Sawasdii-ka everyone!

It’s crazy to think that just a few short weeks ago we were all together riding around in vans through Chiang Mai. On arrival day, you stepped out of the airport humming with excitement in your blue shirts, taking in your first sights of Thailand.

Your first full day was a whirlwind, packed with a city tour, museum and temple visits, and ending with preparing yourselves for your first day of service, which was the very next day! You jumped into teaching like naturals, working well as groups and creating long-lasting, loving bonds with your students. We did not have a full week of service, but instead you had the opportunity to participate in ceremonies at your service sites that celebrated the King’s birthday and the beginning of Buddhist Lent. You ended your service with English Camp, where you designed creative, fun English-language games, and tearful goodbyes with your students who had followed you around and played with you everyday. They asked for your Instagram names one more time before they chased you to your vans and waved as you drove off.

After service was over, you embraced the “adventure” part of Global Leadership Adventures. We hiked through a forest garden and learned about sustainability in an indigenous Hmong village. We went to Wat Phra That, the Golden Temple on the Mountain, and ate Khao Soi at Doi Pui, after which we bunked down in a coffee shop while a storm raged around us. We trekked through mud, broke or lost several pairs of shoes, all to play with a baby elephant and splash around with the elephants in the river. We also crafted like pros: painting our own umbrellas, making our own pottery, and painting wooden dolls and making bags in the style of the Tai Lue people. It’s hard to believe that on top of all that you zipped and climbed through the jungle and received incredibly relaxing Thai massages!

Departures at the airport were bittersweet, but you all made plans to see each other again, so you knew that “goodbye” wasn’t really goodbye. The friendships that you made during your two weeks in Chiang Mai are invaluable, much like your experiences in Thailand.

Sawasdii-ka, guys!

Kathy, International Director

 

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Hello students!

It feels like only yesterday that you all stepped off the plane and piled into vans eager to immerse yourselves in Thai culture and chat with your new friends. Your excitement was palpable and you really did face your coming adventure with open minds and big smiles!

Your first day began with some insight into Thai history and the culture of Chiang Mai. This new information facilitated an understanding of where we were and set the scene for the rest of your experience. We explored the city and put on our chef hats (maybe in the form of some fish slippers) during an incredible evening cooking class that rounded off Day 1.

After a jam-packed first few days of name games, green glass doors, and consuming new foods (durian, bamboo worms, and mega spice sauce included), we jumped right into school. Teamwork was the name of the game and school preparation began. After an exciting first day of trial and error, you all found your groove and taught with confidence and creativity. To round off our week of teaching, your skills were put to test with English Camp, where you upped your creativity and had a great time solidifying the lessons you had been working on with your students. Let’s not forget our time at recess where the same kids would find you everyday to play games, sing songs, and giggle a lot! The connections you made with your students were strong and unique, we know they will never forget you!

A highlight of week one was definitely the intense basketball tournament that took place during our Cultural Exchange. Our players fully embraced the humid weather and came out with a victorious win after an excitingly close game. The students at Sacred Heart were so excited to meet you all, and the shared experience of getting to know one another through events like Thai dancing and dessert tasting was one that everyone loved.

Our second week was also full of adventure! We explored Wat Phra That and Doi Pui on Doi Suthep mountain, painted traditional umbrellas, received Thai massages, and ziplined through the jungle. Let’s not forget the AMAZING time with the elephants too! We were lucky enough to give hugs to a one-month old baby elephant and had lots of fun splashing both the elephants and each other in the river.

Saying goodbye to each other was difficult, but lifelong friends were made here at Tianna and your experience in Thailand was unforgettable!

Sawasdeeka kiddos!!

Caroline, Mentor

 

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Hello students!

The Land of Smiles is thinking of you today! It seems like just yesterday we were stir-frying our own pad thai, making new friends with the elephants (and each other), and living our best lives. The Tianna Team has sure been missing our shared laughs and all the memories we made. We hope your new school year is off to a great start!

The time you dedicated to teaching English at the local schools made such a lasting impact on the students. And we know it made a lasting impact on you too! Cross-cultural communication plays a major role in today’s world and you not only learned how to navigate these tricky situations, but… ya’ll THRIVED. Pottery may not have been our strong suit, but bonding with the kids sure was! The tears, notes, and hugs shared on the last day really demonstrated the connections you all made in just one week.

Our days were long, but we are so thankful to have made the most of the short time that we had to get to know each one of you. Celebrating each other’s’ strengths, supporting one another, and lending a listening ear – you are truly an inspiring group of young people. As mentors we were able to watch your progression and growth in just 14 days, imagine what awesome people you will become as you continue to lead, explore, and venture out of your comfort zones. We are so proud of you.

Some special moments from our trip:

-Cotton Eye Joe…. say less!
-Foooooooood
-The Story of Me
-Facing our fears at zip lining
-Learning about indigenous culture and challenging our ideas about development

Stasha Malcolm
Mentor

 

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Humjambo GLA Children’s Education Adventure Alumni,

Can you believe how much time has passed since we were all together at our cozy
homebase in Arusha? It feels like just yesterday that we were all waking up
together to the cats fighting or the cow mooing or Joseph’s cowbell, or perhaps all
the above. Wherever you may be as you read this letter, we hope you are happy and
healthy and still reflecting back on our time together and all the friends and
memories you made, as well as all the blood, sweat, and tears you put into making
the adventure unforgettable.

We cannot express how thankful we are that we had the opportunity to get to know
all of you during our 21 days together in Tengeru. You came from different
backgrounds, countries, states, and families with different skills, life experiences,
goals, and aspirations. Despite these differences, you came together as one and
were able to give significant contributions back to our community of Tengeru.

You left your mark on Patandi Primary School through your teaching and through your
physical service. You formed meaningful bonds with the children while also
braving the front of the classroom to teach the students English; perhaps along the
way you also refreshed yourself a bit on the English language! You left your physical
mark on the school through your gardening, tree planting, desk fixing, classroom
painting, and most hardcore of all making a new concrete floor. We had the good
fortune of getting to watch all of you pour love, compassion, patience, and
dedication into all that you did. The work was not easy and we all faced difficult
challenges throughout our time together, but you came at those challenges with
perseverance, determination, and grace and for that we thank you so much!

We thank you for opening your hearts and minds to this experience and to one
another. Together we embraced Joseph and Jackie’s Tanzanian food, traditional
dancing, hiking to the base of the tallest freestanding mountain in the world, hearing
women living with HIV tell their stories, learning about cultural practices of the
Maasai people, making our own Arabica coffee, sleeping with loud animal noises at
any and every hour of the night, learning Swahili, and forming deep and lasting
connections with each other. We hope that the knowledge you gained while on this
trip will serve you well and all of the future communities that you are a part of!

We are proud of you and all of the accomplishments and personal growth you achieved.
Thank you all for making this experience what it was and for giving it your all- full
send!

Warm and Fuzzy Memories:

Uka’s warm and fuzzy pouch
Jogoo becoming our spirit animal
Dish crew dance party
Hailey’s sweet 16
“Love that for all of us”
Corn-rowed cuties
Mama Simba giving us her left breast
Nestory taking selfies every possible moment in every possible location
Sadie making a double chin montage video
Rohan coining the new name for shillings- shingalings
Tyler roasting everyone at the Twiga Lodge Talent Show
Successfully jailing at 7 mafia members during family fun night
Ali showing us that she is a professional singer
Julia busting out a drum solo at the coffee farm
Chakula Circle appreciations
Seeing more than 10 lions in 2 days
Lodrick always wearing a sharp suit
The epic and uniting dance party that occurred on Kate’s birthday
Students polar bear plunging at Kili
You are a superstar!
Molly (Howie Howard) informing us that she made up the nickname Howie
for this program
Laughing and playing with the children outside of our gate
Students teaching Maasai community how to do the Mac arena

Asante sana,
Your staff❤

 

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Adventuring into chili water in the river at the base of Mt. Kili
And Strutting down the runway with your tailor made ensembles;
Mangoes!
Boom boom boom Bonita, I see a friend!
Remember holding Franklin the baby goat at the Maasai Boma?
And Gustavo Jose taking a swim in the lake?
And laughing with the children outside the gate?
Arusha, Arusha, Arusha!
Surmounting the coffee climb and sipping our homemade batch of Arabica;
Watching cheetahs watching zebra in the open savannah;
Naming the 8 parts of speech (!)
And passing countless jars of nutella around;
Bringing home a chick from the Tengeru market,
And Jamming on Joseph and Jackyln’s making 4 th of July burgers;
Being convinced that “I’m not de mafia, I’m de sneaky kid,” only to find out …“ I’m de mafia!”
Arusha, Arusha, Arusha!
Remember bargaining at the market to bring home that special something?
And Getting out of our floating bus to see an incredible sunrise over the Rift Valley?
Watching Honorary Kili Wizard Peter getting down at the field, and
Gummy bear’s dance moves
And the Patandi students singing farewell.
Arusha! Arusha! Arusha!
Uncovering the foil to find Mac and Cheese! Guacamole! Yes!
Sharing in Apprecialove Circles and
Drinking hot cocoa and signing along to Matt’s songs on the guitar;
Smiling with Lodrick dad-ing all the time and
Cheering to One Direction 2.0, impressions, magic tricks, and Aurora’s Meet me down in Tanzania crowd
pleasing performance at the safari talent show;
And so many, many more times together.
We are grateful for our time together and all the memories….
You are a superstar!

With love from Arusha,
Megan, Kate, Lolly and Debra

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our 2019 programs, or enroll now.