Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!
PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
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.
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 after activities are completed to have with them through the night. Actual tech times and regularity will vary greatly by program location and time zones. 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.
For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.
-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team
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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 2
Today, we welcomed our 52 amazing young leaders to the beautiful country of Costa Rica! Batches of students flew in at the Liberia airport at different times of the day.
They went straight to the homebase where they found their rooms, had some initial health checks and swim test, and got to know one another. By afternoon, we experienced a heavy rain that everyone enjoyed as it brought cool breeze amidst the hot Tico weather! We finished the day with a delicious traditional meal of casado, that is made of arroz, frijoles, pollo, y enselada and some icebreaker activities to get to know one another.
We look forward to the orientation day tomorrow and learning more about the service projects we will be participating in. Also, expecting our last student Ryan to get here by around noon.
Dear parents, family, and friends! Please keep supporting our leaders’ journey here in Costa Rica by following our blog and commenting below! Thank you so much!
Mentor RJ
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 4
Written by Isabelle, Lexi, Montana, Tegan T., Grant M., Taylor A., Connor R.
We started the morning with a breakfast that consisted of rice and beans as well as eggs. Also really good coffee. After that we went to our first day of service projects. We did that from 8 to 12. Students in the Uniendo Comunidad project sorted through and cleaned up waste at a local park and beach. And also learned about how mangrove trees help protect Costa Rica’s coast line. Guanacaste water center went to a river bank and pulled saplings of an endangered species of trees. Then we took them back to the water center and re-planted them in a safe location.
Then we returned to home base and ate lunch. We had street tacos and rice and beans. The afternoon activity was visiting a chocolate factory. There we tasted many types of chocolate and learned about local fruits by walking through the garden and the specialty chocolate in Costa Rica.
Then we had free time where many students played games in the pool. Watched the Sunset together on the beach.
We ended the day with pasta for dinner and a great salad. With Iced Tea that was refreshing. We ended the night in our mentor groups where we reflected on how communication affects people.
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 5
Written by Taylor P, Corrin, Ryan, Diego R, Reese, Priya
In the morning we had French toast for breakfast! After that we went to our service projects. In our service projects some of us learned about micro plastics, eco bricking, the environmental benefits of mangrove trees, etc. Students in Verdiazul dug nests for sea turtles and made eco bricks with plastic waste. Students in Guanacaste water center continued to plant trees by the riverside. Uniendo Comunidad went to a beach and picked up trash. Last but not least, the Avellans group painted signs to bring awareness in protecting the land and animals that inhabit Costa Rica.
After our four hours of service, we came back to home base for lunch which consisted of chorizo with vegetables and salad. Our afternoon activity was Beach Day! Unfortunately the beach that we are right next to, the rip currents are too dangerous for all of us to swim in and so we took a quick bus ride over to a beautiful beach where we played spike ball, volleyball, body surfed and back flips in the water.
On our way back to home base we learned from Verdiazul that some Olive Ridley sea turtles had hatched. A volunteers of Verdiazul along with some others ventured over to the beach in order to see the sea turtles be released into the sea. This group of sea turtles had a very good turn out with only one out of around 90 eggs didn’t hatch! It was a beautiful experience watching the baby sea turtles crawl!
Regarding family who owns the resort, the father, Tibor, it was his fiftieth birthday today and we were treated with pizza!!! It was absolutely delicious! We ended the evening with trivia and the group named “Amazing Arepas” won!
Today was a pretty perfect day all around with many happy surprises!
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 6
Written by Paulina, Avery S., Helena, Felix, Livia, Ava
For breakfast number 5 we had delicious eggs, cereal and rice n’ beans with options for coffee and juices. We started the day with another four hours of volunteering:
Verdiazul (turtles) cleaned a mangrove forest, dug holes for turtle eggs, and painted signs with information regarding the turtles.
For Uniendo Cominidades we went on a gorgeous hike and played soccer with some locals while emerging ourselfs in the culture.
For Avellnas (beach) we went to the beach picked up trash, and painted awareness signs for the locals.
At the Guanacaste water center, we fertilized trees and other plants as well as planting special drought resistant grasses and cleaned out young trees by pulling weeds nearby
After service we came back to home base for lunch which was a delicious chicken dish served with french fries. We then had a wonderful two hours of free time (nap time) before we went to a local school to learn about traditional games, make tortillas, and play soccer with the locals. Dinner was a chicken stir fry, and afterwards we shared our personal stories in mentor group.
