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 28
Hola from Costa Rica!
Most of our group arrived today! Some students arrived bright and early after a red-eye flight, while others flew into San Jose just in time for a late lunch at the Hotel Robledal. Those who arrived early stopped by a Tortillería for breakfast and visited a close-by panderia to get a glimpse at all the amazing breads and pastries they had on display.
As soon as we had over half the group here, we had our first big group lunch while chatting about our lives back home and explaining what inspired us to be on this trip. Following the meal, we moved into our rooms and enjoyed some chill time napping or talking by the pool.
We finished our day with a delicious fish and rice dinner, a few team-building/name games (thank you, napkin holder aka Stewart Bert), and a quick overview of guidelines for the hotel and the program.
We are so excited to meet the rest of our students and begin our trip here in Costa Rica!
Sincerely,
Your GLA staff: Sofia, Rex, Leah, and Ron
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29
Hello!
We had an amazing day full of laughs and wildlife! It started in San Jose at Hotel Robledal, where we became a complete team after the arrival of our final student! Following a delicious breakfast of coffee and pancakes, we hopped on the bus to make our trek to Utiva. Along the way, the group made a stop at a place called Crocodile Bridge. We spotted a HUGE croc, a caiman, and even watched in awe as two scarlet macaws soared over our heads. We got back in the van and enjoyed the Pacific-coast view for the rest of the van ride to our new homebase (HB).
We finally arrived to beautiful Utiva and were greeted by lunch and some friendly new dogs to pet while we waited in line to wash our hands. Our afternoon consisted of a GLA overview, the swim test (we all passed!), and the Code of Conduct overview. After dinner, Ron led a session about venomous snakes to prepare us for living in the jungle and a hotspot for biodiversity.
With nothing left in our schudule for today, we collected our phones and chatted in common spaces until it was time to go to bed!
We are so excited for tomroow!
Pura Vida!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30
Hola!
Today we had breakfast at 7:00; it was eggs, rice and beans, watermelon, pineapple, and apples. After breakfast we headed to a community walk in the community of Utiva, including Marina Ballena National park. It was very beautiful and we learned all about the history of Costa Rica, and the plants and animals that make it so special. After the walk we came back to home base and had free time. We swam and played some sports. We then had lunch which was rice, beans, fajitas, and salad.
Then we went to our service site, Kids Saving the Rainforest, where we saw a lot of cool animals, including sloths, spider monkeys, birds, pigs, etc. It was very fun and we all definitely learned a lot. Then we went to the market where we got snacks and things we needed. Then we spent some time relaxing and using our free time to lay in the pool before dinner.
After dinner, we got together as a group to create our community agreement.This agreement states how we want to respect each other, protect our own physical and mental well being, and work as a team while we are here in Costa Rica!
We can’t wait for service tomorrow!
– Leaders of the Day Ella and Abby
BLOG POST FOR JULY 1
Hola from Costa Rica!
Today we started off early, waking up at 6:00 to eat a quick breakfast and hop on the bus. After an hour long drive, we had a fun day at Kids Helping the Rainforest, making meals for the animals, feeding them, and cleaning out their enclosures. After a long day of working, we headed back to home base for a relaxing afternoon with some rain, and a delicious dinner to finish off the day.
Looking forward to tomorrow,
Sophie and Harper
BLOG POST FOR JULY 2
Hello everyone!
We started the day off by eating a bright and early breakfast at 6:40. It was extra delicious today, we had chocolate chip pancakes, fruit, eggs, bacon, and a special treat of Nutella!
After we were all fueled up, we made our way to Manuel Antonio National Park. After the 2 hour bus ride we got into groups and walked around. We got to see really cool animals through the telescopes. And there were so many cute sloths. After walking around for a while we finally got to the beach!! We all dove into the water and played around. We even saw the other GLA group at the beach. After a while of swimming and exploring we headed to the restaurant.
Once we were at the restaurant we ate a really good and much needed meal. After we fueled back up/while we were getting ready to leave we spotted monkeys! To top that, we then saw a monkey eating a banana! Can’t get better than that. Once our awe ran out, we hit the shops. We saw some amazing souvenirs, and many people bought some.
Then we embarked on our journey home. After an hour and twenty, we were back at our beloved home base to enjoy yet another delicious meal and even saw some puppies. We are all so excited for the rest of the trip, peace out.
Annika and Lola
BLOG POST FOR JULY 4
Today we had a later start and got to sleep in, we had fresh fruit, bacon and eggs for breakfast which was really good. After breakfast we headed to the surfing lesson where we learned how waves worked and how the wind affects them. We also learned about rip tides and how to stand up on the board. Then we got to practice before we started surfing. We talked with the instructors which were all really helpful and patient because we were mostly all beginners. As we were leaving the beach we stopped at a stand that sold fresh coconuts which was really cool to see, and we all enjoyed them.
After lunch we had a guest speaker who was a well informed marine biologist, she presented information on the depths of the ocean and all the creatures that live in it. She explained each and every one very well with lots of fun facts and information to keep us engaged and entertained. After we made our own angler fish out of paper plates and pipe cleaners, everyone made different types and styles. It was over all a really cool experience and we’re all super grateful.
At dinner, we celebrated the 4th of July! We had hot dogs and fries followed by some delicious pie with ice cream. We sang songs together while enjoying our dessert.
We are excited for tomorrow!
– Chloe and Charlie Y
BLOG POST FOR JULY 7
Hi from day 10! Today we started early by returning to Kids Saving the Rainforest for some service in the sanctuary. We started off by making enrichments for the animals, and going into the Capuchins and Macaws cages to watch them interact with their new toys. Then, we listened to a presentation about the importance of replicating the natural habitat in the sanctuary, and habits they’ve been able to observe in the animals.
We then went to the Costa Rica coral restoration lab and then went to the beach to swim and take pictures. Finally, we went back to homebase, then we had dinner and had pasta and then we had mentor groups.
– Leaders of the Day
