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 JUNE 10
Hola!
Today began the first day of our Ocean & Wildlife Conservation Adventure, here in beautiful (and rainy) Costa Rica. All of our 18 students have arrived safely in Alajuela and are excited to leave to the program home base in Uvita tomorrow morning.
Students have enjoyed their first meals and had the opportunity to swim in the hotel pool. Those who arrived early had time to rest and relax after their flights. Some took their swim tests in the rain, others opted to wait until tomorrow for the home base pool.
For dinner, students had chicken (soy chicken nugget option for the non meat eaters), rice and beans, veggies, and tortillas with delicious coconut ice cream for dessert.
Upon finishing, GLA mentors Meg and Julius led the group in some fun ice breakers while International Director Abby picked up the last three students at the airport. In our first activity, everyone wrote an anonymous fun fact about themself on a a slip of paper that was mixed into a bag. A student would come up and read the fact and the group had a minute to try and guess who that fact was about.
The students found out a lot of cool things about their peers! In the second game, the group did a speed round to remember everyone’s names in the group. Then we threw around a soccer ball and the student who caught the ball had to say the name of the person throwing it to them, without hesitation.
Everyone was excited to meet their new roommates and start forming new friendships. Tonight students will head to bed early to get a full nights rest before our 7:15am departure tomorrow morning.
Buenas noches and Pura Vida!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 11
Buenos Dias!
The Ocean & Wildlife Conservation Adventure program has completed its second full day in beautiful Costa Rica. Students started their day bright and early with a typical Costa Rican breakfast of eggs, rice, beans, with fresh mango and pineapple. Excitement was in the air as students loaded onto busses and started their four hour journey to our home base in Uvita. Although the day started early, the students were full of energy and ready to socialize. Chatter and laughter could be heard amongst the group the entirety of our trip.
Before arriving to the home base, we made a pit stop at a river where students were able to cross over a bridge and see some wild crocodiles down below. Not only did students see crocodiles sun bathing, they also got to see a few swimming in the water. The group was abuzz with excitement over getting their first taste of Costa Rican wildlife and are looking forward to seeing more.
Finally, our busses pulled into our beautiful and lush home base in Uvita. Students were very eager to move into their rooms alongside their new roommates. After taking some time to unpack and settle in, we began our program orientation. Here, program leaders Nail, Abigail, Meg, and Julius shared what students should expect in the coming weeks. Topics such as service schedules, local culture, code of conduct, and general housekeeping were all covered. In addition, the group created their “Community Agreement”, in which they split into small groups to discuss how they would like their trip to go and what actions they can take as a team to accomplish this. The exercise was met with lots of enthusiasm as they had the chance to write their common ideas and values onto a large map of Costa Rica which has been signed by all the students and will remain hung on the home base walls throughout their stay.
Following orientation, the group played some volleyball, soccer, and played lots of games in the pool. Students even invented a new version of the swimming game, “Marco, Polo”, where instead the tagger shouted, “Costa!”, and the students responded with, “Rica!”.
The day ended with a round of “Speed Friending” lead by Meg. In this activity, students were paired up and asked fun get-to-know-you questions with two minutes to discuss their answers. Each round the pairs were switched up until every student had a conversation with each other. This really gave the group an opportunity to truly meet and chat with all their peers. Lots of laughter could be heard throughout the room as students answered questions such as, “If a different condiment could come out of each of your finger tips, which condiments would you choose?”.
Overall, it was a long and eventful day with the Ocean & Wildlife Conservation Adventure team and students are feeling very excited and passionate about having the chance to visit Manuel Antonio National Park to take part in their service with Kids Saving The Rainforest.
Adios and Buenos Noches!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 12
Awoken by the sun…and our alarms, we started the beautiful sunny day off with a delicious breakfast filled with tropical fruit and hot chocolate! Breakfast was served after some final fun trivia games and we moved on to our next destination.
We arrived at the wonderful Kids Save the Rainforest Animal Sanctuary and got to spend some time with the amazing staff and exotic Costa Rican wildlife. Among them were sloths who were best friends (and slept in the same hammock!), various types of monkeys, and peccaries (aggressive pig-like animals).
After getting an introduction to the facilities, we went back for lunch and ate chicken, rice, salad, and the national dish of Costa Rica-Gallo Pinto (rice and beans.)
Later, we did a community walk around the local neighborhood of Uvita, got to try fresh coconut and pipa cracked open by a local, saw the local school and soccer field, and saw the national historic building of Costa Rica with sphere rocks from the indigenous people, all while the rain of Costa Rica’s rainy season came down on us! Lastly, we finished off the walk by visiting the Marino Ballena National Park, which was absolutely beautiful!
Before dinner we did this activity called the Sunset Circle, where everyone shared a highlight of the day and a shoutout to fellow peers.
Finally, after dinner, we watched a video on the tourism conflict between the locals and the major industrial companies building hotels and were able to see the perspective of the harm of traveling and tourism on local communities.
Pura Vida!
Your first group leaders, Katy and Isaac
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 13
On a beautiful Costa Rican morning, the students woke up filled with excitement about their jam-packed day. Today they would embark on various activities that they’ve all been looking forward to since they joined the program.
At breakfast, we were given options between fruits like watermelon, grapes, pineapple, apples, and more. Along with that, they could also choose to have pancakes, bacon, and rice.
Right after breakfast, students started their journey to our volunteering site called, Kids Saving the Rainforest. In this service activity, they would break up into three different groups to make food for animals, and work on the habitats that animals have by cutting down branches and cleaning cages. It was extremely exciting and eye-opening to see such amazing and one-of-a-kind animals so close and to help them better acclimate to their sanctuary space.
After volunteering with the animals, students headed back to home base and had lunch.
Lunch included a delicious salad, rice, chickpeas with pork, and falafel bowls for vegetarians. Along with the delicious entrees that students have during their meals they also have the option to have various juices with fruits that are native to Costa Rica.
Once lunch was over, students left for their yoga class which was both relaxing and fun. Many students will later share that it was the highlight of their day at our daily sunset circle. After yoga, a cooking class was planned where students could make homemade empanadas and tortillas–another highlight that students shared.
Finally, students had a fun time at dinner blasting music and dancing to celebrate Kathryn, one of the student’s, birthdays. We had a delicious red velvet cake and swam in the pool.
At the end of the day, students participated in mentor groups and played charades to practice communication with each other and took a night swim at the pool in home base to cap of their adventurous day.
Pura Vida from Uvita!
Your group leaders, Chloe Steuer and Lou Beunat
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 14
The sun rose above the mountainside and the birds began to sing as students awoke in their rooms. They enjoyed a breakfast that consisted of different kinds of fruits like banana, papaya, mango, pineapple, and others along with rice and beans and a breakfast pizza.
Students left for service at 8:30 am and headed on a short bus ride to Marino Ballena National Park located on the scenic oceanside. Here, they began by splitting off into two groups where they parted ways to collect old directional and informational signs which they would then repair. When the group joined back together, students had the opportunity to either repaint the old signs or to create brand new ones from scrap pieces of wood. While the paint dried, students took a break and directed their attention towards the treetops where they would find sloths, toucans, and other animals.
Students arrived back at home base to a delicious lunch consisting of gallo-pinto, pork chops, eggplants with cheese for vegetarians, salad, and vegetables. After lunch, they received a great presentation from our first speaker of the day, Biosur. The presentation talked about the impact of insects on our environment and how we can reduce personal CO2 emissions in an effort to limit climate change. After the talk, students were released for an hour of free time in the home base. Here, they played card games and socialized before heading out to the local supermarket where they were able to purchase goods they may have forgotten at home and/or snacks for their rooms back at base. Before heading home, they stopped at the local gelato shop and enjoyed a sweet treat.
Dinner was composed of a chicken dish, a quiche for vegetarians, mashed potatoes, and two types of salad. After dinner, we had our second guest speaker who presented on the impacts of single-use plastics, microplastics, and fast fashion on our environment. After a long day of activities, students headed off to their bunks for a little free time before bed looking forward to the adventures of tomorrow.
Pura Vida!
From your leaders of the day, Kate and Stella
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 15
As the students awoke on this damp morning, the air was crisp and filled with excitement. A wide variety of foods were provided for breakfast including french toast, eggs, fruit, granola, and yogurt.
The group then embarked on their journey to Manuel Antonio National Park. At the park, the students first split into two groups and went on a walking tour where they were able to see animals of various characteristics such as slothes, monkeys, and grasshoppers. The tour allowed the students to learn about the animls and see them through a telescope. After being led on this exotic tour, the students headed over to the National parks beach. At the beach they swam in calm pacific waves with beautiful views.
Following the beach, the group took a short walk through the park to where they would have their late lunch. They then enjoyed pasta salad, fried rice, chips and juice, with a visit from a clan of Cappuchin monkeys.
Then, students headed over to another beach to continue their fun tropical, and rainy, day. After traveling through a forest to reach the beach, students began their beach-day fun once again. They played a friendly game of soccer and swam in the gorgeous Costa-rican water. Once they were ready to head back to homebase, the group hiked back up to the bus and journeyed back to Uvita.
After arriving at the homebase, the students took a break before some of the girls headed to a local market. At the market, students could find vendors selling a variety of locally sourced and made products such as jewerly, bags, and food. They were able to practice their Spanish and enjoy a local experience.
Dinner was served after, which consiste of chicken fingers, rice, lentils. Salad, broccolli, cauliflower, and tropical fruit salad. As a change, the students then did sunset circle after dinner, and shared some of the many highlights this day provided. After sunset circle, students split into mentor groups and learned about how different materials decompose and how it can impact our planet. The students then enjoyed free time and went to sleep happy and ready for the next day.
PURA VIDA!!
Your leaders of the day,
Nia Thompson and Abby Ippen
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 16
As the sun peeked through the curtains of the cabins, students slowly started to wake up and get ready for the exciting day ahead. They filled up their bellies with many delicious tropical fruits like kiwi, watermelon, melon and mangos, this was shared with grilled cheese sandwiches as the main course. After the students finished their drinks of coffee, hot cocoa and a variety of juices, they got ready for the departure ahead.
The next stop was Playa Chaman where students would learn the basics of surfing. They got an informational explanation on surfing and slowly dispersed along the beach. There they caught waves and splashed around. They later spend some more downtime in the ocean swimming around and playing games.
After getting back on the bus students jumped into the pool to cool off before having their next meal of the day which served fish, boiled eggs for vegetarians, rice and beans. They then got ready for the beautiful waterfall that they were about to see. The icy, fresh water they swam in refreshed their sunkissed faces from the earlier activities. Jumping off the platforms was the biggest highlight of the waterfall. Students were able to jump off a platform.
After a long and water filled day the students spent their free time in the pool cooling down and resting.
The students did a check in and learned to think about some SMART goals to have during the trip. They provided insightful examples of some goals they had. They ended the day with a delicious meal of rice, spaghetti for vegetarians, chips, salad and meatballs. After dinner they split off into their mentor groups and did a couple activities before they were dismissed for the night.
¡Pura vida! And Happy Fathers day to all the fathers in the families.
Your Leaders of the Day,
Maia B and Abby G
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 17
Students were greeted from their slumber with the sun glistening on their faces, the air was filled with an eagerness to embark on another adventure and most importantly satisfy their rumbling tummies. To say the food prepared by the amazing chefs at the student’s base camp was good would be an understatement, greeted with smiling faces by all staff members the students were given a breakfast consisting of ham and cheese quesadillas, various fruits, and sweet plantain chips. As always students had a variety of refreshing juices to choose from as well as typical Costa Rican coffee, once all was said and done students set off with their WITS in hand or on the back and set forth for the expedition ahead.
The first stop on today’s beautiful day was Playa Chaman where students were divided in two groups, tasked with either clearing the path that tourists and locals alike trek all day long. The second group of students started where the previous service left off that being painting the signage signaling and delivering positive environment messages to all those who were willing to listen. Once service was completed students were granted the reward of a spectacular demonstration on how to properly crack a coconut with nothing but their bare hands, and enjoyed the fruits of there labor that being a refreshing swig of coconut.
Students then returned to base camp and were granted with an awe-inspiring meal consisting of chickens and lentils, rice, and the house salad. Students were then greeted with a bit of free time where most chose to bask in the beautiful sun that had greeted them in the morning. Students then later on went to a gorgeous part of the beach called the “Whale Tail”. We then headed back for home base where we had free time, sunset circle, and arrived to a lovely dinner. After all that we had our mentor groups and went to bed.
Pura Vida!
Your Leaders of the Day,
Matthew and Kat R
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18
The students arose bright and early in the morning for a nutritious 6:30 breakfast from our kitchen staff and with excitement to embark on their daily adventures together. To satisfy the hunger of our students’ stomachs, the talented kitchen staff prepared rice and beans, scrambled eggs, banana, blueberry, mango, watermelon, mandarin oranges, pancakes with a thick Nutella spread, and some sweet maple syrup.
Afterward, they rushed into the jungle for the thrill of their lives. Between hanging upside down to plunging thirty feet into ice-cold water, ziplining was a blast. The students then indulged in a second breakfast provided by our generous ziplining adventure company. The students boarded the bus and returned to the hotel for a delicious lunch before working hard at painting vibrant signs for the Marino Ballena National Park. After free time, the students reconvened for a meal of rice, beans, chicken, and salad. Dinner was followed by a heated intellectual debate in which opinions were made extremely vocal. The students were then ushered to bed after a long, worthwhile day in Costa Rica. Pura Vida!
-Chloe Spencer and Maya O
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19
Hola!!
This morning we started our day with a very nutritious breakfast at 7 o’clock sharp. We had Barbacoa, Gallo Pinto, tortillas, and a vast amount of fruit. We then set off to community service at Kids Saving The Rainforest (KSTR) wildlife rehabilitation center, where some students helped prepare food and toys for the animals and went into the cages to feed the animals. Meanwhile, other students were putting in the hard work to cut small trees down to help feed some of the animals. For lunch we had more Barbacoa, a rice casserole, beans, and some salad.
After lunch we went to the Costa Rica Coral Restoration center and James, the lab guy, helped explain what coral really was and why it’s important on a global scale. We saw coral specimens being grown and matured so it could slowly be reintroduced back into its natural environment. Students came back with some time to spare so they enjoyed a little freetime before dinner. For dinner we had fried chicken, french fries, rice (as always), beans, and some more salad. Now we’re gonna go to bed to prepare for our busy day ahead of us.
Love,
James and Natalie (the Leaders of the Day)
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20
This morning the students woke bright and early for a seven o’clock breakfast of croissant, eggs, beans and rice, and an assortment of fruits. Afterward, we departed for service where students got up close and personal with the animals while cleaning cages, making food, and supplying branches for their habitats. Lunch consisted of chicken, rice, beans, and assorted salad.
After lunch we had a little bit of free time, although it did rain most of the time. Once free time was over we had a 1-hour dance lesson and everyone was dancing on the floor learning the famous Costa Rican moves. Once this ended we went to the supermarket and we all got our own snacks and drinks for the rest of the trip. We then moved to dinner and had fried fish, rice, and beans.
After dinner, we had mentor groups and watched a documentary on how leopards need to be more protected and how they are rare to see. Today overall was a great day and we learned so many things. My highlight of the day was probably cooking food for the sloths and monkeys. Although the sloths can be aggressive they weren’t and were fed easily. Another highlight of the day was attending the market and getting snacks that are only sold here and that you can’t find at home.
Pura vida!
Chloe Spencer and Camden
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21
To start one of the most amazing days of our lives, we had to wake up pretty early, breakfast at 6:15 A.M. anyone!?
We started our journey towards Bahia Ballena and out to sea to Caño Island. We travelled by crystal blue waters accompanied by an awesome boat crew. Along the way, we were able to witness something no one was expecting…HUMPBACK WHALES!!!
After arriving, we popped on our snorkelling gear and, despite murky water jumped in and were able to see an abundance of amazing fish, coral, and even a turtle.
The beach was just as amazing as the water. We were greeted by a glistening beach, crashing waves, succulent coconuts, and a hot sun. It was truly an experience not soon to be forgotten.
Followed by a fun boat ride back, filled with pineapple and watermelon refreshments we arrived back to the home base.
After some free time, we all engaged in a group reflection activity led by International Director: Abby. Then we proceeded to a heartfelt sunset circle and a delicious dinner including pork ribs, salad, mashed potatoes, sushi, and pasta for vegetarians.
What a day, what a day!
Your Group Leaders: Isaac and Kate
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22
The students arose with the birds chirping in the crisp air. There was a slight breeze running through the trees. The students began to pack their bags before they indulged in their last breakfast at the home base together. Their breakfast included sausage, tortillas, toasted cheese, assorted fruits, and the usual rice and beans. Then, students took a refreshing walk to their last day of service where they raked and enjoyed a beach walk while picking up trash and properly disposing of it.
After students made their way back to the home base, they packed their bags and spent some of their last moments sitting by the pool. The students then dug into their last meal of mashed potatoes, chicken, curry, rice, beans, salad, and fried cheese. Then our wonderful drivers packed our bags into the bus and van and the students embarked on their four-hour bus ride back to San Jose where they enjoyed snacks from a rest stop and lots of music and singing throughout the ride. They arrived at their final destination and quickly dressed up for their final dinner before their departures tomorrow.
For the final dinner, students enjoyed rice, beans, chicken, and salad. Then, they finished off their meal with delicious ice cream for dessert. The students then made their way to a special room for the appreciation circle where a few students at a time went around the room and tapped people who they believed the kind statements applied to. Some of our talented students then finished the night by treating us with their guitar and singing skills.
Your last Leaders of the Day,
Stella and Maya O
