Headed Home!

All students are on their way home after an amazing program!

Saying Goodbye

Today was our final day in Bali, a bittersweet moment for both students and staff. We spent our day together at the beach in Legian, where the student partook in surfing lessons taught by local balinese surf instructors. We enjoyed our final dinner while watching the sun set at a beach front restaurant. It’s been a great three weeks and even though our program has come to an end, the memories we created will last forever!

Elephant Safari Park

Hey everyone! Today was a great day for GLA. We went to the Elephant Safari Park in the morning and saw the Sumatran elephants. We fed the elephants, played with them, saw an elephant show and even got to ride them. Everyone had a great time feeding them coconut stalks and taking lots of selfies with the elephants. Some people even got sprayed with water from their trunks! Afterwards everyone was pretty tired so we had free time for the rest of the day. We had our final GLA session and spent time reflecting on our trip and talking about issues and causes we feel passionate about. Then we finished our 3-day game of charades (dua won with 76 points) and closed with an amazing second to last night.

– Isabelle, Roxy, and Nathan

An Action Packed Day!

Today we had a very early but action-packed morning. First, we headed to the morning market in Ubud where we immersed ourselves with the locals during their daily shopping routine. It was here that we found the cheapest prices for goods such as incense and jewelry along with authentic sweet treats. We then made our way to a rice paddy field where we learned about the importance of rice in Balinese culture. After trekking through the field and eating some rice of our own, we drove to the Tirta Empul Temple. This temple is known for its sacred springs in which the Balinese come to cleanse themselves and pray. We got to bathe ourselves before being blessed by a priest and taking part in a Balinese prayer. It was a very unique and enlightening experience. After, the temple, we had six hours of free time in Ubud to eat lunch, shop, and for those who won the Amazing Race challenge, receive an authentic Balinese massage. Needless to say, we were all very ready for a well-deserved sleep by the end of the day!

–Alex H., Elizabeth P., and Elizabeth B.

Traditions, Snakes, and Sunsets!

Today, on July 26th we had a nice homemade breakfast prepared by our fabulous chefs at the Madra Homestay. We had a great and eventful group session where we made our own communities that would go well with each others different cultures, it was an eye opening experience that taught us how to adapt to new traditions.

After the group session we took the buses to Tanah Lot, Bali where there was beautiful art with vibrant and vivacious colors, intricate wood carvings and great restaurants that had fabulous coffee. While in Tanah Lot, we got blessed by the priests using rice and holy water from the spring. My favorite part is when I got to pet the holy snake, that was in the cave guarded by another balinesian priest, unfortunately I didn’t get to hold it.

Our day ended by watching the beautiful sunset, and then we had a drive home, everyone slept well that night.

Scuba interviews

SHANNON:
What was your favorite part of scuba?
My favorite part of scuba was diving in the ocean and seeing all the coral and fish, it was breathtaking.

What was the most challenging part of getting certified?
The most challenging part was the written test because we had to know information that sometimes didn’t apply when we were in the water.

How does it feel to be certified? What will you do with your certification?
It feels great, I feel very accomplished. I feel inspired to go scuba diving again.

NOLAN:
What was your favorite part of scuba?
My favorite part of scuba was being able to adventure underwater and see a new perspective. To actually be able to swim with the fish and not see them behind glass in an aquarium.

What was the most challenging part of getting certified?
The final exam because I was close to failing, actually scuba diving is easier than writing down the facts

How does it feel to be certified and what will you do with your certification?
It feels great, I am hoping I can go on excursions to Florida, California, to scuba dive and maybe someday Australia to the Great Barrier Reef.

ROXZI:
What was your favorite part of scuba?
Conquering my fear of diving deep and being able to enter a different world.

What was the most challenging part of getting certified?
The long days of diving and staying confident in myself.

How does it feel to be certified and what will you do with your certification?
I’m excited to be a scuba diver, it’s a very cool skill to have and I plan on going home and continuing my diving.

-Kathryn Belkin

Last Day of Volunteering

Today was our final day working with the students at the elementary schools in Lovina. It was sad to say goodbye but we ended our night back at Annik’s place for a beach day and bonfire. It was super cool and fun. We wish that we could do this kind of thing more often! The kids where all super upset about us leaving but we think that we impacted them like no teacher ever could.
It is safe to say that volunteering was beneficial for both the students and us. The children were so grateful for us being there, even though today was technically not a school day a large group still showed up. Their enthusiasm to be with us warmed our hearts like no other. So far Lovina has been a great adventure on our long list of new journeys.

The Internet is Back!

Hi everyone! Sorry it’s been so long since our last blog post we’ve had some internet problems but we are back and ready to recap the past couple of days! Today was our second to last day of teaching English in elementary schools. Our groups got creative because we were allowed to teach any topic that we wanted. After school we had a great lunch at a restaurant with a beautiful ocean view. Following our delicious lunch we trekked through some rice paddies and a jungle to go swim at a gorgeous waterfall. We swam around for an hour and then started hiking our way back up the mountain. After a tiring and eventful afternoon we ate dinner, made our last lesson plan for school, and then rested in anticipation for the last day of volunteering at school.

-Jacob Tye and Antonia

An Action Pack Day

Today was an action packed day filled with laughter, adventure, and life-long friendships. After volunteering with the children at the local elementary schools we embarked on our journey to the local boarding school. Though we entered not knowing what to expect we were in utter awe with what welcomed us. The students spoke fluent English and were skilled with traditional Balinese dance, music and martial arts. As they explained how their school was ran we some-what felt that if the communist manifesto were made into a school, it would have been that one.

After the tour we were able to plant a tree with them in a field. They said that in a year or so we should come back and see the progress the trees had made. Once everyone finished with their tour we met inside the auditorium for games and festive activities. There were exhibitions of traditional dance, martial arts and games, such as Gua Gua or Crow. Afterwards, we played a game of musical chairs and ended the day with a dance party with the students at the school. Once the activities ceased, we all exchanged contact information so we could keep in touch.

Another Chapter

Today, we wrote another chapter of our lives in Bali. Today officially marked the end of our first full week here in Bali. We started our day with a good breakfast and headed off to our separate schools. Today’s topics: animals.

After class, we ate lunch and headed back to our home at the eDotel. The rest of the day was a peaceful, relaxing night, but with a little competition. Both staff and campers participated in a friendly game of soccer.

As the night went on, we all celebrated a completed week in Bali with a dinner full of PIZZA!! A little western food will always put a smile on a kids face. In recap, it was a peaceful day.

Tomorrow, we expect to see more excitement tomorrow, and all of us from Bali would like to wish all of our parents good days and goodnights! Talk to you soon!

A Great First Day of Volunteering

Yesterday was our first day of volunteering in Bali. All the children were so happy and excited to see us, as were we to see them! Three separate groups taught numbers and colors to the children through games, arts and crafts, and a normal classroom setting. Everyone was nervous, but in the end it was a lot of fun, and we were all very excited for the next day teaching the kids.

We had a short break back at the dorms, designed our next lesson plans, and then headed to the beach! We all swam and listened to music, and hung out on the black sand. Then, we got to take an amazing sunset boat ride. We took the boats out, swam over the coral reefs and then watched the sunset.

We headed back to the coast for dinner, and after a delicious meal, got to hang around a bonfire with the owners of the restaurant, singing and dancing. It was an overall great evening, and a great first day of volunteering.

Leaving Ubud

Today we left Ubud and started our 3 hour journey to Singaraja with a few stops on the way. Our first stop was at a traditional Balinese market where students had there first encounters of bargaining with the locals. Then we stopped for lunch where we had the usual Balinese cuisine at a restaurant with a view of a beautiful lake and mountain. Down the road we stopped at a temple where we were given time to explore and take in the sights. Near the end of our ride we stopped at a supermarket where the group had the chance to by goodies and other items. We finally arrived at Edhotel where we settled in to our home for the next five days. Once settled in we had a discussion of what to expect during the next week volunteering at the schools. We then went to dinner at a restaurant on the harbor that overlooked a breathtaking sunset. Some students even partook in a karaoke session. We ended the day by planning a lesson with our volunteer groups for our first day of volunteering at the schools.

-Alex, Emma, and Nicla 

Rain, Fog & Rice-Paddies!

Our journey to the local market in the morning was cancelled as result of an unexpected thunderstorm that lasted all night. Instead, we stayed at our home base in Ubud and continued with activities to get to know each other. Later, we drove to a restaurant with a beautiful view of a volcano to have lunch, but unfortunately the weather was not in our favor again and the fog blinded the amazing landscape. As we have learned to go with the flow, we took a picture anyway. On our way back to the home base, we stopped on the road to take photos in front of a scenic rice paddy and had lots of fun!

-Abby Leung, Alix Barel, Carolina Grande

Starting Off

The last two days have been packed with fun and culture! Last night our group had the privilege of meeting royalty! We were invited to tour and dine at the royal palace with Prince Cok Agung. He discussed significant topics in Bali, such as the education system, the effects of tourism, and the difficulties in preserving the Balinese culture. After our dinner, we watched a traditional Balinese Legong dance performance.

Today the group went to a Banjar workshop, where they learned a lot! They learned to make wood carvings and offerings, they played gamelan music, and they learned the traditional Balinese dance that they had seen the night before. After the Banjar they went on an adventure around Ubud as the competed in a very fun scavenger hunt!

All is Well in Bali Land!

Last two students, Sean and Antonia have arrived and are on their way back from the airport! We are ready for our program, stay tuned for blog updates and photos!

Om Swastiastu!

After many, many hours traveling around the world, our GLA Bali students have arrived! We are so excited to start this 21-day journey with such amazing young people!

Check in to this blog throughout the program to witness all the fun we are going to have 🙂

– GLA Bali Staff

We’ve Arrived!

All students have arrived, except the 2 who missed flights and will be arriving tomorrow!

Headed Home!

All students have departed from Bali and are headed home!

Last Day

Today was our last day in Bali, we spent the day at the beach and had surfing lessons. It was quite challenging but the instructors were very enthusiastic and were determined to make sure we all succeeded. After a long day of hard work we had our farewell dinner on the beach and then headed back to the home stay where we reflected on the trip and said our goodbyes. It was a great way to end the trip and we are all very thankful to have been apart of this experience.

Elephants!

This morning, we had a wonderful time visiting the Elephant Safari Park in Ubud! We got to pet and feed the beautiful elephants before taking them for a ride around the park. After that, we had lunch and a relaxing afternoon at Madra homestay and did a final GLA session. After dinner we headed into town for a little bit of live music for the last time here. Overall we had another amazing day!

Rafting!

Today we all woke up early to go white water river rafting. It was a fun experience for everyone and the river we rafted down was beautiful. When we came to a stop we hiked up approximately 300 stairs to eat lunch with a gorgeous view. Also, on the way to where we went rafting, we stopped at a coffee plantation and tried some coffee made from animal poop. It was quite the unique experience. This evening we all went shopping and watched the sun set over a temple. We came back to our home stay happy but ready to sleep.

Ubud

Today we left our bungalows at Amed. While traveling to Ubud we stopped at a healer, witnessed one of our own being healed and each received a reading of our own. While leaving he handed us sacred pieces of wood that will bring us luck in the future. We then spent the rest of the day traveling back to ubud. Once we arrived to our last destination, we celebrated the 4th of july with cake and a movie!
(Here we are with the healer!)

-Laila, Kali and Hailey

A Day of Diving

We had our second day of scuba diving lessons today. It was incredible, although some of us struggled a little bit with the equipment and diving techniques. It will be well worth it when we become certified and can apply the skills this class has taught us to new diving locations filled with exciting experiences. After a whole day of diving, most of us were very tired and we all came back to the bungalows to have dinner together while discussing the day’s events. Those who did not participate in the scuba lessons spent the day immersed in the culture of Bali and witnessed an important ritual. We should all sleep pretty well tonight and will have our final day of scuba diving tomorrow. 

Scuba Diving!

Greetings from Ahmed! We have moved locations to Good Karma Bungalows. It is very beautiful and we are living on the beach. We have enjoyed many swims in the warm Balinese water, great food, and breathtaking sunrises. Today was our first day participating in the Padi scuba diving program, which was very exciting and exhausting. Super excited for our second day of scuba!

Ketut’s Village

We started the day by visiting Ketut’s village and watched the girls from the village perform a welcoming dance. Afterwards we went on a hike through the village and picked up pieces of plastic along the way. Then we combined the plastic we found and used it to create different pieces of artwork that would raise awareness of the environmental crisis in Bali. It was an enlightening experience that we all learned from. After a long day, we were able to relax at a nice restaurant that overlooked the ocean.

Pumatran Beach

Today we were up and ready to go by 8:00 a.m. We had breakfast and began the scenic drive to Pumatran beach. We then arrived and watched a documentary on the destruction of the beache’s once thriving coral reef due to fishermen in despair after the asian economy crisis. Scientists have developed a system of metal formations, connected to a negative source with a positive source nearby, which emits higher PH levels causing coral to grow, stronger and better than normal coral, due to energy leftover from the already built structure. We then snorkeled and observed the formations ourselves, they were beautiful and thriving with life. We had a great lunch, and spent the day relaxing on the beach.

Last Day Teaching

Today was our last day teaching at the local school in Singaraja. After many hugs and arm signatures, we said goodbye to the kids. Later, we made our way to the beach in Lovina, where we swam and relaxed as a nice reward to our volunteer week. We as well went on a spider boat ride to watch the beautiful sunset. We had dinner on the beach and enjoyed a bonfire and music performed by Domingo (the owner of the restaurant) and friends. It was another great day!

Vegetables & Fruits, Volunteering & Fun

Well, today was day 4 of working with the adorable children in Lovina! All of us cannot even believe that tomorrow is our final day to volunteer at the school.

This morning our theme for our lesson was teaching the kids about fruits and vegetables. We drew pictures of things like apples and carrots with the kids, and played lots of games that incorporated the subject. There were around 75 students today, and the number keeps growing! Although the aftermath of the classes was 9 exhausted volunteers, we all had a blast. Doing good is hard work but totally worth the effort!

Then we went to the supermarket and everyone got the opportunity to buy anything specific that they needed. We came back to the dorms to regain some energy, and sat down to study the scuba diving information that we will need for the next main part of our trip. We walked to some local food carts for a nice meal together and regrouped to reflect upon the day. Stay tuned for more of our exciting adventures!

– Elinor, Emma, and Courtney

A Successful Day

Today we taught the children the terms for different body parts through making crafts and playing games. Both the students and the volunteers had a lot of fun. All of the kids are very smart and catch on quickly to each activity. After a few hours of volunteering, we sat down to eat a well-deserved lunch and reflected on how the day’s teaching went. Then we hiked up to a gorgeous waterfall and spent the afternoon swimming and jumping off rocks into the ice-cold water. It was a successful and exciting day, and all of us will sleep very well tonight.

Smooth Sailing

Today we were ready to head out by 8, class began at 9 sharp. Today was all about learning the numbers and colors. It was a blast and nothing but smooth sailing. We prepared many games for the children from candy bracelets to twister. By lunch time we were exhausted but came back to the dorms and rested up for a bit. After resting and collecting our thoughts we began GLA Session number 3; Intercultural Communication. It was a very enlightening and fun session. We were then surprised with a movie night and pizza!

Hello from Singaraja!

Today was another hot, action-packed day! It was our first day volunteering at the English camp. We were split into three groups, either classroom teaching, outside games, or art class. Last night we spent about two hours preparing lesson plans that were focused around the topic of animals. At the school we were greeted by 60 very cute, excited kids who were eager and ready to learn. After three hours of working with the kids, we had lunch at the school and reflected on what went well today and what could be changed. Then after a short break, where we mostly drank a lot of water, we headed for the beach in Lovina for dinner and swimming in the ocean. The water was very warm and everybody was quick to get in. After a swim break, we had a lovely evening on the beach. We had dinner while watching the sun set. Then, we watched Ketut, an activity leader within his community, and his friends play the guitar and drums. We had a great jam session and we were able to sing and dance along to the music. Best night ever!

Heading Toward Tomorrow

Today was our last day in Ubud (until the end of the trip), because tomorrow we are off to Singaraja!! After a somewhat late rise, we had our second GLA session. We discussed the very interesting topic of whether volunteering is truly a good thing. Basically questioning the truth behind “good intentions”. Like any other topic, there are pros and cons. We talked about learning through experience and not imposing ourselves on other cultures without considering their opinion. If you are further interested in the topic, here is the link to see what we read: http://www.swaraj.org/illich_hell.htm

After our session and lunch, we went to a Banjar workshop. We learned more about balinese culture. We carved wood, made offerings, legong danced, and played traditional music. Although very challenging, we all had a lot of fun and were excited to head to the palace and see how legong dance is really supposed to look.

After the workshop, it was time to dine with royalty! Unfortunately the prince was not able to make it due to the fact his son was sick. But that didn’t stop us! We got to tour the palace which included learning the history of it and even getting to see the family temples. Then, we got to eat a delicious meal prepared by the staff there. We all had a great time! Our final activity of the day was the Legong dance performance at the palace. The music and dancing was like something we had never seen before. It was very beautiful, interesting, exciting, and even a little scary when the man masked as a monkey danced for us. Overall, it was a fun last day in Ubud.

salamat jalan!
-Hailey and Dale

Viewing the Volcano

Today was a fantastic day! The day began at 7am when we went to the market place in the center of Ubud. During the day this market is a big tourist attraction, but in the early morning the market is reserved for the locals to get their daily groceries. It is so great to be offered a glimpse into the real routines of the Balinese people!

After the market we took a leisurely stroll down a scenic path with beautiful rice paddies surrounding us in every direction! We were able to learn a little about the complex irrigation system in Bali as we took in the view.

After the rice paddies, we drove for about an hour towards a spectacular restaurant. This restaurant offers a delicious buffet of Balinese cuisine as well as a breath taking view of a volcano! (It is such a cool restaurant!)

It was a really nice day! Each day seems to be better than the last, and tomorrow will be no exception!

Students Have Arrived!

With the arrival of Kali this evening, its official, the gangs all here!

Today was an action packed day, beginning with a group orientation to Bali and then a full day adventure in Ubud as the group took part in a 4-hour scavenger hunt, a great way to learn more about Bali and each other!  Tomorrow will be another great day, beginning with a morning market tour, followed by a rice paddy walk, and so much more!

 

Welcome to Bali

We have arrived and we’re all super excited! We’ll update the blog with a full group photo soon.