Time Capsule Letter

We can’t believe it has already been so long since our Thailand trip ended! I can still imagine those amazing dishes that we shared, from pad thai and green curry to fried chicken (or tofu) and that awesome khao soi.

It seems like yesterday that we were digging in the dirt, mixing concrete, lesson planning, and playing games with students. You’re probably back in school (or starting college!) but we wanted you to know that here in Chiang Mai we are still thinking of you and the impact we made this summer together.

Our time spent together here truly did make an impact. You should all know you left Chiang Mai a better place than when you came. The cement slabs at the children’s home that you contributed to building will help ensure that the children and staff don’t have to waste time re-washing clothes.

Your lessons at the elementary school helped give those third through sixth graders a tangible way to use their English, potentially sparking a lifelong love of language learning! And more importantly, the knowledge YOU gained on this trip we hope will serve you and the communities you go on to be in for the rest of your life!

We hope that you are doing well with your One Meaningful Goal of practicing gratitude and offering recognition to those around you every day and checking in with each other weekly.

Another thing I can’t forget is how much fun we had together here! You guys were a huge part of making this trip so fun by being such an incredible group.

We experienced Thai culture by learning to cook (and eat), learning about Buddhism, meditation and Thai language, and trying our hand at different traditional crafts.

We also got to visit local markets and walking streets to buy paintings, gifts, and so many pairs of elephant pants (we hope they’re still in one piece!). We explored the city, temples, and nature of Chiang Mai and the surrounding area.

We worked really hard and also had a blast together. Whether we were practicing Thai, hanging out with elephants, learning line dances, flying through the jungle canopy, trying to untangle a human knot in record time, or lip syncing our hearts out — it was that much fun because we got to share it with all you guys — the 2019 GLA Thailand In and Beyond the Classroom group! Thanks for helping to make these special memories in an amazing place.

10 special moments from our trip:
• Determination while removing concrete posts, leveling the ground, and being agitators
• Visiting with Charlie the baby elephant
• Customizing all of our belongings (and umbrellas) at Bor Sang Village
• Comparing Thai teas everywhere we went
• Games and laughter with the children at Baan Praporn
• Getting relaxing (and very different) Thai massages
• Laughter (and sweat) while teaching Thai students songs and games
• Amazing mentor group lip sync battle performances (you’re rockstars!)
• Trying new Adventure Foods™ everywhere we went (even 7-eleven)
• Sharing our shopping hauls after colorful evenings at the Sunday Walking Street

You were an amazing group and we feel truly blessed to have been able to spend time with you in Thailand, guiding you through so many activities and watching you grow!

Wishing you all the best,

Rachel – International Director
Lori – Mentor

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Friday July 12, 2019

Hello! Sawadee Kha!

We are so happy to welcome the students to Thailand! Everyone (except for our three delayed/late arrivals) has arrived, safe and sound and full of smiles! We are so excited to meet our 21-day “In and Beyond the Classroom” group! After a full twenty-plus hours of traveling for everyone, today’s focus was on resting, bonding with roommates, getting to know each other, and getting the feel for Woodfield Resort (our home for three weeks)!

Rachel, Lori & Emma
GLA Program Staff

Saturday July 13, 2019

Sawadee Ka!

Our first full day in Thailand began with all the students feeling rested and ready for adventure. After a hearty breakfast we had orientation and a cultural lesson by our wonderful Thai staff before heading in the vans to the Chiang Mai Grandview Hotel. There we enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch where students enthusiastically sampled different and new foods.

The afternoon was quite hot so we were thankful that we have comfortable vans with air conditioning and coolers with ice cold water for us to refill our personal water bottles. We stopped at two different temples and Pii Jane told us the story of Buddha. Next we went to a fresh food market to learn about the different ingredients that we would use in cooking our own individual dinners.

We walked through narrow streets to the cooking school where we divided into two groups to prepare our meals. We started by making Pad Thai, followed by Tom Ka Gai soup, then green curry and finally sticky rice with fresh mango. Needless to say we were all full and are excited to try cooking these dishes again when we return home.

Sunday July 14, 2019

Sawadee ka!

Everyone has finally arrived and we started the day with a offering to the resort’s shrines which keep away evil spirits and will keep us safe. Then we had a fun van ride with throwback music to the market which consisted of three stories high in two different buildings. Afterwards we went to a modern cafe to get out of the blazing sun. We then took a journey to the Huay Tung Tao Reservoir where we sat in bamboo cabanas and ate lunch together. Some students tried new foods such as jumping shrimp and fried bamboo worms!!!

Then we visited King Kong which were animals made out of straw. After a van ride back to the resort we had free time which for some was cooling off in the pool. Next was our first group leadership activity which was using team work to complete a goal together. We ended the day with a nice dinner and our first leadership lesson about elephant issues in Thailand. We are super excited to see what else this trip will provide us! Kawp Kun Ka!

~Madeleine & Natalie

Monday July 15, 2019

Today started out a little later as we were able to sleep in half an hour! Once we woke up and ate breakfast we loaded into the vans and headed off to paint umbrellas! After we all finished our umbrellas we got a chance to have the workers to paint various personal belongings! Once we finished at the umbrella factory we headed for an amazing lunch at Satesnip Restaurant. After sitting and eating lunch we headed for our first day of service work at the children’s home where we got to pull out eight cement poles, two of them were a solid team effort from everyone, but unfortunately they would not budge so we had to cut the poles with wire cutters. All the hard work paid off though because we got all the poles out!

After we finished with the poles we moved the new poles and cement bags off of the truck and placed them by where we’re going to place them tomorrow. Unloading everything was a solid two hours of hard work and sweat!!! Once we finished the work for the day we sat and had snacks and hydrated a little before the kids came home from school. After about fifteen minutes of relaxing the kids arrived from school and went and changed. Within five minutes all the kids were playing with us and braiding our hair and making us rings and bracelets out of flowers! We spent about an hour with the kids and then we had to leave for the day. Once we left the children’s home we made a quick pit stop at a seven eleven to grab snacks and drinks for our rooms.

On our way home we got stuck in traffic, but it gave us time to talk and reflect on the day and the whole trip so far. Once we got to home base we all had about half and hour to cool off and take showers and get ready for dinner. When we finished dinner they announced tomorrow’s leaders and we headed up to the Flora room and did our leadership activities, and started learning a dance that we’ll be doing for a high school on Friday! Finally we headed to bed to rest up and get ready for more hard work tomorrow! Hope all is well at home and we can’t wait to talk to you guys about our trip!

~Alexa

Tuesday July 16, 2019

Today was an adventure for sure! We started off the day with a beautiful drive. We visited a hill tribe called the Hmong where we learned about their very different lifestyle. We were welcomed into the village and given a tour by the chief where we hiked up to a beautiful garden and were shown inside of a man-made home of wood, brick, and cement. We were then taught the difficult yet rewarding art of needlepoint by the chief’s wife. After, we drove to and ate a scrumptious lunch at the beautiful restaurant, Krua Ban Chan.

After a delicious lunch, we went to our service site at the children’s home. Today we had to level out all the ground so concrete could be poured evenly. It was tough but we got it done. Jaelyn was top notch at evening the ground, and will henceforth be known as “The Leveler”. After a quick water break and a little more work, we got to play with the kids. They showed us how to count to ten, make flower crowns, braid hair and play Chief. Tonight we’re practicing for our cultural performance coming up and doing a cultural awareness seminar.

We’re having a blast!!!

Remi and Liam

Wednesday July 17, 2019

Our day started with a village called Tai Lue. Upon our arrival, we were given a blessing. This blessing continued, with each student receiving a hand made cotton bracelet. We then explored the Tai Lue family house, and learned how to hand make cotton clothing. After our cotton tour, we headed to Baon Lauang Nua. While there we learned how to make rice crackers and the art of wood craft. We learned this by painting our own petite wooden animals.

By this point in the day, all the students and staff were famished, so we ventured back to the cotton house for a hand made lunch. This lunch consisted of: pad thai, omelets, mango/chili salad, rice crackers, and spicy fried rice. After lunch, each student created their own bag with charcoal and classic Thai designs. While creating our bags, we joined along in singing their local Lanna folk song.

Soon after we departed from the village, we arrived at the children’s home. While there, we created the concrete base of the new laundry area. Finally, we closed out the day with our leadership meeting and rehearsal for our cultural exchange.

~Ari & Noel

Thursday July 18, 2019

Today was an action packed day here in Thailand! We started off with an informative meeting with Todd discussing teaching in Thailand. We learned about the different grade levels and effective teaching techniques to aid us in our service next week. From there, we got in the vans and visited the school we will be teaching at, Watgongsai School. We met with the director of the school and learned about the history, the staff, and what a typical school day consists of.

We then left the school and had a tasty lunch at Coffee Bus. Students enjoyed some unique soda drinks and of course, delicious coffee. After a fulfilling lunch, we got transported to the Children’s home for our service activity where we mixed and poured more concrete for the boys clothesline building. After 2 hours of hard work, we played with the children who had just come from school.

Once we returned back to home base, we showered and recharged. We then met back up for dinner and bonding. Soon after, we were led in an enjoyable leadership activity, and ended the day with our dance routine practice for our cultural exchange performance tomorrow! Wish us luck 🙂

-Ella and Quan

Friday July 19, 2019

Sawadee ka!

First we woke up and had a great breakfast then we took the vans to the Chiang Mai Thepbodint School for a one day cultural exchange. We were welcomed with many traditional dances and activities. They presented a traditional song with drums and two dancers then we preformed a dance for the Thai students that consisted of the Cupid Shuffle, Cotton Eye Joe, Cha Cha Slide, and Dancing Queen. Next we partnered with two of the high school students and made paper jellyfish.

After the activity, we watched a traditional bamboo dance and were taught how to do the basic sequence in makeshift pants. Then we watched a performance of Thai Boxing, Muay Thai, and we were even able to learn a few moves. After and unexpected workout, we took a lot of pictures and were given gifts. For lunch, our partner(s) from the school showed us around their canteen/cafeteria and what they like to eat for lunch. They had a lot of variety with their food and lots of different choices and things to buy, even bubble tea. They even had a little store where you could buy snacks, stationary, keychains, and ice cream. Before we left we had time to play basketball and volleyball with them.

After hanging out with the students, taking lots of photos, and giving out Instagram usernames we had a quick pit stop at 7-11 where many snacks were bought #AdventureFood! Next we went to the children’s home to do our last day of outside service aka our last day of mixing concrete. After service and playing with the kids, we headed back to home base, had dinner, our leadership activities, and went to bed. :))))

-by Gabby and Chloe

Saturday July 20, 2019

We woke up to another wonderful breakfast at the resort. After which we stopped at a market to get a few things for teaching (which starts on Monday)!! We went to the children’s home to play and have lunch with them. From there we were able to take about 35 children with us to the Tube Trek Waterpark! Being able to share this time was the children was something unforgettable.

As we were saying our last goodbyes, it was a very emotional time. Some of us even cried. It was very hard to leave the children we have been building bonds with for the past week but we can’t wait to continue our adventure! We ended the night with another delicious dinner at Home Base and more lesson planning for the upcoming week! We hope you guys are missing us because we sure are! See you guys soon!!

Sending lots of love,
Abbey and Aiden

Sunday July 21, 2019

Hey what’s up you guys! Sydney and Jailyn here- your leaders of the day. We’re writing this blog as we’re zip lining through the Thai jungle. The scenery was beautiful, but not as beautiful as the new friends we made. Shout out to Dee and the amazing zip lining crew- for anyone that was wondering, Dee’s favorite color is NOT blue. Next, GLA students took on the Sunday market where we improved our bargaining skills and bought a bunch of gifts for ourselves (and family, of course). We also ate a bunch of Thai street food that did not necessarily sit well with our stomachs. For those who did not want to embark on that same adventure food journey, our meeting spot was Burger King, Chiang Mai. See you next time. PEACE.

-by Jailyn Serrano

Monday July 22, 2019

Hey parents!

Today we started by getting up earlier than usual with breakfast at 6:45 am. We then arrived at the Wat Gong Sai School for our first day of teaching. We went through three class periods which consisted of grades 3-6. When we finished our teaching for the day, we ate lunch which was specially made for our group because of food allergies in the staff work room.

After lunch, we left the school to go to a temple and have a monk chat. The Monk, Pra Ajarn kk, spoke to us about the history of monks, lifestyle of a monk, and that Buddhism wasn’t a religion but a philosophy instead. Afterwards we went back to home base and played human knot which we finished in only 5 minutes giving us extra free time to play Indian Chief. We also had another hour of teaching prep and will end our day with lights out at 10:00. Having a blast!

-by Natalie and Ella

Tuesday July 23, 2019

Sah watt dii ka!

Today, we kicked off with a lively breakfast followed by the short van ride to school. At 8:30, we were welcomed into classes by the lovely students at the Watkingsai School. By 11:30, every teaching group had taught 2 classes. We were then provided a scrumptious lunch by the school which revitalized us for a rigorous afternoon.

Immediately after school, we hopped in the vans to Chiang Mai Muay Thai Gym, where we had a blast learning the difficult art of Muay Thai Boxing. With the help of the dedicated staff, everyone got a chance to get a few helpful moves down and some punches in. It’s pretty safe to say we are now masters of the art. After, we walked over to a self-serve Boba shop.

Although it was hectic, everyone ended up getting a delicious, personalized tea. Once back at home base, we were happily surprised with a whopping three hours of free time! After, we headed down for dinner then participated in a leadership activity. To conclude the night, we will prepare for our lesson for tomorrow. See you soon!

XOXO, Mads and Remi

Wednesday July 24, 2019

Today was interesting to say the least…We started out with breakfast, then we headed to the school where taught the students in p3-p6. After a successful day of teaching our lunch in Thai tradition was lunch. After our scrumptious lunch we headed back to home base to ready ourselves for the rest of the day. Once we all got changed we headed to Art in Paradise, a 3D museum, where we ran into another GLA group!

After an hour and half there and countless pictures we went to what everyone was looking forward to, which was the very refreshing, and rejuvenating massage! Afterwards we headed across the street to a western supermarket to buy the goods we have been craving from home. Once we all got back to home base we talked about all the food we got, our upcoming English camp at the school, and our final day of teaching! Hope all is well wherever you are! See you in a week!

Q&A (Quan and Alexa)

Thursday July 25, 2019

Hello parents, we woke up bright and early this morning to get ready for our last day of teaching. After our final lesson we devoured a fabulous lunch. We then scouted out our stations for English camp tomorrow. We then returned to base camp with two hours of free time, most of which was spent painting Quan and Liam’s nails! We then spent the next few hours planning our games and activities for English camp. We finished the day with another amazing dinner and leadership. See y’all tomorrow.

Love Ari and Aiden

Friday July 26, 2019

Today was one of the most rewarding days so far! We went to school and had English Camp (basically like Field Day but for the English language). The 14 GLA students split up into four different stations that built on what we taught the kids over the week. The stations consisted of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich making station, animal charades, a speed dress-up station and a partnered market race. All the students had to listen and comprehend instructions totally in English.

Seeing the children yell in excitement brought smiles to our faces. After a super sappy closing ceremony, we all said bye to the students and some of us were surprised when we were given handmade paper cards and cut-out hearts as gifts. Also we can’t forget about all the selfies we took!!! We felt incredibly tired but gratified knowing that our hard work over the week had paid off.

Later today, we had a group activity and another leadership activity. From here on out, we’re super excited to get some extra time in our day and really get a chance to explore Thailand. Until then,

-by Abbey and Liam

Saturday July 27, 2019

Sup ya’ll! We started our morning a little later than usual at 8:00. Afterwards we headed up the Doi Suthep mountain to experience one of the iconic and most beautiful views in Chiang Mai. We walked 306 steps up to the Doi Suthep temple where we got our fortunes told and took LOTS of pictures.

Next we visited another Hmong Village where we indulged in some quality coffee and Khao Soi. We also couldn’t resist doing a little shopping along the way. Speaking of shopping, we also headed to the Night Bazaar where we finally got some good ol’ American food at The Dukes. We think it will hold us over for the remainder of the trip. At the Night Bazaar, we did a lot of haggling, shopping, and even had our feet cleaned by some nibbling fish.

Overall, it was a very successful day and a great way to celebrate our first day off! Spoiler Alert: Be prepared for LOTS of pictures with elephants tomorrow! PEACE!

-by Jailyn and Chloe

Sunday July 28, 2019

Remi and Gabby here reporting on the day we had all been waiting for, elephant day! After the long 1½ hour van ride we reached the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. We were taught a bit about the elephants by the hilarious Kate (not our P’ Kate btw), who then aided us in feeding them along with the other mahouts. About 45 minutes and a lot of watermelons later, we then ate a delicious lunch with a mountainous view and the elephants right in sight.

After our feast, we learned about and made medicine balls then fed them to six more elephants. This included Charlie (dubbed Charlie after biting a finger), a charismatic yet naughty one-year-old elephant. Afterwards, we had a little mud spa session with the elephants. We hopped into the muddy water with the elephants and covered them with mud as they rolled around gleefully.

Next, we, along with the elephants, hopped into a less muddy river. We splashed and bathed the elephants with a few water fights along the way and the constant wonder where Charlie’s trunk would pop up next. After playing in the water, we all rinsed off and got changed in the stalls which might have been the hardest thing we have ever done.

As soon as the day seemed as though it could not improve, we took off to the impressive Sunday Market after resting for a bit at home base. After having spent the last of our money, we returned to home base with souvenirs in hand and dreams of biking and kayaking tomorrow.

We out, Gabby and Remi ✌️

Monday July 29, 2019

We started the day with another amazing breakfast before heading to Srilanna National Park for an exciting day filled with adventure. We arrived for our first stop, biking! After getting fitted for bikes and helmets we got a quick review on riding from our guide. Next we set out on a 10 kilometer ride through beautiful rice paddies.

It was pretty hot and luckily towards the end of the ride we got a chance to ride through a huge puddle of water at the bottom of a hill which cooled us down and was a lot of fun. After getting back from our tiring bike ride we had pad thai and fruit smoothies for lunch. We then took the vans to a reservoir where we kayaked and swam around. We ended our kayaking adventure with a race back to shore (the winners were Ari and Sydney). We finished our long day with leadership.

-Chloe and Aiden

Tuesday July 30, 2019

What a bittersweet day. We started off the day with a leisurely 8:30 breakfast time so we had a little extra rest. Then we took a never ending 2 hour van ride to the rafting site. I’m pretty sure everyone dozed off at some point after a quick stop at 7-11. After we made it, we had a great lunch of rice and curry to get fueled up for the biggest adventure still in front of us- white water rafting!

I’m tired just typing out the words “white water rafting”. We very quickly learned that rafting is not as easy as it looks. Thankfully we had some great guides to steer us in the right direction down the river. We had some pretty close calls today and a few almost ejections, but our guides were on top of both safety and fun. At some points when the water was a little more calm, we were allowed to get out and float along the river. Think lazy river but with beautiful scenery. Oh, and also elephants.

Yes you read that right! Elephants came in the water for just a few groups so we got another chance to play and relax with the gentle giants of Thailand. Later tonight we’re rehearsing for our lip sync battle. Expect some great marriage/sweet 16/blackmail videos tomorrow.

Until then,

~Alexa and Liam

Wednesday July 31, 2019

Sawadee ka!

Today was one of the most emotional days yet. We started the day with a late breakfast and then performed our very own Lipsync Battles!! Also some of us got to show off talents (if you would call them that). Then we headed to lunch and got to spend the last of our baht at a bakery. After lunch we walked over to an internet cafe. This cafe was no ordinary cafe, there were computers everywhere! This is where we completed surveys evaluating our experience here in Thailand.

Following this we headed back to home base to finish up packing and getting ready for a farewell celebration. The farewell celebration was a gorgeous riverboat dinner. We all sang and danced the night away (and cried)! Realizing that we were all leaving new forever friends was very touching. Tomorrow we will all be 38,000 feet in the air heading back to our hometowns!!
Póp gan prûng níi!! (See you tomorrow)

Abbey and Madeleine

Thursday August 1, 2019

Laa gorn!

Good byes are bittersweet. Halfway around the world in 21 days lifelong friendships were formed during a Thai cooking class, at the Huay Tung Reservoir eating jumping shrimp and bamboo worms, umbrella painting at the Bor Sang Village, service at Baan Praporn Children’s Home, visiting the Hmong Village, the Cultural Exchange at the Thepbodint Wittaya School, Tube Trek Waterpark with the children, prepping for teaching, zip linning at Eagle Track, teaching at the Wat Gong Sai School, the Monk Chat & visits to many temples, Muay Thai Training, Arts in Paradise Museum, Thai Massage, English Camp, biking & kayaking, ELEPHANTS, Sunday Night Walking Street, more shopping, climbing 306 steps of Doi Suthep, whitewater rafting, delicious Thai food & even an American dinner at The Duke’s, pool time, movie night with microwaved popcorn, playing cards, the Lip sync Challenge, and free time & roommate chats at the Woodfield Resort….memories that will be shared for years to come but can only truly be appreciated by those of us who were there.

After tears & lots of hugs all students have now departed Thailand and are on their way home. Stay in touch with each other and best wishes for many more adventures ahead!

Lori, Rachel, P’Jane, P’Tehh & P’Kate

Time Capsule Letter

We can’t believe it has already been so long since our Thailand trip ended! I can still imagine those amazing dishes that we shared, from pad thai and green curry to fried chicken (or tofu) and that awesome khao soi. It seems like yesterday that we were digging in the dirt, mixing concrete, lesson planning, and playing games with students.

You’re probably back in school (or starting college!) but we wanted you to know that here in Chiang Mai we are still thinking of you and the impact we made this summer together.

Our time spent together here truly did make an impact. You should all know you left Chiang Mai a better place than when you came. The restroom at the children’s home that you contributed to building will help ensure that everyone has the facilities needed. Your lessons at the elementary school helped give those fourth through sixth graders a tangible way to use their English, potentially sparking a lifelong love of language learning!

And more importantly, the knowledge YOU gained on this trip we hope will serve you and the communities you go on to be in for the rest of your life! We now know how important cross-cultural communication, empathy and problem-solving are and how we can work to bring more positive self-talk into our daily lives!

Another thing I can’t forget is how much fun we had together here! You guys were a huge part of making this trip so fun by being such an incredible group. We experienced Thai culture by learning to cook (and eat), learning about Buddhism, meditation and traditional Lanna (northern Thai) dances, and trying our hand at different traditional crafts. We also got to visit local markets and walking streets to buy elephant pants, bracelets, goodies to take home with us. We also got to explore the city, temples, and nature of Chiang Mai and the surrounding area.

We worked really hard and also had a blast together. Whether we were practicing Thai, hanging out with elephants, flying through the jungle canopy, trying to untangle a human knot, or trying something that scared us — it was that much fun because we got to share it with all you guys — the 2019 GLA Thailand In and Beyond the Classroom group! Thanks for helping to make these special memories in an amazing place.

10 special moments from our trip:
• Learning how to make our own Thai food (with mixed results)
• Wrestling with Charlie the baby elephant
• Joy and fear at the flocks of pigeons at Wat Umong
• Sharing lollipop moments and appreciation with one another
• Games and laughter with the children at Baan Praporn
• Getting relaxing (and very different) Thai massages
• Amazingly successful and fun games at the English Camp
• The incredible performance for the cultural exchange (you’re rockstars!)
• Customizing all of our belongings (and umbrellas) at Bor Sang Village
• Sharing our shopping hauls after colorful evenings at the Sunday Walking Street

You were an absolutely amazing group and we feel blessed to have been able to watch you grow during the course of our 21 days together!

Wishing you all of the best,
Rachel – International Director

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Tuesday June 18, 2019

Hello! Sawadee Kha!

We are so happy to welcome the students to Thailand! Everyone has arrived, safe and sound and full of smiles! We are so excited to meet our 21-day “In and Beyond the Classroom” group! After a full twenty-plus hours of traveling for everyone, today’s focus was on resting, bonding with roommates, getting to know each other, and getting the feel for Woodfield Resort (our home for three weeks)!

We have an amazing and very full three-week itinerary made up of wonderful service projects, incredible cultural activities, adventure expeditions, and an assortment of leadership workshops (plus lots of new food and language)!

We could not be more excited to share Thailand with the students and to share our experiences with everyone back home. We’ll be updating this blog at least two to three times per week (if not more) with stories, quotes, and photos from our days at service and in the community! Check back!

Thank you (kap khun kha) from your international staff,
Rachel and Lori

Wednesday June 19, 2019

ahaan a roi maak!!!
(Very delicious food)

Our first full day has been a feast!

Students started the day enjoying a full buffet with choices of both Asian and western breakfast foods. This was followed by a morning of orientation, getting to know each other activites, and an introduction to Thai culture by our Thai staff. Before leaving our homebase we participated in a traditional house Shrine ceremony. The afternoon began with a quick trip in the vans to Siripanna for lunch. We then hopped back into the vans for a driving city tour.

We stopped and visited three different temples and learned the history of Chiang Mai. We then went to the “Fresh Market” and learned about the ingredients we would use to prepare our own four course meal of Tom ka gai, Pad Thai, green curry and sticky rice with fresh mango. We are all accomplished chefs now and excited to share our new skills when we return home.

 

Thursday June 20, 2019

Sawadee ka! Today we traveled down to a few of the street markets and spent our time shopping for clothing, food, and so much more! We learned of new fruits and even tried a few. After a couple of hours we walked down to a small coffee shop and took a much needed break; while there we shared what all we ended up getting at the shops.

Once we left the coffee shop we went to a local reservoir and had lunch under small bamboo huts on the lakes edge, during which we ate squid, veggies, rice, and live shrimp; even had the chance to use the squat toilets!

Afterward we explored hay sculptures and took loads of photos. Once we arrived back at home base we did our first leadership game, during which we split into groups and had to debate then come to an agreement over a specific topic. When we finished we ate dinner then went over the schedule for the next day.
Póp gan prûng níi! (See you tomorrow!)

-by Erin Mitchell

Friday June 21, 2019

Today the students woke up bright and early were ready for a great relaxing day, traveling throughout the city visiting parks and temples. These temples were specifically special because they were underground tunnel temples. We were blessed to encounter a monk sanctuary on the way to another temple in the park. After this we headed off to a high end craft market where students bought jewelry and got a lot of ice cream!

This got the students even more excited for the mall later on in the day. When we arrived at the mall we had a scavenger hunt to find specific things throughout the mall. The kids had so much fun experiencing new restaurants and stores and eating new foods. After the 2 and a 1/2 journey throughout the mall we got to stop at 7/11and get snacks on the way back to home base. At home base the students went into the pool and enjoyed the sun for about an hour. Soon after they had dinner and did a leadership activity and watched a Ted talk. Amazing day.

-by Cameryn Stewart and McKenna Teachout

Saturday June 22, 2019

Hello from Thailand!

Today we took a bus trip and hour and a half away from home base. We arrived at Shi Lanna National Park adventure center where we met our tour guides for the day and got measured for our bikes. Then, we headed out on a seven kilometer bike ride though the villages around the adventure center. Once we got back to the adventure center, they made us an incredible plate of chicken, rice, and vegetables for lunch. Lunch was finished, and we got ready to go kayaking on a lake. We swam in the lake and played various games including King of the Kayak. Then, we headed headed back to home base where we finally got clean. A great way to end a tiring day!

Lauren and Addie♡

Sunday June 23, 2019

Today we all got to sleep in a little and did not have to leave the resort until 9. Then it was about an hour drive, full of singing and jamming in the van, up to the mountains where we would zipline. We all stepped out of our comfort zones with a 120 foot drop at the end. After we enjoyed a lunch break, we headed back to home base to get ready for the Sunday night walking market. We shopped until we dropped, and then proceeded to jam in the van all the way home. Overall it was an incredible day of adventure, teamwork, and cultural experience.

– Jack Engel and Morgan Conway

Monday June 24, 2019

Today was one for the books! We slept in a little and after breakfast headed to the Umbrella Making Villiage. There, we saw how traditional Thai umbrellas are made by watching crafts people up close! We also got to paint our own mini umbrellas. After that, we were allowed to walk around the gift shop and cafe. However, our favorite part was getting some of our own personal items hand painted by some of the artists there. This ranged from wallets to water bottles, phone cases, and even shoes!

Then we headed to a quick lunch before community service. Today’s community service at the children’s home involved clearing out an area and filling it with dirt to prepare for a concrete ground and infrastructure. We were definitely working hard digging the dirt and moving it into buckets and wheelbarrows in the heat. Then our highlight of the day was when the kids from the home hopped off their school buses to come play with us with smiling faces! We didn’t have too long to play with them today, but we played soccer, hand games, and circle games with them and all of our hearts were so full. We can’t wait to see them again tomorrow!

-Nell Pollak and Jess Hirschmann

Tuesday June 25, 2019

Sawadee ka! Today we started the day off with laundry and breakfast. After, we headed out so that we could attend a monk chat. During that time we learned about what it takes to be a monk and about their idealism.

We learned that Buddhism is not a religion instead it is a philosophy that takes multiple years to perfect if not a whole lifetime. Their philosophy practices mental and physical zen. Zen being at piece and balanced. Once we finished asking our questions, he tought us how to meditate and practice reaching our zen.

Later we continued our service project, mixing and laying down cement; while we didn’t quite finish today, we did get quite a bit of work done in that short amount of time. When we finished we washed off and played with the children; that concluded our day full of fun!

Kop Kun ka!
Erin Mitchell and Kar

Wednesday June 26, 2019

Sawadee ka!

Today we started the day with a trip to the Tailue Village, where we learned about how they lived and the traditional life style. We painted small wooden animals and ate amazing ethnic thai food. Afterwards we learned a song and created our own bags to recreate the tradition of having one you to keep your soul with you. We continued the service with making and pouring the concrete at the children’s home.
Another awesome day here in Thailand!

-by Kate and Chris

Thursday June 27, 2019

Today, we began the day with a great breakfast. Our lovely meal was followed by an introductory lesson from the international director Mr. Todd in education 101 to prepare us for teaching English next week. After our lesson was over, we went to visit the school that we would be teaching at. We then took a lunch break at a really cool place with a bus-like seating area.

Then, we continued our service and started to make a trench for the pipe line to begin the plumbing system for the bathroom we are helping to build at the children’s home. After which, we impatiently waited for the kids to return from school. When they finally arrived, we excitedly played with them once again before saying goodbye and then headed back to home base. Tonight, our leaders surprised us with a movie night & the opportunity to buy pizza!!! Overall, it was a great and hardworking day.

-by Neha & Amanda💗

Friday June 28, 2019

Another spectacular day in Thailand! Today we woke up and had a great breakfast at home base. Then we headed out on a long bus ride along the windy, jungly roads leading up to the Hmong Village which offered us the most beautiful views. At this unique village, we got to see firsthand how the hill tribe people live in conditions primitive compared to life in the United States. These people are still so content with their homes and passionate about the work they do within their village.

After a trek up a narrow jungle trail, we had a lesson by the wife of the tribal leader in the handy craft of intricate needlepoint. We then went and had a delicious lunch while looking at gorgeous mountain views. We were all thankful for the 45 minute ride to service as most of us were able to take a nap! At service we finished up digging as much of the trench as we could, while being cheered along by the kiddos! We then spent an hour playing with the kids after our last day of service.

Cameryn Stewart & Jess Hirschmann

Sunday June 30, 2019

Hello from Thailand! Today we drove 2 hours to experience the best day of our lives. We arrived at the elephant sanctuary, and after a short briefing we fed them bananas and watermelon. We also made medicine to give them out of rice, salt, and tamarind. Then we walked the elephants down to the mud, bathed them in it, and took a splash in the river to wash off. We had a lot of water fights and fun! Some of us got stuck in the mud… but luckily didn’t get trampled. Tonight we ended the amazing day with the Sunday Night Walking Street.

-by Lauren and Morgan

Monday July 1, 2019

Sawadee ka!

Today we started the day out a lot earlier than usual; instead of having breakfast at 8, we had it at 6:45. The reason being it was our first teaching day!

Once we arrived at school we went to the teacher break room, put our stuff down, and then went outside to watch the students perform their morning ceremony. Then we met our first classes. Teaching the students wasn’t as easy as we initially thought it would be, almost the second we walked in front of our class, that consisted of 30-38 students, we realized all the things that could, and probably would, go wrong. Luckily for us the students were kind & respectful and the classes went on. Once finished with teaching two hour long classes in our teaching groups we indulged in an authentic Thai school lunch in the cafeteria with all of our students.

After lunch it was time to head over to the high school where we would be participating in a cultural exchange with their students. After a warm welcome we watched cultural dances & drumming, we performed a dance & song routine for our Thai hosts. Then they taught us a cultural dance, learned how to make offerings for a water shrine, and were given tours of the school in small groups by the students.

Although we were sad to leave our new found friends, we knew there was more to come tomorrow and we had lesson plans to plan.

-by Erin & Amanda

Tuesday July 2, 2019

Today was the second day of teaching, and it went considerably better than yesterday. After our morning classes, we enjoyed another lovely lunch at the school. Afterwards, we went to a gym to learn Muay Thai. This was so much fun and we learn many new skills. Boxing was truly incredible and then, many of us enjoyed some ice cream and I had the best bubble tea. Following our boxing lesson, we returned to home base and had some free time. Then, we prepped for the next day’s lesson and ate dinner at home base.

-by Neha and Kate

Wednesday July 3, 2019

Today was another day of teaching and adventuring through the beautiful city of Chaing Mai. We started off the day with teaching the kids in the morning and concluded with a delicious lunch at the school. The kids that we taught had so much fun playing games and singing songs with us! After this we headed back to home base to quickly change into some cute clothes for the 3D Art Museum!

The art museum was full of pretty backgrounds that we got to take photos in front of. Right after the museum we went off to get what we all had been waiting for since the first day of service, THAI MASSAGE! It was absolutely amazing and very relaxing. After that we walked over to a local grocery store and bought some snacks for the last couple of days. Overall it was an amazing day full of laughter, smiles and relaxation!

-by Nell Pollak and McKenna Teachout

Thursday July 4, 2019

Sawadee ka! Today we started off the day with an amazing breakfast arranged by our lovely hotel chefs. Once we finished eating we quickly got dressed for school; today was our last teaching day so it had to be great! When we arrived we went straight to the teachers room and got all our materials ready for our first class.

Each of our classes went great; the students learned so much through out the week. We are really going to miss our students, but we still have tomorrow’s activities to say goodbyes and farewells. After school was out for us and lunch was done we headed home to prep for tomorrow and get ready for the night market!

We were really surprised when we got to dinner and it was all western foods like pizza, ribs, and more! We ate until we couldn’t anymore then left for the night bizarre. We got so many things while there, in other words we shopped until we dropped. All this awesomeness meant we didn’t get home until bedtime and tomorrow we have English camp at the school so we definitely need it. Happy 4th, Goodnight.

Cameryn & Jack

Friday July 5, 2019

Sawadee ka!

The day started off right away by getting to school with all of our equipment for English Camp. We had 4 stations set up, each had a different topic; the goal was to help the children with their English speaking and comprehension skills, it was also a test of the materials we had been teaching them all week. They did amazing!

When we finished we had the closing ceremony where we watched their performances and we did ours. Ours consisted of singing while they did traditional dances and drumming. When we finished we said our goodbyes; we were all sad to say farewell to our new found friends but we knew we had impacted their lives in the best way we could, and they had done the same for us.

With only three days left of our trip our leaders allowed us to have three hours of freetime so we could pack and spend time together relaxing. We are sad to leave each other since we have grown to be a family, but we will be happy to be home in our own beds at the end of the day.

By Erin and Karynne

Saturday July 6, 2019

Today was a fun filled day! We drove to the Maetaeng valley and it took 2 hours to get there. When we finally arrived we had a delicious lunch and then went through instruction on how to river raft safely and correctly. While on the river we hit some white rapids and some if us got stuck but were able to make it by! We got to stop and swim around. We saw elephants roaming around. Three hours later we finished up and enjoyed pineapple and oreos.

-by Kate Champion and McKenna Teachout

Sunday July 7, 2019

Today, we started with a great breakfast and then went to visit the Doi Su Thep temple. We had some time to explore the beautiful area and take lots of pictures with an excellent view. After, we went to visit the Hill Tribe village and had some time to explore this place. There were also a bunch of little booths that we could shop at and spent the last of our baht. Then, we went to an Internet cafe that was filled with computers, so that we could complete surveys evaluating our experience on this GLA program. Following this, we returned to home base to finish up packing and get ready for our special farewell dinner on an authentic Thai riverboat. The dinner was delicious and we enjoyed dancing the evening away with our forever friends. Tomorrow we will be up early to fly home.Overall, a great last day with everyone!

Love, Neha and Morgan

Monday July 8, 2019

After a last “family” breakfast together at our Thai Homebase it was time to load the the luggage and begin the first round of tearful goodbyes and hugs. The first group departing finally buckled up and headed off to the airport in Vans 1 & 2 one more time. Mentor Lori was dropped off on the way at immigration so she could renew her Visa … more tears. Check in went well and thanks to Rachel the group were all seated for at least the first flight together. More tears as the Thai Staff and Director Rachel watched to make sure all made it through security.

After returning to Homebase to pick up the three remaining students who had a later flight the staff and students had lunch and a massage before another stop at the airport. On the way we received a couple of texts that the first group was already in Taipei and waiting for respectful onward flights. As earlier check in was a breeze and more tears flowed as we said good bye to the students and all staff watched as they cleared security and headed on their way together. This program was a great success for so many reasons, but mostly because the enthusiasm of the students and their desire to make a change. So many wonderful experiences to look back on and life long friendships formed.

We wish all a future filled with adventures!

Rachel, Lori, Emma, Jane, Tai & Kate

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Friday July 19, 2019

After many hours spent on planes and in airports all across the globe, the whole group has finally arrived in Chiang Mai! Tomorrow the adventure really begins, so we’re off to bed early to get some rest before the busy and exciting days to come!

Saturday July 20, 2019

We all woke up in beautiful Tianna this morning and enjoyed some breakfast on the river. Then we began orientation where we learned about the history of Thailand, Thai culture, and practiced the Thai language. We also began discussing the purpose and layout of our service project, teaching in two Thai schools! By lunch time we were ready to help ourselves to an enormous buffet of Thai dishes, and then toured two beautiful and significant temples in downtown Chiang Mai. Afterwards, we ventured to the fresh market to buy some ingredients to make our own Thai supper at cooking class where we prepared spring rolls, tom kha soup, pad thai, and mango with sticky rice. Yum!

Digital Cookbook from Thai Cooking Class

Sunday July 21, 2019

We started our day off with Chow Circle in the communal area before we headed over to breakfast at homebase (Tianna).

After breakfast we had school prep with Mr. Todd when he taught us how to teach english to the Thai kids since we will be in the classrooms soon. After our morning lesson we had lunch at homebase again with delicious pad thai, egg noodle, rice noodle, and other Thai dishes. Then we loaded onto our buses and visited the schools for the first time before teaching with students tomorrow. After visiting both schools we headed to the local market where we tried a lot of Thai snacks.

We also were able to buy several varieties of Thai souvenirs (and gifts for friends and family!). We then headed back to homebase where we planned for the following days at school. Dinner was served by Panne (local staff) and the chefs for the GLA students. After dinner we separated into our mentor groups and journaled. Now we are winding down and heading to bed. We are learning a lot about appreciating what we have at home and appreciating what we are learning about now!

Written by Leaders of the Day: Tasha and Ashley

Monday July 22, 2019

Sawa-dii-ka! Today, we had an early rise for our first day of teaching! After a wonderful breakfast, we packed the vans to head to schools. Warmly greeted by the students with big smiles and waves, we were excited to get our day started with a bit of first day jitters. After our first rotation of classes, we adjusted our lesson plans to what best suited our students. After three one-hour classes, we had an amazing meal provided by the school’s staff. One of the highlights of our first day of school experience was recess. We were able to sign their notebooks, play soccer, and create secret handshakes with the kids.

Afterward, we headed straight to downtown Chiang Mai to participate in our first Muay Thai experience! Muay Thai is a form of boxing practiced all around Thailand. We all were able to confidently step in the ring and work with the instructors on our punches, kicks, and swings. After working up the best sweat yet, we thanked the instructors for their time and headed to home base excited for our next Tianna meal! At the end of the evening, we were able to reflect on what this trip is all about: leadership. We discussed in small groups about the meaning of leadership and were able to discover ourselves on its spectrum. We had another great day and are excited to see what tomorrow has in store.

Leaders of the Day,

Brielle B. and Alexa V.

Tuesday July 23, 2019

Today was our second day teaching at the schools. We were greeted by new and old faces as we arrived, increasing our excitement to begin day two. As we met with the three grade groups, we truly understood how teaching is not only rewarding and fun, but stressful as well as tiring. Although teaching has been a great way to interact and meet the students, recess after lunch has been the most exciting and memorable.

After recess, we said our goodbyes to the students and we headed over to a Wat Suan Dok for our first ever Monk Chat. The purpose behind the Monk Chat would allow us to get inside information from someone who knows the life of a monk best – an actual monk at the temple. Here, we were informed about his personal story, his idea of Buddhist values, and his keys to a happy life. At the end of his presentation, we had the opportunity to ask him our questions about his story, monkhood, and Buddhism. With the help of our local staff, we were able to gather all of the information we were hoping for.

After taking a picture with the monk, we were able to explore the grounds surrounding the temple, and learn more about its history. Tonight, we were treated to American style food, allowing us to connect with a piece of home. Following our meal, we enjoyed another leadership activity, focused on personal values. After a great discussion, our night came to a close by selecting a song for our upcoming cultural exchange; we decided on Don’t Stop Believin’! As another great day has come to an end, we cannot wait to get some sleep and enjoy tomorrow’s next adventures.

Leaders of the Day,

Bella P. and Matthew T.

Wednesday July 24, 2019

This was our third day of teaching the primary school students. We got to know the students more and were able to connect with them and form a stronger bond than before. The students were kind with sharing their umbrellas as it began to rain during recess! It was wonderful to see how much passion and drive they had towards learning English. As the school day drew to an end and we realized that we would only have one more teaching day left with the kids; we’ve started to understand that the kids had made a big impact on our lives and we would really miss them.

After school, we took a trip to the 3D Museum where we got to take photos that created the illusions of being in a scene. We had a scavenger hunt to find the perfect picture! We shared funny photos to each other which brought a lot of laughter and an overall sense of community. When we got back to the home base some of us meditated after dinner with one of our mentors. Then we practiced our performance for the cultural exchange (we were great!). We are all excited to meet the Thai students our age tomorrow at the cultural exchange. 🙂

Leaders of the Day,

Sofia M. and Lucy K.

Thursday July 25, 2019

Today was our fourth and final day of teaching at the primary schools. After the conclusion of the school day, we played with the kids we taught for one final time. On our way to the cultural exchange at a local high school, we prepared our presentation for the students. When we arrived, we were pleasantly surprised by a wonderfully prepared traditional Thai dance and two Thai tongue twisters that stumped us all!

We then cooked a traditional Thai dessert, bananas with coconut milk, and made a horse toy made of banana leaves and natural fiber. Students from the high school then led us on a tour of the school where some students purchased goods from the school markets and others played soccer on the fields.

After the tour, we exchanged information with many of the students and took a group photo before heading back to Tianna. This experience was the first time that we were able to interact with Thai students our age. When we arrived back at Tianna, we prepared for English Camp and joined back together for a leadership activity to end the night. We all look forward to playing with and teaching the kids tomorrow for, sadly, the last time.

Leaders of the Day,

Kylan T. and Lauren W.

Friday July 26, 2019

Hello from Thailand! Today was the last day of teaching the children, we ended with a full-day activity called English Camp. It was filled with fun activities, yummy food, some tears, and memorable experiences. The children were so wonderful and all of us loved spending the week with them. Over the week we taught them numbers, colors, hobbies, family, animals, food and vehicles, so it was fun to review it all today and wrap up a special week.

After the English Camp we were surprised with an American meal, the first American food that we’ve had since we’ve been here! It included pizza, fries, salad, onion rings, chips & guac, and some garlic bread. The highlight of the night was going to the Night Bazaar. It was a great opportunity for getting gifts and souvenirs to take home with us. The markets are a great way for us to speak some of the Thai we have been learning while in Thailand and practice our bargaining skills;)

We learned so much from teaching the kids this week and we are so excited to see what this next week brings us!

Written by the leaders of the day:

Amelia S. & Nichole M.

Saturday July 27, 2019

Hello all, today we had a calm, relaxing river float… KIDDING! After numerous raft flips, collisions with boulders, and a few “abandoned ships” – we all live to tell the story. Our raft guides were amazing and made us feel extremely safe regardless of rain and rapids, we even caught a glimpse of a mother and baby elephant crossing the river in the wild. We concluded with an excellent lunch with a riverside view and a pit-stop at 7/11 to fulfill all of our sugar-filled dreams.

Once back at Tianna, we enjoyed some free time and bonding with our friends. We also had insightful mentor meetings where we were able to reflect on the past few wild days spent in Thailand. After dinner, we talked as a group about our vision for elephants and their well-being in the near future. Now thats a day worth RIDING about!

Leaders of the Day,

Emma R. & Trisha V.

Sunday July 28, 2019

Today started bright and early at 7:30am, a refreshing difference from the 6:30 of school days past. After a full breakfast we set out for the day, beginning our day in Tai Lue village, the learning center for the Tai Lue people who immigrated from southern China to Thailand over 600 years ago. There we toured an original Tai Lue home, learned how to make a traditional Tai Lue snack (rice crackers), painted handmade wooden dolls in the workshop of a native Tai lue artisan, and partook in Tai Lue food and songs.

After this we took a trip across the city to a umbrella making factory where we painted our own umbrellas and learned about how umbrellas are made by hand. From there we headed to the Sunday night walking street, and experienced authentic Thai street style food. Lastly we finished our night off back at the home base after a long day where we met with our mentor groups and had very needed conversations about the long day we experienced. We are looking forward to tomorrow, and will all be in bed early tonight.

Leaders of the Day
Abby and Cari

Monday July 29, 2019

Today, we visited the elephant sanctuary where we got a chance to get up close and personal with the elephants! We played with them, swam with them, and fed them! It was such an amazing experience, from feeding them banana and watermelon to having water fights. There even was one baby elephant, Charlie. He was very playful and loved to chase people around and nudge into them. There was lots of mud, laughs, and great memories that will last a lifetime. Then later in the night we all watched a really interesting Thai movie. Today was definitely worth the wait

Written by Leaders of the day,

Brayden and Ava

Tuesday July 30, 2019

This morning’s 8:00 am breakfast was a gracious break from previously earlier mornings. After we filled our tummies at breakfast, we learned some new Thai words and hopped into the vans. We headed up a winding road to Doi Pui Village. There we trekked to a museum to learn more about the tribes inhabiting Northern Thailand and took pictures in the gorgeous mountainside garden nearby.

At the top of the garden we had a well-deserved coffee break overlooking the mountains! On the way down we shopped and spent our remaining baht on souvenirs and snacks. We took a lunch break at a small restaurant near the bottom of the market before getting in the vans to our next adventure. After a 10 minute drive we arrived at the base of the Doi Suthep. To get to the top we climbed 306 steps, but it was all worth it once we met the gorgeous golden temple on the mountaintop. Our amazing Thai staff gave us a tour of the temple and its history. From one side of the temple we could see all of Chiang Mai and the surrounding mountains. What a view!!

After MANY pictures we said goodbye to Doi Suthep and descended the 306 steps. Our next stop was a Thai massage where we met our masseuses and had an hour of relaxation that ended with a cup of tea and a little snack. Once we got back to home base we ate a celebratory dinner for one of our mentors’ birthday. We wrapped up our day with a leadership activity focused on goals after the trip and a karaoke session followed. We can’t believe this trip is about to come to an end, we are so pumped for our zip lining excursion tomorrow!

Leaders of the Day,

Zoe and Jade

REMINDER: Whitewater Rafting Photo Folder

Click here to visit the whitewater rafting photo folder for this session. This link expires August 3rd, however, if you click the blue “download” button on the folder, you can download the entire folder in a zip file.

The button to download option will appear like this once you arrive at the photo folder:

Wednesday July 31, 2019

We spent our last full day zip lining through the jungle! The weather was damp and misty, perfect for a tree top tour. Afterwards, we had a delicious lunch and headed back to Tianna for a circle of appreciation. We then boarded the buses to celebrate our final evening with a dinner boat cruise down the river.

After dinner we watched a slideshow of the 3-D museum photo winners and showcased our group talents with a final talent show. We headed to bed with tummies and hearts full. Tomorrow we will part ways (for now) and begin our journeys home.

Time Capsule Letter

We hope that you all are enjoying the school year so far!

It seems both like yesterday and a lifetime ago that we were in Chiang Mai together,
playing in the mud with elephants, eating mango in the morning, looking out at the river
during sunset, and running from class to class at school. It’s hard to believe we did so
much in just 2 weeks- we went ziplining and whitewater rafting, explored temples,
shopped at markets, and still had time for a couple afternoons at the pool. It was a
whirlwind and an eternity at the same time. It was tiring, but very worth it.

A big part of our trip, of course, was our time teaching. Just as the kids learned from
you, we know you also learned a lot from the experience, and we are sure it’s
translating into so many things you do back home. You were dedicated to your
teaching, and it showed. We’re sure that the kids you taught still sometimes think back
on that week fondly, as we hope you are as well. We hope they’re studying English with
some increased enthusiasm, and are looking forward to the next time they can practice
speaking with foreigners. Maybe some kids in p6 are still practicing “physiotherapist”!

Remember making our group OMG? We said that we wanted to take a little bit of time
out of every day to stop, and be grateful. We planned on recording specific things we
were grateful for every day, and to occasionally share with each other some things that
we were thinking about. Have you been doing it? If not, start today. It only takes a
couple minutes, and we all know how important it was and is to all of us.

Also remember what your personal OMGs were, and all of the things you wanted to
take back home with you from GLA. We talked about how improving ourselves means
being better towards others. Let GLA know how this is all going, we would love to hear
from you!

We wanted to thank you all again for making your session such a great trip. Your
kindness to each other, thoughtfulness during all of our activities, and positivity made it
an amazing experience for all of us.

We hope that the memories are still fresh, that you’re still talking with your friends, and
that the skills and knowledge you gained are proving useful to you.

All the very best,
Serena and the Chiang Mai team

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Wednesday July 3, 2019

We are finally (and nearly) all together at our Chiang Mai home-away-from-home, Tianna, for the next two weeks. Still waiting for a few more to complete our group tomorrow, then we’ll all be ready for the Thailand adventures to come!

Thursday July 4, 2019

The group is finally whole! We all woke up in beautiful Tianna this morning and admired the little pineapples growing all around the grounds. After some breakfast on the river, we were ready to learn about the history of Thailand, Thai culture, and practice the Thai language. We then ventured into the city to try out a buffet of Thai cuisine and take a tour of two beautiful and significant temples in downtown Chiang Mai. Afterwards, we headed to the fresh market to buy some ingredients to make our own Thai supper at cooking class where we prepared spring rolls, tom kha soup, pad thai, and mango with sticky rice. Delicious!

Friday July 5, 2019

Sawadee-ka from Thailand!

After a restful sleep, the group was ready for another fun and informative day in Chiang Mai! We started with a delicious breakfast at Tianna. We then met with our teacher Todd, who introduced us to what we would be teaching starting Monday, as well as different techniques for effectively teaching them. Then, after a quick change into our “school attire”, we were ready to take a visit to the school and meet the kids for the first time! During our brief trip to the school, we were able to visit a few classrooms and meet the cute kids which left us in awe. Once we left, we headed to the market.

This particular market is called the Warorot market and it is the oldest market in Chiang Mai. While we were here we were able to try many different thai snacks, and the brave ones of the group tried some fried worms! Yes you read that right… worms. To wash that down we enjoyed a series of new and exotic fruits such as lychee, and durian, among others .As our day progressed, we then headed back to our home base and had a bit of time to ourselves. Some enjoyed the pool while others stayed in the comfort of their air conditioned rooms. To finish our day off, we came back home to Tianna and participated in our first leadership activity.

While engaging in this activity we watched a series of TED talks and other videos which discussed the different aspects of leadership. All in all, today was a great day which pushed people to step outside of their comfort zones in trying new foods, as well as engage the students in a more insightful conversation during our leadership activity.

Written by Leaders of the Day: Ria and Reyna

Saturday July 6, 2019

Sa-wat-dii-ka from Thailand! Even though there were again gray skies, that didn’t bother us since we filled our day with brightly colored crafts. We spent the morning at Borsang, an umbrella making center. We quickly found ourselves enchanted by the vibrant colors and intricate patterns painted on the umbrellas that decorated the whole area. It didn’t take us long to realize that our own umbrellas would not look quite like those, but we encouraged one another and ended up with a flock of beautiful and unique mini sun umbrellas. Some of us shopped, some of us got our phone cases painted, and many of us did both. We then enjoyed a tasty lunch at a rainforest cafe-like restaurant. Saying there were many animal statues would be an understatement.

There was a pond in the back surrounded by lush vegetation where we had the opportunity to take many pictures. From lunch, we visited the Tai Lue ethnic group, a group of people that now reside in Chiang Mai, but were originally from southern China. We spent hours there, all of us getting lost in the excitement and authenticity we saw and experienced with these fascinating people. They showed us a model of the houses they live in. Then, we learned about how they do every step of the weaving practice, from turning cotton with their seeds, to turning cotton balls into rolls of fluffy cotton, to turning that into string, to finally weaving the strings together to make breathtaking textiles.

The Tai Lue women taught us a folk song, which we sang and danced to many times over. They fed us their traditional treats, including butterfly pea juice which we saw shift from vibrant blue to neon purple. After our refreshments, the Tai Lue women taught us the traditional method of copying designs, which we used to transfer patterns onto bags for ourselves. Our final craft project involved long palm leaves that we had trouble manipulating into the woven pattern, but we eventually all got it, and we walked out of the Tai Lue village with our own hand woven fans. We returned to Tianna for a quiet afternoon, a game, dinner, and mentor groups. We need a lot of sleep for zip lining tomorrow, so good night! (Good morning to those of you reading this from the US!)

Sincerely,

Your formally knighted by a green glitter stick leaders of the day,

Cecilia & Kya

Sunday July 7, 2019

We woke up to another beautiful day at Tianna. Before breakfast we had our daily chow circle, where we play a game or do an energizer before breakfast. We had another delicious breakfast by the river. After breakfast we learned some more Thai words. After our Thai words of the day we boarded the bus for a ride up into the forest. We got our gear and headed up the mountain to start our zip lining experience. There was a total of 35 different zip lines among other ropes course features.

We spent the morning zip lining through the forest. We had a great lunch at the zip lining place before heading back to Tianna. On our way back we stopped at 7/11 to pick up some Thai snacks. We started planning for our Monday morning teaching. Followed by dinner at Tianna. We ended the night with leadership activities then headed to bed for the night.

Written by Leaders of the Day:

Emma & Abbie

Monday July 8, 2019

This morning we had an early start to prepare for our first day of teaching. Breakfast was delicious as always. Next, we headed back to the school, eager to see the kids again. They gave us a warm welcome by running up to our bus with big smiles. We experienced their morning routine before filing into our designated classrooms. Though each class came with its own challenges, we worked very efficiently and critically in our groups to problem-solve. After a cafeteria lunch, we participated in recess, where we got to know the kids in a more relaxed environment. We said our goodbyes for the day before heading back to the bus for a surprise pitstop to a coffee shop before our monk chat.

At the monk chat, we had the privilege of conversing with a Buddhist monk and learning about his lifestyle and monks in general. This opportunity created a new mindset for most of us who had false preconceived notions about this way of life. After a lesson on meditation and mindfulness with the monk, we admired the beautiful architecture of the Wat Suan Dok temple.

We met back up at Tianna to practice for our performance for the cultural exchange tomorrow. After working up a sweat learning the dance moves to Footloose, we replenished with an American feast. We then continued watching the TED Talk from last night’s leadership group to spark an engaging conversation about stereotypes in culture and how to see past the “cover of someone’s book.” But there was still much work to be done in preparation for our day tomorrow at school, so we capped our eventful day with some new lesson plans. We look forward to showcasing our dancing skills at the cultural exchange, and we’ll be sure to take lots of pictures!

Sincerely,

Lucy & Casey

Tuesday July 9, 2019

Hey there everybody, greetings from Thailand!!!

Here’s a quick recap of the day. At chow circle we tried to wake ourselves up with a fun game of freeze dance. After becoming only a little less groggy, we walked over to the Tianna Garden Resort restaurant for breakfast. We rode our buses over to the school and taught more English to young Thai kids. Once again, we were baffled by their knowledge. We had a lunch of rice and chicken with the students. From there, we went to the cultural exchange with students our age at the Chiang Mai Christian Highschool.

We were greeted very graciously with necklaces made of flowers. Three young girls did a traditional dance for us. We all put on our brave faces and went to the front and danced to a Footloose song. After enjoying a Thai snack, we were paired with a student who showed us around a museum and temple. The Thai students were able to practice their English and we were able to learn about Chiang Mai history. I think it’s safe to say we all really connected with the Thai highschoolers. After we enjoyed ice cream with our new friends it was time to say goodbye. We then enjoyed some free time at home base before supper.

Some of us worked on our lesson plans for teaching tomorrow while others relaxed. We had chow circle once again before dinner where we enjoyed Thai food. Next up was mentor group. Today in mentor group, we learned about cultural norms and why we should keep an open mind to them because what’s normal is different in all places. Lasty, we had a bit more time for lesson planning, thinking of ideas for English Camp on Friday, and any other things we needed to do before bed. Goodnight all!

From leaders of the day: Aryn and Victoria 🙂

Wednesday July 10, 2019

Sa-wat-dii-ka from Thailand!

Today we woke up for an early breakfast and then we took off for another amazing day of teaching! We taught topics ranging from colors, to directions, to occupations, and more. Teaching definitely tired us out, but we enjoyed every minute. After teaching for 3 hours we ventured to a really fun and fresh art museum, but this was not your traditional art museum. It was full of illusions and interactive paintings so we could take pictures of one another and make it look like we were really in the various scenes. (When you see pictures of us rowing through the canals of Italy on a gondola or being eaten by an alligator, that didn’t really happen. Hard to believe, I know).

After that, we went to get a traditional Thai massage. The hour went by in what felt like a minute, and we all came out thoroughly relaxed and refreshed. We had a “surprise” dinner of fries, nachos, onion rings, pizza, and chunks of feta cheese. Right outside of the restaurant was an expansive market, filled with elephant pants, elephant jewelry, and personally engraved rice necklaces. We returned to Tianna to plan our lessons for our final day of regular teaching tomorrow.

Au revoir! Adios! Sa-wat-dii-ka!

Sincerely,

Your elephant-pant-loving (even when they rip) leaders of the day,

Cecilia & Venice

Thursday July 11, 2019

Good morning everyone!!

We were off to an amazing start this early morning at 7:30 am. Though we were tired, we still enjoyed our last day of teaching the students. Todays lessons included foods, vehicles, classroom objects, and many more. As always the kids were excited to see us and some of us were even lucky enough to be sent off with a couple of handmade gifts.

After the school day was over we headed over to The Chiang Mai Muay Thai gym. It had been an exhausting experience, but we all learned new techniques as the instructors taught us. Some of us bought some Muay Thai shorts to bring back home. After a day full of activities we headed back to the household in which we enjoyed some much needed rest and relaxation. We split into our two mentor groups before heading over to dinner. Next we sprinted through the rain in order to eat some delicious pork spring rolls and local fruits.

Finally, as the night came to a close we prepared for tomorrow’s day of English Camp. Stay tuned to hear about all of our festivities with the children during tomorrow’s activities.

Sincerely Yours,

Kya and Ria

Friday July 12, 2019

Today, we started breakfast early. All of the us then finished preparing for English Camp. English Camp consisted of all of the Thai students learning English through games. We set up 4 stations that demonstrated different English topics. For example, numbers, directions, colors, sight words, shapes, body parts, etc. English Camp was very exciting and educational to both Thai students and us. Afterwards, we rewarded ourselves with coffee, tea, and cake. We all are excited to go white water rafting tomorrow!

Written by: Eleni

Saturday July 13, 2019

Hey everyone, it’s your leaders of the day checking back in with a new blog update. Today we were able to sleep in and headed down for breakfast a little later then usual. Once we finished everyone loaded into their vans and we made our way to our white water rafting adventure. Although the water levels were a bit low, we still hit a few rapids and were able to enjoy the scenery a bit more.

After we finished our 8km journey we ate lunch on the river. We were able to watch elephants and water buffalo bathe in the river. On our way home, we were surprised with a visit to 7 Eleven where we picked up some of our favorite snacks. After some downtime we celebrated our friend, Keke’s, birthday with strawberry cake and a pool party.

After dinner, we concluded our night with a discussion on elephant sanctuaries by representing different organizations. In the end, we came to a conclusion on how elephant sanctuaries could be improved. Then, it was time to hit the hay, for we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.

Sending love from Thailand,

Reyna and Aryn

Whitewater Rafting Photo Folder

Click here to visit the whitewater rafting photo folder for this session. This link is expires July 20, however, if you click the blue “download” button on the folder, you can download the entire folder in a zip file.

The button to download option will appear like this once you arrive at the photo folder:

Sunday July 14, 2019

Hi Everyone! We started another beautiful day at Tianna, with a delicious breakfast. We hit the road to go see the temple Doi Suthep, it was absolutely breathtaking, we enjoyed a great view of Chiang Mai from above. Next we headed to the Hmong village in the mountains above Chiang Mai. We ate lunch there and walked around the area which included a garden and looked at a museum of the Hmong Hill Tribe.

We had some snacks at a cafe above the village where we enjoyed beautiful views and some treats. We had one of our mentor groups while enjoying the gorgeous view. Next we visited a market in downtown Chiang Mai, we enjoyed dinner at the market, where we got to pick our own dinner, and do some more shopping. After the market we headed back to Tianna for our final leadership activity, we are all headed to bed after a long day of awesome experiences.

Written by Leaders of the Day:

Abbie and Victoria

Monday July 15, 2019

Today was our last full day in Chiang Mai and we certainly made the most of it! We started our day spending time with elephants at a sanctuary outside of the city. At the sanctuary, we fed the elephants, learned how to make medicine balls for them, and helped to bathe them. This perfect last day concluded with a beautiful dinner at an outdoor restaurant on the waterfront, a stroll down memory lane with a slide show of our pictures from the 3-D museum, and a karaoke dance party! Tomorrow we will say farewell (for now) to one another and to Thailand as we prepare to make our journey back home…

Time Capsule Letter

We hope you enjoyed the rest of your summer! It’s hard to believe it’s been so long since we wished you farewell from the land of smiles. You are likely back in school now (or college!) and your mind is focused on many other things, but we wanted you to know we are still thinking of you and the time we spent together in Thailand.

Although it was a short time that we spent with the children at the schools, our time surely made an impact. It means a lot to the schools and the kids that we came to help them improve their English, and we know they affected you all deeply as well.

Thank you all for making those two weeks a time to remember! From singing and dancing to music to thought provoking discussions during evening activities, we really enjoyed our time with you all. We can’t forget the beautiful temples, delicious food, little Charlie (cutest elephant alive!), and the adorable school children. We were certainly happy in Thailand.

We hope you all remember the lessons learned during your stay with us in Chiang Mai – from overcoming fears during rafting and ziplining, learning how to work with others different than us, becoming aware of areas for self-growth, principles gained from the monk chat, learning how to live in the present, and so much more.

Don’t forget about your OMG (One Meaningful Goal) while you are home! Remember to make steps each day to achieve your goal, and don’t forget to share with us when you accomplish it! We want to hear about it and how you’re BEING the change at home!

Thank you again for all the memories, and we wish you the best!

Lara, Ariel and Serena

 

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Monday June 17, 2019

Everyone has arrived in Chiang Mai, a little jet lagged, but enthusiastic! After some rest at our home base Tianna, we will be ready for the all the Thailand adventures yet to come!

Tuesday June 18, 2019

After resting up, we woke up bright and early at beautiful Tianna. We started the day learning about the history of Thailand, Thai culture, and practicing the Thai language. We then headed to the heart of Chiang Mai for lunch and a visit to Chiang Man temple and Chedi Luang temple. After our tour, we went to the market to learn about the ingredients we’d later use at cooking class to prepare ourselves some traditional local cuisine for dinner. Yum!

Wednesday June 19, 2019

We woke up and we drove to Borsang (umbrella making center) to create our own hand crafted umbrellas. We had a lot of fun being able to paint small umbrellas with designs of our choosing. After, we went to a beautiful restaurant with an amazing view that served authentic Thai food.

Then we all headed to the market to try new foods that we have not seen before, as well as looking at the many items that were for sale. There were many floors and even turtles at the market. After we came back to home base, we had some down time before a delicious dinner. Lastly, we had our first leadership activity that helps us grow as people. What a day!

Written by the Leaders of the Day: Kelly L. and Abby D.

Thursday June 20, 2019

The day started with a dance number, warming everyone up and getting them ready for the most active day so far. A trainer came by and shared his teaching knowledge with us to help prepare us for teaching next week! We learned plenty of games and activities to keep the children engaged and excited to learn. After the great info session we hopped into the buses and made our way to the schools we would be teaching in. We didn’t have much time to look around, but the children were definitely excited to see us! It was very cool to see their learning environment.

The visit was short because we didn’t want to be late to our Muay Thai class. After arriving at the gym we geared up with hand wraps and trained our Muay Thai skills. After some light exercise and shadow practice, we sparred with the instructors and punching bags to our hearts content. Then we practiced some defensive moves on each other. The experience was very enjoyable and very memorable, as well as necessary to burn off all the delicious food that the Tianna resort staff prepared for us. As a cool down snack we all went to a market and bought boba tea, a first for some and an all around amazing time. Our day ended with the group having a meaningful discussion about perspective of foreign experiences, the day was an amazing follow-up to yesterday on this great foreign experience of our own!

Written by the Leaders of the Day: Grace R. and Zach D.

Friday July 21, 2019

The day started with an early morning breakfast (7am to be exact!). We had our morning chow circle and were assigned groups to sit with during breakfast via colored popsicle sticks and given a question to talk about. Breakfast was delicious as per usual, and the weather was its habitual humid and hot self. Directly after breakfast, we boarded the vans and began our ride to white water rafting up in the mountains.

The ride there was beautiful, lush green landscapes that stretched as far as the eye could see dotted with the occasional rice field and coffee tree. When we finally arrived, we were greeted with open arms by the kind staff, willing and ready to guide us down the river. We were given safety instructions and commands before we set off.

The trip we were taking down the river was 10km (about 6 miles), and consisted of 3 parts: the first, a very smooth and gentle stream, the second a more tumultuous and aggressive section consisting of rapids and rocks, and the third and final, which was just like the beginning. At one point, we were able to see some elephants being bathed and resting in the cool river water.

They were massive and majestic creatures that stunned us all. In total, we spent about 2 ½ hours on the river, gliding through the rapids and swimming in the refreshing water. After a long journey, we had a delicious lunch. We were all super tired and ready to head back to Tianna by the end of it all. And after thanking the staff, that’s precisely what we did. Overall, it was an unforgettable experience that really forced us to utilize quick thinking and decision making skills!

Written by the Leaders of the Day: Londyn H. and Abby H.

Saturday June 22, 2019

We began our day with an early breakfast coupled with our daily chow circle (which consisted of a game of telephone). We then boarded the vans for a short hop to the Tai Lue Village center, where we spent the better part of the day immersing ourselves in the indigenous culture. We took part in activities such as bag painting, rice cracker making, wooden doll painting, traditional cotton production, and tours of the traditional style housing that they lived in.

Lunch was a magnificent market-style buffet, comprising multiple Thai delicacies, such as Papaya Salad (Som Tam), Pad Thai, and Grilled Sticky-Rice Skewers. We were also serenaded by traditional Thai instruments, singing, and had the opportunity to watch a traditional Thai dance.

Shortly after, we headed back to home base for a relaxing two hours of poolside chilling and air-conditioned naps. At 4:30 we embarked on a journey to a large street market called Walking Street, where we indulged in street snacks, and bought many souvenirs for all of y’all folks back home! As the sun began to set on Chiang Mai, we made our way back to home base in preparation for an early start yet again tomorrow. We look forward to an action filled day tomorrow as well!

Written by the leaders of the day: Aaditya B. and Victoria F.

Sunday June 23, 2019

We started the day bright and early to prepare for a fun day with the elephants. After a delicious breakfast we headed to the elephant sanctuary, first making a necessary pitstop at the beloved 7/11. Here we stocked up on craved snacks and Thai tea that the group yearned for. We started off by feeding bananas to the hungry elephants and enjoying the beautiful views. After feeding the elephants we enjoyed a delicious lunch made for us by the staff of the elephant sanctuary.

The leaders at the sanctuary then taught us how to make food for the elephants using multiple different ingredients to help a variety of health issues. We then scrubbed the elephants with mud to act as a natural sunscreen for the elephants, helping to keep them cool and rejuvenated. Shortly after, we took them to the water where we rinsed them of mud and played with them. Since we were so dirty, we showered and changed to prepare for the long car ride back to Tianna. After free time back at the resort we created our lesson plans and prepared for our first day of teaching at the schools. Following dinner we concluded the night with our mentor groups where we reflected on the day and prepped for the week ahead.

Written by leaders of the day: Amera F. and Avery T.

Monday June 24, 2019

We got an early start this morning and headed off to our first day of teaching! We first had an assembly where we introduced ourselves to the students. We then taught three classes ranging in ages from first grade to sixth grade. It was so much fun! After lunch we headed to Wat Suan Dok where we spoke with a monk. We learned about Buddhism and the everyday life of a monk. It was super interesting and a great learning experience. After, we headed back to homebase where we planned out our next two days of teaching and ate dinner. Lastly, we planned our cultural immersion performance and then headed to bed.

Written by Leaders of the Day: Sydney A. and Adelaide B.

Tuesday June 25, 2019

Once again, it was an early morning start! We began our day with our second day of teaching. Time flew by at the school because teaching the children is so much fun! After our delicious lunch, we went to Doi Pui, a Hmong village. There, we took beautiful walk through a market area and garden to a cafe. At the cafe, we drank coffee while admiring the gorgeous view from the top of the mountain.

After this, we made our way even higher in the mountain to Doi Suthep, a beautiful temple atop over 300 steps (a long, steep climb)! Our breaths were taken away by the amazing gold details and astounding architecture. The view was absolutely spectacular as well! After touring the temple, we went back down the mountain to head to dinner. We were then “surprised” with a delicious western style meal for dinner! After that, we got to explore around the night bazaar and pick up some final souvenirs and clothing items. Overall, it was a very exciting and jam packed day!

Written by Leaders of the Day: Alex B. and Chloe T.

Wednesday June 26, 2019

We started our morning with the chow circle, including a one minute “dance it out” session. After breakfast we left for our schools, where we were greeted by the kids. We taught all morning and then ate lunch and had recess with the children!

Following teaching, we went to a Chiang Mai high school where we were welcomed by the high school Thai students. They performed cultural dances and music for us, and in exchange we performed “Imagine” by John Lennon. We were given a tour of their 8-story school, and learned how to make coconut pancakes and banana leaf bowls. We ended the cultural exchange with an exciting game of volleyball, which we unfortunately lost… but had a lot of fun!

After our incredible cultural exchange, we spent the rest of the day getting Thai massages. It was a very relaxing, refreshing and well needed break after a long week and a half! The rest of the night, we came back to Tianna and had another incredible dinner, followed by leadership activities and lesson planning.

Written by the Leaders of the Day: Jaylyn R. & Marisol C.

Friday June 28, 2019

Today was our last day of official class with the kids. Having to say goodbye was rather bittersweet, but we were glad to have made an impact on their English language learning. In the afternoon, we headed to the 3D Museum, where students were able to express their creativity through their interaction with the artwork. For the rest of the day, we worked hard to prepare for a day of English Camp. We are ready to face another day of excitement and fun!

Written by the Leaders of the Day: Serena L. and Lydia M.

Sunday June 30, 2019

Our last day was fun packed with an exciting zip line adventure through the jungle, followed by a farewell dinner at a beautiful riverside restaurant, and a karaoke party back at our home for the last two weeks, Tianna. Now our bags are packed as we prepare for the journey back home.

As we part ways we reflect on all the friendships formed, lessons learned, experience gained, and memories made.

Wishing you all pleasant trips back to your home countries, from the GLA, Thailand: In & Beyond the Classroom team 🙂

REMINDER – Whitewater Rafting Photos

Click here to visit the whitewater rafting photo folder for this session. This link is expires tomorrow, however, if you click the blue “download” button on the folder, you can download the entire folder in a zip file.

The button to download option will appear like this once you arrive at the photo folder: