Ashley Welter | The Young Leader

May 31, 2023 by Ashley Welter

Peru: Foundations of Global Health (June 14-June 27, 2023)

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

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

Here are a few things you can expect:

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

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

Cell Phone Policy: The GLA cell phone policy is currently in place this summer to help foster meaningful connections between students. This means your student’s phone will be collected every day and returned to them after activities are completed to have with them through the night. Actual tech times and regularity will vary greatly by program location and time zones. During designated ‘tech time’, your student may use their phones as they wish. Please note that your student may not always choose to use this time to get a hold of their parents. If you are not hearing directly from your student each day, you can assume that no news is good news! We strongly recommend you follow the blog to follow your students’ experience without talking to them every day. If you are a parent and would like to get in touch with your student directly, you can call us at +1-619-758-3031 and we can set up a formal time for you to connect with your student.

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 14

Hola!

Here we are, safe and sound at our home base in Cusco, Peru! Every single student flew all night, but we made it safely and happily with only one lost bag (it’s on it’s way here!). After everyone arrived this morning, we made our way to our charming home base in the historic district, on the way we got to see women walking around with their fluffy alpacas.

After arriving to home base, we were able to do some introduction games and made some beautiful portraits with a mix of the features of everyone in our group. After, we ate a yummy lunch to energize us, followed with our lovely, knowledgable, local Director, Mateo, leading our group to walk around the area by home base on this sunny day. We got to see the plaza de Armas, huge cathedrals, groups dancing, walk the cobblestoned streets, stop by Qorikancha (temple of the sun), before heading back to home base. Right now is the season for Inti Raymi (festival of the sun — the Incan winter solstice), which means every day there are traditional dances in the plaza, and crowds of people enjoying the festivities of the season by watching the dancers and wearing traditional clothing.

After a bit of well-deserved rest, and what sounded like some intense card games, we met back up for orientation. At this point, our group was really running on fumes, but I have to say everyone is unwavering after getting through the day with only a wink of sleep and long travels. For dinner, we got to eat traditional lomo saltado (and a tofu version for the vegetarians), yummy squash soup, rice, french fries, salad, and a piece of dessert, all accompanied by a warm mug of tea (Coca tea, anyone?). Now, we’re turning in early to energize for the adventures to come!

– Adela Traeger, International Director

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 15

Written by Hunter I.

Today we started by having a nice breakfast! After breakfast, there were multiple rounds of card games, one of them being an intense game of spoons.

Then, we had a reflection activity at the home-base which took up most of our morning. We debated on our positions on an issue in Peru. This gave everyone in the group perspective on how our actions can have environmental and social impacts.

After lunch we then went to a celebration in downtown Cusco during our walking tour. In this tour we explored the city while gaining historical knowledge about the buildings surrounding us. Near the end of our tour we visited a local market (called San Pedro market) selling churros, Peruvian ponchos, and the traditional baked Guinea Pig.

After walking around the market we went to indulge in a spiritual connection to nature. We came back for dinner and played a very riveting game of jeopardy, which included many questions about Peru and GLA. One of them being, “What is the traditional drink made of fermented corn?” Answer: Chicha!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 16

Written by Jack

Wake up call was at 6:00 where the GLA students got ready and made it down to breakfast at 7:00. We enjoyed bread and yogurt for breakfast. After breakfast we hopped into a van and traveled across cusco where we expierenced a reality tour of rural cusco. We witnessed a kindergarten, elementary school and medical clinic. We all then enjoyed lunch with a beautiful view of the mountains. After that we continued our journey by visiting an animal sanctuary where we saw llamas, monkeys, alpacas, condors and a bear. We then returned back to base where we rested for a moment before heading back out for some ice cream. There was some time to waste before dinner so the students played poker betting with local types of candy. (Grace won big) We all finished the day by eating a great meal of chicken and rice and then heading to bed early before our big day tomorrow.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 17

Written by Waverly

Today we started our day off by having a delicious breakfast at home base! We took the opportunity to fuel up before our first big day of volunteering at the mobile clinic! Right after breakfast we packed our bags with lots of water and sunblock before heading out to catch our bus.

At the clinic, we were divided into the different stations. These stations were education, pharmacy, triage, shadowing a doctor, and assisting in tooth brushing/dental hygiene. Each station provided a hands-on medical experience for every GLA student, and was a great way to kick off the service portion of our trip!

After having lunch at the clinic, we continued to help out with the second rotation of stations. Each student got to experience two different stations today! Once we had all finished the work at our stations, we headed back to home base before hearing some Quechua stories!

In the evening, we winded down with shoutouts before an amazing dinner at home base. To end our night we learned about responsible photography and played a fun game of “hot seat” where we asked each other questions to get to know each other better.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18

Written by Zayne M.

For today, we all went and did the mobile clinic in Yuncaypata, and helped out the local doctors. We got to help out in the pharmacy organizing people’s medicine that was prescribed, teaching the children how to wash their hands and brush their teeth, writing prescriptions assigned by the doctors, and taking some of the vital signs of patients.

After that, we all decided to go to San Pedro market and got ice cream and shopped around. Once we finished that, we went back to home base to rest, but not for long as we all had dance class not thirty minutes later. They taught us the dances of the jungle, mountains, and coast, and even let us keep the items we danced with as souvenirs.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19

Written by Clara

Today was the final day of the mobile clinics. We traveled to a different small community with the local medlife doctors we have been working with the past few days. We assisted the doctors by teaching the kids how to properly brush their teeth and applied fluoride; took patients vitals, height and weight; educated them on diseases; and proscribed and passed out medication. There weren’t many kids today because most were in school but a few came by while we were cleaning up to get a toothbrush.

Once we returned to home base from the medlife clinic everyone spent some time in their rooms before meeting up to listen to a local musician play a few of the traditional instruments of Peru. He taught us to play a song as a group and demonstrated a few songs in instruments such as a harp, banjo, and flute. After that we had dinner and latter pizza then got ready for bed.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20

Written by Grace

Today we started our morning by getting to sleep in a little later than usual and had breakfast around 8:20! After our meal we made our way to our bus where we drove to a cooking class. In the class we got to help prepare and cook a three course meal! These dishes were traditional Peruvian meals: causa, lomo saltado, aji de gallina, and masa mora for dessert.

After we enjoyed all the food we cooked, we headed to the MedLife roundtable. During this round table we got the opportunity to visit the homes of three families who have been helped by MedLife. They shared their stories with us and this was a good opportunity to see the first hand impact we were able to help make by volunteering in the clinics.

Lastly, we traveled back to home base where some people stayed to rest before dinner and others went to buy some snacks! The rest of this evening we will be packing and getting ready to head to Maras to see the salt mines, then Aguas Calientes tomorrow.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21

Written by Mason

We started today early by waking up at 5:30 for a 6:00 breakfast and departed at 7:40. After a very bumpy ride we arrived at our first stop, the Maras salt mines. We got to view and take pictures of the beautiful salt mines. We then set off to our second stop called Andean colors where we ate lunch on a site with alpacas surrounding us and got a taste of the Peruvian delicacy, the cuy, or guinea-pig.

After our meal we got to see the guinea pig farm that was a host to hundreds of the fussy animals. Then we were taken into another room where we were shown the process of how alpaca blankets are made and the dyeing if the material. We left for our final stop of our van trip at a small town, Ollantaytambo, where we ate dinner and bought some mementos. After dinner we took a train to the town closest to Machu Picchu called Aguas Calientes where we checked into our hotel and spent the night.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22

This morning we woke up for an early 6:00am breakfast to leave for the bus to Machu Picchu at 6:30am. After a quick bus ride, we soon arrived to the incredible ruins of Machu Picchu. Our local director and guide, Mateo, lead us through the ruins, showing us the difference between living quarters and sacred temples based on whether the rocks used mortar or not. Those that didn’t use mortar fit together perfectly, and were used for places that were sacred to the Incas.

We also saw sun dials, and perfectly circular rocks that were theorized to either be used as mortar and pestle for food, or they put water in it and used it as a mirror to see the stars. We also got to take some amazing pictures!

After Machu Picchu, we headed back down to aguas calientes where we played charades, had a wonderful lunch of burgers and pizza, and spent a long time at the market. Soon after, we took the 2 hour train ride back to Ollantaytambo, then a 2 hour van ride back to Cusco. Upon arrival, we ate dinner and are already ready to get some much deserved rest.

– Adela (International Director)

Here are lots of pics from the last couple days!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23

Today was a relaxed day after getting back from Machu Picchu. We got to sleep in for a late breakfast at 9am. After, we did some leadership activities at home base, and then had some free time to play cards. After lunch, we walked to Qorikancha, the sun temple that the Spanish had converted into a convent. It was very interesting to see the intricacy of the Incan stones and then the more unsophisticated additions by the Spanish.

After this museum, we walked to San Blas, the art district, and got some crepes while we played uno and other games and got to shop around a bit. Afterwards, we headed back to home base where we got our rafting briefing and ate dinner, then headed to bed early for the exciting rafting day to come!

– Adela (International Director)

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24

Written by Nico

Today we got up, ate breakfast and drove forever for two hours to the River Lodge in Cusipata where we went rafting. Rafting was exciting! We rafted for two hours, and in the middle there was a big rock that we got to jump off of into the freezing glacier water river (it’s okay though because we were wearing warm wetsuits.) We got to raft in up to class three rapids. Then we got back and had a big lunch. After lunch, we ziplined really fast over the river. Then, we hung out and played poker and had a big fire outside. We had a delicious dinner, then got creative and cooked bananas and chocolate over the fire. We are going to bed early to wake up reeeeeeeally early for rainbow mountain tomorrow.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25

Written by Miles

We started today at 4:30am, where we had breakfast at the lodge before embarking on a two-hour hike up to Vinicunca, the Rainbow Mountain. At the summit, at almost 17,000 feet above sea level, we enjoyed some hot chocolate and companionship. The difficult hike was rewarded with a beautiful view. We learned about how the rainbow mountain was formed and with what minerals. Then we relaxed at the home base before going to McDonald’s and playing some poker. We then enjoyed dinner at the home base, and are headed to bed to get some sleep after a long day.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

Written by Vitoria C.

We started the day by having a filling breakfast and discussing our plans for our final day! We headed out to the market for some last-minute souvenir shopping at the artisanal market and stopped at McDonald’s on the way back.

The group had lunch, and then we began our closing activities. These included naming one meaningful goal (OMG), an appreciation circle, and student evaluations. We all went back to our rooms to pack, and some of us joined in on a game of poker, while others walked around the city to find churros.

After that, we enjoyed our final dinner before having picarones which are like Peruvian donuts. Then we returned to our rooms to finish packing and rest before our day of traveling tomorrow!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

Today, 7 students had to wake up super early to head to the airport at 6am. We were sad to see them go, but happy we made the memories that we did!

The remaining 3 had a relaxed day, they checked out of their rooms at 10am. Before lunch we hung out at home base, and then spent some time at a nearby cafe to eat empanadas and pan con chocolate. We then headed back to home base for lunch, and afterwards walked to and ambled through San Pedro Market to window shop and get the last churros and orange juice of the trip. After hanging out a bit more at home base, the car came and took them to the airport.

Now that everyone has passed through security, home base feels quiet. Mateo and I will definitely miss this funny, adventurous, brave, strong, kind, resilient group. To my group, thank you so much for coming and everything that you added to make it what it was.

– Adela (International Director)

May 31, 2023 by Ashley Welter

Morocco: Cultural Kaleidoscope (July 2-July 15, 2023)

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

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

Here are a few things you can expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Written by Catherine Brown, International Director

Hello from sunny and hot Morocco!

I had the pleasure of meeting 11 of the 12 teens today- we have one in the group that had a delay and he will arrive early tomorrow morning. We are excited to have him join the group then.

After airport pickup we went straight to Rabat (many napped on the van ride) where we enjoyed a traditional lunch. We ordered some of everything so the teens could try as many things as possible – meat Tagine with dried plums, a traditional breaded chicken dish, a turmeric lemon chicken dish, and a vegetarian Tagine as well. They also got to feast on three traditional Moroccan hot salads (one of eggplant, one of carrot, and one of roasted tomato and red pepper). Your teens were very curious and polite and tried everything!

We checked into the hotel and they had a chance to rest and shower. We then had an Orientation, a stroll to the ocean for some refreshing breeze

and a fabulous dinner at the hotel where everyone got to know each other a bit more. The group is incredibly inclusive and getting along very well.

Tomorrow we begin the GLA cell phone policy where they turn in their phones at breakfast and receive them at night. Everyone seems very cooperative and understanding, and many have stated they are actually looking forward to a break from screen time. Tomorrow they start Arabic lessons, do some sightseeing in this Royal City, go to the ancient market, enjoy a great dinner out and finish the day with some GLA activities.

I’m so proud of your teens for choosing this journey and grateful to every one of you who supported them to make it happen.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Written by Ryley

What’s up everybody, it’s Ryley (one of the students on the trip). Today was our first full day of being in Morocco and everyone was pretty gassed, but we still enjoyed ourselves.

We started by eating breakfast here at our hotel in Rabat. I was surprised by the Moroccan breakfast as it was all flour-based. We played a game of love it or hate it, and it enlightened us. After breakfast, we went to ILCS for our first Arabic/ Darija instruction where we all learned that Arabic was much harder than any of us could’ve thought. We also learned about the culture, how to introduce ourselves, greetings and things of that nature. After all of the lessons we went and had lunch at an open-air Italian restaurant where the mango smoothies were delicious. We then went and exchanged currencies and added a 12th group member.

We went to the Medina after we all were in possession of some Moroccan Dirhams. The Medina was this huge market full of shops selling everything from spices to Jordans.

Some of us tried our hand at bargaining using our newly learned Arabic. After the Medina, we went sightseeing by the beach where there was a fort and a smaller market.

We then went to dinner at a more traditional Moroccan restaurant where the chicken was 10/10.

Lastly, our International Director Catherine surprised all of us with a gelato outing to celebrate the fact that it was group member Elise’s birthday.

Note from Catherine (International Director): To Ryley’s loved ones – Ryley is such a natural leader and impressively grounded and mature for his age. He has already gained the respect of the entire group, myself included, for his thoughtfulness, composure, self-awareness, kindness and authenticity. He confidently stepped forward to be our very first Leader of the Day and set the standard high. You should be so very proud of him. I know I am!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Written by Elise, our Leader of the Day

Of the itinerary, today was a day that wasn’t too jam packed! That said, our day was mainly filled with conversation to better know those around us. We used the many free times or traveling times, chatting about anything and everything. We made a group Spotify playlist, discussed meaningful high-fives, and debated whether tuna is good.

We began our day with an early breakfast, where many of us enjoyed traditional Moroccan mint tea. This served as fuel for our GLA activity as we discussed leadership: our personal definition, how it manifests in our own life, and who inspired our definition of leadership. For the last question, parents were the common answer.

We transitioned to our Arabic lessons, where we expanded our vocabulary to include words about family and delved into the feminine and masculine articles of Arabic. All while brushing up on our words learned yesterday. For lunch, we experienced the authentic food of Syria. Which was perfect for the later GLA activity where we discussed immigration amongst Syrian refugees in relation to Morocco. We later split into three groups and discussed immigration within Morocco from four different assigned stances.

We visited an ancient wall and structure in Rabat and photographed the beautiful flowers, trees, and birds. We also guessed how ancient the structure was: it was 6th century BC! We closed the night with an arraignment of sushi and Chinese noodle dishes. (May have been the most anticipated meal of the trip!) We spent the remainder of the night watching the sun set while talking about life. Our night concluded with the anticipation of visiting the house base and Casablanca!

Note to Elise’s loved ones from Catherine, the International Director: Elise has such a curious, dive-right-in zest for life. It’s inspiring and elevates the energy of the entire group! She jumps right into conversation, makes everyone feel included, and has such a consistently positive attitude. She is a natural traveler and the world is definitely a better place with her out in it!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Written by Eleo, our Leader of the Day

Hey guys, it’s Eleo!! Today we woke up bright and early because our day was full of adventures. After a brief breakfast we filled up the van and made our way to the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca.

In the van we all took turns listening to each others music. By exploring each other’s taste in music, we quickly learned that we have much more in common. Once we arrived at the Mosque we did a quick outside tour and took many pictures of the tiles typical Moroccan patterns. The inside of the Mosque was modern and displayed the culture of Morocco using only Moroccan materials.

We enjoyed lunch at a Moroccan restaurant with the company of the lovely Ihssane, a close friend of our International Director, who taught us about the religion of Islam and current events in the country. We hopped on the bus and made our way to hot Marrakech where we visited the Yves Saint Laurent’s botanical garden.

Our eyes were immediately blessed by the myriad of bright colors. After gaazing around the serene scenery we got on the bus once more to make our way to home base.

After settling into home base in the Atlas Mountains and hanging out by the pool, we made our way to dinner where we enjoyed squash soup and chicken. We had a lot of fun together and we are excited to go the village tomorrow.

Note to Eleo’s loved ones from international director Catherine: Eleo brings such a calm and grounded energy to the group – she definitely helps to anchor us! She is inquisitive, curious, thoughtful and respectful. She has been so open to every new experience here and is very present and observant.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Written by Alex

We are settling in to our new home base in the beautiful Atlas Mountains, and preparing for service work in the village to begin tomorrow. We visited the village school where we will be helping young students learn the English language, as well as honing our Arabic skills. We then took a drive up to a scenic view of the valley, and returned home to dinner and small group GLA activity. We are excited to begin our work in the village, meet some kids and help the local community!

Note to Alex’s loved ones from International Director Catherine: Alex was our leader of the day and some group members expressed at the end of the day that they’d love to have them repeat as their leader! What Alex failed to mention in the blog was sharing their musical talents with the group on a djembe drum where all of us were left in total admiration. Alex is rising up to every challenge here like a champ, connecting deeply with others and really coming into their own. It’s been a genuine pleasure to observe and accompany.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Written by Olivia

It’s surprising we’re already on our 6th day! Time has been flying by it seems. We’ve done a lot of sightseeing and activities so far, as my peers have explained, but our service work has now begun. This morning we met the kids in the village and were able to teach them colors, how to introduce themselves, and played lots of games using Arabic, French, and English words. They are very bright and excited to learn, just as much as we are to learn from them. They taught us colors in Arabic and we learned more Arabic words while playing games with them.

We all enjoyed the village and wanted to stay the entire day, even with the many hours we spent with them in the morning. We returned after lunch and some free time, to then return to the village and continue working with them. They showed us their talents through drawing, play-doh creations, and fantastic paper airplanes. They also taught us how to count to ten in Darija (Moroccan Arabic) and they surprised us with already knowing how to count to ten in English as well as French!

We are very excited to continue to learn from them as well as help them learn more from us. I truly feel we’ll be making an impact here and I’m sure many of us can say this will be our favorite part of the trip. These kids have already impacted us greatly and I’m sure we’ll return home changed for the better.

Note to Olivia’s loved ones from International Director Catherine: Olivia brings such a calm, grounded, energy to the group. She is incredibly observant and I can tell she is absorbing so much of this experience here! She has shown a lot of respect for local culture and is a great example of a global citizen.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Written by Kayla

This morning we woke up and went to breakfast at 8 am. There was typical breakfast of yogurt and oats followed by a pancake bread with honey and some melon.

Right after breakfast we started our community service by splitting into two groups to collect trash along the river. Both group were able to collect a lot of trash; with one group collecting 26 bags of trash and the other doing two trips. Once everyone got back we had some lunch and free time where many people chose to go into the pool.

Due to a lack of internet here in the Atlas Mountains, we had Arabic Lessons with Soukaina in person instead. During the Arabic Lessons all of us were able to learn a larger variety of words to say to the kids and use in the Souk later this week.

To end the day we had cooking lessons where we learned how to make the traditional Moroccan dish Tajine, we made our own dinner. Finally, we spent an hour to ourselves to reflect on the day and end on a peaceful note.

Note to Kayla’s loved ones from International Director Catherine: I wish you could see Kayla with the village kids! They adore her and she is such a natural teacher. She was also one of the most positive, focused and dedicated workers on the river clean-up project. We could barely get her to stop working! She is a bright ray of sunshine who is warm, kind and inclusive to everyone in the group.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9 (see July 10 blog below)

Written by Adam

Today was an early start for some of our GLA travelers. Last night’s mandatory social isolation (inserted note from Catherine: it was one hour of quiet time haha) sparked a few individuals to start a puzzle to pass the time, for it was an activity that could be done silently. It consisted of 1500 pieces that, when put together, depicted 99 different cats doing 99 different things. Their eagerness to continue prompted a voluntary 6:30 am wake-up to continue before breakfast. Very little progress was made 😔.

Catherine shared her personal stash of amlou (almond butter, honey, and argon oil) and cashew butter with us to try for breakfast, adding an extra aspect to our first meal of the day. We then took the van to a hotel located in the Atlas Mountains called Au Rocher. We enjoyed lemon cake and freshly squeezed orange juice, and then made our way through the complex and to the pottery-making station. Adlouini, our instructor for the morning, talked to us about us the process of clay making and it’s applications to decoration and construction. We then took turns at the spinning wheel and worked on our clay creations.

Now pottery connoisseurs, we drove back to the home base, picking up some more water on the way.

For lunch we feasted on eggplant baba ganoush, trout, rice, and fries, and later consumed half of Miles’ 30 pound watermelon that was purchased on day 4.

Later we gathered in the meditation room for an exercise that Jose had planned out for us. We drew six boxes: 2 yellow, 2 orange, and 2 red, with 1 of each color being dedicated to either school or home. In the yellow boxes we wrote things that annoy or bother us in the aforementioned places. The orange boxes we did the same except instead for things that irritate us, and the red was for things that make us mad. After everyone was done we shared our results with the rest of the group and reflected on how we could take responsibility for our reactions to stressors.

Later in the day in 3 separate groups, we took turns using the hammam that was located in the home base. Hammams are a type of steam room used for cleansing in the culture of the Muslim world. While their peers took turns using the hammam, others worked on their skits that used words they had learned in Arabic to tell a story that we would act out the next morning.

The chef continued to impress us with his culinary skills, because for dinner we had an amazing soup and pasta dish.

Following dinner we listened to a speaker. Khalid, the owner and visionary behind our home base hotel, talked to us about his journey through life as he followed his dreams and investigated the question “who am I?”

To end the day, Catherine presented us with an exercise where we explored our own goals and dreams by writing down what we wanted to be doing ten years from now. After that we came up with things that would stop us from achieving those dreams, and subsequently burned those obstructions in a bowl.

Note from Catherine to Adam’s loved ones: Adam is so observant and always picks up on way more tiny details than many might think. He is self-aware, open to reflection and asks great questions. He has been a shining example of kindness and inclusivity here and I also appreciate that he knows and respects his own limits for when he needs some down time alone to recharge. You’ll get the update on their Arabic skits tomorrow, but I’ll give you a teaser and let you know that his made me giggle so hard, it was really (intentionally) funny.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Written by Miles

Some of us woke up early to do more puzzle. We ate breakfast, then went to the local market, where we were harassed by people selling geodes, where Elise bought a geode for far too much, some of us bought orange juice and other goods, and we went home. After that, we went to teach the kids at the village colors, and in the end they taught us more. After this, we returned to the hotel and had some fun pool time to get out of the heat.

Note to Miles’ loved ones from International Director Catherine: Miles is so positive and always has something nice and uplifting to say. He participates fully within the group dynamic and is the first to offer to share his snacks (much appreciated by me, because we share the exact same taste in healthy treats!).

BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Written By Gloria:

To begin the day some people woke up at 6:00 and worked on the aforementioned puzzle. The saner members of our party, however, woke up at 7:00, and we all went for a hike in the mountains to a remote village. After the strenuous activity of reaching our destination we meditated by a water fall. The meditation was led by Fatima, one of our lovely hosts from our home base retreat, and it enabled us better resonate with the intricate nature around us. After the serenity of the meditation we were ready to continue with our quest at the village near the waterfall. At the village we gave the children fun toys and school supplies that were generously donated by fellow student Olivia. As a thank you we were served tea, cookies, bread, and oil to dip it in. Fatima acted as translator informing us about the village, she explained that many people could no longer afford to work in agriculture, instead turning towards tourism as a source of income. The children don’t have a school in their village, making it so they have to walk miles along the mountain to get educated at another school. We finished our tea, said goodbye and thank you to the villagers and were on our way back down the mountain towards home base. At around 2pm after some relaxation and food we continued our day at the other village’s school. We split the kids into different groups loosely based on age then taught the kids how to talk about weather, shapes, conversation, and animals in English. A meeting or two, and some relax time later we ate couscous for supper and prepared for my favorite part of the day – Henna! Fatima’s sister Rabiaa did henna and was gracious enough to teach me. It was a wonderful experience, especially when some of my fellow students agreed to be my henna guinea pigs. And that was our day salam alaykum.

Note to Gloria’s loved ones from International Director Catherine: Gloria impresses me by knowing very well her likes and dislikes and having the integrity to spend her time in alignment with what most supports her well being. Some might think she’s quiet, but when she needs to speak her mind on something she feels passionate about she definitely does so! She is a fantastic artist and such a creative soul. The henna work she did last night was so talented.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Written by Andaya

Hi everyone! Today we got to visit a women’s cooperative that makes argan oil. After having tea in their picturesque little garden, we learned about argan oil’s many benefits and the significance of the women’s cooperative. They had a variety of products, such as skincare, makeup, and food. Naturally, we had do our part to help the local economy by purchasing some for ourselves or for others at home. We then enjoyed juice or soft drinks by, and in, a river. Following a short break at home base, we headed to the village to work more with the children. Today’s topics included greetings, colors, the weather, nature, shapes, or just running around outside. Back at home base we had a quick arabic lesson by the pool to prepare for dinner, when we tried to communicate in only arabic. Finally, a GLA activity related to future goals closed out the day and it seems it is going to be a very rainy (maybe even stormy?) night. Bye!

Note from Catherine: it indeed was a stormy night where we got to witness the power of nature! The creek bed at the bottom of home base valley, which has been mostly dry except for a trickle, got flooded with gushing water! Our local host Fatema brought us to a safe spot where we got to watch from afar but still feel and hear the intensity of the water. Fatema told us it can happen once or twice a year, so we feel lucky to have been here to witness it.

And as a note for Andaya’s loved ones – she is such a sweet, grounded presence. She has never for one second been anything less than respectful and kind to both her peers and hosts. She has handled every new experience here with much grace and I’m very proud watching her work outside of her comfort zone!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Written by Enzi

As one of our last days in Morocco, it was certainly one of the most exhausting. After our usual 8am breakfast, five of us loaded trees into the van and set off for the village where we would then spend the next 3.5 hours digging holes and shoveling dirt by the villages local mosque in order to ensure that the olive trees that we had bought were brought into a good environment for them to grow in. While we were digging our holes, another group was by the river doing something similar, but planting things that could be of other use to the village in the future. Things like fig, almond, lemon, apricot and apple trees, and more herbs that have a variety of uses for both cooking and to be used medicinally. While we were planting, another group was hard at work with teaching the kids. Today was especially hard on them because of the lack of extra staff, but they did a great job in handling and teaching the little bundles of energy. Once we were done with our backbreaking work in the hot Moroccan climate, we went back to the hotel for some refreshing juice and a delicious lunch. After our eating break, we went back to the village and spent our last hours with the kids playing games and teaching English. As each of us had formed a bond with the kids, the goodbye was quite heartbreaking for some of us.

After parting with the kids, we had some free time. As it was really hot all day, a lot of us went to the pool to cool off. After yet another delicious meal, we ended the day by gathering to do an activity that consisted of writing down songs that we thought would suit each person in the room. It was quite an enjoyable experience, as we had the opportunity to share what we thought of each other through music.

Note to Enzi’s loved one from International Director Catherine: Enzi shows a self-awareness that is rare even in adults, so to have it at his age is so admirable! He can connect easily with anyone he comes into contact with and is a natural peacekeeper and diplomat. He’s observant, questions himself and his surroundings, and knows when to just go with the flow. He’s quickly become a friend to everyone here.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 14 (New blog for July 12th also added above)

Written by Caden

We went to Marrakech a new city. We went to the Market for hours and got juice. We did a final gla activity and ate pizza.

To Caden’s loved ones from International Director Catherine: Caden has kept the whole group real. He calls it like he sees it, is refreshingly honest and forthright, and brings joy and laughter wherever he goes. I told him a million times how much he reminds me of my own son Noah and that’s the best compliment I could give. You should’ve seen him with Arabic – he learned and retained probably more than anyone and used it everywhere he went, at the schools and markets, on the streets. The young school kids absolutely flocked to him and they ended up learning so much from him. Caden, I’m gonna miss you!

May 31, 2023 by Ashley Welter

India: The Initiative for Children (Sessions Starting July 1, 2023)

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

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

This blog is for the India split session starting July 1, 2023, which includes both the 14-day and the 21-day student groups.

Here are a few things you can expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Hello from New Delhi, the capital of India!

We are so excited to welcome everyone to begin a wonderful and meaningful journey together. All 13 students arrived safe and sound. The day was filled with several airport pickups and fun discussions of what brought us to India. Many students had a chance to meet a math teacher from Los Angeles to learn why they started a nonprofit to support primary/secondary education in India.

We’re looking forward to another warm but exciting day tomorrow!

Here are a few pics of the groups as they arrived to home base.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Hello!

It was our first full day together and despite jet lag and a very warm 98°F / 36°C, the students are in good spirits.

After breakfast, we started the day with a brief discussion about our “community of care” and code of conduct. Soon after, we boarded our air conditioned mini-bus to enjoy a guided tour of Qutub Minar. Then, at the Baha’i Lotus Temple we received a special tour and inside shared a moment of quiet reflection. We enjoyed a North Indian style curry lunch (with Naan and mango lassi!) and had dinner at Sheroes Hangout Cafe.

We hope to have a blog every day to keep you updated about all the great things we’ve been up to. Remember that students will not have their phones during the day, but they will have access to their phones during the evening/night. Please feel free to remind them about the importance of sleep.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3 and 4

Hello from Jaipur!

Monday was another great day at GLA in India! We started off the day by visiting a world famous UNESCO site – The Taj Mahal! It felt like a movie and we were all awe-struck by its white marble splendor. Afterwards, we enjoyed a delicious and nutritious brunch-style buffet at the famous Taj Hotel. We visited a local market and another famous UNESCO site, the Red Fort made from red sandstone. Monday afternoon greeted us with a long bus ride to our homebase in Jaipur, also known as the pink city! We were tired but happy to settle into our new home for the next week.

After a good night’s rest and a delicious breakfast we spent Tuesday playing some games, engaging in community building, and centering discussions around our goals for service learning. We also visited a local market to restock and check out local snacks (many amazing chocolates, candy, and chips)

We are ready for day 1 of service starting tomorrow!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Happy first day of service!! We started our morning with tasty omelets, french toast, and other local breakfast items. The fresh watermelon and guava juice was a hit!!

Today was our first day of service to the Mahatma Gandhi primary school. The principal, Mrs. Sangeeta, the teachers, and especially the students were so excited to meet the GLA students (the feeling was mutual!). After a conversation establishing how we can best support the school, we started a restoration project that involved cleaning the floors, sanding the walls to prepare for paint, and then painting the walls. It was hard work but worth it! Rahul, our local director, explained there are many government schools in India. The Indian government is trying to set up one school per kilometer. However, with so many schools, the funding to each school is low and the principal must ask the parents and local community to help with resources. This is a challenge in the low income and slum areas where families live hand-to-mouth and have nothing extra to give. So, that’s why this service is extra special. All students deserve to receive an education at a school that feels welcoming and inclusive. Stay tuned for the before and after photos!

We enjoyed lunch at homebase and some rest (and a power nap!). After dinner, we visited the Shiv Kripa Blue Art Pottery studio. Blue pottery, known for its vibrant cobalt blue color, has a long history in Jaipur, Rajasthan. It is a time intensive process with many steps and the artists are proud to carry on this tradition.

We ended the night with mentor groups.
We are so excited for July 6 – our next day of service!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

It was another early wake up call for Day 2 of service at the Mahatma Gandhi primary school. Students are starting to see the efforts of their hard work! After lunch, they participated in a Hindi language class. Did you know there are 52 letters in the Hindi alphabet? and 13 vowels? We practiced writing our name and exchanging greetings. The group finished the day by eating at McDonalds! The menu was filled with exciting new options. For example, the McSpicy Paneer sandwich with a cold Masala Coke and fries of course. It was a fun time. Today, a few students expressed an interest in writing a blog. It will be coming your way soon!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7 & 8

It was another terrific two days in Jaipur. The students finished their first community service project. It was four days of work but the results speak volumes!

The children, teachers, and principal were amazing. The GLA students made friendship bracelets to give to students, played soccer, and shared many smiles.

Plus, GLA students visited the world-renowned Jaipur foot organization that distributes artificial limbs.

Also participating in an Indian dress activity was a fun cultural experience.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Written by Leaders of the Day: Emma and Adriana

Hello again from Jaipur, after four long but rewarding days of service it was finally time to explore the marvels of the Pink City and the student leaders to take charge of the blog!

The group started their day with a visit to the Birla Hindu Temple which was magnificent both inside and outside. This followed by a visit to the Albert Hall Museum where our local tour guide showed them some of the most culturally significant fixtures of Rajasthan.

After a morning full of sightseeing, they all enjoyed a hearty lunch at a famous Indo-Western food joint chain where they got a chance to indulge in a lot of delicious options.

However the highlight of the day undoubtedly was their visit to the Jaipur City Palace, house of the royal family where they enjoyed some monsoon magic along with!!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Written by Leaders of the Day Arsh and Eshan

BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Written by Leaders of the Day: Lily and Nora

Hello from Pushkar! We have finally arrived at the Elephant Hostel. After breakfast in Jaipur we thanked all the hotel staff for their massive help during our stay there. We of course forgot a few things and had to search for them before leaving! The journey went by fast with some singing and dancing on the bus. We eventually stopped for some well needed totally healthy lunch (at Burger King!) By this point we were already two hours into the drive and needed to take the last stretch to our destination. Once we all got there we took a tour of the hostel, unpacked and got some rest. Some deserved activities were chatting, playing games and napping. Post dinner, we did a reflective activity and the biggest surprise came to us, henna art!!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Written by our student Leaders of the Day: Maria Gago and Maria Garcia

Good morning from Pushkar! We woke up to a lovely breakfast and got ready for our first service day in Fior di loto foundation school. We met the founder and the girl students. We got divided in to two groups: one teaching and one painting, we had tons of fun in both groups!

After service we had a quick lunch break and braced ourselves for some sightseeing in town where we walked through the streets and climbed up to a really high temple with wild monkeys and goats as our hiking companions. We enjoyed some shopping in the local streets and had a special dinner as a goodbye for our 14-day program peeps who leave tomorrow after service. Stay tuned!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Written by Leaders of the Day: Talin and Luke

Today was an emotional day for us. It started out as a cloudy day with a nice breeze. After a filling breakfast, we went off to the service site. At the school we broke off into groups, some painting, some teaching, and some building. By the end of the service, the school had a fresh coat of paint, a brand new badminton court, and the students got an introductory lesson in Spanish and English. After our hard work we played games with the younger kids on the court.

However, during our work at the school, our friends in the 14 day program left early to finish packing for their departure. The rest of the group met them back at the hostel and we had a final lunch together before saying goodbye. After the 14 day program kids left, we had a few hours of downtime. Majority of us used the downtime for some well-needed rest before meeting together to work on some cool projects to do with the students tomorrow. After we ate dinner, we ventured out for some dessert, followed with a meditation sesh led by Greta at the lakeside and finished the day with some community games.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

Written by Leader of the Day: Greta

Today was an eventful but balanced day!

Paula and I woke up early to meditate and practice yoga. We met everyone else for breakfast and enjoyed fruit platters and honey crepes before heading off to the school.

At service, Luke and Talin organized science experiments for their class such as dropping a water balloon off the side of the wall with a makeshift parachute which everyone found highly amusing. Lucia and Nora taught one class an introductory lesson of Spanish while both Maria and Maria taught another. Paula focused on painting the remainder of the wall while I worked on drawing a mural with animals. We all danced to “Macarena” multiple times with the students after their many requests.

Post lunch we had some downtime before an Indian cooking class. The chef taught us the exact ratio of milk, water, chai, cardamom, ginger, masala and sugar. We watched as the tea became a golden brown color in the pot before it was poured into small cups for us to try. Then we learned how to make Chapati, tortillas made of water and flour. When placed over the flame, the Chapati became a puffed up ball before we let it cool down and flatten again. It was an entertaining experience to learn about some of the most prevalent food and drink in India.

We then had some time to prepare for our classes before dinner.

We are all looking forward to our last day of service at the Pushkar school!!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Written by Leader of the Day: Lucia

Today has been a very emotional day for us. It was the last day at the Lotus Foundation and we were not been able to contain our tears as we say goodbye to the girls, teachers and directors. In the afternoon we went to a Sikh Guruduwara and it was different because we had to cover our heads. We had a very relaxing yoga session after and as soon as we finished we went straight to dinner at the farm house of the school founder. What we did not expect was the spectacle that awaited us with so much dancing and a lot of tricks with fire. After the show we had dinner all together. It has been a precious gesture from Mara and Deepu. And we can’t be more grateful for it.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Written by Leader of the Day: Paula

Today we started the day divided in three different groups. Greta, Nora and Talin went back to the school to finish the amazing mural they had been working on for the last few days. Lucia, Luke and I stayed at the hostel for a more relaxed morning and started with a yoga session while the rest of the group stayed behind to rest and pack.

We all joined for an amazing breakfast and then divided into groups again for a walk through the market next to our stay and the much awaited extra shopping time. We then met all together for our last lunch at the hotel and a warm goodbye to all the staff.

After a little of rest time post lunch we went by bus to our desert glamping site, a beautiful sleepover in Pushkar dessert which was an amazing experience for all of us including dinner and tribal dances.

Today was the most amazing day!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Written by Leader of the Day: Talin

Today was a relatively peaceful day! We woke up to a delicious breakfast of omelette and aloo paratha, it was so good that all the bugs wanted to eat it too!! We then packed up and hit the road to head back to Jaipur and after stopping for lunch, we arrived at our old hotel. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and preparing for teaching at our service site tomorrow.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Written by Leader of the Day: Maria Gago

Good morning from Jaipur! We are ready for our first day of service, on our way to the last school. Today was full of energy with a desire to teach them English and games, while others painted the school.

Back at the hotel, we had some Hindi classes to communicate better with the children. Later on we had a debrief about the education system and culture here, for which we are working on gathering resources to have better infrastructure in the school. We wrapped up with dinner and prepping for tomorrow!!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Written by Leader of the Day: Paula

Today Nora, Greta and I woke up an hour ahead from the rest the of the group so we could enjoy a morning yoga session.

After breakfast we headed to service, where we divided in groups of threes so we could teach different classes, while Talin and Maria helped with painting the school walls and some required gardening. Thanks to the hindi lesson we had yesterday, we had better communication with the students, hence had better results!

After service we had time for lunch, shower and a little rest before we went to Jaipur’s biggest mall next to our hotel, where we spent couple hours walking though and after the shopping time finished we headed for our last big dinner with all of our friends and mentors. The best part of the day was the late night debrief, where we all wrote letters to each others. Today was a day full of different activities with such a beautiful ending!!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Written by Leader of the Day: Nora

Today was our last morning in Jaipur!

Our day started earlier than usual. Last night we had our final big dinner together, so today is an emotional day because it’s our second to last in this amazing country.

After having breakfast at 8 o’clock we went to say goodbye to our classes and to thank the staff from the school for letting us have the opportunity to teach. After a lot of tears, laughs, and hugs we went to the bus to get back to the hotel and finish packing our stuff and prepare for the trip to Delhi.

When we were ready to leave we were very sad because we had to say goodbye to one of our local Mentors (Monty) who lives in Jaipur. We put all of our luggage in the bus and even though Maria thought she lost her wallet we finally found it!! After a couple hours on the bus we stopped to have lunch.

On the bus we all mostly listened to music or slept. Later once in Delhi we stopped in a mall to have dinner and do some last minute shopping.

Finally after a lot of traffic we arrived to our hotel (red fox) and we are ready to go to sleep and rest.

Goodnight from Delhi!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

We finally woke up to our last morning in India, everyone felt sad about leaving. Nonetheless everyone had breakfast and then we did some closing activities with the group until lunchtime. We had a relaxed time in our cosy hotel rooms after lunch and then did get some henna done. Soon the time came to board the bus for the airport – everyone left with a heavy heart, tears of mixed feelings, amazing experiences and inspiring journeys.

May 31, 2023 by Ashley Welter

Hawaii: Maui Sea Turtle Marine Conservation (July 5-July 14, 2023)

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

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

Here are a few things you can expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Hello All!

Much like you, your Hawaii crew has been preparing for the next 10 days of travel, community service, activities, and of course, adventure! We were incredibly fortunate in having the last four days here in Hawaii to work and bond as a team to prepare for your program.

Already, our experiences have been unforgettable and we cannot wait to make even more memories with our incredible group of 26!

Our first student arrives at 8:50am, and students will be arriving until 8:30pm. Each student will be calling home once they have met up with a mentor at the airport so parents/guardians please make sure your phones are on!

We can’t wait to see you tomorrow!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Hello!

It was an eventful day of airport pickups and group bonding at home base. All students have arrived safely, becoming fast friends, and are having a wonderful time!

While waiting nine hours to pick up our unaccompanied minors at the airport, I was able to turn today’s events into an incredible version of the 12 Days of Christmas which I have renamed “The 12 Hours of Arrivals”

Please enjoy the following summary of arrival day!

12 different flights
11 name games
10 million questions
9 parent phone calls
8 unaccompanied minors
7 delayed flights
6 van shuttles
5 cabin assignments
4 early arrivals
3 excited mentors
2 Chef Jake meals
1 happy GLA family!

As you can tell it was an exciting day here on Maui and we cannot wait to start camp tomorrow morning with a trip to Haleakala National Park!

*Due to late arrival times Campbell, Chase, Cooper, Liam, and Vivenne are not in the home base group photo below. A complete group photo will be uploaded with tomorrow’s blog post

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Hello!

It was another wonderful day on Maui! Our leaders of the day today were Collin, Ryleigh, and Sarah. Below are their self written thoughts on the day!

We traveled to Haleakala to hike down into the crater through the clouds and took a couple minutes to appreciate and listen to the silence in one of the quietest places on Earth! After that, we took a lot of group photos on our cameras, and started on our way back. We drove up to the Haleakala Summit and enjoyed an amazing view, and then ate some lunch! The car rides were so much fun, especially in the party van.. Where we did in fact have water spill all over the back, and Colin took initiative to hold it the rest of the way to prevent it from spilling more, good leadership skills Colin! Bonds were formed as we stepped out of our comfort zone and experienced amazing things together. (Ryleigh)

Today at home base we learned about about how the native Hawaiians and the Hawaiian Homes Act from our Surf instructor Abner. We got assigned mentor groups and talked about are goals this trip. During our down time between activities and meals we were able to talk with friends, put our feet in the water and play games. (Sarah)

Today chef jake cooked up some delicious meals. First we had a continental breakfast including eggs, cinnamon rolls, and some fresh fruit. Lunch today was on the go in haleakala national park. Some tasty ham and cheese sandwiches on the summit of haleakala hit the spot. Dinner was great! Lasagna and 5 cheese tortellini with chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Chef Jake continues to over perform. (Collin)

Overall it was a great day filled with once in a lifetime views during our cloud walk on Haleakala, great food from Chef Jake and Dan, and our wonderful guest speaker Abner!

Enjoy the photos of some of today’s highlights!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Hello!

Another great day here on Maui! Our leaders of the day were Emerson, Gia, and Lauren E. Below are their thoughts on the day!

For our service today we visited the lovely site of Kipuka Olowalu to help with a recently started endemic planting project. After the amazing staff there educated us on the various different plants grown there, their uses, and the relationships between the people and the land, we began our work. We split into four groups, moving rocks, cardboard, mulch, and pulling weeds to build a hardening nursery. Despite the work being tiring it was extremely rewarding, and we could instantly see our progress. Once we finished, we received a very fun hula lesson from a staff member at Kipuka Olowalu, Ua, where we all got to show off our amazing moves. (Emerson)

For today’s activities after service at Kipuka Olowalu, we headed to the beach to clean up around the area. Everyone worked together to keep micro plastics out of the water, and then got to jump in! Once we got back to base camp, mentor Liv ran a group leadership activity called The Great Debate for our leadership pillar “Live Your Values” where we were spilt into four groups to decide what would be the right solution. We all took away key values such as understanding everyone’s needs and opinions to make an informed decision. (Lauren)

We’ve experienced wonderful food on this trip. We have 3 meals and snacks throughout the day. Chef Jake is super nice, understanding to those with diatery needs, and is awesome with spicing. today we woke up and had bagels with a contential breakfast, for lunch we had turkey cheese and humas wraps, and lastly for dinner we had pizza and ice cream of course because it is friday. I’m looking forward to the future food on this trip! (Gia)

As you can tell it was an eventful day, and we can’t wait to see what tomorrow has in store!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Hello!

Another 95° and sunny day on Maui! We got to go to our second service partner the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute (MOCMI). Our leaders of the day Campbell, Lauren N, Pierce, and Vivenne share their thoughts below!

Throughout this trip we have partaken in many eye-opening activities. However, arguably today was the most awaking when we came together for a trash cleanup. In groups, we travelled along the roads and picked up mounds of trash. After picking up nearly 130 cigarette buds and over 12 trash bags, our hearts were feeling full by the end of the day. Though we knew littering was an issue, the trash cleanup today helped us all understand how much of an impact we hold on the environment. (Lauren N)

Today we had a great experience feeding a sick turtle and it really showed me this is what I want to do when I am older. Helping these hurt turtles get back out in the wild is a beautiful thing and MOCMI is doing many great programs for our oceans. The aquarium had a diverse group of animals that were in great hands and I loved the Tiger shark! (Campbell)

For the leadership activity today we did community organizing which consisted of observing the issues that are happening in each of our hometowns, as a group, and coming up with solutions and “businesses” to solve the issues. Each group came up with different topics that we all presented. There was a big variety of ideas that each group came up with for example; finding a way to help the homeless while saving the planet in the same time, cultural respect and awareness, etc. (Vivenne)

Today Chef Jake made some incredible food. We started off the day with eggs, toast, fresh fruit and smoothies. We then took our lunch on the go and ate at the aquarium. We enjoyed croissant sandwiches along with Pringles and oranges. Finally for dinner the group ate pulled pork, beans, rice and an excellent artichoke dip. The food today was very enjoyable and tasty. (Pierce Ankrum)

Tomorrow is sail boat day, and I’ve never heard less complaints about a 6:30am leave time! To say the students are excited would be an understatement

*due to the type of permit the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute has for its sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation program, photos are not allowed to be taken in the quarantine facilities so there are no photos from our work with the sea turtles today

Please enjoy the video of our students doing the “Shelby Interpretive Coral Dance” showing how coral eat!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Hello!

Today was boat day, and what a day it was! Our leaders of the day were Georgia M, Liam, and Olivia. Please enjoy their rundown of the day! (Liam will be assisting with tomorrow’s blog)

We woke up at 5:45 to prepare for the day ahead. At 6:30 we left camp for the marine. Chef Jake drove the catamaran up to the dock where we got on. It was absolutely beautiful to see the scenery as we went farther from the shore. We ate breakfast on the boat which consisted of blueberry bread, breakfast sandwiches, and an assortment of fruits. The waves were huge! It was so fun to take photos with friends and enjoy the breeze. At about 9:00 we stopped at slaughterhouse beach to snorkel. (Olivia part 1)

We made our adventure to a destination known by many as slaughter house beach (solely because there used to be a slaughter house on top of the cliff surrounding us). The lovely boat staff offered all of us snorkels and flippers, gave us a quick snorkeling safety talk, and then we were let loose in the designated area to explore the beautiful creatures beneath the surface. We got very lucky that two sea turtles were seen swimming around the area our group was in. The colorful coral beneath us, clear blue water, and sun shining in the sky made snorkeling an absolute 11/10 experience. On our way back we were surprised to see multiple groups of dolphins splashing around right next to the boat (don’t worry there’s plenty of pictures). Captain jake (who is also our chef) got us all back to the marina safely with smiling tanned faces. (he really is the Jake of all trades…am i right?). (Georgia M)

After we got off the boat, we took a quick trip to the bathroom before going to get coffee! Students at GLA (especially me) are a HUGE fan of the iced coffee. It was so fun to get a nice treat before heading back to camp. Once at camp, we had free time to read, relax, and pick mangos from the trees. At about 4 we met at the mess hall to have a leadership lesson. Todays lesson was mainly about perspectives and the power of being open minded. Jayme, the speaker, was great at explaining and giving examples for a student that shows respect for others opinions. Then, after the lesson, we played a few fun games before eating dinner! It was absolutely delicious (per usual). We ate salad, chicken, beef, rice and pork rolls. Finally, we had our routine mentor groups before bed. (Olivia part 2)

It was a wonderful day and we can’t wait for our beautiful drive on the Road to Hana tomorrow!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Hello!

Another beautiful 95° and sunny day on Maui! We spent the whole day on the road to Hana exploring waterfalls, black sand beaches, and eating delicious banana bread. Our leaders of the day were Corinna, Ainsley, and Charisse, here is the rundown of the day in their words! Liam also helped write today’s blog.

During our enjoyable road trip to Hana, we traveled winding roads with over 600 curves. Along the way, we saw beautiful views that took our breath away, including the surreal rainbow eucalyptus, which appeared as though it was painted. Besides this, we also learned the profound knowledge of this place. the Holo Holo drivers shared interesting history, culture, and facts of the place. The car ride was an amazing experience. (Charisse)

When we arrived to the waterfall, everybody was very excited. As soon as we got in the water it was very cold compared to the beaches. Everybody was freezing, but as soon as we ducked our heads into the water we warmed up. Everybody started swimming towards the waterfall. Under the falls, it was almost surreal. (Liam)

At at our last stop on our Road to Hana drive, we stopped at a beautiful spot called Waiʻānapanapa State Park with a Black Sand beach. We ate lunch here at a little grass patch, soaking up the sun and watching the ocean! Then we made our way down to the beach, which was by far the coolest one I’ve seen. The sand was completely black, made by black lava stones that had deteriorated, and the beach was lined with the smooth black stones. The water was so blue and clear! Also, there was a small cave from a lava tube flow that you could walk through which was so cool. The beach was sick!!! (Corrina)

Chef Jake started our morning with delicious muffins! We also had an array of fresh fruit, including native pineapple that can only be found here on Maui. We even got local fresh made banana bread on our drive. For dinner, Chef Jake prepared slow cooked braised ribs. We ended the night with a surprise bonfire and s’mores! (Ainsley)

As you can tell it was an eventful day with some of the most beautiful views Hawaii has to offer. Our Leaders did forget to mention we stopped at the world famous Coconut Glen’s coconut ice cream. We bought amazing coconut ice cream and whole coconuts to drink the water and eat the meat. To say the students enjoyed themselves with their coconuts is an understatement! Tomorrow we’re back at the Marine Institute for another day of service and learning!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Hello!

Another HOT day here on Maui! Today’s leaders were Alix, Cooper, Penelope, and Sabrina. We had an exciting day of service, leadership, and shopping. Enjoy our mentors recap of the day!

Today, we returned to the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute (MOCMI) to help the turtle coordinator, Julia, and her cohorts in the husbandry and feedings of their rehabilitating sea turtles. We engaged in the documentation of the water quality of the tanks to ensure they were healthy, cleaned up all of the tanks, and even fed some of the ones who needed a little extra care. We were given intricate insight into the process of revitalizing this wonderful species and how institutions like these work to ensure the proliferation and success of endangered animals. After completing our shift assignments with the turtles, we divided into groups and went around the streets and harbor by the MOCMI and collected as much trash littered around as possible. We all worked in a collaborative effort to find and collect any and all litter spotted in full efficacy in our continued attempts to promote environmental conservation and protection. (Penelope)

We had a very special afternoon as we explored Lahaina’s front street from 2:30-5:30pm. We were given the freedom to walk around in groups of 3 or more to shop and get some great souvenirs and other items. Many members stopped to get Hawaiis popular shaved ice, as well as other local food stops. Many members also engaged in getting matching things such as bracelets, clothing and spider man masks. Luckily all the students arrived on time at the meeting spot, which was very appreciated by both mentors and other group members. By 5:30 everyone left front street with new items and a smile on their face. (Sabrina)

Shelby had us do quite an interesting leadership activity where we moved from side to side and forward and backwards depending on what we agreed on for our personality. After we moved around and found our final position, we were separated into groups that most represented our determined personalities and leadership styles. It was cool to see which group we fell into, but also interesting to see what their defense was for not agreeing about the type of leadership category they got placed in. Overall, the leadership activity had a very fun dynamic to it that let us discover a good estimate on what type of leader we potentially are while we actively were choosing where we’d end up. (Cooper)

For breakfast we had fruit, pancakes with whipped cream and syrup, bacon, eggs, and some delicious iced coffee. For lunch we had a chicken salad sandwich. The chicken salad had curry and mangos and also in the sandwich with a choice of any chips and some fruit and cheese sticks. For dinner we had an amazing cookout style dinner. We had a choice of burgers or hot dogs. On the side we had baked mac and cheese, pasta salad, potato salad, green salad, chicken drum sticks, chips with dip, strawberry guava nectar, and an amazing mixed berry pie for desert. Shout out to Chef Jake and Chef Dan for the amazing food!!! (Alix)

As you can tell it was an amazing day filled with great opportunities and many memories were created! Tomorrow we go back to Kipuka Olowalu for our last day of service!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Another hot one here on Maui! Our leaders of the day were Chase, Georgia S, and Taryn. Enjoy their commentary on the day!

Today we continued our service learning activities at Kipuka Olowalu where we helped garden by picking out the weeds in the taro (Hawaiian sweet potato) patches. Following that we were introduced to the new group of volunteers and discussed how we want to impact the world with our decisions. During these activities there were many amazing discussions that make our group become closer. Finally we learned how to make leis! It was so much fun collaborating with others learning how to make them and now we can teach our family and friends. These opportunities and these people shape who we are and how we can affect our communities. (Georgia S.)

Today for our leadership activities we competed in Leadership Olympics. We had 3 groups and 4 activities. One of the activities, Helium Hoop was a game about communicating and listening while trying to bring a hula hoop to the ground without tilting it and only using 2 finger per person.

Another activity was the Human Knot, we went in a circle and had to grab someone’s hand that wasn’t next to us which made us into a knot and we had to work under and over people to get us into a perfect circle. Toxic River was an activity that required strategizing and communication to get everyone on your team from one side of the “river” to the other while using only 6 rags (acting as stepping stones) with 7 people. If any part of your body touched the ground then everyone had to restart. Pirates Booty was an activity that had 2 captains, 2 first mates, 2 explorers, and 2 assistant captain. Everyone had an important job. The explorers were blind folded and had to find the treasure, the first mates had to tell them where to go with the help of the captains hand gestures because the first mates couldn’t see the explores but the captains could. By using all our leadership pilar’s that we learned throughout our trip it helped us get through each activity successfully. At the end of the leadership olympics we learned that it’s always important to listen what everyone has to say and use it to help move forward toward your goal. (Taryn)

Per usual chef Jake never disappoints with his amazing cuisines. For breakfast today he made French toast topped with whipped cream, freshly cut fruit, and for the beverages he made us iced coffee and orange juice. For lunch we ate delicious ham sandwiches with sides of clementines, cheese sticks, and lots of chip options. We finished the night off with chef Jake and Dan handmade sushi, rice, many types of dumplings, spring rolls, and amazing guava juice. (Chase)

As you can tell it was another successful day! We got to finish the night with a screening of Moana, such a great day!

Tomorrow we will do our surf lesson in the morning and then celebrate all of our hard work and personal growth with a luau!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Another hot and sunny day here on Maui! Our leaders of the day were Angelina, Delilah, and Lincoln! Enjoy their thoughts on our last day on Maui!

For the final day of our trip, we decided to start it off with one of the most well know water sports… surfing. The waves were in perfect condition and with the vibrant sun and cool wind, we were eager to get into the water. Most of us were nervous, as it was our first time ever surfing. The feeling of getting on the board right before the instructor told us to paddle as fast as we could was when all of the nerves kicked in. We put all of our strength into the first paddle, and then we stood as though we were taking our first steps. The wind in our hair and the feeling of accomplishment was unlike any other. We owe it to “Hang Loose” for giving GLA this opportunity to surf and have the time of our lives. To sum it up, we had a blast! (Delilah)

To celebrate the last night of our amazing GLA adventure, we all went to a Luau to eat great food and see magnificent dancing. Throughout our three hour experience there, we were served lots of traditional Hawaiian dishes, including many with Taro, a plant we worked with at service the day before. While we were enjoying our food, up on stage were a variety of talented Hula dancers. At first, there were a few smaller acts and solos, but at the end was a grand performance. During this final performance, we were told a story about the history and religion of Hawaii through speakers, Hula dancers, and music. I, and everyone else, absolutely loved this experience and are very glad that this Luau was how our life-changing GLA adventure ended. (Lincoln)

We began our amazing day with Chef Jake’s delicious pancakes and tasty fruits, followed by exhilarating surf lessons at Hang Loose. For lunch, we savored turkey and ham burritos, chips, and fruits. Our evening took us to the Old Lahaina Luau, where we immersed ourselves in traditional hula performances and savored Hawaiian delights like tuna poke, laulau, and roasted pork. The main course treated us to mouthwatering grilled beef, chicken, and fish, and we ended the night with the delightful pineapple delight dessert. It was a day filled with incredible experiences and unforgettable flavors. (Angelina)

To close of the day, we had an appreciation circle. The mentors would pick six people from the circle and ask them a question such as “someone who made you laugh” and we would tap on all of the people turned around in the circle who had made us laugh. It was one of the most heartwarming activities we had done yet, because we got learn just how many people we impacted and just how many people we made laugh. Thank you GLA for giving us the joy of the journey and more so the love of people. (Delilah)

As you can tell we had an exciting, and emotional day. Lots of memories were made and many tears were shed. Tomorrow is departure day and while everyone is looking forward to going home, they’re also saddened to day goodbye.

May 31, 2023 by Ashley Welter

Guatemala: Global Health in the Land of the Maya (Sessions Starting July 1, 2023)

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

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

This blog is for the Guatemala split session starting July 1, 2023, which includes both the 14-day and the 21-day student group.

Here are a few things you can expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Dear parents, guardians and friends!

After a long day, many layovers and flight delays, we finally made it to the homebase in Antigua. Students started bonding at the popular Pollo Campero and then travelled together to Antigua Guatemala to find comfort in their rooms, have a hot shower and dinner at the local restaurant Doña Luisa Xicotencatl.

Mentors provided some general orientations and revised the schedule for tomorrow which will consist of a traditional mayan celebration and introductions to their program once in Quetzaltenango (Xela, in short). Wait to hear all about it from tomorrow’s leaders of the day.

We are still waiting for Cora, Cierra and Lorena (who have already made it to Guatemala city) to come to homebase along with Ludmila, Lauren and Aria who are on the air as I write this. A couple more students will join us tomorrow night to finally complete the whole group.

Everyone is now resting but eager to start their journey of learning in the land of the Mayas.

Warmly,
Katia Espalter -International director and the Guatemala Global Health staff

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Written by Kaya, Paulina, Manay – Leaders of the Day

Hi GLA family and friends!

We started July 2nd off by visiting a local association of five families whose mission is to preserve their culture. They do this by teaching others how to weave by hand instead of using computers to create the patterns and by wearing the traditional clothing throughout the generations. Four volunteers in our group took part in a roleplay of a traditional Mayan wedding where they learned about the roles of both the bride and groom families. They were dressed up in traditional clothing and one of the local women led them through what is typically a long lasting ceremony. After the wedding was finished, the families opened up their shop for us and volunteers were able to buy handmade goods to bring back to you all! Then, they gave us homemade coffee and bread that prepared us for our long journey towards our other homebase in Quetzaltenango.

We then ventured in the vans for about two hours and then stopped to eat an amazing lunch at a family-owned restaurant. The lunch gave everyone energy to keep on traveling for a few more hours to our final destination, QUETZALTENANGO!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Written by Hannah, Aria, Ella

Hi everyone,

Today was our second full day in Guatemala and we have already had a blast! We woke up at our beautiful home base and enjoyed a delicious breakfast as a group. Next, we headed off on a tour of our homebase and got to see the playground, fish pond, and our official boundaries. After that, we trained for our medical brigades by learning from Nurse Diana. We learned key Spanish phrases, how to take patients’ vital signs, and about the healthcare systems in Guatemala. We had lunch all together and then headed out to Momostenago.

We visited a family’s home and their small textile factory. They showed us the process of turning sheep’s wool into blankets and jackets. They showed us how to spin the wool and naturally dye it. We were able to shop their products and a lot of the students came home with a special souvenir. The family even allowed us to try and make our own tortillas. After filling up on some beans, tortillas, guacamole, and salsa, we started the drive back to home base.

We had an especially American dinner of hotdogs and fries. Following dinner, we met with our mentor groups for our first session of the trip! We have had so much fun getting to know each other and this beautiful country better!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Written by Rishon, Will, Sunil

We began our first day of service at the health post in Xecaracoj. At about 8:30 our vans arrived at the community, and we began setting up equipment. As patients started to trickle in, the pre established groups began gathering patient information, vital signs, and medical history. As the time went by, we took initiative by adapting to the situation as needed. At 12:30, we were scheduled to leave, after helping provide aid to 34 patients.

We then headed back to home base where we toured the El Refugio farm, which is located inside the premises of homebase. After the tour we took a trip to the Historical Downtown Quetzaltenango, and stopped by a local ice cream shop to get some delicious treats.

After ice cream, we took a trip to the Municipal Palace, a local government building. We stopped by Walmart for some snacks and then came home for dinner. Nayo, our local advisor, surprised us with fireworks and sparklers as a fun way to finish off the night and to celebrate 4th of July.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Written by GLA Students: Vidya D., Dylan W., Iliana L.

Hello GLA families, we hope you enjoyed July 4th because we certainly did.

Yesterday we ended our day with a firework and sparkler surprise. Today, we started our day by doing a health brigade, which was revised from the previous day to make it more efficient. During our health brigade, students worked in smaller groups in order to ensure that care was provided to all patients. The students got to do blood pressure, glucose levels, as well as practice and use their spanish knowledge. After our medical brigade, we drove back to our home base in Xela and enjoyed an authentic Guatemalan meal.

We then took a tour of a nearby nursing school. We got to learn about local education and get hands-on demonstrations of work in the maternal wing as well as the rehabilitation unit. After that, we were surprised with an outing, and had the opportunity to go to a local soccer field. We played against our fellow GLA students as well as the medical counselors who we had previously worked with at the service brigade.

We then drove to home base and undertook a special debate activity concerning certain medical issues. We talked about issues such as indigenous and modern medicine and how they should be regulated. Students then took on roles as important members of the Guatemalan community and discussed these issues. After we ate dinner followed by our mentor groups. In mentor groups we discussed our day together and talked about improvements we could make in our health brigades. We also talked about our identities and future goals as GLA students and leaders.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Written by Cora, Louise, and Maria

Buenos días!

Today was an exciting day! We started out by heading over to our service site in the small, traditional village of Xecaracoj. Everyone switched positions to experience different medical stations. Today was a little bit more busy since we had a line of patients waiting for us when we arrived. Overall it was a successful and fulfilling morning of check ins, vitals, medical history forms, shadowing doctors, and organizing medications. After the medical brigade, we headed back to our homebase to enjoy a yummy lunch with the group and a well deserved break.

Soon after 2 o’clock, we departed to the town of San Andres Xecul and listened to an incredible tour of the church and history about the community. We walked up and around the village and experienced the breathtaking views as well as witnessing a home and the making of a traditional huipil, which is used for ceremonies and celebrations.

As we got back to homebase we engaged in a game of Caballo, ate dinner as a group, and finished the day off with mentor groups.

Adios amigos!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Written by Julian, Mila, & Mateo

Today was an excursion day where we started off the day at Chicabal. After a long ride to the base of the former volcano, we began our ascent to the top of Chicabal in trucks called ´Toritos´. It was a bumpy, muddy, but exciting ride to the top where we would begin our hike down to the sacred Mayan lake. The hike down to the lake included a steep set of stairs that was over 600 steps. At the lake, a man of Mayan descent performed a traditional Mayan ceremony in which he made offerings to various Mayan Gods. During the ceremony, we were all given candles to throw into the fire as we made a wish. Following the ceremony, we began our hike back up the mountain but instead of taking the stairs, we took a long trail which for many proved to be a challenge at 9000 feet of elevation.

After leaving Chicabal and returning to our home base, we met Doctor Gustavo Lopez and he gave us an intriguing conversation about his work regarding public health in Guatemala. Along with everything he taught us, we were able to share our experience working at a local clinic this past week with him. Following our talk with Doctor Gustavo Lopez, country director Orlando gave us a presentation about Guatemala and local director Nayo shared his story growing up in Guatemala. We then had an early dinner to take the night to prepare for an exciting day at Lake Atitlan tomorrow.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Written by Cierra, Lorena, and Alyssa

Today we woke up around 6:15, ate breakfast at 6:45, then left homebase for our two day Atitlan lake excursion.After a 3 hour bus ride we arrived in the town. From there we took a boat ride to the town of San Juan La Laguna. After exploring there we headed back to the hotel for lunch. Next we played an intense game of fishbowl in the hotel common area. Although it was raining we still left to go for another walk around a new town called Panajachel for a few hours. Finally we came back to the hotel to eat dinner. Some of us went to bed early, and others decided to practice taking vitals so that they can be even more confident in service moving forward.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Written by Veer, Rob, Brody

We started off the day with breakfast at The Paradise Inn, where we enjoyed an assortment of drinks and bread. Soon after we finished breakfast we traveled to Chichicastenango, which is the biggest open air market in Guatemala. We spent 2 hours shopping for an array of things including electronics, clothes, jewelry, and food. We then had lunch at the Santo Tomas hotel, the entree included a chicken leg, fries, and some boiled vegetables.

After shopping, we returned to Xela at around 4:30pm. There, we had around 2 hours of free time before we ate dinner. After dinner, everyone practiced their medical and spanish skills for the following day of service.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Written by Amelia, Sahana, and Lauren

We are so happy to be here in Guatemala! Today was super long but that’s a good thing! We did 7 hours of medical service at the clinic. We had an amazing lunch break with chicken drumsticks or vegetables with rice. We had two shifts so we switched jobs in the afternoon. This gave us the ability to help a lot more people by having a longer shift than normal. We came back to our home base around 3:30.

When we got back to home base we were able to take a CPR class with the Guatemalan Red Cross. We got certified for the basics! This was a super fun class to take and honestly quick and straightforward. It was a lot of fun to watch our friends learn as well. This class showed us how to be prepared for a lot of situations with babies, kids, and adults. After, we got a good break before dinner where we played lots of card games and made friendship bracelets. We had dinner at 7 pm which was lasagna, salad, and toast.

After dinner we then celebrated Mateo´s birthday! He turned 17 today. We celebrated this by having a surprise pinata party followed by a delicious fruit cake. Overall this trip has been a life changing experience and the group of people we have here are all incredible. We love it here!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Written by Alexa, Sanaaya, and Sabrina

Today was an eventful, exciting day!
We began our morning at 5am with abrupt wakeup calls echoing across Home Base. Then, sleepy campers piled into vans to begin the journey to our white water rafting adventure. Our first stop was for breakfast at a beautiful hotel. Meals varied from beans and eggs to pancakes and fruits. Then, our journey to the river began. Students were put into two different groups, one for white water rafting and one to learn all about water safety and whitewater rescue.
After about three hours in their original positions, students had a snack and then were able to try the other activity. We returned back to the hotel at around 7pm (meaning that our lunch plans were relocated to dinner). For an incredibly satisfying dinner, students enjoyed hamburgers, club sandwiches, and grilled chicken plates.
Once packed up, students loaded back into their vans for their journeys home. These journeys were happily interrupted by a gas station stop to buy more snacks – an excitement thoroughly enjoyed by all!
Arriving back at Home Base at around 11 pm, filthy students took showers and headed immediately to their cozy beds – ready to awake at 7 the next morning for service.

We bet your day wasn’t as eventful as ours, but we hope it was a great one!
Signed,
Alexa, Sanaaya, and Sabrina

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Written by Hannah, Amelia, and Sabrina

Hello everyone! Today was an exciting, but sad day.
After breakfast, we piled into vans to head to our last day of service at the Xecaracoj clinic. We were able to help around 30 patients today with our various jobs around the clinic. As a special treat for our last day of service, we were treated with pizza as a snack to tide us over for lunch and we shared a last meal with the clinic staff. How yum!
After lunch, we began our journey to the beautiful hot springs in Zunil – known as the Fuentes Georginas. The waters were warm, green, and surrounded by beautiful foliage on all sides. We enjoyed taking photos, swimming, and hanging out in the various pools around the property. It was definitely a highlight for many!
After, we piled in for the ride home where we were able to shower and get ready for our last dinner at this Home Base (for the 14-Dayers). Once finished, students were granted free time to pack and get ready for their different journeys home, plus other activities.
Overall, our last day at Home Base was full of everything that we loved from this trip – being able to participate in service, hanging out around campus, and adventuring to a new place!

We hope you´ve had a great day, as well.

Sincerely,
Hannah, Amelia, and Sabrina

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13 & 14

Written by Leader of the Day: Hannah

On Thursday, we began our trek back to Antigua.

We visited a beautiful coffee farm and got the chance to learn about the process of making coffee. Everyone had so much fun picking out souvenirs and tasting the different types of coffee. We then walked around Antigua and were so fascinated by our experience at the coffee farm that we had to make a stop at Starbucks. We rushed back to the hotel to get dressed up for our farewell dinner. At dinner, we received our CPR certifications and had a chance to make our final remarks about the trip. Soon after dinner, the first of the 14 day students headed off to the airport and we all said our final goodbyes.

A three AM wake up call greeted the 21 day students Friday morning. While we headed to the airport to leave for an excursion, the rest of the 14 day students headed home. We arrived in Tikal and met up with our tour guide Julio. He showed us all around the Mayan ruins and could not have been more knowledgeable about the sight. Tikal is a UNESCO world heritage site that works to conserve Mayan buildings and culture. Only about 1% of the Mayan ruins have been restored (dug up from under layers of plants and dirt). The group had a fun time exploring the grounds and even made friends with a photographer who took a great picture of the group. After lunch in Tikal we headed back to the airport. However, our flight back to Guatemala City was delayed so we were able to enjoy ice cream (and more coffee) on the beautiful island of Flores. I am writing this in the van on the way back to XELA and it is safe to say that we are looking forward to getting some rest!!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Written by Sabrina

Good evening!

Today was our first full day without the 14-dayers. We had a later wakeup, thanks to our late night road trip, and for breakfast, we had our classic: beans and eggs.

Then, after a short break, we began service at a new facility! A school! Nayo gave us a tour of the property and explained all the prior work that GLA has done there, and then gave us different jobs we could work on to help out the school. The options ranged from tiling a sink to designing a new mural to repurposing an old mural – all very exciting and important jobs. Once split into groups, we spent the rest of our service time working hard to make progress on our roles.

After service, we headed back to Home Base for a lunch of a very special beef broth soup with rice, beef, and varying veggies – a yummy experience. There were also options of vegetables and a chicken for the non-beef eaters. After lunch, we got to Xela´s center again – to participate in shopping, sightseeing, and ice cream eating.

Once we returned to Home Base, we had a two hour rest break to catch up on sleep and hang out with our new roommates. Dinner consisted of spaghetti with meat sauce, spinach salad, and toast.

Signing off,
Sabrina

BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

Written by Sahana

Hello Everyone!

Today was yet another beautiful day in the land of Guatemala! We began the day with delicious pancakes with an assortment of fruit. This was followed by a day of service at the school! There, we broke up into three different groups where we continued our service projects from yesterday. We made tremendous progress on all of our endeavors, which we will continue to work on throughout the week.

Around noon we headed back and ate lunch. We ate jocon, which is a traditional Guatemalan dish, served with rice and vegetables. At 2pm we headed out to the El Baul mountain where we walked around and took in the gorgeous views. This was followed by a few activities. The first was a moral dilemma activity where we were given a set of five people with different backgrounds, ages, and causes of their current condition. From there we had to decide who was worthy of priority for a heart transplant that would save their lives. Although a circumstance such as this is unlikely to exist in the real world, we were able to analyze the factors that go into medical decision making.

Followed by this activity, we all participated in a group trivia! We were split up into teams of two and the competition began! The first round was trivia based on Guatemalan culture, history, facts, etc. The second round stemmed from pop and rap music. We were given a phrase from a specific song and had to establish both the song name, and artist. The winner of the trivia was Ella and Paulina!

We headed back down the mountain and all rested before dinner. At dinner we enjoyed a classic american dish of chicken nuggets, hash browns, and shredded carrot salad. After we played a fun game of monopoly to top off our night!

Until next time,
Sahana Duggal

BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Written by Paulina

Hello GLA Families and Friends!
Today is Monday, July 17, and we have had a tiring, yet delicious day. After breakfast, we headed to service where we were finally able to meet and play with the children at the school we´ve been working on for the past 2 days. In between spackling sinks and painting walls, we played tag and soccer with extremely fast kids. While one group finished painting Central America in the back of the school, another finished painting a female president, a chef, and an agriculture worker on a different wall. Meanwhile, the school sink became more and more colorful as my group added tiles with cement. Once we ate lunch, we returned to service to continue working, before heading to my favorite afternoon activity: a chocolate workshop hosted by a local family business.
After we devoured the introductory chocolate fountain with strawberries, bananas, apples, and pineapple (yes, seriously), we toured the museum and learned about the importance of Guatemalan chocolate from different regions and the culture it carries. We then tried two different hot chocolates, one with ginger and one with cardamom, a tea made from the husk of the cocoa bean, and the meat of the cocoa bean. We headed back to home base for dinner, and had some down time after a full day!

Thanks for reading!
Paulina

BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Written by Ella

Hello everyone!

Today is Tuesday the 18th and we had a great day today. We started the day off with some delicious omelettes, and headed off to service. Today was a holiday for the kids of Guatemala, so they had a day off school. We played music as we worked on making our mosaic and crafted GLA out of tiles. We also continued the maps and murals we have been working on these past few days. After a sunny day of service we went back to the base for an amazing lunch of Fried chicken to fuel our exciting afternoon!

We had some free time to relax, nap and read our books before an exhilarating afternoon of dance classes! We headed out and arrived at the studio. We all learned step by step the basics of salsa! We partnered up and worked super hard with lots of laughter to master the basics. We stepped and spent until our final competition. We all got very competitive because the reward for best dancer was extra phone time! Ella and Brody won best dancers. After we got back to the base we watched a movie. We decided to watch Saw. After a few scares we had some time to relax before dinner and there was a small earthquake, the first one we’ve experienced here. don’t worry it was very small, barely noticeable for most. Anyways we had dinner, taco bites, and we’re all currently playing a very intense game of monopoly! overall a good chill day full of learning new things!

Thanks for reading!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Written by Kaya:

This morning we started the day off with a long awaited american breakfast consisting of a variety of different cereals that included froot loops, cocoa krispies and frosted flakes. After breakfast we left our homebase and headed to service at the local school where we completed painted murals, a renovated sink and taught the school children about oral hygiene and handwashing techniques!

Around noon we left service to eat lunch where we had lasagna with corn salad and a slice of bread which was amazing. Since we had a whole day of service planned we headed back to the school where we were greeted by high schoolers practicing one of the national dances of guatemala. Today was our full last day of service so we finished all the projects and finished the day by watching students complete a P.E. class in the courtyard and talking and playing with them!

At homebase we had some free time before having our last mentor group for the trip where we talked about our first impressions of Guatemala and the new perspectives we were leaving with. Dinner was around the corner so we ate and finished off the night by watching a movie and playing monopoly for the sixth time in a row.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Written by Mila:

We started off the morning with a traditional Guatemalan breakfast which consisted of eggs, beans, plantains, and tortillas. Since it was our last day, the kids at the local school had a surprise ceremony to thank us for the service we completed. The surprise included a traditional dance and our names called out where we were given a pen wrapped around traditional fabric.

Lunch came fast and we ate breaded chicken with sliced potatoes where we talked about all the things we enjoyed from this trip and the impact we felt we made on the several communities we visited!

After lunch came lots of free time to say our final goodbyes to our fellow roommates and pack all our things to take back home. Farewell dinner came and we were gifted the walking tacos we asked with a strawberry and lime dessert that looked like a watermelon in a cup!!

We finished the night off with a bonfire and a

FINAL game of monopoly.

See you all soon,
Mila