What a great start to an amazing adventure! We are so excited to begin!

Although starting with a little bit of rain, we were excited to get the whole group together finally and start our exciting 10 days to come! With only a few delays, the first of us arrived on Home Base in the afternoon and we jumped right into getting comfortable living in our little jungle resort and meeting our new friends! It´s definitely hot and humid in this new home so a nice dip in the pool was a welcome refresh from traveling from all corners of the world to get here.

As the sun started to slowly set, we gathered the 34 of us who had made it here to go and say hello to the ocean for the very first time! Only a two-minute walk from the front steps of our two bungalows, our beach is big and beautiful and invited us with the mixing-colored skies of the sunset. What a lucky sight to see here in Costa Rica! It was one of the most beautiful we had yet and definitely a sign that this is going to be a great session together!

Sunset was followed by a traditional dinner of chicken with rice, beans and maduro frito (sweet bananas) which everyone seemed to enjoy! Afterwards, we played games to get to know each other and had the last few hours of the day to do check-ins at home before going to sleep for the night.

So much to come and already feeling the good vibes! Still eagerly waiting for two to arrive so that we can be our complete Tico family! Talk to you soon family and friends! Stay tuned for more daily updates coming soon from our Leaders of the Day!

Pura Vida! – Sending lots of love from the Beachside Service Adventure Team

Michelle, Milena, Emma, Laura, Melissa, Andy, Mireia, Cris, TJ and Marcos!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25

Hey all!

This morning, we enjoyed early empanadas on the long bus ride to our adventure day. First, we put on the safety gear provided for tubing, and grabbed our tubes to head down the river. Some fell off their tubes, many got stuck in the rocks, but we all got to know each other better in the process!!

After thrilling river rapids, mixed with calm waters, we dried off and headed to our next destination, ziplining! During ziplining, we zipped through the jungle. Some even dropped into a canyon and rock climbed their way back up to the next zipline. As we made our way back, we tried our best to communicate in Spanish with the workers and we all got to know each other better as well. We all finally made it to the end and had a delicious buffet-style lunch together.

Later on, we arrived at a shopping plaza, and shopped for souvenirs, snacks, and some delicious ice cream. On the long drive back to Home Base, we encountered a heavy downpour and engaged in social connections amongst the mentors and our new friends. Back at home base, we enjoyed either alfredo pasta or spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread. We grouped up with our mentors and engaged in team building exercises. After a fun, long day, we all created a strong bond.

“Rafting was extremely fun, and I made new friends through our moments of being stuck” -Coco

“I enjoyed meeting everyone and making memories that will last a lifetime.” -Ava

“Tubing and ziplining were tough, but I persevered and made new friends.” -Briggs

“The quality time spent with my new peers will forever be cherished.” -Nash

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

Hello everybody!

Today we ate a great breakfast consisting of rice and beans, fruit cups, and pancakes. After wrapping up breakfast we began our first day of service. Students volunteered at the Verdiazul turtle conservatory helping to prepare clean turtle nests and learning about turtle habits. Students also volunteered at schools, helping to both paint and clean up the area while engaging with local students. Another group of students went to the Guanacaste Water Center, helping to repot and sort trees. After some tasty chorizo and rice, all students went out for a walk on the beach, we walked to wave pools and found all sorts of exciting creatures! Next the students participated in the grand debate. We learned about the ethics behind the pineapple industry and were able to speak on all sides of the subject. Next was dinner with tasty chicken with a side of fries and mango juice. Finally in mentor groups we discussed the qualities of being a leader.

“I enjoyed making new friends in service groups!” -Caroline W

“Working in the schools around the little kids was such an amazing opportunity!”
-Kaitlyn M

“I loved being able to connect be inspired by the surrounding local community!”
-Ayo S

“I enjoyed being able to preserve and keep baby turtle eggs safe!” -Sam T

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

Hi Everyone!

Getting up at the usual time, we ate a delicious breakfast with amazing refreshments. We separated shortly after into our service groups, each of us having different tasks ahead of us. Verdiazul began the day with creating a sea wall for the hatchery, continuing on to clean up a local park. Uniendo Comunidades started the day with a beach clean-up and learned the dangers of microplastics. At the Guanacaste Water Center we mixed up concrete and placed signs on the road to inform drivers about rivers and transplanted trees. Finally, Grupo Ecological Avellanas travelled to a school, learned of the dangers of greenhouse gases, created signs to hang on the beach tomorrow and attended a local science fair at a school.

The latter half of the day was spent playing rally games and learning how to make empanadas. We closed out the day with a delicious stir-fry dinner. We’re excited for our next day listening to a guest speaker, and are realizing that this life-changing experience is already half way done!

“It was amazing to see how such a small action of picking up trash at the beach has such a great impact on the environment”
-Helena

”Today with Frank and GEA we learned how it´s never too late to make a difference in our world and how its up to our generation as well as the ones after us to make that change. ”
-Grey

“Although it was hard work, building the sea wall in the rain was a fun and satisfying experience that produced an effective barrier for the turtles.”
-William K.

“Working with plants and trees for the last couple of days has been so inspiring! I´m super excited to learn more about different things! ¨
-Sadie

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Hi everyone!

After getting straight out of bed and heading to breakfast at 7 am, we had an amazing breakfast of french toast, gallo pinto, fruit, and cereal. After breakfast, we headed to our service groups for the morning. In the GEA group, we picked up trash around the street, and stopped at the beach for a quick swim and dip in the ocean. We also weighed our trash that ended up totalling 43 pounds! We then travelled to a nearby school to make a compost.

After finishing the compost, we picked mangos off the trees to give to the kids of the school and the community. Verdiazul travelled to the local turtle hatchery to help clean out turtle nests and clean the beach around the hatchery. After digging out the dirty sand from the turtle nests, we swapped the sand for clean ocean sand. Uniendo Comunidades focused on cleaning up a community center and planting native species in the garden. We also created pots out of tires and dug them into places to make the area beautiful!

The second half of the day, we visited a sustainable farm that had a variety of farm animals and sustainable ways to produce Costa Rican food favorites. We got to feed some of the animals, such as the goats and pigs, and many of us even got to feed the baby goats with bottles. Also we got to try the homemade goats cheese, yogurt, and milk. After we had a guest speaker come visit our home base and tell us all about true Costa Rican culture and ways we can make an impact on society and the world we live in. It was a busy but great day!

“In a small way you can make a big impact not only on other people but the world as well.” -Nico

“Believing you can means your already half way there” -Evan

“Saying yes to every opportunity allows us to expand our knowledge of all the world has to offer and all we can do to make a change” -Chloe

“Using what you have and all we have is still enough to make a change in someone’s day always spreading love in the process” -Natalie

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

¡Hola¡

There was a lot of rain today, but we were flexible and made it work! We got up for a regular breakfast consisting of cereal, scrambled eggs, and pinto. Due to the excessive rain, we had to cancel service and used the time to catch up on rest instead. We gathered in the office and watched Jurassic Park until the rain slowed down, and then took a quick beach walk before lunch. After lunch we got more beach time at Playa Blanca. There, we got time to practice our acts for the upcoming talent show. After lunch we got some free time to shower and clean up before a wonderful, beyond exciting, most magnificent dance class. In the class we learned the salsa, reggaetón, and a traditional Costa Rican dance. After the dance class we had a splendid dinner consisting of chicken, mashed potatoes, and corn. Following this, we ended the day with a delightful talent show. There was dancing, singing, magic, acrobatics, etc. Then at the end there was a special guest, Nico, who played the guitar and sang for us. This was a great note to end the night on, as everyone is looking forward to the boat day planned for tomorrow.

“I loved how many people put effort and stepped out of their comfort zones to participate in the talent show.” -Naina R.

“I loved exploring a new beach in Costa Rica” -Natalie H.

“Even though the day started on dreary note, we made the most of it and had a great time at the beach and talent show.” -Natalie E

“I really enjoyed the movie today and I make so many great memories with everybody I am around.” -Justin S.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

¡Hola!

Today was an adventure day! We finally got to enjoy some sun after two days of rain. The locals haven´t seen this type of rain in over two years! To start of the day, we had breakfast burritos on the bus to the catamaran at Tamarindo beach. As we boarded the boat we were welcomed by the smiling faces of the ship’s crew. After a long journey to a private beach, we got to enjoy the water of the Costa Rican coast as we jumped off, and swam to shore! Following this, we had an amazing lunch courtesy of boat captain and his crew.

We then soaked up the sun on the front of the boat, as the waves splashed around beneath the net holding us up from the ocean. After plenty of delicious drinks made by the bartender, we made it back to the beach and hopped back on the buses and headed to the next location, a beach called Avellanas. Here, we had the chance to buy from local snow-cone vendors and swim in the ocean which was refreshing, due to the extensive heat. After this, we went home, rinsed off, and got ready for a nice beach walk. During the sunset walk, we had chow circle, and said a special happy birthday to Chloe H. We finished the night off with a nice dinner, mentor groups, and some free time.

“The sunset walk was amazing, also because we got to spend time with our friends.” – Lawler J.

“Thank God for sunscreen” – Leah C.

“I like jumping on the waves” – Rhyan H.

“It was so fun being at the beach” – Maddie M

June 7, 2024 by Ashley Welter

Costa Rica: Beachside Service Adventure (June 10 – June 19, 2024)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Hello All!

There were so many memories that seemed like yesterday – all of you lined up playing games in the Rancho on the first night, your first dip in the ocean at Playa Negra, meeting your service groups, battling through trivia, writing your goals, showing yours talents, dancing and cooking and running every day through the rain and so much more!

You are the change!

Know that we will continue sharing your stories with the other leaders to come.

Sending love, energy and kindness from our little haven on Playa Junquillal always!

Wish you all the happiness in the world!
With love,
Michelle

Hi everyone!

Wow, what an amazing group to start the summer off with! You were such a positive and inclusive group, ready to take on any challenge with a smile. I’m so grateful for the five mornings I got to spend with the Uniendo Comunidades service group, beautifying a school and playground, working on a community garden, and cleaning up trash on the beach. I hope each one of you takes something you learned here in Costa Rica home with you and shares it with those around you. That’s one way we can all be the change! Thanks for these incredible 10 days, and keep up the great work in your communities at home.

Pura Vida!
Digby

Hey guys!

When you are reading this is going to be a while since you all left Costa Rica. I hope you all have good memories from those 10 crazy days. I want to thank you all again for making this adventure so easy. I’m sure that each of you is going to keep something inside of you from this trip. Something that is going to help you in your life path. Even if you don’t realise it yet. I’m so proud of all of you guys. All your differences made this group so unique and amazing! I want to encourage you all to live your life just in the way that you want, always being honest and kind to yourself and the others. We never know where life is going to take us, so… who knows if maybe we will meet again… I will be so glad to see how you all are being the change that this world needs…You have already made the first step! See you soon amigos!

¡Pura Vida!
Mireia

Hola chic@s!!

I hope you are all doing absolutely amazing and take the time today to remember the memories you made in Costa Rica together. There were many rewarding moments, from discomfort, to fun, and even to where you started to ask challenging questions. It is crazy how much you were able to grow in 10 days of service and adventure. I know I was very impressed and proud of you all.

No matter where you are or what you are doing now, I hope you know you can always make a difference big or small. Remember your values are something you hold within you and you must strive to live them out. Incorporate sustainability daily and reflect on things you don’t fully understand. I know you’ll grow into the incredible leaders I know you can be.

Miss you all! Pura Vida!
TJ

Hello everyone!

Pura vida, as people say in Costa Rica. Congratulations to all of you for completing your transformative 10-day program in Costa Rica! Your dedication to learning, exploring, and making a positive impact on the world inspires me endlessly. Cherish the memories you’ve created and the lessons you’ve learned. Keep shining brightly as global leaders, and may your experiences in Costa Rica fuel your passion for making a difference wherever you go. I would like to Invite you to always think of the decisions you make and the power you have to create changes in your communities. Remember that small actions make the difference.

With appreciation,
Cristopher

Hi you wonderful humans :)!

It’s been a while since we embarked on our Costa Rican journey together, but the memories we created here in Playa Junquillal live on! Your dedication, enthusiasm, and friendships you built were truly inspiring. From flying through the Costa Rican jungle to getting our hands dirty in service, you all showed resilience and passion! I hope you all carry the lessons you learned and the goals you set in your daily lives and continue to change the world! Remember, every small action can lead to big changes.

Much love,
Andy

Hi everyone!

I hope you all are doing amazing and reminiscing on all our incredible memories from Costa Rica. We accomplished so much in just ten days and I’m so proud of everyone for stepping out of their comfort zone. No matter what you decide to do in the future, I hope you remember this experience and use the lessons of teamwork, determination, and social responsibility to achieve your goals and create positive change. I encourage you to remember the goals you set during your GLA experience and continue to be courageous in achieving those goals. No matter how big or small, you can make an impact! Wherever life takes you, keep that positive attitude and always be kind!

Emma

Hey everyone,

I hope you’re all doing great and readjusting to reality after our epic Costa Rica Beachside Service Adventure! Those days on the beach were seriously unforgettable and full of learning, growth, and plenty of laughs.

Looking back on our time together, from those beach mornings to getting our hands dirty with community projects, and of course, the awesome friendships we made each of you brought something unique to our crew. Your energy, positivity, and fearlessness in trying new stuff were seriously impressive.

Marco

Hola Amigos!

I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment with each and every one of you. I hope you all take something away from this project, whether this is a new friend, confidence within your leadership skills or making a difference within your service. Muchas gracias to my service team who worked incredibly hard towards Verdi Azul – you did great, even in the pouring rain! I am also so grateful for the mentor time as you were all so open and reflective, it really was enriching watching you grow through the 10 days. Wishing you all lots of luck in the future and don’t forget to take every opportunity possible…and TRAVEL! There’s so much to explore & learn out there!! 🌍 enjoy and appreciate every step in life and do the things that make you happy!

Big hugs from your British mentor,
Melissa

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things to know and expect:

Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

P.S. Are you interested in supporting the Global Leadership Adventures International Foundation? We invite you to learn more about GLAIF and consider donating here.

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 11

Hola a todos!

We are already down two days of starting adventures and it’s only just begun! On Monday, many of us were excited to travel down the Costa Rican coast to arrive in our home base right on the beach! Twenty-eight of us were even lucky enough to catch the sun right before it set into the ocean and disappear. So many colors!

After a delicious dinner of Traditional chicken and rice, we spent the evening getting to know our new friends while playing games and talking about all of our journeys to arrive! It’s definitely hotter down here but we are having a BLAST meeting all of these new faces and learning about all the exciting experiences we will be having this week!

While this was happening, the other twenty-two were having an adventure all on their own! A flight redirection due to weather sent us to land in San Jose where we boarded buses that cruised across the Costa Rican roads to Liberia. We definitely felt like we came a very long way by the time we were settled into our new beds in Guanacaste, but it felt so nice to immediately smell the fresh ocean air and see mangoes swinging from every other tree. Luckily, we had time in the morning to rest and get ready for everything to come!

We love learning Spanish and learning new games while also teaching each other! So happy we are all finally here safe, sound and cozy! What an incredible community!

Stay tuned for more daily updates coming soon from our Leaders of the Day!

Pura Vida! – Sending lots of love from the Beachside Service Adventure Team

Michelle, Milena, Emma, Laura, Melissa, Andy, Mireia, Cris, TJ and Marcos!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 12

Hi everyone!

Today we had an early wake-up call and had a delicious and nutritious breakfast which included pinto and fruit. We then all split up into our service groups and headed off to our different projects. There were four different service groups that headed off to different locations. In our service projects we work with Verdiazul, Guanacaste Water-Center, Grupo Ecológico Avellanas, and Uniendo Comunidades. After hearing the different opportunities presented in orientation, everyone found something that they were excited about! Whether that was painting murals at local schools, helping out with making safe habitats for turtle eggs, or helping clean the environment to improve the quality of life of local animals, our first days at service were definitely special!

“I loved getting to work so close to the ocean and meet the other local volunteers and leaders”
-Lindsey S.

“It was so interesting to see how the way of life in Costa Rica differs from my life in the United States, especially with the local school children. I loved meeting them, they were adorable.” -Sadie C.

“The local community leaders brought so much positivity to our work, we constantly knew our impact and how we could make a difference…inspiring my friends and I to work harder.”
-Thomas K.

“After going to the school, it made me realize how happy the kids are even though they don’t have our amenities. They always have a smile on their faces no matter the situations which transmits such a good energy to everyone.” -Milena G.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 13

Hello friends!

Today we continued our exhibition in Guanacaste, Costa Rica! Starting the day off with a hearty meal, we had Gallo Pinto, Eggs, Cereal and some fresh muffins. Our activities of the day started with service. A torrential downpour early in the morning couldn’t stop us and we went out with positive attitudes to make a difference.

After we returned from their hard morning at work, we ate lunch, took a dip in the pool and got back on the buses to go to our local director, Milena´s home to learn the process of making Costa Rican empanadas.

While there, we participated in Traditional Costa Rican rally games which felt like different versions of capture the flag, soccer, and even Quidditch. We finished our day with a final meal and mentor groups. Tonight we discussed the affects of cell phone usage in our daily lives. We are excited for what awaits for us in the future!

¨I loved being able to help the local community with recycling and community immersion. Pura Vida!¨-Ryann W.

“It was very interesting to learn about microplastics and how they pose a threat to the environment. I´m glad we were able to help clean up playa Junquillal.”
-José P.

“I had so much fun today while working on the beach during service! We got to see a group of horses stampede onto the sand which has been the coolest part of the trip so far!” -Isla T.

“Today at the Guanacaste Water Center, we helped our local leaders clear branches and logs out of a lower muddy area to create a walking path. We learned many new things and stayed positive even in the mud and rain.” -Chase E.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 14

Hello everybody!

Today we ate breakfast that consisted of pinto, French toast, and cereal. After fuelling up with the delicious food we ate, we joined our service groups. More specifically, the Verdiazul group built turtle nests, along with our mentors and service partners. The Uniendo Comunidades group planted some tomatoes and corn in a small town. The Guanacaste Water Center group went to a school, planted trees and cleaned the school nursery. Finally, the Grupo Ecologico de Avellanas cleaned up the beach and created signs to create reminders for recycling.

After a day of hard work, we ate a tasty taco lunch and then we did the Grand Debate, which was a really fun activity. We learned a lot about the pineapple industry and how big companies may be hurting the environment and community more than helping. We were organized into teams of different sides of the debate. Then we had a super fun pool party with music and had time to spend with our new friends. Next, we ate a healthy dinner with rice and veggies. Finally, in mentor groups, we learned about our personality types and how we act as a leader.

“I loved cleaning the beaches and the sunset!” -Ava F

“Today I had a lot of fun learning about the turtles in the nursery and learning how to find their eggs on the beaches.” -Ava K

“I had an incredible time going to the local school nearby the Guanacaste water centre and meeting the students who were very nice and informational.”
-Diego A.

“I really felt proud of what our group did today since we gave a small community a food source just outside of their houses, meaning they wont have to leave town to get more food.” -Miquel G.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 15

Hey all!

This morning, we had a delicious breakfast consisting of eggs, sausage, and cereal. After a great meal, all four community service groups headed out to make a difference in the world despite the pouring rain. The Guanacaste Water Centre worked to protect supplies and saplings from the coming flood. The Uniendo Comunidades group worked on improving the beauty of a nearby playground by painting tires in an array of colors to enhance the space for local children and families. The Verde Azul group completed a beach cleanup, replenished a sandy turtle nest, and finalized all other preparations to ensure the safety of newborn sea turtles. The Group Ecologico de Avellanas discussed the importance of service for Costan Rican communities and the environment. They made signs to put up around the community as a way to spread awareness.

After a long and soaked day of work, we indulged in chicken, fries, and rice for lunch, followed by preparation for the talent show. After coming up with some creative and entertaining acts, we attended a sweaty and energetic dance class to learn traditional Costa Rican dances such as the Salsa and El Torito. The class was followed by hungry students swarming to get dinner, which consisted of chicken, rice, beans, and fried plantain (a sweet Costa Rican delicacy).

After a bite to eat, we gathered around to watch our peers perform 9 diverse acts, including music, magic, soccer, and skits. We were blessed by the wonderful surprise of Nico, the son of our gracious host family here on home base, who sang 3 fantastic songs alongside the guitar, which won the hearts of all students at GLA!

“I hope that the children have fun playing on the new playground equipment. I also hope they learn the significance of recycling old materials into something new and useful” -Joy

“It felt nice to assist with the beach cleanup! I felt very accomplished after seeing the immediate difference my group made.” -Gavin

“My group and I have been working so hard and enthusiastically to clear areas that could be harmful during imminent flooding as well as working alongside volunteers in other programs, including a local high school. Feeling like the work you are doing is genuinely contributing to something makes all of the bug bites and rain worth it!” -Lucy

“Working with the Costa Rican community and the others around me to pick up trash on the beaches has made me realize how big of an impact we as humans really have on the world in regards to combating climate change.” -Levi

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 16

Pura Vida!!

This past week has been a blast, and today was no exception. After an early morning, we took to the road, preparing for an exciting Adventure Day. We took a break from our daily service, to experience some of what Costa Rica has to offer.

The long bus ride provided time to socialize and eat a quick breakfast consisting of empanadas, apples and granola bars. The first activity of the day was to tube down the Rio Negro with the Hacienda Guachipelin tour group. The event was thrilling and provided a breathtaking way to experience the beauty of Costa Rica. After that, the group was guided through an entertaining rope and zipline course through the treetops of the Tropical dry Forest. We were challenged by the obstacles such as rock climbing and rope swings. Due to the challenges faced, we were exhausted and hungry, but it was completely worth it for the adventure of a lifetime. Luckily, we were provided with an exceptional meal that more than satisfied the collective.

On our way home we stopped and had the welcome opportunity to look at and buy souvenirs to commemorate our trip. It was a quiet ride back to home base as everyone was sound asleep. Once we got back, we were surprised with pizza for dinner. After dinner, our mentor groups gave us a chance to reflect on our work and personal life. It was very powerful. We can´t wait to see what the coming days have in store.

“The experience I have gained from this program thus far has been more than I could have ever dreamed. The people and location are so beautiful and have definitely shifted my worldview and I would be delighted to return. ” -Lauren

“It has been an incredible experience just to be here and really try to change this community for the better. Seeing the results of our work has really been amazing and I hope that that can continue over the last few days. ” -Hayden

“Visiting many communities throughout Guanacaste has been one of the best experiences. Understanding the culture of the many welcoming locals has been great. I can’t believe tomorrow is my last service day with Uniendo Communidades!” -Marlene

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 17

Hi Everyone!

Today was a bittersweet ending to a great five days of service, but it still held great memories and great fun. It was also the birthday of a fellow friend we all know and love, Brett Schmidt. Overall, today was on par with the GLA experience, another action packed 24 hours of nonstop fun.

Getting up at the usual time, we ate a delicious pancake breakfast with and birthday wishes flying left and right. Separating into our service groups, each of us having different tasks ahead of us. Verdiazul began the day with sorting trash but ended exchanging memories and playing games. Uniendo Comunidades finished painting the school, visited on the first day, and played games with the awesome environmental group. At the Guanacaste Water Center we cleaned and planted seeds and then gathered round for some hot chocolate while we said our farewells. Finally, Grupo Ecological Avellanas traveled to a beach to hang up the signs they had made previously in their sessions, as well as clean up the new beach that they had travelled to with Frank a member of the GEA organization.

The latter half of the day was reserved for the beach Olympics. Five teams battled it out in various beach games, including beach ball dodgeball and catch the flag. In the end, the green team won, but all teams showed great effort. To celebrate, we watched as Brett swung at his birthday piñata and scrambled for the candies that flew from it! We closed out the day with a decadent taco dinner, and fonal cheers to Brett and his birthday. We´re excited for our next day on the catamaran, realizing this life-changing experience is coming to an end.

“It was very sad to say goodbye to our Verdiazul leader Valerie, but we were definitely happy looking back on all our service days” -Lucas

“As today´s service came to an end, I realized how fast time truly flies. Eight days are done and only one left of fun. Thank you to everyone that works in this program for the life-changing experience. Thank you to all the friends I made. I will truly miss you all.” -Claudia I.

“The dedication of the people who work at the Guanacaste Water Center is incredible. I, along with the whole group, found their attitude and work ethic to be very inspiring.” -Fiona C.

“I’m very glad that the leaders of my service project group, and the people in it, made it so that my entire experience with GLA was super fun. I will miss this place very much when I leave.” -Henry O.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18

Hola!!!

Today was our last day with GLA which was a mix of emotions. We woke up bright and early to fully enjoy our last day together on a catamaran. The rest of the day was filled with fun activities such as an artisan fair, time at the beach, and a final dinner.

The early bus ride to Tamarindo was tiring but exciting! It went by fast as we ate breakfast burritos and enjoyed each other’s company. We were eager to jump on the catamaran where we sailed into a beautiful cove and had a blast swimming in the waves. While on the boat, we had a delicious lunch that consisted of chicken, chips, fruit, cookies, rice, and beans. After eating lunch, we headed back to shore where we boarded the buses and headed back to home base.

Once we arrived at home base, we had free time to pack our bags for home and get ready for the artisan fair. We changed into our nice outfits and headed outside to see what the vendors had to offer. The selection ranged from handcrafted jewellery to bathing suits to homemade ice cream among many other things. During the artisan fair, a live traditional band played outstanding music on the marimba (a traditional instrument here in Costa Rica) for us to enjoy.

After the fair, everyone headed down to the beach for a final goodbye sunset and photoshoot. We took a group photo and many more. We watched the sun go down before heading back to home base for our final chow circle and dinner. Our delicious dinner consisted of burgers, fries, and salad. We closed our time together by appreciating one another through writing positive words that applied to each person and reminding each other of how great we all are!

Our time here in Costa Rica with GLA has been a life changing experience that has impacted each and every one of us.

“I am so grateful to have been a part of this experience with all these incredible people. I have made memories here that I will never forget, and I truly loved every minute of this trip. I am so glad to have been a part of tomorrow´s solution.” -Jasleen

“This trip has taught me so many different things about myself. I am so happy that I have met these people and hope to continue my friendship with them forever.” -Maddie

“This trip was so amazing and I am so glad to have met the people that have ultimately changed my life. I will never forget my experience here.” -Ella

“My experience with GLA, specifically with my service group Uniendo Communidades, has been so amazing and eye opening. The people of Costa Rica are extremely friendly and are always so joyful no matter their circumstances. I have loved witnessing how they work together to serve their community in many small ways that ultimately makes a huge difference!” -Sadie R

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19

Hola Amigos,

Today was our final day with our wonderful students, after an exciting 10 days! The first group left at 6am and headed to the airport, whilst the others enjoyed one final Costa Rican breakfast. It was bittersweet at the airport, as we shared final moments and reminisced on our last 10 days. There were lots of tears whilst saying goodbye to new friends, but also excitement to go home and reunite with family. As mentors waved goodbye to their students, we were all filled with pride and gratitude for each and every one of them.

We hope to see you all again soon, Pura Vida Amigos!

June 7, 2024 by Ashley Welter

Costa Rica: Animal Rescue & Veterinary Project (July 30 – August 12, 2024)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by Katie & the Costa Rica Team

Hola amigos!

Your GLA family here! We hope you didn’t forget about us and your time in Costa Rica! We are checking in to remind you about the impactful trip we had! We wish that everything you learned during your time in Costa Rica, and especially staying at Lands in Love (animal rescue) & Hotel Wilson (veterinarian project with VIDA) has stayed with you and positively influenced your daily life.

The day you arrived in Costa Rica, although some of you guys had already met each other at the airport because you were on the same flights, you were all nervous and apprehensive of the journey ahead. Throughout the course of the entire trip, we saw all of your individual personalities shine, creating a diverse group of future leaders.

Although service was hard, it was so rewarding to see the dogs being walked, cats being feed, chicken cages to be cleaned, and horses to be washed. All animals appreciated your love and the compassion you showed them. We learned through doing the hard work, and coming out of our comfort zones, even if that meant we had to get our hands (and pants!) a little dirty! The Lands in Love & Vida Team appreciate your efforts in taking care of their animals and taking the initiative to make a difference in those communities.

Over two weeks, we hope everyone learned to embrace the heat, humidity and awesome animals that we encountered along the way! Literally every step, every bus ride, and even our boat ride, brought us closer together and helped to make the experience unforgettable. We will remember all the awesome chocolate we tasted, the fishes we saw while snorkeling and swimming, the birds we saw (and heard) as we walked through the jungle in Lands in Love, and much more.

Do you guys remember talking about your OMG (one meaningful goal) on the final night in Costa Rica? Hayley’s mentor group had the goal to help animals, while Katie’s mentor group decided to help the less fortunate in their communities by building homes and joining Habitat for Humanity, volunteering at soup kitchens or shelters, fundraising and donating money to help those in need, and putting together care packages so those in need can get some much needed supplies. We had some meaningful conversations about your personal goals as well! To bring back the memories, we attached some videos from that night!

Finally, huge shoutout to:
-Juanca for coming through with having us get fast food like Mcdonalds, Taco Bell and KFC
-Naama for giving us cheesecake and letting us choose which meal for the menu we wanted as our send off from Lands in Love
-guest speaker Joseph for the Chiky & Yipy cookies plus the mamones
-Lands in Love team & Vida team
-endless animals we got to see at Lands in Love such as monkeys, toads, ducks, dog, cats, chickens, bunnies, hamsters, and even guinea pigs
-las Gorditas animales
-both Giovannis for our bus rides and getting us there safely (especially taking us to get snacks!)
-Namas Vegan food
-Hotel Wilson staff with Jose and Sharon and their delicious food and hospitality (and air conditioning in the rooms)
-Our ‘A Big Wind Blows’ game getting super intense and a plastic chair ending up as collateral damage
-our fun karaoke night and karaoke on the bus
-Elio our chocolate tour guide
-amazing leaders of the day for checking in with the group and writing the blog for our families back home
-salsa dancing
-Zip-lining guides
-awing at the beautiful waterfall, Llanos de Cortez in Liberia
-the hot spring at Baldi with the epic water slides (special shoutout to Oszkar and his stitches)
-braving the Costa Rican rainforest
-having a battle of the mentors with a super competitive hot seat game (Katie’s group reigned supreme!!)
-all the bug bites that are the souvenirs we didn’t actually want, which we are bringing back home
-Kobe being the absolute GOAT as goalie during our soccer game
-endless card games that brought out everyone’s competitive side
-the amazing morning we spent on a catamaran, soaking up the sun and being served Shirley Temples
-ZiFengs insane soccer skills (shoutout to the kids that joined our teams and had a blast spending time with you all, even though they trash talked us during the game)
-sleeping in weird positions on our long bus rides
-Nola, Ellah, and Alice for playing mermaids at Playa Hermosa with Katie and Hayley
-Pizza and glowsticks on our last night at Hotel Wilson that helped us celebrate our amazing session
-all of you for making this session special and helping with the animals

We wish you all a very bright future and hope that each of you chases your dreams and achieves your goals. Every single one of you left a lasting, and memorable impression on all of us. We genuinely hope that you go out, live each and every day outside of your comfort zone, and be the change you want to see in the world.

PURA VIDA!!!

Anna Castellanos (International Director)
Juan Carlos Alvarado (Local Director)
Katie Weinstein (Mentor)
Hayley Brown (Mentor)

Video_1

Video

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things to know and expect:

Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

P.S. Are you interested in supporting the Global Leadership Adventures International Foundation? We invite you to learn more about GLAIF and consider donating here.

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 30

Hola!

Animal Rescue & Veterinary Project crew here! We are officially in Session 4 of ARVP in amazing Costa Rica and excited to start a new beginning with new faces! Yesterday was arrival day (7/30/24) and let’s just say it was a long adventure for our students! But, with lots of anticipation to meet and greet, they have officially arrived (some early in the morning, midday, and late night as well), we all got to meet one another and ready to start our 14 day excursion!

From arrivals, we talked to our students about what to look forward to when being here in Costa Rica, and that is helping animals in need. They got to taste some delicious vegan food at the local homebase called Lands in Love that is located in the rainforest (2 hours away from San Jose the main city), and walked around to see the natural beauty Costa Rica has to offer!

From traveling all day, students are very excited for service days and adventure days but also making a difference in animals’ lives.

Let Session 4 activities begin! Pura Vida!!!

From yours truly,

Anna (International Director)

Katie (Mentor)

Hayley (Mentor)

Juanca (Local Director)

BLOG POST FOR JULY 31

Hey Families & Friends,

It started off this morning of having a vegan breakfast that consists pancakes, cereal, gallo pinto and other delicacies of breakfast before orientation. At orientation, the students learned a lot of what GLA is all about and what it will be in the next 14 days. They all seem super excited for their 14 day excursions and help with the animals. Then after orientation, they did their swim test and all passed! Woo! From there, they went on to have a delicious dinner and had a guest speaker come in to talk about what Costa Rica is all about and they got to try red mamones (lychee) a delicacy here in CR. From there, they got their phones back for tech time and head off to bed for their early first morning service with the animals the next day. Until then family, chat tomorrow. Pura Vida!

Your ARVP CREW,

Anna, Katie, Hayley & Juanca

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 1

Hola!

Our day at Lands and Love started bright and early with breakfast at 8:30 am, where we got to eat French toast and Gallo pinto, Costa Rica’s traditional breakfast dish. Following breakfast, we separated into our groups and departed for service, tending to a variety of animals such as horses, cats, dogs, and chickens. Making sure the animals and their enclosures stay clean is crucial for their wellbeing, and gave us all a chance to form connections with them, making it seem less like work and more like fun.

After service, we ate lunch, which consisted of mostly pasta and chicken (all vegan by the way!), as most of us were pretty hungry after service. We were originally scheduled to do a waterfall hike today, but due to the rain we ended up going to a Costa Rican market, where we all got a chance to stock up on essentials that we may have forgotten at home. Shortly after we drove over to Walmart and picked up various items such as candy, swimsuits, drinks, and any other things we may need. We drove back to Lands of Love and spent some time in our rooms before dinner, which included mashed potatoes, pesto pasta, vegetables, and fried vegan chicken.

After dinner we headed over to the dance room, and learned various Costa Rican dances! This included salsa, bachata, and cumbia. We also organized into our own groups and choreographed our very own dance from what we had learned! A very eventful day definitely ended with a bang!

Sincerely,
Nola and Arianna

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 2

Hi families!!

Today was another amazing time with the GLA group! We started the day off with a delicious breakfast made by the amazing chefs at Lands in Love. After finishing up breakfast, we headed to our four different service groups for the morning. Some walked dogs and helped take care of the chickens and their enclosures. Others helped with cleaning the horses or taking care of the cats. After two and a half hours of doing service work we all headed back to the lobby for an amazing lunch. Lunch included tempoura cauliflower, tacos, salad, potatoes, and pasta with mushrooms.

After lunch we headed to a local town, Quesada, to get ice cream and do a little shopping at the mall. At around 5 we left the mall and headed back to Lands in Love. Before dinner, we met at the dance studio at 6:15 for the chow circle. We discussed our activites for tomorrow and then gave each other shout outs and talked about our favorite part of the program so far. We then headed to dinner before the first day of mentor groups.

After we had an amazing dinner of tostados, spaghetti, rice with soy, onion rings and French fries! After, we wrote letters to ourself about goals and expectations for the program. Then during mentor groups we played a game called “hot seat”. The purpose of the game was to get to know each other better and the group winner won candy! That’s it for another day of GLA and we’re so excited for tomorrow!

Ellah and Aislean

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 3

Hola!

We had a very busy and fun day today! It was our 5th day in Costa Rica and we finally had some sunny weather for the hot springs. We started the day a bit earlier today with some delicious French toast, Galo pinto (rice and beans), fresh fruit and plantains. We then hopped on the bus and headed to the chocolate tour! Everyone enjoyed learning about the chocolate making process and our guide was very informative. We got to taste the chocolate at each of its stages, it was quite bitter and still really good and authentic! To finish off the tour, we visited the souvenir shop and we all got to pick from a wide selection of delicious local chocolate. We hopped back on the bus and headed to the hot springs. Before swimming, we enjoyed a nice buffet at the restaurant, everyone especially enjoyed getting a meat and cheese fix.

After eating, everyone was off to the water. The hot springs were amazing, there was both cold and warm water depending on what you wanted to swim in. For those of us who were brave, there were several fun water slides to choose from. After a couple of hours, it was time to visit the many souvenir shops around. There was even some beautiful views of the volcano and the blossoming flowers while we were exploring around the town. We finished the day with a rainy bus ride back to home base and a nice dinner. Everyone was tired after the fun day we had and went straight to bed, excited to resume service tomorrow. Buenos noches!

Sincerely your leaders of the day, Lauder and Eloise

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 4

Buenos Días!

Today we started our day off with a delicious breakfast of gallo pinto, pancakes, and fruit, among other things. Then we headed off to service where we helped to groom horses, clean cat cages, and walk dogs. Then it was time to get on the busses to a cooking class, where we jammed out to some music. The cooking class was really fun as we got to make our own tortillas and empanadas, as well as drink some delicious dulce agua (sugar water).

After the cooking class, we played soccer with some of the local kids. Even though we lost the game, we still had tons of fun! Soon we were back on this bus to Lands in Love. One of our awesome counselors treated us all to ice cream, and we even managed to spot a sloth! We had dinner back at the hotel, which consisted of pasta, falafel, and rice. We ended our day with a visit from a guest speaker who talked to us about Costa Rica and its tourism, and he also gave us some Costa Rican cookies. We are super excited for our last day at Lands in Love tomorrow!

Til next time,

Sophie and Sophia

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 5

Hello friends, family, or whoever may be reading this!

Our last day at Lands in Love started off with breakfast, which consisted of gallo pinto, chocolate chip pancakes, and more! From there, we went to work with the animals. I, Kobe, was with the indoor cats up by the office. We cleaned out some of their cages, making sure they were comfortable, and at the end, even got to hang out with them for a bit! I, Aly and my group woke up very early (6:45) to walk the dogs. We also cleaned up the chicken coops and got to hang out with the bunnies and guinea pigs, they are very cute. After our service, we had some lunch and checked in with the councillors, who sent us off to pack up for our long trip to Liberia tomorrow! During this time, some people also tanned by the pool, and some of us went on a hike near the waterfall in Lands in Love. This brought us to our special dinner where we were served dishes of our choice from the in-house vegan restaurant. The food was delicious, and so was the cheesecake we were given for dessert!

Until tomorrow,
Aly and Kobe

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 6

Hey!

Today we woke up around 7:30 to load up our stuff on to the busses we both Giovanni’s help. after we loaded it, we headed to breakfast and after breakfast we departed on our 5 hour journey to Hotel Wilson. during the drive we all sang, read a book, talk with each other or just sleep. after 2 hours we made a pit stop at a supermarket to pick up snacks, drinks or just go to the bathroom. When we arrived at Hotel Wilson we all went to our rooms and met up for orientation. The rooms were a little different from Lands in Love, some of the walls were green and orange and whatnot. Some of the TVs were also playing English movies. At orientation we met the staff who were super nice and explained the next week to us, they talked about scrubs and the home visits too. We also played card games like BS and Mao and Slapjack. After that we had dinner which was chicken and pasta and rice, it was pretty good and a change from the last place.

Until the next time,

Oszkar & Gabby

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 7

Hello!

Today we started off by eating a breakfast that consisted of eggs, rice, beans, avocado, fruit, sausage, and cereal. Directly after breakfast we met with the vida team and got split into 4 service groups. Each group got assigned to a doctor and walked around the community, educate people how to properly take care of their pets, giving them deworming pills and Flea/tick medicine. After working with vida, we had lunch and then got the opportunity to go on a waterfall hike and take a dip in the cool water, explore the nature, and some students were able to see a basilisk lizard.

After the hike, we were taken to get food at local restaurants and cafes for snacks and drinks. Succeeding the amazing day with the vida team and the waterfall hike, we came back to the hotel for more activities. Before dinner, we had chow circle which allow the leaders of the day to ask thinking questions to everybody and pass the torch to two new leaders for tomorrow. For dinner, we had various options such as rice, beans, pasta, beef, garlic bread, and salad. Later in our mentor group, we were split into 2 groups and each deeply discussed some ethical questions about the community we visited compared to our own community.

From,

Elyssa & Zifeng

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 8

Hi!

Welcome to another blog post families! Today we woke up bright and early for our first day of surgeries for pets working with Vida. Today we got to experience procedures with dogs and cats getting spayed and neutered. The amazing doctors working with Vida carefully explained everything and helped us understand the process. There were three different stations that groups were able to rotate around. The three stations were intake, surgery, and recovery. In each of these steps we were able to learn and care for the animals.

After working with the animals for 5 hours we were able to enjoy our afternoon by zip lining! The zip lining was about an hour long and so much fun! We got zip line through canyons and colorful scenery as well as experience a once in a lifetime opportunity in Costa Rica! As our long but exciting day came to an end, we finished with karaoke!!

Love, the best leaders of the day

AKA – Emily and Sadie

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 9

Greetings loved ones!

As you know, yesterday we had an intense day. In compensation for this, we were able to relax on a catamaran excursion today! While on the hour long boat ride to our location, students tanned on the Lazy Lizard’s net located on the bow of the boat. Later on we were led by a guide for snorkeling where we got to experience the salty stinging waters, witnessing puffer fish, eel, jellyfish, and many other aquatic species.

Afterwards, a delicious lunch was served to GLA and the Vida team. We had salad, pasta, wraps, fresh fruit and chocolate chip cookies! We also got served Shirley temples while we enjoyed our lunch and tanned. Many students returned to diving off of the boat soon after lunch. Though time seemed to slip by quickly, we now were headed off back to land! Despite original plans of heading immediately to a souvenir shop, Katie and Hayley had suggested a quick beach stop. After a couple minutes of debate, we were driving to the next beach, Playa Hermosa. A drizzle quickly spawned and many students left the sands to the restaurant nearby. Many students compared tans and slight burns while enjoying a second lunch. Forty minutes or so into the visit the rain had finally stopped, a hot sun poking through the clouds.

After enjoying the ocean and sun for a short while we were set off for the souvenir shop! Students and staff bought gifts for loved ones (you guys)! Along with this, some of us went to the near ice cream shop, then quickly hustled back to our buses. Driving back, students were exhausted. Napping even through the loud music and bumpy roads. After arriving home we had a quick group discussion and then an amazing dinner prepared by hotel owners, Sharron and Jose. Excited for tomorrow to work Vida and help more animals and communities with surgeries at our clinic! Thank you loved ones for keeping up with our blog!

With care,
Alice and Mia

June 7, 2024 by Ashley Welter

Costa Rica: Animal Rescue & Veterinary Project (July 13 – July 26, 2024)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by Katie & the Costa Rica Team

Hola amigos!

The day you arrived in Costa Rica, although you guys had already created a group chat and added each other on social media, you were all nervous and apprehensive of the journey ahead. Throughout the course of the entire trip, we saw all of your individual personalities shine, creating a diverse group of future leaders.

Do you guys remember talking about your OMG (one meaningful goal) on the final night in Costa Rica? Anna’s mentor group had the goal to help animals, while Katie’s mentor group decided to give back to their communities by picking up trash, volunteering at soup kitchens or shelters, working with animals, and being open minded and embracing different cultures. We had some meaningful conversations about your personal goals as well! To bring back the memories, we attached some videos from that night!

Finally, huge shoutout to:
-Juanca for coming through with having us get fast food like Mcdonalds and pizza
-Naama for giving us chocolate chip bread and brownies on our last morning at Lands in Love
-guest speaker Joseph for the Chiky & Yipy cookies plus the mamones
-Lands in Love team & Vida team
-endless animals we got to see at Lands in Love such as monkeys, toads, ducks, dog, cats, chickens, bunnies, and even guinea pigs
-las Gorditas animales
-both Giovannis for our bus rides and getting us there safely (especially taking us to get snacks!)
-Namas Vegan food
-Hotel Wilson staff with Jose and Sharon and their delicious food and hospitality (and air conditioning in the rooms)
-catching up on love island and some of us attempting to do an English accent
-our fun karaoke night and karaoke on the bus
-Elio our chocolate tour guide
-amazing leaders of the day for checking in with the group and writing the blog for our families back home
-salsa dancing
-Zip-lining guides
-awing at the beautiful waterfall, Llanos de Cortez in Liberia
-the hot spring at Baldi with the epic water slides
-braving the Costa Rican rainforest
-having a tire pop up on the ride back to San Jose and needs to stop at a mechanic shop to fix it (aka, a snack stop for everyone on the buses)
-all the bug bites that are the souvenirs we didn’t actually want, which we are bringing back home
-Ellie’s contagious laugh that involves A LOT of snorting
-Ian’s Bieber fever that really brought the energy to our karaoke night
-endless card games that brought out everyone’s competitive side
-the amazing morning we spent on a catamaran, soaking up the sun and being served Shirley Temples
-Ava, Arthur, and Sarah’s insane soccer skills (shoutout to the kids that joined our teams and had a blast spending time with you all)
-Emmy making friends with the dog at the mechanic and having him escort us to go get snacks and come back to the buses
-sleeping in weird positions on our long bus rides
-all of you for making this session special and helping with the animals

PURA VIDA!!!

Anna Castellanos (International Director)
Juan Carlos Alvarado (Local Director)
Katie Weinstein (Mentor)
Jorge Luis (Mentor)

Video_1

Video

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things to know and expect:

Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

P.S. Are you interested in supporting the Global Leadership Adventures International Foundation? We invite you to learn more about GLAIF and consider donating here.

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Hola!

Animal Rescue & Veterinary Project crew here! We are officially in Session 3 of ARVP in amazing Costa Rica and excited to start a new beginning with new faces! Yesterday was arrival day (7/13/24) and let’s just say it was a long adventure for our students! But, with lots of anticipation to meet and greet, they have officially arrived (some early in the morning, midday, and night as well), we all got to meet one another and ready to start our 14 day excursion!

From traveling all day, students are very excited for service days and adventure days but also making a difference in animals’ lives.

Therefore, let session 3 begin! Pura Vida!

Yours truly Costa Rica ARVP team,
Anna (International Director)
Katie (Mentor)
Jorge (Mentor Assistant)
Juanca (Local Director)

BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

Hola!

On our first full day at Lands In Love we started out the morning at 8:00 AM with a full variety of vegan breakfast options, including pancakes, rice and beans, fresh fruits and juices.

Afterwards we began orientation where we went over the expectations and policies of the ARVP program with fun ice breakers in between!

After lunch we heard from a guest speaker who works at Lands In Love where we learned about the origins of the hotel and animals, including their vegan roots.
We also did swim tests and health checks before going to dinner where we celebrated Anna’s (ID) birthday with a gluten free, vegan chocolate cake!

Afterwards we had another guest speaker who taught us about Costa Rican geography, food and culture, and also gave us delicious mamon chino fruits!
Finally we said our good nights and prepared for our first day of service.……

Until the power went out.
Due to the tropical rainstorm the hotel temporarily lost power but we were still able to get a good nights rest, no worries!

Chao for now!

Drew and Brooke

BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Hola,

Today is day 2 of the ARVP! We started off with a big breakfast including vegan french toast, fresh fruits, rice and beans, juices and Costa Rican coffee.

Soon after we headed out to our services and got to work! Depending on the group we were in, some of us worked with dogs and chickens, the horses, or the cats. We helped do some of the daily cleaning tasks and spent some quality time with the animals.

Afterwards, we headed back and had a delicious lunch consisting of fried rice, empanadas, cole slaw, pasta and juices. Unfortunately due to some heavy rain the waterfall hike got cancelled so instead we got to socialize and have some down time. We followed up free time with a dance lesson on some local dances including bachata and a dance battle!

Then we got our phones to check up on our family and headed in for a good night’s sleep.

Adios,

Drew and Brooke!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

hi!! Today was a fantabulous day!! This morning a group of us got together at 6:45am (toooo early) for the first service of the day; walking dogs. The rest of the group met at 8:00 for breakfast and dog walkers joined us at 8:30. We had a scrumptious meal of chocolate chip pancakes, plantains, hash brown potatoes, and tropical fruits. We then split into our service groups until noon when we all met again for lunch.

Afterwards, we had about half an hour to get ready for our outing at 1:30. We all gathered into two busses for our trip to San Ramon. Our first stop was an ice cream shop where many of us got ice cream and shakes. There was even a neon blue shake that everyone in the group was offered to try! Afterwards we walked around and peroused at one of the local clothing stores. We got delish bread from the local panadería and some very vibrant meringues. Then we headed to a Costa Rican superstore called Maxi Pali as well as a Walmart. After our shopping hauls, we returned to our home base for a dinner of veggie pasta, Teriyaki soy and rice, and fries. Some of us were health gods and goddesses who ate salads. Later, we had our first mentor groups with Anna and Katie, and wrote to letters to our future selves with goals and expectations for our two week adventure here to end this day on a good note.

Buenas noches,
Quinby and Margot

BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Hey Girl Scout!

Welcome, or welcome back, to the daily blog. Let’s get into it. We began the day with a nourishing breakfast of French toast, potatoes, and a variety of tropical fruits (all vegan). Yum! Then the group split up to achieve our service goals. After volunteering for two rigorous hours (maybe petting a few cats and dogs along the way) we hopped into the GLA vehicles and chatted our way to the Baldi hot springs where we slid down the numerous slides they had to offer and enjoyed the natural springs from the Arenal Volcano. Of course we ate a great buffet of delicious food selections like chicken, pork, beef, rice, potatoes, pasta, veggies, fresh fruit, and different dessert cakes. Then we stopped at the big souvenir store to collect some unique items for ourselves, friends, and family. Then we went back to the hotel and freshened up for dinner which consisted of rice, fried soy, mushroom potato lasagna, and spaghetti. After dinner we went to mentor groups and had a discussion on being courageous and using the differences and similarities we share to grow closer and get to know each other better. Then we were off for a good nights sleep.

Peace out Girl Scout,

Love Ellie and Pippa

BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Hey squad!

Welcome to day 5 of the ARVP! We started our day with a breakfast of pancakes and hash-browns and then continued onto our final day of service at Lands in Love. After a delicious lunch, we took a bus ride to a local cooking class to learn how to make handmade tortillas and empanadas! After our cooking class, we played soccer with the local children, ending with an exciting scrimmage and popsicles! Lastly, we hopped back on our busses and had a blast singing the whole way home! Dinner revived us after a long game and we ended the end of day with a presentation from Joseph on local tourism and delicious cookies. We are ending the day looking forward to our next adventures in our new home base (we leave Saturday for Liberia!).

Goodnight squadron from
Ian and Rowan

BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Bienvenido’s every one today we woke up to the cleverly crafted vegan breakfast of French toast, fresh fruits, and potatoes. Today we did not indulge in service but instead were enriched in the history and cultivation of the cacao fruit. When at the cacao farm we learned about the origination and influence of the fruit. There we also got a hands on demonstration where we even help make our own native cacao drink. After the tour we went back to base and had lunch. For lunch we had rice, nachos, salad, imitation pork, and pasta.

After lunch, we started packing our bags so we could quickly and easily get ready for tomorrow’s trip to our new hotel for the second half of our time in Costa Rica. After packing, we ate dinner which consisted of a small burger, which had a falafel as a vegan substitute for the beef. There was also mixed rice, mashed potatoes, and pasta. All in all, it was tasty and everyone was excited for the burger. That’ll be it for today, so we’ll see you tomorrow! Adios amigos!

Sophia & Jake

BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Hello everyone!

This morning we got up at 7 a.m. so we could get our suitcases packed and then put them on the bus. After a good breakfast of pancakes, chocolate bread, rice and beans, plantains and fresh fruit, we drove 5 hours to Liberia. It was a long trip but it passed rather quickly with a few breaks. Finally we arrived at our home base where we immediately ate our lunch which was also very good. We had chicken, rice, beans, lentils, pasta, and salad. Then 5 people from Vida, the animal clinic we are working with this week, told us about how the service would be taking place over the next few days: Hard awakenings at 5:45 a.m. with 4 hours of service per day. One day of home visits, two days of surgeries with dogs and cats, and a final day of vaccinating the animals. After that we had a few hours of free time to settle quietly in our new rooms. Finally, we were entitled to a good dinner of chicken, pork, rice, beans, lentils, zucchini, and some salad.

Despite the long bus trip, it was a good day.

Can’t wait for it to be tomorrow to start the service!

Arthur and Louis

BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

Hola amigos!

Today we, the GLA team, got to help the local community and their from the home visits the day before. After breakfast, we loaded into the buses and headed to a community in Liberia and met up with our volunteer partners from VIDA. We were separated into groups, 5 students with each doctor, and helped each house with their dogs, cats, and other animals. Our job was to work with the doctors and explain to the families how they could better care and provide for their animals, and encourage them to come to our clinics over the new few days to opt into a surgery for spaying and neutering. We gave a few pets some medicine to help with tics and fleas and other easy-fix issues. It was an amazing experience to be able to help these families and their pets.

Later today we made a stop by a beautiful landmark in Liberia, Los llanos de Cortez! We were able to splash around while taking pictures of the exquisite waterfall. It was a wonderful site to see and everybody had an absolute blast. After the waterfall we made a pit stop at the local supermercado, to get some last-minute supplies and snacks. Then we drove home and had a delicious dinner that included beans rice and pasta that was the end of our amazing day. Can’t wait for our first day of clinic tomorrow!

Ariana and Ava

BLOG POST FOR JULY 22

Hola from Costa Rica,

In the morning, we woke up and ate breakfast at 6:45. The options for breakfast were eggs, sausages, rice, beans, watermelon, and mango. We then drove 20 minutes to a building where we began setting up a makeshift clinic. They split us into 3 groups and started to prep the animals for either a spay or neuter. During the prep we learned how to do a physical exam on an animal and administer anesthetic. The animals were then ready for surgery. The vets allowed the students to stand on one side of the table and watch as they performed the surgeries. They talked us through it and taught us all the steps of the procedure.

After the surgery, we took the animals to recovery and repeatedly checked their pulse and temperature while trimming their nails and pulling ticks as they were walking up. Finally, we packed up all the things and headed back to Hotel Wilson. When we arrived at Hotel Wilson, we all saw Juanca, one of the counselors, walk in with a lot of pizza boxes from Pizza hut. We all got super excited and ran to get pizza.

After we all finished the food, we got ready to go zip lining. The bus ride was 30 minutes and then we arrived at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin. We began getting out harnesses and helmets while they explained all of the safety rules. The zip lining had 9 long cables, a tarzan swing, repelling, and rock climbing. The views were amazing and the zip lining was so much fun! We got some souvenirs and then began the drive back to the hotel. At the hotel we put our stuff away and then went to dinner at mcdonald’s! Everyone enjoyed their food very much! At 7:45 we arrived back at the hotel and began mentor groups. We then had free time until 9:00, which is when we all have to be back in our rooms.

Adios padres,
Elia and Emi

BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

Tuanis Mae!

Greetings from the newly-burnt GLA squad. Today we were all over the place, kicking off the day at a rough 6am wake up call. During our 2 hour bus ride, we enjoyed some biscuits and breakfast sandwiches. As soon as we dipped our toes into the brisk, Pacific Ocean, we loaded on to a speed boat that launched us all the way out to our catamaran. Once we arrived at the Lazy Lizard, we rushed to secure the PERFECT spot to catch some sun. Soon after our tanning session, we suited up and hopped off to begin snorkeling. While snorkeling, we greeted pufferfish, stingrays, sea urchins, and a special guest: a, spikey starfish. We then trekked over to a rocky shore with a tide pool full of exciting creatures.

After saying goodbye to our new crabby friends, we journeyed over to the boat once again. For lunch, we munched on some tasty Costa-Rican food, prepared by the captain himself. Our highlights were the burritos, a tangy salad, and a cookie for dessert. After we indulged, many of us fell into a slumber under the scorching, sun. Truly living the Pura Vida life, we might have gotten a little carried away. This either resulted in a new sun kissed complexion or a crispy sunburn. Heading home, we stopped at a souvenir shop, where we purchased our final tokens of the trip. Our sun blessed feet guided us to a much needed cold ice cream snack.

After our hectic day, we freshened up at Hotel Wilson and rested before dinner. Finishing up our pasta, chicken, and, of course, rice and beans, we prepared for an intense karaoke session. Gushing with energy, we sang our hearts out to artists like Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, Journey, and Shakira. Finally, we retreated back to our rooms and settled down to rest and recharge for the next early morning full of surgeries and recoveries (spoiler!). As our lead surgeon says: “Cool Beans” and we’ll see you on the other side!!

– Lucia and Mariam

BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

Holaaa! Today we woke up at 6:00 in the morning and came down to an array of fruit, rice and beans, eggs and delicious cereal. Once we finished chowing down we went back for another round of volunteering in the clinic for surgery’s. Once we finished we all headed back to hotel wilson for a nice hot shower and a great meal before preparing for our debate! we debated for an hour on the subject matters of animal ethics and costa rican animal cruelty laws. We headed to our rooms to start our packing for departure the next day! Our last chow circle started at 6:15 consisted of amazing shoutouts and hilarious jokes. Dinner was served! For our last mentor groups we focused on our own communities back home and discussed problems and solutions for these issues. As our last activity of the day we were gifted a fruit tasting by the one and only Juanca. Our favorites were the mango, dragon fruit, pineapple and starfruit. Once phones were returned we called family back home and finished the evening with our newly made friends here. At 9:30 everyone headed back to the rooms to get rest for our final day of service. Mucho gusto! 🤙

written by
Sarah and Isabel!

June 7, 2024 by Ashley Welter

Costa Rica: Animal Rescue & Veterinary Project (June 27 – July 10, 2024)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Hola amigos!

The day you arrived in Costa Rica, you were all nervous and apprehensive of the journey ahead of you. But throughout the entire trip, we saw all of your individual personalities shine creating a diverse group of future leaders.

Although service was hard, it was so rewarding to see the dogs being walked, cats being fed, chicken cages being cleaned & horses being washed, all animals appreciated the love that you showed them. We learned through doing and coming out of our comfort zones, even if that meant we had to get our hands (and pants!) a little dirty! The Lands in Love & VIDA Team appreciates your efforts in taking care of their animals and being the leaders you all are.

Over two weeks, we hope everyone learned to embrace the heat, humidity, and awesome animals every step (and boat ride) we took. We will remember all the awesome animals we also saw at the cocoa tour, the dolphins we saw during the catamaran ride, the fishes we saw while snorkeling and swimming, the birds we saw (and heard) as we walked through the jungle in Lands in Love and much more.

Do you guys remember talking about your OMG (one meaningful goal) on the final night in Costa Rica? Anna’s mentor group had the goal to help those in need while Matt’s mentor group decided to be volunteers for animal shelters to connect to the animals within their communities. We had some meaningful conversations about your personal goals as well! To bring back the memories, we attached some videos from that night!

Finally, a huge shoutout to:
-Juanca for coming through with having us get fast food like Taco Bell, Burger King & Mcdonalds
-random McDonalds worker that tried too hard at her job (lol)
-guest speaker for the Chiky & Yipy cookies plus the mamones
-Lands in Love team & Vida team
-endless animals we got to see at Lands in Love such as monkeys, toads, ducks, dog, cats, chickens, and the sloth from the cocoa tour
-las Gorditas animales
-Giovanni for our bus rides and getting us there safely (especially taking us to get snacks!)
-Nama’s Vegan food
-Hotel Wilson staff with Jose and Sharon and their delicious food and hospitality
-watching TV shows like Botched and movies like Shrek
-our fun karaoke night and karaoke on the bus
-feetsies and toesies
-Elio our chocolate tour guide
-amazing leaders of the day (Mathew and Anna) HA!
-salsa dancing
-the killer hike with Matt and others that chilled with Juanca and Anna by the pool
-braving the Costa Rican rainforest
-stuck in that chaotic traffic jam and having to use the restroom because we almost peed ourselves! Also running back to the bus in the pouring rain (fun times!)
-all the bug bites
-our cockroach roomies and lizard under the bed
-sleeping in weird positions on our long bus rides
-all of you for making this first session special and helping with the animals

We wish you all a very bright future and hope that each of you chases your dreams and achieve your goals. Every single one of you left a lasting and memorable impression on all of us. We genuinely hope that you go out, live every day outside of your comfort zone, and be the change you want to see in the world.

Matthew Hwang (International Director)
Juan Carlos Alvarado (Local Director)
Anna Castellanos (Mentor)

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things to know and expect:

Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

P.S. Are you interested in supporting the Global Leadership Adventures International Foundation? We invite you to learn more about GLAIF and consider donating here.

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

Hola!

This is your crew from Costa Rica’s Animal Rescue and Veterinary Program (CR AVRP)! We’re back for another AMAZING session with some truly amazing students! With the same staff as session one, we can’t wait to share the awesome activities, service, and excursions the students will get to experience with their families back home!

Today is arrival day! Everything is ready for our students to arrive and start experiencing everything Costa Rica has to offer! Most of the students were picked up at the airport in the morning/early afternoon at San Jose Airport! Some of the students will be coming in later tonight, due to late flight times, and we can’t wait to meet them and welcome them with open arms! Students then took a 2-hour bus ride to the beautiful “Lands in Love”, our all-vegan home base in the middle of the beautiful Costa Rican rainforest! On the way there, we stopped by a Costa Rican Walmart to buy snacks for our two-week trip!

At the home base, students were able to mingle with other students, explore their new home base, and rest/shower after a long day of travel! The students also ate dinner, met the GLA ARVP staff, pet some cute kitties that are an integral part of the hotel staff, and some even played Uno!

Although all of the students shared that they were exhausted from the traveling, they were super enthusiastic and looking forward to the adventure and service days to come!

We can’t wait for the next two weeks of service, learning, lifelong memories, and deep friendships that await.

Again, we hope that you can use this blog to keep up with your student’s adventures and as a way to experience this journey with us! Let Session 2 officially commence!

From the gleefully elated GLA CR ARVP team,
Matthew (International Director)
JuanCa (Local Director)
Anna (Mentor)

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Written by Anja and Karyme:

Hola!

After waking up to two new faces joining us at the breakfast table, we enjoyed a meal of pancakes, an omelet, plantains, and fruit, all vegan of course! The conversation was flowing and chatter filled the room. After only one day, we have all formed a bond that will only grow.

After breakfast, Juan-Carlos joined us in the activity room for icebreakers and games. Orientation followed and we learned the basics of Costa Rica and heard from one of the owners of Lands in Love.

Lunchtime rolled around and we were offered an option of pizza or Chinese fried rice. After lunchtime, there was more orientation and then it was time for the pool. We trekked back up to our rooms, speedily changed, and raced to the pool. Of course, for safety measures, there was a swim test. Thankfully, we all passed!

After a quick meeting with Matt, it was time for dinner and we dined on burgers or pasta with salad. Then we headed back to the activity room and learned some more about Costa Rican culture, food, money, and anything we needed to know from a local.

To complete a fun-filled day, we got our phones back and went to play games and relax before bed.

More to come,
Anja and Karyme

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Written by LOTDs Anja and Karyme:

Buenas noches,

Today we started our morning bright and early at 6:45 am by walking the dogs and cleaning the cats’ cages. Everyone enjoyed helping the shelter for the animals. After our first service, we all felt happy that we were able to assist.

After our service, we had breakfast, which consisted of fruit, french toast, vegan cream cheese, and plantains. The food was delicious! Everyone was enjoying their meal and having conversations that were full of joy.

As soon as we were done with breakfast and the cats, we had free time to do as we’d like. Later in the day, some of us went on a waterfall hike while the rest of us stayed back to go in the pool or relax.

Later on, we met in the activity room to learn about leadership and discussed the day. For dinner, we had lots of options which consisted of pad Thai, burritos, and Israeli food. As soon as we were done with our dishes, we had some free time until our dance lesson began.

During the dance lesson, we got to learn how to dance bachata and salsa which was exhausting, but fun at the same time! To end the day, we received our phones back and headed to talk and relax before heading to our rooms.

Bye for now,
Anja and Karyme

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Written by LOTDs Ava and Annie:

Hola Gorditos!

We woke up at the crack of dawn to walk some muy grande perros. Then we went to breakfast and we had some FIRE hashbrowns and pancakes. We actually ascended to pura vida heaven.

After breakfast, a group of 4 then proceeded to clean chicken coops, while another of 4 cleaned horses, sheep, and goats. The group that worked with the chickens cleaned the coops along with bunny and guinea pig cages. They also replaced the water buckets so that the animals would have fresh scrumptious water. We also got to hold chickens and bunnies!! The group working with horses got hoses sprayed them down and then scrubbed the water off of them so they could be squeaky clean. Also, a blind sheep got shampooed and dried and it was super cute and fluffy.

Then we got to eat a delicious meal cooked by the amazing chef Nama. Then we went into the city and got ice cream at Pops. Me and Ava got the Cono Alien and it was so good. If we had to live on an island alone we’d honestly probably bring my trusty Cono Alien. Very muy deliciosa.

Despues, we walked around and Jaden got Nutella pants and Claire got a Coca-Cola shirt. We then came back to the lovely hotel and we had chow circle and gave some amazing shoutouts to the GOATS of this program. We had dinner and absolutely MUNCHED.

After dinner, we then had our mentor groups with the amazing Anna!! We wrote letters to ourselves writing about our goals for the program.

Anyway, then we had to sleep at 10:00. We had such meaningful and deep talks on our endeavors so far which has made everybody feel included.

Adios,
Annie and Ava

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Written by LOTDs Sydney and Claire:

On July 1st we woke up bright and early for a fueling breakfast that included cereal with a variety of milk along with fruit and toast. We took a long but beautiful ride in through the Costa Rican countryside and arrived at the chocolate tour.

There, we tasted each stage of the cacao fruit going from the fruit of the cacao to fresh chocolate made from the fermented cocoa seeds, leaving with stomachs full of chocolate. We then went souvenir shopping in bustling La Fortuna. It was a great adventure, fueling our shopping addictions.

After shopping, we went to the Baldi hot springs and enjoyed a buffet-style lunch. We then relaxed In the natural hot spring water, enjoying refreshing mocktails and gaining the benefits of the Costa Rican sun.

After, we went downtown in La Fortuna and enjoyed an evening of more shopping, plus ice cream and dessert. Leaving La Fortuna with a bag full of souvenirs and our stomachs full of ice cream we took the long drive back and arrived at home base.

Lastly we enjoyed an amazing meal consisting of vegan pasta bolognese or a delicious vegan burger. After an exciting day, we chilled in our rooms preparing for the next day.

Pura Vida!
Sydney and Claire

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Written by LOTDs Jaden and Zia:

Hola mamacitas,

Today we started our morning walking our lovely perros at the ripe time of 6:45 am. Then we ate a delicious breakfast of potatoes and yummy vegan pancakes! Then we worked with our gatos for the last time at Lands in Love, and we were so sad to leave them all.

After service, we had some tasty lunch, and then we all played fun games together! The lunch really got our bowel movements into motion, but here in Costa Rica toilet paper is not flushable (shoutout to America for the strong pipes 🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅).

During our bonding time, most of us took a group nap while others were watching from a TV that only spoke Spanish. Luckily, our homie JuanCa taught us lovely español the past semana and we kind of got the gist of it.

Then we had mentor groups in which we wrote meaningful poems about who we are and where we come from. A lot of people shed tears and we all felt closer than ever before. Matt ended the mentor group with a group sing-a-long where we also discovered a fellow student’s secret talent of playing a Despicable Me tune on the guitar. (It was supa muy bien).

Lastly, we scarfed down our assorted dinner (not really assorted because everyone got the penne bolognese) and headed over to our guest speaker to learn more about Costa Rica and its wonders. In the presentation, we also took a quiz based on the last presentation (which we aced). Then we headed back to our rooms with our phones and went to bed!

Adios amigos,
Jaden and Zia

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Written by LOTDs Sydney and Karyme:

Hola chicos,

Today was a crazy day we woke up for our last day of service at Lands in Love. Then we went and had a scrumptious breakfast that included a variety of fruits and French toast with Nutella, jam, and syrup. After breakfast, we went to part 2 of the service which included working with chickens and horses. After service part 2, we all went and had lunch of our choice.

After lunch, we had an hour of free time which we used as nap time. Then, at 2:00 pm we went to our cooking class and learned how to make tortillas. During the cooking class, torrential rain poured down and almost flooded our cooking class. A dog also came by to get some chicken and stayed with us until the thunder and lightning had stopped.

After making tortillas, we decided to leave a little early due to how bad the rain was. On our drive back, we saw landslides, rocks on the road, people driving crazy, and cars driving into ditches.

After that wild adventure, we made it back to lands and love. We had some free time to shower and get cleaned up for our final dinner here. At dinner, we got a special dessert for our last night here. In our mentor group, we did spa night including face masks and relaxation.

After mentor groups, we headed back to our rooms to pack up and head to our next destination.

Adios,
Sydney and Karyme

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Written by LOTDs Annie and Ava:

(Not Many Photos Since Today was a Travel Day)

Welcome back gorditos!

Today, we woke up at 6:45 am and gave our luggage to the beautiful Geovani. He’s the best bus driver, on god no Kizzy. Then we had a delicious meal cooked by the lovely Nama once again. Although we were supposed to leave at 8:30 am SHARP, some silly little landslides made us delayed. At 9:00 am we departed for our 5-hour bus ride thanks to the beautiful Geovani.

During the bus ride, we stopped thrice (“very important”) to go to the bathroom and get some BUSSIN sandwiches. We were MUNCHING on these sandwiches. Annie graciously paid for Ava.

Then we pulled up to the nueva crib – Hotel Wilson. We had free time for 4 hours, where we basked in the AC and watched Spanish television. We also got to meet the veterinarians we will be working with for the next 4 days.

We had a delicious meal cooked by the lovely owners, Sharon and Jose. We then went back to our rooms to catch some peace and quiet. However… they actually surprised us with a band that was lowkey scary, but we got turnt, started dancing, and it was really $wag. And then, we moved outside by the pool, and the leaders of the day (us) decided to be trendsetters, jumped into the pool with our clothes on and everyone followed us.

Finally, we went to our rooms to rest before our day of service ahead.

Happy 4th of July,
Ava and Annie

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Written by LOTDs Annie and Ava:

It’s us again Gorditas, welcome back to our amazing blog!

Today we woke up at the crickety crack of dawn. We had a really good breakfast that empowered us to go about our day with meaning and passion. We then departed to go on a bus ride to the community we were visiting.

When we arrived at the community we split up into three groups and went to different houses to do wellness checks on the families’ pets. We took turns filling out forms regarding questions the VIDA team asked the homeowners. We each went to a few different houses. We saw puppies, kittens, squirrels, chickens, and lizards. We gave the families advice on how they could better care for their animals. We also gave the eligible pets dewormer and flea/tick repellant.

After a long morning of service and home visits, we left at around 10:20 AM and went to the food market to get some goods. We then went back to base and all decided/voted we weren’t going to go on the hike because we were all tired. So we took a nap and some of us went into the pool. We also went to watch Shrek 1 and 2, but we couldn’t finish the second one because we had the godforsaken Chow Circle.

We then had dinner which was cooked by the owners, and it was really great. After that, we had a mock debate for our mentor group tonight. It low-key got heated not gonna cap. It was really good though!! Now we have tech tiempo and the owners graciously blessed us with delicious ice pops.

Goodnight Gorditos y Gorditas! Ava and Annie now have to depart back to the motherland of the founders, until we meet again. (We now ride our bald eagles off into the sunset).

Over and out,
Ava and Annie

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Written by LOTDs Claire and Anja:

Hey, rats!!!!!!!!!!!

Another day in the villa. Bright and early, we got ready to go in our scrubs. After boarding the Geovani-mobile (our bus), we scurried on over to pick up the VIDA girlies, our wonderful veterinarians. Zooming around town in our hot ride, we arrived at a random concrete storage unit that would be the setting of our mobile clinic after a gruesome hour that lowkey wasn’t that bad.

We unlocked our inner “conventionally attractive” Barbie (-Matt) and DIY’ed a vet clinic. 5-minute crafts would be proud we really ate that up. Some locals straight from the nearby Costa Rican villages brought their fabulous dogs to our amazing clinic. We watched women in STEM spay the fabulous girly dogs and stuck some thermometers where the sun doesn’t shine.

Playing exterminator, it took many girl bosses to remove ticks from Gordito the third, one of our patients. After service, we wrapped up our Barbie dream house and expected to go zip-lining. In a series of unfortunate events that should have been predicted considering it was storming and thundering when we left, we trusted JuanCa (our local director) but had to leave when it turned out to be too wet…

Further fueling our shopping addictions, we braved the rain to look in the souvenir shop. Then after a gruesome ride home that was gruesome this time because it was wet and smelly and gross, we had a little free time.

Later we were blessed with wait for it… PIZZA. Girl, it’s been too long since we had some of her. There was also some cheesy bread which we gobbled up like the Gorditas we are. No shame. Blasting music, we wrapped up dinner and ended the day with mentor groups. Slay Anna!

Shout out to Sharon and Jose (owners of Hotel Wilson) for the pizza. Shout out to the scabies dog. Shout out to Baby Gordita for fixing the scale. Shout out to Coca-Cola. Passing the torch #keepitcaliente

Love you!!!
Anja and Claire

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Hello, my little gorditas!

We arose from the tundra of Hotel Marceva to embark on our journey to the catamaran at 6:00 am. We drove 2 hours to the beach and when we arrived, we got off the bus and walked on the beach. After waiting a short amount of time, a small boat came to get us on the beach and they drove us out to the Lazy Lizard catamaran.

When we got there we went over some brief safety rules and then we began our amazing trip in the ocean. We laid out on the netting and as we did that, we saw two pods of dolphins and they swam under us. It was such a cool experience.

When we got to a certain spot, we got out and went on a snorkeling tour, went paddle boarding, and had lunch. The food was so good! After that, we then came back and went back onto the bus. We then got stuck in the WOSRT traffic we have ever experienced in the entirety of our 14-17 years on this earth.

We finally made it to souvenir shopping after 3 hours of traffic. Then we departed to fast food! We got Taco Bell and Burger King (we were originally going to go to McDonalds, but they were closed). Then we came back to home base and ate our scrumptious food.

At night, we watched some movies and took some naps. Then we had karaoke. After that, we all went to our rooms and had a restful night so we could be energized for our day of service tomorrow.

Buenas,
Ava and Annie

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Written by LOTDs Ava and Annie:

We are back Gorditas!!!

Today we woke up bright and early for our service duties. We prepped dogs for surgery and did physicals, then we observed the spays and neuters with Dr. Jely at the surgery table. Today, we also had a special case of tending to a dog that had cancer and holding the patient still to ensure that her IV continued to drip and didn’t fall out.

After that, we took the cats or dogs to recovery, kept a close watch on their vitals, and made sure they were stable. After they started to wake up we removed their catheters and discharged them back to their families.

Service ended at noon, with Matt (the best international director ever) buying us popsicles as a reward for completing another full day of clinical work! We then went back to base and had lunch. After that we got ready and we went ziplining. It was so much fun! We went over different trees and rivers. We even got to repel/rock climb in a canyon, and some of us even went upside down!

After ziplining we came back to home base, had chow circle, and then a delicious meal cooked by the amazing hotel owners, Jose and Sharon. Later we had our last mentor group with Anna (the best mentor ever). We wrote reflections about what we learned about ourselves, what we will take back home with us, and what we will continue to do to make a change in our communities.

Following the final mentor group we planned to get a good night’s sleep for the last day of service and to mentally prepare for our five-hour drive to the Hotel Robledal for our final night in Costa Rica together tomorrow.

Farewell everybody,
Ava and Annie (best LOTD duo fr)

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Welcome back to the blog :).

Today, the students woke up bright and early once again to have breakfast at 6:30 am and have their last day of service! Due to today being a travel day, students only had a half day of service, primarily focused on vaccinations and preventative care for all of the local animals! We even got to give out candy and other resources to the local community/children! Today was also a very special day for one of our vets, Dr. Sylvia, who celebrated her birthday with the entire GLA group!

After service, we headed back to our Home Base to quickly shower/freshen up, load our luggage on the bus, and eat lunch prior to our 5-hour bus ride back to Hotel Robledal, which would be the last home base before the students departed from SJO.

On the 5-hour bus ride, we stopped by a Costa Rican McDonalds for a quick little snack break!!

Finally, after a tumultuous journey, we finally made it to Hotel Robledal. There, we got ready in our fancy outfits for our farewell (final) dinner. As night fell, all of the students participated in the final activities to end their GLA journey, including making their “One Meaningful Goal” (OMG) that they would try to pursue as they travel back home, and the appreciation circle.

All the students then said goodbye to JuanCa (the best local director ever) and packed all of their luggage prior to their flights tomorrow.

Buenas Noches, and see you tomorrow for the final blog post!
-Matthew Hwang (International Director)

BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Buenas tardes,

Today was a bittersweet day as we said goodbye to the amazing 8 students who made up the second “Animal Rescue and Veterinary Project” GLA Costa Rica trip of 2024! Staff dropped off students at the San Jose airport in groups depending on what time their flight was departing. All students have departed without any issue, and should be arriving home shortly!

On behalf of the staff, we want to thank every student that made this trip possible. We truly loved getting to know everyone’s vibrant and bubbly personalities as the trip progressed; every individual truly contributed a unique piece to this amazing puzzle that was Session 2, and we could not have asked for better individuals. To the students, thank you for your tremendous kindness, sass, laughter, joy, and plenty of unforgettable moments that we as staff will truly cherish.

For most, it was their first time outside of the country alone, and we hope that Costa Rica was truly a one-of-a-kind trip that the students will never forget, and take their newfound global knowledge, leadership skills, and life lessons that they have learned on this trip to “be the change” in the world as our future leaders.

Pura Vida, and Goodbye for Now! 😊

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Matt (International Director)
JuanCa (Local Director)
Anna (Mentor)