Archives for February 2024

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures Custom Group program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR FEBRUARY 27

Bienvenuti a Roma!

Hello Atmosphere families and friends!

This is your GLA staff team reporting in that the 10th graders of Atmosphere Academy have officially arrived in Rome, Italy!!

After a long day of traveling from New York, we all headed to a local Italian restaurant to get our first taste of authentic Italian pasta. We had red sauce pasta with bread and delicious chocolate mousse.

We played a game with our giant group (81 students!!) where we got to run around making groups of various sizes depending on what action was called out, for example, “Giant Pizza” would be called out and students would have to make groups of 8 to create 8 pizza slices with their arms.

We made a trip to the grocery store for snacks and then went to the hotel to rest and recharge before enjoying an authentic Italian meal of foods from the region of Italy that we are visiting.

We are so excited to explore Rome and Paris over the next 10 days!

Ciao Ciao!

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BLOG POST FOR FEBRUARY 29

Today with a delicious breakfast buffet that included, eggs, bacon, cereal and pastry’s. Afterwards we hopped on the bus preparing for a three hour bus ride to the pompeii ruins tour. On the way to our destination we stoped after an hour of driving to a rest stop to all get ourselves situated for the tour. As soon as we got to Pompeii we quickly sat down to eat a lunch of pasta, bread and chicken with fries. Next we met up with the tour guide to the tour. The most amazing part of this experience for me was seeing the body hardened by volcanic ash.

After the tour, we got back on the bus ride for about 3 hours, and we were able to see a beautiful sunset accompanied by the mountains and volcanos, which was loved by many students including myself. After the bus ride, we at a buffet for dinner which consisted of pasta, potatoes, chicken, etc. To wrap everything up, we started our GLA activity with a rose, thorn, and bud between students. After, we played a game of charades with a topic of movies, which was very fun, especially when it was challenging. Finally, we will get rest in order to prepare to wake up at 6AM for the colosseum tour.

By Amaya and Nisson

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 1

In the beautiful morning we all came downstairs to have a lovely breakfast at 6:30 am. Afterwards we got on the bus and headed to the impressive Colosseum to begin our walking tour. We learned about the gladiators history in the Colosseum and how it used to be more often called an amphitheater. We took pictures and then it started to rain. We went back to the bus and headed to make our own pizzas. This was an amazing experience and i would say everyone had a fun time and enjoyed their experience. We ate dessert and then hopped back on the bus to our next walking tour to the Trevi fountain. During our walking tour in this area we saw the fountain and the views were astonishing. The structures godly like and magnificent. Many of us were shocked by the grandeur of it all.

Tomorrow we go to Milan and then to Paris which we are all very excited about.

– Laura & Darickson

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 2

DAY 6: Rome to Milan Travel Day

Hello everybody, For today’s blog we traveled all day from Rome to Milan. What we did was wake up at 6:30, ate breakfast, went on the bus to the train station, then took the train to Milan. The train was really cool and the seats were comfortable. While we were on the train, Most people used their phones and some people went to sleep. A lot of people played card games and also the board game, Life. When we got off the train, it was really chilly.

We were all really hungry so all of us got on the bus and drove to Milan Center and went to different places to eat. We got to see the Milan Duomo which is this really big cathedral and it was really beautiful. When we finished eating, it started raining so everyone was cold and wet. Then when we got back on the bus, it took us to the hotel where we rested a bit, ate dinner, played some games, and are now just relaxing with the other pods. There is fooseball and games that we can play.

That’s really all we did today. Hope to see you again in another blog.

Ciao For Now.

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 4

DAY 8: Paris and Le Louvre

Day 6 of our trip in Paris ! Pod 4 has had an amazing day starting from morning to night. We woke up a bit earlier than usual. It was 9 am when we had to meet up in the lobby to have amazing breakfast, the breakfast was so good, everyone had this chocolate crepes and the juice was out of this world! We got to talk to our friends and chill out for a bit before we went to the big trip of the day, The Louvre Museum! I personally was so excited to see this museum because it has one of my favorite paintings, all my friends were excited too.

Eventually, we got on the bus and head out. It wasn’t a long drive, only 25-30 minutes. The view to the museum was beautiful. Everyone was able to see the Eiffel Tower from afar and we saw amazing buildings. It was one of the first days in France that we had since traveling here. Everything was shocking and impressive. I heard many others talk about how France looks like New York (where were from) and it was so similar in small ways. The streets, the people, and other stuff like the amount of food places there was. We arrived and had lunch, the lunch was amazing. I had chicken and rice with beans. At this point, we arrived at The Louvre Museum (after eating) which is the biggest museum of the world. I saw so many people. The staff let us go off in groups and explore the museum which was great to many because we got to spend time with our friends. I was severely happy and I was looking forward to seeing the oil painting. The oil painting I was excited to see was “The Death Of Marat” by Jacques-Louis David. It was absolutely beautifully tragic. I loved everything about the painting. Everyone also saw the iconic Mona Lisa. We had a scavenger hunt to find all the paintings listed and take a picture with them which is very fun! Everyone had a good time, no one noticed how time passed fast and we had to leave now. We left the museum which was stunning, and took the bus to go back to our hotels. Everyone had a good day and were excited for the next days we have in France!

– Isshalem & Luis Ron

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Note to families: We know everyone has returned home, but we received these two blog posts from program staff, so we’ve added them below! Happy reading 🙂

BLOG POST FOR MARCH 6

Day 10: Montmartre and the best lunch ever

For today’s adventure, we traveled to an artist neighborhood to explore more of the diverse art types in one of the villages in France. We got to shop and see artists sketching and painting in the town square. We ate great cuisine from Mama Kossa – where we enjoyed Senegalese food. The building was a factory in the old days and now they are making it a place where people can work, eat, and play. The manager of Mama Kossa was so cool and they played great music.

After the meal, we enjoyed a pastry tour and the history of the bakeries and food in Montmartre. Everyone’s favorite were the traditional macarons and the puff pastries that had cream in the inside. After the main activities, we all had gotten together as a group to do a game of Killer Frog, where one person was “killing” us and two people had to figure out who the Frog was.

We then participated in the Appreciation Circle, where we had to express emotions to specific classmates and then ended the day with a game of Mafia.

See you later!

– Pods 3 & 4

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 7

Wow! What an amazing last day of our Europe trip.

This morning we got to really get to know the local side of the big city of Paris. We met up with Serve the City Paris, a community service group that we helped serve the unhoused population in Paris. We actually got a lot of help because the night before we arrived, the police had moved a lot of the homeless population to different spots of the city. We packed hygiene kits and food kits with coffee to pass out to people on the streets. It felt very rewarding to help people in the city we are touring around.

We then went to a yummy lunch where we got to choose our own meals. After that, we visited the famous Arc de Triomphe. We climbed up all of the stairs which was difficult but not too bad. When we got to the top, we got to see a view of the city that was really cool because you could see the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre and all the places we visited.

We got in traffic on the way back to the hotel and when we arrived we quickly changed and got ready for our dinner cruise on the river Seine. We had a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower lit up at night and got to take photos. We all got to dress up and enjoy the last night of our trip.

We are excited to come home tomorrow but we are very happy we got to visit these cities in Europe!

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures Custom Group program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR MARCH 12

¡Bienvenidos a Madrid!

Hello Atmosphere families and friends! This is your GLA staff team reporting in that the 9th graders of Atmosphere Academy have officially arrived in Madrid, Spain! We are thrilled to have everyone here and have an action-packed 11 days ahead of us.

The first half of the group arrived and we played some get-to-know you games in the beautiful warm weather, then had a big lunch (the big hits were the mushroom sauce pasta and tiramisu!)

Students were then assigned rooms and had a rest while some of us picked up the other arriving groups.

We then had some more group activities and the final group arrived during dinner. Everyone was really excited to see them. This led to more introductions, some orientation, and then the first mentor/pod group meetings. Then off to bed and lights out to be ready for an early start to explore Madrid.
On the agenda: the Prado Museum, the Royal Palace, and a tour of the historic Las Ventas Bull Ring. ¡Ole!

The GLA staff – Ila, Mag, André, Jonathan, Ester, Rudy, Clint, Luismi, and Marta

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 13

Today was a rather long first day held in the beautiful city of Madrid. It held a visit to the Prado Museum, and we saw various well-known artists like ones from Italy, Spain, and even Germany. Next, we got to see the heart of Madrid, although packed with people, which was a beautiful and very interesting sight.

After the well-made tour from our kind guide, we went to a Buffet where we had a very pleasant experience; although the place was smaller than hoped for seeing our large group, the staff was kind, and the food was overall well made; after this break we took a bus ride to the Royal palace where we not only got to watch the Royal Guards go on duty but got an excellent tour of the Palace rooms we were allowed to see, the palace was honestly breathtaking and gorgeous, we got a tour of about 25 out of over 3000 rooms.

Others also experienced seeing an actual Bull ring, after asking my friends who went, them and there pod agreed it was a beautiful place and was well made, although there was no live fight just seeing the Matador’s Arena was incredible. We all look forward to dinner and tomorrow’s adventures in the extreme and amazing zip lines we get to visit.

Written by day 1’s Leads Fraily Hernandez and Justin Angel Morales

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 14

Day 3 in Spain by Alexander Mensah and Manuel Clariot

Hello Atmosphere families and friends! This is day 3 of our trip in Spain and we are heading to Toledo! When we arrived, we were amazed and mesmerized by the grand and beautiful architecture. We took many photos to remember and show others the beauty of Spain.

While crossing a bridge over the river surrounding the city we saw other groups taking the zip line. We watched them go while waiting for our turn. Many were nervous, even the ones that said the opposite. People shook like rattlesnakes, and they held on to their lives with grips so hard they could break the metal.

After this activity, we went to eat lunch at a restaurant called 10 Santo Tome. Everyone went to sit at a table with their friends, and the waiter brought out plates with fries, sunny-side-up eggs, and a huge piece of meat on the side. Everyone really enjoyed the food and was satisfied.

After that, a guide took us on a walking tour of the city. He was very knowledgeable about the history of the city.

We walked throughout Toledo and saw the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo, the city hall, the second-largest cathedral in Spain, and even where an archbishop used to reside! We also visited what looked like a hidden basement. It was, in fact, an old Roman structure called “termas.” We learned about the layers of gravel and the airflow needed to withhold and maintain a moderately heated temperature through the ground. There were also rows of pillars within each room that were able to keep the floors.

After we finished the tour, we went back to our bus since today’s end goal was to reach Granada, where we would be staying at our second hotel. POD C and D rode together for three hours, with people falling asleep in the craziest places and positions and even drooling, but after said two hours, we stopped at a supermarket where we bought food, which most people were unable to finish before we got back on the road for two more hours. On the way we could see the landscape of Spain very different from New York. Fewer buildings and a lot of wildlife consisted of horses, cows, and more.

In Granada, we were amazed at how modern and varied it was with the stores, and there were apartments everywhere, which made us think of New York. The food was nice, especially the pasta and flan, which were very sweet and left a great taste in the mouth.

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 15

Today was the first official day we had gotten to Granada, and it was the first of all wake-up time and breakfast that we had; the breakfast was very good and had a variety of foods that I hadn’t tried before, so that was the first time for me. I really enjoyed it. Then it was a departure for the tour we had for Granada, and it was a 45-minute ride, which wasn’t bad for the distance we had to go; my group had finally arrived at the tour of Granada, and it was a lot of walking with beautiful scenery such as the side villages on the mountain and many open areas where you could see the mountains and beautiful views that awaited. My personal favorite view of the tour was definitely when we were all the way to the bordering walls of the village, as it was the highest point, and you could see all of Granada from there. It was just a breathtaking view that was like no other.

Then it was time to shop, which was one of the most exciting parts of the day this was due to me being able to buy what I wanted to buy for my family so I could bring it back to New York and this also gave me time to buy what I also wanted and spending quality time with my friends who I hadn’t talked to. Then, later in the evening, we all went to the park and played a game, which was a agree or disagree on what we thought of certain topics, for example, how social media influences us, How social media can have an impact on political issues, or even how social media is used for things such as bullying. This was really educational as it informed us how much we use our phones and how it is always good to socialize with others rather than use your phones as it almost takes you away from reality and gives you a false comfort of what it really is. But it also has many benefits as it can give confidence to others and even help with movements like BLM, LGBTQ, or even women’s rights, But mostly the negatives and how one should always take a step back on social media. Overall, the day was really well put together and very educational and fun all around, as it had more positives than negatives.

By Erick P

GLA note: The other half of the students went to the Alhambra! In the afternoon, they enjoyed a Flamenco Class and show. Stay stunned, as we will tell you more about this incredible experience in tomorrow’s blog!

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 16

Hello Atmosphere Academy Families!

Today, we ate breakfast at the hotel in the morning. Around 9, we went to see Alhambra. We saw and learned many beautiful things about the place, which was built between 1238 and 1358. We then had arepas for lunch.

After we returned to the hotel, we rested and had a chance to go to a fancy restaurant and see a flamenco show.

First, we took dance lessons, where we learned a few steps. Then, we ate very good food, like a burger and egg. For dessert, we ate chocolate cake and sang Happy Birthday to Jade-Lynn. After that, we saw an amazing show of professional flamenco dancers.

Keep following our adventures here in the blog!

– Noely

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 17

Buenos días!

Today was another great day in Spain. We were a bit sad because today we are leaving the city of Granada. Granada was so beautiful, and the good news is that we are going to visit a new city called Valencia! This morning was eventful as we had to pack all of our things to prepare for the long bus ride to Valencia. After breakfast, we got onboard, many of us decided to rest, and some stayed up to see the scenery pass by. We arrived at a midway point for lunch but quickly got back on the road. We chatted with each other, and before we knew it, we had arrived in Valencia.

We were informed that there is a huge celebration happening called Las Fallas in the city during our stay, so we hope we can see it. Las Fallas is an event where statues made of wood and paper mache are burned. We were advised that there were also going to be many fireworks happening. We checked in and then had a quick mentor group with our pods. We enjoyed this because we hadn’t seen our pods in two days. We finally headed to dinner and celebrated our classmates’ birthdays. It was a long travel day, and some of us realized our trip was almost done, so we are enjoying it to the fullest! Hasta mañana!

-POD F

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 18

We visited the Museum of Science or the Museu de les Ciències in Valencia, Spain, In Pod A we explored exhibits like the interactive Pixar exhibition, and other areas with a mirror maze, a planetary room and more. Students were asked to learn three facts and present them throughout the day. Personally, I learned that there’s a way to connect your thoughts to reality by moving blocks with your mind, learning about the human body in depth, and more. There were so many impactful things in this museum that I hadn’t seen, so this was a new and interesting experience, too.

After the museum visit, we had some museum souvenir time. Then, the different student pods went off on a photo scavenger hunt. The grounds of the Museum are amazing, and it was a perfect sunny day to enjoy the dazzling architecture and grounds, the pod with the best photos winning a prize. We then headed for lunch, had some time with our groups, and had some rest and free time. Then we went to a town outside of Valencia called El Palmar on the Lago Albufera and went through canals by small boats, into the lake, and back. This part of Spain grows rice, and we went and had the famous paella of the region.
Calvo –

That afternoon, students were taken on a boat ride. For me, it was an interesting and unforgettable experience, and we were able to connect with our peers. The views from the boat may not have been as expected, but they certainly allowed me to see a different scenery than I’m used to in the big city. After the boat ride, students were taken to dinner. This meal was something new to me as we were given patatas with hot sauce drizzled on them and a dollop of mayo on top. At first, I was hesitant, but Clint, a GLA staff member, came around and said it would be better if we mixed it, so we did just that. And it actually tasted 10 times better. Students were also given paella. Personally, it wasn’t my favorite, but I still ate it, allowing me to step out of my comfort zone. After dinner, students returned to the bus parking area, listening to the firecrackers popping on the street. The walk and bus ride back were when students connected most. This day is midway for new experiences, connections, and bonds between students and staff.
Mia Peralta –

Note from GLA: Students took many pictures for the Photo Challenge today, which we wanted to post here. We will announce the winners tomorrow; stay tuned!

BLOG POST FOR MARCH 19

Hello Atmosphere families and friendsss, we had another amazing day in Spain: we traveled from Valencia to Barcelona.

When we arrived at the Ilunion Hotel, we settled all our things down, we had lunch at the same place, and amazing employees accompanied us with an amazing lunch & we were able to get the chance to interact with our peers.

After lunch, we walked a little to the beach/park for our GLA OLYMPICS; it was an amazing competition between pods A to F. We played 6 games including telephone, balancing a stick as a group, untie the knot, reaching the bottle from a distance, charades, and guess the drawing. Throughout these games, we collaborated to earn the most points, having only 10 minutes for completion. In the end when the GLA members gather the points they announce the winners, congratulations to Pod A for winning the GLA OLYMPICS, as well as Pod D for winning the picture challenge.

After that, we returned to our hotels and had about 2 hours of rest time to prepare for dinner and relax. We ate dinner at a pizzeria and finally concluded our day with a couple of minutes of mentor group with our specific pod leader from GLA and informing our parents for the night for another exciting day tomorrow.

-Elsie Frimpong

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 20

By Eva and Gya, pod C.

Today, we visited three main places. Following our hotel breakfast, we boarded a bus to the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona. After learning about the local team, we boarded a bus to the Barcelona Soccer Museum. After a delicious lunch, we headed to the Sagrada Familia. At last, we enjoyed a delectable supper at L’Aliança.

During our walking tour of the Olympic stadium, our tour guide explained to us the meaning of the Barcelona team flag. The bottom part represents the team colors, the top right represents the colors of Spain, and the top left represents the patron saint of Catalonia, Saint George/Jordi.

Once we arrived at the soccer museum, we were immediately immersed in a world of community. We observed many artifacts, such as jerseys, cleats, gloves, balls, statues, trophies, and medals. The most prominent event was the 360 video. We watched how teams worked together to achieve goals, we saw how they communicated to succeed, and specifically, we could appreciate the sport’s beauty. It was an empowering experience of emotion and community.

We took in the stunning outside of the Sagrada Familia before entering. We learned about Antoni Gaudi, the architect. A group of St. Joseph’s followers contributed to constructing a temple dedicated to him. Gaudi ensured that its ultimate height would be precisely 172.5 meters, or 565.9 feet before he passed away. Since March 19, 1882, it has been under construction; however, there have been several delays, particularly during the COVID-19 epidemic. This building fully embodies Catholicism and features majestic columns, sun-kissed stained glass windows that illuminate its whole interior, and more.

All in all, we had a very fun day. The highlights were the soccer museum and Sagrada Familia, but we had fun anyway, from our walks to our delicious meals.

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 21

Today was our last day here in Spain, and it was full of excitement! In the morning, the groups were divided into different activities: some discovered Montjuic and the PobleNou stadium, others discovered the Sagrada Familia and the Gothic Quarter, and others strolled through the beautiful Park Güell. After this interesting morning, all groups met for lunch at a restaurant where there was also live music in addition to the exquisite cuisine to welcome them. Some students took the stage to sing and gave us chilling emotions with their voices. It was a very fun time that we would have made last forever, but we agreed to leave because of the idea of all of us moving to the beach to do the closing GLA activity. It was great to share memories and emotions; many of us were moved. The day ended with a nice dinner at the hotel, lots of hugs, emotions and a few tears. The Little Prince says that you risk crying a little when you let yourself be tamed by someone, but in return, you gain the color of the wheat field.

From Brianna, pod D

This trip opened my eyes in many ways and allowed me to make so many new friends. It’s honestly so hard to just let this trip go. I want to thank GLA and Atmosphere Academy for letting all of us students experience this and let us attend this trip. It allowed all of us to better ourselves in many different ways and appreciate the little things in life. Not only did this trip allow us to make new friends but it allowed us to travel with them. We are all so grateful for this trip. THANK YOU GLA!

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 22

Hello Atmosphere Academy friends and families,

Today we reached the end of our amazing program. After yesterday’s emotional dinner, this morning we got ready to say our last goodbyes at the airport. Some of us got up before the crack of down, while others were able to see their last sunrise in Spain.
Hopefully by now, everyone made it to their homes back in the United States, and finally got their well deserved rest. It was an incredible program, and we still can’t believe we did so much and created so many beautiful memories in 11 days!

The GLA staff team wants to thank each and every one of our students and Atmosphere Academy Chaperones. It was an absolute pleasure to share this experience with you, and we admire you for taking this challenge with open-mindness and a positive attitude. We hope you cherish this memories for a long time!

We wish you all the best for your future endeavours and we hope to see you again one day – who knows, maybe in Spain?

Your GLA staff team – Ila, Luismi, Marta, Clint, Jonathan, André, Ester, Maggie and Rudy

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures Custom Group program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR FEBRUARY 27

Bienvenuti a Roma!

Hello Atmosphere families and friends!

This is your GLA staff team reporting in that the 10th graders of Atmosphere Academy have officially arrived in Rome, Italy!!

After a long day of traveling from New York, we all headed to a local Italian restaurant to get our first taste of authentic Italian pasta. We had red sauce pasta with bread and delicious chocolate mousse.

We played a game with our giant group (81 students!!) where we got to run around making groups of various sizes depending on what action was called out, for example, “Giant Pizza” would be called out and students would have to make groups of 8 to create 8 pizza slices with their arms.

We made a trip to the grocery store for snacks and then went to the hotel to rest and recharge before enjoying an authentic Italian meal of foods from the region of Italy that we are visiting.

We are so excited to explore Rome and Paris over the next 10 days!

Ciao Ciao!

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BLOG POST FOR FEBRUARY 28

For breakfast we had eggs with blocks of cheese, orange juice, bacon, croissants of many flavors, water, and bread. After, we took a 30 minute bus ride to the Colosseum and had an amazing walking tour of the amazing monument. Did u know that the Colosseum had crazy things that have happened inside of it? People say it was a place of violence while other say its a place of peace and unity. After the Colosseum we went to a pizza restaurant to make our own pizzas. It was very fun to make it in which some people say, “Italy, the place where pizza was created.”

After lunch, we drove on the bus for about 30 minutes. When we got off the bus, we walked around and saw many beautiful art works. I liked how we had time to shop and time to really take in the work of the old romans. Then, for dinner we went to an Italian restaurant with a nice atmosphere that served us a great vegetarian lasagna, followed by a good salad, and then capped off with an amazing cake.

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BLOG POST FOR FEBRUARY 29

Today in the 4th day of the trip the 29th on a leap year we were able to begin a ride to Pompeii, while the 3 hours seemed long at first it begun to fly by as we interacted with one another! Not only did we start off the day with a great breakfast but a great bonding experience as well! When we arrived in Pompeii we were greeted with an amazing Italian lunch, filled with singing and hanging out with one another! After lunch we were met with a tour of
An ancient city that was once buried under layers on top of layers of stone and dug up only to reveal history from over 2000 years ago. As we begun to walk around we were able to see old architecture and structures from the ancient Romans!

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 1

We went to Vatican City and saw the basilica. Seeing and admiring the drawings of Michaelangelo. His relationship with the pope at the time, and how it influenced his work when drawing, mocking the pope very subtly. During our experience at the Vatican we got to learn how Michaelangelo used painting as a form of mockery and communication. We also learned that people in the time of Michaelangelo didn’t know how to write so instead they drew paintings to communicate with each other. We finished of the day with eating pasta and celebrated two of our friends birthday, and once we headed back to our hotels we packed for our big travel day.

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 2

Hello today was a very great, smooth, and easy day. We had a wake up call as it was our last day at Rome. We packed and got ready for a 3 hour train ride. It was very fun as some played games and slept. After the ride we took a short bus ride and got to eat what ever we wanted in Milan. After we got to explore for a little and then got on our way to the hotel. When we arrived to the hotel, we went to our rooms and had burgers for dinner which was a relief for many. I would like to shoutout everyone as the day was smooth and fun! We played a fun game with pod 4 which was a version of rock paper scissors. Now, we are at a new hotel tonight!

-Pod 1 & 2

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 3

The travel from Milan to Paris was fun and calming. The scenery viewed from the bus ride was amazing as students were able to view beautiful sights of parts of Milan, Switzerland, and part of France. Students were given information about sights viewed from these three locations. From Switzerland students took a bullet train to Paris. Students saw mountainsee on the way and got to experience how it is like to travel in a bullet train. Students arrived at the hotel and began having roommates which allowed them to bond with other students.

-Pod 1 & 2

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 4

Bonjour! Today, we woke up at 8am to get ready our historical action pact day. For breakfast, we had crepes with nutella and croissants. After breakfast we had a GLA activity where we debate whether or not the we should have stadiums for the Olympics that take down stations. Once we wrapped up that activity we hopped on the bus and headed onto lunch where we had a variety of different options spanning from chicken nuggets to lasagna. Once we all ate lunch we headed onto the Louvre where we had the chance to see the Mona Lisa in person and many other famous artifacts and then we finished off our day with dinner at the hotel.

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 5

Today, we woke up early to get ready to visit the Eiffel Tower. We got there early in the morning and we were able to explore the tower and see the wonderful view of the city. Then, we left and we ate some amazing food at a local restaurant with a wide variety of options of food to consume. Then, after that we went shopping for a few hours and we then left and went back to the hotel!

-Pod 1 & 2

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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 6

Today, we went on a journey to explore the arc de triumph but first we started off with a delicious breakfast at 7:30. Then we left on our way to our community service project where we made toiletries bags and sandwiches for the homeless of Paris. Then, after we gave them out and we enjoyed seeing our work being put to good use. Afterwards we were on our way to lunch which was a buffet style restaurant which was delicious and very fancy. Then, we went walking to the major point of today, the arc de triumph! It was like a big arch full of history and names which we got to climb through stairs which were gruesome to walk up because of the copious amount of steps there were. But ultimately it was worth it to see the beautiful view from the top of the arc. Then, on our way to the bus to head back to home base we found a dj and danced for a bit which was super fun. After arriving to the hotel we headed to a beautiful outside area to do our final appreciation circle as a group to appreciate each other and our lovely GLA members who were with us on this journey. After a lot of tears and laughter we enjoyed a delicious dinner in the hotel and went to bed.

Au revoir pour l’instant! Thanks for reading our blog!

-Pod 1 & 2

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures Custom Group program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

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BLOG POST FOR FEBRUARY 14

Dear Families,

We just wanted to check in and let you know that we’ve safely arrived in Belize!

Today was quite the journey as we embarked on three separate flights to get here, but the excitement kept us going.

Stepping off the plane onto the tarmac, we were welcomed by our GLA leaders, Brooke, Jemayel and Lauren.

We were excited to try our first taste of Belizean cuisine as we gathered around for a meal of rice and beans with chicken, washed down with fresh juice.

After fueling up, we loaded onto the bus and began our journey north to Orange Walk. Along the way, we stopped at a local supermarket to stock up on Belizean snacks.

In the scenic route to our new home community of Sarteneja we passed several Mennonite communities, an introduction to the diversity found within Belize.

Arriving at our Home Base, we were greeted with a traditional black soup, a fitting end to a day filled with new experiences.

Now, we’re off to bed to rest up for tomorrow’s adventures – we can’t wait to share more with you soon!

Warm regards,
Greene School Students

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BLOG POST FOR FBERUARY 16

Day 3 started with a morning swim. Where we watched the beautiful sun rise.

We came back in time for breakfast and had morning meeting meeting where we talked about the plan of the day.

We played this really fun game where you lock eyes with a person and the first to yell “manatees” wins.

We listened to a conservation biologist from SACD talked about the importance of trees, how vital they are to the local ecosystem, ane how we would spend the day working around mangroves.

We took a bus ride to Warrie Bright where SACD runs a mangrove nursery.

We waded into Corozal Bay where we looked for Red Mangroves seedlings; we prepared small soil planters with a mix of soil, sand, and seawater, then planted the mangrove seedlings. By the time we finished, we ended up with 50 planted mangroves.

We celebrated our day of work by swimming and played games in the bay and laughed a lot.

We are closing our day after dinner with a structured debate about conservation and ecotourism.

Until tomorrow!

Lis and Rylee

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BLOG POST FOR FEBRUARY 17

Today we learned about and explored local fishing traditions and simulated it during our
PESCA tour!

In the afternoon, we visited local artisans such as Señor Chuy and learned abont his work and bought some lovely art.

Then, we did a lionfish jewelry workshop and learned about how they are an invasive species harming the coastal ecosystem.

We spent our night eating out at a local restaurant Raquel’s and learned from our local tour guide and the restaurant owner about local folklore and myths!

We’re excited to continue our adventures here in Belize and can’t wait to share all of our memories with you.

By Rowan and Emil

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BLOG POST FOR FEBRUARY 19

Today, Duncan and me were the leaders of the day. We led a stretching activity before sharing information about the day. We had an earlier wake up than usual.

We went to an island called Bacalar Chico. This area , and the people that work there, are conserving the natural resources.

We had a quick presentation there before we headed out on boats to go snorkel. Belize has one of the largest barrier reefs in the world. The water was wavy because the coral was so high that the waves would crash on it.

We split into groups and in Duncan and my group, we saw a nurse shark, a lobster and fish of many different colors. The other groups saw lionfish.

We then headed back while enjoying Mayan potatoes (jicama) to do a journal activity and eat lunch.

We sat and watched stingrays at Bacalar Chico until it was time to return on boat. We sang music all the way back to Sarteneja.

Until tomorrow!

Emery & Duncan

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BLOG POST FOR FEBRUARY 20

Today was a very good day.

We woke up at 7:00 am and left for the school at 9:00.

We were there until 3:30 playing games, teaching them about important topics, and planting trees. A lot of students made strong bonds with the sahool’s students in that short period of time and leaving was difficult for a lot of us.

After the school we went to the beach to spend a little more time in the water before our night started.

We finished the day with an amazing karaoke party. People we had met throughout our time in Sarteneja came to visit and participate and we had a lot of fun.

Overall, it was a very good day for everyone.

Lucy and Veto

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BLOG POST FOR FEBRUARY 21

At the beginning of the day, we had our last breakfast in Sarteneja. We said farewell and went on our way to Altun Ha.

The Mayan ruins site was amazing and everything I hoped it would be. Then we bought some gifts from the local shop.

After that we made our way to our new Home Base which are cabins in the woods. We sat down for a lesson taught by our fellow classmate Lucy about local birds.

We then had our first dinner in our new Home Base and some of us went on an optional night jungle tour.

Can’t wait until tomorrow!

Luke and Adriel

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BLOG POST FOR FEBRUARY 22

We started off our last (and most exciting) day in Belize with a lovely breakfast at the Tropical Education Center and made our way down to a local ziplining course. After a short fitting process, we hiked through the jungle, spotting a troop of howler monkeys while waiting in line.

After a fast-paced morning of zooming through the canopy, we journeyed to a vast cave system where we tubed for a couple of hours in a sacred Mayan site for sacrifices, thought to be the entrance to Xibalba (the Mayan underworld).

We ended off the day with a heartfelt appreciation circle at Home Base and reflected on the memories we’ve made, along with ones we will create together.

Nico and Alex