This past summer our Global Youth Leaders got to visit Tilaran, Costa Rica for two beautiful weeks! During this amazing experience, our youth got to develop new friendships with local Costa Rican students and other youth from the United States. And the best part was how well they bonded with each other. During their visit, our youth attended classes at Liceo Maurilio Alvarado Vargas, the local school in Tilaran. They also volunteered, explored the nearby wild jungles of Costa Rica, spent time on the beach, explored the town culture of Tilaran and nearby towns, and they even learned how to make Cafe Chorreado with empanadas. To their delight, they were also given Spanish lessons on a daily basis and they learned traditional Costa Rican dances. 

The two weeks were full of fun, entertainment and challenges as some of our youth left home for the first time. Yet, it was all worth it because they returned home with a different mindset, eager to travel again, willing to meet new people–and they made some lifetime friendships.