Click here to jump down to the most recent post! 

Wednesday June 13, 2018 

Arrived at the airport yesterday and waited for all students to arrive. Got back to hostel after midnight and received our roommate assignments. We went right to bed. Today we had orientation and an activity overlooking the Andes mountains after breakfast. Now we’re getting ready to explore the Old Town of Quito after lunch!

Thursday June 14, 2018 

Yesterday we took an excursion to Quito! We traveled to the statue of the moon and the statue of the sun. We also visited the largest church in Quito, and even went inside a church with gold, decorative walls. We also learned about how chocolate is made in Ecuador. After we toured through the city, we went shopping at the supermarket where we bought snacks for the plane trip. As a group, we are already close knit and we are also excited for the remainder of the trip!

-By Ava & Yobany

Saturday June 16, 2018

Today we woke up and ate a fresh breakfast. We already had our bags packed from the night before because we needed to take an early morning boat from Isabella island to Santa Cruz island. It was a 2 hour boat ride and a lot of people slept. Some people sat in the back and  got completely soaked by the waves!

We arrived and took a bus to our next home base where we settled in and ate a delicious lunch of ceviche , soup, and rice.  After lunch we took another bus to our second service site (which was a tortoise ranch!) We got to plant endemic trees called escalacia trees. We learned tnat there are 15 types of these trees and they are only found in the Galapagos! We worked really hard and planted 200 trees and then surrounded the trees with big lava rocks so the tortoises wouldn’t walk on them and break the stems. It started to rain, but we kept working in the mud!

We worked so hard that the directors let us make a stop at a local store to buy snacks before we walked back to the home base for a nice dinner. (Soup, chicken, rice, and veggies along with fresh juice). At the end of the night we did an activity called “celebration circle” and it brought the whole group even closer together. It was a long, but very great day!

Thursday June 21, 2018

Today we woke up at 6:45, ate breakfast, and took the bus to the national park greenhouse for service. We worked until 12 and then went to the tortoise ranch. The food was muy bueno! We then walked around a bunch of lava tunnels. We then went to some sinkholes called los himelos on the island. Very cool! We then went shopping, ate dinner, and went down to the harbor to look for sharks. Very eventful day here at Galapagos!

Sunday June 24, 2018

For our last day in Ecuador we started out by visiting the equator – the actual line! There, we learned about indigenous cultures of Ecuador, about the process of making chocolate, and all about the equator. We even got to take turns trying to balance an egg on the head of a nail. Those who could do it received an “eggmaster” certificate.

We then got to take a salsa class! When we had worked up an appetite from dancing, we got lunch at a crepe and waffle restaurant and we treated to ice cream.

Lastly, we went to the central market in Quito where we got to shop for blankets, panchos, backpacks, and more!

Click here to jump down to the new posts! 

Saturday July 21, 2018

Bula bula!

This is how Fijians welcome us to the country of coconuts and paradise beaches! Big bula smiles and some very excited GLA staff members guided us through the early arrival.

No resting though.. The program kicked off with a traditional Kava ceremony. Basically those ceremonies are important to locals as it is a form of respect to the village. Staff was invited to drink some of the liquid Fijian gold, which is a grind of pepperplant mixed with water. Apparently it tastes like mudwater… We get to try this magical stuff later on the program as they will be more ceremonies. Anyhow, this is where the chief and the village warriors will celebrate their guests and take the time to get to know eachother.

And so we did! With some namegames and plenty of fun interactive teambuilding we are already bonding pretty well. Things did get muddy at one point… At the mudpools that is ofcourse. All 26 of us ( we have one more student coming tomorrow morning), went ahead and treated ourselves to a natural spa day. Ready to get some soft skin, we wrapped ourselves in mud. We had enough time for more games whilst drying the clay out. In a relay competition we tried scoring in egg throwing, ball passing, balloon duo-running and an ultimate dance off. By now we know who has got the moves and who has got the good tunes to dance on! We even managed to squeeze a massage in and buy some souvenirs.

Back at homebase in Nadi Bay, we did the official introductions and played some games and hopped in the pool for some relaxing time. After that we gathered for our first CHOW CIRCLE. This is were we have a talk about the day. We go over the schedule for what is yet to come, and do shoutouts to what we loved during the day. The student leaders of the day get to introduce everyone to a quote of today and some local Fijian vocabulary. After chow circle we always get into the food!

Pineapple, papaya, bananas all the way for local fruit. Hurraaaaay! That will keep our energy level up. For now let’s get some sleep. Can’t wait for tomorrow!

-By Valerie

Monday July 23, 2018

We woke up early today to get onto a 4 and a half hour journey on a ferry to the Oarsman’s Bay lodge. When we arrived we were greeted with flowers and coconuts to drink. We were assigned to our bungalows and ate a traditional Fijian lunch. We had a tour of the land and finally got into the water for a swim and snorkel session. We then had a nice break and had tea time. We watched the absolutely beautiful sunset and played some beach games. After dinner we had a workshop about setting SMART goals. We finished our night with getting into small mentor groups. Tomorrow we will be visiting the billiard for the first time!

Tuesday July 24, 2018

Yandra!
Today was a very productive day. We woke up and had breakfast before we took a short boat ride to the local village. We introduced ourselves to the the Chief after getting his permission to serve in the village. We did this through a traditional kava ceremony. After this, we got a tour of the village where we visited the church, the local houses, and many more of the building. We gathered around for tea time and ate coconut and papaya before we learned how to weave baskets from coconut leaves and scraped coconuts. We saw and interacted with many of the locals.

After we got back to our home island, we snorkeled around the reef and began searching for fish in order to begin keeping track of them. After an hour of free time playing volleyball, swimming, and relaxing by the beach shore, we gathered for dinner and broke into small groups to talk about “the danger of a single story,” the TED talk we watched. Then we all headed to bed excited for what’s in store for tomorrow!

Moce!
~ Eleanor and John

Wednesday July 25, 2018

After breakfast we had a marine animal presentation. We learned the different types of animals that we will find. We spit into 2 service groups. My group planted coral and collected the invasive species, crown for thorns. We saw a lion fish and a sting ray. When we came back we had tea time and relaxed until dinner.

In my group people were assigned to different species of fish and count how many we see. For lunch we went to the village and the women there gave us tea, papaya, and baked goods. While we were there we played with the dogs and the children at the village. After that we went back out to the reef and came back to the lodge to rest and have tea time before dinner.

-by Colleen and Luke

Thursday July 26, 2018

Yandra! (goodmorning!) We split into two service groups today. One group went to the reef to count fish, so we can empower the marine protected areas. We looked for parrot fish, butterfly fish, surgeon fish, goat fish, rabbit fish and luckily found plenty. It was a successful day of collecting data. Eventhough the ocean is colder than we expected it to be, our heart is always warm as the love is a light that never dims. A quote JackJack came up with for today! We are dealing with some romantic souls over here 😉

The other group worked on the coral table by collecting coral pieces and ziptying them on the coral table to then put it back into the sea. It will take about 5 months to grow into branches that can thrive by themselves.

After we got back from service we listened to a inspiring presentation about the meaning of service and why working with the local communities is so important. We work our hardest to make sure that as one united team with the locals, we can impact for the better.

By Zoe and Jack

Friday July 27, 2018

Hey it’s Kennedy and Brecker! Your leaders of the day!! Here’s a brief rundown of what we did!

We spent pretty much the entire day planting mangroves after learning that they help the environment more than rainforests by collecting more carbon. Coral safety is also a big issue which we learned from a coral song. We got superrrrrrrrrr muddy and couldn’t see our feet while planting mangroves, although we did get sidetracked by having a big mud fight that turned some friends to enemies. The boat ride back was super relaxing and some people fell asleep until we saw a leopard shark swimming really close. None of us got clean until the 5th water activity including a shower. The game of telephone-pictionary did cause some disagreements that came sprouting out of nowhere. Today was Lovo day and that meant that all the food was cooked out over a open flame. To wrap it up today was a pretty awesome and muddy day! Halfway through the trip and loving it!

P.S- See mom I told you I would make it ~Kennedy

Saturday July 28, 2018

Weekend Time! We were separated in to two different groups.Hiking was the first activity for group 1 And for group 2 went cave snorkeling in the Sawailau Caves. The local guide said we haven’t been to the Yasawas until we’ve been to the caves! . For the groups that went hiking, we walked around 2 miles up to the tallest peak on the island. There were amazing 360 views of our island and surrounding islands. It was extraordinary to see all the wonderful teamwork as the GLA leaders gave each other a hand and saved one another from sliding down the cliffs. This would be a painful thought to image that kids do this hike every day to school. Hard work for sure to get there but rewarding with a view of the coral reefs and aquamarine water. During cave snorkeling, we saw where a scene “the blue lagoon” movie was filmed. There were two chambers. The first one had an open top so there was light.

The second chamber was dark but incredibly cool to explore even though it was dark. The guides had underwater flashlights so we could see the structure. This went all well until an eel in a curvature manner guiding himself along the cave as all the adolescents were completely exposed waiting to be eaten.(the creature was only 12 inches long) After another delicious dinner (we’re all eating so much home cooked food) there was a monstrous celebration involving practically the entire island for our rather enthusiastic Sam. We exhausted our energy in creating a fabulous card that celebrates the day of her miraculous birth. We then forwarded our attention to the movie screen as we munched obnoxiously on popcorn and various other mediocre snacks. Our bodies decided to give out and we had a slumber fest as we all cuddled together for warmth and fell asleep during the movie. We were shortly awoken by abnormally loud snoring and we all headed to our beds. This ended the day in phenomenal fashion and I felt content as a anchored my salt water engulfed hair into the nice mushy pillow. I hissed in the same way as someone would when the click open the can of a refreshing soda pop. A small smirk filled my face as my eyes closed in a fulfilled manner.

Peace and Blessings,

Alex and Allison

Sunday July 29, 2018

Hello parents!!

Today was another relaxing weekend day in Fiji! We woke up this morning and went to an island that serves as a kind of park for Fijians. While we were there, we played games, sunbathed, snorkeled, and played beach volleyball and rugby. We also competed in an “amazing race” where we had to finish Fijian tasks like basket weaving, scraping coconuts, and planting coconuts (Alexandra and Evan’s team killed it). After the race, we went home and had a presentation on “lollipop moments”, or small moments that can make a big impact in someone’s life. It was another fun day in Fiji and we are all looking forward to continuing with our service tomorrow!

– Gabe and Julia A

Monday July 30, 2018

The blog is by Amanda and Will:

What an awesome day it was! We went to the village to do waste management service. We split into two groups and each group was assigned a different task. One group created trash bins out of recycled water bottles while the other group went around to each house in the village and surveyed which households needed grey water filtration systems.

To make the trash bins, we cut pieces of wood, nailed them together, and painted them red. We used empty plastic water bottles to make the sides of the trash bins. The garbage bins are important for keeping trash out of the ocean. There’s over 270,000 tons of trash in our oceans and it causes so much damage to our ocean ecosystems.

Our director Sam did a presentation about plastic and how it is absolutely destroying our planet. Reduce/ re-use/ recycle! So yes, putting our new plastic knowledge to work.

The trash bins make it easier for the villagers to transport trash instead of throwing it outside and having it end back up in the ocean. The group responsible for surveying and making the water filtration used old gasoline tanks, cut off the tops, poked holes all around, and filled it with dead coral and sand. The dead coral and sand acts as a natural filter of the waste water. The filtration systems are very important to ensure the well being of the ocean. If there were no filtration systems in place the grey water would drain into the ocean and pollute it, thus killing animals and their ecosystems. After we had lunch in the village, the two groups switched activities. Once both groups finished, we started a beach cleanup which entailed going around the island and picking up trash. We collected sooooo much of it!

Today we have put a lot of effort into our service and we could all agree it was an extremely successful day. All the little kids of the village came up to us to play around. The village and the little kids were all so thankful for our help and its so rewarding to see how happy everyone is. It’s an amazing feeling to know that the littlest things can put a smile on someone face for eternity.

Tuesday July 31, 2018

Bula!

Today was an emotional last day in the village. We started out by helping the villagers prepare and cook a traditional Fijian meal called Lovo. We then presented what we have learned about coral, climate change, waste management and mangroves to the villagers and finished by singing the coral song. The villagers then entertained us with traditional singing and dancing and pulled us in to join the fun. It then hit a lot of us that it was our last day in the village and a lot of us shed some tears in hopes that we wouldn’t have to leave. Afterwards we bought souvenirs from the local villagers and the money that we spent would go straight to their local economy. We then headed back to base to finish the day with a big bonfire!!

Click here to jump down to the recent posts! 

Thursday July 5, 2018 

Bula from Fiji!

Our new Fijian home welcomed us with traditional kava ceremony. In silence we were watching and listening to men preparing this national drink and sharing with GLA staff team.

It’s 24 students all together in our group. Some of us met at LAX, others at the Nadi airport in Fiji’s During many activities today we managed to get to each other names and our background.

We had a lovely walk to the local beach. We passed a lot of green fields and palm trees. We can’t believe it’s so green out here! While walking on the beach some of us spotted crabs somewhere between the rocks.

Fijian staff from the hotel prepared a traditional lovo for dinner. It’s a dish baked underground. We had meat, fish, taro (a type of root plant, similar to potatoes), spinach and some fresh salad.

We are all tired after long travel to Fiji and very excited about next 2 weeks!

Friday July 6, 2018

In the words of Alexander Von Humboldt, “The most dangerous worldview is the worldview of those who have never viewed the world.” This was our quote of the day and also an unofficial motto that encompasses what our goals for this trip are. We started our day with a Chow Circle where we went over our agenda and created goals that we hoped to achieve by the end of the afternoon. We all agreed that we wanted to completely immerse ourselves into the culture and so everyday we have committed to learning a new word. The words of the day were Bula, which means hello, and Yadra which means good morning. At this current rate we hope to be fluent by the end of the trip.

After Breakfast, we learned all about Fiji’s rich history. We also learned about the kava ceremony and about this traditional plant. It was very cool to learn about the various cultural customs that are practiced over here. We learned how to properly sit, tie our Sulus and excuse our selves. It was a blast!

We then embarked on an adventure that included volcanic hot springs, games and lots of mud, but it all started with the best fish and chips in Fiji. After this amazing lunch, we went on a beautiful hike and got an opportunity to appreciate the gorgeous vistas. We then went to a spa where we rubbed mineral rich mud all over ourselves and play very intense team games.

Overall, the day was super fun and informative. Tomorrow there will be a change in scenery and I think I speak for everyone when I say we are excited to see why will come next.

Bula!
Kaden and Itasca

Saturday July 7, 2018

24 sleepy-eyed GLA-goers eagerly awoke at the civilised hour of 5.30am to prepare for our departure for the exotic island, Nacula. We began the day with our daily Chow Circle: to remind the group of the adventures that were to follow and the crucial kit that was needed for the day. After a quick breakfast of papaya, pineapple and scrambled eggs, we lugged our extremely oversized baggage into the coach and set off for the ferry port, just in time to watch the sun rise and illuminate the Fijian islands. We swiftly arrived at the port with just enough time to buy even more unnecessary snacks and coffee. What then entailed was a 5 hour boat ride to the island which consisted of 2 hour monopoly games, much-needed naps, ice cream and some sunbathing on the roof.

We passed dozens of beautiful islands and just about managed to sing through every Mamma Mia and Shrek song. The 5 hour journey flew by and before we knew it we were being greeted on our tropical island by friendly Fijians waving and shouting BULA! The island was breathtaking, and we all stood on the beach taking in our surroundings. Next we were assigned our rooms. Our rooms are blue huts that are comfortable and cozy. We also have a porch and a hammock that has proven to be a fun hangout spot.

After we got our rooms we had or lunch, which consisted of local Fijian foods. As the afternoon progressed, we gathered on the beach and we were split into three groups that rotated through three different stations. The first was a swim assessment, the second was an intro to snorkeling, and the third was an intro into marines sciences. We then had some free time in which many of us spent more time on the beach and getting aquatinted with our new home. During the early evening we all met on in the beach and played games that helped us bond even more.

The beach was filled laughter and smiles. It was amazing because when we had free time, we continued to play games on the beach as the sun was setting. In that moment it was clear hat we had already become so close even though it has only been three days. We then had our evening chow circle in which we reflected on our day. After dinner we then split into three groups and we discussed our goals for the trip and what we were hoping to get out of this experience. We ending the long day by sitting on the beach and staring at stars that are lighting up the night sky.

Sunday July 8, 2018

Bula! Goodmorning after our first night on the Nacula island.

We started the day off by learning some Fijian words from our local guide, Gabby. With the local slang on our minds, we husked some coconuts and learned how to weave coconut leaf baskets with captain Bill and Mosese. Our captain likes to share his wisdom and told us to be like a coconut tree – be good like a coconut and be useful like a coconut- as everything from the tree is pure and utilized in Fiji.

The afternoon was filled with coral ( or in Fijian: Lase-) adventures. We went snorkeling to pick up dead coral and made fish houses out of them. We used cement to stick the pieces together as true ocean architects and decorated them with shells. Later this week we’ll put these back in the water so that they can be used as a new flourishing habitat for marine life.

There was free time to do sunbathing, ride on kayaks and play games. One could say we had plenty of fun! A very inspiring Ted Talk named “single stories” led us to sharing our perceptions on only having one side of a story. A moment to reflect at sunset.

By Sophia Chulack and Dylan Bender

Monday July 9, 2018

Today we started off the day by taking a beautiful morning boat ride to the village on the other side of the island. We visited the school where we listened to the young kids sing traditional Fijian songs and afterwords had a fun time playing games with them such as duck duck goose and tag. After the school we went Into the heart of the village where we got to meet the chief and take a tour of the area. We had snack and lunch in the village as well. After lunch we took a boat ride back to our home base where we then changed into our swim wear and went for a cooling afternoon snorkel. When we were done snorkeling we had time to relax on the beach or kayak. To end the day we played some games and then had dinner. I would call this another successful day on the beautiful island of Nacula!!

– Jerry and Gabby

Tuesday July 10, 2018

Today we split into two groups, one group which worked with locals to help replant corals to areas which suffered from coral bleaching. The other group which we were in went out on a boat with locals as well and we did reef checks which involved counting fish and other sea organisms to help gather data to compare and make sure the reef is still healthy. Each group snorkeled for around 2 hours and had lots of fun. Our group in particular got to see 2 sharks, a small shark, and a leopard shark. I’m addition, we saw two eagle rays swimming together and then rested on a beautiful island which had goats as well.

Bula!

By, Audrey and Teja

Wednesday July 11, 2018

Today everyone was split into two groups. This time service group 1 stayed at the home base doing the works of coral restoration. The work consisted of implementing cookies (not the ones you eat) made of cement and used collected coral tied to it and set that down 5 meters deep during low tide for the growth of new coral to grow.

While service group 2 took a bleat ride to a separate island and did a reef check, each pair of students counting the number of a certain species of fish. After tea time everyone spent their 2 hours catching up and bonding through bracelet making, volley ball, and watching the sunset. After dinner we all watched Moana on our movie night. All in all it was a very successful day.

Thursday July 12, 2018

Already halfway the program?! Time just flies by when you are having fun. Today was all about climate change and how it affects our blue planet. After munching away our breakfast, we went straight into a mangrove workshop with our Fijian marine and climate expert Gabby. Moving forward by taking actual steps in protecting this local area. We planted hundreds of mangroveseeds and gave them a chance to grow and protect the Nacula island. Mangroves are the most wicked plants on earth. Think nursery and cyclone protection and shelter for tons of animals. It is important to keep them around.

Working on the beach was much fun though we faced some challenges. The burning sun and incoming tide were against us. Because of the limited resources we had the put the legs to work.
« When men are of one heart, they can move mountains. »

And we created a rock wall that enquired manpower. This wall will keep the sediment and sand in the harbor and will slow down the process of erosion. But are we feeling the muscles! The crabs and other marine creatures hiding in those rocks got a new location. Bet they are having housewarming tonight. Even though we are tired after the work, the results are so rewarding. We celebrate with a dance party on the beach tonight.

-By Violet Kaufmen, Qingtian Shi

Friday July 13, 2018

The day started off quiet and chill. Each group played games and tried to sort out something to entertain themselves as they awaited the boat. The day was filled with new and exciting projects; building trash bins out of recycled material and digging a deep pit for trash management for the village. Once on the island each group split and started their projects. The children greeted them with loving smiles and admired them from their colorful classrooms.

The groups grabbed shovels and rigorously started digging the pit. Giggles ruptured and even a race started against one another to fill up the basket the fastest.

The other group grabbed used Fiji water bottles and strung wire through holes and formed a wall for the trash to go into.

After a long day of hard work, everyone came back to camp relaxed and even had a large bon fire and danced the night away.

-by Eliana and Timothy

Saturday July 14, 2018

Weekend Time!

Saturday started with a bit of an early start because we had a full day of fun ahead. We were separate in to two different groups.Hiking was the first activity for group 2 And for group 1 went cave snorkeling in Sawailau Caves. The local guide said we haven’t been to the Yasawas until we’ve been to the caves! . For the groups that went hiking, we walked around 3 miles up the tallest peak on the island. There were amazing 360 views of our island and surrounding islands. It was amazing! Hard work for sure to get there but rewarding with a view of the coral reefs and aquamarine water.

During cave snorkeling, we saw where a scene “the blue lagoon” movie was filmed. There were two chambers. The first one had an open top so there was light. The second chamber was dark but incredibly cool to explore even though it was dark. The guides had underwater flashlights so we could see the structure. After another delicious dinner (we’re all eating so much home cooked food) there was a presentation about ‘lollipops moments’… which is a type of leadership that involves everyday little magical moments that might impact the people around you… and you might not even know it! Overall our quote of the day, which was “it does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop” by Confucius, really for in well to today’s activities. Moce! (Goodbye/goodnight)

Jerry & Victoria

Sunday July 15, 2018

Here is what day 12 looked like in the eyes of our students:

What a memorable day it was. One that will always be in our hearts. We arrived early morning in the Nacula village to present work we did on the program. We provided entertainment first though. The coral song was definitely a hit at the school. We proceeded to inform the children about our new knowledge on trash, climate change, and mangroves.

Presenting our work and results to the village board that includes the mayor and chief was impressive. The data we gathered will be used to protect the marine area and makes sure the village interests are at heart as it will be included in governmental studies. We all realize how important our volunteering work is to the community. As they keep saying: “The first day you are a guest, the second you are one of us. ” We then had the privilege to cook our lunch with the locals. A meal you prepare in coconut tree leaves and will be cooked in a pit in the ground.

After the delicious “lovo”, we also had the amazing opportunity to try kava during the traditional ceremony. Kava is a drink made from the pepper plant and sometimes numbs your tongue. Although it was nothing like soda, it was still a very exciting experience… ( read: it tastes like dirtwater with liquorish flavor)

We then had to say our final goodbyes to the community and headed back to home base having our last dinner together on the island. We dance the night away as tomorrow we hop on the ferry back to the mainland.

Vinaka Nacula! You were pure bliss!

Monday July 16, 2018

We were fortunate enough to have another a precious extra hour of sleep before our chow Circle at 7.45. After a delicious breakfast of coconut pancakes and peanut butter we jumped into the boat, driven by our favorite captain Bill and made our way to a beautiful private island. We had a relaxing Sunday morning which consisted of intense volley ball matches against the locals – star players including Sophia C, Violet, Jerry Lee and Paige. We also went snorkeling amongst the friendliest fish who seemed to chase us rather than us chase them. We then all sat down for a humungous lunch on the island cooked by the Oarsman staff and barbecued by our very own Jerry and Jerry!

After eating far too much we began to mentally prepare for the Amazing race that was looming on us.

We began the race at 2.30 and we were split into 3 teams. The race included traditional Fijian skills such as basket weaving and coconut husking. We finished the race off with a competitive kayak race to the buoy and back which was won by champion kayaker Anni. However it was a close call and the final prize, a traditional Fijian staff was won by Paige’s team, thanks to Paige’s agility and flexibility.

After the race we cooled down with a refreshing swim in the sea and a Hercules sing off. We returned to home base via the boat after an action packed day and a break from service. We arrived just in time for tea and started to prepare our presentation on our service projects for the villagers. We learnt the coral song which we will perform to the kids tomorrow and learnt some professional dance moves thanks to Kaden’s mastery.

-Written by Anni Paradise

Click here to jump down to the most recent post! 

Monday June 18, 2018

Bula! One of the first Fijian words that we learned today. Staff and students were greeted with this friendly word which means hello. After excitedly arriving at Home Base and getting breakfast and a tour we got to meet each other! The Fijian sun was strong and the pool was refreshing. The groups played a super fun “fetch” charades game and then delved into orientation to learn about how to keep ourselves safe and healthy while having fun on this adventure. After a walk to Wailoaloa Beach to learn about protecting resources and how to keep integrity on the program we got our first look at a Fijian sunset!

Dinner was plentiful with fish, lovo chicken, taro leaves, potatoes and lovo roots. We also were treated to Fijian dancing and singing and ice cream for dessert! Exhaustion finally hit and off to bed to start acclimating to our new life!
Bula!

Jessica Cudnik
Mentor

More photos!

Wednesday June 20, 2018

We all woke up to meet the sun’s greeting at our former home base in Nadi. While some of us were rather sluggish to wake up, all of us were very excited and ready to take on all of the challenges that this new day had to offer! We set course towards our new home, Nacula; a beautiful island that presents new view points, challenges, and amazing sunsets! Upon arrival we were greeted by the local staff singing a traditional Fijian song. After hours of warming up and preparation, we all passed our swim tests! We all then had our first snorkel lesson, had a great meal with live Fijian music, and, to cap it all of, a sunset that put some students to tears. What an amazing day! Onward to more adventures!

-Written by leaders of the day: Kenneth Warren and Maggie Bruce

Thursday June 21, 2018

Today was our first full day on Nacula island. We took a boat ride with Captain Bill to meet the kids who attend the island’s school. We were greeted by six of the school children charging across their activities field. Once in the school, all of the kids demonstrated traditional songs and dances. After finally saying goodbye, we headed to the village, where we witnessed a kava ceremony and took a tour of the place where we are going to work. We were also given a morning “tea” that included fresh coconuts and roti rolls. Back at the home base, we snorkeled and played volleyball with some of the staff. Later, Jessica led a talk on how to set SMART goals. All in all, this was a great first day and we can’t wait for tomorrow!

-By Nicholas Partee and Isabel Cohen

Friday June 22, 2018

Waking up to a beautiful sunrise, students already knew they could look forward to an amazing day. We started off with a presentation from our local mentors, Moses and Gabby. Dressed in a bright yellow lakers jersey so that nobody could ignore him, Gabby explained the biology of marine organisms to the students. In order to do our best at helping the locals manage their resources, we first needed to learn how to identify and quantify the marine life found on the reefs of Nacula.

Fiji relies on coral for a lot of their exports, and without protecting the coral, the economy could collapse. When we learned about all the positive things that coral does, we were inspired to work hard to not only help conserve the reefs, but also teach locals to do so.

The knowledge we acquired during the presentation proved to be particularly useful while out in the field. Split into two groups, we all used our new skills to do our work. Group one went out into a reef near the village to collect data by counting fish. Each person had to look for a specific fish and mark down how many they saw in four ten minute periods. We later compared that data to the data found by our mentor Gabby, and put it into a government database. While looking for our species, we also got to experience a diverse marine ecosystem that is uncommon in our daily lives. We saw fish with bright colors and coral blossoming with life. Eels, sea cucumbers and sea stars dotted our vision while species like parrotfish, butterfly fish and goat fish darted across our path.

Group 2 on the other hand travelled to the local village to begin our coral restoration project. Once we arrived there we collected coral tips and after collecting half a bucket worth of coral tips we began glueing them to the coral cookies. We then tied the coral cookies to a pvc table with a metal grid on top and placed it in a suitable location 4 meters deep. We there then rewarded with snacks and juice from the local villagers.

Upon arriving back at home base, we were greeted with afternoon tea and time to rest after an eventful day. We spent this time bonding on hammocks and listening to music, happy to be in good company and an inspiring country.

Saturday June 23, 2018

Today our GLA family divided into two activity groups. Group 1 had a spectacular hike along volcanic ridges to a dazzling 360 degree view of the island. It was filled with plenty of laughter and great music. Activity group 2 ventured to Yasawa Islands landmark, two cave systems filled with fresh/salt water. To enter the second cave we had to make a short swim through a tunnel underwater that opened up to a lightless cavern. Group 2 partook in either local snorkeling or kayaking. While Group 1 had their turn at venturing through the Yasawa caves, Group 2 also made coral cookies for our conservation program. At the end of the day, we regrouped to share a delicious meal together and reflect on our adventurous encounters of Fiji’s epic beauty.

Sunday June 24, 2018

Today was our adventure/ hang out day! Half of the group went hiking up the mountain near home base; while the other half went to the Blue Lagoon private island to snorkel. After the hike, the hiking group joined the other group at Blue Lagoon to participate in activities. We snorkeled, swam, and played volleyball. We also participated in the amazing race which consisted of learning to weave baskets, scraping the coconuts, planting a tree, and kayaking. All three teams had to work together to complete the given tasks which helped with leadership and teamwork. Finally, we had a BBQ lunch on the island and bonded as we hung out together as a family!

Monday June 25, 2018

Yadra, GLA parents! Yadra means “good morning” and was our word of the day today. We met at 6:45 today before breakfast and departed for our service work in and around Nacula Village. We split into two service groups, one of which surveyed the reef and counted marine life and the other harvested coral for eventual growing and planting. We had a delicious local-cooked lunch in the village. Then one group picked up trash on the beach while the other continued our reef survey. We then returned to our home base for tea. We practiced a song to present to the school before dinner. While we ate, a group of us had fun doing a traditional Fijian dance. After dinner, we closed the day with a bonfire on the beach.

Tuesday June 26, 2018

Sun. Water. Humidity. Today we started off with an early morning service activity. Throughout the morning we planted over 1250 mangrove trees. As a team we pulled together, and our hardwork paid off. After service we had lunch in the village with the amazing locals. We cooled off with some fresh coconut water and lunch. Afterwards we played some games with the locals. To finish our service we coastal mapped the shores. Coastal mapping is the process were we take data from different spots on the beach and over time see how much it eroded away. To finish off the awesome day we sat down and watched the amazing Fijian sunset. We all had so much fun today, and we do miss all of our families!

Wednesday June 27, 2018

After breakfast our team headed out to the village to finish planting mangroves. Altogether we planed an extra 110 mangrove trees today. After getting a short break and a snack prepared by the village, we began our next service project. We started to construct four different garbage bins made of wooden planks and up-cycled plastic water bottles as part of our waste management program. This is important because without anywhere to put the garbage it ends up littering the island and sea. When we came back to home base we engaged ourselves in practicing for our performance for the school tomorrow. It was really fun to sing with everybody and we all enjoyed spending time with each other. After dinner Sam did a presentation about pollution in the sea. We suggested ways of how we can help reduce the waste that is filling our planet. All in all today was a fun and eventful day filled with laughter and learning.

Update: Photos from today!

Thursday June 28, 2018

Today was a monumental day as we completed our service here on the beautiful island of Nacula. We began the day by visiting the children at the school and performing the “Coral Song”, something which we had been strenuously working on to master. The looks of joy on the faces of the children when we graciously walked into the school was heartwarming to say the least. We were given a pleasant surprise when the children performed yet another ravishing medley of traditional Fijian and western music.

It was an understatement to say that the hearts of all the students were melted by their adorable voices and bubbling enthusiasm. Isabelle and Braden then proceeded to give the children a presentation about the excellent work that we had accomplished and how the children could better their own society. Following this, a session of pure fun and games began. With top – quality relay races, intense volleyball matches and creative tattoo sessions (fake don’t worry!), it was safe to say that the sound of laughter was was prevalent for the entire hour.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and after heavy-hearted goodbye as well as the creation of a few secret handshakes, we proceeded to the village in order to complete our service projects. We all worked tirelessly and with immense determination to accomplish our goals of creating a more sustainable way of recycling trash. Stopping for a bountiful water break and the usual lunch hour, we managed to complete all 4 recycle bins with messages written on the sides to inspire the villagers to find more sustainable ways to live. As an added bonus, we used some slightly hefty rocks to create barricades against the sweeping tides, thus keeping the sand evenly spread. This stopped the natural deterioration of one side of the beach.

Upon arrival, we were given free time until dinner, which was spent relaxing on the beach, going kayaking, snorkelling by the nearby reef as well as playing a modified version of rugby. To cap off the excellent day, we had a “lollipop” session in which we truly appreciated the people who have made a positive change in our lives by rewarding them with a lollipop. Overall, a rewarding day in which we spent time with arguably the cutest kids in the world, completing our service projects and relaxing by the beautiful beach of this hotel.

Sincerely,

Vidur and Harrison

Friday June 29, 2018

Hello family and friends!

Today was an extremely eventful day for the GLA students. We arose to a beautiful sunrise. We attended a lovo feast and participated in cultural ceremony and dance. While in the village we attended a formal kava ceremony as a celebration of the work we have done and a goodbye to our new Fijian family. After spending the day singing dancing and eating we headed back to oarsmen resort (home base) where we were able to spend free time hanging out with our GLA family before dinner. As usual the staff here at oarsmen outdid themselves. All in all, a great day for the GLA crew!!!

Click here to jump down to the new posts! 

Thursday July 12, 2018

Bula from Fiji!

Early this morning we arrived and got a traditional Kava greeting ceremony on the deck of our hotel. We then hung out and made friendship bracelets by the pool until our rooms were ready. We had orientation rotation and a tasty lunch! We had time to rest before we walked to the beach to do more introduction and name game activities. When we got back from the beach we had a few hours to rest and some people went swimming. After that, we had dinner which was a delicious salmon, chicken, salad, and spring roles. For dessert we had ice cream! Fiji has been an amazing place so far and we are very excited to explore even more of the gorgeous island. We had an earlier night because we were jet lagged. 🙂

-Madeleine and Sammy!

Friday July 13, 2018

Bula!!! From your kid in FIJI!!!! 😁 today we had a wonderful breakfast to start out our adventure for the day. We first learned how to tie sulus (aka sarongs) the correct way! We had a blast. We learned about three different way to tie them. We then hopped onto the bus and sped away to the stunning Indian community. Half of the islands of Fiji are made up of Indofijians. We made homemade authentic Indian food from scratch. It was delicious. We also got to try lemon juice with pure cane sugar. It was very refreshing. We then went to Nadi town and shopped around and in an open air market where they had amazing fruits. Then we went to Jack’s which is a souvenir shop. Then we went to the hotel and had a fantastic dinner. We then met with our mentor groups for the first time. Now we are currently sleeping. Thanks!!!! From Madeleine and Ainsley!!!!!!

Saturday July 14, 2018

Bula! Today was an awesome day. First, we woke up and had breakfast and afterwards we made a social contract for the duration of the trip, we also watched a ted talk about how to be leaders. After that, we played a couple fun games until it was time to leave for lunch and the rest of our day. For lunch we went to “The best fish and chips place in Fiji!” according to our mentors. From there, we went to the sleeping giant gardens and a short hike with an amazing view while we were there.

After we finished the hike, we were given some delicious “Guava Lava” juice. Then we went to the mud pools and hot springs and spent a lot of time there, some people even got massages! We came back to the hotel and had some wifi and chill time before dinner. After dinner we are preparing for our journey to the Yasawa Islands tomorrow morning. Mothe!! (This means good night in Fijian)

-By Brooke and Sammy

Sunday July 15, 2018

Bula!

As we departed from Nadi, we left behind a city of smiles and waves, only to be greeted by more of the same. Though the three hour boat ride to the Yasawa islands was nauseating, the first touch of the sand made us feel at home. The clear water reminded us of our intention we set for the day, service, as we are continuing to have an open mind about our new daily life at Botaira. After snorkeling among different corals and fish, and finding our spirit animal, we all found ourselves exhausted from the long, eventful day. We were then introduced to our Fijian support staff — Jim, Ross, and Tema. After meeting the Fijian staff, we broke into our service groups, where we met our service leaders. We look forward to spending a day of service at Gunu, beginning with an introductory ceremony from the village.
Moce! (Goodnight!).

-by Bryce and Caroline

Monday July 16, 2018

Bula!

Our names are Isabelle and Kate and We are the leaders of the day for July 16, 2018!

We started the day by traveling to the Gunu Village to meet the local villagers and children. We traveled via water taxi that took about 30 minutes.

When we arrived, we met the elders and the chief of the village, and the welcoming ceremony commenced! All students were given the option to drink kava, a root-based drink used during a welcome ceremony.

After the welcoming ceremony, we met the children of the school and were greeted with smiles and practiced dances and songs. The children were overly excited to meet us, as we were to them. The GLA students also gave a common known cheer to show our gratitude to our welcome.

The women and villagers prepared a yummy lunch for us to show their thanks. After lunch, the GLA students split into their service groups and discussed their future projects for the next coming days.

After, we left the island and returned to our home base. We spent our afternoon in the ocean snorkeling and exploring.

Overall, we had a very eventful and exciting day with promises of service to come. Fiji has been treating us very well and we can’t wait to start our service tomorrow! Mothé or goodnight!

Kate- shoutout to My family: love you all!

Isabelle- shoutout to my family and my dogs: I miss you all so much! (Especially Stewey)

Tuesday July 17, 2018

Bula beautiful people!😊

Today was full of breathtaking scenery as well as hard work and perseverance. Kate M. And I (Kaylee) started the day early, picking up fallen flowers to decorate the breakfast tables:)! Then we grabbed our lunch and headed off to the village! The sustainability group spent 5 hours working hard to begin making water filters.

The education group were introduced to children grades 1-4, and were able to hang out with some of the elder students as well. We assessed where the students were in their learning journey and taught them a little song. All of them were super exited and held my hands as we walked around the village. (Also like 3 kids asked if I was Taylor Swift)

Before Chow circle, we ended off the long day with an incredible hike and were blessed with a once in a lifetime view of the Fijian sunset and the islands surrounding.

P.s. I love you lots Mom, dad, Gavin, Edan, Bella, Beau, and my lil Olly boy ❤ -KCM

Hey mom and dad!! Love you!
Sup Prestonian:)
❤Katherineeeeeeee

-Kaylee Caitlyn Meyer and Kate the Great

Wednesday July 18, 2018

Bula! Waking up to paradise once again! Excited to get back into the community we prepared for another day of service. In agriculture we got down and dirty, expanding the new garden by adding our baby tomato plants and cabbage seeds. Education continued their work with the amazing kids in the school. Sustainability mixed cement and made the base for the rain catcher. They also added in the gutter system that will catch rain water running down the roof.

Once again the women of the village treated us to the most delicious lunch. After returning to home base we greatly enjoyed some free time. Some got back out in the ocean to do some snorkeling. Others relaxed on the beach, read their books, or dabbled in some beautiful henna! We then had another awesome curry dinner. We finished our day with a great Ted Talk from Tyler and reflecting on our time here in our mentor groups.

Love Kelly and Nick
P.S. Love and miss my family back home😘

Thursday July 19, 2018

Bula! Here’s Tilly and Megan recapping the day! We woke up at 6:45 and headed to breakfast. At our service groups, sustainability finished our rainwater tank and worked on beach cleanup. In agriculture we finished planting the tomatoes, built them shelter with palm tree leaves, and even planted a few banana trees! In education they said their goodbyes to their kids because today’s their last day in these service groups. At lunch all of the groups got to play games with the kids which was a lot of fun! After a rocky boat ride back to base we played soccer, volleyball and got together for a round of mafia before dinner. For dinner we had chicken and fish and soup! After dinner we discussed our smart goals and how to set them. In our mentor groups we used them to begin thinking about our capstone projects. And now we’re off to bed, moce!

Ps love you and miss you mom dad and sienna (and nova and lincoln)❤
Mom, dad, Annabel + Elsie i love and miss you guys SO much😚 having a great time here:)

Friday July 20, 2018

Today we started our new service tasks. It was neat to see another project and why it was important. There was also a funeral in the village today’s After we came back from Gunu village we had free time from 4pm to 6:40pm. During our free time some played volleyball and some others tanned on the beach and swam. We then had chow circle and talked about our highlights of the day and how we liked our new jobs. For dinner we had delicious fish and spinach. Afterwards, Tyler lead a slam poetry workshop that was a lot of fun. Overall, today was another great day in Fiji.

Written by the leaders of the day, Love and Mia

Saturday July 21, 2018

Bula!! Olivia and Payton here starting the weekend off right with lots of fun activities! Both of us were separate groups.

(Olivia) My group left at 9:30 to start the trek up and over a mountain to the village of Kese. After a short boat ride, we found ourselves on a seashell littered beach. Our trusty guide, Ros*, led us to a narrow path winding into the Fijian jungle. The hike proved to be more of a climb as the incline of the trail increased with every step. Blasting music as encouragement, we reached the top of the mountain. After wiping the sweat from our eyes, we took in an amazing view of the beach we had come from and the bright blue ocean below. We made our descent down the other side of the mountain while trying to keep our eyes off the ocean view and on the tricky path below. We hiked for about and hour before finally emerging at our destination – Kese. All of the sweat and scratches were worth it because we were going to get to make VIRGIN COCONUT OIL!! The wonderful women’s club of Kese helped us husk, scrape, and do everything needed to make coconut oil before taking our very own bottles back to homebase with us. Thankfully, we took the boat back and had a relaxing rest of the day

(Payton) Today was a very relaxing day. After Oliva’s group left at 9:30 we had Fijian lessons from our local director Tema. Then after free time, we learned how to wash our undergarments with buckets because our clothes were washed by the ladies at our service village. We also wove bracelets and also had a dance off by the deck and enjoyed sunset with tea time. Later that night we had dinner and celebrated a good friend of ours Isabell 18th birthday. We finished the night off with more dancing and a movie.

Sunday July 22, 2018

Vaka cava?

Today we began early, when a few brave souls awoke at 5:15 to see the beautiful Fijian sunrise atop a mountain peak. We returned to breakfast, after which we divided into two groups — one that planted coral, and another that weaved bracelets. Just before noon, the former group boated twenty minutes away for some snorkeling. What an amazing sight! We swam amongst three manta rays and other ocean life. Upon returning, Tema taught a Fijian lesson, teaching us how to say our name, age, and where we are from. Another groups made bracelets from coconuts. As we close our night, we relax and play some games.

Moce!
Bryce and Jo

Monday July 23, 2018

Bula! We started our day with a delicious breakfast at 7 am! Soon after, we set off to the village for service on an exciting boat ride. We split into our previously established service groups and spent the day completing and enjoying our service tasks, being agriculture, education and sustainability. Education had the honor to participate in the Gunu school’s ECE ceremony and marched with the students. After enjoying a feast prepared by the women at lunch, we set off back to home base where we played local Fijian games lead by the Fijian staff. We then l for dinner while taking part in the traditional chow circle to briefly summarize everyone’s day. This was followed by a yummy meal and took part in a model UN type activity called stretching your lens.

-By Sigal and Cloud

Tuesday July 24, 2018

Bula from behind the postcard!!

We all started the day quite tired, but were quickly woken up by a breezy and bumpy boat ride to Gunu for our last day of service in the second cycle. Sustainability rolled the water tank from the beach to the house where we were building it and placed it on top of the foundation. Agriculture wrapped up their day by watering all the plants and planting some cabbage and banana trees. Education had a busy day wrapping up with the kids. Once we came back, we thought more about our capstone projects where we try to influence our communities and the greater areas.

After an inspirational spoken word on humanity’s influence on the environment we broke out into mentor groups where we imagined our favorite place in nature. Then we were asked to think about how we would feel if that place was destroyed. From there we thought of how we could make a positive impact on the environment. Overall it was an eye opening day.

-Moce (goodnight) from Ains and Torcat

Wednesday July 25, 2018

Bula!

The day started off with a mad rush for toast. Then we headed off to our final rotation of service at Nunu Village. The education group taught year 1 and 2 by reading books and giving spelling tests. The agriculture group planted the food of gods aka yams and tilled soil to get ready to plant cabbage tomorrow.

The sustainability group accidentally did twice the amount of work because they got the wrong gravel to mix cement. We had a wet boat ride back to home base where we enjoyed tea time and free time. We kicked off dinner with a friendly dancing competition brought to you by your amazing leaders of the day Brookie Cookie and Nycky C! We ended the night with an identity workshop. Overall another amazing day in paradise.

Love the best leaders of them all,
Brooke and Nyck

Thursday July 26, 2018

Bula! Our names are Isabelle and Caroline and we are the leaders of the day for Day 15 in Fiji! This is our second time being leaders on the trip. We started our day leaving for Gunu village and starting our work for our third and final service project.

Isabelle: In Agriculture, we planted a big set of Yams and had a local villager cut coconuts and make us coconut water drinks. After lunch we went on a small hike to collect saw dust and planted more seeds!

Caroline: Today in education, we met with our first, second and third year students. Most of us got to meet with the children we had the day before, we also got a new group of kiddies from third year. My group of kiddos all read a book of their choice to me (all amazing readers btw), they then told me the days of the week and how to spell them. Most children can speak English but some do struggle with little words. Being with the children has taught me more than I have taught them and I will forever be grateful for their acceptance and patience with me. (If I come home with six Fijian children I promise I don’t know how they got there..)

Today in sustainability, the group made concrete out of the gravel, sand and water that were all collected in the village, Gunu. (It’s pretty amazing that the island naturally has all of these items to where they spend no money.) Once the concrete was made, we filled the area where the water tank is going to be located. We then placed gutters on the house where the water tank is going to be located so that the water tank gets water!:)

Once we got back from service, us girls (Caroline and Isabelle had a little event planned for the whole group. We wanted to have a fun surprise for the group so before chow circle we played dancing musical chairs!! We turned the music all the way up, put on our competitive pants on and got ready to win musical chairs!!! In first place… TILLY!!!🥇Second place… NYCK!!!🥈Third place… SIGAL!!! 🥉 Tonight was curry night for dinner and it was so so good!! After dinner, we had a goodbye gift for Ross, the agriculture director, some tears were shed but we are so extremely grateful for his knowledge and kindness. Ross was our dad away from home and we are going to miss him so much!:( We then had an activity that involved Fijian lollipops!! We told one person from the group how they have had an impact big or small on our lives here in Fiji.❤

We have six days left in Fiji and as we’re winding down the days, we grow stronger and prouder of our accomplishments! We’re all so sad to leave such an incredible place, but we are all so excited to see our friends and family! This trip has been an amazing opportunity and we can’t wait to tell everyone about it!

Isabelle: shoutout to my family! I can’t wait to come home and see my dogs!! (Miss you Stewey!!)

Caroline: I miss and love you mom and dad!!! Thank you for being my heart & soul❤ I can’t wait to be home and talk your ears off!! (I miss you Carson & my fur babies & crab babies) friends & family I’m alive but having no connection to post has been very relaxing! Miss you all very much.

Friday July 27, 2018

We started off the day with a delicious breakfast where we were treated to Fijian donuts. Sustainability did some final touches with the water tank and saw a spider attack a millipede. Agriculture planted red and green lettuces. Education saw a ceremony and the kids danced and sang. Then we played games with them and ate cake all afternoon.

Tonight we have a fun activity planned- a bonfire on the beach!! Also… Tomorrows the weekend! So we get a relaxing day with sleeping in. All in all, great week. However, it was sad today cause we had to say goodbye to the kids- last day of service 😞
-Kate M and Tori

Hi mother and father I love you!! And hi little brother ❤❤❤❤❤miss you guys so much!

Sunday July 29, 2018

Bula from Fiji!

Today was another amazing relaxing day by the beach and snorkeling. We split up into two groups and half of us chilled at home base all day and the other half of us went snorkeling and saw 7 manta rays! One group learned how to sing a goodbye song in the Fijian language while the other group created coconut jewelry! We then got to have a picnic lunch wherever we wanted to eat. Then we had free time and we swam and snorkeled while others of us chilled out in our bures and on hammocks. It was a very nice relaxing day so we got to regroup and we are so excited to continue our adventure tomorrow with our final day in the village! Lots of love from Fiji!

❤ Madeleine and Love

Monday July 30, 2018

Today we went back to Gunu village for the ceremony. When we got there we helped decorate and prepare the food. Then, we went into the Fijians houses and helped them with daily chores, cooking & weaving. After, we went to town hall and drank kava and introduced ourselves in Fijian. Next, we ate all the food that the women had prepared for us and shopped at a market where the woman were selling jewelry and souvenirs. After a sad goodbye, we returned to Botaira where we had free time before mentor groups. Then after dinner, we had the talent show and everyone laughed and danced. Now we’re off to bed for our last night at the resort :,(

Love you and miss you mom dad Annabel and Elsie can’t wait to see you!! -tilly

See you in a few Deb and Paul -Mia

Tuesday July 31, 2018

Isa Lei! Today we said goodbye to Botaira:( The staff sang us a beautiful song and many- MANY – tears were shed. After a 3 hour ferry ride, we arrived in Nadi and settled in Nadi Bay Hotel one last time. We had lots of free time after a delicious dinner and around 9, we went to the conference room and watched a slideshow of our experience in Fiji. This a life changing opportunity and we are all so grateful and humbled because of it. Moce Fiji!!

Can’t wait to see you mom, dad, and Preston ❤