This week our Girl Scout Destination Programs were out and about throughout Costa Rica & Panama keeping busy with service projects, scuba diving, turtle conservation and many more exciting activities! Join us every Wednesday for the latest Girl Scout photos and information!

Scuba & Sea Turtle #2

Last week, Girl Scouts of Scuba & Sea Turtle Adventure were putting their hands in the sand and exploring the daily lives of sea turtles. Before the girls grabbed their pen and paper to began studying for their scuba certifications, they headed to a local canopy tour to zip line through the tropical Panamanian Jungle taking in an aerial view of the forests of Bocas del Toro. On Sunday they dove into the clear tropical water off the island of Solarte to start their training for their National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) scuba diving certification.  In order to obtain their beginner certification card, Girl Scouts must study instructional workbooks and videos concerning the physics and safety procedures and partake in daily practical tests in the water. Executive director of Outward Bound Costa Rica, Jim Rowe leads the group in developing their scuba diving skills beginning with basic practice in confined waters and progressing to 40-50 foot dives acquiring skills such as correct breathing techniques, mask clearing, and how to locate other fellow Girl Scouts underwater. Today, they will take their 80 question written test and underwater exam in hopes of obtaining their certification! During their training they also have the opportunity to delve into a breath-taking ship wreck and  witness vibrant marine life coral reefs. The girls will spend tomorrow traveling back across the Panama border to our local Tres Rios base and  spend Friday, depending on water levels to kayak down the river!

Service Challenge #2

The Chica Scouts of Service Challenge #2 have kept busy this week with service projects in Costa Rica and Panama! The last two days of their stay in Talamanca the girls helped in painting a community school while also assisting in property clean-up with local families working alongside an international womens organization helping families in upkeep of the their land. After spending time giving back to the communities in Costa Rica, the girls moved to San San Pond Sak in Panama where they got busy helping in maintaining the habitat of 375 sea turtle eggs, a rare experience for many groups! Local conservation rangers taught the girls about three species of sea turtles that they see along the shore line including leatherback, hawksbill, and green turtles. Girl Scouts also teamed together to build nest for sea turtles and learn about their intriguing life cycles. When the girls weren’t busy with sea turtles, they were helping in prepping new soil and planting 150 trees as part of an effort to reforest a local area. After an adventure-filled week of service and exploration, the girls will head back to our rainforest base today and rest up for the much awaited river rafting expedition tomorrow! The girls have one more adventure on Friday taking a city tour and visit to the local artisan market before saying their goodbyes as they prepare to head out Saturday!

Rainforest, River & Reef #1

Rainforest, River & Reef has had an exciting week of hiking continuing their journey to Piedras Blancas making their first stop for comfy beds and fresh cooked Casado , a traditional Costa Rican dish of rice & beans, salad, plantains, and sometimes hand-made flour tortillas.  At the Magda homestay, girls partook in indigenous Tico culture practices as they discovered how a chicken evolves from the coop to their plate. After a peaceful night overlooking the rolling hills of Piedras, the girls repacked their bags and headed an hour further to the house of the Lopez family. At the Lopez residence, the girls were warmly greeted by Ormida and Flor Lopez into their wood-lined bunk house where they tried their hand in creating  sugar-cane using the traditional trapiche tool and tasted the results after some hard work. Students sat down and talked at their final homestay to learn the history behind the father’s finding of Piedras Blancas and his dedication in preserving his delicate plantation. Hernan is devoted to safeguarding the land and maintaining a sustainable lifestyle by managing banana plantations and yuca trees. After a brief background on Piedras and a visit to Rancho Tinamu learning about the endangered red-eyed tree frog, the Girl Scouts headed to Manuel Antonio National Park. At Manuel Antonio, the girls soaked up the sun on the white sandy beach while also exploring the forest and getting to view the fascinating wildlife. Today the girls wrap at Manuel Antonio hitting the waves one last time on their boogie boards and head back to our base in Tres Rios. For the last two days of their course, the girls will raft down one of our local rivers contingent upon weather conditions and finish out Friday with a canopy tour!

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