Costa Rica Summer High School Leadership Program

The warmth and kindness of the Costa Rican people redefined my understanding of community, fostering a sense of togetherness that I now carry with me in all aspects of my life. Truly a trip I will remember forever.

Through this program I was able to travel to Costa Rica not just for a fun getaway but to also help further develop my leadership skill. Making the decision to actually apply to this program and go on the trip was probably the best decision ever because of all the different activities we did on it, and knowledge that we learned. For example, while on this trip I learned about conservation and why it’s so important. I had an amazing experience and would definitely do it all over again if I could.

My experience traveling to Costa Rica was about lots of learning! I was able be open-minded to new things because it was a new culture so new foods and new ways of living. I learned about sustainability and how it is important to the environment specially countries with a lot of biodiversity like Costa Rica. It made me realize how I want to improve the way the environment is treated. I would like to incorporate this to my future career goals and plans as I am now aware of how we can cause damage to our earth and how it is important to preserve all the nature around us. Ultimately it is part of who we are and something that we rely on to keep us alive. Aside from this, I had an amazing group with me and we had so much fun playing games and just hanging out together.

I wasn't really sure what to expect when I set out on my trip. I've always been more shy than outgoing. But this trip allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone and be the person I've always wanted to be. Being the LDD has significantly altered how I view what it is to be a good and powerful leader. Never leaving anyone behind and constantly keeping an eye on others. My leadership and communication skills were strengthened and developed as a result of this trip. When I signed up for this opportunity, my main goal was to learn more about the culture and ways of life in another country. What I got was so much more, not only did I learn more about the local communities but I was able to grow connections with them. The seminars also taught me so much about where the heart of Costa Rica is and their true love and care for the environment. This journey allowed me to build lifetime bonds but also lifetime lessons that I have now carried into my everyday life. By the time the trip was through, I honestly did not want to return. It was one of the hardest things I've had to do. Saying goodbye is never easy, but I am happy I had something so genuine and special making those goodbyes so hard. Today, this trip remains one of my happiest and most cherished experiences. If you do see this and you are presented with this opportunity, I 100% encourage you to take it, to go out of your comfort zone and make those new connections because I promise you will not regret it!

Global Glimpse's trip to Costa Rica was an amazing experience that nearly left me in tears when we had to leave. The strong bonds the program helped nurture built friendships in a matter of hours instead of weeks. There was always something interesting and fun to do throughout the trip. Activities on the trip always had important and valuable lessons that had plenty of real-world applications. One of my favorites was a seminar about the effects of tourism where the delegation was split into groups to simulate a trial to determine whether a new luxury hotel should be built by the beach. It was activities like these that showed me a new perspective on the world. The skill I developed the most in Costa Rica was leadership, something Global Glimpse clearly aims to improve. Every day, a Leader del Dia (LDD) is chosen to direct the whole delegation and their meetings. It was the perfect way to become more comfortable in leadership roles. By the end of the trip, when everyone was saying their goodbyes, probably over half of us were in tears, refusing to believe we would no longer be living together in the beautiful country of Costa Rica.
My time in Costa Rica didn't just teach me about the country, it also taught me a lot about myself. The trip is a wonderful way to put your skills to the test and see what it would be like to live without your parents for a while. It is an excellent way to sneak a peek at adulthood while solving adult, scratch that, global issues. If you ever have the opportunity to go on a Global Glimpse trip, TAKE IT. Trust me when I say it is an opportunity of a lifetime, you can't miss this.

During my trip to Costa Rica I got the chance to learn more about the history of the country and some of the issues that it has faced, this trip helped me grow by showing me the things I should and shouldn’t be doing to make the world a better place. Growing up I struggled with socializing and using my voice after going on this trip I now know the power that one voice can hold and it inspired me to use my own. One of the things that helped me the most was not having my phone on this trip and while it sounds bad at first it really isn’t that bad, not having my phone had a huge impact on me, a positive one of course because it helped me interact with other students in my group. Not only did not having my phone help me come out of my comfort zone but so did being leader of the day because it taught me that leading a group is a huge responsibility but you also don’t always have to do it alone because you can work with your group. While you are on this trip you are learning about the country you are in and working on your community action project you also get the time to socialize and meet new people from different backgrounds which is something great of you are looking to bring yourself outside your comfort zone and also great if you enjoy socializing. This trip definitely helped me realize that we need to take more care of the world and that we shouldn’t be taking things for granted. Overall my experience with Global Glimpse was amazing and I would do it again if I had the chance to, and while you have the opportunity you should do it too.

When I was first nominated for global Glimpse I had no idea what it was and why I was nominated. Getting accepted into this program was excited as going internationally without my parents made me nervous, but I was excited to explore, learn, meet new people, and grow as an individual. Especially not having a phone for 2 weeks(which was the longest I had ever gone without one)was not a struggle for me and helped me focus and connect with my peers/activities. One moment during the trip which was community day where we got to spend the day with local families. They were so welcoming and patient with us, especially the food which was delicious. They even taught us how to make empinadas and eat them of course. Even not knowing spanish we were still able to have conversations and had a good time. During my time in Costa Rica after seeing how the locals live and work, especially food production and sustanability has taught me how we have so much and tend not to pay attention where our food and resources come from. Towards the end of the trip with our final reflection which was bittersweet for everyone especially only knowing people for 2 weeks. I still considered my peers family because they were always so supportive, always there for me, supporting me, and of course all the laughs and funny pictures/videos we took. This trip was definently something I don't regret and will remember forever.