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June 5, 2017 by James Egan

COSTA RICA – The Initiative for Children – July 19 – August 1, 2017

Day 1

ComWow! ( dijo el perro) the day has finally arrived for Airport pickup day on Day 1 of GLA’s Children’s Initiative for Costa Rica! This is our third and final group and we are excited to get things underway! Let me start by first introducing myself. My name is James Tuttle and I am in the International Director for the program this summer, and I feel honored that I get to spend the summer between year one and year two of medical school having an amazing time in Costa Rica with students from the U.S., Canada, Spain and beyond! I am happy to be returning to Latin America after having spent two amazing years managing college students in the mountains of Guatemala. I am joined this summer by two amazing student mentors: Casey Riesing and Aileen Soto. Casey is an expert Spanish language instructor who is working on her Master’s in Spanish Language, while she manages her university level Spanish classes. Aileen is taking a break this summer from her work leading teens on 20-day wilderness hikes with Outward Bound to share her years of experience with GLA students this summer. Between the three of us we have over 15 years of experience working with youth, and over 10 years traveling, living, and working abroad. Finally, we are hosted and guided by our Local Director Alfredo Corrales. Alfredo is well known member of the town of Santa Teresa de Cutris where he owns an amazing 200 hectacre finca (farm), complete with 3 beautiful lakes, farm hands, and everything una vida en el campo requiere. Alfredo is the father of three sons, a master in the kitchen, and is joining Casey, Aileen, and I with over 30 years experience working in hospitality as a hotel owner, business owner, and partner with GLA since the program’s conception. Today, the first three students arrived early in the morning from Los Angeles and had an opportunity to catch up on some sleep in a nearby hotel with Casey. Once the vast majority of the other students arrived we took a trip to City Mall so students could eat their last bits of American comfort food before heading off to our home base. We were on our way to home base around 5:00pm and students were able to relax and have a dinner at the “Iguana Loca” named for the Iguana’s which sunbathe in front of the restaurant during the day. As you read this all 23 students are getting to know their new roommates in of the six cabins at Alfredo’s finca in Santa Teresa. Students are enjoying a comfortable air-conditioned rooms, a Costa Rican sunset over one of our three private lakes, and an opportunity to catch up on much needed sleep. Not much in terms of “roughing it” is in store for our group. However, cell phone service is limited at home base so please expect some delays in communication while your student is in Santa Teresa, I, however, can be reached via my local number +506 7248-0065. Tomorrow morning we will start the day early with an extensive orientation on our dock, followed by a day of planning for our first day working with the local schools on Friday. So as they say here in Costa Rica, “Hasta muy pronto”, and of course, “Pura Vida”!

 

 

Today was wonderful. We started off the day with a delicious breakfast of eggs, fruit, rice and beans, and cheese. After, we went on a bus to one of the schools to play with the kids. They were unbelievably adorable!! We played many games with them in a big field like sharks and minnows, duck duck goose, red light green light, and drawing. It was great to run and play, I felt like a little kid again! Some of the kids loved to play with my hair and take pictures! After, we went back to home base for lunch and had pork tenderloin, coleslaw, plantains, rice, and beans. It was also very good. We followed lunch with a rainforest hike. After that we chilled by drinking Costa Rican coffee which is amazing, and I don’t like coffee!!!! Today was also joseline’s birthday and we had a great celebration with her and it was so fun! Can’t wait for tomorrow!!!!!

Brenna Hymowitz

(Picture of kids touching a girl’s hair)

(Picture of kids at a table)

Today in Costa Rica we got to go to Santa Teresa and meet the local kids who attend there. We played a few games , and they were definitely a challenge . They were so sweet and eager to learn. Later that afternoon we took a hike in the finca and got a little more familiar with our surroundings. On our second hike we went through the rain forest and saw some of the most beautiful sceneries .

Joseline Betanzos

(Picture of a green wall + picture of a field)
(Picture of a river with kids in front posing)

Dear Parents, friends, and family,

In order to better provide a more personal touch to the day-to-day affairs of our students, we ask each student to write one blog post and select one picture of the day that best captures their experiences that day. So without further ado:

First full day in Costa Rica! Today we hung around home base, had a group orientation, and got to know each other more. After learning more about the program and each other we had a lake day. Everyone swam and jumped off the dock. For breakfast we had eggs, pancakes, plantains, and a pineapple banana salad. For lunch we had beans, rice, and chicken. For dinner we had pasta. It was good to rest from traveling and getting to know everyone better!

Isabella Kakish

(Picture of lake)

Hoy ha sido el primer día completo en Costa Rica! Hemos pasado el día en “Home Base” donde hemos hecho orientación en grupo y nos hemos empezado a conocer mejor entre nosotros. Hemos pasado la tarde en el maravilloso lago que tenemos. Todo el mundo salto de la terraza y se dio un bañito. Hemos tomado maravillosa  comida tradicional de Costa Rica. Para desayuno comimos huevos revueltos, pancakes, plátanos fritos y una deliciosa  ensalada de piña y plátano. Para comer en mediodía tomamos arroz y verduritas justamente con un delicious pollo. Para cenar tomamos la famosa pasta de Alfredo. Fue un día perfecto y tuvimos la oportunidad de descansar del largo vuelo y conocemos todos mucho mejor!

Georgina Rigat

(Picture of lake with kayaks)

 

 

Day four in Costa Rica was an exciting day. We started with breakfast where we had pancakes, bacon, and lots of fresh fruit. After that we had a group activity in the yellow house. This activity really helped us get to know each other on a deeper level. It was cool to get to know everyone better. After we finished the activity we had lunch. We had beef, salad, beans, and rice. It was super good!
 -Sarah Murphy
After lunch, we drove on the bus to our raft tour later that day. There were 4 rafts in total and along the way we saw a bunch of animals like monkeys, iguanas, and crocodiles! It was such an amazing experience. Once our tour was coming to an end we started having water fights and everyone was splashing water constantly. Then when we finished we found a surprise walking back to the bus, which was lots of fresh fruit like, pineapple and watermelon. After we stopped by the grocery store and bought snacks for the week. It was an extraordinary day in Costa Rica!
Vanessa Vides Leon

 

July 23, 2017

Today we experienced the town and people of La Fortuna. It was a very beautiful and colorful town near the volcano. We got to go into the shops and buy some of the souvenirs. While we shopped there was an art festival going on and we saw lots of beautiful dresses and dances done by the native people. Everything there just made the environment feel happy and energetic. There were so many colorful, beautiful things to buy that it was hard to limit ourselves. It was an amazing chance to talk and get to know each other more, which made it even more enjoyable. It was a great day. Can’t wait to see what we do tomorrow!
– Katie Craig
 I haven’t ridden a horse in many years, but trekking up the side of a volcano with my new friends was one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had. At first everyone was a little uncomfortable (including the horses) but eventually we were all laughing and learning about our new surroundings. When we returned to the ranch Alfredo, our wonderful host, prepared and delivered an American style hamburger meal to us that was delicious. Everyone here is so nice and fun to be around, all the kids have such different personalities but get along great. James, Casey, and Aileen all do such a great job of making sure all of us are comfortable and enjoying our time here. The staff here at Santa Teresa have provided us with a wonderful environment to spend our time, from the home cooked meals to the beautiful landscaping. Tomorrow we will be visiting the schools and the children we hope to teach and entertain, which will be very fun.
July 24, 2017
When asked to write a post to describe our day today as a participant of the 14 Day Initiative for Children, we didn’t know where to begin. How could we formulate a sentence or attach a picture that fully represents the beauty of this country or the gratifying work with the children?
We began the day with freshly cultivated food and coffee, a rare opportunity that deserves recognition without any reservations. We dispersed to three different schools where we worked with amazing children. Not only did the children have the opportunity to learn English from us, but we had the opportunity to learn about the history of Costa Rica. The schools put on performances about the annexation of Guanacaste, which was very insightful.
Later, we went to the natural hot springs that were created by the eruption of volcanoes many years ago. These volcanoes are now dormant, which made this out to be a safe, beautiful, and amazing experience.
Today marks the day that one of our wonderful mentors, Casey, came into this world! We also took this day to acknowledge and appreciate the profoundly important and amazing work that she has put into not only this program, but all over the world. Happy birthday Casey!
-Julia Caucci & Brooke Maxwell

July 25th 2017

Today is a national holiday in Costa Rica. It is the anniversary of the annexation of guanacuaste. Therefore the children did not have school today so we went on an excursion. After a delicious breakfast we drove an hour and half away to a remote part of costa rica. We hiked one of Alfredo’s favorite mountains. We were the first GLA group to hike it this summer. It was a very challenging trail with deep mud, slippery rocks, and high elevation. In the end it was all worth it. A crystal blue lake, untouched by humanity, at the base of a dormant volcano. (don’t worry we all took pictures). In total the hike was 3 miles which took us the entire afternoon.

After the hike we went to the costa rica KFC and headed back home exhausted. We took showers, did service planning, ate dinner, and headed to mentor night. Tonight is a special mentor night, being the day we throw our fears into the fire. Last night was the first stage; creating an open environment for everyone to open up, creating a deeper bond within the group. Tonight we let go of our fears in hopes of moving forward.

Today was amazing, can’t wait to see our kids tomorrow:)))

-Michaella desantis

-Ella cates

 

 

July 26, 2017

Today we were able to work with the kids again which is always an amazing way to start our day. Every time we step into the schools we are welcomed with smiles and hugs, and it’s impossible not to instantly be in a better mood. After we got back from the school and ate lunch we had a coffee talk with the amazing Alfredo. Alfredo makes his own 100% pure coffee here in Costa Rica. He explained to us the difference between his coffee and other coffee that is made in Costa Rica and also one in Brazil. We also learned about how the coffee business started and how it is made.

For the second half of the day we did cultural activities. These activities ranged from milking a cow, making empanadas, and learning some basic Spanish. We milked the cows on a local farm here in Santa Teresa and got to see how they make their cheese. Most of us were a little nervous at first to milk the cow but after we did we were all glad that we did, it was a pretty cool and fun experience that most people don’t get. When we learned Spanish, we were taught by a 10 year old girl named Melina. It was very impressive that she was young but yet so good at teaching all of us. Making the empanadas was very fun and messy and a fun way to end the activities. We are ending today with mentor night and service planning. Today was a very packed day but very fun and exciting like usual. 

-Paige and Chetana

 

 

July 27, 2017
Today Aileen’s service group were back at Escuela San Jorge in Santa Teresa. For the first hour we had half the group working with the Preschoolers and first graders. We’ve been trying to teach them beginner body parts such as head, shoulders, knees and toes. While four of us were working with the kids, the other four were working on the garden that we are building behind the school. At around 10:15 we switched so that everyone would be able to experience everything. We got the second and third graders for the second half of our morning service. In the garden, we were removing the weeds so that in the future it can be used to grow and provide for the school and community. For dinner we went to Crazy Iguana Pizza and had a pizza and wifi night. Gracias Chico for the delicious pizza. Nighty nights!
-Chazz Yeargans
Today Thursday, the service group from La Cajeta had organized a scavenger hunt for the kids and then made glitter tattoos and it was a ton of fun! Part of the hunt was for them to find Casey and I think they enjoyed looking for her. After that, we power washed the fence and some of us ended up with ant bites since we stood on the grass for a while. After lunch we had a salsa/ bachata dance taught by a professional teacher. A lot of us learned quite a bit from it and we were all dancing along. Today was a very entertaining day.
-Leslye ramirez
Yo yo yo. Today we started out the day by doing service at our schools. At one of the school’s (Santa Teresa) we finished painting the fence and teaching the kids English. At the other we were able to see the students science fair and all the hard work they had put into their projects. After that we came back to home base, had lunch and left quickly for Zip-lining.
Zip-lining was a blast, we all went super fast and enjoyed the amazing views from such a high point. James Tuttle, thought it would be funny to suprise every one by being the only one to go on the trazan swing. #Jimothythings. After, we went grocery shopping where we all were able to stock up on snacks and desserts. Sapna and I personably love the popcorn chips and kinder hazelnut bars;) Now we’re eating dinner, yum.
XOXO.
-Sapna and Kelly
July 29, 2017
Today was a great day. We painted a building today all pink and chairs and tables the same color, it took some time but in the end it was great work. After that we had lake time even though most people were tired we still had a fun time with the people that were there, then we got ice cream and had a really great time we all bonded very well and the ice cream was delicious. Then we watched Barca beat Madrid which was also amazing, then dinner of course was definitely delicious as usual, but over all it was for sure a great day filled with positive vibes:)
-JC
How are you supposed to describe this experience to someone who wasn’t here? There’s really no way for me to put into words how one of the best parts of my day is painting a wall bright pink in the rain, or how waking up at 6:30 for a foggy morning run is so worth it. Today was one where we really had to practice being adaptable to change, with some of our members getting sick, and with a general tiredness in the group, but even just spending time at the finca proves to be memorable. Currently, I’m sitting in a hammock, watching Nick, Gina, and Laia play soccer in the field, and Paige, Alejandro, and JC are talking at a table next to me. This is probably one of the most simple moments we’ve had here and one that may seem insignificant, but with this group of people, every second together counts, and every memory is a special one.
-McKenna Hackney
July 30th 2017
This was a great day leading up to the end of the program. As the day began, the idea of our trip ending hung over us but that did not affect the day at all. Throughout the day we continued to show the great bond that this group shares and has expressed throughout the trip. We had a good time swimming, relaxing, and enjoying the activities presented to us by our mentors. Everyone was enjoying every last minute of one of the most amazing trips ever. Jaden Toulson Sunday morning, like any morning in Costa Rica, was beautiful. At this point the near 2 weeks of strenuous emotional, physical and mental work has sank upon la finch and its subsequent residents. We have a late breakfast at 9:00am. Soon after the group split and Aileen’s service group followed up with the invitation to Daira’s house. Meanwhile, the other service groups performed an activity in the yellow house. Afterwards, we had some fun in the lake. Lunch rolled around as Aileen’s group came back from Daira’s house with what I could only assume to be tears in their eyes. Despite such, we ate lunch and proceeded to our next activity, the activity that was by far the highlight of the day. The volcano of Costa Rica! We have barely been able to see it all trip due to the rainy season, however Sunday is the day we do. We set off at 1:30 and arrived at La Fortuna at 2:30 for more gift shopping and such. I personally bought some tres leeches cakes (delicious) however, when all was said and done we had to leave at 4:00 for the sight seeing of Costa Rica’s volcano. We go up a mountain, with slight problems, until we reach a giant lake that has a view of the volcano. Above us, however, the sky did not seem to agree with our plans and brought upon a lightning storm. To say the least it wasn’t long until everyone was in the bus and we were going back down. The lightning was beautiful (the thunder not so much) however it was terrifying when one lightning bolt decided to pick its target next to bus. After a somewhat long day we pick up the family (Daira’s family) and mired their hospitality by inviting them to dinner and everyone had a good time playing with the kids. After dinner the universal topic and question in la finch was, “2 week! Already?” To conclude an earlier statement, or at least to clarify, the collective toll that sank upon la finch on this Sunday morning was not unwelcome nor was it a surprise, but a reminder of our transient, yet beautiful experience in Costa Rica. From Costa Rica, Alejandro Gonzalez July 31st Blog! This is about to come to an end, and although our mosquito bites don’t say so, we want to stay here for longer. At school we did the last class, we started off with a quiz and a water balloon fight and finished with a soccer match. But the hardest part of the day was saying goodbye to the kids after everything we went through. We finished the day with the final dinner, where we all dressed up and looked nice after all these days having worn wet clothes. From this experience kids have not only learned English from us, they have taught us how to be kids again through their enthusiasm and their never ending questions. Although for some of us communication may be hard due to the language barrier, we have been able to find our way through it and establish some unbreakable bonds and everlasting memories. We have learned to see this country in many ways, we have seen it through wildlife, cultural activities such as salsa, empanada making or cow milking, but the one that I personally like the most is through the people. The Ticos have taught us the meaning of Pura Vida and this is something that we are taking back home, together with this people that were once strangers but are now great friends. And although we have not been here for a long time we will have these memories forever!
Laia Rigat

 

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