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
Click here to jump down to the most recent post!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 11
Student Arrival Day in San Jose, Costa Rica! Day 1 of welcoming students to Costa Rica: Ocean & Wildlife Conservation Adventure! Looking forward to a fun, safe, and transformative experience for our young leaders!
We have a few more students – Connor, Tahrique, Anderson, Michael, Max, Harper and Sophie – who are arriving later. We can’t wait to meet them!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 12
Journey to Uvita: Kicking Off an Unforgettable Experience in Costa Rica
After a scenic journey from San José to Uvita, our adventure has officially begun! Along the way, we made a memorable stop at the famous Crocodile Bridge, where students caught their first glimpse of Costa Rica’s incredible wildlife and natural beauty.
Once we arrived in Uvita, we dove into Student Orientation—a time to set intentions, build community, and create shared agreements for how we’ll learn and live together over the coming weeks. The highlight? A full group photo with all 22 students and our Mentors Amy and Rex, proudly standing beside the Community Agreements they co-created. These commitments reflect the respect, curiosity, and collaboration that will guide us throughout the program.
We’re feeling energized and grounded as we start our time in this beautiful region. Here’s to an inspiring and transformative experience ahead in Uvita!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 13
Leaders of the Day: Sofia H and Lucy M
This morning we had an early wake-up call at 6 AM and ate a delicious breakfast with the group. Following this, we got on the bus and began our community walk with two kind locals [Community Partners: Noilyn and Henry] where we learned about the beautiful culture of Costa Rica and were introduced to different aspects of Costa Rican Culture. After finishing some locally made ice cream, we bought any last-minute essentials at the supermarket and traveled to our home base for lunch. We then headed to Kids Saving the Rainforest to learn about some of the animals and get prepared for volunteering tomorrow. Lastly, we headed home for dinner and ended the night with some lovely guest speakers and a video showing the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in Costa Rica. – Sofia
Today we started off with a walk through the Marino Ballena National Park and we learned all about the nature and wildlife. We dove more into specific plant species and wildlife. We got to learn and see how locals lived their everyday lives. Next, we stopped at Kids Saving the Rainforest, and we got introduced to all the animals we will be helping and handling all day during our service work tomorrow. – Lucy
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 14
Leaders of the Day: Michael (Mickey) and Leah
Today was very fun and enlightening. We helped out Kids Saving the Rainforest, cleaning the cages, feeding them, preparing food, and giving them enrichment. We got to work closely with sloths, parrots, monkeys, kinkajous, marmosets, and many other cool and exotic animals! It was very interesting to learn about each of the animals’ backstories and their different needs.
Each group got a different experience from foraging for new things to put in the animal cages, to cutting fruit and feeding it to the animals. We learned that insect repellent is harmful to wildlife and that every species and individual animal requires a diet that is tailored to them and their needs. Overall, everyone was able to get a little closer to nature today and further understand why protecting these animals and the rainforest is so important.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 16
Leaders of the Day: Tahrique and Sidney
Beach Day! Today was packed with lots of sights, nature, and animals. We woke up early, had breakfast, and took an hour-long ride to Manuel Antonio National Park. Our lovely park guides pointed out some of Costa Rica’s unique wildlife like frogs, bats, crickets, spiders, and especially monkeys. We were warned of the burglars (monkeys that will still items from tourists), – habits of the capuchins monkeys, but luckily, everyone left with all of their belongings intact.
The beach was slightly cloudy with warm water and mostly everyone swam before lunch. We also enjoyed the hermit crabs that were scattered along the beach. Due to a packed lunch mishap, we ate at a local restaurant and everyone loved it. On the ride home, we played “Guess that Tune?” When we returned to homebase we broke into mentor groups and discussed our goals of the program amidst a short, rain induced power outage. We had a late dinner and headed to bed, tired from the busy day.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 17
Leaders of the Day: Emily and Abraham
Today, we spent the morning learning how to surf. Most everyone was able to stand up on their board and ride a wave, some for the first time. Then we packed up and headed back to home base for some much-needed free time. Most chose to head to the pool and either lay back and relax in the chairs or swim and play games in the water. In the circular pool, we collaborated to make a whirlpool by running in circles until the water spun on its own. After lunch, we had a guest speaker come in and teach us about life in the deep sea. We learned about different creatures that live in the deep, dark waters and how they survive in intense conditions.
Then, everyone took some time on arts and crafts and made their own angler fish out of paper plates. Then we had dinner before a presentation where we learned about different perspectives of ecotourism. We were split into groups, each having a different role such as “Government Official” or “Tourist” and debated and discussed the different viewpoints. Overall, in doing so we learned about the pros and cons of ecotourism.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19
Leaders of the Day: Kalea S and Olivia K
On today’s adventure, we went ziplining! The highlight of the day was getting dropped into the water at the end. After that, we swam in the waterfall and had lunch consisting of rice, beans, chicken, and salad. For our service part of the day, we went to Marino Ballena National Park and did a beach clean-up. After dinner, we had a delicious fruit party consisting of exotic Costa Rican Fruits. In all, today was a success as leaders of the day!
