Thank you for visiting one of our GLA Program Blogs! Here are a few things you can expect:
1. We typically receive 1-2 Blog Posts Per Week from international staff. It is very unlikely programs will send blog updates daily.
2. Blog Updates sent on weekends may be delayed until Monday morning.
3. Due to many factors including internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes staff are only able to send text.
Thank you for your patience and understanding!
GLA Staff
Sunday March 11, 2018
BIENVENIDOS A SPRING BREAK
Welcome to Spring break!
Yesterday was a successful and awesome arrival day! Everyone arrived safely and spent the day relaxing and getting to know each other.
Today we have embarked on our long and scenic bus ride toward home base in the Caribbean jungles of Costa Rica, with pit stops for an incredible zip line experience and some typical Costa Rican food!
We are all so excited for our week together! It is just beginning!
Monday March 12, 2018
Our first night as a GLA family in the Green Gold Eco Lodge in Parismina was full of new experiences and a beautiful and tropical view that surrounded the Home Base. Waking up this morning to the orchestra of birds, our GLA family was treated to a traditional and homemade Costa Rican breakfast of arepas with freshly squeezed orange juice. Qué rico! Once breakfast was over, the owner of the Eco Lodge Jason led a tour around the farm that surrounds the Home Base. We saw some amazing plants including pineapple, vanilla, and a variety of indigenous plants. We even got to taste the meat and water of a ripe coconut! Yum!! Not only did we get to see beautiful plants, but also some amazing wildlife including birds and even monkeys. The hike through the jungle was long and hot, but overall very educational, as it taught many of us about the unique culture to Parismina.
Next, lunch was a delicious Costa Rican meal consisting of rice and some vegetables grown on the farm behind home base. What’s a better way to enjoy the beauty of nature and Parismina than to eat the foods grown right in the home based backyard? After lunch, the GLA family met in the common room to listen to a special visitor. A representative from ASTOP, the association to save the turtles of Parismina, came to talk to our group about the importance of our volunteer work. He informed us of the dangers that turtles were facing, including extinction from poaching and climate change.
Luckily, our night watches will help turtles lay their eggs in safety! After learning about ASTOP, our family met with their mentor groups and participated in an activity to get to know the people on the trip. In our groups, we reflected on our aspirations in life and got to share them with our group. After a long day of hiking and bonding, it was time for our GLA family to relax. We headed to the beach right off the Home Base for some free time. The water was warm and the spirits were high! It was a beautiful scene and fun memory we’ll all remember. Now it’s time for our first night watch and we are all ready to save some sea turtles!! 🙂
Wish us luck!
– GLA Sea Turtle Initiative Family
Tuesday March 13, 2018
The GLA family trekked through the beach last night on our night patrol with our guide Carlos. Unfortunately we did not see any turtles but we learned a lot about the stars and discussed life theories.
Our adventurer began as walked into town while spotting monkeys and enjoying the tropical surroundings. When we got into town Maco informed us about Leather Back and Green turtles. Then we walked around the town and viewed the culture of the people including the clinic, the school, and soda (soda is what you call a Costa Rican restaurant). Lunch was great! We tried banana chips. Muy delicioso!
At the beach we picked up trash. The GLA family worked hard and filled up fifteen trash bags. Having worked hard, we cooled off in the ocean. After washing off the sand we discussed our plan to teach the students English in the town. Overall we had an AMAZING day and we are all excited to experience a new adventure tomorrow!
-Olyvia
Wednesday March 14, 2018
We continued our journey today with a tour of the mangrove. We spotted exotic reptiles like an emerald basilisc, crocodiles, and red dart frogs. After lunch we chilled in the hammocks and played an intense game of uno.
During service we learned about the importance of taking care of our environment and some ways to produce less trash. After our discussion some of the students filled up trash bags along the beach.
While other students painted signs in Spanish with phrases such as keep the lagoon clean, we protect the environment, and we take care of nature. The GLA family gathered together and learned how to dance salsa with our instructor Maya. We went on our second night patrol Carlos showed us a leather back turtle nesting area.
Thursday March 15, 2018
Today so far we have learned how to make buñuelo which has yuca, cheese, and honey. Que Rico! Now we are enjoying smoothies from a small restaurant and later we will go to am artisan market and visit a local school! Tonight is our final night patrol.
