Uncategorized - Part 74

June 8, 2022 by Ashley Welter

Costa Rica: Spanish Service Adventure (July 5 – July 18, 2022)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Cell Phone Policy: The GLA cell phone policy is currently in place this summer to help foster meaningful connections between students. This means your student’s phone will be collected every day and returned to them throughout the program during designated spaces of time we call ‘tech time’. Actual tech times and regularity will vary greatly by program location. During designated ‘tech time’, your student may use their phones as they wish. Please note that your student may not always choose to use this time to get a hold of their parents. If you are not hearing directly from your student each day, you can assume that no news is good news! We strongly recommend you follow the blog to follow your students’ experience without talking to them every day. If you are a parent and would like to get in touch with your student directly, you can call us at +1-619-758-3031 and we can set up a formal time for you to connect with your student.

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 posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Hello everyone,

The day has finally arrived. We are starting our Spanish Service Adventure program. After a full day of arrivals the whole group is now together at our homebase in Paraiso. While some of us waited patiently for others to arrive we played games and got to know each other a bit better.

We are very excited to start our activities tomorrow. Make sure to keep posted for more updates.

Buenas noches,

Katherine, GLA Mentor

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Written by Suzanna

Finally, the group has been fully united, and as such, universally introduced to the beautiful country, Costa Rica. Similarly alarmed, nervous, excited, and determined, this group has exceptionally committed themselves to their overall goal, desires, and motivations. Currently, as it has been the first full day that the group has been connected with one another; a clear insight of how all of this has all beautifully unfolded was through their communication.

Throughout many interviews with fellow people as a part of this program, many have stated that they’ve felt nervous, relieved, and incredibly excited when they’ve landed in Costa Rica. Even though our first feelings about this trip may have been different from our current feelings now, we have persevered and are determined to push forward and keep working hard to achieve our committed goals. Some participants of the program have been communicatively positive and interactive with the group, which has ultimately helped group members open up about themselves and expand their boundaries as a whole; and have undoubtedly even encouraged me to participate myself. Likewise, some other participants have been committed to try to push themselves out of their boundaries and open up with more individuals throughout the trip.

Something that was quite interesting that the group constructed was a newly invented way of the game Jenga. Throughout the game, individuals utilize both rock, paper, scissors, shoot, and the creativity of asking their peers questions. This helped everyone be able to understand one another, and most importantly, who they are as people. It’s quite mesmerizing how varied the communication is amongst the group, but that overall simplifies the uniqueness and beauty of GLA.

Another activity we did was dance class, and this class was most definitely a ride of an event; with deep exposure to culture and a very fun way to get active as well. It was really heartwarming to see how much everyone was excited to dance, and even if people weren’t as experienced in dancing, we’ve all, collectively, found a way to make this class enjoyable; and that truly makes my heart warm, and of course, makes me smile.

After the dance class, we were given a treat of local ice cream in the city. The ice cream was rico, I’d highly recommend that if anyone does come to visit the city, Paraiso, to come down and try that amazingly tasty ice cream; and of course, we can’t forget about the dog that we saw when we were eating ice cream on the bus. It was devastating to see a dog be locked behind the gates of its own home, but with such hardship, came triumph for that dog. It was quite funny, but also relieving to see the dog make its way through the bars of the gate; we all collectively cheered the dog on.

Overall, a popular goal amongst a multitude of people within this program is to further practice their Spanish and immerse in the Costa Rican culture. One individual, in particular, has been truly inspirational with their determination in learning Spanish, and they’ve strived to continue pushing themselves in the days ahead. Others have been very eager to expose themselves to a more authentic approach to community service, and as such, the experiences that come with it.

In reflection to the orientation that we had earlier today, a question that has stayed lingering in my mind has been, “How do you define leadership?”. As vague as this question may sound, it comes with a perplexion of answers and definitions, however, I have pondered on what the answer to this question could be. Thus, I believe that a leader can’t be born, but a leader can be built, a leader can be influenced, a leader can be inspired, and encouraged. Additionally, through the individualized experience, one may behold through the terms of leadership, comes the experience of leadership through a group; through a body and a system.

There’s no absolute, nor accurate way to “generalize” leadership, as it simply can not be construed as the commodification of a stereotype, however, it must be signified based on it’s initiative, niche, and goal overall. This has truly opened me up to something I’ve been perplexed by for a long time. I’ve always visualized leadership as a constructive way an individual leads another, but it can also be how a group, such as the one on this trip, is able to promote leadership as a whole. It’s both a universally and eventful experience, especially when you are able to come together and work with such unique and determined individuals.

Greetings,
Suzanna, the blogger of today!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Hola Amigos y Amigas,

Today was our first adventure day! After a delicious breakfast, we traveled for a hike in a rainforest named Monte Sky just outside of Paraíso. The story of Monte Sky reflects the spiritual nature of the location. It is maintained by a former drug addict who found tranquility in this particular rainforest. He lives in and looks after an Eco-Lodge that we were able to spend some time at for a snack and a water break. It has a beautiful view of the town of Paraíso and the mountains. As we hiked we listened to the large and elegant leaves above us, as well as the birds and other animals that inhabit the rainforest. The final destination of the hike was a large magnificent waterfall. It was so large, that we stood a fair distance away from it and still felt the mist fall down on our faces.

After the hike, we continued to learn more about each other while writing a “Where I’m From” poem in our mentor groups. We continued the fun in our Spanish class where we had a walking tour of Paraíso and bought snacks at the local grocery store. We wrapped up another adventure-filled day in Costa Rica with some just dance! Tomorrow, we are excited to continue our service project in the Ujarras community!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Hola friends and family! My name is Riley and I am the Lider del dia. Today was another day of hardwork, fun, bonding, and as always, delicious food! After breakfast and a music filled bus ride, we began our work in the community park. While the work is challenging, this group has a really impressionable way of making it something to look forward to every time. Even though the weather brought rain, mud, and wet gloves, there were smiles across every girls face. One of my favorite parts of the day was an incredible visit to Ujarrás national park for our daily Spanish lessons. The view was a breathtaking sight of mountains, rivers, and towns I will never forget. Once back at the homebase the rest of the girls and I got to reflect and recap the days events and prepare ourselves for the opportunities tomorrow will bring. Everyday brings a new inspirational experience, here in Costa Rica, that I am beyond fortunate to be a part of.

Sincerely,
Riley

BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Written by Clara y Felicity

Hola Amigos!

Today was our sixth day in Costa Rica. After a delicious breakfast, we left to do some community service in the park for the morning. As a team, we started our service work by moving pieces of grass to build a soccer field. The pile of grass never ever ever seemed to end, but we moved the entire truckload with smiles. We all got to do something a little different, some sanding and painting here, some concrete mixing there, and a lot of ants everywhere! After a 2010’s “throwbacks” bus ride, we came back and had yet another amazing lunch. In the afternoon we all learned a little about ourselves. We used the metaphor of a window to represent the way we view ourselves and how others view us; an open window, a hidden window, a blind window, and an unknown window. Spanish class today was filled with empanada making, a couple of games, and of course trying to hold conversations in Spanish. We wrapped up our day with some more food to top us off!

Now we are on to play charades!

Hasta Luego!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

¡Hola! Today was a fun and adventurous day in Paraíso. We started the day by driving to the rainforest and ziplining through the beautiful canopy with an amazing view of the forest. The guides were very experienced and helped us all feel comfortable up in the air. After a delicious lunch, we took a pulse check, which gave us a chance to provide feedback to GLA Staff on the program. After that, we had Spanish class, complete with baking tortillas con queso, playing Spanish games and dancing, learning, and having discussions. Finally, after dinner, we had Nightly Meeting, where we passed the torch to tomorrow’s leaders. We’re all excited for the next few days at the beach!

Sincerlamente,

Elyse y Sara

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Hello, Esha and Adelaide here, today’s leaders del día!!!

Today we had a great wonderful day in Costa Rica however today we did not say in our homebase town of Cartago, we ventured out to Uvita in Punta Arenas and had a great day at the beach.

We started the morning with breakfast and then had a 4 hr drive to Uvita. The first of our many activities for the day was a visit to a special waterfall after lunch! It wasn’t much of a hike but at the waterfall we got to not only swim but also got to jump in the pools! We then went straight to the beach and played in the water, some frisbee, and enjoyed the sunset.

After the sunset we got to go and travel to a souvenir shop for a bit and everyone was able to find some goodies for those special at home. Which you will all se when we return 🙂

We ended the night with coming back to the hotel having dinner and getting ready for our day tomorrow. We are now all going to hang out at the pool for a bit and going to have a good night sleep for our second beach day.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Written by Leah and Olivia

Hello everyone!

Today was so much fun— the last day at the beach! We started the day with a delicious breakfast at the hotel, and then we left to go surfing. We had so much fun learning the sport together, and some of us became pretty skilled at it. Next, we had plenty of time to relax as we left the beach and swam in the pool at the hotel, followed by a early lunch and tech time. Afterwards, we took a short trip to another shore and had some more beach time. Today the waves were very large , so while several individuals enjoyed time in the water, many people played soccer, and others listened to music. Today was quite the reading day; five people finished their books! We went back to the hotel to get ready for dinner and hung out in our rooms. Finally, we went and had amazing pizza, iced tea, and salad at a very pretty restaurant. It was a long but fun and beautiful day in Uvita!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

Suzanna here. Líder del día.

Today underlies the 12th day of our GLA Experience trip, which is somewhat both an upsetting realization, and yet, an overall outlook of all of our individual triumphs. We concluded our Spanish classes and community project. Throughout the emotions that all of us experienced, thus ranging from tears flowing down, smiles shining, eyes glimmering with inspiration, and alas, the laughter we’ve all endeavored from our Spanish party today. There’s no simplistic way to generalize the overall experience, however, there’s definitely an exception to describe the pure care, appreciation, and joy this group beholds. To this day, it still perplexes me how I’ve been granted the opportunity to participate with such an exceptional and amazing group. It’s truly saddening knowing that the days are quickly nearing.

In addition, with the unfortunate circumstances of our nearing time, comes the unfortunate goodbyes of our greatly loved Spanish teachers. We also had to say goodbye to our project leaders Pablo and Cristian. They’ve been incredibly supportive and encouraging. We are all incredibly happy knowing the fact that all of our hard work has amounted to the result of a nicely finished playground for the children in the neighborhood, especially for the children who helped us, such as Josue, Derek and Kaled. We ended the day with a dinner where we got to eat with our Spanish teachers- in community. We are extremely grateful to everyone who has made this experience memorable. You will be missed.

June 8, 2022 by Ashley Welter

Costa Rica: Spanish Service Adventure (June 18 – July 1, 2022)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

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 posts!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18

After a long day of airport pick-ups the (almost) whole group has finally arrive to our wondeful homebase in Paraiso. We are still waiting for Silas Powers who’s flight was delayed but he will join us shortly.

We are all excited to start our Spanish Service Adventure in beautiful Costa Rica.

Stay tuned to more blog posts about our journey.

MariaFe
International Director

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19

Hey friends and family,

Silas arrived! Yay! Now, the group is complete.

Today we began the day getting to know the local staff and each other. We met Marcos and Michelle (the cooks). We learnt that Marcos loves anything that has to do with driving and transport and that Michelle does folklore dancing. We can’t wait to try all of their nutritious Costa Rican meals. After some orientation activities to get us situated and ready for our community projects and adventure excursions, we went on a city tour to Cartago (former capital of Costa Rica). We saw the beautiful Basilica de ¨Nuestra Señora de los Angeles¨ and went to the local farmers market.

We learnt that Cartago is known for it´s bike trails and volcanoes (we´ll be doing a hike around one of them, so keep posted for beautiful pictures!). After a long walk ,our local director, Juvel, surprised us with a visit to a family owned ice-cream shop- they´ve been making ice cream since the 1940´s. Not to get you jealous but flavours varied from dulce de leche to passion fruit and mango. To finish off the day, some students took the initiative to organise a chess tournament- and crafts corner. We closed with our nightly meeting and passing on the torch to our ¨Lider del Dia¨ (Leader of the Day) for tomorrow, Rory.

Hasta Luego and good night,

Katherine, Mentor and today´s Leader of the Day

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20

Hi friends and family, this is Rory, today´s Lider del Dia!

Today marked our introduction to the service project; working at a local elementary school. As a result of the recent economic crisis in Costa Rica, the government had to cut funding to education, because of this, this school lacked the necessary funding for developments. Specifically, this was the construction of a concrete patio underneath the playground. Whenever it rained, the grass in the playground would become super muddy, and the children would not be allowed to play in this area, especially during the Wet Season in Costa Rica; it makes up about two thirds of the year during which it rains almost every day.

For today´s service and subsequent service projects here, we split into two groups. Most of the members were assigned to work on levelling a flat area for the playground with pickaxes and shovels, whilst the remainder would work with the students in the elementary school itself. This was a great opportunity going both ways; giving our group the space to practice Spanish with native speakers, and the students the ability to meet foreigners. Personally, I worked as part of the group that went into the classrooms, and I really valued my interactions with the members of this community. I connected with one student who had a minor speech impediment (according to their teacher), who put me to work helping out with coloring in a drawing of theirs. The kids were incredibly enthusiastic about our company, and it seemed like they genuinely valued our contributions.

After our eventful work on the service project, we returned to home-base, where we would soon begin with our first Spanish Classes. We were called up in pairs to do “entrevistas” (interviews) in order to gauge our Spanish level. There were three local Costa Ricans who led these, and who would lead our classes, at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. These teachers knew little English, so naturally presented a great environment for improving our Spanish speaking skills. Being native to this region, they were able to provide a great degree of insight on the “tico” (Costa Rican) dialect and all of its unique mannerisms. I look forward to the next week of lessons with them.

That´s all for today, now I will be passing the responsibility of group leader on to Riley.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21

Hi, Friends and Family,

Riley here as the Lider del Dia!

First of all, I am sorry about the late blog, but there was so much going on yesterday that there was not enough time to create the blog along with everyone being tired from a hard day at work.

Even though the project was talked about in the previous blog that was only one step in the final plan of creating a soccer field for the children, the first project was almost done with leveling out the ground so the second project took over priority for the second half of the renovations for the school. To me, it was shocking to see that even though we are the first to start on this project we can still have a big impact on the overall development. Though the project is exhausting it still provides not just me but everyone involved in the project joy seeing the smile of children thank you as you work.

Spanish classes are also fun for the first half of the four hours, but it eventually becomes more challenging, but I also believe that it will bring fruitful results in the future.

After Spanish classes today we had an interesting surprise, an insightful guest speaker. We enjoyed learning about the history and cultural development of Costa Rica as a whole.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22

Hi friends and family! This is Ella and Anna, today’s Leaders del dia!

Our day began with a wonderful adventure in the jungle, ziplining! Here in Costa Rica, we call it canopy. All 14 of us made it up the challenging but beautiful hike. We started in a car driving up some of the bumpiest roads we have ever experienced. But our drive was only a short distance, as we began to climb up the mountain. The hike was steep and difficult but with perseverance, we pushed through. We then arrived at the starting point, putting on safety gear while taking in the breathtaking views. As adrenaline rushed through our bodies, we zipped down the mountain supported by our fellow explorers, guides, and mentors.

After a delicious, homecooked lunch, we began our mentor group activity. For this activity, we were assigned roles in important departments pertaining to the issue of English language teaching and the ethics and effectiveness of teaching English in countries where English is not the primary language. We debated our assigned roles in a group discussion learning the importance of listening to others and collaboration.

As the day continued we headed off to Spanish class where we took learning outside of the classroom! We explored the beautiful town we are staying in while practicing our Spanish skills with locals. One group met the mayor of Paraiso, while another group ordered food using their Spanish knowledge. We spent many hours immersed in the culture and learned a lot about the heart and soul of Costa Rica!

As the day came to a close, we reflected on the day’s experiences as a group. In our nightly meeting, we then passed the leader of the day’s responsibility to Max and Aly, who will be continuing the blog. Hasta mañana!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23

Hello to all our daily readers, this is Max and Aly, today’s Leaders of the Day!

After a nutritious Costa Rican breakfast, we left for the service site: the elementary school. We made a ton of progress on the amphitheater/soccer field in the back: pulling weeds, and clearing out the land. We almost finished leveling out the land for the playground on the side of the school, and hope that concrete will be poured later this week.

While half of the group was clearing the land, the other half was assisting the teachers in the kindergarten classes. Helping the kids with their English is beneficial for the kids as well as us since the kids are currently learning basic English, and speak almost completely in Spanish. They have the experience of learning English through a more fun source, and we get to experience learning Spanish in a no-judgment way. This was our last day working at the school while the kids were there, and at the end of the day, saying bye to the kids was hard, but very rewarding.

We came home for a delicious lunch and then headed to Spanish class, where we got to visit a beautiful national park with a beautiful view of the mountains and scenery of Cartago. After that, we got into our mentor groups and reflected on what makes up our identity.

Pura Vida! We’ll see you tomorrow!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24

¡Hola amigos! This is Shaina A. and Lou, today’s leaders del dia.

This morning began with a later start than usual to prepare for the adventures awaiting today. After our delicious breakfast we headed for the mountains. On the way there our international director pointed out a coffee plantation. It was really interesting to see where coffee comes from in Costa Rica!

Once we arrived we made sure we were protected from the sun and the bugs. Then we began the first half of our hike. This path was very similar to the hike up to the canopy because of the many stairs and beautiful surroundings. The first half ended with a quick break at a house on the top of the mountain. There we could see all of Cartago and Paraiso, so in order to capture the memories we took pictures. After we were rested we began the next part of our hike to the cascade. Our final destination was an enormous waterfall that misted water on us from the rocks we were standing on. A few of us even went in to cool off!

We then headed back down the path, so that our bus could take us back to homebase. Once we got back, we enjoyed an amazing lunch of rice, beans, and pork. After some free time we prepared for Spanish class. Today’s class was different than usual because we got to go play fútbol! Before we played, we presented the plays that we created prior with puppets. We played an intense game of fútbol with some of the people who work with us and a few of the locals. Tired from the close game, we headed home. We finished the day with a wonderful dinner and we began watching The Incredibles en Espanol!

That´s all for today! Lou and Shaina signing off, adios amigos!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25

Hola, this is Silas P. today’s leader del dia.

Today was back to normal with our 6:30 wake-up, we ate a quick breakfast (pancakes) then we were off to the school! Today was the first day we didn’t have any kids at the school, some of us were sad, while the others were silently relieved. Today was mostly cloudy which was a welcomed change to us and allowed us to work a lot harder than normal. Today was mostly set up for tomorrow as we made the mold for the concrete and moved the required materials to the work site.

After a long morning’s work we came home to a delicious lunch then went to our rooms to get ready for our upcoming outing to Walmart. Walmart in Costa Rica was a bit of a shock but we managed to get in and out without any problems and with plenty of snacks in hand. After that we enjoyed a brief taste of free time before returning to group, this time for Spanish class! Today was especially fun as we had the amazing opportunity to cook one of Costa Rica’s specialty’s; Empanadas! We decided to go for a sweet empanada as the Spanish teachers tried desperately to teach us cooking based vocab. After that, we went straight into our next Spanish activity where we recreated famous Costa Rican legends. Everybody did great with some wardrobe creativity thrown in there. Tired from brilliant acting everybody enjoyed some well-earned free time before the nightly meeting. We’re now finishing the day with some precious snacks and leftover empanadas.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

Hi, this is Brooke and Clara, today´s leaders del dia.

We started off the morning with 6:30 wakeup followed by breakfast. We then headed to the school for our last day of service work. We learned how to make and mix cement, and started pouring it in the mold. We also continued our work on the soccer field behind the school by weeding and clearing grass and roots.

We then returned to the house for lunch and mentor groups where we discussed the characteristics of a good leader in student led groups. We then headed into our last spanish class of the trip where we continued vocab lessons, and created a final project. The projects were skits that we performed for the group, and then we said our farewells to the teachers. We then ended the day with a burrito dinner and our nightly meeting!

Hasta luego!!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

Hola Madres, Padres, familia, and amigos, Lauren and Shaina K here to tell you about our amazing, wonderful day.

Our day was put into action with a delightful breakfast of French Toast and gourmet fruit. Thankfully everyone properly fuelled up because we had a big day. After breakfast the crew took a beautiful drive through the mountains. Shoutout to Don Marcos for driving in the cloudy, rainy mountain conditions. Once we arrived at the base of the volcano we met our lovely guide Alfonso and his even lovelier dog Galleta. Speaking of galletas, also known as cookies, these tasty treats helped us get through some tough, rainy conditions as we walked through the burnt forest of Turrialba Volcano. The trees were dead but still standing due to the ash from an eruption in 2004. While our ascent to the top was serene, the descent was not victimless as a few of our group members tumbled down the slippery slopes. Don’t worry though we all eventually made it safely to the bus where our favorite driver was there to take us back to homebase. After a big lunch at home we headed back out on the town where we attended a spicy Latin American dance class. Following this intense dance workout, the group did a bit of shopping at a local souvenir shop. We then headed home with full bags and full hearts. At home base we concluded the day with our nightly activities and an amazing dinner of fish, lentils, potatoes, salad, and mangos. Currently, everyone is in a frenzy packing their bags for tomorrow’s beach excursion. We miss all of you dearly and can´t wait to see you soon.

Until next time,
your girlies,
Lauren and Shay

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Hola, amigos y familia de GLA,

I’m Diego, the final lider del dia in our initial rotation. After having breakfast in Paraiso, we embarked on a four-hour road trip to Uvita Beach. It took us through the highest mountains in Costa Rica and required much skill from our driver, Don Marcos, but we eventually arrived at our hotel around noon. Our first activity at the beach was a hike through thick rainforest, featuring beautiful waterfalls and butterflies alike. We then went to the beach to admire the sunset, but unfortunately found that the view was entirely obscured by clouds. We drove back to our hotel before heading to a local shop to look for souvenirs. Following shopping, we concluded our day by hurrying through the rain to a pizza place that every Costa Rican confidently assured us was the best in the country. On the 29th, our only full day in Uvita Beach, we finally had our long awaited surfing lesson.

Most of us managed to get to our feet quickly, but staying upright consistently proved a more difficult task. After the lesson, we drove to a different beach, where we swam, took photos, and listened to music until the afternoon. Once we had returned for lunch, we immediately left to see the sunset we had missed the previous day. After staying at the beach for another hour, we returned to the hotel for a dinner of hamburgers and iced tea, reminding us of the home to which we will soon be returning.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Written by Lauren and Shay

Hola once again madres, padres, amigos, and familia once again. It’s your girlies Shay and Lauren to wrap up the blog for this Spanish Service gla program. It’s been a wild ride and here’s our short and sweet recap.

Week one started off with a bang as the group jumped into a series of jeopardy inspired orientation games. Once we were all well informed on the rules we were ready to begin a jam packed couple of weeks.

On day three the group broke out the pickaxes and shovels as we got to work building a playground and soccer field for the local elementary school. The following 6 days were spent both in the classroom and out in the sun hammering and digging away.

At the same time, the crew began taking Spanish classes that continued from day 4 to day 9. Yet, these were no ordinary classes. The stupendous teachers lead us through a variety of activities, somehow holding our attention for up to 4 hours a day.

If service and Spanish class wasn’t enough to keep us busy, our daily activities also consisted of enlightening mentor groups and leadership activities. In these settings we not only learned about ourselves, but also both the people and culture around us.

But the fun didn’t stop there. We really put the adventure in spanish service adventure by starting day 5 off with a canopy zip lining trip. Although this may not seem too tiring, the group was wiped after slowly ascending the never ending staircase leading to the first zipline. Luckily, after 3 more hikes nearly everyone has become accustomed to the Costa Rican fitness grind. However, nothing could prepare us for the endurance and strength necessary for the Latin dance class that took place on day 10.

Thankfully, we all had time to rest our minds and bodies on the lovely 4 hour drive to Uvita beach. Except for Don Marcos, our tireless driver who safely took us through rocky conditions on our longest drive yet.

The group then had the pleasure of staying at a local motel only 5 minutes from the beach for the next two days. Although this may seem like a perfect opportunity for relaxation, our schedules seemed to only become busier. As soon as our feet hit the sand we were thrown into the water and put through a rigorous swim test consisting of swimming from one end of the pool to the other. Luckily everyone passed with flying colors and the group was ready to take on the waterfall hike. Although the hike was beautiful, the sunset beach excursion was quickly ended due to rain. Yet, do not fret all was saved by a well earned pizza dinner.

That night, sleep was a necessity as the whole crew was up bright and early shredding the waves during a thrilling surf class. Despite the lessons being short lived, the beach day had only just begun. Everyone was pleasantly surprised by a trip to Ballena National Park where under the safe watch of a local life guard the group spent the afternoon swimming, tanning, and instagraming. We would like to personally thank Juan Carlos for ordering a sunny day after so much rain.

Nevertheless, eventually the group had to pack up their bags and begin the journey back to homebase. At homebase the group found closure in a series of mentor activities and reflections. After taking an extensive amount of time to appreciate everyone and all that we learned, the fiesta began. Singing, dancing, and packing concluded both the night and the trip as a whole. Excluding of course those of us leaving at 3 am this morning to head back home, we will not be sleeping. Moreover, we do hope both our mentors and all of the staff enjoy a well deserved night of rest. We are so thankful for everything they have done to make this trip truly special. Additionally, we would also like to thank all you madres, padres, and everyone in between who gave us the opportunity to be here today at 12 am writing this blog with our new friends and even newer mindsets.

Pura Vida Y’all,
your girlies,
Lauren and Shay

June 8, 2022 by Ashley Welter

Costa Rica: Sea Turtle Initiative (July 24 – August 2, 2022)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

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 posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

Hola todos,

This is our first blog. This will be a way for us to share our daily experiences, learnings and adventures! We hope that you enjoy this blog as a way to experience this journey alongside us throughout the next week.

Wow! What a day! The arrival day was both tiring and exciting all at once. All of the anticipations that were built up exploded today. Our group has all safely arrived at our hotel for the night. We played so many games for everyone to get to know their new friends! We also did the swim test and had some pool time which was great for bonding.

There’s so much excitement from students to start working with our local partners. They are all so excited to support turtle conservation and other environmental projects. Everyone is also looking forward to many great adventures ahead of us. Our group is so ready to learn about the local culture, language, and environment (and of course turtles!) from the locals.

Tomorrow on the way we will stop for zipline adventure on the way to Parismina!
The next blog post will be written by our leaders of the day! Stay tuned! Pura vida!

Until next time!
Sea turtle initiative team (Mag, Alysse, and Marco)

BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

Written by Sam, Ethan, and Grace

Hola amigos!

Waking up today, there was a Costa Rican holiday where we saw traditional dancers and a hand painted ox car that was historically significant to Costa Rica. Following breakfast, we split into two buses for a travel day with a ziplining adventure in the middle of it. The longest zip line was half a mile!! In the middle of the six hour car ride we stopped at a local market and everyone was able to get out and buy themselves snacks.

We ate on the bus and played some music on the rest of the trip to Parismina, arriving to the river for a 20 minute boat ride on the river in order to get to Home Base.

Throughout the boat ride, we saw wildlife and different vegetation, and at one point got stuck in the river due to low water levels. The reward was seeing a big family of spider monkeys! Post arrival, we settle in our rooms and went over cabin rules before visiting the black sand beaches. The boys tried cracking open a coconut. We also played games like soccer, volleyball, and frisbee while exploring the beach. We came back for a spaghetti, garlic bread, and salad dinner.

Pura Vida from Parismina🤙

BLOG POST FOR JULY 26

Written by Hudson, Ellery, and Jazlyn

Hola!!

On day 3 we started off the day by having breakfast. After we had breakfast we all went on a farm tour. On the farm tour we saw different types of animals like Birds, Slothes, Caimans, and many other animals. We started off the tour by picking lemons from the lemon trees that we later enjoyed as part of our dinner. Then we cracked open a lot of different types of coconuts and tried different kinds of foods; we even tried termites.

We were able to see a Caiman and a turtle in the pond on the farm. Afterwards, we had lunch and finished orientation. Soon enough we were on the beach for some time in the sun! We swam and played volleyball on the beach. We had so much fun! We enjoyed our dinner, had a chill circle, and a listened to a turtle talk from the turtle organization, ASTOP, all before we had our first night of night patrol.

Adios!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 27

Written by Ruby & Gabby

Holaaaaa!

Day four started off with a beautiful sunny morning. We woke up and ate breakfast in a rush as our plan to begin the boat tour was disrupted by the low tide. Therefore, we took a beautiful 20-30 minute hike, parallel to the beach, to catch the boat in the lagoon. The boat tour was filled with a variety of wildlife (Including a group of about 7 spider monkeys!). As the boat tour reached its conclusion, we began to arrive at the town of Parismina, where we would begin the town tour. Each group was accomanied by one local as we walked around the town, learning about its culture. At the end of the town tour, each group was led to a local’s house, where they were taught how to cook delicious empanadas.

Afterwards, the groups headed to a local café, where we enjoyed a refreshing round of smoothies. We then began to make our way to dance class. Being led by a local dancer, we enjoyed learning many different types of dancing styles. When this was concluded we went to the ASTOP hatchery for a turtle workshop. During this activity we learned the entire process for turtle nest relocation, including how to dig the nest!. We also learned how to identify different turtle tracks!! Next, we chilled on the beach and went to pulperias in Parismina, these are little shops that have snacks and various items. After the shops we were on our truck ride back to homebase. This ride was a super fun experience. We arrived at home base for dinner, tech time, and turtle debate. Once we finished up the debate we headed to bed for a good night of sleep!

Hasta Manana!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 28

By your boys Jonah, Alex, and William

To the families at home, today has been a successful and rainy day. We started off with a great breakfast of fresh fruit and pancakes. After that, the king of the woods, Jerry, showed us the way to his organic vanilla farm. On the way there, we released a snake that was found in a pile of clothes in of the girls’ dorms. At the vanilla farm, we learned the process of growing and pollinating vanilla without the help of pesticides.

Once we arrived back at the Eco Lodge, we were given a briefing about vanilla and the importance of organic farming, but it was interrupted by a sudden storm. Once our meeting had concluded, we were each given a vanilla bean to taste or bring back home. With our stomachs full of vanilla, we returned to our rooms or the hammocks for a quiet/nap time. We were awoken by the beautiful smell of traditional Costa Rican cuisine which included, fried rice with chicken, black beans, and freshly squeezed lemonade with the lemons we hand-picked earlier in the week. Next up was our beach cleanup. We divided into groups and collected a total of 21 trash bags full of various items ranging from plastic, Styrofoam, paper, and even shoes that washed up on the beach. We then gathered to organize the trash and learn the value of recycling.

After that we cooled off at the beach. We played a heated match of volleyball and took on the wonderful and warm waves of the Caribbean. We worked up an appetite in the sun and came back home to eat beef stew with rice and beans. We are now preparing to embark on our second night patrol to not only protect the turtles, but also their potential hatchlings. We are working with ASTOP, a local turtle organization, to guide us on our journey. We are very excited to save more sea turtles! We hope all the families back at home don’t miss us too much. We’re having a great time and can’t wait to see you.

<3 (PURA VIDA)

BLOG POST FOR JULY 29

Written by Jordan, Julia, (and JD)

Hola familia!

On Friday morning we woke up to pouring rain. After a filling breakfast, we relocated tree saplings around our home base. We then took a truck ride to town to paint benches. We made our way over to the Casona to eat lunch and support the locals by visiting their beatiful art fair. We got hair wraps and many people bought bracelets, wooden sculptures, and other various items. We all engaged in a scavenger hunt around town to immerse ourselves in the Parisminian culture. We ended our day in town by playing a fun game of soccer with the locals as well as bingo. Our day concluded with a night patrol on the beach and a breathtaking view of the night sky. We were lucky to see one leatherback turtle, which was found this morning during exhumation of the nest!

See you soon!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 30

Written by Sierra and Lily (+ Fin)

Hey!!!

On Saturday we went to festival de Baula. Throughout the day we had the oppurtunity to seperate into small groups to explore the festival. At the start of the festival a local artist Jerry taught us how to make sand sculptures, including a dolphin, turtle, mermaid, and crocodile. We also participated in traditional games and watched a Calypso performance. We enjoyed food and drink throughout the day. This included empanadas and smoothies! At the end of the festival we watched a fire show, it was incredible. It was a great way to end the festival and go into our last night patrol where we saw a green turtle nesting!

Hasta manana!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 31

Written by Mackenzie, Alexa, and Logan

Hey parents <3 Today we had to wake up at 6:45 and afterwards for breakfast we had scrambled eggs and arepas. Then we drove to Pacuare river for white water rafting. We saw lots of beautiful waterfalls and jungle during our trip. We also spotted a aracari toucan! We stopped for a picnic lunch of sandwiches and burritos. We finished our rafting trip and did some swimming, then we headed back to the lodge for some chill time until dinner. We ended our day by reflecting on what we have learned during this trip and what we can do to improve our actions at home.

June 8, 2022 by Ashley Welter

Costa Rica: Sea Turtle Initiative (July 12 – July 21, 2022)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

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 posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Hola todos,

Wow! What a day! The arrival day was both tiring and exciting all at once. All of the anticipations that were built up exploded today.

Our group has all safely arrived at our hotel for the night. We had some late arrivals and we are waiting still for Neveah to join us. We played so many games for everyone to get to know their new friends! We also did the swim test and had some pool time which was great for bonding.

Tomorrow on the way we will stop for zipline adventure on the way to Parismina! Stay tuned!

The next blog post will be written by our leaders of the day! Stay tuned!

Until next time!
Sea turtle Initiative Team (Mag, Alysse, and Marco)

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Written by AC, Liberty, and Maverick

Greetings beloved parents,

We are all here writing this to tell you about today’s experiences. We started off our day with breakfast, and enjoyed rice and beans, hashbrowns, pancakes, and fresh local fruit. Then we traveled to a zipline adventure. We had such an adventure during ziplining! After ziplining above the rainforest canopy and bravely belaying down trees, we indulged in a scrumptious lunch and hopped back on our buses to continue the travel to Parismina. We excitedly endeavored a five-hour journey to our base camp. When we arrived at home base by boat through inland waterways, we settled in our rooms. We then adventured upon the beach and frolicked amongst the ocean waves and the black sandy shores. We had chow circle, dinner, and a turtle talk before heading to bed for our first night in the jungle.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

Written by your Leaders of the Day: Meridith, Saanvi and Boris

Hola!

This amazing day started off with an organic farm tour where we collected the freshest and most delicious lemons in Parismina, cracked open a variety of different coconuts and ate termites. We met and fed the friendliest Cayman and the cutest turtle. After that, we did some fun activities to get us orientated with the program including games to get to know everybody, which were very interesting and very useful to get to know our new friends. Then we met some friendly cows and after that went to the beach. At the beach we swam and played some fun games of volleyball. The waves were bigger than we expected but it was so hot that the cool water of the Caribbean was refreshing. Overall, this second day of our GLA program was a success and we learned a lot about the Costa Rican social environment and economical situation.

Pura vida and stay tuned!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Written by Samuel, Ellie, and Paul

¡Hola!

Leaders of the day here! We woke up in a good mood, though slightly tired, after a succesful night patrol where we witnessed a green turtle laying eggs. We had a delicious breakfast of Arepas (fried sweet bread), eggs, and fruit. Right after breakast, we left for a boat tour of the Parismina river and canals. On the tour we saw monkeys, a crocodile, iguanas, basilisks and many different types of birds. We ended up in Parismina village where we went to have our cooking class. On the way, we walked around town and learned about it. During the cooking class we learned to make excellent empanadas, from only a few simple ingredients, with Parismina locals. Having enjoyed our homeade lunch, we finished discovering the village and popped into some local shops.

Next, we participated in an eventful salsa dance class and made our way to the beach for an educational turtle workshop. There, we simulated finding a turtle and followed the real protocol locals have created to get familiar with it and potentially help if we find another turtle. Then most of the group faced off against Parisminians of all ages in intense sports matches. This was cut short by our ride home, two open top trucks, which felt like a real life Jumanji ride through the jungle. This excitement continued through tech time during which everyone shared information about themselves. After that, we ate dinner before a turtle debate to immerse ourselves in the socio-economic situation of the area. Students were divided in five groups, representing a specific party, ranging from the government to local associations. Sleep then rapidly caught us, closing this eventful and, wonderfully, enriching day.

¡Hasta Mañana!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

Written by Lila, Julinka, and Nevaeh

¡Hola todos!

We woke up refreshed after a good night’s sleep (our last night until three consectuive night patrols) and had a delicious breakfast of AMAZING mango, pineapple, watermelon, rice and beans, and a plethora of other goodies. After enjoying breakfast we set out for our first beach clean-up, where we collected a whopping 24 bags of garbage. This alone may seem like an insane amount, but this was even after the efforts of the two previous groups—can you imagine how much trash there is on other beaches? After being out in the hot sun, we cleansed our disgusting, sweaty bodies in the glorious Caribbean.

Afterwards we had some much needed time for relaxation (a good thing since tonight we will set off on our second night patrol), followed by lunch consisting of fried chicken and yuca fries we harvested fresh from the garden only a few days ago. Following lunch, we prepared for presentations in small groups about the ocean/turtles, trash, and farming. It was enlightening to learn more about the impact trash and pesticides have on the ocean, as well as actions we can take as individuals to lesson our environmental impact. Some of the things we learned were truly shocking: did you know that all of the bananas in grocery stores are clones of the exact same plant? Luckily for us (and the planet) the cooks utilize local produce, which we then enjoyed in yet another delicious meal for dinner.

Now we’re off to another night patrol; hopefully we can see another turtle!! Lastly we’d like to challenge you, wonderful families, to aid our mission in doing our parts to live in a cleaner world—next time you take a walk or go to the beach, pick up any trash that you see! Even one person can make a big difference. 🙂

¡Hasta pronto!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Written by Olivia, Bella, and Sophia

Hello!

We woke up today to heavy rain. Soon enough after it slowed down we had breakfast and started our day. We started off by collecting tree saplings at our home base with Jason, our local director and owner of the lodge. Over 30 trees will be planted in the near future! After that we took a bumpy ride into town in the back trucks. We got an educational tour around the Parismina community by local residents, including our dance teacher Maya. Then we had lunch the volunteer center, and began a scavenger hunt shortly after. We ran through the small village, trying to grasp the layout. It was relatively easy considering Parismina only had 3 main streets. We chatted with the local kids, admired the murals, and appreciated the culture. We were able to purchase the handmade crafts and jewelry by local vendors.

After we grabbed smoothies at Olga’s Soda shop, a few of us raced and played with a local boy. Soon enough we made our way to the hatchery where we were able to see a baby leatherback turtle release! We watched as they made their first steps into the water and swam away to their home. As the sun set, we ended the day with a soccer game against the local kids. We won! Then we headed home to a delicious dinner and to celebrate Bella’s birthday! We had a quick dance party before leaving on our nightly turtle watch. Hopefully we will see and help a sea turtle safely lay their eggs. Thats all! Wish us best of luck with learning how to live in harmony with all the bugs!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Written by Leaders of the Day: Milo, Tessa and Sam C.

¡Hola a todos!

Here is what Day 7 at the Sea Turtle Initiative looked like.
Firstly, some of us woke up early to go fishing at 7am with the very knowledgeable Jason. Right at the end, we managed to catch a pretty big Tiger fish, starting the day in superb fashion! Breakfast then followed at 8am with the entire group – we had some delicious pancakes.

Afterwards, we were lucky to visit the organic vanilla farm by expert farmer Jerry.
Jerry also explained to us the difficulties of having an organic farm, how to make vanilla, the different stages of this production and the techniques used in an organic farm (using natural fungi instead of pesticides for example).

After successive, long and tiring night patrols the previous days, the group was granted some free rest time in order to rest and recharge for what remained to come – the hammocks were perfect for power naps, quiet discussions and soothing journaling. In addition, we had some exquisite fried rice which boosted us for a successful afternoon. We divided into mentor groups for the “river of life”: we all had to draw a river representing our life, adding the main events, people and places that shaped our life so far.

After this bonding moment, the group headed to the beach for an intense hour of coconut tree planting: we planted around 90 trees! Our hard work was rewarded with some awesome beach time, where we played some quality volleyball and “boogie boarded” in the sea. The waves were amazing and the volleyball was extremely fun (and competitve!).

After a refreshing shower, a typical Costa Rican dinner, and some dance moves in the Home Base, we were ready for our fourth and final night patrol! Though we did not see any turtles this time, we did see turtle tracks and all spent a great time in our respective patrol groups to cap off this great day.

When the patrol ended, we all felt we had accomplished a lot for the turtles in these 4 night patrols and quickly headed to bed for some well deserved rest.

¡Hasta mañana!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 19 & 20

Hello!

We once again woke up to heavy rain, however, a bit earlier than the day before. We had breakfast at around 7:00 so we would be able catch the bus to the white water rafting. The ride there was rather long, about 3 hours, yet we were able to pass the time easily. We did so by talking to each other, playing games, and singing. When we arrived we spit into rafting teams and started the journey down the Paquare river. Along the way a few people fell in but everyone got completely socked from the opportunities to jump in the river and swim. About three-quarters of the way through rafting we stopped for lunch. For lunch we hopped off the rafts and waited while the guides set up the food.

Eventually we got back onto our rafts and made the way to finish rafting. We arrived at the buses, put a clean change of clothes, and started the 2 hour journey back. We stopped at a supermarket on the way back so we could purchase our favorite Costa Rican snack foods. Once we arrived at home base we had some free time for relaxing, showering, and packing before our last dinner at homebase. Dinner was empanadas!! We then did a group activity, called OMG (One Meaningful Goal). With teams, we each created a skit of our goal that we would act upon when we went back home. We were able to reflect upon how we can act upon and use our new knowledge back at home.

After that 12 students volunteered to go on an additional night patrol. They saw a green turtle from the moment she came out to lay eggs until she returned to the ocean. What an amazing end of our turtle program! Now it’s Wednesday, and it’s time to travel back to the hotel in Alajuela where we will have our last night before saying goodbyes or hopefully see you laters. It was an amazing learning experience and we will all have great memories from it.

See you soon families! PURA VIDA!

June 8, 2022 by Ashley Welter

Costa Rica: Sea Turtle Initiative (June 30 – July 9, 2022)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

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 posts!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Hola todos,

Wow! What a day! The arrival day was both tiring and exciting all at once. All of the anticipations that were built up exploded today. Our group has all safely arrived at our hotel for the night. This morning Josie has arrived and we are excited to meet Juliana tomorrow as well. We played so many games for everyone to get to know their new friends! We also did the swim test and had some pool time which was great for bonding.

Because of the weather alert we are staying one or two nights longer in Alajuela. Today during orientation we focused on getting to know each other and building our brand new community. Tonight the plan is to do an activity and watch a movie. The next blog post will be written by our leaders of the day! Stay tuned!

Until next time!
Sea Turtle Initiative Team (Mag, Alysse, and Marco)

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Written by Chris and Kaitlyn

Day 2 of the program. After breakfast, a remaining few of us completed the swim test and later we all swam in the pool and played “500”. Despite the weather we had fun in the pool. Later in the day, we all met to participate in team building and ice breaker activities. We got to learn more about each other and made connections. After lunch, we all hung out outside playing baseball, Uno, etc. Some had fun watching the giant toads. After dinner we had movie night and watched Moana while singing (off-key) along to all the songs. We went back to our rooms and got our things ready and packed for the next day.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Written by Malek and Adrien

Day 3 of the program. Today after breakfast, we packed our bags, left them at the reception and went to an animal sanctuary called Rescate Wildlife Centre. This is the home to 800 animals and considering how close this place is to the capital city of San Jose, we didn’t expect to experience such biodiversity. The most popular animals were crocodiles, snakes, monkeys, jaguar and of course, turtles, this time fresh water. Lunch was amazing and the majority of the group followed it up with a cappuccino oreo “bacita”, which is a milkshake infused with coffee that everyone enjoyed. After this, we bought some souvenirs in the gift shop where all profits are sent back to helping animals in the sanctuary and started to head towards Walmart. There, we bought snacks for the long journey ahead to Parismina and started to head towards our new hotel. Once settled in the hotel, we went on an excursion with our mentor groups and got to know the area of downtown Alajuela better. After meeting for dinner, we headed back to our hotel to wrap up the day with a good night sleep before the long journey ahead to Homebase.

PURA VIDA!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Written by Sadie, Dane, and Andre

Day 4 of the program. Today after breakfast, we brought our bags down to the lobby; we turned in keys and left on the car trip of a lifetime. We first stopped at the supermarket for a bathroom break and snacks, despite a single bathroom available it was a great respite from what is to come, continuing on the road we saw mountains filled to the brim with coffee plantations and covered with a thick fog, what a beautiful site it is! We continued on our amazing journey to a boat dock, where we boarded on a 20-minute high thrill boat ride to our final destination, the Eco-Lodge. We set up in our temporary home and made it for the beach. After a brisk 2-mile walk we turned around and started cleaning up the beach, we set up into a three group in a challenging competition. Who won? Who knows, we were to busy burying our friend Chris! We soon returned to the Eco-lodge and, after a brief stay in the hammocks, we listened to a riveting conversation by Mako who explained our soon to be done sea turtle walk along the beach. We sit hear now, ready to depart. We will be returning at 12 tonight, lets hope we get a good sleep!

PURA VIDA!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Hola amigos!

We started our day off with a delicious breakfast of arepas, fresh pineapples, mangoes and bananas to fuel us for our exciting boat tour on the Parismina River. Our guides Macko and Jerry pointed out many different species of wildlife along the way. We saw many types of birds including yellow throated tucans, roseate spoonbills, pale-billed woodpeckers, tiger herrings and northern jacamas. We were also able to see many reptiles like the green basilisk, green igauna, strawberry poison dart frog, Jesus Christ lizard and an American crocodile. We finished our boat tour at the dock in Parismina and took a quick walk to the village to take a cooking class and make our own empanadas for lunch. We filled our empanadas with delicous beans and cheese.

After lunch we made our way to the pulperia for some ice cream and cold drinks. After enjoying our ice cream we went to the parismina art fair and purchased many handmade items including string bracelets with with charms carved from coconut shells, bamboo and cow bones. Some people even had their hair wrapped by some of the locals. Everyone then headed over to the field for a game of fútbol with the local children and played some duck duck goose and volleyball as well. We said goodbye to our new friends and took the trucks on the bumpy ride through the jungle back to home base. We enjoyed our dinners and prepared ourselves for our night walk hopeful to see some turtles.

Hasta Luego,
Sullivan, Kalina, and Sara

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Written by Sid, Preyan, and Amelia

Hola amigos!

We had an abrupt start to our day when Mag and our guide Jerry found a poached sea turtle in the jungle close to the beach, so we all ran over to save it. We saw it being released back into the ocean. After breakfast, Jerry took us on a farm tour around our home base. We saw so many different plants and fruits, and we ate termites. We also saw a caiman and tasted various fruits such as sugar cane, monkey fruit, water apple, and lime. Afterwards, we had a turtle debate about a governmental bill, where we were able to see different perspectives about the topic of oceanic conservation.

After lunch, we got in some cars and visited the local town. After a bumpy ride, we took a tour of the town and saw many local buildings such as the pulperías, police station, and schools. After the tour, we all stoped at a local shop and got icecream. Afterwards, we had a workshop on what we would do if we encountered a turtle on our night patrols. We also practiced digging fake nests in case we needed to do it for the hatchery. We then had a dance class led by a local called Maya. Then we visited the hatchery were we got to see two baby turtles. We let them wake up for a little while and then released them into the ocean. We then got back in the cars for another bumpy ride back to home base. After dinner. we prepared for our night patrol. None of the night patrol groups saw any turtles, but we did see fresh tracks of emerged but sadly didn’t lay any eggs. A few of the groups also saw fresh jaguar prints on the sand during the patrol.

Hasta manana!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Day 7 of the program: We started our night walk at 8 o’clock and very quickly we saw a mother green turtle that nested 77 eggs. This morning after breakfast we took a tour around an organic vanilla farm, we were able to learn about the tiring process of producing organic vanilla beans. After the tour as a group we all decided the best decision was to take a trip to the beach. While swimming at the beach we saw two green turtles mating in the water. We enjoyed a very good lunch, and followed was a trip to Parismina village. Then we did community service including cleaning and painting benches in front of the soccer field and volleyball court. Once we finished service we played games with the local kids. On our way back to the home base it began to pour rain. Shortly after we got back it was tech time, sadly our phones didn’t have any connection. And to end the night off we had a very tasty dinner and celebrated Elena’s 18th birthday. Tonight is our very last night patrol.

Pura vida,

The leaders of the day Ridley, Peter and Kian

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Written by Juliana, Josie, and Zoe

Hey!!

Today we started our day bright and early by driving to the water rafting location. We hit a minor detour when roads closed and arrived about 2 hours later. Due to our late arrival we had to hike up the mountain to drive to a new rafting location. After overcoming these challenges, we arrived at water rafting and had a nutritious lunch of sandwiches and fruits right by the river. We then got into our rafting groups and were taught the basics of white-water rafting. During the rafting we had a couple bumps in the road such as many people falling out the raft. It was scary at times, but we persevered and had a lot of fun. After rafting, we split into two buses and started heading home. The bigger bus couldn’t make it past the muddy road, so we tried multiple ways to help make it through the mud. The mud was too thick, so we waited for a bit while our mentor, Alysse, ran ahead to find service. She called the other bus driver for a rescue truck. We played many games to pass the time and made the best of the situation. Meanwhile, the smaller bus was waiting, and spent the time exploring the area, petting animals, and talking. Once the bus was back up the hill, we made our way back to home base and had a bus ride full of singing. We arrived at around 9pm after a night boat ride and had empanadas for dinner. After a quick group meeting, we then headed to bed to prepare for the next day.

Adios!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Written by Sadie and Chris

Hola!!

Today was our last day at home base, we started off the day with an early wake up for breakfast and where we can pack our things. After breakfast everyone brought their stuff outside and headed out to the boats for the trip to the buses. We loaded up one of the buses with all our luggage and headed off to the zip lining location. While on the bus ride we started playing music and singing then everyone passed out. We made it to the zip line place and got all our gear on and headed for the first out of ten ziplines. We hit up the gift shop after and a lot of people purchased socks with little animals on them. Then it was a 5-hour car trip that felt like an eternity. There were beautiful views of the mountains as we climbed into the clouds. We made it to the hotel and ate dinner, after dinner we have our last activity together, we all get all our stuff ready for the trip we have the next day to go back home.

Adios!