Feliz Quince Dias! Quince Dias is a 15-day (quince = fifteen – shocker) vacation in Costa Rica during July. It falls right in the middle of the school year, acting similarly to our version of winter break in the United States. It’s a busy travel season in Costa Rica; most ticos (Costa Ricans) use their time off to visit families and make long-awaited trips to the beach to soak up some rays before the rainy season goes into full effect come September-November.

While the beach is definitely on my itinerary, I got to kick off my quince dias vacation with an even bigger bang.

That’s right, summer camp.

But not just any summer camp. This is GLOW Camp.

A few months ago, fellow TEFL volunteer (and earth-shatteringly extraordinary teacher, leader, and friend) Meaghan reached out to me to help out at a GLOW Camp she was planning in her site, Siquirres, Limon.

GLOW Camp (Girls Leading Our World) is less a traditional summer camp and more a week-long women’s empowerment and leadership workshop. Delving into topics like gender equality, stress management, positive self-image, and leadership, this experience is directed towards young girls with the goal of empowering them to BE THEMSELVES loud, proud and unapologetically in a society that has the audacity to think it makes the rules on what we can and cannot do, be, and achieve.

The Girls:

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The Space:

La Caja de Amor. Throughout the camp, the girls could write post-it notes with positive messages for one another. At the end of each day, we would read the messages out loud and post them on the back wall.

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Day 1 – Positive Self-Image

After establishing group norms and getting to know one another through some ice-breakers, we spent time talking about what we love about ourselves, where we see ourselves in the future, and setting goals and making plans for how to make that happen. Meaghan invited a previous student of hers, Yari, as a guest speaker to talk about her experience setting and achieving her own goals and overcoming obstacles.

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Day 2 – Stress Management

Stress.

Yet another example of something that transcends cultural boundaries.

On this day we focused on identifying what stresses us out and what we do to manage that stress (hopefully in a positive way). Of the many stress-relievers that exist, Meaghan talked about two in particular, journalling and meditation, that she turns to to help her alleviate stress. She even led us through a group meditation, which quickly became a unanimous favorite among the girls.

And, of course, we watched the Pared de Amor grow even bigger:

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Day 3 – Living a Positive and Healthy Life

This day was led by visiting PCV, Jessica, whose site is in Limón centro. Here we talked about what makes someone beautiful, both inside and outside, and the pressures that external forces (looking at you, society) place on woman to look and be a certain way. We drew pictures of ourselves with traits, both physical and otherwise, que amamos de nosotras (that we love about ourselves). Jessica wrapped up the session with a quick yoga session to help drill the importance of maintaining a healthy body and healthy mind.

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I got in some good see you later hugs, as this was, lastimosamente, my last day helping out at the camp:

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Also. I got to eat rice and beans and plantinta. So, I won the day.

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Day 4 – Gender Equality

This day featured a local high school student, Keylor, and our Project Team Manager (boss), Erik, as guest speakers to open meaningful discussions about gender equality.

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Day 5 – Leadership

To close the camp, in addition to handing out certificates and Peace Corp pins, fellow PCV Cristina and the Vicealcalde (Vice Mayor) Doña Sara came to talk about women and leadership.

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The week was pretty lluvioso (rainy), but we all generally came prepared.

Here’s where I get to put on my interviewer hat (a.k.a. Meaghan graciously and gracefully answered a list of unorganized questions I launched at her via WhatsApp):

Me: What made you want to do a GLOW Camp?

Meaghan: “I had dreamed about organizing some type of women’s empowerment program for years and years, way before peace corps, and once I learned about GLOW camps in Costa Rica and elsewhere, I began to research it and realized this was the perfect opportunity to finally fulfill (or start fulfilling) that dream.”

Me: What women inspire you?

Meaghan: “The real question is what women DON’T inspire me. I am amazed at the universal strength I’ve seen in every woman I’ve met regardless of age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender orientation, religion, etc. All women have a sacred wisdom within them and I am bound to learn as much as I can about this wisdom from as many women as I can for as long as I can – and hopefully pass along what I’ve learned.

And also, my mom. Duh. She is the one that opened my eyes to the sacredness of being a woman.”

Me: What was your favorite day of the camp?

Meaghan: Tough to say, but probably the second day when the girls started to come out of their shells and the last day, passing out their certificates and saying a little something about each girls’ sacredness and seeing the pride and love in their eyes. They literally glowed.

Me: What does women’s empowerment mean and look like to you?

Meaghan: “The power of women is most strong in numbers. When women come together to lift each other up, listen to and learn from our differences, share our strengths and pass along the wisdom and compassion we all have in common, we become an unstoppable force, a force that creates positive change in our world. To empower a woman is to show her this truth.”

Grateful doesn’t begin to describe my feelings towards being able to participate in this experience. Meaghan spent nearly half a year recruiting compelling guest speakers, lesson planning, organizing the logistics, gathering donations, and recruiting participants to curate the perfect week of dialogue in a thoughtfully crafted space that embraced openness and vulnerability.

She killed it.

Her power is in her passion. She is a prime example of not only an above-and-beyond Peace Corps Volunteer, but a powerful voice, leader, educator, and friend. She inspired and empowered the heck out of everyone whose lives were touched by this camp, and she inspires and empowers the heck out of me on a regular basis. It was an honor to spend the week watching this group of young women engage in self-exploration while also empowering and lifting one another up.

Literally.

Societies prosper when their women thrive. This experience was a moving example of the good that happens when empowered women get together and empower one another.