The Young Leader

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Peru: Spanish Service Adventure (Sessions Starting June 26, 2022)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM (DAY 1-14)
PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM (DAY 15-21)

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

This blog is for the Peru split session starting June 26, 2022, which includes both the 14-day and the 21-day student group.

Here are a few things you can expect:

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

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

Hi friends and family!

It has been quite an arrival day!!! All of our students for Spanish Service Adventure in Peru have arrived safe and sound! Everyone made their flights on time which is amazing. We got to meet each other and hang out for a while at the airport while we waited for most of the group to arrive. We were exhausted but driving from Cusco to the small town of Pisac was beautiful. The mountains are enormous and we got to see the beauty of the Sacred Valley as we descended to Homebase. Our Homebase is an hospedaje here in the pueblo of Pisac.

We’ve played a lot of get-to-know you games, chatted, and got to walk around Pisac on a tour given by our Local Director Javier. The people who live here work the land for corn, we saw plots of land with tons of corn laying out drying. Some of our first impressions of Peru: the landscape is beautiful, the people are very kind, and there is color everywhere! Also, at night, it gets very cold. Luckily we have piles of blankets on our beds to keep us warm. 🙂

Check out some of our pictures from today.

Saludos,
– Peru SSA program and Staff Team

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

Written by Kai and Aidan M.

We love Peruvian food and the chefs and staff are very kind and good at what they do. After breakfast we had a “snowball fight” which was a game that helped us get to know each other’s interests. We had Spanish lessons in small groups which were challenging but interesting and helpful. Lunch was an AMAZING hot “chicken salad” with rice. The group then split to get a tour of Pisac, with Javier’s group taking a hike through the corn and wheat fields which were recently harvested. Then the group visited the horse stables which many loved. Diego’s group walked up the mountain to get a view of the landscape. The view was beautiful and many took notice of the wildlife near the bridge ;). The groups met at the market where many beautiful textiles and souvenirs were bought.

We came back and had dinner which was great and filling! The best part of the day was the visit to the Shaman. We had a cleansing ritual which also helped us connect to our souls and allowed us to reflect. We danced around the fire to the music the Shaman played and everybody loved it! Overall, the day was long and interesting with the Shaman being something totally new and the market being beautiful. It was a great start for the trip.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Written by Ben Schlotterer and Colby Gilmore

So first, we were served avocado toast with tomato to start the day. Over the past couple of days the GLA students have learned that the key to a successful and good day is a great and nutritional Peruvian breakfast. Slightly after breakfast, we got ready for our trip to a local pottery place. We learned about the different forms of pottery and about the dying out of pottery culture in Peru. We were also able to create our own pottery and learn the ancient techniques. For lunch, we went to a local restaurant called Dona Clarinda and chowed down on a variety of Peruvian dishes. After the feast, we headed out to the ancient Inca ruins of Pisac and hiked through the centuries old ruins. After an exhausting day, we replenished with a chicken fried rice dish made by our amazing cooks. Then we watched a very interesting documentary about the potato farming culture in the andes called the Potato King. Then we got into groups and discussed amongst ourselves and our peers, and then went to get some good sleep to be ready for service tomorrow.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Written by Brady Kadro and Elise Wendlandt

For breakfast, we were served crepes with a variety of different fruits. There was also strawberry and grape jelly that we were able to put on bread with some butter. We left at 9 am to visit the remote village Sacllo where we learned about agriculture and sustainable development. Later for lunch, we were served corn soup and shredded chicken with sauce and rice. After we ate, we were given an overview of the goals for the AASD. We learned it is uncommon to find forests in the Andes. Next, we learned how to plant avocado seeds in a way that does not harm the environment to any extent. We filled bags with soil that we collected in wheelbarrows. We left the town at 4 pm and arrived at homebase for freetime where we played card games. For dinner we had spaghetti with meat with traditional Peruvian tea. Then four groups were made and we debated whether or not a road for travel would benefit our individual roles we were assigned. We are excited to experience another day in the lives of the people of Sacclio.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Written by Iris Smart and Francesca Moreno

After a light breakfast with some traditional Peruvian foods, we gathered into our groups for our second Spanish lesson of the trip, improving our grammar and language skills. Today’s lessons were extra special because we were able to sample some native Peruvian fruits, causing a variety of reactions. These included Noni, Pepino and Tuna, among others. After an early lunch of chicken and rice, we packed our day bags and headed over to Sacllo to begin the process of painting and restoring the local chapel. We simultaneously touched up the exterior of the church while also getting to know and playing with the locals. The paint-related mishaps that ensued brought the group closer together in a lot of ways. After an incredible day of service, we returned to home base where we discussed our day and enjoyed a reminder of home of Hamburgers for dinner. Afterwards we gathered in our mentor groups and discussed the impacts that the trip has had on us so far and how it has changed our perspective. We are excited for the adventures that tomorrow will bring during our day in Cusco.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Written by Tyler Lieberman and Julia Wang

Our day in Cusco arrived! We woke up early at 6:30 AM to omelets and traditional bread with jam and butter. We quickly ate and began our trek toward Cusco. First, we had a pit stop at Saqsayhuaman, an Incan creation which honors the Sun God. After receiving enlightening tours we traveled to the center of Cusco where we enjoyed breathtaking views, touristic crowds, and many laughs. A group of us entered a Catholic Church which was beautifully decorated and had a gorgeous bell tower. Then we journeyed to Tunupa, for a three course meal accompanied by the delicacy, cuy (guinea pig).

Afterwards, we rushed to a chocolate class with the absence of making chocolate. However, our palates were tested with a spicy chocolate drink with orange essence. Then we explored more local shops in the city, bought souvenirs, and returned to our homebase. For dinner we had delicious chicken and rice, and a beet salad. After dinner, we played a round of mafia, as well as Similarities and Differences to learn more about each other. Everyone was super tired but still craved dessert, so finally, we went on a night excursion to an ice cream shop. The plan for tonight is to go to bed on time so that bedtime will possibly be extended tomorrow night!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Greetings from Day 7!

Anna and Nick here. This morning was filled with intense games of chess and groggy campers. After breakfast, our Spanish teachers entertained us with games like Jenga and Pictionary. Once our Spanish skills were recharged, we used them by communicating with the locals of Sacclio. We were able to paint the inside of the same chapel that we worked on on Thursday. It was filled with good music and enthusiastic volunteers. Once we came back from service, we had time to check our phones before enjoying a nice dinner of chicken noodle soup. With a quick survey, we left for a competitive game against a local soccer team (they crushed us). Stay tuned for more fun adventures coming your way!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Jax girls logging on (Anessa and Fiona)! Today was super fun! We started the day by playing Mr. Blue Sky to promptly wake everyone up at 6:30 AM. We ate yummy bread, avocado, cheese and more for breakfast. Super delish. Next was clase de Espanol! We got to play Jenga to review our verbs and then ended clase by going to a botanical garden. We saw the prettiest butterfly ever!!!!! Lunch was next and yum as usual. Then you know the deal…to the service site we headed! Our afternoon was filled with waxing the church floor and then using an old Incan tool that translates to “Earth Opener”. We became farmers for the day.

We also got to play with many kids in the community and by the end they were our (in their words) “mejor amigos”. We came back for dinner, and ended the day with…drumroll please… SALSA CLASS! That’s right, we learned to salsa with an expert right here in Peru. By the end of the evening WE became the experts. Ask your kids to salsa when they return…they should have some skills. Then all of us screamed for ice cream as we headed over to the shop. Overall it was a fab day. Stay tuned for the next day of fun. We love yall (and we loved being leaders of the day today).

Signing off, JAX GURLS <3

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Ollie from Australia and Aidan from Kentucky here.

Happy 4th of July. Today we woke up early at 6:30 and woke up everyone by knocking on their doors. We then ate breakfast that consisted of fruits and yogurt. At approximately 8 am, we began Spanish Class for an hour before heading to a local empanadas shop where we made them and promptly ate them all. We then had lunch which was fried chicken, rice and lentil beans. It was tasty so we then departed for Sacclo for service and to spread the 4th of July joy. We began digging holes and planting trees as well as picking up various garbage. We then played kickball with the locals and also played tug of war. Both games were well received by both locals and students. We then took the bus back at 4:30 before having tech time for thirty minutes. We then had “circulo de cena” and ate dinner which was pasta and chicken. We also got to celebrate Camille’s birthday with a big cake!! Happy bday Camille. Later we packed for Machu Picchu and also had mentor groups. Morgan put on a grammy worthy performance when performing “screamo music”. We ended the day with a bit of free time and stargazing. Peace yall.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Written by Morgan and Becca

Hello friends and family! This morning we woke up and got on the bus to head out to the beautiful Incan city of Ollantaytambo (say it three times fast). We walked up the terraces to the Temple of the Sun atop the ruins. We got a great view of an Incan face that can be seen in the mountain directly across from the park. After our tour, we got to eat a yummy lunch in the Urban district of town. From there, we left Ollantay by train and arrived in the small town of Aguas Calientes. There we settled into our hotel and ate dinner. We got a briefing from our tour guide, Smith, who prepared us for the next day, going to MACHU PICCHU!!!!!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Jacqueline from New York City and Morgan from Fairfax, VA here! Today we woke up early to catch the bus to Machu Picchu! After an uphill hike, which proved strenuous from the altitude, we made it to the top and took gazillions of photos with the beautiful scenery. We split into three groups to go on tours around the ruins aptly named after the ‘Old Mountain’ and learned the history of one of the seven wonders of the world! We all were enthralled by the architecture and the enormity of MP. It really is a magical place. Next, we had lunch in the tourist town of Aguas Calientes, and finally, returned to homebase in Pisaq and got to rest after our two days of travel.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Buenos dias!

Today was our last day of Spanish classes and going to our service site with the entire group. In Spanish class, we got to try our hand at playing traditional flutes, whistles, and other typical instruments. We practiced and performed a song together. Our Spanish teachers gave us certificates for “graduating” and we had a little ceremony here at Homebase. Our teachers have been great and we are going to miss them (although not so much the 3 hour spanish classes)!!! After classes, we had lunch and then headed to service in Sacclio. There, we put some protection around the trees we’ve planted and then got to play an intense game of Mata Gente (a game the community set up). We also played some soccer. The community gave us gifts as we were leaving and we got to try potatoes cooked in a Huatia (an oven built into the ground). We danced a lot and said goodbye to our new friends. We had an activity tonight to end the program and then went for HELADO!! Twas a great last day of service. Now, onto rafting tomorrow!!!!!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Written by Francesca

Yesterday was incredibly bittersweet. We took a scenic 2 hour bus ride to the lodge where the 21 day crew would be staying, and where we all prepared for some intense white water rafting. After many accidental dives into the icy waters, our group scrambled for the sauna, warm clothes, and a hot lunch. But the thrill wasn’t over yet! We geared up for ziplining and sped over the river we had just traversed in our rafts. We then settled in for a guided meditation and a few moments of silence and reflection over our trip. We did a final round of shout-outs in appreciation of the impacts we have all had on each other, and the accomplishments we have had.

We then tearfully said goodbye to the incredible peers, instructors and friends we have made, as the 14 day crew traveled back to home base for our departure the next day. The 21 dayers spent the rest of the afternoon preparing themselves for the intense journey to Rainbow Mountain that they would be taking the following day. The 14 day people began packing and had a final celebratory ice-cream and snack run.

As part of the 14 day crew, I hope the 21 dayers have an absolutely incredible last week here in Peru, while we travel back home and return to our lives. I know, however, that I and many of the people in our group will return home with a newfound appreciation and want to make an impact as a leader in our communities, that has undoubtedly come from this awesome and unique experience.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Written by Morgan and Aidan

Imagine: it is 4:30am, and there’s a knock at your door. Who is it? None other than Javier himself. He comes bearing news of far off lands: we must make the pilgrimage to the summit of El Monte Vinicunca. And so we prepared ourselves for departure: seven slugs and eight spider eggs, which were customary of such a trek. Then, we took off in the guagua vieja, which sputtered along the earthen roads leading to the base of the mountain. We ascended four thousand feet. Many of us hardened travelers (after two weeks of acclimatization) were poised to face this great mountain and test our mettle. Us ten pilgrims and three guides gathered the needed supplies at the nearby market and set off. Miles and miles passed while we fought the wicked cold winds. Once we reached the summit we rejoiced in a lavish celebration of our exceptional endurance. We had made contact with the Rainbow Mountain at last. We returned to the van and fell into a deep, much needed slumber. We made the trip back to the lodge on that sacred river, where we rested and ate before returning to home base. Home base was quiet. Too quiet. As if it had just been abandoned by fourteen fellow travelers. We smelled the solemn air and felt our companions’ grief. Many had left notes, goodbyes and farewells. Some of us may never meet again; but our times together will never be forgotten.

Adventurers,
Morgan and Aidan

BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Written by Aidan M. & Jake L.

Today the group woke up. We were even on time for breakfast. Considering there was music blasting next door until 4:00 in the morning, being on time was shocking. Peruvians really know how to party. The Virgin Del Carmen is being celebrated in the community this week. Fireworks, music, yelling, dancing, cannons, dogs barking, and more all work to keep us awake. The Virgin Del Carmen has apparently not yet woken up, despite us waking up dozens of times every night. We had breakfast followed by two hours of Spanish and a trip to the local fair, where we considered buying cows and sheep for just a few thousand soles. A great deal for a cow! The stalls were full of meat and snacks, and as we write this we hear the music blasting from the fair, through the walls and echoing around us. It was short but sweet, because we were already late for lunch.

After lunch, we left for service, to a campesino pueblo nearby Sacllo and Calca called La Carolina. There, we were introduced to locals, and soon began the difficult job of digging holes. For only ten students, fifteen holes dug and fifteen trees planted is very much for only three and a half hours of work. It was tiring but rewarding. We returned to home base before our scheduled time of 4:30. The group went to the market, but it was nearly empty because of the festival. We bought snacks, ate dinner, and had mentor groups, where we learned more about each other and our experiences. Sleep is much needed. We are falling asleep as we are writing this. The respect we have gained for each other in our small groups can not be overstated. The end. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz sorry we fell asleep on the keyboard.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Written by Ollie & Tyler

We woke up everybody very loudly by banging on their doors and making them wake up. We then ate breakfast which consisted of bananas, yogurt, bread and mangos. We then had Spanish class that began at 8am. At approximately 9:30am, we went to a field to play Spanish games against each other. The two teams were named Los Perros Muertos and Los Ganadores. It was very competitive, but the Ganadores pulled it out. We traveled to La Carolina and planted an additional 13 trees. After service, a group of us went to the market and purchased some souvenirs. We had soup for dinner and ice cream for dessert. After eating, we had an impromptu jam session with makeshift instruments from around the Homebase. Everyone’s excited for our journey to Maras tomorrow.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Written by Camille and Anna

We were awoken this fine morning by a chorus of canons. After a grumpy breakfast of egg, avocado, and tomato sandwiches, we departed for our day in Maras. We arrived after an hour and a half on our shuttle bus to embark on a hike that descended to the salt mines. We realized that it was mainly a bike path due to all the jumps and met some French marathon runners along the way. (Shout out to Jean-Luc!) Our tour guide, Smith, gave us some valuable information about the salt mines and how they harvest the salt. While visiting, some of us purchased this very salt. A short 20 minute bus ride later, we arrived at our lunch spot, with an audience of llamas waiting for us. The picnic table was soon filled with lots of food, including cuy. (Fried guinea pig!!) We were super thankful to Andean Colors for hosting us. Despite the late lunch, we weren’t the only ones that were hungry. We were stampeded by a pack of feisty llamas waiting to be fed. They were aggressive, yet highly adorable. Then, we were taught how to create patterns in the form of bracelet making. Some of us could not knot. (badum chssss) To forget our troubles with the bracelet making, we were taught the process of making and dyeing yarn. But first, the guinea pig room! They were all shapes and sizes, and it was hard to realize that all of them would soon look like our lunch plates. The people from Andean Colors showed us the natural ways to dye the yarn by using supplies such as eucalyptus, moss, and even cacti parasites. They also tested our knowledge between alpaca and acrylic yarn before opening up their store.

Once coming back, we answered the tough question of the day before dinner. If you were to win a million dollars, what would be your first purchase? Dinner consisted of rice, chicken, and potatoes, and was followed by a fun activity about different preferences and values. Tomorrow, we have our new service family and can’t wait to see what’s in store!

Signing off,
Camille and Anna

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Jasper Brokaw and Ollie Bisogni signing on,

Breakfast was a 7 today, a sharp 6:30 wakeup that was a major struggle for many people. Breakfast was a mix of fruits, yogurt, and bread and it was very tasty. Next we had Spanish class that started at eight. During the latter part of Spanish we painted on cups and made incredible Incan-like designs. We then had lunch which was none other than PESTO PASTA!!!! It was really good and everyone was glad to have it. We then left for service around one pm in the small village of 45 families where we cleared a field of dead corn so that the diseases that could potentially brew from the corn were killed off. We were absolutely ‘outstanding’ in the field. We arrived back at homebase around five pm where we endorsed in fifty minutes of TECH TIME. We then had circulo de cena which was really funny due to the new celebration created by Jasper, Tyler and Ollie. We then ate dinner which was “beefaroni” which many people ate quickly. We then had an Incan Culture Speaker who was phenomenal and we learned plenty more about the culture. GOODNIGHT YO

BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

Wakeup and breakfast was a little later today being 7:30 and 8. Breakfast was eggs, avocado, tomatoes, and the usual bread setup with jelly and butter. At 9, we began Spanish, with a cumbia dance class led by Paola and then at 10:30, broke into our different groups for a little lesson. We finished off Spanish class with graduation where we all received certificates that stated our total completed hours, which was 27.

After that we ate a delicious lunch of chicken and rice, then we descended for Cusco at 1. In Cusco, we were assigned a scavenger hunt where we had to go around a market and find different ingredients for a specific Peruvian dish like ceviche and figure out their average costs. Additionally, each of the groups had to get different ingredients for our specialty dessert later tonight. Then came around 4 when we left Cusco to drive 30 minutes back to Pisac for fifty minutes of TECH TIME. We all gathered around for circular de cena at our usual time and gave shoutouts as well as rating our days from 1 to 10. Dinner was a delight, being fried chicken and fries. Yummy!

After dinner, everyone contributed to making a popular Peruvian dessert called Arroz Con Leche. It was amazing! Then came bedtime at a usual 9:30. Unfortunately, tomorrow is our last day of service and activities! Let’s make it a good day! JB and JD out.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Written by Anna S. and Camille R.

Alas, we have reached the final day in our journey. We started off strong this morning with service bright and early after breakfast. It consisted of clearing corn husks from the fields of La Carolina, followed by 3 intense games of volleyball. The family rewarded our hard work with Ponche de Abas, a traditional drink like horchata made with beans. After the typical lunch of chicken and rice, we said a warm goodbye to our service sites and ventured to find a waterfall. It only took around 30 minutes of hiking before we reached this waterfall, which was flowing freely despite it being dry season. Some photo opportunities followed before we drove back to homebase. With music from fiestas all around us welcoming us back as well as a traffic jam due to horses, we finally got back and started on our OMGs (one meaningful goal). Before our final dinner, we headed out to the main street to catch a glimpse of the sunset.

After a very Peruvian dish of hamburgers, we made a late night excursion for some ice cream. On the schedule, we thought we were going to a nice field/hill to watch the stars, but got surprised with an activity containing stargazing and storytelling on the very roof of our homebase! We only got interrupted by fireworks from the next street over once or twice, but it was a great way to end such a meaningful trip. Tomorrow, we head our separate ways, but we will never forget all the amazing memories made in this country called Peru.

Safe travels!

by

Peru: Foundations of Global Health (June 24 – July 14, 2022)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things you can expect:

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

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24

Dear families and friends,

We’re so excited to be joined by our students today! They flew from all over the United States for this incredible experience. After everyone was accounted for and settled into our beautiful home base, we did a walk around the center plaza to see the festivities for Inti Raymi (Peru’s national holiday). Our local director, Mateo, explained some of the traditions and history of the architecture. Students have become fast friends and one more addition is on the horizon (our final student will be joining us at the end of the week). While we anticipate her arrival, we’ll begin our public health and medicine journey. Tomorrow will be a super busy day. Stay tuned to hear more about it!

Cheers,
Courtney, Mateo, & Amber

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25

Written by Anya Berg (Leader of the Day)

Dear families and friends,

Today was the first day we were properly able to explore Cusco and some of its wonders! After a morning reviewing the GLA Code of Conduct in order to ensure our safety during the trip, the local director, Mateo, made an amazing guide; pulling interesting information off the top of his head to enrich our experience. We also had our first visit to a money exchange, a new and interesting experience for many of us. When we got back to our home base, after an opportunity to warm our-freezing-selves, there was a local Chaman who walked us through a “Payment to the Earth” ritual, or as it’s called in Spanish a Tributo a la Tierra. We got to witness firsthand an Incan tradition that, hopefully, brought us all luck for the rest of the trip.

I won’t bore you with details on what we ate, but rest assured, it was delicious!

Tomorrow we will be seeing the difference between the rural and urban parts of Cusco, something we are all super hyped for. It will overall be a super busy day. Stay tuned for more updates from our team leaders tomorrow…

Hasta luego!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

Dear families and friends,

Today was the second day of activities. After a rough start of the morning due to waking up late (Claire woke us up late), we ate breakfast and left for a reality tour of the areas we will be working in throughout Cusco. On the tour, we learned about how the healthcare and education systems work within Peru. In different regions of Peru, there are typically only a few hospitals with hardly any doctors and nurses, and even less specialists. There are not many resources and these are scarce around rural areas, causing a decrease in the amount of readily available medical attention. This is similar to the Peruvian education system. According to Matteo and Victor from MedLife, students and teachers must travel a great distance in order to learn and teach. Additionally, most teachers live in Cusco, so it takes a great deal of effort for them to get to the schools. The elementary school that we visited was built by the village and has only two classrooms. These two rooms are for the students of the surrounding area. Ultimately, today was a very eye opening experience and hopefully this will help us when we start our service.

Until tomorrow,
Maxwell and Claire

P.S. (from Amber, GLA Mentor) I know families would like to see more photos from home base. Students would like to get a group photo at breakfast tomorrow (with hopes of waking up on time) and maybe some selfies in their rooms.

Also would like to explain some of the attached photos. After the reality tour, students had the opportunity to see some of the regional animals at a wildlife refuge. The Andean bear, parrots, monkeys, condors, and the crowd favorite of course, the llama. After a much needed rest period at home base, Maxwell and Claire lead the group in some fun leadership building activities including “The Human Knot”, “Ha-Ha”, and an attempt at flag football in a small yard. They were creative with their problem solving solution, which made for a good laugh session for me.

This evening, we shared our “Roses, buds, and thorns,” the highs, looking forward to’s, and potentially “could’ve been better” moments of the day, followed by a restful evening watching The Emperor’s New Groove. Students were able to point out some of the Quechua words used throughout and relate to their experience in Peru. Excited for more memories this incredible clan will continue to make together!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Written by Cara and Natalia

Hello loved ones,

Today was a super exciting day, our first day of service!

We began with a 6:30 wake-up call, but some decided to stay in till 7:15 for some extra sleep time (yes, we are looking at you Connor and Max). We ate a delicious breakfast (mostly bread/cheese/ham sandwiches)(thanks Cara and Caroline) and headed out at 7:45 with our new GLA family members, Alejandro and Maya. The bus ride was loooooong and, after many naps (we are looking at you Claire), we arrived in Pisaq. Everyone began the walk to the house, hands full of paint buckets and brushes. After meeting Senora Maria, we got quick to work sanding and painting every wall. By the end of our time in Pisaq, Senora Maria was left with a beautiful new paint job (including a heart-shaped Peru flag and hand-print flowers)(shoutout Emilia and Caroline) and a big smile on her face.

We arrived at home base around 3:00 and quickly got ready to head into town! While walking around Cusco, everyone bought a little somethin’ somethin’ to take home, thus the hat crew was formed! This group ranges from rainbow llama hats to fuzzy wolf heads (see pic below). We also stopped by a cake shop to buy our dear Sofia a birthday cake (HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOFIA!) and some snacks (for our ‘Taste Peru’ vlog segment that is to come).

Upon arrival at home base (again) we had a delicious dinner (spaghetti and meatballs (some just noodles…Auden)) and prepared for the birthday celebration. Alejandro and Maya helped carry out the cake while the birthday girl and Angelina (feel better!) watched as we sang. Everyone ate cake and it was a happy rest of the night!

Covid updates: no recent positive tests and everyone is being very diligent with their mask-wearing!

Until tomorrow- yours truly, Cara and Natalia

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Written by Molly Rich and Ellie Bartolino

Hi everyone!

Today was our second day of service! We started off our morning rough with another positive covid test, but we bounced back quickly and got ourselves ready for the day. We had another delicious breakfast and got to the bus for another day of rewarding work. The bus ride was full of naps and Lil Nas X (thanks Victor!) We arrived in Pisaq and met the family we would be helping out today. Soon we were all busy sanding and painting the walls of the house. We are a quick lunch and got back to decorating the house with our own personal touches. Shoutout to Caroline, Skylar, and Claire for the cute finger painted flowers! By the end of the day the walls were full of color, as well as the crates, thank you Max, Connor, and Cara. After the music filled bus ride we returned safely to home base and took some time to relax after a hard day’s work. Our leaders of the day lead us in a super fun game of word association before participating in a global health debate. After a delicious dinner we reflected on the day in our mentor groups and finished up the day with some quality time with the group. We miss you all and are continuing to be safe and do our best to keep everyone healthy!

P.S. (from Amber, GLA Mentor) This is an exceptional group of young leaders who have taken the challenges we’ve faced at the beginning of this program in stride. Today, they worked especially hard on this project and brought so much joy to this community. Looking forward for more incredible opportunities and memories ahead.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Written by Auden Pelz

Today we went white water rafting in the Andes mountains… We started with a 5:30 am wake up call and 6 am breakfast before leaving for the 2 hour bus ride to the river. When we got to the camp site we were briefed on the day and then suited up in wetsuits, windbreakers, shoes, helmets, and life jackets. When we arrived at the put-in we were told all of the safety instructions and then we started on the river … The water was really cold but we were all having a good time. We rafted class 2 and 3 rapids even though some people fell out.

After we arrived back at the campsite we spent some time in the sauna before rinsing off and changing into something warm for zip lining. For lunch we had chicken, rice, and potatoes. When we finished lunch we were given harnesses and then we went zip lining over the river.

We said goodbye to the river and then traveled back to Cusco. When we arrived, we were given some much needed free time before settling down to watch a movie. The movie was the recent jumanji, not the good one with Robin Williams but the most recent one.

Until tomorrow,
Auden (Leader of the Day)

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Written by Skylar

Hey GLA-inators!

Today was a pretty solid one! We started at our usual time, eating breakfast and heading out to our service site by 7:45(ish). We returned to the house that we started on Thursday, working again with the family and their adorable puppy, Chelsea.

Our work actually ended early, so we decided to walk up a hill and play soccer at a local field. The kids there were a little (read: significantly) better than us, except maybe Emilia, but we all had a good time. Even some local dogs got in the action! Jesse may or may not have kicked the ball over a fence and into a neighboring backyard, but that’s beside the point.

We ate lunch (with another puppy named Lassie), stared at some mountains, and headed home. After a brief break/siesta, we all gathered in the yard for a Quechua Spelling Bee. Quechua is a language indigenous to the Peruvian Andes, and is especially spoken in its more rural communities, so we decided to incorporate some medical terms we might hear later on in the clinics. Shout out to Alejandro for translating all the terms and teaching us how to actually pronounce them ourselves. After an intense battle and a lot of rewriting, Auden won the Bee, with Ellie coming in at a close second.

Afterward, we did a leadership activity with Maya and Courtney, focused around a TEDTalk by Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, entitled “The Danger of a Single Story.” Most of us had actually seen the video before, so it became more of a discussion about our preconceived notions of Peru before arriving and how we would be challenging them in our remaining two weeks here.

Then we had dinner, phone time, and a fresh laundry delivery (hooray!). Now all that’s left is to put away our clothes and rest up for our final Healthy Homes visit tomorrow. Hopefully they’ll have puppies!

L8r Sk8rs,
Skylar

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Written by Caroline

Hi loved ones,

On our official last day of the Healthy Homes Project, we got the privilege of getting to know someone where otherwise our lives would not have intersected. We woke up to an early breakfast and ran out the door to our final project in Pisac. After meeting the family and painting for a few hours, we took a lunch break over the beautiful terraces and agriculture of the sacred valley, and went back to brightening up rooms and also lives. After asking the family their opinions, Auden was the star painter and drew out a boar and mountain range with ease. When we came home, we rested up to be fueled for ice cream and shopping. We saw a marching band and parade that lit up Cusco, following a successful shopping run. Finally, we came home to a delicious dinner and a mentor group where each student was insightful, discussing problems and solutions worldwide.

Bye,
Caroline

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Written by Chloe

Howdy fellow patriots,

First and foremost… Happy Fourth of July !!!

After a much appreciated later breakfast for some needed sleep, we started the day with pancakes (with chocolate syrup no less !)We then headed to our Medlife orientation where we learned about the clinics and how to conduct the different workshops. As practice, we put up the clinic tents, took note of our guinea pig’s vitals (Natalia) who ended up being diagnosed with not one but two brain tumors from another student (eek!) Fear not, everyone is healthy and was excited to eat lunch after the workshop. We then headed to another workshop where this time we practiced our Quechuan and Spanish in order to be able to communicate with the patients at the clinic. Then it was…. you guessed it, shopping and snack scavenging time.

After coming back with bags full of chips and little souvenirs, we engaged in a very funny and entertaining storytelling activity where we discovered the gruesome death of certain hamsters and a cacti incident… After having dinner (not rice but lasagna this time!!), we hiked up the steep, steep streets of Cusco until we reached a mirador. Here we celebrated the fourth with some ginger ale and some confetti pops ( sadly some didn’t work rip) but all in all it was a great way to celebrate whilst admiring the view and the stars. We are all so excited to start working in the clinics and will keep you all updated!!

Alrighty, Chloe out!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Written by Sofia and Connor

Dear loved ones,

Today we explored Maras and Moray, which are salt mines, an archeological site, and the crop acclimation system of the Incas. The first thing we did was visit the salt mines, which was impressive in size and varied in shape, color, and texture. They were all created by a small stream of water coming from a spring inside a cave and leading into the Amazonian river. It shows that little things can create big things. Local salt miners collect the salt and use it for various items such as chocolate, seasoning, and food preservation. We stopped at a local store and preceded to buy chocolate and salt of different grains. After spending a lot of money, we went to the Inca ruins which were shaped like an avocado. The Incas used the avocado ruins to acclimate crops such as corn and potatoes to the dry climate due to the altitude. With this system, they were able to grow their crops effectively.

After a little detour with Anya, we visited The Andean Colors, an organization of weavers dedicated to helping single mothers. The founder was in a domestic abuse situation, an event common in rural Peru, and got hit by a car. She now lives to tell the story and support single mothers and the community with her weaving and alpaca wool harvesting. While we were there, they served us lunch and we got to try a local delicacy, Guinea pig. Most of us were apprehensive, but we tried it. Molly and Caroline says that it tasted like burnt bacon forgotten about on a couch, sat on, and reheated. Others really enjoyed it though. We also got to feed and pet the alpacas, visit a guinea pig farm and learned to make yarn bracelets. We learned how to clean, spin, and dye the yarn and the materials required to do so. We ended the experience by purchasing crafts made by the weavers. Once we got to home base, we learned about the health crisis in Peru and how covid affected the already difficult status of the health care system. Overall, very eventful and fun day!

Hope you had a good day too,
Sofia and Connor

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Written by Gia

Hello friends and families!

We are continuing to work with Medlife to better Cusco and its local communities. Today was our first day at our medical clinics in the local community of Ccorao. All of the GLA students participated in the rotations: toothbrushing, vital signs, education, medical diagnostics, the pharmacy, and more. Today we were able to see and help 83 people and give them the medical attention they needed. Some of the people came with their sick kids, with long unattended medical issues or accidents, or just a regular check-up. We worked with the local nurses to provide people with the proper dosages of medications to help them in the long term. People were overjoyed to finally have solutions to health issues they or their loved ones have struggled with. My only hope for tomorrow is that we are able to help more people and their families. When we returned to home base after our medical clinics, we got a surprise dance lesson! We learned the basic traditional dances from all the regions in Peru: the coast, the jungle, and the Andes. One of the dances involved these colorful props used to swing around during the dancing. I am so glad we are learning the culture and traditions in Peru such as the dances, the different foods, the healthcare in Peru, and the native language Quechua.

Paqarinkama (“Until tomorrow” in Quechua)!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Written by Anya

Dear friends and family,

Today was our first day as a whole group again! We started off the early (some could say TOO early) morning with our now established routine of people waking up and dragging three feet to breakfast at different times. After another twisty ride through the mountains, during which some of us managed to catch a little extra sleep, we arrived at the same location as yesterday. When we had finished playing with a kitten Mateo had pulled out of thin air, we set up; Turning the putting up of tents into an unspoken competition again.

We got the opportunity to work in different stations and learn new skills (including, but not limited to, making bad tongue jokes using the fake rubber tongue from the toothbrushing station *cough*… Anya). There was a lot of station hopping and covering “shifts” for each other, like in medical shows! But, overall, it was a less hectic and very fun day since we have settled a bit more into our roles.

Then the afternoon was very relaxed, with a bit more shopping (sorry wallets) and then a documentary.

Dinner tonight was declared by Max to be the almost best on the trip and seconded by everyone.

Now, while writing this, I’ve overheard snippets of conversations like, “Who has tiny tiny fingers?!”, that make me want to run upstairs and join the fun, so …

Stay tuned!

Anya B (Leader of the Day… again)

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Hello from Peru!

I am writing to you all with this update as the remainder of the group huddles around the TV to watch Jumanji 2. This bit of down time was much needed given that today was a wonderful yet tiring day. We spent the bulk of our time in Quillahuata, which is a local town of a few hundred people. Students supported MEDLIFE’s mobile clinics in a variety of ways. Leaders of the Day have covered this extensively in the last few blog posts so I won’t get too in the weeds on it. Just know it was amazing!

It dawned on the staff team earlier that we only have a few days left together. It’s already starting to feel bittersweet for us. With that being said you may be wondering, what’s next? Tomorrow is the final day of mobile clinics, which means that we will be wrapping up the service components of our trip. After that, we journey to Lares and Machu Picchu for a fun-filled adventure. It won’t be long until students reunite with families and friends. So much will be happening over the course of the next few days. I’m so excited for our LODs to fill you in on it 🙂

Cheers,

Courtney (International Director)

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9-13

Hola GLA friends and families,

Students are currently packing up their bags in preparation for their departures home tomorrow after a very eventful last few days. After a bittersweet last day of Medlife clinic on July 9th, students prepped their Cusi duffle bags with warm clothes, snacks, and whatever Machu Picchu picture attire they needed before heading to bed early in anticipation for a 04:00 am breakfast (They really love if you wake them up with an obnoxious song blasting on a JBL speaker;)). They all were ready in time for the 6 am bus departure to the start of the Lares trek.

The 3 hour bus ride had a halfway stop in which students picked up little goodies and snacks from the local market for any farmers and little kids we would see on the hike. Everyone napped for the final hour and a half and then was eager to hit the trail. The elevation definitely took a toll, but thankfully our porters and horses carried most of our heavy gear. The students and staff encouraged each other despite some of the challenges on the trail, and everyone was able to make it to the halfway point day one in Wacawasi. The elevation is no joke out here. At 13,000ft some students and staff made the safe decision to meet the rest of the group in Ollantaytambo the next afternoon after camping. They had their own fun adventure:)

In the mean time, the other students and staff embarked on a difficult but beautiful trek to our camping stop at 14,000 ft. We enjoyed a dinner buffet and lots of warm tea to help with digestion in the higher elevation. The temperature dropped dramatically, so students slept 3 to a tent or had double sleeping bags to stay warm. This didn’t discourage them at all though:) Lots of singing and laughing throughout the night with the occasional visit to the poop shack and pee palace (tents dedicated for these special occasions). SOme students were able to see the southern cross as well.

Another early morning with a 06:00 wake up call with complimentary hot coca tea brought to each person tent door. Students enjoyed some pancakes before packing up their duffels and heading out for the steepest part of the trek. No one gave up, and they pushed through that extra 800 ft elevation to achieve their sought after goal! 14,800ft! So proud of these guys! They felt on top of the world:)

The rest of the hike was a traverse through the Ipsayjasa pass, past some farming communities, and a descent into the town of Patacancha where we were hosted for lunch by one of the horseman. (We learned that some children make that 2 hours tre 2x a day to go to school and back). Humbled and bellies full, we embarked on the next step in our journey. An hour bus ride into the town of Ollantaytambo for some shopping and a big, fancy dinner! Students enjoyed options like Alpaca skewers or fried trout along with some of their favorite appetizers. At 7:00pm, we all caught a train to Aguas Calientes (a town at the base of Machu Picchu) to finally catch a good night’s rest in our hostel (No one could figure out how to get the hot water to work unfortunately, but showering really wasn’t an option at this point. We were a stinky, sunburnt crew).

Finally, what we have all been waiting for, MACHU PICCHU! A quick 35 min bus ride brought us up from 7000 ft to 9000 ft where we enjoyed the 2 hour tour of the incredible Incan ruins. Students asked very impressive questions and took many a great photos:) (Would like to go ahead and apologize for doing the worm on site as apparently “exercise” is not allowed. Whoops, looks like they’ll be adding a new sign at Machu Picchu soon..). Please ask your student what they learned on this impactful excursion.

Lunch was delicious in Agua Calientes, and then, students had a couple hours to explore and shop around before we caught our evening 4 hours train ride back to Cusco. What an incredible last few days we all had! These students are an extra special bunch and truly made each others experience (and mine) that much more wonderful!

Tonight, we will be going out to eat in town after packing, and rumor has it, there will be a karaoke night hosted by the students! The final hours are flying by, and things are getting pretty bitter sweet.

Thanks for tuning in to today’s episode:)
– Amber (mentor)

by

Peru: Foundations of Global Health (July 26 – August 8, 2022)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things you can expect:

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

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 26

¡Saludos de Perú!

Dear families,

After a long day of traveling to and from the airport, all of us have finally arrived at our home base – La Villa Mágica. Like the name suggests, this place is magical! It feels like we are in a fairytale nestled in little white cottages between large, majestic mountains. Once we arrived at home base, we were greeted with a delicious lunch of mashed potatoes, vegetables and quinoa. After some time to relax, unpack, nap, and do check-ins with mentor Matt and ID Lauren, we played name games and did some ice breaker activities to get to know our group. After dinner, we reviewed the itinerary for the program and began some of our orientation sessions, which we will continue tomorrow. All is quiet here in Villa Mágica as most students succumbed to the lulls of sleep before 9pm! We’re excited to kick off our first full day at home base tomorrow with some exciting activities and with a group of (hopefully) well-rested students!

Sincerely,

Lauren, Matt & Victor

BLOG POST FOR JULY 27

A visit to Marco’s house and pago a la tierra

Everyone woke up feeling energetic this morning after a good night’s sleep at home base. For breakfast, we were all pleasantly greeted by a mountain of pancakes, fruit, yogurt, juice and coffee! With full bellies, we hiked a short distance up to road to Marco’s house. Marco is one of the staff that works at Villa Mágica and graciously offered to host our group at his house for the morning so that our students could learn more about Andean families in the area. We participated in numerous fun activities with Marco and his mother. First, we visited the ponds where they raise trout. We got to feed the trout and also try our hands at catching some (literally try our hands in some cases).

Afterwards, we learned about beekeeping and got to try some fresh honey and honeycomb. Next, we headed to the greenhouse where Marco’s family grows roses. The students cut their own roses and each room at home base made a beautiful bouquet using their roses and other flowers picked from around the property. We finished the visit with many spirit rounds of mata chola, a traditional Andean game similar to tether ball. After lunch, we met Yuri, the guardian of Villa Mágica. Yuri is a spiritual guide and facilitated a welcome ceremony with us that included practicing forgiveness, expressing gratitude, and setting intentions to achieve goals. We also learned about Andean traditions and worldviews. For example, the amaru (Quechua word for serpent) is the guardian of the past, the puma is the guardian of the present and the kuntur (Quechua word for condor) is the guardian of the future.

At the end of the ceremony, we made an offering to Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) using quinoa, dried corn and flowers picked from the gardens, which we then burned in a bonfire. Following dinner, we continued with our orientation activities and ended the evening by creating our community contract, which students worked together to create. It outlines our expectations for community and respectful behavior and includes traits such as inclusivity, compassion and communication. Tomorrow we are off to Maras and Moray!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 28

Dear Families,

Today we had our first excursion away from home base! We started the day driving through windy mountain roads to Maras, a large salt flat. We had incredible views of all of numerous pools surrounded by shiny crystalline salt granules. We learned that the salt flats are worked by families that live in the town of Maras and that they form a collective of workers that harvest and sell salt from the flats to locations all over the Sacred Valley. After doing some souvenir and chocolate shopping at the puestos in Maras, we hopped back into the bus and drove to our next destination – Moray. Moray is an Incan ruin and served as a sort of greenhouse / laboratory for the Incans where they experimented with circular terraces to see which crops could grow best in different microclimates.

We went for a short walk around the ruins and then headed to our lunch spot at Andean Colors. Andean Colors is a weaving collective for women and also an alpaca farm! For lunch we had rice, vegetables, various proteins and those with adventurous palates tried cuy (guinea pig). Cuy is considered a delicacy in Peru and families generally only cook it for special occasions. We were very lucky to be able to give it a try this afternoon! Following lunch, we fed the alpacas. A few even got to bottle feed one of the babies! Later on, we were given a weaving demonstration and were told the story of how Andean Colors began. The founder, Hilda, started the collective as a way to empower women who find themselves in challenging home situations to use their artisanal skills to make money and make better lives for themselves and their children.

When we got back to home base, we had dinner and then had mentor group sessions where we talked about our goals for program and beyond as well as worked on team building exercises. It was a long, but good day! Tomorrow we will start having our student Leaders of the Day write the blog posts, so be on the look out 😀

BLOG POST FOR JULY 29

Written by Safiya Akpinar and Madelief Rassveldt

Dear families,

Today we woke up bright and early and had breakfast at seven, to catch our bus for a tour around the Sacred Valley. We began visiting the Taray city center, observing a local clinic, only having three rooms and four staff members. This was extremely eye opening for many of us, to help us understand why our service will be so impactful for our communities. Then we visited a local elementary school, where the children unfortunately weren’t there, as it is Peru’s Independence Day. Following our school tour, we visited an overlook on the side of the road, over a town in the valley. This town has a lot of greenhouses which help provide strawberries for the country. The greenhouses are a large source of income for these local families.

After we toured a statue of Jesus Christ, which was gifted to the people Cusco by the Palestinians after seeking refuge in the area post World War two. Then we traveled to an archeological site for a boxed lunch provided by medlife, where we ate in the grass and played a small game of soccer following our meals. Our next stop after lunch was an animal sanctuary. In the sanctuary we learned about a wide variety of animals and species that were rehabilitating to be released back in the wild. We fed llamas and watched as condors flew above us. We then took the bus ride back down to Lamay and Kaitlyn DJ’d car ride tunes that we sang the whole way back. Once back at homebase we had a presentation by Heidi, the MEDLIFE coordinator who gave us an orientation on what to expect for our next upcoming days. Then, we had a bit of rest before a lovely chicken curry dinner, which we all had seconds. Then we split up and had meaningful talks in our mentor groups, really helping us understand each other. After we took hot showers and got an early rest for our big upcoming days of service!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 30

Written by Emrie & Vivi

Hi families!

Upon the fifth forth night, we rose to prepare for the first of the many days dedicated to our service towards the life-changing clinics in the central Andes. For breakfast, we devoured a selection of crepes with dollops of strawberry marmalade. After fueling our bodies and quenching with native coca tea, we headed out on our meaningful journey, with the man, the myth, the legend, Kendrick Lamar. We arrived at the mobile clinic, provided by MED-LIFE, in the stunning, colorful, city of Pisac. We set up the very necessary equipment to provide the best medical care that we can give. We enjoyed a day of taking impactful shifts that gave us insight into what care Pisac citizens require. We did tasks such as taking vital signs, demonstrating toothbrushing, shadowing brave and inspiring physicians. We refueled with a lunch break and delightful puppy interactions, packed up, then headed back to the beautiful home base. We then reflected upon the work we did and the Peruvian community that we visited. We are all grateful to have been able to experience such an immersive trip.

After a quick break, we played a funny group-bonding game, that brought us closer with lots of laughs. Then we had the pleasure to witness the great musical talents of Jorge, and vast demonstrations of native Peruvian instruments. We got to participate in learning the songs and even Riptide by Vance Joy! Before dinner, we appreciated our diverse range of knowledge and helpfulness, by enlightening each other with the shoutouts in our circle. Dinner was extremely filling and yet again was a delectable Peruvian dish. #Yummalicious! After this, we split up into mentor groups and participated in a debate. This debate increased our knowledge on the many sides to an ongoing medical argument within our environment. We then took a detour up to our rooms so we could rest up and be up and ready for another day in the mobile clinic, under the strong Andean sun.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 31

Written by Emrie & Anna

Greetings from Peru!

Today was a busy but exciting day. We woke up and devoured some delicious omelets prepared for us by the amazing kitchen staff. We left homebase around eight o’clock with a long drive to Cuzco for our second day of clinics. Our bus driver, David, safely navigated us around the city despite the not only windy, but also packed roads. We were able to see a local Peruvian parade from the bus, while learning that Cuzco has the most celebrations in all of Peru. When we arrived at the clinic site, we quickly got to work unloading the bus and setting up our equipment. Everyone did their part and was more than willing to help each other out at the different stations. Unlike yesterday, today was much busier due to the more urban location. Many groups were busy with patients and did not get a break until lunch. Our rotations consisted of shadowing and assisting doctors, pharmacists, and general nurses. One of the stations, round table, had the opportunity to visit local families and their homes.

After a filling lunch of sandwiches and apples, we completed our afternoon station and packed up the site. We took a group picture to commemorate the successful day and began the journey back to homebase. On our way, we were able to stop at a local market and picked up some of our favorite snacks. A group favorite this trip has been Peruvian ice cream cones that come in a variety of flavors. Once we finally settled in after the long day, we had the chance to share some fun stories and play soccer in the field. Our dinner tonight consisted of a new dish fresh from our friends Marcos’s local trout farm. This was a special meal because we visited this farm on day two and now got to experience the delicious food. While our bellies were still full, Matt enlightened us with a thorough Peruvian history lesson. We learned about the fascinating Inca Empire all the way up to their current president today. Matt also gave us the opportunity to ask questions, and even touched on the discovery of Machu Pichu in preparation for our upcoming adventure there. We then wrapped up the night for another busy day ahead.

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 1

Written by Laya and Trevor

Dear Families,

We’ve made it to the halfway point of our trip! To start off the day, we had breakfast at 7:00. We ate omelets, yogurt, and juice- just as delicious as the day before! After gathering in the field, we headed to the bus and began our 45-minute journey to Rayanniyoc, the city in which we set up for Day 3 of our MED-LIFE clinic. We arrived at 9:00 and set everything up in a local school that we had visited during the initial few days of the trip. We had a great turn up at this location, having seen over 60 patients in the span of 4 hours. In triage, we met a seven-year-old little girl, and we sang happy birthday in Spanish to her after finding out that it was her birthday. In education, they gifted her a sweater, and she walked out with a smile on her face. Working at education and teaching patients about illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, and certain types of cancer was rewarding, and with the help of Alex I improved my Spanish greatly, learning more medical and advanced terms.

After I finished with that, I shadowed the second doctor. She was amazing, as she made sure we both understood the main points of each conversation with her respective patients, even using google translate to make sure we completely understood. The first patient my partner and I saw had severe stage 2 hypertension, which was awakening, having just worked with one of the nurses to educate on the symptoms and dangers of hypertension. He had thrombosis in his right foot, which had visible damage due to the restricted blood flow, and the doctor recommended a cleaner diet and a visit to a cardiovascular surgeon. Once we had finished seeing our 60+ patients, we returned to home base.

After some free time and soccer, we undertook a group activity led by mentors in which we shared our strengths and weaknesses as leaders- we then did an activity that gave us more insight into our leadership styles. Next, we played a real-life version of minesweeper as a team building activity, we witnessed aspects of leadership styles in action. We then had our shoutout circle, which uplifted the group as we recognized our peers for their contributions to one another and the community. After a great chicken stir fry dish, we learned about the significance of origami in Japanese culture. Under Victor’s lead, we folded paper cranes and hung them on a tree. We are finishing up day seven, looking forward to another life-changing week in Peru.

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 2

Written by Abby and Eliot

Hi families!

We had a very successful eighth day of our trip! After beginning the morning with some refreshing fruit and iconic Peruvian coffee, we headed put for our last day working with Medlife at the clinic. Today, our clinic was based at the hospital in Taray, the same one we visited earlier this week on the reality tour. Surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery, the team set out to work. We served over 40 patients, and we are so glad to be able to make an impact in their lives. We shared a bittersweet goodbye with the amazing Medlife crew, and after stopping for snacks we headed back to home base. An hour of free time was given before we were able to participate in a traditional Peruvian dance class. This class was a lot of fun, and we certainly got our workout in for the day. We finished the day with a delicious dinner buffet and a viewing of the movie “The Road to El Dorado”. We are extremely grateful for the opportunities of today and we can’t wait to travel into Cusco tomorrow!

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 3

Written by Gabriel Rahmani and Liana Nixon

Hello family and friends,

Today the GLA students had a very exciting day! The GLA students woke up to an extravagant breakfast of crepes made by our amazing staff. They then got ready to go, played with the resident cat Boots, and loaded the bus. Our first destination was Sacsayhuaman (an Incan archaeological site) where we saw large stone walls in which Incans from across their empire came to watch the Inti Raymi ceremony. Inti Raymi is a celebration to the sun god and is celebrated every winter solstice in Cusco. We also saw stone animals that represented different aspects of the Incan culture built into those same walls. Then, we took a scenic walk from Sacsayhuaman down through the streets of Cusco to our highly anticipated lunch destination, the restaurant Tunupa. There, our students enjoyed a phenomenal lunch of their choice. They then went to the San Pedro market where they got to look around and shop for over an hour. Our students bought many souvenirs to bring home to their families. We then walked through Cusco back to the bus.

We arrived back at home base around 5:30 pm. Our students had around 30 minutes of free time until dinner where they were served an immaculate (Liana’s word of the day) dinner of Lomo Saltado (meat, tomato, and onion stir fry). Dinner ended around 6:30 and the students had more free time until 7:30 when they played an intense game of fish bowl (similar to charades), but not before our next leaders of the day were chosen (stay tuned for their blog tomorrow). After the game, our students had to turn in early, because we’re going to have an early start tomorrow. The students will be going white water rafting! That was our GLA day and we can’t wait for the next one!!!

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 4

Written by Allison Pflanz and Alex Martin

Greetings from Peru,

Following an early rise, the GLA students, prepared for a thrilling Day Ten, were greeted by a breakfast of eggs, yogurt, and fruit. After gathering our swimsuits, towels, and sunscreen, we set out on a two-hour excursion through the Andes to arrive at our daytime destination, Mayu Lodge. Once we arrived, we were fitted into a wetsuit, helmet, and boots, and an informative safety demonstration prepared us for our rafting adventure. We split into groups of six, hopped into our rafts, and began our paddle down the Vilca Nota River. We enjoyed the remarkable landscapes and wildlife which depicted the natural beauty of South Cusco. Other sectors of the ride were comprised of daunting rapids and frigid water, which some individuals unfortunately plunged into. Towards the end of the expedition, many of us chose to float with the current, which proved to be an exciting conclusion to the rafting voyage.

After changing out of our wet, cold, gear, a warm sauna awaited us at the lodge. The talented chefs provided us with a delectable meal, comprised of hot soup, chicken, rice, and beets. With our stomachs full, we were ready for our next adventure: Ziplining! We were suited with harnesses, helmets, and gloves, and climbed a ladder which led to the first of two ziplines that crossed over the same Vilca Nota River. After the thrilling conclusion to the day, we returned to home base, but not before a quick stop for snacks at a local convenience store. Prior to dinner, many GLA students partook in activities such as chess and volleyball. As usual, the Villa Mágica staff provided us with a mouthwatering meal of chicken, vegetables, and potatoes. The day drew to a close with our daily mentor group meeting. On to Machu Picchu! 😊

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 5

Written by Samantha & Natalia

Hi Families! Today we started our day at 7am with a breakfast of scrambled eggs, yogurt, bread, and of course coffee. We packed our overnight bags and headed out to the bus at 8am (after saying goodbye to boots of course) to Ollanta to visit the town and ruins.

After the hour and half bus rides of naps and music, we arrived in Ollanta and visited the beautiful Inca ruins. Starting with photos for Instagram, we then split into our mentor groups before heading up what felt like a million stairs. The views of the mountains and ruins were incredible and our wonderful guides pointed out details within the rocks. After touring for an hour, we headed to the main square for some shopping (families, you will be spoiled), and later a local market.

After all this walking, we went to a local restaurant for lunch. Here we were treated to an appetizer, main dish, ice cream dessert, and the most delicious lemonade and pineapple juice. Special thank you to the restaurant for our incredible meals. After lunch we walked over to the soccer field our mentors graciously rented for us to play for an hour. Around 2pm we made our way to yet another beautiful market and chocolate shop for some more snacks. We all stocked up for our busy day tomorrow, Machu Picchu! After this shopping we walked to the train station to board our train to Aguas Calientes. On the train we were surrounded by the beautiful scenery of Peru. Within minutes some people were already sleeping (our favourite activity during travel). After some beautiful change of scenery from mountains to the Amazon Jungle and some overpriced snacks, we arrived at Aguas Calintes. After settling in with our new roommates at the hotel, we met up for a delicious dinner at Chef House with live Peruvian music

After we walked back to our hotel, stopped for ice cream, and got settled into bed for our hike and day at Machu Picchu tomorrow! Good luck to everyone hiking at 5!

Note to families: We received a blog post for your session, and although you all have returned home safe and sound, we still wanted to share the post! Happy reading 🙂

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 6 & 7

Written by Kaitlyn Mortman, Nate Heberlein, and Cora Kemp

Greetings from Peru,

This will be a joint blog post for Days 12 and 13. This will also be our last blog post as we prepare to embark on our separate journeys back home. On Day 12, a large group of students woke up at 5 am to complete a two-hour hike up Machu Picchu with Matt and Lauren. We finished the hike in an hour and 45 minutes, and was mostly steps making it a difficult journey. All the students and mentors met together at the top and got ready to see Machu Picchu. The views were worth the painful quad workout as we got to see a Wonder of the World. We spent around two hours on the mountain and saw things we will never forget. After the bus ride down the mountain, we played soccer in Aguas Calientes and spent time at a café. We then boarded the train to go back home. Most of the students went to bed early as we were tired from a long day of fun and travel. The next day, Day 13, we packed and did wrap-up program activities. We did a small service project as we drew drawings for a local school and wrote notes to the incredible staff of La Villa Magica.

After our service project, we did a game where we each shared a fact about ourselves that no one knows. Then we had our final mentor groups and took the time to appreciate one another. For dinner, we prepared for our arrival back to our home countries as we had burgers and fries for dinner, and chocolate cake to celebrate Gabe’s birthday! We said our thank-yous to the kitchen staff and jammed out to music as we danced around our farewell bonfire. Shout out to those on aux! It has been an incredible two weeks and we cannot believe our time in Peru has come to an end. We look forward to seeing our families, and a special thank you to all of the parents, staff, and Peru who made this trip possible.

See you soon!

by

Peru: Foundations of Global Health (June 24 – July 7, 2022)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things you can expect:

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

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24

¡Saludos de Perú!

Dear families,

After a long day of traveling to and from the airport, all of us have finally arrived at our home base – La Villa Mágica. Like the name suggests, this place is magical! It feels like we’re in a fairytale nestled in little white cottages between large, majestic mountains. The day was spent playing the world’s longest game of Uno while waiting at the airport, taking a long and winding drive from Cusco to Lamay and spending plenty of time getting to know one another. With so much outdoor space at home base, students were able to take advantage of the sunshine and play games in the fresh air all afternoon. After a delicious dinner, everyone went off to bed. We’re sure our students will all sleep well after this big day. Looking forward to an excellent fourteen days with this group!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25

Day 2: Pago a la tierra

Everyone woke up feeling energetic this morning after a good night’s sleep at home base. After breakfast, we met Yuri, the guardian of Villa Mágica. Yuri is a spiritual guide and facilitated a welcome ceremony with us that included practicing forgiveness, expressing gratitude, and setting intentions to achieve goals. We also learned about Andean traditions and worldviews. For example, the amaru (Quechua word for serpent) is the guardian of the past, the puma is the guardian of the present and the kuntur (Quechua word for condor) is the guardian of the future. At the end of the ceremony, we made an offering to Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) using quinoa, dried corn and flowers picked from the gardens, which we then burned in a bonfire.

After lunch, we played name games and dived into orientation. We ended the evening by creating our community contract, which students worked together to create. It outlines our expectations for community and respectful behavior and includes traits such as inclusivity, camaraderie and being welcoming. Tomorrow we are off to Maras and Moray!

(P.S. Our leaders of the day will start writing blog posts tomorrow!!)

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

Written by student leaders of the day

Greetings and salutations to parents, guardians, pets, anyone to whom this blog might concern,

Finally! Many firsts for today but most significantly, our first day away from home base. The technological withdrawal is real, but all campers got access to their precious metal blocks to take as many 0.5 selfies as they desired. After a hearty breakfast, 22 tired teenagers made their way up the most dreadful set of stairs in existence, entered the cozy bus, and departed to the Salineras de Maras, a large salt mine that sources its salt water from a nearby mountain.

After a highly educational tour, we made our way to the Moray archeological site, a series of terrace farms each with their own micro-climates. Following this, the hungry high-schoolers arrived at lunch, to be met by THE CHILD. For those of you who don’t know, The Child is an energetic, unpredictable, enthusiastic, and sometimes violent toddler who knows nothing else but to live, laugh, and love. He showed us many toys and tricks, such as charging at an alpaca with his toy truck and hitting it with the force of los dios.

After being seated, all of us had a unique dining experience, seated on the floor. Después de eating, we were presented with the third, and most captivating, course of the day, cuy, or more commonly known as Guinea Pig. Next, The Child led us to the store, where we got an incredible yarn dyeing demonstration/tutorial and our wallets suffered (sorry parents) as we bought all the alpaca merch. Finalmente, we got comfortable as our Formula-1 level driver brought us home in one piece. As we arrived home, we finally got to enjoy our first meal all together and NO MASKS!! (yay 😊) After finally being able to put a face to all these names, we split into our mentor groups and reflected on our Andean journey so far.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

Dear Families!

Today began with the earliest wake up time of the week so far. We started by heading on the bus for our reality tour to help us better understand the community we will be volunteering and collaborating with. Each bus ride was filled with games and music. Our first stop was at a posta médica (small clinic) learning their limitations and perseverance in having a single doctor and three nurses. These nurses must travel, paying out of pocket. Whenever the clinic is closed or there seems to be a lack of transportation.

After getting interrupted by a stray dog fight, we traveled to a children’s school servicing the communities in the mountains of Rayanniyoc. Children in third through sixth grade serenaded us while the teacher described a regular school day. We moved on to a more touristy portion of the tour, visiting the statue of Christ the Redeemer and taking our traditional .5 picture (as seen below).

Then, a much-needed scenic lunch in the forest caused us to slightly melt due to the rapid change in temperatures here in Peru. Our tour finished up at a beautiful animal sanctuary where condors flew over our heads and bears were only separated from us by a four-foot hole. This stop turned out to be our next big splurge (sorry again parents) buying over fifteen different packs of Peruvian treats shared by the group after dinner. The night began to wind down after a chaotic game of fishbowl (a style of charades) between Matt’s Maniacs and Lauren’s Llamas as we get ready for our first day of service tomorrow.

P.S. Matt’s Maniacs won 😉

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

What up gang!!

We all had a bright and early wake up, some of us later than others. We had our first mobile clinic at a small community called Parpacalle. After a chaotic and bumpy bus ride with fear of not making it up the hill to the clinic, the GLA gang used their gains to carry the supplies to the destination. We had 7 stations including shadowing doctors, being in the role of a pharmacists, and a visit to a nearby home to observe the day-to-day life of a local. But don’t forget about oral hygiene! Sara and Isabella made sure they didn’t forget as they came by 3 times to brush their tiny teeth. To experience more, the GLA gang changed to a different station midday. To reenergize our exhausting but impactful day we listened to “Country Roads”, Victor’s favorite song. Finally as we came back, we had the opportunity to play the game “celebrity” at least 3 times. Over some squash soup and sweet potatoes we discussed the events of the day. We obviously made it a priority to take at least one .5 selfie as you will see proof below 😉.

See you tomorrow. #gracias #glagang #wheresnickwaterbottle

More photos from June 28th:

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Hey Fam,

Due to the fact that none of the students have alarms, the first thing we heard was Haley and Bella aggressively slamming on the doors telling us to “rise and shine”. After that we proceeded to enjoy a delicious breakfast prepped by the kitchen staff. Similar to the day before, we hopped on the bus, courtesy of our driver Hugo. Hyped up by “Party in the USA”, we began our work in the clinic. Some of us talking to patients, while others were asked constantly by toddlers for more toothbrushes. Later, we rushed onto the bus to enjoy more Rihanna and the wonderful Victor serenading us with “Country Roads”. We took a pit stop for some ice cream as we pulled up to our hizzy (Nick’s word for homebase). Once arrived back, some of the boys received a spa day; they got their eyebrows plucked. Predinner, we had a captivating lesson on Peruvian history taught by the one and only Matt. Next, for dinner we had a delectable mix of fish, vegetables, and potatoes. To end the day we all discussed our leadership styles in the Temple.

Hasta Luego!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Greetings y’all,

The day began ten minutes late since the leaders of the day were two Spanish girls. After eating a delicious breakfast we had the most terrifying bus ride of our lives (we were safe the whole time thanks to our driver Hugo – just some steep and windy mountain roads). Whilst Spanish music was playing at full volume, the curves that Hugo (our bus driver) took were sharper than the ones in a Formula 1 car race. The day at the clinic was calmer than usual as there weren’t as many patients as the day before, however we had to teach a whole primary school how to brush their teeth.

Later, we stopped to restock our snacks and returned to home base to relax after a long day. The highlight of the day was getting Matt glammed up with a full-face make-up look, which he didn’t remove until after dinner. For the first time, our dinner was a magnificent buffet which we all enjoyed made up of pasta, vegetables, and chicken. We then enjoyed an origami lesson with Victor in which we learnt about the history of origami and created our own masterpieces: a dog and a crane. We all went to bed early as we were all exhausted due to the three intense work days we’ve had and we wanted to be well rested for the last clinic day tomorrow.

Buenas noches familia!

Here are photos from yesterday, and some additional photos from the last few days!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Saludos familias,

It was a cold and early morning wakeup call to Ichi banging on the bedroom doors at 5am in the morning; nearly shattering the glass on the doors. Somehow, although Ichi told everyone breakfast was at six, the dinning room looked haunted up until the bus arrived at Villa Magica at 7am.

As we struggled to climb the stairs up to the parked bus, we met Alexi. Alexi is one of the founders of The Mayuc Lodge, were we practiced our ziplining and water rafting skills after a long and very silent 2 hour bus ride (FOR ONCE). As we arrived to the lodge we were given our gear to raft in the freezing waters of the Vilcanota River; this consisted of a wetsuit, a windbreaker, a helmet, and a paddle. Geared up, we got straight back to the bus to drive up to our adventure starting point. Once in groups of 5 or 6, (some of them including Matt and Victor), we and our awesome rafting instructors got into our designated boats and started paddling. In the water, we were in constant competition over who was first. Rafting seemed easy up until we got to level 2 and 3 rapids, were some students unfortunately fell into the depths of the unbearably freezing cold water. Finalmente, after 2 long hours of exhausting exercise, we arrived at the lodge to enjoy the hot sauna the staff prepared for us. For lunch, we had a delicious quinoa soup (it was bussin, bussin) and a traditional “estofado de pollo” with rice and vegetables. To drink, we had an amazing opportunity to try their excellent coffee and “chicha” (a traditional purple corn drink). After lunch, we were hurried to the zipline station, were the students had the opportunity to cross the river. Sadly, this was

As we struggled to climb the stairs up to the parked bus, we met Alexi. Alexi is one of the founders of The Mayuc Lodge, where we practiced our ziplining and water rafting skills after a long and very silent 2-hour bus ride (FOR ONCE). As we arrived to the lodge, we were given our gear to raft in the freezing waters of the Vilcanota River; this consisted of a wetsuit, a windbreaker, a helmet, and a paddle. Geared up, we got straight back to the bus to drive up to our adventure starting point. Once in groups of 5 or 6, (some of them including Matt and Victor), we and our awesome rafting instructors got into our designated boats and started paddling. In the water, we were in constant competition over who was first and who was the fastest group. Rafting seemed easy up until we got to level 2 and 3 rapids, where some students unfortunately fell into the depths of the unbearably freezing cold water. Finalmente, after 2 long hours of exhausting exercise, we arrived at the lodge to enjoy the hot sauna the staff prepared for us. For lunch, we had a delicious quinoa soup (it was bussin, bussin) and a traditional “estofado de pollo” with rice and vegetables. To drink, we had the amazing opportunity to try their excellent coffee and “chicha” (a traditional purple corn drink) which was also bussin.

After lunch, we were hurried to the zipline station, where the students had the opportunity to cross the river on a zipline. Sadly, this was the last activity of the day and the students had to get back to Villa Mágica. Once we arrived and had a delicious dinner, we enjoyed a fun game of human mine-sweep, where we had to use our silent teamwork skills to cross the mine field. Sadly, that was the end of our very, very fun day.

Thank you for reading and hasta la próxima. Adios!!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Written by Kelby James and Alexa Roccholz

Today, we had a later day; waking at around 7:20 still waiting on laundry. Breakfast this morning was the same as every other morning – eggs, fruit, yogurt and granola. (yay!) Afterwards, hugo took us to Sacsayhuaman, an Incan archaeological site which was thought to be centered around astrology. Post-wandering around Sacsayhuaman, our group made our way down to the city of Cusco. After the grueling hour-long hike, with one 15 minute stop to listen to music for, we reached our salvation. LUNCH! Today’s lunch was randomly fancy and was very scrumptious, we even got dessert this time! Shortly after exchanging money, the San Pedro market was next. Filled with fear for our lives and belongings (just kidding), we made it through the parade to an even busier market. Once we all successfully shopped until we dropped, the leaders decided churros would be a great idea! Spoiler, they were right, except for those with stomach issues.

Moving on, the “three blocks” to walk back to the bus felt more like 30 blocks, yet we persevered. Hugo turned left onto a sketchy bridge, but because he is a Formula-1 worthy driver, we all made it across in 1 piece. The scenery changed from the middle of nowhere to the middle of somewhere as we made our way into a beautiful town where our hotel was supposedly located. While walking through town, our morale was low and lassitude was high, and we were prepared for Matt to pull out a couple of tents out of nowhere and tell us that we were sleeping in the woods for the night. However, the 21 tired teenagers were led into paradise on earth. They even had real pillows! The walk to dinner through sketchy back roads left a bit more to be desired, dinner did not. It was good, but the brownies were even better! After dinner we rambunctious teens wandered through the city square, shopping once more before bed. I guess overall you could say our day was okay 🙂

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Written by Ava Sanchez & Lourdes Morales Lands

After a restful night in the gorgeous Tierra de Las Incas, we took on the mesmerizing ruins of Ollantaytambo with our guides, Smith and Raul. Through archaeoastronomy and ancient technology, we discovered many Incan secrets. While the ruin’s steps depleted our energy, a tasty lunch and some retail therapy at the local market and chocolate factory lifted our spirits. Continuing the adventure, we navigated our way to the local train station, boarded the Peru Rail, and headed to Aguas Calientes. We traveled though the Sacred Valley, abundant with biodiversity and breathtaking views. As the train pulled into Aguas Calientes, the GLA crew prepared for an exciting night.

After settling into our hotel, Sol de los Andes Inn, some of us set out for the local hot springs. Here, we were able to relax in refreshing pools in preparation for tomorrow’s Machu Picchu hike. To fuel up, we feasted on a three-course meal at a local restaurant called Munaycha. Finishing off the night, we strolled through the streets of Aguas Calientes and took in the local night life. With hearts and tummies full, Day 11 came to a close.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Written by Norah and Ariella

Hola Families,

The morning started with hot showers and a hotel breakfast in Aguas Calientes! After a short walk to the bus station, the happy campers were on their way up the steep mountainside to Machu Picchu: The Lost City of the Incas. After a bumpy but safe 30 minute drive, we made it to the entrance where we had to do a 15 minute hike up to the peak of the mountain. We met up with our wonderful tour guides and split into three groups. We had our OG tour guide Smitty, along with two newbies. Then we walked down through the city. Don’t worry there were many picture breaks in front of the iconic views. As we strutted and skipped through the village, the tour guides told us all about the interesting history and construction of Machu Picchu. It was more amazing in person than the pictures could ever portray. After the tour was over, some of us stopped to purchase gifts. Next the hungry group of students boarded the bus back to Aguas Calientes for lunch. We had a two-course lunch, and then Matto let us stop for some street artisanal ice cream. The cappuccino was well-worth the wait in line. After grabbing our bags from the hotel, and stopping for yet another bathroom break, we began our journey back to homebase.

We started with a 2 hour train ride back to Ollantaytambo. The ride was bumpy, but very pretty. After jumping off the train, everyone was in the mood for a coffee break. So we stopped at a bakery for some café con leche y galletas. We met up with our epic bus driver Hugo for one last fun ride back to Villa Magica. Victor finished off the bus ride with a heartfelt karaoke session filled with all the classics like “Country Roads” and “Party in the GLA”. Back at homebase we unpacked our souvenir-stuffed sacks and sat down for a lovely home cooked meal by Kike. Kike is our talented head chef, that helped to fuel our travels this far. We ended the night with a good group meeting, discussing our adventures and what to expect for the rest of the trip. Everyone was exhausted from a long day of travel and passed out as soon as our heads hit the pillow. We dreamt of the exciting final day activities and writing the final blog post tomorrow!

Hasta Luego!

BLOG POST FOOR JULY 6

Written by Carlo Leslie and Nicholas Benazzi

With the trip coming to an end, the gang started off with a hearty pancake breakfast. Followed with a return to service by seed planting at Villa Mojica. After, we reflected on our trip by setting goals that will take our experiences back home with us. Next, we got to visit Marco’s house featuring a trout, honey, and blueberry farm. With the end in sight, we packed up and realized that we actually have to go home. After packing, we showed our gratitude for each other with our closing activity. And now we truly end our trip with burgers for dinner, a bonfire, and lots of loving memories. Now time to return back to real life.

Adios!

by

Hawaii: Maui Sea Turtle Marine Conservation (July 30 – August 8, 2022)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things you can expect:

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

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 30

Aloha!

So excited to have all of our students here safe and sound for our final GLA program of the summer here in Hawai’i! We were even fortunate enough to have several of our flights come in earlier than expected, giving us plenty of time today to unpack, decompress from long flights, get in the ocean, enjoy our first dinner together courtesy of Chef Jake, and start getting to know each other!

My favorite thing to do on arrival day is to think back to just a few days ago when our previous group of students left us, and remember how close they became, the surprise expressed by all of them with how they felt like they had known each other for years, the tears shed when they said goodbye and promised to see one another again. Knowing that this group too will experience that little bit of magic in such a short time makes me stop to soak in this moment, to remember it, and remind our students of it on the last evening of our trip. To remember how this group of once-strangers came together so quickly to create the little “Ohana” they will soon know and love.

We have such an awesome trip ahead of us, with adventures to just about every corner of Maui, insight from some of the top marine biologists and sea turtle experts in the field, rewarding service projects, fun games and leadership building activities here at camp lead by myself and our mentor team, Megan, Shelby, and Tamarah, plenty of time exploring the ocean, and connecting with Hawaiian culture, environment, and history every step of the way!

Today we’ll be jumping right into orientation, going over the program schedule, and doing some of our favorite activities to help the students bond and get to know each other. We’ll be updating the blog daily with photos and dispatches written by our own student Leaders of the Day, recounting all the fun and learning for all our friends and family back home. So follow along, and feel free to comment below!

Oh, and by the way, you might not believe it, but several of our students have already had their first up-close experience with sea turtles swimming in the ocean just in front of our cabins.

I have a good feeling about this trip already!

— James, International Director

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 1

Written by Trent, Kanya, and Viveka.

Waking up to the beautiful weather was just the beginning of this interesting trip. The excitement was felt throughout all our camp friends as we embarked on our trip on the Road to Hana, a windy drive on what is considered one of the most beautiful roads in the world.

The tour guides were so welcoming before we even entered the vehicles. As we began our trip, they introduced us to Hawaii, and along the way explained all the meaning and the history behind everything around us. We drove into the rainforest and saw the blossoming plant life all around us. “It’s like everything is on steroids here,” said one of the guides as we drove through the dense vegetation. Passing by amazing waterfalls and ocean views as our journey continued, it was time for our first stop to get a taste at Aunty Sandy’s Famous Banana Bread!

After a bit of waiting, we finally received a delicacy like no other. It was freshly baked, warm, and mouthwatering. With stomachs full of food, we headed over to Kahanu Gardens, a National Tropical Botanical Garden. At the gardens we met a guide named Jocelyn who enlightened us on native Hawaiian plant life. We learned about the history of different plants and artifacts significant to Hawaii and its history, and learned interesting facts, for example a breadfruit tree can produce ten thousand pounds of fruit. Kahanu Gardens was once the summer home of the Hawaiian Chiefs and held a lot of historical and spiritual significance to the island. One plant that we learned about was “Kalo,” or Taro. This plant is sacred to the Hawaiians and had many uses and was a central part of Hawaiian cuisine. After we finished looking at the gardens, we played a game that was played on these grounds during holidays: tug of war! After a close match and saying goodbye to the gardens, we needed something refreshing, and there is no other place on the Road to Hana like Coconut Glen’s for a sweet treat!

Coconut Glen’s is a food truck that featured homemade ice cream, made from coconut cream instead of normal milk cream. This means that it is completely vegan, and it tastes great too! We all loved it. Several of us also bought fresh coconuts to try.

The last stop on our journey was a quick dip in Pua’a Ka’a waterfall. It was so fun to be able to swim with the water crashing down overhead. We all loved the water, even though it was super-duper cold.

We headed back to camp and ate an amazing dinner made by Chef Jake, met with our mentor groups, then played board games and hung out for the rest of the evening. Road to Hana was an amazing memory that we will never forget.

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 2

Written by Daisy, Izzy, Sophia, and Anne

Today we awakened to the beautiful sound of the roosters. We left camp at 8:30am for our first day of service learning. We headed to the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute to learn all about the coral reefs and coral reef conservation. We started our service by listening to Elyssa giving us a presentation on the basics of coral reefs and their significance to marine life.

We learned the three types of reefs: Fringing, Barrier, and Atoll reefs as well as some of the anatomy of the coral and the threats they face. We learned about their reproduction systems and how the zooxanthellae plankton are what gives the coral reefs it color and food.

We also learned how important the coral reefs are to the oceans because they are major ecosystems that provide protection to different sea organisms and life. They not only provide protection but also exist as a food source. Furthermore, coral reefs may provide medicine for humans to battle diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.

Then, our group continued to view a variety of coral through a microscope. This variety included mushroom, finger, and blue rice coral. For a small lunch break, we headed to a nearby beach park for sandwiches on the sand. We returned to the center and to test our knowledge, we played a trivia game of Jenga!

Each block had a question on it regarding the information we learned during the presentation given by Elyssa. The final winning team received prizes like sustainable bamboo toothbrushes. Some of the questions were: How do coral reefs gain their food and color? What is an Atoll reef?

To finish off our service for the day, we made our way through the Ocean Center’s Living Reef exhibit which holds one of the largest aquarium reefs in the world, visited the gift shop and had the most delicious pineapple doll whip ice cream. Then we went back, had free time for two hours to swim, snorkel, and rest. Before dinner we had a GLA Leadership discussion that challenged our ideas that leaders have to be someone with a loud voice and a mission to save the world, but instead anyone who has the ability to make a small difference every day in someone else’s life.

After dinner we watched a documentary called Chasing Coral recommended by our marine biologist experts, which filmed time lapses of coral bleaching events and how we must save the coral reefs. Everyone should watch it on Netflix! Then we hung out and went to bed.

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 3

Written by Ryan and Emma M.

Today was our second day working with the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute (MOCMI). We first drove to Waihe’e Beach Park to participate in a beach cleanup and successfully removed several buckets of trash from the beach. It was very rewarding to be able to give back to Maui and its locals. We found lots of microplastics, fishing gear, and various other items in the process. We learned many interesting facts about beach conservation, such as cigarettes being the most common type of trash that is found washed up on Hawaiian beaches. Even though it was difficult and at times gross, the end result made us all feel good about what we had done.

After cleaning the beach at Waihe’e Beach Park, we played a competitive game of Jeopardy and learned new facts about corals, threats to marine life, and what we can do to help. Our game of Jeopardy was fun and the winning group won stuffed sea turtles.

When we returned to camp, we had some free time to relax and swim in Olowalu Reef. Then we learned our personal leadership styles from a game that helped you reflect on your decision making. After that, we ate dinner and watched a video about how plastic recycling isn’t as effective as people seem to think, that most types of everyday plastics actually are not recyclable, even if the package says so. It changed our perspectives on the idea and was a good learning experience. Finally, we played some fun games where people showcased their most ridiculous talents. Our day ended with mentor groups and looking forward to whatever tomorrow brings.

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 4

Written by Stephanie, Kali, and Teagan

Today was our third day working with MOCMI. After breakfast, we headed to the marine center to listen to a presentation on sea turtles and the threats they face. Mackenzie, a marine biologist, shared with us fundamental information on their anatomy, habitat, and the species of turtles across the world. We learned about parts of the turtle such as the carapis (the outer part of the shell) and plastron (the soft, inner part), and we even were able to hold their physical shells! In addition, we learned about specific acts, such as The Endangered Species Act 1973, which helps protect turtles. Another interesting fact is that 87.44 percent of turtles are injured by fishing equipment. It was very interesting to learn about their cultural significance and role in ecosystems. Not only were we inspired to see how much these people care about wildlife, but we also learned how to face a stranded turtle who might need our help. To make us remember all the information we learned today, they made a game for us that consisted of jenga blocks with questions for us to answer. We played with other teams and to keep us motivated we got prizes at the end (we got eco-friendly stuffed animal turtles made from recycled materials). For many of us, this sparked a passion to aid endangered species!

After lunch we went back into the aquarium and watched a 3D short film on humpback whales. This was filmed right here in Hawaii during the winter when Whales come back to Hawaii for the season. Then we went to an exhibit in the aquarium about the history of Hawaii and the island of Kahoolawe, a very spiritually and historically significant island to Native Hawaiians, and how it was bombed in the mid to late 20th century for target practice by the US military until it was completely unlivable. This was important to us because as we are benefiting off this land we must first acknowledge and respect its history.

When we got back to camp, we had some free time to rest and recharge from today. We were visited in the afternoon by our surf instructor, Abner, who came to talk about his experience with the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, which grants Native Hawaiian People land and homes, similar to Native American Reservations on the mainland, but through a waitlist system. He talked about the benefits of being granted lands under this system as well as the inequality still faced by Hawaiian people. After dinner, we went to watch the beautiful sunset and took some group pictures, talked with our mentor groups into the twilight, and headed back home for free time and bed.

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 5

Written by Jacob and Ella

We started the day by heading out to Kipuka Olowalu, right next to our home base here in Maui. The goal of our visit was to restore native plants and cultural aspects of the Hawaiian land by preventing the spread of invasive species and restoring the land to its former beauty. Our group spent the first half of our service cleaning up algae in the Taro patches which would allow the Taro, a culturally significant staple plant to Native Hawaiians, to grow freely and strong. It required us getting a little bit dirty and wet, but the finished product gave us a real sense of accomplishment and generosity.

Next, we raked several piles of leaves and trimmed some extra shrubs to allow members of local communities to utilize that space for social events and other farming endeavors. Before leaving for our next activity, we were fortunate enough to hear Ua, Kipuka Olowalu’s Cultural Practitioner, speak about his cultural

with the natural environment. We even got to hear him play a conch shell horn that he converted into an instrument after finding it in the ocean. It was a sound we’ll never forget!

After Ua played the last note on his seashell horn, we headed to a nearby stream for a scenic lunch and cooled off in the water before making our way to Lahaina, a historic beachside town. During our time there, many of us enjoyed some authentic Hawaiian Shaved Ice. From Piña Coloda to POG (passionfruit orange guava), everyone found an exotic flavor to enjoy on this sizzling day. Of course, food wasn’t the only thing available to buy. We also found some fun attire to remind us of our visit while taking more opportunities to speak with members of the local community.

In classic GLA fashion, no day is ever complete without a leadership development activity. Before dinner, we split into our mentor groups to compete in several team building games, such as helium hoop, lava tube, and a pirate-themed game. While these games were frustrating at times, they truly taught us what it means to communicate effectively and come up with solutions to problems as a group. Finally, we had a wonderful Italian dinner before breaking up into our mentor groups to discuss our day. Overall, it was both an entertaining and meaningful day as we get closer to the end of our trip.

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 6

Written by Emma and Janey

Today was a very rewarding second to last day. We spent the day soaking up the sun and looking at underwater animals. We started the morning early at 6:00 AM and headed to the beach to surf with our friend Abner from Hang Loose Surf Shop. We split up into small groups and received super helpful instruction from the best surfers on the island. The waves were divine and just what we needed to wake us up and give us the time of our lives. Every one of us stood up at least once and we all blossomed from beginners into well-versed surfers. Overall, this experience was a 10/10 for all of us.

Next, we headed on over to the marina where we boarded the boat. We were met with a beautiful catamaran stocked up with snacks and drinks. We enjoyed laying on the back of the boat and feeling the warm heat from the sun and the cool ocean breeze. The sun was very strong, but the counselors made sure to keep everyone all sun-screened up. After some time on the boat, we reached our first snorkel spot. We all jumped off the boat into the refreshing water and immediately began immersing ourselves in the underwater ecosystems. We saw diverse reefs, vibrant fish of many kinds, many sea turtles, a few sharks (not the harmful ones of course), even a highly endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal. We were all thrilled to be in the company of the animals that we had learned so much about during our previous days at MOCMI. We really got to apply our knowledge by identifying the species and gender of each sea turtle. It was a time where we saw our learning pay off and come to life.

After some snorkeling we headed back on the boat for lunch and some more time in the sun before mooring at our second snorkel spot: a former harbor that was destroyed in the 1990’s by a Hurricane and now is home to an astounding underwater ecosystem. We found all sorts of fish and turtles hiding in and around the remains of the structure. We then got back on the boat and sailed back to the dock. We headed back to home base where we all showered to clean up for a delicious sushi dinner homemade by the amazing Jake. While waiting for dinner, we played some games and went to go pick grapefruits and dragonfruits. After dinner, we watched an incredible video where we got to see the history behind the famous Haleakala volcano and what it meant to locals in order to prepare for our hike tomorrow. We ended the night with a beautiful bonfire where we laughed and toasted s’mores, enjoying our second to last night as an Ohana (Hawaiian for family).

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 7

Written by Sophia and Emily

We started our last day with breakfast made by Chef Jake as always. Then we headed up Haleakala to begin our hike. Haleakala spans 53 miles but we hiked around 2 miles maximum . Haleakala is a 10,000 ft tall dormant volcano that the goddess Pelē created. If one is to take a rock from the volcano, they will face her curse that simply consists of small inconveniences, such as losing your car keys or breaking a finger. The National Park receives packages each year of rocks from those who took rocks and faced Pelē’s curse, and sometimes the packages returning the rocks also hold bottles of gin, as gin is said to be Pelē’s favorite.

After Haleakala we headed back to camp for packing and cabin cleaning. Once finished, we began getting ready for the Old Lahaina Luau!

We sat right in front of the stage where performers danced Hula and played traditional instruments and shared Hawaiian Culture. During these performances we received a five-course meal. We have been learning about taro as a plant and how important it is as a staple to Hawaiians, and we finally got to eat it in its traditional form as poi, as well as many other forms. The first dishes brought out as appetizers were taro chips with taro and chickpea hummus, and taro bread rolls with guava butter. This was followed by salad with pineapple and coconut dressing. Our first main course was pork wrapped in tea leaves, pulled pork, tuna poké, and raw salmon poké, all served with poi sauce. The third course was a plate consisting of steak, chicken with mango sauce, seared mahi mahi, and sweet mashed potatoes. We had a wide selection of mocktails to enjoy our meals with. Our final meal was a decadent chocolate macadamia dessert. Each dish was incredible and brought us closer to Hawaiian culture and cuisine.

After the Luau, we came back to camp for our closing activities and goodbyes. We sat in a circle and listened to our mentors speak about our program and how it will affect us even far into the future. Then, we closed off the night with an appreciation circle that gave us a chance to make each other feel appreciated. Followed by our final goodbyes as a group.

Respectfully, in tears,

Sophia and Emily

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