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:
- Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
- We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
- Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
- Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
- Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.
For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.
-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team
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BLOG POST FOR JULY 27
Pura Vida!
What an incredible start to our adventure! Today, we had the privilege of welcoming 34 inspiring young leaders to the vibrant and welcoming country of Costa Rica. Throughout the day, students arrived in waves at Liberia Airport, full of excitement and anticipation.
Once everyone touched down, we made our way to our home base where students settled into their rooms, completed health checks and swim assessments, and began forming meaningful connections with their new peers. We also made time for some fun—heading to the beach for games of soccer and volleyball, soaking in the beautiful coastal energy.
Our evening wrapped up with a delicious traditional Costa Rican meal—casado—featuring rice, beans, chicken, fresh salad, and a warm taste of local culture. Later, we played icebreaker games that helped everyone feel more connected, followed by a thoughtful discussion about our phone policy and how we can stay truly present and engaged with one another throughout this experience.
We’re looking forward to tomorrow’s orientation and taking our first steps into the impactful service projects ahead.
To all the families, friends, and supporters—thank you for your trust and encouragement! Be sure to follow along with our journey here on the blog and leave us a message below—we’d love to hear from you.
We are still waiting for Ilan, Idan, and Jordyn who will be arriving tomorrow. Can’t wait for the whole team to be complete!
With appreciation,
Mentor RJ
BLOG POST FOR JULY 29
We started the day by uplifting our spirits by playing heads up seven up and then completed the morning with a wholesome breakfast. Everyone had their first day of service and separated into the groups they were divided into the night before. VerdiAzul went to the beach to help with the turtle hatchery. The GEA went into the local school to help the students as well as the environment, then UC painted signs to spread awareness to keeping the beaches clean.
Once back at the home base we got to unwind at the pool right before debating about Ecotourism and prevalent issues around Costa Rica. Leo then came to teach the GLA campers about cultural dancing. After dinner, we discussed our plans for tomorrow as well as celebrating a Jack’s birthday with a piñata. When returning to the rancho everyone was initiated into tribes and had a small competition to finish off the night!
By T, Mia, Nate, George, Leo
BLOG POST FOR JULY 30
Jungle Rapids, Zip Lines & Pura Vida Vibes
Today was one for the books — and it started early. Alarms went off at 5:30 AM as we geared up for a full day of adventure. Despite the sleepy faces, the two-hour bus ride to the park was calm and peaceful — a nice way to ease into what turned out to be an adrenaline-packed day.
Our first stop: tubing through the Costa Rican jungle. What we thought might be a relaxing float turned out to be a wild ride — the rapids were no joke. A few kids even got tossed off their tubes (all safely, of course!), adding to the thrill and laughter. Surrounded by lush greenery and jungle sounds, it was a totally immersive experience.
Next came zip lining — and wow. We soared above the treetops, catching breathtaking views, but the real showstopper was the final stretch through a stunning gorge. Honestly, it was the most scenic thing many of us have ever witnessed.
After burning all that energy, we hit a farm-to-table buffet for lunch. Everything was delicious — maybe too delicious — judging by how full most of us felt afterward. We also sang happy birthday to our mate Nate!
The bus ride back was a whole different vibe: music blasting, kids singing, and lots of good energy. We made a pit stop at a local shop to grab souvenirs, snacks, and (of course) ice cream.
We ended the day with our usual “Pura Vida” time — this evening’s highlights included a chaotic game of telephone, our elusive secret Osuga still staying under the radar, and some great conversations in our mentor groups.
All in all, today reminded us why we came here — to explore, to laugh, and to experience the true meaning of Pura Vida.
By Gage, Noah, Jonas, Ben, Idan
BLOG POST FOR JULY 31
This morning for Pura Vida we did four corners, then after a quick breakfast groups split off for volunteering. GEA left for the beach to clean up trash and learned about how things decompose, learning how tiny changes can impact can the planet and ended with a quick swim in the ocean. UC left to help a nearby community, where they dug up dirt and helped build and fence and planters for a local playground to keep the kids safe from cattle. It was an amazing transformation seeing the space come to life with the help of local family’s! VerdeAzul helped out the turtles by digging sand. All groups met up for lunch and then cooled off with a dip at the pools.
GLA then left for a local cooking class where we made empanadas and played football! Frank also taught us tons of local games, it was so much fun and brought out our inner child. We came back for dinner and had chow circle at the beach where we saw a beautiful sunset. We ended the day by celebrating Aubrey’s birthday with a piñata and then broke off into groups of six for a game of jeopardy.
Jordyn, Ava, Aubrey, Addison, Maya
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 1
We started day three of service with a fun team building game to wake us all up before breakfast. After breakfast UC went into the community to paint murals and tires and dig up dirt for planting. VerdiAzul had another day of hard work digging and building turtle nests. In GEA they went to the beach to help clean up the trash and then went to the school to play soccer with the local children. After service and lunch, we hung out at home base and swam in the pool.
After cooling down, the tribes competed in the Beach Olympics Games. These competitive team games included: bridge the gap, minefield, fill the bucket, and as the finale, built a sand art representing their tribes. Following these tiring activities, we ended the night with chow circle, a “dress funny” dinner, and activities with mentor groups.
Katie, Chloe, Shea S., Shea R, and Jackson
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 2
Today we started off with Pura Vida. We played a game of silent ball and then went to breakfast. GEA went off to a beach where they got to paint signs that told locals to pick up trash. They learned all about the mangroves and what grows there. They finished with a test on what they have learned so far and some delicious smoothies. Verdiazul helped out at the hatchery today, but this time they were assigned to create a fence around a broken turtle statue. They also went around the park, picking up sticks and trash hoping to make the park safer and better for kids. They finished the day by swimming in the ocean. UC painted a mural and tires in the community to help make the community more pretty and nicer for locals and tourists.
After delicious Costa Rican lunch we made our way to a goat farm. We started off by meeting the owners. We then got to pet pigs and see chickens. The owners then led us to the forest where we got to learn about all kinds of animal plants. After we went to see the goats. We pet and fed them. We broke into groups to milk the goats and try some of their milk. At the end of the tour we got tested with some goat yogurt and cheese. We made it back to home base, ate some dinner, and played a tribe game. We ended our day in mentor groups where we discussed how our service groups were going. Overall we had a great day in Costa Rica and are looking forward to spending another day in Costa Rica tomorrow.
Caroline, Kaio, Jake, AJ, and JACK 🙂
