Read on below to see what each group has been up to this past week!

GIRL SCOUT DESTINATIONS

Scuba & Sea Turtle Adventure (Session #4)

The girls had an action-packed week that started with transferring to their island home in Bocas del Toro, Panama. The specific island is called Isla Solarte where they met their host families, had a blast wakeboarding through the surrounding waters, and started learning the basic scuba theory in shallow waters! This lesson helped provide the foundation for later dives. They learned the essentials like safety checks and communication to ensure that they can enjoy the beauty of the ocean with confidence. On each dive they spotted new marine life with the expert instruction from our Executive Director, Jim. Toward the end of this week, the girls applied what they had been learning to their scuba certification exam. Shortly they will be on their way to San San Pond Sak to begin the sea turtle conservation phase of their course with local biologists. We can’t wait to hear more about their adventures with the sea turtles next week!

Service Challenge (Session #4)

The girls in this group rested Saturday and exchanged introductions after flying in from across the United States. Their first full day on course, they joined together to work on a trail maintenance project and help plant new trees in the nature reserve near our base! Early the following morning, the group departed for a Bribri indigenous community in the region of Talamanca. Once they arrived, the girls got to meet the villagers and learned their cultural customs and what service project they would be working on. Some of the buildings were in need of repainting so the group grabbed their brushed and buckets and got to work! The local children were very curious to see what they were up to! The town they were staying in also has a soccer field so the girls took the opportunity to play a pick-up game. They will be transferring out of the village soon and heading across the Panamanian border to San San Pond Sak so that they can learn about turtle conservation and help the local biologists with their efforts to preserve the threatened species!

Rainforest, River, and Reef

The girls woke on their first full day with us to a delicious breakfast prepared by our very own Doña Regina and then headed into our nature reserve for a tutorial on reforestation. They took turns digging holes, placing the saplings, and refilling the holes with earth to ensure that the trees grow well! After a full day in the nature reserve, the group went to bed early since they would awake the following day to begin their hiking phase. Each day, they passed through varied microclimates and each night they made camp or stayed at a local homestay. The girls shared their stories and culture with the locals and took time to observe their customs in return. This is a great opportunity for them to pick up a few Spanish phrases and learn traditional practices like making sugar in a trapiche! The highlight of this week for much of the group was the waterfall rappel. Next on the agenda for this group is a hike to the Rancho Tinamu Eco-Lodge to observe tree fog species and enjoy the gorgeous mountain vista. More updates to come next week!

OPEN ENROLLMENT

Surf Service & CPR, Caribbean Scuba & Service, and Service Hike & Homestay (Session #3)

All three of our open enrollment groups joined up this week in Manuel Antonio to surf the Pacific waves of Costa Rica! The late summer waves provided a great chance to hone their skills. All of the Surf, Service & CPR students passed the written and practical exams earning their CPR & First Aid certifications. The entire group took time away from the surfing and training to serve the communities they were living in by beautifying and fixing up a local park. Their hard work was so appreciated by the community. They returned to base on Wednesday and enjoyed a traditional dinner before resting in our dorms. The next two days were full of activities! They whitewater rafted on class II-III rapids on the Pejibaye River, ziplined through rainforest canopies, and were able to tour the capital city of San Jose before their final meeting tonight. This group progressed tremendously and it was incredible to witness their growth!

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