PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
2. We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
3. Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
4. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
5. Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

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

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

🌺 GLA Maui Island Service Adventure – Day 1: Aloha from Maui! 🌺

After long but smooth journeys across the ocean, our incredible group of students has officially arrived on the beautiful island of Maui for their GLA Island Adventure program! The flights may have been lengthy, but our travelers touched down with smiles on their faces.

As students stepped off the plane and took their first breaths of island air, the energy was a perfect mix of exhaustion and enthusiasm. With duffels in hand and leis around their necks, they were ready to begin this unforgettable journey.

Upon arrival at camp, our Leaders of the Day jumped right into action, helping set up and organize our space for the week. Their leadership set the tone for our group’s positive attitude and teamwork that will continue throughout the program.

Next up: swim checks! Everyone had the chance to cool off and show off their swimming skills in the beautiful Hawaiian water—an essential step for our upcoming ocean activities. We even saw a couple of seals playing in the water, right off of the coast of our home base!

Dinner was a hit with our build-your-own taco bar, giving everyone a chance to fill up and relax as we closed out the day. With full bellies and happy hearts, students settled into their cabins for an early night’s rest to prepare for our first full day of island adventure tomorrow.

We want to give a huge mahalo to all the parents and families who supported their child’s journey and entrusted us with their experience. We can already tell it’s going to be a week full of growth, discovery, and aloha spirit!

Attached are all of our smiling faces, just missing one late traveler from the group photo, but we will take plenty of them later.

Stay tuned for more updates—Maui, here we come! 🌴🐢🌊

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27 & 28

Aloha from Hawaii!!

After all of us arrived safely and got settled into our cabins at home base, we jumped right into our first full day. We started with an early morning trip to the Ritz-Carlton, where we watched a powerful Sense of Place video that introduced us to the deep and fascinating history of Hawaiian culture. From there, we explored the sacred burial grounds nearby, gaining even more appreciation for the land and its people. Back at home base, we enjoyed a delicious lunch, went fruit-picking (sadly, no ripe mangoes yet—but we did find some fresh limes!), and had time to swim and hang out at the beach. We closed out the day with fun mentor activities and icebreakers, starting to build the strong connections that will carry us through the rest of our time here.

The next day was all about service and purpose. We spent the morning volunteering with Habitat for Humanity Maui. Together, we painted planters, helped build part of a fence, and cleared land—working as a team to support the local community. After our service, we rewarded ourselves with a beach stop to relax, swim, and soak in the beauty of the island. We even had a quick trip to the store to restock anything we needed. In the evening, we had the honor of hearing from a guest speaker who shared his personal experience with Hawaiian Homelands, giving us new insight into the ongoing efforts to preserve native rights and culture. We wrapped up the day with mentor group activities centered on personal values and goal-setting, followed by dinner and our evening closing circle.

These first two days have been full of learning, laughter, and growth—and we can’t wait for what’s still to come!

Thank you to our leaders of the day Iyla, Cubby, Savanna and Liv!

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

By Leaders of the Day: Bethany & Vivian

Aloha everyone! Greetings from the beautiful island of Maui!

Day 4 started bright and early with our daily chow circle and breakfast, setting the tone for a day full of connection, culture, and hands-on learning. Our first stop was Kipuka Olowalu, a local taro farm where we rolled up our sleeves—and dove in feet first! We learned about the deep cultural importance of taro in Hawaiian tradition and got to experience it firsthand by harvesting taro roots the traditional way (karate kicks included!). Before starting, we took part in a chant seeking permission for harvest, showing deep respect for the land and its resources. We cleaned, processed, and replanted taro, then cooled off with fresh passion fruit and a relaxing dip in the river that feeds the wetland taro fields.

After returning to home base, we refueled with another amazing meal from our chefs, Jake and Nick. The afternoon gave us a choice: some of us soaked up the sun at a nearby beach, while others explored a charming fruit stand and general store near camp.

Our evening brought thoughtful discussion during mentor groups, where we explored the impacts of tourism in Hawaii. Split into teams, we debated the perspectives of big businesses, conservationists, local communities, and more—deepening our understanding of the complex relationship between culture, economy, and environment.

We ended the night under the colors of the setting sun (Napoʻo ʻana o ka lā) with a bonfire, s’mores, and the ceremonial passing of the “Leaders of the Day” role to Ruby and Mia!

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Day 5 brought a coastal adventure with a purpose: building a traditional Hawaiian fishing pond! Working together, we carried boulders across the beach to form a rock wall that would trap fish with the tides—a project that connected us to ancient sustainable fishing practices.

After our beachside lunch, we got a sweet treat with shaved ice and had time for a bit of shopping. But the highlight of the afternoon? A trip to the Maui Ocean Center! We explored exhibits full of marine life, including sharks, reef fish, and majestic sea turtles. One of the most unforgettable moments was feeding the sea turtles and some curious fish—just inches away!

Back at home base, we had some time to rest before diving into dinner and mentor groups once again. This time, our mentor time was all about FUN with a light-hearted game that brought plenty of laughs.

These past two days have given us a deeper appreciation for Hawaiian culture, community, and coastline—and we can’t wait to see what’s in store next!

Stay tuned for more updates from paradise! 🌺🌊

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Today was seriously one of the most amazing days so far. We started off with some meaningful service work at the Grow Hub in Ukumehame with Treecovery Hawaiʻi. It was super cool to be part of a project that’s helping to rebuild native forests after the wildfires. We learned a lot about Hawaiian plants and how important it is to restore what was lost. Even though it was hot, everyone stayed positive and worked hard—we made a great team!

After a quick lunch and change of pace, we headed out for an ocean adventure with Maui Snorkeling! The boat ride itself was awesome, but snorkeling in that crystal-clear water was next level. We saw fish of all kinds, swam around reefs, and some of us even saw sea turtles! The best part though? A two-story water slide off the back of the boat! So fun. We couldn’t stop laughing every time someone splashed down into the ocean.

Tonight, back at home base, we slowed things down and did a really cool activity called the identity table. Everyone got a chance to talk about who they are, what’s important to them, and the experiences that have shaped them. It was such a powerful moment for our group. We’re definitely closer now than we were before.

This day had everything—service, adventure, connection, and so many memories we’ll carry home with us.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Culture, Coastlines, and a Classic Movie

What a wonderful day in paradise!

Our journey began with a scenic drive through the IAO Valley, where misty rain gave the lush landscape an even more magical feel. We learned about the rich Hawaiian culture through hula, lei-making, and stories of the valley’s history.

After returning to home base for lunch, we spent the afternoon relaxing and swimming at a beautiful Lahaina beach. The clear water and blue skies were picture-perfect. Back at camp, we were lucky enough to hear from a guest speaker, Rodney, a former pro surfer who shared his powerful story of growing up with traditional Hawaiian values.

The day ended with a movie night featuring Lilo & Stitch—a perfect film to wrap up a perfect day.

– Danby and Alex

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Volcano Views and a Bake-Off Battle

Aloha, friends!

Hey guys!!! It’s Ema and Eloise, your Leaders of the Day reporting from Maui! Today we had a slower start and got to sleep in a bit (yay!). We set off on a breathtaking drive up to Haleakalā National Park to explore the Sliding Sands Trail. The hike into the volcanic crater was surreal—huge landscapes, fresh air, and amazing views.

After a well-deserved nap on the ride back, we spent the afternoon strolling and shopping in Paia Town. But the highlight of the evening? The surprise HAWAIIAN BAKE-OFF! Everyone had to get creative with limited ingredients, and let’s just say the kitchen was chaotic—in the best way. Laughter echoed everywhere and the final treats were as fun to eat as they were to make.

– Ema and Eloise

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Surfboards, Suitcases, and So Much Aloha

Our final day in Maui was the perfect way to end an unforgettable journey. We kicked things off with surf lessons, and every single student stood up on their board—some even caught multiple waves! The energy was high, and the cheering from the beach made it clear how proud we all were of each other. It was such a fun and empowering experience to ride the waves together.

The afternoon was spent packing our bags and preparing for tomorrow’s big departure. While it was bittersweet to think about leaving, we also took time as a group to set a collective goal for how we want to take what we’ve learned here back home—whether it’s about service, leadership, or simply being more present.

The evening was nothing short of magical. We dressed up and headed to the Old Lahaina Luau, where we enjoyed traditional Hawaiian food, live music, and breathtaking hula performances under the stars. It was a beautiful celebration of culture and community.

To close out the night, we gathered for an appreciation circle. Everyone had the chance to share kind words and gratitude for one another. It was emotional, uplifting, and left us feeling deeply connected and incredibly loved.

Though we’re heading home tomorrow, a piece of Maui will stay with each of us—through the friendships we’ve made, the growth we’ve experienced, and the memories we’ll never forget.

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
2. We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
3. Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
4. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
5. Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

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 post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Welcome to the first blog post of the Guatemala: Global Health in the land of Maya program!

Today, your students arrived safely at the airport and were greeted with a warm welcome from our team. We then made our way to Antigua, where we are staying tonight. After getting settled and unpacking, we took a walk to the main plaza to take in the beautiful colonial architecture and vibrant colors of the city.

For dinner, we visited a restaurant built in 1650, giving everyone a taste of history alongside their meal. Some students had dinner close to the airport and joined us later, just in time to say good night! We are waiting for the last 3 students on later flights. Now everyone is resting, and excited for first full day tomorrow as we begin our journey together in Guatemala!

We look forward to sharing more updates with you throughout the program.

Best your Guatemala team,

Magdalena/Mag (international director), Alexa (mentor) and Nayo (local director)

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

We are finally all together! Travel day was tiring and we today we went from Antigua to our homebase. Our home away from home is located in Quetzaltenango which is also called Xela. On the way we stopped for an amazing lunch at a grill restaurant that has a farm and we saw some bunnies, ducks, chickens and a cow. Many people loved the flor de Jamaica drink which is hibiscus tea served with ice.

When we arrived to our homebase we started with a tour around to orient ourselves then played some games and it was time to rest!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Today was pretty much a “foundation” day. We stayed at home base, doing group activities and had the special privilege to have a local doctor come and speak with the group.

Although breakfast usually starts at around 7:15, but we decided to start a little later today at around 8:00. Everyone seemed to agree that the pancakes, watermelon bites, and freshly squeezed orange juice was the perfect start to the day. Post breakfast we started to get ready for our “orientation” where we did group and team bonding activities and discussed values, morals, and goals for the group. We also reviewed Code of Conduct and the expectations of a student attending GLA.

At around 3:00, our guest speaker, Dr. Arturo, came to home base. He gave us training, which was learning to take blood pressure and using a weighting scale. Afterwards, we had a discussion about diet and nutrition in Guatemala, and some of the challenges the people have with the medical system, and assess to nutritional foods.

Dinner rolled around at 6:30 and we had some of the best stir fry and for many of us a new dish: Magdelena cake. We then closed the night with discussing highlights, group shoutouts, and discussion with our question of the day “How are we going to resolve the challenges of learning about the medical field with a language barrier?”. After our question of the day we broke into mentor groups and talked about our “SMART” goals durning this trip.

Love,
Alex and Aidan

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

This morning, we had our first day of service, working with kids at a local school. We paired up and rotated through different stations, each contributing to a health check for the students. The kids were adorable and excited to interact with us! Many even gave us hugs! We had the opportunity to practice a lot of Spanish, and many of us picked up new words along the way.

After we completed the health checks for the first grade, we returned to home base and enjoyed a delicious lunch. Shortly after, we boarded the bus to visit a family-owned chocolate business where we learned about the rich Mayan culture surrounding cacao. At the museum, we explored that history and traditional process of making chocolate. The Mayans have long used cacao to create delicious drinks, and we got to try three variations. We also enjoyed a chocolate fountain served with fresh fruit. We then went to a salsa class, where we learned the fundamental steps of the dance. Afterward, we returned to home base for dinner and time to unwind. If was a full, fun, and rewarding day!

Love,

Catherine and Sabrina

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 22

We woke up at 7:15 in the morning and we went on a hike to a sacred lagoon- Chicabal. We learned more about the Mayan culture and their beliefs- how their beliefs are not founded in religion, but a practice that is connected to the elements and the universe.

The next part of the day we had a short break and some of us played soccer in our free time. Then we went to learn about weaving—the culture and ancient techniques and how the practice had changed throughout time. We learned how to weave a scarf- we each tried this hands-on.

Then afterwards we went to our home base and ate a delicious dinner. Right after dinner we again had our daily “Ring of fire” group circle which is where we give shoutouts, say our highlights, and answer a question that the leaders of the day choose. Today our question was, “how was the sacred lagoon today peaceful for you?”. After our ring of fire we went over the schedule for tomorrow, played more soccer, and will soon be going to bed!

From,

Angelo y River

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

Greetings from gorgeous Guatemala!

Today was our second day of service! We each cc got new partners and a new medical station. We during recess, we joined we played with all the local students. It was really enjoyable to draw, dance, run, and play games with all the kids! We felt like celebrities as many of the kids came up to us asking for our signatures!

Back at home base we had an intellectually stimulating debate regarding the uses of traditional and modern medicine in Guatemalan healthcare. There were four groups, each representing a different Guatemalan perspective, and two moderators who guided the discussion on these issues. In the end, we all left with broadened horizons and a new view of approaching controversial conversations.

Despite the daunting rain, we decided to go on an excursion to the Xela Plaza. Here we learned about the fascinating history of Xela and enjoyed some delicious ice cream!

– Miri and Clara

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

Hello again from beautiful Guatemala,

Today we started our service bright and early at the school. Our confidence in our Spanish abilities has definitely improved and we’ve enjoyed immersing ourselves in different stations each day. Again, we had fun learning new games from the students during recess and playing lots of soccer.

After lunch, we journeyed up to high altitudes to enjoy the relaxing hot springs. During our time at the hot springs and on our drive back we were encompassed by clouds creating a beautiful scene.

After dinner, we did shoutouts, highlights, and a leadership activity. This activity made us silently reflect on the importance of our phones on this trip and in our lives. As we’ve reached the halfway point, we’ve recognized that by minimizing our phone usage, we’ve allowed ourselves to connect with each other in a way that we aren’t used to back at home, and we learned to be more productive during our free time. We had another amazing day at Guatemala, and we’re so excited to see where our adventure takes us next.

Best,

Sameena and Kacie

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

Hey! Today we started off the day with breakfast at 7 am and then headed to the bus to have our activity of the morning: ZIPLINING! Everyone was so excited and the bus ride was full of singalong songs as we drove to the course. When we got there, we split into our mentor groups to go up to the zip lines and both groups did 10 zip lines. It was so fun and had amazing views of mountains to look over.

We then headed back down to the bus and off to home base! After lunch and a break we headed back out to go to the supermarket. We got in groups of three to shop and found so many Guatemalan snacks that we had never tried before! Then we headed back to home base, had dinner, and went to sleep.

Love,

Orli and Maya

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 26

Hey guys!

Today we started off with a 7 am breakfast that buzzed with the excitement of a weekend trip. After we all finished last minute packing of our small bags, we headed onto the bus and started traveling. The views were spectacular as we drove through towns, cities, forests, and finally around the lake. Lake Atitlan was expansive and beautiful, and we all admired it as we drove.

We reached our hotel and started walking to the dock to board our boat. As we sped across Lake Atitlan we admired the view of the volcanos in the distance and the villages dotting the side of the lake. When we arrived at the town of San Juan we walked around and did some souvenir and snack shopping. We then headed back to the hotel for lunch. After we took a quick rest before heading out again to explore the area by our hotel.

We stopped for frozen yogurt and walked more around the lake during sunset. Then we returned to the hotel where we ate dinner, played cards, and relaxed before heading to bed.

Love,

Noa and Kaiden

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 27

Hi from Guatemala!

Today we woke up in a beautiful hotel in Lake Atitlan and traveled to the Chichicastenango market. We spent time exploring the stalls filled with local goods, from fruits to handmade bags. We visited two local churches, which bordered the market that had a fusion of Christian and Mayan religion. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and talked to some gorgeous parrots.

We traveled back to home base and switched roommates, to continue to get to know more people. We then played some Guatemalan trivia in our mentor groups: “Hey, Alexa” and “Mag’s Minions”. We ended the night with shoutouts and highlights, reflecting on our time at the lake and market. Overall, today was a day full of novelty!

Love,

Sameena and Maya

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 28

Today was our second to last day of service! We figured out how to maximize our efficiency and got through 8 classes today! After service we went back to home base where we bagged oatmeal to give to students at the school. The lovely kitchen staff taught us how to make to tortillas from scratch! We started with raw corn and ended with delicious quesadillas. Later, Mag guided us in a yoga class which left all of us extremely relaxed. To top off the day we enjoyed dulce de leche ice cream and mango sorbet!

Love,

Clara and Alex!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 29

Today was the very last day of service! After we finished up with all of the classes, they surprised us with a dance that involved them each pulling us up to go dance with them. They also gave us adorable decorated pens as a parting gift. Afterwards, we handed out medicine and nutritious gummy’s for the underweight children. When we arrived back at home base we typed up all of the children’s names, height, and weight so the school could have a records of our visits and each students health records. We then had a quick and informational CPR course where we all got certified by the Red Cross.

Love,

Aiden and Miriam

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
2. We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
3. Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
4. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
5. Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

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 post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Welcome to the first blog post of the Guatemala: Children of the Maya program!

Today, your students arrived safely at the airport and were greeted with a warm welcome from our team. We then made our way to Antigua, where we are staying tonight. After getting settled and unpacking, we took a walk to the main plaza to take in the beautiful colonial architecture and vibrant colors of the city.

For dinner, we visited a restaurant built in 1650, giving everyone a taste of history alongside their meal. Now everyone is resting, and excited for first full day tomorrow as we begin our journey together in Guatemala! We are waiting for our last student Audrey whose flight was delayed and once she arrives we are

We look forward to sharing more updates with you throughout the program.

Best your Guatemala team,

Magdalena/Mag (international director), Alexa (mentor) and Nayo (local director)

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 2 & 3

July 2nd

Today was a traveling day. We started our trip at Antigua, for the first night. After enjoying a desayuno delicioso with breathtaking views of the volcanos “Fuego” and “Agua”, we packed our bags and headed over to our Home Base in Xela. We stopped after 2 hours in a beautiful “Don Roberto Rancho”, where we ate lunch and saw cute conejos(rabbits), gallos(roosters), gallinas(chickens), y patos(ducks). We finally arrived to the Home Base in Xela, we’re Nayo, Mag, and Alexa gave us an informational tour of the Home Base. We discovered our rooms and our new roomies, and after some leadership activities and orientation, we got ready for bed, and adventures for the next day!

July 3rd

Today we woke up in our favorite old style way, bells at 6am sharp! We ate breakfast, and participated in an activity where we located our conform zones, learning zones, and panic zones.

Then we headed to the school we will be doing our service work this week, and we met the sweetest students ever! They talked, played, and took pictures with us- Que genial! We then started renovating their play area outside; scratching old paint, and re painting designs from older GLA programs. Then, 2 of our GLA students (Emily and Pepe) helped to teach a 6th grade English class!

After service, we headed to a chocolate museum, where we learned about the history of cacao, the procedure to make chocolate, and we tried chocolate tea, pumpkin spice chocolate, hot chocolate, and a chocolate fountain with fruits! Then, we took to a salsa dance class. We came back to the Home Base and we had our daily “Tea Time” afternoon meeting reflection. Then our last leadership group activity, and we got ready for an exciting day ahead!

Yours truly,
First Leaders of the Day: Ellie and Pepe

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

We started off the day with homemade pancakes. Then went straight to our second day of community service at the school. We got to play many games with the kids including duck duck goose, soccer, hopscotch, and etc. Then we began painting the steps of the school after we sanded off the old paint.

Back at home base, we had time after lunch to go to the garden and work on our letter to future selves before a group meeting.

During the meeting we got to have a deep discussion about how our phones affect our lives and the adjustment we’ve made with the no phone policy. After, we played mafia as a group and then had extra free time to work on our lesson plans for the students at the school before eating celebratory dinner. This consisted of tamales, a sweet plantain with beans and hot cocoa. To end the day we did a bonfire and made s’mores to celebrate the Fourth of July! 🎇

Your leaders of the day: Ava & Emily

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Today, we headed off to Panajachel! When we arrived, we went on a boat tour on Lake Atitlan to San Juan. There, we learned about traditional Mayan weaving techniques with cotton. Every string is dyed naturally! With bugs, plants, seeds, or fruit/fruit skin. Then we had some time to walk around and shop. We headed back to the hotel to have lunch- made my the owner of the hotel herself! Then we played games in our mentor groups and had group conversations on how we are doing individually and as a group. We went to the Pana Market where we had another opportunity to shop before. Then we ate dinner, and worked more on our lesson plans for Monday at service and then – sleep!

Love,
Your leaders of the day
Amelia and Talia

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

After our overnight in Panajanchel, we had a home cooked breakfast made by the owner of our hotel. We drove two hours to the Chichicastenango market which was bustling with many locals shopping for fruit, kitchen supplies, and more. We then had just enough time to rest and rejuvenate before reuniting with home base and getting straight to work on our lesson plans. As we presented our ideas for our lesson plans we got approved and continued preparing for our first day of teaching. We then had a delicious dinner followed by tea time and more bonding. Overall we felt very emotionally bonded by the end of the night and we really illustrated our love for the community we have built.

Love,
Nina And Niko

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Today in the morning we headed straight to the School where we taught our first lessons. We focused on teaching the children adjectives and verbs in English. Although it was tough speaking in front of a class everyone persevered, and did an amazing job! We headed back to home base to a lovely lunch and a surprise. After munching on our surprise ice cream we had a guest speaker from one of the schools here in Xela. She taught us the struggles schools in Guatemala deal with today. We ended the night with a wellness check in our mentor groups!

Love,
Paris and Anneah

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

We started off the day with a filling breakfast to prepare for the hike. Then we headed towards Chicabal for our hike. It was a very beautiful trail up, with stunning views of the volcano along the way. When we got to the top, Santiagito Volcano started to smoke and we experienced raining ashes. Afterwards, we walked down 600 stairs to the sacred Mayan lagoon. To get back to the top of the mountain, we spilt between the trail and stairs.

In the afternoon, we all hung out and played Guatemala themed trivia with facts we learned throughout the trip. At night, Mags, Alexa and Nayo surprised us with a pizza party and karaoke night. To finish off the night, everyone prepared their lesson plans for tomorrow.

Love Harlie and Audrey
PS. Miss you mom and dad

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Today we started off the day by traveling to the school. Each group taught 2 different classes that we had planned the day before. We taught our lesson plans, as well as painted the stairs. After we left the school, we went back to home base for lunch – and got ready for the hot springs. The drive to the hot springs was around 1 1/2 hours, but the drive was very beautiful.

Once we arrived to the hot springs, we got in and relaxed in the warm water. Once we finished swimming, we got back on the bus to headed back to home base. Along the way we stopped to get some snacks, and the rest of the bus ride we listened to music. The other leader of the day, Reid, was not feeling great so she stayed back and rested, which was much needed.

– Abby

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Yesterday we woke up bright and early ready to celebrate our Ava’s 18th birthday! To make the day special for Ava we ventured to the Zip Line to start the morning. After 7 zip lines through the beautiful Guatemalan forest we started to feel a light drizzle – which quickly became a downpour! As we ended our zip line journey short, we hopped on the back of a pick up truck and truly enjoyed the “go with the flow” moment while singing in the rain- another special bonding moment.

Then on the drive home we made a quick stop at the gas station to prepare our snack bags for our big travel day back to Antigua.

We returned to home base and packed. After, we came together as two mentor groups and shared our OMG (One Meaningful Goal) through powerful and descriptive skits.

Then we enjoyed a lovely dinner and threw a surprise party for Ava! We sang happy birthday in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Basque, French and Russian. After a long dance party we ended the night bonding one last time at home base and then got a good night rest.

Lots of love,
Leaders of the Day: Pepe, Emily (and Nina)

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Today was our last day full of fun experiences, cultural activities in Guatemala! In the morning we said goodbye to our home base and went to a Mayan ceremony where a shaman created an altar and taught us the steps of a traditional ceremony.

After, we had lunch and toured a local coffe from. Here we learned the life of the coffee fruit, all the way to the ground up beans in your coffee cup.

Then we drove to a local home where we learned the stages to a traditional Mayan ceremony. Some of our friends were involved in the full reenactment of the wedding.

After, we came back to our hotel, freshened up and got ready for our final dinner!

Followed by an appreciation circle, and saying goodbye to some of our friends who were leaving that same night. Time to sleep and prepare for everyone else’s travel day!

– Reid

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
2. We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
3. Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
4. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
5. Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

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

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Author – Amanda Mallory, International Director

Greetings from Greece!

We’re so happy to have all these great students here on program with us. 28 of our 30 students have arrived in Greece with two more joining us tomorrow. It’s a packed itinerary with tomorrow’s highlights being a city tour, Acropolis visit, and food tour. Today we had arrivals, naps, delicious meals, and pool time on our hotel roof top overlooking Athens and it’s archeological sites. Expect many more photos to come!

We shared some laughs and got to know each other throughout the day. What a great start to this journey!

Our blogs will start with myself along with Kyle, Oliver, and Sofia (group mentors) as authors then transition to student written narrative.

Students will be busy during the days fostering in-person community and have their phones at night to reach out and connect with home. I recognize this time zone difference might be a challenge when you want to reach your student so we’ll send regular blogs and be available as a staff support team for you and them 24/7.

Thanks for trusting us with your young leaders, it’s a really an honor to work with them.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

By Olivia, Mia, and Kedrick

Hello from Athens!

To start the day, the group had orientation, where we discussed the GLA mission and values, and exciting upcoming events ahead. Shortly after, we rode a bus through the beautiful city of Athens. We passed by the Panathenaic Stadium, drove by the guards of the Greek parliament, and made our way to the Acropolis, learning about the history of Athens along the way.

Once arrived at Acropolis, we stopped above a few flights of stairs and learned about the history of the Greek gods and why the parthenon was built. We walked up the rocky hill above Athens and stopped in front of the building. We heard so much about the history and why the people of Greece find it so important to preserve their past. It was so fun!

After our trip to the Acropolis, we embarked on a food tour around Athens. We walked around the center of town, hopping from restaurants, the meat and fish markets, bakeries, and fruit and vegetable markets. Some of the most delicious foods we tried throughout the day were gyros and kebabs, olives, classical Greek cuisine, loukoumades, and more!

Tomorrow we will be leaving Athens for the island of Kefalonia!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Today the journey was long; however, the views seen from the bus and ferry made it worth it. The day began at 07:00 with breakfast. After breakfast, we got right on the bus, and in a little more than hour and a half we made it to the turtle visitor center. There, we leaned how turtles can get injured at sea, and also how they get treated for head and stomach injuries!

Firstly, we were an incredibly lucky to see the only green sea turtle conservation which has a history of nearly 30 years operating since 1994, founded by ARCHELON. This unique and insightful excursion provided an educational learning experience, highlighting the footprint of mass fishing and consumeristic culture.

Consequently, we visited the 3 primary species of turtles found in and around the Mediterranean Ocean, and became educated on the migration patterns of each type.

After the presentation, some of our peers bought turtle related items from the gift shop. These proceeds went to the conservation center. When we got back on the bus, we took a two hour bus ride to a local Greek restaurant where we had cell phone piles so while we ate we weren’t on our phones. After lunch we had another two hour bus ride to a ferry in Kefilonia where we unloaded our suitcases and ran to the ferry where we played games, buying souvenirs, enjoying the view, and eating snacks.

– Tori, Naomi and Anthony

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Hi everyone. This is today’s leaders, Summer, Jojo and Cayley. Today we started our morning at 4AM! It was still dark out when we left for our turtle nests survey. We separated into 2 groups and we headed down to different beaches to start surveying for nests. After a long time of searching , one of the groups came across a full nest of 94 eggs! We had to relocate these eggs due to a sand-sweeper that would’ve disrupted the nest.

We learned about the specific types of tracks the turtle make and how the baby turtled memorize where the beach they hatched on is located. After a very long morning, we were rewarded with a beautiful swim in the warm waters of Kefalonia. After all the fun in the sun, we made our way to lunch, where we celebrated Stella’s 18th Birthday! Happy birthday! Then we finally had time to shop. Finally, after our much needed downtime, we will be heading to dinner and then to a turtle conservation talk.

See you tomorrow!

– Summer, Jojo, Cayley

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Written by Stella, Annabelle, and Maeve

Today we went to the Kalamia beach to go shore snorkeling to take pictures of the bottom of the sea floor. This helps the Wildlife Sense team in their conservation of seagrass. We went in four teams for around 45 minutes each. Each person on the team has different jobs and obligations. One person was in charge of holding the camera that took the pictures, another held the depth distance stick which was recorded every 1 minute, another kept track of time, and the final team member was in charge of navigation.

As we were snorkeling we went in two teams with each team split in to 4 people for either side of the paddle board we were holding on to. While the first team was snorkeling the second team was on the beach playing volleyball in a circle trying to keep the ball in the air or relaxing in the shade. While snorkeling we saw schools of fish, some octopuses, and one person even saw a sea turtle! Everyone had so much fun and really enjoyed the snorkeling as well as hanging out with our fronds playing volleyball and talking and laughing on the beach.

Once we had lunch at a local Greek restaurant we walked to join our mentor groups and did a fun team building activity. We answered questions to reflect on how we present our leadership skills and the way we interact in our groups and our impact as leaders. We then all came together and decided whether we wanted to get ice cream or head back to the hotel, to wash and get a well-deserved rest after our service day. After getting ice cream and some essentials from a grocery store near the hotel both of the groups met up and went to their rooms to refresh.

After our free time we had a presentation from the Wildlife Sense group about seagrass and fish breeds, which we saw while we were snorkeling in the morning. We learned about all of the benefits of seagrass and how it is threatened, and how different breeds of fish can be differentiated from each other and the ways they’ve adapted to survive.

We ended the day with sunset circle and dinner at an Italian restaurant, where we got salad, pizza, and pasta. Overall it was a great day full of fun activities!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Our names are Carley, Dana and Manon, and we got to be your team leaders for the day! We woke up today for breakfast at 7:00, we then took a bus to the same beach we were at yesterday. We got to participate in a sea grass survey which is important to conserve as it is our sea turtles food. In groups of four we suited up in life jackets, flippers and masks to grab our recording gear. Using a go pro and a depth meter we went out in shifts of an hour and a half to GPS map all the sea grass in the bay. After a few hours we played volleyball on the beach and swam through the beautiful rock arches filled with little fish. Once it was time for lunch we bussed back to our hotel just in time for lunch!

At the hotel the group split in two: one half went on an enriching cooking class, where they were immersed in Greek cuisine, making classic staple dishes like Tzatziki and beetroot hummus. They even made gyros from scratch, all the way down to seasoning the chicken and making the pita bread the gyros were wrapped in.

The other half participated in an intense debate about the pressing water crisis in Greece. The debaters immersed themselves in different roles, becoming familiar with the perspectives of government officials, local farmers, tourist board officials and environmental activists with us group leaders as facilitators.

In a couple of days the groups will switch so the debate team will get to go to cooking class and the cooking people will be able to debate.

Once the group reunited and they had some free time, they all set out to have some beef kebabs at dinner with a selection of cakes to top it all off!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Hello GLA Families and Friends!

We started off our day today by having a delicious breakfast while wearing our volunteer shirts. After we walked to the harbour near our hotel to volunteer and search for sea turtle interactions! Everyone split into groups and many of us saw lots of sea turtles near the fish market. During the sea turtle interactions we completed written surveys to retain the interesting information. Once the volunteering came to an end, all of us quickly stopped at the hotel to grab bags and head for the caves!

After the hour in the bus we arrived to Melissani Cave. The water was amazing and very blue, it looked like gatorade. We split into groups and took boat tours through it. Once done in the caves we took a short drive to a campground and ate a lunch of chicken tenders and pasta. The food was great. After everyone was done we spent an hour or two into the pool and beach. The water there was also gorgeous.

After all the activities we got back on the bus to head back to the hotel, making a pit stop on the road above the most beautiful beach on the island for a group photo. After arriving at the hotel we were given a few hours of free time where we could hang out and get ready for dinner, which we had at a restaurant near our hotel. Once dinner was over we walked back to the hotel where we had a quick GLA activity and sunset circle before we went back to our rooms for bed.

Ari, Isabelle and Kate

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

By Logan, Sam, & Jagger

Hello from Kefalonia!

We started the day off with breakfast at the hotel, then we got on our bus and started heading to the beach where we completed our last day of snorkeling. We started with half of our group going out and collecting more data for Wildlife Sense. Our first group spotted a turtle and followed it for a few minutes which was very exciting. Shortly after that group returned the second group went out and collected more data. We did a quick beach cleaning, and then got back on the bus to the hotel.

After arriving back at the hotel, we split into two groups, one going to the cooking class and the other going out to lunch and participating in the water conservation debate. In the cooking class, we made delicious gyros, Greek salad, hummus, and other traditional foods and sauces. In the debate, we each took a role of someone who is an active part of the Greek community (government, farmers, environmentalists, etc.) and debated how to solve Greece’s long lasting leaking pipe problem.

After our afternoon activities, we walked as a group to a secluded beach on the other side of the harbor that is commonly used for turtle releases and rescues. There we had a presentation about climate change and its effects, specifically on the island of Kefalonia and other parts of Greece. Then we picked up some trash through a small beach clean up before heading back to the main street in Argostoli and eating dinner.

Overall, this trip has been an incredible and rewarding experience that we will never forget. We’re excited to keep working hard and end the trip strongly.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Today we woke up early to go to the beach service site. We went for a nest survey for the turtles to see if there were any new nests. After we recorded some turtle tracks and lots of digging, we found eggs. Once the team protected the eggs with a barrier, we had some beach time. It was a blast because we got to swim out and then relax on the beach. After that, we took the bus home.

After a bit of free time to freshen up, we took a bit of a trek to a new lunch spot. We all enjoyed lunch in a bit of shade and were excited that a bus came to pick us up. Afterwards, we all had a great hour for shopping, most buying a few souvenirs or a scoop of ice cream, then we had another two hours to de compress and rest to make up for our very early morning and late night.

We had our final talk with Wildlife Sense (our community partners) after our resting hours in which we summarised our knowledge and put on our best accents to answer various questions about sea grass and turtles. We said goodbye to the community team and headed out to dinner at a familiar spot. Everyone dressed up in fancy outfits. We then headed back to quickly pack and get a decent nights rest.

– Elle, Stella O, Coral

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

In the morning we woke up bright and early to catch a bus. The bus views were breathtaking with the water and hills on either side. Once we got off the bus we hopped on the the ferry to take us back to the Greek mainland. The ferry was about 3 and a half hours and many of us caught up on some well deserved rest.

In the afternoon our ferry docked and we caught another bus to a delicious lunch stop right on the water, where we had a choice of pastas and chicken and a Greek salad on the side. After lunch we went on another bus, where the views were once again gorgeous. Soon we arrived at our final tourist destination. A bee farm! We learned how to safely help bees and how to take care of them! We then put on our bee suits to help protect us from stings and we got to interact and some people even pet some bees!

For dinner we went to a restaurant called epkouros. The view had mountains and we were able to watch the sunset from our seats. In the restaurant, for our ententes there was a cheese pastry and a salad consisting of shredded carrots, lettuce, and dressing. For the main meal we had roster and local pasta, for the vegetarian option there was a stuffed and cooked tomatoes dish called yemista. For dessert we had a Greek cake.

– Lydia, Blake & Autumn

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Andrew, Bea, and Will

Hello from Athens!

We started the day by waking up and eating the hotel breakfast buffet from 8-9 am, including a variety of foods such as cereal, toast, and more, including honey, that we had learned to admire from the bee farm the afternoon before. After our meal we proceeded to shop around Delphi and buy clothing, foods, and gifts for our lovely family, friends, and of course, ourselves.

At 11 am we departed with all our luggage towards Athens to arrive at our location for our next hearty feast – today’s lunch. For lunch we feasted on beef patties, fish, along with salads and fries. After lunch we continued our journey towards Athens, arriving around 4:30. Exhausted, we rested a while before we all went up to the roof for a final activity at 6:45. We filled out our program evaluation surveys, and received a printed picture of the group and everyone had a good time getting people to sign them. We reminisced on all the good times we had and it was really meaningful. We left for dinner at around 7:30 PM.

For dinner, we went to the top of a hill for a Zafiro Experience, which included buffet style Greek foods and desserts. We watched and participated in Greek traditional dances, smashed some clay plates (Opa!), and enjoyed the beautiful sunset! We also celebrated Mia’s birthday! Some of us were even able to dress in traditional Greek dancing outfits. After dinner and a short dance party, we returned back to the hotel for some late-night goodbyes before our flights tomorrow!

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
2. We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
3. Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
4. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
5. Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

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

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

Greetings from Greece!

We’re so happy to have all these great students here on the program with us. All 16 have arrived safe and are resting up after their long flights.

It’s a packed itinerary with tomorrow’s highlights being a city tour, Acropolis visit, and food tour. Today we had arrivals, naps, delicious meals, and pool time on our hotel rooftop overlooking Athens and it’s archeological sites. We also had our orientation, where we started by discussing the GLA rules and Code of Conduct, and transitioned into a discussion on values which informed our community agreement!

We shared some laughs and got to know each other throughout the day. Such joyful, funny, intellectual, sporty, and musically talented students in this group. What a great start to this journey!

Our blogs will start with myself (Amanda, International Director) and Kyle (group mentor) as authors then transition into student written narrative.

They will be busy during the days fostering in-person community and have their phones at night to reach out and connect with home. I recognize this time zone difference might be a challenge when you want to reach your student so we’ll send regular blogs and be available as a staff support team for you and them 24/7.

Thanks for trusting us with your young ones, it’s really an honor to work with them

Amanda, International Director

Kyle, Mentor

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Yasass (Hello)! Our first full day in Greece we began with breakfast at the hotel. We then went on an Athens city bus tour! We learned the history surrounding the important buildings in Athens, and the golden age of Greece all the way to present Greek history. We also learned the reason behind why Greek parliament guards have pom pons on their shoes (an old military blade hiding technique)!

After arriving at the base of the Acropolis, we ventured up. While walking our tour guide Evi explained the importance and meaning behind the Acropolis, Parthenon, and multiple temples! She explained how they are connected to Greek mythology, religion, and culture.

After multiple water breaks we started our Athens food tour! Our tour guide first led us to a dessert bakery named Krinos that is over a century old! They are famous for their Loukoumada, which is a fried dough desert with honey and sugar. They are a Greek classic!

Then we explored the meat, fish, and vegetable market. Then we were seated at a restaurant and had a family style lunch tasting multiple different Greek dishes. We finished the tour by stopping for gyros! We ended the day back at the hotel hanging out near the pool playing games. All in all great start to an ongoing adventure!

Blog done by Leaders of the day,

Anya and Nora

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

By Mia and Audrey,

After a busy day yesterday, we started off today with the Invisible Tour, which highlights the parts of Athens not commonly seen by tourists. A homeless man from Athens led our tour and told us about his life and how he became homeless. We learned about the International Network of Street Papers and the International Network of Street Tours. He showed us some of the places that help shelter, feed, and provide resources to the homeless. He spoke about the importance of sport and the arts, and how many homeless people lose access to that. He shared his opportunity to act in many theatre productions and how meaningful that was to him. Moral of the story is don’t take life for granted, and that life always keeps moving!

After the tour we went into the main part of town and got a Greek dish called gyros, mostly everyone asked for beef and chicken. We had an hour to eat and then we went into the main shopping area, the flea market street. We had an hour to get some clothes, bracelets, and ice cream.

After shopping we went back to get our bags from the hotel and got on a bus to get on the ferry! The ferry was delayed a bit so we went and got ice cream and water. We were able to stay on the bus so we weren’t in the heat for a long time. We all got our roommates and now we are headed to our next destination Crete!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Done by: Katie and Kaleigh

This morning, we began our day pretty early by arriving from our ferry in Crete at 4am. After a quick few hours at our hotel of rest, freshening up, and breakfast, we made our way to the bus, and arrived at Magarites after a long car ride. This is a village in Crete known for its extensive history of pottery. While here, we met a gentleman who was kind enough to offer us an in depth pottery class. He taught us some techniques, shapes, and styles as to how we can create our own unique pieces.

After completing our masterpieces, the gentleman took us to his studio, where he creates, displays, and sells his finished pieces. He demonstrated many ancient techniques that individuals used to make life easier back then! After this, we swung by a restaurant in the village to grab some delicious lunch. It was yummy! We had a wide variety of Greek dishes such as; fried cheese, meatballs, tzatziki, and goat. We then went back down to explore some other shops and purchase what we wished.

Following this, we made our way to our new hotel for the night, and got changed for dinner and Cretan dancing. The 30 minute bus ride felt almost like 5 minutes by how entertaining the landscape truly was! When we arrived, we were greeted by friendly people who had everything planned out for us. We began eating dinner, and were quickly surprised with live Cretan music being played. Eventually, the dancers joined in and invited us to join them in a few of their performances. Near the end, the students took a turn in teaching by showing the dancers how to do the Cotton-Eye Joe line dance. Everyone enjoyed today so much, and we can’t wait for what’s to come next!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Written by: Anika and Jake

Hello from Crete! We all started our days in Rethymno, where we took a short bus ride to where our bike tour would begin! We rode through the historic and beautiful city, stopping along the way to see the many sights that Rethymno has to offer! We did have a few bumps along the way… maybe more than 8…but no real injuries, and we didn’t let that stop our journey through the city.

After our tiring but enjoyable bike tour, Evi told the group what we were going to eat for lunch. We were going to eat cheeseburgers! Everyone cheered in joy, expecting more Greek food. After everyone had eaten their variation of cheeseburgers, we all walked down to a cute little ice cream shop. According to our bus driver Bobis, it is the best ice cream shop in Crete. He was not lying. It WAS good. People enjoyed vast flavors from banana to cheesecake. These were all arranged by our amazing local director Evi. Thank you Evi!

After we had eaten lunch, we all jumped into our bus for the 2 hour drive to Zaros. Some of us slept while others were listening to music, chatting with friends or just entranced by the beauty of Zaros. Shortly after we had arrived at our marvelous hotel in Zaros, many of us headed straight for the pool. People were reading by the pool, passing a ball around, learning how to swim, and laughing heavily. After everyone had washed up we all headed over to the hotel restaurant where we saw a big tank of fish, a small playground, and the gorgeous view of the sunset in the mountains. For dinner we had cheese pie, salad, chicken and potatoes and the Greek twist of flan.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

This morning we ate breakfast at the IDI Hotel and then left for the farm. At the farm we first learned how to bake bread and a dessert called skaltsouni (cheese pie). While we waited for the traditional oven to be ready we learned about making a traditional goat cheese. After trying the cheese, we visited the farm animals. We got to feed all of the goats, hold the baby goats, feed the pigs, and collect the chicken eggs. After we were done with that, we sat down to eat lunch. We ate the bread we made along with chickpeas and herbs, a mixture of rice and vegetables, and a traditional Greek salad. After that we had our dessert, and once we finished our dessert, we danced. It was the same dance that we learned on Thursday so I think it was a bit easier for everyone this time around. We spent our entire morning there and it was time well spent.

We had a pretty low key afternoon. Once we got back to the hotel, we chilled a little in our hotel rooms and then went downstairs to have a debate about water scarcity in Greece and possible solutions from different points of view in the economy. The debate went very well and we all came to an agreement about solutions. Afterwards we all went to the park and had different activities like a plant scavenger hunt, charades, and speed competitions about Greek gods and goddesses. We all went back to the hotel and had an amazing dinner made up of salad, ham and cheese rolls, kebabs and pita bread! All and all it was an amazing fun filled day and we had so much fun!

Authors – Sophia and Lyla

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

By Michelle and Adeline

After a busy few days, we got to sleep in till 10 AM and make our way out of Zaros and into Heraklion which is the capital of Crete. We got to swim for a few hours in the beautiful clear blue water off the coast. We had lunch at the seaside restaurant where we got to choose either pasta or pizza. We ate our lunch and continued to swim, play volleyball, or hangout together on the sand. After the beach we got back on our bus to our hotel in Heraklion where we got to rest for a couple hours before walking over to the city part of Heraklion where we got to listen a little bit about the history of some of the buildings like the church and main “lion fountain”. After our short tour we got free time to shop around with our partners and explore a bit before coming back together and going to a sit down dinner where we got fried cheese, pork, French fries, and Greek salad.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

By Paige and Amelia

We’ve made it to Santorini! After a wonderful time in Crete exploring the island we started off the day by taking a couple hours ferry to the famous Santorini island. Once we dropped our luggage off at our new hotel we headed straight to the black beach. Usually when you hear beach you think of beige, white and lightly colored sand but in this case, there was a volcanic eruption which had led the beaches to have a beautiful and unique red, black, and while pebbled beach. Here at the beach we swam in the water, played volleyball, and ate lunch at the beach club where we had margarita pizza, gyros, and Alfredo pasta which were all amazing.

After spending time at the beach we checked into the hotel and later went on a bus tour around the island, going to various different little towns each one being gorgeous and having the classic white and blue buildings. This tour lasted around 3 hours and we got souvenirs, great photos, and of course ice cream. After learning a bit about life on the island and seeing it as well, we headed back to the hotel for a bit of down time before dinner.

By the time dinner came around everyone was starving from the long day we just had. They served us a lasagna-like dish for dinner and some had pasta as well. For dessert we had a cinnamon flavored yogurt mixed with cream and a graham cracker which everyone enjoyed. After our first day in Santorini everyone was exhausted and we all had a good night.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 22

We’ve made it to Santorini! After a wonderful time in Crete exploring the island we started off the day by taking a couple hours ferry to the famous Santorini island. Once we dropped our luggage off at our new hotel we headed straight to the black beach. Usually when you hear beach you think of beige, white, and lightly colored sand but in this case there was a volcanic eruption which had led the beaches to have a beautiful and unique red, black, and white pebbled beach. Here at the beach we swam in the water, played volleyball, and ate lunch at the beach club where we had margarita pizza, gyros, and alfredo pasta which were all amazing.

After spending time at the beach we checked into the hotel and later went on a bus tour around the island, going to various different little towns each one being gorgeous and having the classic white and blue buildings. This tour lasted around 3 hours and we got souvenirs, great photos, and of course ice cream. After learning a bit about life on the island and seeing it as well, we headed back to the hotel for a bit of down time before dinner.

By the time dinner came around everyone was starving from the long day we just had. They served us a lasagna like dish for dinner and some had pasta as well. For dessert we had a cinnamon flavored yogurt mixed with cream and a graham cracker which everyone enjoyed. After our first day in Santorini everyone was exhausted and we all had a good night.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

Our day started at 7:40 with a big breakfast, and we were soon on our way to shop. After shopping in Fira, we walked to a restaurant, where we enjoyed delicious food and had great conversations with friends. For lunch, we had meatballs, fries, and spinach pie. Shortly after lunch we boarded the bus and headed towards the dock where the boat would meet us.

We arrived and the boat and we were impressed with the boat’s old and stylish appearance with high sails and colorful wood. Many stops were made along the cruise, each very unique and beautiful. After everyone boarded from the two docks, we sailed toward the first destination which was a nice sunny swimming area close to the safe volcano that created a really cool appearance on the black rock. It was an option to jump off the side of the boat which a lot of students took part in and had a blast, along with swimming with pool noodles.

The next stop was another unique swimming area that noticeably had very clear, dark blue water next to steep mountains which is also where dinner was served. This dinner was quickly eaten by the students tired and hungry from swimming, which consisted of Greek salad, chicken kabobs, rice, potatoes, bread, tsiki sauce and orange juice. A good portion of time was spent at this location relaxing, swimming, and then eating.

After this, the sun slowly began to set, so we started to cruise around the islands for the last few hours on the boat. We had a wonderful time watching the sunset, taking pictures, talking, and laughing. We arrived at the boat port around 9:00 and hopped on the bus back to the hotel where we went to bed right away, exhausted from such a fun day!

From Will and Joseph

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

By Michelle and Adeline

Today we woke up bright and early to eat breakfast and make our way to the “Humanity Greece” soup kitchen. We all worked together to prepare vegetables by peeling them and cutting them up to make a meal to then put into boxes, which we decorated to give out to homeless people in need. We then sat down and ate the meal we made for lunch, which was a healthy mix of lentils and vegetables. In the afternoon we had a few hours of freetime. We played cards, swam, and (unfortunately) packed to leave the following morning 🙁 . After our free time we all got ready in our nice dresses and dress shirts then took the bus to our farewell dinner where we did our last sunset circle. Once we did our sunset circle we sat down for our farewell dinner. We did traditional Greek dancing and ate traditional Greek food buffet style. We then competed in a competition where you had to be the loudest team to cheer and GLA won!

P.S. We also added in posts for July 20 and 21. Scroll up to check them out!