Today at United World College, Costa Rica

Today was an exciting day at United World College, Costa Rica!  We started the day with team building activities and a walk through the town of Santa Ana. We visited the local Catholic Church, the grocery store, and a great food center called "Container Platz." Each food stand is located inside a shipping container. We tried nachos, ice cream, crepes, and coffee. The flavors were new and delicious!

 In the evening we learned about stereotypes, communication styles, and barriers to successful group projects. The students hope to put their new knowledge to good use when they start planning their Leader Learning Project for Ursuline. 

 Finally, we ended the day with a spirited game of Capture the Flag (in the dark!), and lessons in salsa dancing. It was an extremely full day, but tons of FUN... off to Earth University in the morning!

 

Greetings from Costa Rica!

After a long morning of air travel, our GYLI (Global Youth Leadership Institute) Year 3 group made it to Costa Rica! Our first stop was United World College. The beautiful campus is an ideal setting for a unique residential high school program that focuses on sustainability. We were treated to a presentation about the school, took time to reconnect with friends from Year 1 & 2, and explored the campus.  We are staying here in San Jose in the student dorms until Wednesday. Everyone is looking forward to a good night's sleep and another day of adventure tomorrow!

Our last day at Ursuline High School

On our last full school day with our Wimbledon sisters, we had an amazing and fun time! We enjoyed a cooking class with Ms. Hoyles. The girls split into groups and cooked homemade lemon cakes, scones, and sausage rolls. We loved tapping into our chief sides, and the results were amazing! 
 

After our cooking class, we walked to Beaumont House where we visited with the elderly guests there, including the mother of one of the Ursuline School teachers. We enjoyed sharing our food, lively stories, sweet songs, and genuine conversations. Our time with the residents of Beaumont House was priceless.  

We enjoyed our last lunch and afternoon with our sisters with a picnic at Wimbledon Commons, and a quick game of Rounders. Rounders is similar to baseball, so we were right home! We said goodbye to the students, with a promise of being on time to meet on Sunday for our departure to the airport. 

It’s difficult to believe that our time here in England is almost over. We have made so many friendships, and cultivated relationships that will last a lifetime. As great as our time here has been, we are looking forward to reuniting with our families in a few short hours!

#topdrawer #WimbledonGold

Walking through London

Today our Wimbledon delegation explored London on a walking tour.  We saw the London Eye, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, White Hall and Trafalgar Square.  The end of the tour included the changing of the guards and a stroll through Kensington.  We finished the day with a visit to the Science Museum and a quick train ride back home to Wimbledon. 

 

 

Tomorrow we will have a cooking lesson and a visit to Beaumont House.  The week is quickly coming to a close L 

 

 

Day at Hampton Court

Today our delegates and their host students spent the day together visiting Hampton Court, the palace of King Henry VIII and William & Mary. Our day started with a bus ride from the Ursuline School to Kingston where we boarded a boat for a ferry ride on the Thames River to Hampton Court.

Once we arrived at Hampton Court Palace, the girls broke into groups for a tour of the grounds. We learned about the history of King Henry VIII and were able to visit the kitchen, wine cellar, and palace gardens. The Chapel Royal, at the center of the grounds, was peaceful and serene. Included on the grounds were the apartments of King Henry VIII and King William III. The girls enjoyed seeing the grand dining rooms and bedrooms in the apartments. A highlight of the tour was King Henry VIII’s crown!

After the tour, the students gathered back together for a picnic on the front lawn. After a few games and a quick visit to the gift shop, we were back on the Thames for our journey home. It was a great day for all! Tomorrow we will enjoy a walking tour of London. We can’t believe our time is already winding down, but will cherish these memories forever!

UA visits Brighton

Today we took a day trip to Brighton with our host sisters.  Brighton is known for its lovely pebble beach, pier, and amusement park rides.  The students had a blast running from ride to ride.  Many of them enjoyed the rollercoaster, bumper cars, and the high flying “booster” ride. 

Later we enjoyed a rainy fish and chips lunch on the beach while the seagulls circled our little group.  According to our hosts, a picnic lunch at Brighton is the “proper way” to enjoy fish and chips! 

After lunch, our delegation had time to shop “the lanes” in Brighton.  They loved trying all of the different types of British candy and purchased souvenirs to bring back to Dallas.  After a quick 45 minute train back to Wimbledon, the students left with their host sisters for the evening. We are excited for our day tomorrow at Hampton Court Palace!