The Experience of a Lifetime

Program Staff: some of the best people I have ever met, the staff are inspiring because they live their lives doing what makes them happy and traveling the world, they have experienced so many different cultures and have so much knowledge to share, they love to do the activities with the students but are also supportive as guides

Facilities: Ecoplaya is a private resort with a large pool connected to a smaller one and two hot tubs, leads right to the beach where it has its own ocean front, view of an island, palm trees and flowers everywhere, a large canopy covers the open dining area, there is a separate meeting house with foosball and ping pong, volleyball net, soccer field with goals, paths for morning runs

Fun: meeting local children and their families, painting, playing soccer and volleyball on the resort, swimming in the pool and ocean on the resort, seeing sunsets, shopping at local stores and markets, visiting a cultural festival in town, dancing lessons, white water tubing, horseback riding, zip-lining, cooking local meals, boat ride to an island, hike up the island to look back down on the resort

Safety: 5-Point Safety System, clean tap water, additional water provided at all times in lobby, 3 meals a day with snacks, mentors have phones that allow students to call home during trip if necessary, all students call upon arriving, each plane has a GLA mentor on it, students meet other mentors upon arrival, same GLA cars stay with program throughout the trip, mentors are present whenever someone is swimming or leaving resort, mentors keep passports during stay, safes in room, locked doors at night, helmets/protective gear for horseback riding/tubing/zip-lining