Hey everyone, welcome to the first day of community service work, the reason that a lot of us initially signed up for Global Glimpse.

Today, we woke up super, super early at 6:30 am, and have a great breakfast of gallo pinto, eggs, bread, fruits, coffee, and juice. And as everyone was still groggy, we made our way to the local school at around 8:00 am, where immediately, our energy changed. We split off into two groups and worked enthusiastically by gathering and painting pillars for the construction of the school’s cafeteria, as well as leveling grounds for the foundation of the cafeteria. Eventually tiring, we took an hour-long break to eat a delicious lunch comprised of pasta, salad, beans, and cassava casserole. From there, it was right back to work as we swapped tasks and continued to work on our Community Action Project, right up until it was time to go at 4:00 pm.

Students refurbishing a soccer goal

Drained from the work we had done, we went to the local supermarket to pick up a few snacks and drinks to replenish ourselves and recover from the arduous time behind us. Once we came back to the house from the supermarket, everyone divided into groups to have their downtime, as people jumped into the pool, played cards, read books, etc. Amidst all the fun, a large storm brewed, eventually striking right before dinner, and taking out the power in the house and the whole town until we wrapped up our nightly meeting. Once the power was back on, everyone was able to wrap up their day and prepare for a restful night, knowing that there is still much to do.

Students leveling ground

Throughout our day today, the thing that both of us were able to recognize and learn about, was the reason that we’re in Turrialba. Walking into the school, we saw the students light up, making connections and conversations instantly, as we realized that the impact we were making was more than just a volunteering opportunity, but as we worked, we realized we were contributing to something impactful and sustainable, something that will benefit not only the students now but the future generations who walk through that school. The cafeteria will give them an opportunity to have a little bit more fun, peace, and most importantly, make new connections just as we did today.

Students painting pillars

Today, we felt extremely proud of our Global Glimpse community’s ability to rally together and work as a team to create a lasting effect on the students of Aquiares. Everyone, no matter their reason for attending our journey, passionately worked to create a location for students to eat, gather, and bond. Some peers went above and beyond, truly engaging with the local students and working non-stop, which really inspired us to give that extra effort.

Te’undrea interacting with local students

Although today demonstrated our community’s strong teamwork, it was also a unique day for the two of us as we were able to recognize that being a leader is not defined by giving orders and receiving a product, but rather by being a team player and bringing the best out of people. This role helped us to gain irreplaceable experience about what it takes to lead a team, not to just a common goal, but to a common sentiment. Before we sign off, we would like to shout out our parents for giving us this opportunity and allowing us to explore Costa Rica’s beauty and people!

We are excited to continue working over the next two days and we hope to read your reactions! 😀

• Dhruv and Sidney

PS: Here’s the public google photos folder so you can see all of the pictures we’ve taken so far!