Hey friends,

I hope you had a good flight and that you didn’t get too dehydrated from all the airport tears. I’m sitting in Jo-burg, having a much needed coffee with Ash, and thinking about how I wish you were all here with me to laugh at my jokes. I imagine you’ve all unpacked, and gotten sand all over your room or somehow gotten a splinter from a lingering thorn caught in your sock. I’m sorry I’m not there to help you get it out.

This here is a time capsule letter to share our appreciation for you and to casually mock you from afar. First off, thank you for not injuring yourself/getting sick and having to go to the hospital. Secondly, thank you for helping us offset the amount of weight we would have gained in muffins by making us laugh on a regular basis. You all are ridiculous, but I loved it.

I loved the unique perspectives, personalities and life experiences you all brought to the program.
I loved that you were so fearless and gung-ho in treading through the water despite the risk of stepping on a razor clam.
I loved the relentless energy, undying enthusiasm and lust for adventure.
I loved the request for more whole group bonding and how you all took initiative to help out with pleasure.
I loved all the songs around the campfire and the stories you shared.
I loved the questions you raised and critical thinking displayed around the topics you cared.
I loved watching the evolution of your thought processes on tough, debatable, “spicy” global issues.
I loved the genuine conversations, hugs, and letters of goodbyes and miss yous.
I loved that when given the chance, you’d eat meals and do activities all as one.
I loved just watching you all have fun.

I hope that this experience, the beautiful places we went to, the connections you made with each other and the silly games we played has opened up the world of possibilities that you can do moving forward. Perhaps, it may seem overwhelming at times (a lot of the time,) with the pressures of school, work, family, growing up, and all the other joys of being an emerging adult, but my advice to you is to just breathe and reflect. You all have so much to be proud of, are incredibly strong in different ways and wouldn’t have gone on this trip if you weren’t a genuinely caring/rad person. If all else fails, make yourself a cup of tea, listen to your song and remind yourself that “you are the best of us.”

Thank you for all your hard work in the bush, the wisdom you shared with us and not dying. Here are some high lights:
– The discovery of the gender in which Donovan identifies as (boy or unicorn.)
– Mike annihilating Adrian in Birdie on a Perch.
– Sydney’s blindfolded breakdancing in Eyes, Body, Mouth.
– Jordyn sharing that she broke her collar bone coming out of the womb by being a chubby baby during the icebreaker activity.
– Every time anyone said yee-haw around Miles.
– Erik demonstrating his dedication to the scavenger hunt by delivering “3 pieces of shi…” by hand.
– Marcy’s indistinguishable shrieks of terror or joy every time she ran.
– The discovery of Laura’s talent in being able to doodle up a real-life replica of any animal
– Lexi’s souvenir collection (large hat, maraca, wooden spoon, beaded neck piece, woven mat, mug, bracelet…and so much more.)
– Alexa’s impression of Bush Brian (“Did you know that giraffes have 6 necks, but 4 are invisible?”)
– Maria’s impression of Wetsuit Willie (“What? You don’t have a bamboo toothbrush?”)
– Ali bridging the gap in magnetic feet (I wasn’t there, but Mike’s demonstration was highly amusing.)
– Paige taking it upon herself to supply dinner by fearlessly spearing the first fish.

Peace and Chow,
Jaime and the rest of Team Safari

 

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Hello guinea pigs! We are going to make this as quick as possible because we know what your attention span is like. We’re here with your GLA time capsule, which is basically our opportunity to shoot the shi… but in a different way than what you all experienced in the bush. I just wrote a near miss form and literally wrote “Impala dung in all students’ mouths.” Oh well, way to go Bella for beating Mike.

Your Code of Conduct skits were actually hilarious. Shout out to Raymond for blowing those impressive smoke rings. And Kris for reminding us that you can see Rhinos on Instagram.

I must say though that at the end of every day, I’d get a little delirious and the most manic of my laughter stemmed from the construction of the daily schedule by the leaders of the day. Shout out to Maggie and Hannah for the most ridiculous drawing of Jerome and Fatsy. Part pig, part rat, but identifies as cat… no wonder Hannah saw a shape shifting rhino.

And Kya! Your monkey impression. So unexpectedly perfect. Way to giv’r. Mike still has the recording on his phone. It’s his alarm clock.

Shout out to all of you for not getting injured during Birdie on a Perch. Brian and Jesse displayed full throttle trust and dedication. But kudos to Mecca and Audree for coming out on top! I wish there was audible Mecca commentary during that game.

Speaking of Mecca commentary, I tried so many times to channel my inner Mecca when seeing giraffes and while using the astro laser to point out stars. Oh sugarplum! Oh dang!

Speaking of exciting new things, Sowon, high five to you on your successful trials and new experiences on snorkel day. I hope you felt supported.

Another successful trial was when we were roasting marshmellows on those painfully short sticks. Shout out to Jesse’s innovation and perseverance in his contraption that resembled a flimsy fishing rod, despite much doubt. Your cheeky confidence is admirable and hilarious.

My favourite part of the Scavenger Hunt was when Shadrek realized Maggie, Victoria, Brian and Bella listed everyone except him and Mike as guides.

To be fair, Heike was a spectacular guide and taught us all so much about elephants and rhinos. My favourite elephant fact was when Audree asked her when elephant mating season is, to which she responded with, “all the time.”

Mary, I can’t believe you even considered asking if you could hug the hippo while we were kayaking. Then you were brave enough to splash Mecca. I mean, I’m all for living on the edge, but you took it to a whole other level.

Liz you are a beast of a paddle partner! And I can’t believe you even suggested that we just leave you behind on the sand dune. I’m so proud that you made it and that we didn’t have to physically push you.

Priya, have you ever considered being a pin cushion? You did a really good job of attracting all the thorns and splinters. In some parts of the world, first aiders wouldn’t be permitted to remove them because it’s considered a surgical operation. You should consider being a surgeon after all the practice you’ve had.

Victoria I think that everyone will agree that you deserve a round of applause for putting an end to Mike’s taunting during magnetic feet. The fact that you were able to successfully confiscate the ball and hold onto it was probably such a relief. Wait, didn’t you also accidentally demagnetize toward the end of the challenge…?

Kris, after two days, I’m so happy you were able to finally spear a fish. And throw Jesse in the pool.

Catherine, remember that time that you were really lucky? Yeah, neither do we. But in all seriousness, the kind of friendship where before you part ways, you’re already booking flights to see each other again is one that is more special than not getting pink eye or having a functional backpack. That arrives on the same plane that you do.

I hope that while it may seem like we’re mocking you from afar, that you also take this as a sincere tribute to a beautiful and hilarious time we shared together. Thank you so much for your hard work, your patience as guinea pigs, being incredibly supportive of each other and staff, and generally being rad. Jannie may have cast an unlucky curse on some of you, but all of you pushed past the obstacles because you are all fierce, strong and unstoppable forces. Wherever you decide to go and whatever you decide to do, I hope you always remember that you’re the best of us. Oh, and Makaza says hello!

-Jaime and Ash

 

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Hola Chicos!

Do you remember showing up at the airport to meet your new GLA friends? We were so excited to get to know you and experience two full weeks together in Spain. The time difference was real and after a couple of days we were in full swing feeling fresh and ready to experience and learn about Spanish culture, its diverse components, and how to grow personally!

“Nuestro americanos,” is what the summer school students and staff at Jarit called us during our two weeks of service. From cooking classes to Capoeira; card games to pick up soccer; field trips to music videos; assembly circle to the mascaleta and everything in-between–time was spent smiling, laughing, planning sneaky water attacks, and building an invaluable relationship with each student. Timid at first, we quickly expanded our comfort zones in collaborating with the local staff in leading icebreakers, games, and mini educational lessons (not to mention doing so in Spanish!). The two weeks flew by, however it was wholesome. Day by day our connection grew and this proved obvious on the last day—the field trip to the river. On the final day instead of a surprise water balloon, we were ambushed by something stronger and more meaningful–that’s right, emotion. Hugs and tears were exchanged as we reminisced on memories made and our time spent together. We left that the river with proof of the impact we had on the students and the impact the students made on us. A priceless cross-cultural connection was formed in the short two weeks and we learned to “nunca dice adiós, siempre dice hasta luego!”

A highlight for many of you was our trip to Barcelona. During a relaxing bus ride through the countryside and olive tree vineyards, many took advantage of the quiet time to catch up on sleep after a full first week of service and leadership activities. We were more refreshed and could feel the energy and excitement of being in Barcelona, staying at our hostel The Generator, enjoying buffet meals, playing charade games, sleeping in air conditioning, and having access to Wi-Fi.

We filled our Barcelona days to the fullest. Remember getting caught in a fluke rain storm while we waited to enter La Sagrada Familia cathedral? However, within half an hour the sun came out so we could appreciate the sun shining through the stained glass windows, creating glowing rays of orange, red, green, blue, and gold, illuminating the inside of the church. We continued exploring the city via our Hidden Tour Guides ___ and ___. This left a lasting impression to view Barcelona from this perspective and hear about people who had a stable career and then lost it all and became homeless. Our Guides shared intimate details about what it was like to become homeless and provided insight about the challenges as well as the resources available at food banks. Has this changed how you view or interact with homeless people?

One of Barcelona’s gems that we got to enjoy is Parc Guell where we walked around and admired the fusion of nature, religion, and mathematics that Gaudi used to design unique archways and colorful buildings. Would you return to Spain to take wedding photos at the Park?

The next morning, after breakfast which most of us woke up for, we headed to the Barcelona Stadium Camp Nou, which was enjoyable for most all to explore at our leisure. Can you remember, “What does mes que un club mean?”

Back in Valencia, we continued getting to know the city from the local perspective via a variety of cultural activities. Do you remember sampling the bitter chalky taste of pure cacao? Our Chocolate Museum tour guide was so quick to slice, shape, and roll the bollets, which tasted more like fudge than chocolate. Another local flavor to savor was the Horchata, made with only chufa seeds, sugar, and water. It was so refreshing to enjoy the bottomless refills of homemade Horchata while at the farm. Have you tried Horchata since being in Spain? How does it taste compared to Mexican Horchata? We also learned how to make Paella during a cooking workshop with Mama Teresa, one Valencian with chicken and another vegetarian.

Our second weekend in Valencia was packed with fun and adventure. The activities were well deserved and a great way to cap off our two weeks of leadership learning and service work. Friday afternoon started off with shopping and visiting cafes. It was followed by a fun and relaxing bike tour through the city and the park- eventually arriving to the City of Arts and Sciences. This entertainment-based cultural and architectural complex is one of the 12 Treasures of Spain. Many of us enjoyed talking to each other via the Communicating Arcs. We learned that we could have a normal conversation with our friend who was standing 160 ft away when we placed ourselves on either side of the arche structure.

Saturday was an action-packed day in the sun and the water. Many students were nervous about going whitewater rafting but everyone ended up loving it! We split into 4 boats and survived waterfall drops, jumping off of rocks and splashing wars between boats. Do you remember the rafting commands? Izquierda, Derecha, Adelante, Atras, Rock and Roll! When we got back to Valencia, we went straight to the beach. This was many of our first times in the Mediterranean Sea! We spent hours playing keep away with the volleyball and splashing in the clear, warm water.

Sunday morning, the entire group took a relaxing boat ride through the Albufera – a wetland nature reserve. We escaped the bustling city and enjoyed the calm sounds of nature. We learned about the importance of the nature reserve for the region of Valencia as we ate fartones and sipped horchata brought to us by our tour guide, Vincent. That afternoon, we did a reflection activity to really soak in all that we had learned and experience during our two weeks in Spain. Do you remember your one take away from the experience? It was inspiring to hear about the growth each student on the program had experienced in their own unique way. We followed the reflection activity with one last opportunity to shop, sit in a cafe and get gelato. That night, we wrapped up the program with a fabulous and authentic flamenco show performed by local Valencians. We even had the opportunity to get up and dance after the performance. We had a traditional Spanish dinner of tapas where we got to eat plate after plate of delicious food. Following the lead of the local Valencians, we broke into clapping song and dance again after dinner. Then, we had ice cream and did an appreciation circle. This was an opportunity to shout out our peers on the program and appreciate them for all the ways they had positively affected us during the past two weeks. This led to many tears and mixed emotions. We soaked in the strength of the relationships we had formed in such a short period of time.

Looking back, we did a lot and we learned a lot. Each and every one of us was impacted and impactful. In those short two weeks we experienced so much of Spain and its culture all while doing service as well. We are fortunate to have had such an immersive experience. Amongst our group, close relationships were formed that will last a lifetime and memories were made that will last a lifetime. Don’t forget your takeaways from this experience. Take what you learned and carry that to a new space and add to that community! We hope you all continue to travel and learn more while doing so. Teresa and Juan welcome us back with open arms, vive España!!

 

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

Hello first ever GLA Philippines group!!

We hope that the end of our GLA adventure was the beginning of many more and that you have each been seeking new challenges, making new connections, and continued being the open, compassionate, and caring individuals that we know you are.

In the spirit of remembering, let’s take a moment and flash back to….

that first day you stepped off the plane, nervously searching for other GLAers.

The first impressions that we made on Day 1 and how different they looked by Day 14.

The name game during orientation and how some names stuck until the end.

Our first group activity in the Intramuros bike ride, and how everyone was looking out for each other and made sure everyone was included.

Dancing at the cultural show, dancing at the IP cultural talk, and the dance party at Claret 🙂

Sitting on the floor in the conference room sketching out lesson plans, brainstorming games, and trying to draw Lola’s hair in our first experience with “teamwork makes the dream work” as everyone collaborated to make their lesson plans amazing.

The openness as everyone dove into the boodle lunch with their bare hands.

The classrooms at Claret elementary school, where you opened your hearts so wide, innovated, and adapted to give those kids an experience they’re probably still talking about.

Trying to get the hang of Bahay Kubo and Siopao, Siomai, Suman and the kids giggling their heads off.

Exceeding expectations at the Philippine Toy Library and finally breaking the ice about the big “C”!

Using your bargaining skills at the market.

Finding that line, time and time again!

encouraging each other to make it to the top of the Lake Taal hike and being water monsters 🙂

Working together to build the bamboo rafts and swimming in gorgeous Lake Pandin.

And finally, the moment on the 22nd floor of an office building when we opened our hearts once again and shared without reservations what we love and appreciate about each other.

We hope that as time has passed, the feelings and personal growth have not faded. We trust that you have taken what you learned and adapted it to your home context, being the person that you want to be, helping others, being inclusive, challenging assumptions, conquering your Little Hater, being vulnerable, and building people up.

As we remember those amazing times, we hope you have stayed connected and not lost that beautiful support system that we built. And if you have lost touch, reach out! Take out your Big Love sheet and soak up the feeling of having friends all around the world who care about you.

Also remember the impact that you had on the children, the community members, and especially on each other. Recognize the power of that impact and keep reaching out to impact even more.

And finally, take a moment to remember that you are a conqueror. You took on the challenge of traveling across the planet and taking part in a life-changing journey. If you are conquered that challenge, you can conquer so many more.

Big hugs to all,

Leanne and Steph

 

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

¡Hola a todos!

We can’t believe it’s already been a while since our program ended! Do you remember hauling those not so light adobe bricks across the school yard in Chinchero? It was difficult work at times, but it is important to remember that our time at the school did make an impact. With the money donated, book stands were purchased and will continue to be put to good use for years to come. The greenhouse will serve as a way for the students to continue to make money to further aid with the purchase of school supplies and other necessities. Has that experience continued to give you a new perspective when returning to school at home? We certainly hope so.

Do you remember the incredible views from Machu Picchu? The weaving workshop and trying cuy? The trek with just about every sort of weather pattern imaginable (thank you, Pachamama)? Including the time when we woke up to freshly fallen snow during our stay in Qenco and had an impromptu snowball fight? Do you miss all of the soup and other delicious meals from Guillermo? Have you tried to incorporate Peruvian recipes into your diet? And spending time entertaining Luana? What about all of the llamas, alpacas and dogs we admired (from a safe distance, of course)? All of those experiences made for a program full of surprises and opportunities to grow.

We hope you are all doing well. Continue to remember, reflect upon and share your stories of Peru and of those you’ve connected with on the trip. Keep growing, learning and pursuing your passions. ¡Hasta luego!

Your leaders,
Sofia, Brian and Ellen

 

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