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Thursday July 5, 2018

Part 1:

We made it! All students have arrived and we are excited to be in the Dominican Republic and look forward to the journey ahead! Stay tuned for more updates on our adventure!

Friday July 6, 2018

Our first day was a success! We woke up to a delicious breakfast at eight in the morning. After that, we took buses to the Caberete Nature Preserve to clean up garbage in the neighboring community. Afterwards, we cooled off in a body of crystal-clear water tucked away in a beautiful cave. We then rode to a pristine beach called Playa Alicia. During the scenic bus ride, we were able to get a glimpse of what daily life in the DR is truly like.

For lunch, we had our pizza on the beach, before swimming in the serene waters. We then came back to home base and were given time to shower, hang out, and recoup. We were treated to a dinner of fried fish and received an enlightening lecture about human security in the DR and abroad. Afterwards, we were given groups with one mentor and a handful of other students and were able to check in and reflect on what we have done so far.

Saturday July 7, 2018

Today we woke up bright and early at 6 am for our crazy adventurous day. We had a two hour bus ride to Mount Brisón, and hiked for three hours. On the way up we encountered many steep hills and two local families, who both shared personal stories about their lives on the mountains and spoke about the 7 elements of human security.

At the top of the mountain we met La Doña Maxima and she had ready for us a delicious lunch which consisted of rice, beans, pork, eggplants, plantains, and fresh fruit. She spoke to the group about her life on the mountain and some struggles she faces being so isolated from society. After lunch, we hiked back down and returned to home base. To wrap up the day we had a yoga session led by Ellen our mentor and a delicious meal cooked by the chefs.

Sunday July 8, 2018

We began our day working at Caño Dulce. Caño Dulce is a small community in Las Cana. We worked together to build and insulate a cement house for a family of 4. Various jobs performed we used chicken wire to make a barrier for plastic bottles, insulation, cementing, digging a hole for septic tank, and organizing bottles. Afterwards we cooled off in the pool at the home base. Finally, we split into our mentor groups and each created a hypothetical project that could improve life in a community. #Tacosunday

Monday July 9, 2018

This day went a lot faster as someone brought a speaker so we could listen to music. We completed the bottling and the base cement layer of the house. We started to apply a smooth layer of cement on top with the help of locals and masons. To take a break from our work, we went to visit a beekeeper named Johnny who lives in the area. We got to taste his delicious honey and observe his bees. At the end of the day, we watched a documentary on climate change in the midst of a storm outside.

Lots of pictures because we couldn’t choose!

-Written by the Leaders of the Day

 

Tuesday July 10, 2018

What an amazing day at Dudu Lagoon! Today the GLA students and myself got to enjoy an excursion after days of hard work! At the lagoon, we were able to admire intricate caves and wildlife while engaging in fun activities such as swimming, volleyball, and a variation of games. My experience at Dudu Lagoon was truly something I will never forget! Tomorrow we will return to Caño Dulce to continue our work in the community!

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Saturday June 23, 2018

We have all arrived safely in the DR. Despite some flight delays, we are in good spirits and looking forward to the next 10 days! #CSA2

Monday June 25, 2018

The facilitators woke the students of the GLA program 15 minutes earlier to hit the ground running as most all of them were anxious to get working over at the community. From the crack of the first hammer on the walls of the house to the last ball of cement plastered on the walls the house came a long way in the completion process.

Students worked various different jobs from mixing and laying cement, to laying the bottle insulation in the wall, to carving the hole for the septic tank, everyone was working hard making an impact on this community. Alongside the hard work we took some time to interact with the locals and have a fun time playing basketball with the children at lunch time to playing catch with the younger ones, everyone had a blast and there were nothing but smiles on everyone’s faces.

Tuesday June 26, 2018

Today was the first adventure day comprised of swimming in the light blue water of Dudu Lagoon and riding the waves at Playa Preciosa. First, we arrived at Dudu Lagoon and some brave souls zip-lined into the crystal clear water while others played it safe and jumped in. After Dudu we started our next journey to Playa Preciosa which was a salty turquoise ocean. Other than swimming, many people spent their time drinking piña colada’s (all virgin!), getting cornrows, and buying sick jewelry. Day 4 was a very well spent day.

-Authors: Sabrina, Bradliegh, Nicola, and Sofia.

Wednesday June 27, 2018

Today started out as an early morning. Around 6:30 am, we all woke up for a yummy desayuno. Then, we began the bus journey to Mt. Brisón. We began the hike up the tough terrain. We learned about the local community members who need to face this journey cada día to get agua and to escuela. When we finally reached the top after a 2 hour journey, we stopped for a delicious almuerzo with Doña Maxima. The decent was far easier than the ascent, but we still enjoyed the breathtaking scenery every step of the way. We are all excited for what tomorrow will bring!

 

Thursday June 28, 2018

Today was an amazing day of service. The group traveled down to Caño Dulce for the third time to finish up our progress on the bottle house. Between cementing, digging the hole, hammering, bottling, and mixing cement, everyone had a day full of hard work. We also got to visit a beehive run by community members who sell honey. The day continued with some free time which the students spent playing in the pool and relaxing. A yummy dinner and more time spent with friends completed the day – some event got to catch the beautiful sunset! We can’t wait for tomorrow!

Friday June 29, 2018

Today we visited Las Cuevas de Cabarete. Here, we picked up trash around the community with the help of the park guides. Following that we took a short hike around the protected area which included a view of the surrounding city. Finally, our last stop while we were there was swimming in the caves. Next, we went to Playa Alicia, where we ate pizza for lunch and swam in the ocean.

When we returned we had a pool party and cake for one of our group members birthday. For discussion tonight we watched a short film on the differences and history of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. We had Haitians come in and talk about personal experiences and answered any questions about being Haitian in the Dominican.

Saturday June 30, 2018

Today was an interesting day because we traveled to our Haitian/Dominican community (Betey) and saw some of the divide between the two groups. While entering the community you immediately see the tough circumstances that exist because of the lack of support. We worked on building a recycling center using empty plastic bottles. The environment was new as the kids were not hesitant in interacting with us and even some offered to help us. We divided into groups of playing and working to make our day flow well.

In the spirit of respecting local community we did not take any photos today. Here are some great pictures to represent our group: sweating heavily on our way up Brisón and sleeping heavily on our trip back home.

See you soon!

Post Writers: Ella, Macey, Kenny, Delaney

Final Blog – by Alex Kreichman

Though this year I went on my second ever GLA trip, it truly felt like the first again, the sense of wonder upon landing in a foreign country, the excitement building slowly as all the tired and hyped up kids packed onto the bus, the program-wide wave of exhaustion that ensued when we all got our rooms and the mild depression we all had when we learned we needed to get up at 6 AM for breakfast and head to the work site the next day. Though I experienced this all before it was just as fantastic a the first and it’s truly an experience I hope that a lot more people get to enjoy in the future.

This goes without saying but living with the same people for 10 days really helps you bond and make friends that you truly cant see yourself living without after the fact even though you didn’t know them beforehand. I’m still in contact with about 90 percent of my group from the Dominican Republic over text or snapchat and our group chat is popping. Getting to experience the culture of somewhere like the Dominican Republic is fantastic and sobering all at the same time. The fact that there are totally accessible parts of the country that look like they belong on a movie set just around the corner from our worksite where we were making a house for a mason who was living with his family in a dirt floor house with minimal space was shocking to most of us.

About the Worksite, we all got into four different groups and worked under the leaders of the day who were elected by the previous leaders of the day to lead the day (Complicated, I know) and began to work on the house, some of us made cement, some of us used the cement to cover up the mesh, some of us measured, cut out, and hammered the mesh into place after the wall was filled with bottles and some of us puffed up deflated bottles to put into the walls as insulation. We also played basketball with some of the local boys and girls after eating and one day we even went to see a local beekeeper and got to try honeycomb which was kind of gross in my opinion but I thought i’d mention it.

One day we worked on another groups service project in a primarily Haitian community called La Grua where we worked on a recycling center also made out of mesh and bottles and such, but we also spent a lot of our time there playing with the kids, some of us played a 3v3 with some of the locals on their basketball court while others played catch with baseballs or penalty kicks with soccer balls out in the field near where we were building. Other than working, we also had days where we went somewhere and did something touristy such as going to a Lagoon, Hiking up a trail through a small community, snorkeling in the ocean, or just chilling at the beach and recreating scenes from Baywatch for the lols, but eventually our time in the Dominican Republic came to a crushing end, we packed onto the bus after saying our goodbyes and head off to the airport back home, and while we may not still be in the DR, the memories and friends we made there will never be lost or forgotten.

-written by Alex Kreichman

 

 

Monday June 11, 2018

We made it to the Dominican Republic! We were able to test out our pool before dinner!! Looking forward to the adventure ahead.

Tuesday June 12, 2018

¡Hola padres!

Today we went to Las Cuevas and jumped into a swimming hole. Then we ate pizza at La Playa Alicia which was really beautiful. We swam and floated there for most of the afternoon and got back home at 4. Then we relaxed, ate dinner, and had discussions. In our discussions we talked about the seven elements of human security and issues in the Dominican Republic. We learned about the separation of the Haitian communities in the Dominican and daily hardships families face. After, we checked in with our mentor groups to talk about our days. It was a full and fun day! Miss you all we will send pics! 🙂 <3

Love,

Elise & Hayley

 

Wednesday June 13, 2018

¡Hola padres!

Today, we started building a bottle house! The bottle house is an eco-friendly shelter composed of recycled plastic water bottles for insulation. We hammered nails and assembled chickenwire to the walls of the wooden frame. Members of the community, along with the family we were building the house for, visited and helped us. After a long day of working, we returned to the lodge and relaxed by the pool and the beach. After a delicious meal, we did a group yoga session before ending a great day 3.

¡Hasta luego!

Miquelle & Gigi

Thursday June 14, 2018

Today we went to Brison, and hiked up a community trail. We did this to experience how the kids may feel when they use this trail daily, to receive an education. Along with community members, this trail is often used to get food, water, and to access other resources. When we got to the top, a local family provided us with a signature Dominican meal. Many people also discovered new foods, such as cacao, passion fruit, and sweet homemade bread (pan dulce). Back at our eco lodge, we discussed the economic benefits of mega sporting events in developing countries, specifically Brazil. We did this to experience the benefits and challenges of having different leadership roles.

Sunday June 17, 2018

¡Hola!

Yesterday we started the day off with some homemade pancakes. Then we went to Dudu Lagoon. We swam in two lagoons and zip lined. We also played a game of beach volleyball with the locals. Then we went to Playa Preciosa. We swam in waves, bought necklaces, and relaxed with coconuts smoothies. Lastly, we participated in a learning leadership discussion.

Sunday June 17, 2018

Special shoutout to all our dads – Happy Father’s Day! Everyone sends their love and wishes you a wonderful and special day that’s all about you!

Today we made our final trip to the bottle house. It was a huge success, the group finished wiring and bottling nearly the entire house and made great steps into cementing a portion of it as well. Everyone put their blood sweat and tears into it, a little bittersweet having to leave the project in the hands of the next group to come in!

The group did take a break and ventured out to a honey bee farm and got the chance to taste some authentic honey. For any parents, if you’re lucky, you’re kid will bring some home for you!

The whole gang returned back to base to enjoy the later half of the afternoon to a pool party coupled with hair braiding and music to relax after a hard days work.

Monday June 18, 2018

¡Hola!

Today, the group went to La Grua, a Haitian and Dominican community. It’s divided by a street and there were clear difference between the Haitians and Dominican communities. With the current government, there have been rising tensions between the two communities we observed. We worked on a bottle house there, which is going to be a recycling center for the community. We worked on bottling, meshing, and wiring. Today, we specifically focus on teamwork. Once we got back from the lodge, we circled around the pool with a beautiful sunset in the background and we reflected on how our team members supported us throughout the day. To end the day, we had a game night which was super fun!!!

¡Hasta luego!

Love,

David and Ally

Tuesday June 19, 2018

Hey parents,

Today was the last day of the trip. We went to SOSÚA. We took a 15 minute boat ride out to a small reef, where we snorkeled in the crystal clears waters and saw some vibrant colored fish. We found Dory. The boat rides were really relaxing and enjoyable. When we got back to shore, we ordered NON ALCOHOLIC drinks and ate pizza on the beach. We had the afternoon to swim, shop, and relax.

When we got back to base camp people packed and/or hung out and talked. After dinner we reflected on the trip and how we could make more impact on the world in the future.

See y’all soon!

-by Claudia and Hayley

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Sunday June 24, 2018

Bienvenidos a Cuba! We are excited to welcome the first Cuba Cultural Odyssey group to La Habana! Students were greeted by our local guide, Atila, and international staff, Amanda and Jenny, at the airport today. At Hotel Vedado, students were given a chance to rest and relax after a day of travel. We made our way to Los Naranjos for dinner, where students sampled local cuisine, like arroz moro and frituras de malanga. After a short orientation to the program, students went to bed in anticipation of our packed schedule tomorrow.

We look forward to meeting Andrea tonight and welcoming her to Cuba!

Monday June 25, 2018

We started the day with GLA Orientation to the Cuba Program. We spent the morning doing team building activities and discussing the community agreements that will remain important to us as we live and work together for the coming days. Our guide, Atila, walked us through Callejon Hamel, a social art project that celebrates Afro-Cuban culture. We learned about Santeria and other religions in Cuba that have African roots. Afterwards we stopped by the famous Plaza de la Revolucion, where we saw the emblematic Che portrait.

Our afternoon lunch stop was accompanied by a long and powerful thunderstorm, which we enjoyed on the terrace while sipping our espressos. Lunch was followed by a Salsa dance class, where we learned some basic steps and how to dance ‘Cuban style.’ A leadership activity in the evening brought together themes for the day, and leave us wondering what more we will discover in the next couple weeks!

Tuesday June 26, 2018

The day started off very early for the group as we embarked on the journey to Cien Fuegos. The bus ride through the countryside and coast was full both of historical explanations of the buildings and discussions about the Cuban way of living and then the American- with Atila guiding us through. I also got to bond with many of my peers with a roadtrip game. After lunch, we got the chance to tour the city and really take in the beauty of the most modern colonial city in Cuba. The state of the buildings was striking as usual, as the poor condition reminds you how historical they really are.

I got to feel the pride in the beauty and see people live and breathe in the streets, and through the people selling souvenirs and the condition I also got to experience that call to action to make it come to life- as the people want to be. Today I learned to ask more questions, and be more considerate of all sides of a story before I fight for what I think should be improvement and change. The people of Cuba get to face this same dilemma. Im learning a lot from the individual and nationwide perspectives of this struggle and I hope to be able to apply this to my struggles facing my own nation in the future. I hope we can all learn this through sharing experiences, respect, and passions. We ended the long day with a game of catch and a talks in the pool, and it was the perfect end to a day for many of us was highly personally reflective, and started too early.

-by Claire

Wednesday June 27, 2018

On day 4 the group got the opportunity to visit Playa Larga where they got the unique opportunity to visit the museum of the bay of pigs invasion and visit Cueva de Los Peces. The museum gave students the opportunity to learn the history of the bay of pigs from the Cuban perspective and see both sides of the story. After the learning experience they visited Cueva de Los Peces which was a beautiful natural pool filled with colorful fish and clear water. After getting the chance to take pictures they checked into the hotel at Playa Larga.

The students got beach and pool time which was very enjoyable as students were able to bond with one another and become closer. After having a comfortable family style dinner with delicious food to finish off the day they returned to the hotel and did mentor groups. The day was filled with fun activities and gave students the chance to experience Playa Larga, a city outside of the busy Havana.

-by Rafael

Thursday June 28, 2018

We started off today in Playa Larga with our counselors having to switch rooms due to an invasion of frogs. After that, we ate breakfast and left Playa Larga for Havana which was a 3 hour bus ride. Whem we got to Havana, we went straight to Muraleando where we did our first community service project of the program. Muraleando used to be an area where locals would dump their trash.

In 2011, neighborhood members decided that they were going to renovate the area to become a center of arts in Havana. When we arrived, there were two jobs that our team had to do. One was to weed plants and the other was to build a walkway and cover a water pipe juat with dirt and any items you could find. Thank goodness that I didnt have to weed. My group worked extremely well together as we did a grear job at making the walkway and finding a way to direct water to a better drainage point. After our community service, we had a great lunch and then toured the rest of Muraleando. We then listened to a great Cuban band play music. Some of us went up to dance and we all had a great time.

Later we went to the AfroCuban museum in Guanabacoa. This museum focused on the different forms of Santeria. We learned alot about the culture and traditions of the religion. After the museum we checked into the hotel and then left again for dinner. At dinner we had some great musicians sing for us and the food was absolutely delicious. We ended the day by going to a cannonfire salute ceremony which symbolized the curfew of Havanans after the English invasion. Overall, it was a great day and I cannot wait for the days to come.

-Written by Liam

Friday June 29, 2018

Waking up at 5:40 in the morning is always fun. We rushed down the stairs in hopes of beating the morning mob for breakfast in preparation to tour the city. In old Habana we saw a city that was alive with people and motion. We toured an old building that now operates as an old people’s home and a children’s day care. It is completely free of charge for the residents and users of the facility and is a beautiful example of people looking out for people. We toured the main square that was made into a parking lot and restored back to its former glory. In this square we saw pigeons that somebody thought was a good idea to purposely release.

We learned about a craft school that people join and learn to do construction related crafts and help restore the city. One of the main things they are currently working on is the dome on the old capital building that we got to tour as well. It was a grand building and a piece of art.

Lunch was a fun time. A band came in and had me play the maracas which was a good laugh. the rest of the day was spent relaxing and talking at the hotel. I’m proud to be here and excited to have this experience. I hope that I can bring home some life leasons that will help me and my amazing peers help ourselves and others after this trip is through.

-by Oliver

Saturday June 30, 2018

Today, I woke up at 6:50, got ready and headed to breakfast. After we ate, we all headed to our room to finish packing for Viñales, then we loaded into the bus. We rode the bus for an hour and a half,until we reached a rest stop, and met our tour guide for the day, and we talked about the deforestation and reforestation in Cuba. We then loaded into the bus again, and went to a house that was hosted by the French before they deserted the area. The most interesting thing that I learned from the house was the treatment of the slaves, which was surprisingly reasonable, for one reason or another.

We left that area, to go to a paper making place, and got some souvenirs, and learned about how they made paper from recycled paper, and how they removed the ink. Now, this was the time of the day that I’m sure the majority of us were waiting for: the river. Once we arrived we all jumped into the considerably cold water, and saw the locals jump off from the top of a boulder, and we followed.

We weren’t allowed to dive head first, due to not knowing what could be in the water. It was still fun nonetheless, and once we got off we got back in the bus, and headed to lunch. The performers were very talented, and we had a lot of fun eating great food. After we were all way too full, we wished the guide bye bye, and went to Viñales. Once we got to the hotel, we rested for two hours, until we went to dinner. Overall today was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot about Cuban culture and history.

-by Gavin

Monday July 2, 2018

Today we had breakfast at seven as usual (too early for all of us). Afterwards, we went back to the farm for service time. My group readied plots; we weeded when we were done with that.

Then, we went to the zipline place, and, in the name of flexibility (the line was still being prepared) we had to go to the cavern first. We toured the cavern, and learning about the many rock formations was very intriguing. THEN we went ziplining. It was super fun!

After, we had lunch before going back to the hotel. We had dinner and wished Jenny a happy birthday with a fabulous cake! WHOAH!

-Written by Daniel

Tuesday July 3, 2018

Today we visited Cayo Levisa which is beautiful white sand beach. We drove there for an hour on the bus and for about half an hour on a boat ride. Most of us started by going snorkelling and seeing the beautiful view, then we played a game of beach volleyball.

We had a delicious lunch at a buffet next to our spot. After swimming for a while, some of us got tired and relaxed or took pictures to end the day.

At night, we met for the last time in mentor groups, and talked about what we would take away from this trip. We are excited for our last day tomorrow, and sad to say goodbye to each other and Cuba.

Wednesday July 4, 2018

Our last day began with a high energy dance performance in Habana. A talented group of women demonstrated their percussion and dance skills for students in their unique studio while students took pictures. Students received a surprise at lunch with a special 4th of July menu that included pizza, burgers and ice cream. Staff enjoyed seeing their faces light up for a break from rice and beans!

The afternoon included a last stroll through old Havana and a lecture on education in Cuba. A powerful thunderstorm interrupted our plans, but allowed for some bonding while we waited the rain out. An amazing dinner at La Guardia capped off a day of exploration and connection. Students were greeted by a surprise salsa band back at the hotel, where they danced, laughed and said their good byes.

Cuba staff so appreciated the opportunity to get to know each of the students and to be a part of such a great group. We hope the best for all of the students and wish them mucho suerte on the next part of their journeys! We’ll miss you!

Monday July 9, 2018

We waited anxiously for the group to arrive in Havana. Fortunately, almost everyone arrived around the same time, and of course we grabbed the final two arrivals to complete the group.

Everyone seems excited and full of energy, even after their longs days of travel. We took a short walk around the neighborhood to get a feel for Cuba (and the heat and humidity!), then grabbed dinner at one of my favorite places in Havana, Cafe Laurent.

After dinner, everyone played some ice breaker games to start getting to know the group they will be spending the next 9 days with. I already have a feeling we are going to have a great time.

Jenny, International Director

Tuesday July 10, 2018

First full day in Cuba! Whe went into the orientation room so we could get a chance to get to know each other and the code of conduct. Then we went to met our professors so we could learn the basics of the contrast of dark and light. After the lecture we toured around Havana for the majority of the day, each of us mesmerized by the beauty of Cuba. We are all supposed to capture our reality of Cuba, I’m excited to see everyones perspective of the country.

-Written by Evie

Wednesday July 11, 2018

Wednesday’s adventures began with a tour along the colorful streets of Old Havana on which we learned about the rich history of the Cuban Restoration. Along the way we heard stories of old Cuban legends such as a tree that granted wishes to those who circled its trunk seven times on November sixteenth (when Cuba gained independence.)

Continuing on the theme of history, we attended a lecture by a long time Cuban photographer on how to add mood and historical context to a photo, based on his experience of Cuban immigration laws and how the restoration affected the nation as a whole. After breaking for lunch , we listened to some live music by a band called Nueva Habana and transitioned into work, which consisted of street sweeping and using machetes to cut tall grass along a road that had not yet been restored.

That night, we dined at a fancy restaurant and hiked around Old Havana with the photography professors learning how to use light painting in our photography.

-by Ali Metcalfe

Monday July 16, 2018

The past three days have been busy but amazing! On our way to Viñales, we stopped at an ecovillage “Las Terrazas” we learned about their community and the biodiversity. We then went swimming in the river, everyone had a great time – we jumped off the rocks and enjoyed the natural water. Once we arrived to our hotel, we had dinner and the rest of the night consisted of GLA activities.

The next day after breakfast we all prepared ourselves for a trail of the Mogotes, these hills are huge and can be viewed all throughout Viñales. The trail consisted of a bunch of thorns, mud, and sweat. Going through the muddy trail was a great bonding experience and something we can all laugh at now. After the dirty hike, some students went for a horse back ride through more Mogotes and some students decided to walk around Viñales. It was a long day and it was finally lunch! We fueled up with some plantain chips and ropa veiga. We went back to the hotel to clean up then headed off to service. Service consisted of going to an all organic farm and learning about how special crops have affected Cuba and its people for the better. While learning about the crops, we pulled some vegetables out and even planted new seeds! After, they prepared a lovely meal for us made with all products on the premises.

BEACH DAY! An early wake up call for the students – everyone was packed and ready to go for the relaxing day. We took a boat out to Cayo Levisa, an amazing private beach with the whitest sand and the most blue water! Once arriving to the beach – some students wanted to go snorkeling, we had a great time looking and learning about the coral reef and the fishes of Cuba. After lunch, everyone ran straight towards the water. Everyone played games in the water like throwing around the ball and we even played tag! The day trip of Cayo Lavisa was well deserved and an amazing way to spend some free time together with the group! Once we got back to the hotel, everyone showered and talked about how great the day was at dinner – ending the day with some Mentor group activities.

Missing home but loving Cuba more and more each day!

Lots of Love,
Madison Murillo