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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

COMING SOON!

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR MARCH 29

Dear GLA Costa Rica Spring Break Service Adventure Families,

Hello – We are so glad all students have arrived!! Yesterday we got settled into our beautiful beachside resort in Junquillal, Costa Rica. We will be busy over the next days with orientation, our first day at the beach bodyboarding and maybe beach volleyball, ziplining, learning local dance moves in a dance class, making some local dishes at a cooking class on a local farm, and a catamaran trip with snorkeling.

Our first service day is tomorrow at the Guanacaste Water Center where the work changes with the seasons. We will work with their tropical plant nursery, learn about and mix different kinds of organic soils, and sort and prepare seeds for the seed collection of different species that are useful for watershed management, habitat, and as foods and even medicines.

Student leaders of the day will be writing a blog post every one to two days to keep you updated about all the great things they have been up to. Our schedule is packed so besides the blog we won’t be on phones very often. We truly hope the students enjoy a break from their phones and immerse themselves in life on the beautiful Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

We have 3 staff directly with the students, plus the support of our very experienced homebase staff, and of course the 24/7 support of the office staff. We look forward to a great program and keep your eyes open for the first student blog!

Best,
Clint, Juan Carlos, and Nina

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 30

Hey family,

Today was really fun! We started off our very first day by waking up and having breakfast with a beautiful view of the beach. After that, we did orientation which included fun games to get to know each other and information with an outline for the rest of the week. After orientation, we all went to the pool and enjoyed the coconut trees and sun and swam. We then went to lunch and got ready for the beach!

We went to Playa Negra just up the coast from us. Here we played volleyball, enjoyed the big waves, and got to talk to Cato, our lifeguard. We then stopped by a small village called Rio Seco where they were having their annual local horse festival, and watched the Tope (they parade by w their nicest horses and dress) and saw vaqueros, the cowboys. We came back sandy and happy, enjoyed a delicious dinner, got ice-cream, and enjoyed thirty minutes of phone privileges. We then did mentor groups and called it a night. Today was so much fun and we can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds!

Best,

Ani Zoley and Lucinda Ernst

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 31

Today we woke up early, prepared to work and got ready to help the community. We drove to the Guanacaste Water Center to see it and pick up tools and then went to a farm with horses. The water center focuses on reforestation and we were using shovels to gather fertilizer- horse manure! We all worked diligently knowing that we were helping the conservation center.

After working efficiently, we finished the loading fast and packed the bags of manure to be transported back to the water center. We ate delicious food there and then helped out with making compost and planting seedlings. We also got to try local honey made on the farms around us.

When we came back from our service, our group was lucky to have the chance to release freshly hatched olive ridley turtles to the ocean. The moment of releasing the turtles was nothing less than cathartic to me (Max). Later we met up to hear Juan Carlos talk about Costa Rican culture, then some of us had a quick swim and off to bed. Zip lining tomorrow!

Maxine Burns and Max Mitchell

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BLOG POST FOR APRIL 1

Hi everyone,

Today was really fun. We went to do a zipline tour, which included a mini bungee jump, a swing and 10 zip-lines through forest canopies. It was exciting, especially when we saw a marine iguana hiding in the trees, only a few centimeters away.

Afterwards, we headed to a beach called Playa Conchal. It was beautiful, with clear blue waters in a bay filled with shells and lush greenery.

When we arrived back to the hotel we ate some yummy tacos. Then we had a mock debate about the development of the Costa Rican coastline. We were in teams representing locals, tour guides, environmental groups, developers, and the government. We debated and came to a compromise to support a decision about a new resort while also weighing the pros and cons. Overall it was a very full but exciting day.

Kaelana Calvo & Swan Sun

PURA VIDA!!!

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BLOG POST FOR APRIL 2

We started our day with french toast and fruit. After, we went to the beach to help with the turtle hatchery where we dug sand to create a bank so the water wouldn’t reach the hatchery. We also got to release 72 baby Olive Ridley turtles. Then we walked back just in time for lunch. After lunch we had some free time to enjoy the pool, play cards and rest.

After our free time we each did our own research project on different species of turtles and animals. We each had some time to study our animal and then we presented them. Later we took the bus to our cooking class where Anais showed us how to make empanadas in her home. We got to pick mangos from her mango tree and cut and eat them. We also had a coconut fall right next to us while researching for our presentation so we opened that while we were there. When we finished making empanadas we went to the soccer field outside of her house by the local school to play some soccer. A lot of the local kids joined in- they were really good!

When we got back we had some time to get ready for dinner and then we ate. At the end of the night we had our mentor talk where we wrote down our personal goals and our group goals as well. Then we played a quick game. When we finished our mentor talk we all went to sleep early as for we had to wake up early in the morning for our catamaran trip. ¡Adios!

Clara Perry-Villa & Livia Gray

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BLOG POST FOR APRIL 3

Today we set off by 6.45 am, heading about an hour north to a beach to meet our catamaran. We took a smaller boat out to the catamaran, and then enjoyed a cruise along the coast and islands.

We anchored in a little cove where we snorkeled, explored the beach, and enjoyed the stand up paddle-boards.

We had a nice lunch onboard with fresh fruits, wraps, pasta salad, different kinds of fresh salsas, and lots of different tunes to listen to. Then we headed back to homebase to get packed, rest, enjoy the pool, and had some nachos as a midafternoon snack. And get ready for our dance class!

We learned some Caribbean and Latin steps, then went out for a final local folklorico dance on the beach at sunset.

Afterwards we stayed on the beach just enjoying the view and taking pictures all together for one last evening. Then we had a nice dinner together and some farewell activities to reflect on our time together and all the things we’ve done and accomplished.

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR MARCH 22

Dear GLA Costa Rica Spring Break Service Adventure Families,

Hello – We are so glad all students have arrived!! Yesterday we got settled into our beautiful beachside resort in Junquillal, Costa Rica. We will be busy over the next days with orientation, our first day at the beach bodyboarding and maybe beach volleyball, ziplining, learning local dance moves in a dance class, making some local dishes at a cooking class on a local farm, and a catamaran trip with snorkeling.

Our first service day is tomorrow at the Guanacaste Water Center where the work changes with the seasons. We will work with their tropical plant nursery, learn about and mix different kinds of organic soils, and sort and prepare seeds for the seed collection of different species that are useful for watershed management, habitat, and as foods and even medicines.

Student leaders of the day will be writing a blog post every one to two days to keep you updated about all the great things they have been up to. Our schedule is packed so besides the blog we won’t be on phones very often. We truly hope the students enjoy a break from their phones and immerse themselves in life on the beautiful Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

We have 3 staff directly with the students, plus the support of our very experienced homebase staff, and of course the 24/7 support of the office staff. We look forward to a great program and keep your eyes open for the first student blog!

Best,
Clint, Juan Carlos and Nina

PS- Just as the first students arrived we had baby turtles at our turtle conservation program!

Just after getting settled into their rooms the students got to go to the conservation area and release the baby Olive Ridley turtles and watch them waddle down the beach and slip into the waves. Fun!

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 23

March 23rd was the first full day of the GLA spring break adventure program. We woke up and began our day enjoying a wonderful Costa Rican Breakfeast. It is called Gallo pinto. This meal includes a mixture of black beans and rice and locals tend to eat it with many meal of the day. After breakfast we had an orientation related activity that helped bond the GLA group and improve our leadership skills.

After lunch time we headed over to the beach and spent time boogie boarding as well as adventuring on a volcanic rock formation. The rock included a naturally made cold plunge. When we were at the beach we enjoyed playing volleyball with the staff members and drinking tropical fruit smoothies. We headed back to home base around 4:30 pm to enjoy another wonderful meal which included pork loin with applesauce bbq, mashed potatoes, and salad. We spend free time bonding or swimming in the pool! Later we had a mentor group meeting and then to bed because we have an early morning starting service tomorrow.

Alexia Soare and Hayden Bashein

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 24

We began our day with delicious pancakes with sausages, fruit and yogurt before heading off to the Guanacaste Water Center to complete our first full day of service. Upon our arrival we began by learning about the water center and how it helps the environment, and getting to know the Water Center team.

Marcia, the director gave us challenging but rewarding tasks to begin our work. We moved and watered plants, learned about important species and collected and sorted seeds for their seed bank, and helped create compost and good soil. After we finished our these jobs, we had a typical Costa rica lunch of Arroz con Pollo (chicken, rice and veggies) and played an educational treasure hunt. This required us to go around the gardens and forest and gather information about the environment, the world wide watersheds and importance of trees.

Our favorite part of the day was learning how to start the growing process of the plants, which will grow into trees and be donated to local families and schools. Schoolchildren are taught what the different plants are good for and then choose one for their home. In conclusion we all contributed and played an important part in helping support the environment.

After returning to Homebase we feasted on pasta before diving into a Costa Rican culture talk. Where we learned all about Costa Rica and expanded our Spanish vocabulary.

As leaders of the day we made the toughest days easy.

Charlie Fashny and Marlise Touw

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 25

We woke up and went to breakfast. We talked about the word of the day, which was Amigo and Amiga. Later, we headed over to the zip line place, where we learned a lot about nature and zip lining through the trees. On our way home we stopped to explore a supermarket to see what Costa Rican snacks they had. After that, we went dancing and had a dance class.

Then, we had dinner, and we had tacos. They were great! After the tacos, we saw a short video about local development and environmental issues with interviews of locals, for example about how tourism can affect the nature in this country. We then split into groups representing different groups such as locals, builders, government, tour guides, and environmental groups and had a debate about a property being built in Costa Rica and whether or not it’s a good idea. Then, we played a little game of murder mystery, which was interesting. Now, it’s bedtime. My favorite part of zip lining was the adrenaline.

Luke Fashny and Connor Kulis

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 26

March 26th was the 5th day of the GLA program. Today we woke up and enjoyed delicious French toast made by the kitchen. Quickly after we headed straight down to the beach to help our local sea turtle hatchery and complete more community service hours. We dug holes up to 7 feet deep and carried buckets full of sand back and forth across the beach. We had a fun time helping the Costa Rican community! When we got back home we enjoyed pico de gallo with rice and lettuce. We then completed a research activity individually. Everyone was given a turtle to research and make a presentation about. We learned many new facts about turtles!

Did you know there are 7 turtle species, with 5 able to be found in Costa Rica!!

For the last part of our adventure today we learned how to make empanadas. We used potatoes and beans and they turned out to be very tasty. After enjoying empanadas we played soccer with some local kids and had a very fun time with them! Last but not least we had a delicious stir fry for dinner.

Lexi Soare and Ella Leung

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 27

Today we set off by 6.45 am, headed to the beach to meet our catamaran. We took a smaller boat out to the catamaran, and then enjoyed an hour long cruise out past the islands and then anchored at one of the islands with an arch through the rocks and a tiny beach. It was a windy day but we snorkeled some and saw some fish and then all climbed onto the giant lily pad tied to our boat. We enjoyed swimming and trying to stand up paddle board in the waves—which involved a lot of falling into the water 🙂

Then we had a big lunch of fresh fruits, wraps, pasta salad, different kinds of fresh salsas such as pineapple jalapeño and a sour cream one. After a big lunch we enjoyed the cruise back along the coast. We then stopped in a little town to explore the souvenir shops and stores. Then we hiked along the coast to a secluded white shell beach called Conchal. We all had a swim in it for a while with its funny waves that floated us back and forth back and forth from the shore- because it is a shell beach it is much steeper so the waves are really different.

Then we hiked back to our bus and went back to homebase to cool off and pack and clean before dinner. Before dinner we all went out to our beach for last beautiful sunset together, taking pictures and just enjoying being together on the beach. Then a nice dinner together and some farewell activities to reflect on our time together and all the things we’ve done and accomplished. Up early the next day for our last breakfast and headed to the airport all together.

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR MARCH 15

Dear GLA Costa Rica Spring Break Service Adventure Families,

Hello – We are so glad all students have arrived!! Yesterday we got settled into our beautiful beachside resort in Junquillal, Costa Rica. We will be busy over the next days with orientation, our first day at the beach bodyboarding and maybe beach volleyball, ziplining, learning local dance moves in a dance class, making some local dishes at a cooking class on a local farm, and a catamaran trip with snorkeling.

Our first service day is tomorrow at the Guanacaste Water Center where the work changes with the seasons. We will work with their tropical plant nursery, learn about and mix different kinds of organic soils, and sort and prepare seeds for the seed collection of different species that are useful for watershed management, habitat, and as foods and even medicines.

Student leaders of the day will be writing a blog post every one to two days to keep you updated about all the great things they have been up to. Our schedule is packed so besides the blog we won’t be on phones very often. We truly hope the students enjoy a break from their phones and immerse themselves in life on the beautiful Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.

We have 3 staff directly with the students, plus the support of our very experienced homebase staff, and of course the 24/7 support of the office staff. We look forward to a great program and keep your eyes open for the first student blog!

Best,
Clint, Juan Carlos and Nina

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 16

Today we woke up at 7 and got ready for breakfast which was gallo pinto (typical Costa Rican dish), scrambled eggs, fruit and yogurt, and then we had orientation learning about homebase, service and excursions.

We went to a beach and had a tonnn of fun boogie boarding with friends, some beach soccer, and a short lived beach volleyball game because Charlie popped the ball (bless his heart, a stray hit and it landed on a huge cactus), it was hot so we then had smoothies under a giant palapa on the beach.

Next we saw the coolest thing ever which was a sea turtle release and even got to release some of our own, along with a super neat explanation of what they do when released.

Then finally we had dinner which was pork loin w apple-bbq sauce, mashed potatoes, veggies and salad. Then we broke into smaller groups for reflection and some fun. Then got our phones back and then that’s it!! 😀 And tomorrow morning we start service!

Carson Burleson and Mati Mereles

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 17

Today we woke up at 6:45 to a breakfast of pancakes and sausages and fruit and yogurt. Then we got ready for our volunteering.

We headed to the Guanacaste Water Center for a full day there. A long day but also a lot of our service work completed for the week. We were split into groups of 6 and each group learned different jobs like shoveling up gravel from an area where road work had damaged the property and using the rocks to prepare a level ground for plant nurseries with good drainage, mixing compost for the plants (lots of ingredients! Charcoal, sawdust, active microorganisms etc they grow there) and replanting sprouts. We learned about all the different projects the center does and also learned some gardening and environmental skills.

We had arroz con pollo (rice and chicken) for lunch at the service site and then continued our service in the afternoon with a break for popsicles. Then we headed back to home base with a stop at a local store to see what Costa Rican snacks they had, and chilled in the pool after. We played some frisbee and threw the football around. Afterwards, we went to the beach for the sunset which we haven’t got to see yet due to the clouds in previous days.

At 6:30 we went for dinner and had pasta, salad and garlic bread. After dinner, we had a mini leadership session which started with a fun game that required observation and team work. After, we broke into 6 teams of 3 and collaborated to curate a business plan to benefit our communities. We were able to exercise essential leadership skills including public speaking.

Tomorrow we will be having a fun activity day where we go zip-lining, play sports and have a dance class.

Hazel Lim and Justin Young

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 18

The main event today was zip lining in the jungle. There were 10 courses in the zip lining park and they were built up in the top of the huge native trees, the Guanacaste or “tree that hears” in the native language as we learned the other day. This made it more interesting because the platforms swayed in the wind over the forest. Which caused everyone to be more focused and pay attention with their surroundings.

After the zip lining we went back to base to get ready for the beach. When we arrived to the beach the sand was hot since the tide had been out, but the Pacific was cold and we could cool off. On the beach we played some games on the wet sand and some soccer but then decided to head to the homebase pool in the shade. Then we got ready for dance class. We were learning the native dances such as salsa and some folk dances and we then had chow circle and had a dinner of tacos we could fix ourselves. After dinner was time for a presentation on Costa Rican culture and learn about the natives and the land and then we split into mentor groups for more discussion and then time to get ready for an early start tomorrow at the turtle center near us.

Ava Wayne, Alexander Sprungmann

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 19

Today we walked to the nearby turtle nesting area and saw how the local organization protects them and learned what kinds of turtles nest here. Unfortunately the head of the turtle program was not feeling well so we headed instead to a nature preserve on the coast at Avellanas beach.

We went on a 5 kilometer nature walk with a conservation program called Oropopo. Our guide was Cello, a biologist who taught us about the dry rainforest unique to Guanacaste, then we walked through the mangroves, an estuary, and along the tidal area as the tide went out so there were lots of sea creatures to learn about on the beach.

After our long hike we cooled off in our swimming pool. Then we went to a small farm in a nearby village and learned to cook local foods. We ground fresh corn and then used it to make empanadas using banana leaves to shape them. Then we played soccer with some local kids which was fun.

Finally we had a stir fry for dinner and then learned about ecotourism in Costa Rica and had a debate about the different issues from the point of view of business owners, locals, and environmental groups.

Tomorrow up bright and early to go on a catamaran!

Charlie Swagert and Elisabeth Wilson

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 20

Today we got up nice and early to get on the bus and drive to the catamaran, eating breakfast on the way.

We arrived to the coast and took a boat out to the catamaran, then spent about an hour going out past islands to to a beautiful cove, where we stopped and snorkeled, swam and paddle-boarded and just hung out. We were served a delicious lunch on the boat with fresh fruit to snack on throughout the trip also. After lots of swimming and snorkeling, we turned around and headed back.

On our way back to homebase we decided to stop to explore a little town, where we got souvenirs and ice cream. Even though we had been in the water all day, we still wanted more, so once we got back, we got into the pool for a bit. Sadly after it was time to start packing. After, we got all freshened up and went to the beach for our last sunset, getting lots of final photos. For dinner we had burgers and fries.

Afterwards, we made our way to the appreciation circle, which was a very nice activity to conclude our program and share our thoughts and reflections with others. We spent the rest of the evening by the pool, sharing pictures from our time together and laughing about the funny and enjoyable moments we shared. This program was an amazing opportunity that has made a significant impact on our lives, and we hope to carry the things we have learned with us into the future.

Marcus Eades and Alex Volesko

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program! In 2024, this program was offered through our sister provider, Teen Travel Network, however it has now moved to Global Leadership Adventures for the 2025 season and beyond.

Here are a few things to know and expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Greetings family and friends from rockin’ Rome!

We are so happy to have our group of travelers arrive safely and happily (if a bit jet-lagged) from all over the USA.

We are so excited to spend time together making pizza and pasta, learning about Italian culture, and soaking up the Mediterranean sun!

We will keep you all posted about our adventures around this beautiful country. Try not to be too gelosi del gelato 🍧 😜

Ciao for now,

Diana Gonzalez (International Director) and Ester Fraschia (Local Director)

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Phew! Despite being a little jet lagged, we got moving bright and early to make sure we got the most out of our first full day in Italy! The hotel we’re staying at (Ibis Style!) has an AMAZING breakfast spread which helped power us up for the looooong day of walking to come.

From there we caught a bus to the Castle de Saint Angelo which was initially constructed between the years 123 and 139AD! Wow! We hiked to the tippity top of the castle for a gorgeous panoramic view.

Of course, a pre-pizza gelato was needed after that so we made a quick stop at a local favorite. After that we felt energized to do a pizza making class where we learned the Napalitano way of making pizza. Oh my gosh, SO MUCH FOOD! We discussed the “finer points” of Expedition Behavior over lunch and prepped for our walking tour of Rome!

From the Pantheon (so old!) to the beautifully sculpted Fontana Di Trevi (such Roman Gods!) to the historic Spanish steps (we sure met OUR step goals for the day) we explored and learned together.

We closed by taking our first Metro as a team (practiced navigating and figuring out which stop to get off at) and walked back to the hotel where we took a much needed break for self-care, either chilling in the pool with Lifeguard Diana or working out in the gym with Coach Ester.

Tomorrow we visit the archeological site of Pompeii!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Pompeii all day!

We got an early start and adventured many hours on train to see the ruins at Pompeii. We saw the great city that has been stuck in time after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius claimed many of the lives of its inhabitants due to asphyxiation from ash and toxic gas explosions. Although it is still an active volcano, we were safe exploring with our tour guide who showed us many remains, from how shops were maintained, temples and gardens where people played and prayed, and how nightlife was done by the pagan inhabitants.

We took a stroll through “little Pompeii” afterwards and some of us played a quick game of fútbol with some local kids!

We worked on an art activity where we explored creating our own “temple” and shared which morals and values act as the pillars to the foundations of our lives.

Eventually we made it home safe, sound, and absolutely ready for bed… with another early start tomorrow to visit the Vatican and many more amazing spots around Rome!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

🔥 🎶 Old Nero had a fiddle, he fiddled night and day, while Rome was burning, he just played away, he moved to Sorentino and then we heard him say “there’ll be a hot time in the old camp tonight” 🎶🔥

That old camp song was right in some parts and wrong in others, as we learned today (while it was so hot we felt like WE were burning!). Turns out we had some misconceptions about Rome that we shall correct for everyone here: Nero was framed, the emperor was kinder to gladiators than we thought (sort of), and the pope is only in the Vatican SOME of the times (he’s a busy Papa!)

We started the heavily hot day by visiting Vatican City. We had a guided tour inside the walls and tours of his monumental and intriguing city. Some chose to climb to the tippity top of the basilica, using rope and will power to challenge the narrowly winding path! We then had a healthy lunch (chilled on the pizza and pasta and cheese for a minute) and repowered for our 2nd tour of the day: The Colosseum and the Fori Romani archeological site. The stairs were plenty and the sun shining, we got another workout today! Thankfully we had a pool and air conditioning waiting for us back in the hotel.

Mama Ester even came through with homemade maritozzi for dessert to celebrate our last night in Rome!

We pack up tonight to head to Florence tomorrow for the next leg of our journey. Can’t believe it’s already half way through our adventure together!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Onwards to Florence and Pisa!

We said arrivederci to Rome and took off (after sleeping in, which was nice) via private bus and then train to our next destination.

The first half of today was mainly a travel day where we got to see idyllic Italian countryside. Later, we got to take some great photos during a walking tour of Pisa! Some of us braved the steps and went all the way to the top of the bell tower. Dizzying heights were seen as we wound around and around up the slippery marble staircase to view the breathtaking view from the top. We even watched someone get proposed to. She said yes!

More news tomorrow as we wake up bright and early to travel via foot, train, and most importantly boat to do some sea-fairing and daring as we visit Cinque Terra (literally meaning “five lands”) and have a relaxing beach day!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Beach and Cinque Terra Day!!! 🛥️ 🌊

With a bright and early (too early if you ask most of us 😴) start, we took off on train to catch our boat, which took us to the various locations of the “five lands”. A UNESCO work heritage site where each of the five towns is beautiful in its own way. We only viewed them from the boat though as we were on our way to our beach dayyy! We visited the pebble beaches of Monterosso al Mare and swam in the Mediterranean Sea (NOT an ocean!).

Mama Ester kept us plenty fed with snacks on the beach while we had some fun in the sun. Some practiced their ukulele skills, others caught some rays, and all of us returned home tired and ready for some pasta making class tomorrow!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Today was another proper Italian day! We started off with visiting the gorgeous and huge duomo of Santa Maria di Fiore. Some of us climbed the steep steps to the top for an amazing view while others opted for, you guessed it, a morning gelato! Both were a great way to beat the baking heat.

We were able to get a little shopping time in before our pasta making class. Florence has some cool vintage shops, art galleries, and of course souvenirs!

In our pasta making class we learned all about the ingredients, technique, and effort that go in to making homemade pasta! We made ravioli and tagliatelle with a delicious tiramisu for dessert.

We closed out our night by packing and prepping for our departure tomorrow from Florence to Venice. Our last leg of this journey!