Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

It is hard to begin remembering such an eventful Summer when a look at a picture of any one of our more than thirty participants brings back so many memories at once. We would go off in an air conditioned van and plug in an aux chord to someone’s phone and jam out on our way around the moats and traffic and gazillion temples of Chiang Mai. And we came back to dinners that were sometimes so spicy and squidy that most of us had to supplement them with creamy Jiff peanut butter sandwiches and we had deep dreams and sometimes very vocal demands for dinners entirely composed of french fries and Heinz Ketchup.

There are a lot of moments that stand out most of all: Our time at the Dukes where we couldn’t stand how full we were but kept on eating, that time that Hannah killed a snail (those times…many lives taken), that time we played “Honey I Love You” and Lee told Javin he loved him too convincingly and also that time that Lee picked Javin up by the torso during the Don’t Stop Believing performance and the Thai staff commented on Javin’s six-pack abs and re-watched the video of the performance to point out the abs to the other staff who missed it, when Caitlin named Javin “Javin the Savage” or “Jav the Sav” for short, and I told her she looked like a fox with freckles. That time that Lee danced to that French EDM song in the van and accidentally broke his AC unit, when Caitlin made Ryan an Instagram with a photo of him at the pool party with flowers in his hair (or rather tucked behind both ears, because his hair is gone), that time Kira looked like a young mother with her kids at Nimmit Asia and when she took a class solo when her team was sick, and when all of the girls—especially Kira and Caitlin and Hannah and I—cried our eyes out when we screened the movie Up at the hotel because it was just soooo beautiful! That time that Selin didn’t say that much and was adorable and cuddled best, and Katie was the only one who read voraciously at night in secret, and Sam sassed somebody, and we played so many slap card games and variations of Green Glass Door, and Andrew did hard work harder than the people around him and with a great spirit, and Jane freaked out at all the pigeons, Wa wore her hair in braids and looked seventeen, and Rut was just. always. there.

What an amazing time it was and thanks to everyone who was a part of it!

-Nicole

 

Memories from Ryan:

·         Jav da Sav

·         Cali the social media manager

·         Peyton’s fear of bugs

·         Sam playing soccer with all the kids

·         Ryan giving a double piggy back

·         Unleashing THE playlist

·         Brett Dennen! –Comeback kid

·         Cheering on Chiang Mai FC!

·         Fernanda developing an American accent in Thailand

·         Mentor Emely’s little slip

·         Ryan’s tear jerking acapella singing on departure day

·         Lee playing king of the hill at the reservoir

·         Dani’s epic hiding skills

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Summer Blog Posts

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Hi everyone! To all of the fantastic individuals that made up our first Thailand: Cultural Kaleidoscope group at the Tianna Home Base, we hope you are all doing well! It is a little crazy to realize three months have already flown by since we were fortunate enough to spend an incredibly memorable two weeks together in Chiang Mai. This ‘Time Capsule Letter’ is a great way to look back on the people we met, the places we saw, and the experiences we shared together. Hopefully all of you are able to think back to your time walking through one of the many temples we visited, or one of the classes you taught at Rongaor School or Pakoitai School, or the relationships you built with the local community, the Thai school children, and each other, and you are able to smile, laugh, and appreciate what a wild ride we had together in Thailand.

As you all probably know, your group was the first of the summer for our Tianna staff team, and we couldn’t have been happier with how great it turned out! We were incredibly fortunate to have such an interesting group of people that supported each other and got along so well from the very beginning of our time together. You guys were all awesome and it made the experience so much more rewarding to have been able to share it with so many other great people, and it made our job that much easier. That’s not to say everything was wonderful sunshine and rainbows all day, every day. There were mosquitos (lots of them); there were cold showers; there were upset stomachs and other various illnesses; there were schedule changes and long van rides and nightly curfew checks. But that’s all part of what makes traveling to new countries and experiencing new cultures such a rewarding experience: you never know exactly what you will get. It’s all about making the most of those experiences while you are there, and you guys all did a great job of embodying that.

GLA programs can be exciting, a little overwhelming, and a whole lot of fun, but one thing GLA hopes to stress is how the experiences you have while in Thailand, Ghana, Argentina or wherever else you may travel with GLA can be an opportunity to learn about a new culture, become more informed about how interconnected the world has become, and reflect on ways you can make a positive impact on the world around you. In addition to being an opportunity to travel and learn about what life is like in a different place and culture, a GLA trip can also be a valuable opportunity to grow and learn more about yourself, about your strengths and values, and about what motivates you to be the best person you can be. So as you make your way through your high school classes, or as you settle in to your new surroundings on a college campus, or wherever life takes you this fall, winter, and beyond, remember to think back to your experiences and the relationships you built last summer in Chiang Mai, to cherish them, and to use them as a part of what makes each of you unique. And then go out there and keep being awesome!

Before we wrap this up, here are a few of our favorite memories from Session 1:

At the airport: “Hi, my name is Astrid and I’m from Chicago.”
The chills we all received when Aria sang the national anthem for the first time in our meeting area – and every time after!
Dancing in the rain in our ponchos, taking photos, and being in the moment at Doi Suthep while everyone else was taking shelter
Everything about ROT SAAM!!!
Seeing all the students cheer and go wild, especially when they saw Sophia and Ahnna
Playing soccer or tag or playing on the little playground at Pakoitai School
The cupid shuffle!
Getting kissed by an elephant!
THE MUD FIGHT! — Instigated by sweet Ananya (of course)
‘Head shoulders knees and toes’ every day in Jack and Mackenzie’s classroom
Eating bugs with Chelsea, Olivia, and a few other brave souls
Singing/screaming in the vans and our incredibly patient van drivers allowing it
Root Beer floats
Tommy’s teary heartfelt good-byes
Cruising the Ping River in style and on a boat!
The greatest surprise Fourth of July firework show ever!!!

Finally, from all of us that had the pleasure of meeting you this past summer – P’ Aey, Orn, Prae, Ton, Kaitlyn, Chelsea, Kaye, and Keith – Thank you again for being such a great group and we wish you all the best in wherever your future takes you! We miss you and you are all superstars!!!

-Keith

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Summer Blog Posts

June 22, 2016 – Arrival Day!
Greetings from Chiang Mai, Thailand! After traveling from both near and far, all 31 of our students that were scheduled to arrive on June 22nd have arrived safely! It has been a long day of making trips to and from the airport, but after taking some time to settle in to Tianna Garden Village (our GLA Home Base and our home away from home for the next two weeks) students were given their first taste of local Thai food, including fried rice and some exotic Thai fruit before heading to their rooms for some much needed rest.

The GLA staff team at Tianna Home Base has been working hard preparing for the students’ arrival and trying to fine tune our schedule for the next couple weeks, and we are all very excited to have everyone here with us now. We will be going through an Orientation tomorrow morning after breakfast that will include an introduction to Thai culture, safety and security protocols, highlights of our service learning activities and adventure excursions, and a few other minor details (like staying hydrated in sunny Thailand!). After our orientation, we will be heading to the Sriri Panna Hotel for a lunch buffet full of more delicious Thai food, which should be a fantastic introduction to the culinary delights Thailand has to offer.

Also, a quick note: we have included a few pictures from our airport greetings, but three students are scheduled to arrive a day late on June 23rd and are not pictured. Newara Faltas, Erin O’Connor, and Jayden Kraizel will be arriving tomorrow afternoon and we will be sure to include their smiling faces in pictures from our next blog post tomorrow. We also want to reassure everyone that the first 31 students out of our group of 34 have in fact arrived and they are safe and sound, and we will be sure to post a full group picture with everyone pictured for tomorrow’s blog update as well.

We’ll be getting an early start tomorrow morning so we’ll wrap up this first blog post here. Future blog posts will be authored by our student leaders and will include pictures from our busy days as well so be sure to check back often for updates on all the amazing adventures we are having together in the Land of Smiles! As they say here in Thailand, Khob Khun Krap!

-Keith Wingeard (International Director)

 

Day 1 – It’s a Buddha-ful Country

Sa-wa-dee-kha! After a much needed rest, we started the day with breakfast next to the Ping River. We then headed to an orientation at the home base where we were immersed into the colorful world of Thai culture, etiquette, and language. We learned how important the tone and pronunciation of the language is (ex: “pa” can mean five different things) and how to properly behave out in the city.
Then we headed to Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Chiang Mun (two popular temples in Chiang Mai) to learn the key points of Buddhism and how to pray to Buddha correctly. At Wat Chedi Luang, we were lucky enough to be blessed by a monk. It was an amazing experience.
After exploring the temples, we were dropped off at the market where we taught about the ingredients that go into Pad Thai, green curry, and sticky rice and mango. We then were able to test our skills and make these dishes for ourselves and eat them! We were given a cookbook as well to be able to make these foods back at home.
We came back to the home base to cool down and split into our mentor groups where we discussed what we expected to get out of this trip on a deeper level. We will meet with these groups every night and talk about how we’re feeling for the day and get to know each other better.
It was a long first full day, but it was amazing to experience these things and we are all excited for all the amazing activities and experiences to come.

Authors: Kathryn Foster, Genevieve Duran, and Annia Ramos

June 24, 2016 

Today was unbe-weave-able *wink wink*

Sa-wah-dee-kha! Today was full of learning and adventure as promised. We started the day by going on a tour of Pakoitai and Rong Aor, the schools we will be teaching English in. All the Thai children were smiling from ear to ear and waved as we passed. Their inviting demeanors calmed any nerves we might have had, and now we can’t wait to begin teaching on Monday!
After the warm welcome from the Thai kiddies, we made our way to Kao Soi Lamduan, a restaurant owned and run by one of our lovely Thai staff member’s family, Pii Aey (“pii”, meaning ‘big brother’, because in Thailand, we are family). Our lunch consisted of eggrolls, Chicken Satay, and a type of noodle soup; the meal was yummy.
Following our meal, we piled in the GLA vans, and went to the Baan Mon Fai Thai culture center. The culture center was a representation of traditional Thai architecture and arts. We were shown, and later taught, a few time-honored Thai dances that may or may not have involved swords…sadly, we were not given any swords. Maybe next time J. After some freestyle, we were schooled in the art of bamboo weaving and made some interesting creations.
Back at the home base, we spent some time with our mentors and each other, who discussed with us what it means to be a leader and led a discussion on what we were looking forward to, and what we wish to get out of this experience.
It was a beautiful day spent with beautiful people and we are grateful to get to know each other in such a wonderful country! More experiences to be shared soon xoxo.

Authors: Erin O’Connor, Harnidh Singh, Aria Critchley
Date Written: June 24, 2016

June 25, 2016

Title: Today was a-lana-fun! *wink wink*

Sa-wah-dee-kha! In reference to our title, in translation, ‘Lanna’ means one million rice fields! Earlier in the program we learned about Lanna Kingdom and its culture. Today the GLA group was split into two groups, with one group visiting a village in the mountains, while the other group visited a large market. Each group enjoyed very unique experiences; the events throughout the day exposed the travelers to various cultural aspects.
As for the group that traveled to the small village, we were greeted by a 78-year-old woman, who had the warmest smile! The group that visited the market were surprised by the interesting new smells and sights.
Later in the day, the two groups were able to reunite and continue the day as a whole. We had the privilege of being able to walk around an umbrella factory, where we observed and learned about how umbrellas were made. After our tour, we were given the opportunity to paint our very own umbrella, with each final painting being as unique as each painter themselves.

Authors: Macy O’Rourke, Paige Busacker, Megan Ussery

June 26,2016

A “Thai” between City and Country

Deja-vu! Today the two groups flip-flopped! Half of us went to the Akha Community while the others visited very common markets and a mall in the city. Both places represented different, yet important aspects in the Thai culture.
In the Akha village we were greeted by some the friendliest people in all of South East Asia. We were fortunate enough to tour the inside of an actual home which helped us understand the way of life in the hillside of Thailand. After the tour around the village we were welcomed into our tour guide’s house for a delicious, home-cooked meal.
On the other side of Chiang Mai, we were enveloped in the aroma of Thai spices available at the market. We tried many traditional Thai snacks along with an authentic cuisine for lunch in the mall. We later shopped for the infamous elephant pants and various knickknacks to take home.
Between the Akha Village and the Chiang Mai markets, we were able to compare and contrast the lives of the city folk and the country residents. We then came back to home base to a pleasant pool party with fresh coconut drinks, fruit slices, and fun games. We wrapped up our day with fun and group bonding games that helped create a tie between Thai and American activities.

Authors: Ananya Murthy, Annia Ramos, Katherine O’Neal
Date Written: June 26, 2016

June 27, 2016

Title: A Doi To Remember

WOW! What a day! While Mondays tend to have a bad reputation, this fun-filled and adventurous day included our first attempts at teaching, a visit to Doi Suthep, and the beautiful Hmong Village. With many twists and turns in our schedule (and the road), we accomplished some of the best experiences of this trip so far!

We started off bright and early anxiously waiting to start our first lessons with our Thai students. We watched their school opening ceremonies and made our way to the classrooms. Here we were eagerly greeted by our new pupils who overly stress the “er” of Teacher (which is absolutely adorable). Many English lessons later we found ourselves running and playing with the students during their recess and we even learned some new Thai playground games! (You would be impressed with that these kids can do with a bunch of rubber bands).  We can’t wait to get to know the kids better and keep on teaching!

Next off we were on our way to Doi Suthep, a gorgeous golden temple built on very sacred grounds. This is one of the most important temples in Chiang Mai,   and you can get to it one of two ways. 1) The original hiking trail up the side of the mountain built by a Hermit Monk, which still exists from when the Temple was first created. Or 2) A more modern staircase consisting of exactly 365 steps. We took the second, and the number of steps is true, we counted. After conquering this mighty task we were cooled down by a down pour of rain! While this may have been a bummer for most, we all embraced the cool, wet, goodness, got absolutely soaked, and managed to get in some poncho pics with the temple without ruining our cameras (which may be more impressive than climbing the steps.) Luckily it cleared up quickly and we were on to our next adventure.

One twisty turny road later, we arrived at the Hmong Village, which is built up in the majestic mountains overlooking the most breathtaking scene you’ve ever seen in your life. Rows and rows of exotic plants and flowers blanketed the mountainside, as you followed up the path they lined, the sight of far off mountains with the sun shining over them came into view. We sat and admired for a very long time, though it could never be long enough no matter what amount of time we were given. At the very peak sat a little coffee shop completely open to the view; here we admired some more, enjoyed some Thai goodies, and tried to soak it all in. As the time came to depart our mentors had to basically drag us away because no one wanted to leave, but then they surprised us by taking us to yet another phenomenal view! The day came to a close reflecting as we gazed over the great city of Chiang Mai which now contains so many of our best memories. Eager to plan for school the next day, eat dinner, and rest our burning calves, we were on our way. Another amazing, successful day: Check!

Authors: Genevieve Duran, Astrid Weinstein, Jiawen Zhu

June 28, 2016

Title: We need “Muay” Time in Thailand

Today was our second day teaching in the schools, and we are beginning to feel more comfortable with our lesson plans and teaching as a whole. In the classes, we played games and sang songs to teach the kids English words in a fun and engaging way. The kids are really starting to understand our lessons and they love to learn.
After a long morning of teaching, we had the opportunity to relieve any stress in a Muay Thai Boxing class, taught at a very well-known boxing gym. Along with learning how to kick and punch properly, we got to witness Thai customs in the ring, like the ceremony that takes place before a round to honor the boxer’s teacher. It was nice to exercise and relieve any tension we might have from all of our other activities by diving even deeper into the Thai culture.

-Skylar Davey, Elle Summerfield, Kathryn Foster

Wednesday, June 29
Title: A ‘Massage’ from Thailand

Today was our third day teaching at the schools. It was really fun and we enjoyed playing and taking pictures with the children at recess. After we finished teaching at the schools, we split into two groups and went to either the art museum or had a Thai massage.
The art museum we went to was called Art in Paradise and it was located in downtown Chiang Mai. It featured many 3D paintings that were good for taking interactive, fun photos. One of the favorites was the upside down room. Another great part of the museum was a delicious coffee shop on the first floor. Many of us got fruit smoothies or delicious deserts. Meanwhile, the other group was at the Thai Massage place. Most experienced a one hour full body massage. Some people found it more relaxing than others, but we all enjoyed a nice hot tea at the end.
After the museum and the massage, we were very eager to eat at the western restaurant called Dukes. Although Thai food is amazing, many of us were craving our favorite American foods such as pizza, pasta, ribs and dessert. At Dukes we received around 10 courses of family styles dishes. We were all very full after dinner, but we still had time to shop around at the local night market. After an hour of looking around and buying beautiful bracelets, post cards, and gifts for our family members, we headed back to get a good nights rest at Tianna Garden. Overall it was a very eventful and exciting day.

Authors: Jackie Connors, Anya Nutakki, Divya Narayanan

June 30
Title: Thai School Musical

Today was our last official day of teaching. The classes consisted of dance parties, arm wrestling, origami, and many other games. The best part of teaching is not only the fact that we are able to spend time with the children but also being able to see the progress the kids made in learning English after a few days. By the end of our teaching both us and the children learned a lot from each other. While the kids did make progress in learning English, we learned that even though we may not be able to communicate, a smile can go a long way.
After a long day of teaching we had the once in a lifetime opportunity to see a Thai high school. The high school gave us the opportunity to talk to kids our own age and begin to comprehend what going to high school in Thailand would be like. The things that we experienced at the cultural exchange included watching a traditional Thai dance. In exchange we were able to teach them a little bit of American culture by showing them the Cupid Shuffle. We are very grateful for the opportunity and can’t wait to see what else we have left to experience in Thailand!

Authors: Olivia Urich, Tommy Donavon, Jack Kyle

July 1

Title: Thai English Camp

Today we ran an English Camp at both the schools for the entire day. It was our official last day with all the kids and everyone was very emotional. We had different stations at each school including song and dance, food, sports, and carnival games. The kids had so much fun and it was amazing to see how much we had taught them in the past week. The day ended with a goodbye ceremony from both the schools and we were so glad to see how much they appreciated our service. We were presented with certificates of appreciation and given presents showing their gratitude. All the hours of stressful lesson planning and teaching was worth it when we saw the smiles on the kids’ faces.
The goodbye was difficult for both us and the kids. As we stood outside the school for the last time we were overwhelmed by the love of the kids shown by hugs and handwritten love letters. We were so grateful to have had the opportunity to make such a huge difference in the lives of all these kids. Although it was a sad goodbye, we will always remember the time we spent with them and the impact they made on us.

Authors: Aamani Ponnekanti, Sophia Bersani, and Ethan Bakal

July 2

Title: Zip Zip Hooray! It Was A Wonderful Day

Tunten – meaning adrenaline in Thai – perfectly describes our day today. We all experienced the greatest thrill of our stay here in Thailand today in the form of a zip lining adventure, as a reward for our 5 hard days of community service at the schools. After a long bus ride, we made it to mountains of northern Chiang Mai, and split into 3 groups to begin our journey. The course was composed of 35 separate obstacles and zip lines, each more exhilarating than the last. The Thai instructors entertained us with practical jokes while guiding us along the course. Our zip lining experience ended with a dramatic vertical drop of around 40 m (131 feet).
After lunch and refreshing ice cream, we proceeded to a grassy area near a beautiful waterfall to plant trees. We got down and dirty as we each planted a small sapling, and contributed to the welfare of the environment in our own way. Worn out from zip lining and planting, we were all relieved to finally be able to relax at home base with a rare 2 hour nap. Concluding a joyous day we reflect on the memories we created and how even though some of us were nervous or afraid, we all managed to conquer our fears and thoroughly enjoy our day. As Oprah Winfrey stated, “The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.”

Authors: Erika Pe, Tony Carver, Kathy Zhang

July 3

Title: Let’s address the elephant in the room

Wow! What a day. Our group started the day ready for the much anticipated elephant day and the elephant camp. After listening to an orientation slide show focusing on elephant facts and commands, we headed out to meet our elephants. There were 13 elephants, so we got lots of one on one time with the animals. We hiked up a beautiful lush jungle mountain to lunch and the mud pit, where we got to bathe a few of the elephants. Lunch was Pad Thai and a dessert of Sticky Rice, served on banana leaves. After the delicious food, we had a mud bath/fight. It was so much fun! The animals loved it. Then we trekked back down the mountain and made it to the Ping River. We all had a nice swim. We got to ride the elephants backs and trunks. What an incredible experience, and the best part of the trip so far!
Next, we got to go to the Sunday night walking street, a busy market. There we got to buy dinner and go shopping!!! We bought our final gifts and souvenirs. Overall it was such an exciting and fantastic day. Such an awesome place and culture.

Authors: Ahnna Richmond, Newara Faltas, Maddy Sargent

 

 

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Mambo!!!!!

I cannot believe that I am back in the United States after spending an AMAZING summer in Tanzania with Global Leadership Adventures! I am now into the routine of work and school here and I hope that all of you are fully immersed and enjoying your next adventure whether that be another year of high school or your first year in college.

Every day I was amazed at how well you bonded with each other and fully immersed yourselves into the program.  I will not forgot the times spent doing service, debating during discussions, relaxing at the home base, and adventuring on safari.

I want to take this opportunity to once again express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for everyone who worked at and participated in the GLA Tanzania Moshi program this summer.  All of you took an incredibly brave step by traveling halfway around the world to a foreign country to experience a different culture with strangers who turned into friends and you all succeeded in fully immersing yourselves into the GLA experience.  Most importantly, all of the hard work that you did for the students at Himo and Korona has had a positive impact on their lives.  I hope the GLA experience has been life changing for you as well and that your experiences in Tanzania continues to positively impact your life as you continue to grow both as individuals and future leaders.

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Summer Blog Posts

July 19, 2016

Today was our first full day spent in Tanzania. We all woke up at crazy times in the middle of the night because of time change. We had a delicious breakfast and then spent the morning going over things to know for the rest for the trip. Also, we had a short Swahili lesson to learn some of the basics for the trip. After lunch, we went into the town to the local market. Most of us bought fabric for the tailor to make different things for us with. There were tons of different and cool patterns to choose from and it was awesome to see the locals around the market. Some of us got to try the roasted corn, which we decided to compare to popcorn on a cob? It was delicious. After shopping, we headed back to the home base and had an educational speaker talk to us about the history of Tanzania and the educational systems here. Being educated a little more about the country has helped us all to have better idea of how to have a lasting impact on people here. We then had dinner and watched some videos on volunteering abroad. We are all very tired and ready to go to bed and have another amazing day tomorrow.

-Rachel Longust (PS HBD MOM!!!!)

July 20, 2016

Today was an extremely eye opening day. We started the day with a local tailor visiting us at our home base. We brought out the cloth we purchased the day before at the shops, and after we chose what articles of clothing we wanted to have made, he took our measurements and notes for our clothes while the rest of us studied and discussed multiple topics. We were split into groups of three and each got a different article to read and discuss. We then had a large group discussion on each talking about voluntourism and orphanage tourism. These were extremely eye opening topics that made us all think about the organizations we had volunteered for in the past and the service work we have done. We then met our host families who took us to their homes and showed us their village and introduced us to their families. This was extremely eye opening and I know I personally realized how materialistic the USA is and how much constant stimulation we as a generation and country need to stay entertained. Most groups ventured through local markets and explored the banks of a near by river. Several of us saw monkeys and other wildlife. We all returned before dinner and talked all about our experiences with our host families. After dinner we discussed the controversial topic of female genital cutting. Everyone was very engaged as workshops and discussions like this help us better understand the culture we are surrounded by.

Joey and Sean

21st July 2016

We began the day by visiting the school we will be working in this
following week. The school was roughly an hour away and we took the
bus to get there. The headmistress welcomed us and explained the
history and structure of the school. We were also shown the classrooms
that we are going to repaint and fix, they were significantly run
down, making us realize the challenge we are going to face. The
students were extremely excited to see us and after seeing the
contribution that past GLA students have made to the school, such as
planting trees, we could understand why.

In the afternoon we were divided into two groups. One group went to a
local batic workshop, where we made our own batic painting in that
style. It was an extremely long process that took over two hours to
complete. The results were pleasing and everyone enjoyed the
experience, as it really made us familiar with the Tanzanian culture.
Meanwhile, the other group stayed in the home base where a guest
speaker came to talk about female genital mutation. He was the
coordinator of NAFGM, the Tanzanian organization that is fighting for
human rights and encouraging tribes to stop the practice.

– Noa and Virginia

Friday, July 22

Today was another great day. We woke up at 7 and had breakfast. After breakfast we drove 45 minutes to the school. We each went into different classrooms and taught the students an English lesson for an hour. When we finished teaching we had half an hour to play with the kids at recess. They taught us all of the games they play and we had a lot of fun! Afterwards, we began sanding the classrooms to prepare to paint. We went back to the home base to eat lunch and shower, then we drove to another market and to the Internet cafe. The wifi didn’t work as well as we had hoped, but we got some milkshakes and pizza and we were on our way. We came home and had dinner then began prepping for our safari. We were in bed pretty early because we had to get up at 6 on Saturday. Such an amazing day with lots of great memories to take back home.

Meg & Katie

Safari weekend July 23 & 24

SAFARI WEEKEND! We woke up really early Saturday morning to begin our unforgettable adventure. There was a lot of driving to get there, but it was definitely worth it! Around noon, we arrived at Terengire National Park. The weather was amazing and we were able to see a large variety of animals. Elephants were so close to our jeeps, we could see every wrinkle it had. Saturday night, we stayed at a hostel. After an eventful night that included showers flooding rooms and the expected power outages, we woke up at 5:00 am to begin our second safari trip of the weekend. We went to Ngorongoro Crater, which was absolutely unbelievable. There were many breathtaking views and unforgettable moments that we made sure to capture with our cameras. In all, we saw cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, gazelles, flamingos, a rhino, hippos, and lions. We also learned a lot about the wildlife and local culture. We will definitely never forget this safari weekend!

-Moira, Gwen & Nicole

July 26, 2016

Today was an insightful and productive day. We woke up at 7 to shower, get ready, and eat breakfast before heading to school. We revised our lesson plans the night before to cater to the needs of what the teachers asked of us and what they want the students to learn. Due to the extensive lesson planning the night before, we found that the period went by smother and time was spent more efficiently. The students seemed to be more comfortable with talking and were more responsive. After our class, we get a 30 minute recess with all of the students. When I say all, I truly mean all 637 of them. While it can be overwhelming at times, nothing beats the feeling of hundreds of little kids wanting to hold your hand and talk to you. Usually after recess we all hop back on the bus and change into our work clothes to paint the school but today the staff and mentors decided to head back home and do a group bonding activity. We arrived back at the home base with an hour and a half until lunch time. We all sat as a big group and each received two sheets of paper. On one of them we wrote something positive about our experience thus far and something we like about the dynamic of our group. On the other, we wrote something that we could work to improve on either as a group or the program as a whole. We all had lots of positive things to say considering this trip has been absolutely amazing. However, there was a big frustration among the group regarding a lack of the community service aspect to the program. We all felt that we could do more with our time here and wanted to take more initiative and take a step further with helping the community more. After giving our feedback, our leaders and mentors met together to devise a plan that would be a best fit for everyone. They saw where we were coming from, appreciated our honesty, and took the actions necessary to help make our time here in Africa the most useful. They took out some other activities such as shopping to make room for more community service such as helping the local womens group. We are all excited to see how the rest of the week plays out. After the much needed discussion, we had an amazing lunch courtesy of our awesome kitchen staff. After lunch we split into two groups. My group stayed at the home base and listened to a guest speaker, a representative from NAFGM who talked about the pressing issue of female genital mutilation and how it affects a larger part of the world than we thought. The presentation was extremely educational and we learned a lot about how this issue impacts women across the world, including America. After this, we headed to the local orphanage just a 10 minute walk from our home base. We brought a gift of sugar and listened as Mama Faraji told us her story and the story of the orphanage. She then gave us a tour as we waited for the children to arrive back from school. The orphanage currently has 96 children. 36 of them stay at the home base we visited and some stay at the other home base or are away at boarding school. It was quite a small space and it was amazing to see how they were able to work with what they had and fit all of the kids in there. We got to play kick ball and soccer with some of the kids before we had to leave for dinner. The children were so energetic and full of life and it was so humbling to witness all of it. After dinner, we all met for a workshop and discussed the danger of stereotyping and the damage it can cause. We talked about what our thoughts of Africa were before we actually saw it for ourselves and how those thoughts came to us. We then expressed our thoughts about Africa after what we’ve seen so far. A lot of what we expressed second didn’t match up with our first impressions. I think it’s important to not judge a place or a culture before you’ve been there to witness it; especially a Continent like Africa, which does in fact have 54 countries. While Africa is full and heavy with culture, different places harbor different kinds. We then talked about the importance of not falling into the “white savior” mind set and thinking that everyone here needs saving. We are here to work with them and build beside them, not to save them. We are just a puzzle piece in the bigger picture that is helping to build up this developing world. We aren’t “saving” anyone, especially over night. I think this was a much needed lesson and discussion. After this, we received an educational presentation about the native tribal group known as the Maasai from our leader Allison. This was super educational and insightful to some of the native culture. Finally after a long and action packed day, we called it a night and got dressed for bed. Each day we continue to learn more and more as we lend our helping hands out to the community. It’s a give and take. As we help by teaching and painting classrooms, we receive a cultural experience and another place to call home. To me and to everyone on this trip, that’s something we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. Words can’t express all of our gratitude to all of our parents, grandparents, or to anyone who made it possible for us to come on this trip. We love and miss you all.
– Jaylene Sperry

 

July 26

Today we woke up at 7am, we had breakfast and we left for Himo and Korona primary schools. We taught English for 45mins. We then as usual participated with the student’s recess. After this, we started to paint two classes, the windows were painted in light blue and the walls in yellow. When we came back at the home base, we had lunch, it was delicious like always. We ate rice with vegetables and beef. We started our afternoon by a leadership activity in a field. The aim of this activity was to learn about the different types of leaders. After answering several questions all of us found out which type of leader we were. Then we went to the market and did a scavenger hunt. We had to find different items on a list such as sweet potatoes or coconuts which were written in Swahili. After dinner we watched a film on albino people in Tanzania. We learned that Albinos population was very high for Tanzania 1 for 14 000, compared to the usual rate 1 for 20 000 in the world. Albinos are murdered for their body parts and blood. It is used by witchcraft to cure people or by fishermen in their nets for good luck. Their body parts are believed to bring people good fortune, usually by consuming them. This issue was for all of us completely unknown. After this film, we planned our lesson for next day.

Wednesday, July 26

Today we woke up early, had breakfast and headed to the school. When we arrived, we all went to our classrooms to teach our English lessons to the students. Since it was the fourth day of teaching, all the kids were getting a lot more comfortable participating in class and answering our questions. After teaching, we played with the kids during recess. The girls love to teach us their playground games and songs and the boys love to run around and play soccer. After recess was over and the kids gave us big goodbye hugs, they had to go back to class while we headed to the classrooms we have been working on restoring. It was our second day of painting, and the classrooms are already looking a lot better. It was very exciting to see this progress! After painting the classrooms and picking up trash outside the school (“beautifying the campus”), we headed back to the compound. We were delighted with the sight of burgers and fries for lunch. After lunch and some free time, we drove to a nearby hotel, drank sodas, and ate some barbecue while we listened to Mama Simba’s amazing life story and her advice to us as leaders. We left this informal talk feeling not only impressed by Mama Simba’s journey, but also inspired to be strong leaders ourselves. After, we went to a field where the Kilimanjaro Wizards, a local and traditional dance group, performed for us. They played instruments like drums, danced, and sang their traditional songs. They even pulled us students up in front of the circle to try to dance like them. Needless to say, we were not as talented dancers as they were and we all looked a little silly, but it was an experience none of us will forget. After, we walked back to the home base and had dinner. We had some free time before Sarah gave us a gender empowerment seminar and inspired us with statistics, videos, and her own personal stories. We also touched on Microfinancing and watched a Vice Haiti video about government aid (USAID) during this talk. To end the night we lesson planned for teaching in the schools the next day, had some more free time, and went to bed. Another great day in Tanzania!

-Halle Mogk, Rachel Longust, & Virginia Schaus

Thursday, July 28

On Thursday, July 28th, it was Rachel’s Birthday! We woke up at 6:50
and woke up everyone by screaming wake up and turning on the lights in
each room. We ate breakfast and then left for the school. We took the
bus ride to the Himo-Corona School where we all divided up into our
teaching groups and taught a variety of lessons including time, letter
writing and prepositions. After we taught, we had recess with all the
kids where we were shocked to see a little boy holding a bottle with a
mouse on a leash inside. It was frightening and disgusting. On the
contrary, we played a game of soccer, played hand games, sang songs
and ran races. After recess we went to the classrooms that we were
working on and painted the bottom border black and finished painting
the windows blue. We also picked up trash around the school and play
area. We went back to the home base where we ate lunch and then we
went to the Moshi Primary Lunch where we visited the special education
classroom. In the classroom the ages ranged from 5 years old to 35
years old. We listened to the head teacher where she talked about the
special education program in their school and also programs in
Tanzania. After that we went to the coffee planation where we picked
red berries, grinded them, mashed them and then roasted them to make
coffee beans. Everyone enjoyed the end product of delicious coffee.
While people were drinking on their coffee, some people went and
danced with the women dancers who preformed for us multiple times.
After dinner, we surprised Rachel with a birthday cake and we also
sang her Happy Birthday along with the staff. Our workshop of the
night was about the AIDS/HIV epidemic not only in Tanzania but all
over the world. At the end of the night everyone went outside and
watched the stars and some people even saw the shooting star!

Allie and Danielle

Friday, July 29th

We started our morning with our heartwarming final words to tell our students. The school appreciated our time with their wonderful speeches. To finalize our service, we completed the making of our classrooms and cleared away as much litter around the campus possible. Upon our return to the home base, we received our rad gifts from the seamstress and the majority of GLA students got their ever so fabulous corn rows. Later, we shared unforgettable memories with the students from the Moshi Secondary School. The true bae, Mama Simba gave her final goodbye. We then ended the night with our workshop on the underrated ways of being a leader as well as being a follower, and the mentors discussed reverse culture shock and different ways to utilize our newly gained insight on the world for good.

❤️Amanda and Lance

Saturday, July 30

Today we went to Mount Kilimanjaro, and took a hike in its foothills. Everyone had been looking forward to this day for the past week. Upon arrival we were given a set of rules to make the hike successful and safe. We divided into two groups, as not everyone was able to complete the full hike. The hike was about three hours long and extremely beautiful. We had the opportunity to stop at three waterfalls, enjoy the scenery, and take photos. We also had the chance to interact with some local people who live around the mountain on the hike. They were playing with chameleons and allowed us to hold them. Shortly after interacting with the locals we took a detour to visit one of the local staff member, Novellia’s house. We then walked to one of the entrances of the mountain, where we ate lunch, met up with the other group, and learned about some of the paths you could take while hiking.
Due to certain circumstances, some of the students could not participate on the hike. The staff brought those students to a Chugga tribe museum to learn about how they lived. Then, they visited a blacksmith and got to see how all of the tools and weapons were made for the village. The group then met up with the hikers for lunch.
After arriving back at the compound our host families came to say goodbye. Some students went back to their host families house where they were given gifts and farewell hugs. Others decided to stay at the compound and thank their host families for their generosity. All the host families were eager to wish us safe travels, and the GLA students were very appreciative to have been welcomed into their homes.
Later that night we had a goodbye bonfire. We all gathered around the fire and went over our highs and lows of the trip, laughing and reminiscing about the memories we’d all shared these past two weeks. Following that we went around complimenting one person who’d made the trip better for us, or someone we really enjoyed having on the trip. This slowly transformed into everyone talking about the trip in general, and enjoying our last night together while stargazing before bed.

-Lia, Sabrina, & Haley

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Mambo!!!!!

I cannot believe that I am back in the United States after spending an AMAZING summer in Tanzania with Global Leadership Adventures! I am now into the routine of work and school here and I hope that all of you are fully immersed and enjoying your next adventure whether that be another year of high school or your first year in college.

Every day I was amazed at how well you bonded with each other and fully immersed yourselves into the program.  I will not forgot the times spent doing service, debating during discussions, relaxing at the home base, and adventuring on safari.

I want to take this opportunity to once again express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for everyone who worked at and participated in the GLA Tanzania Moshi program this summer.  All of you took an incredibly brave step by traveling halfway around the world to a foreign country to experience a different culture with strangers who turned into friends and you all succeeded in fully immersing yourselves into the GLA experience.  Most importantly, all of the hard work that you did for the students at Himo and Korona has had a positive impact on their lives.  I hope the GLA experience has been life changing for you as well and that your experiences in Tanzania continues to positively impact your life as you continue to grow both as individuals and future leaders.

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Summer Blog Posts

Thursday, August 4th

As my small GLA group of six walked through the markets of Moshi, I felt the eyes of locals around me observing intently as we arrived safely back to our bus. As someone who has never left the United States before, it’s safe to say that I was overwhelmed by the differences of almost everything, right down to the rocky soil beneath my feet. Schoolchildren, women, men — every single person I saw appeared so content. Today I learned that, although I know only a few Swahili words, smiling and kindness are universal languages. I learned that here, everyone is family. There are families that call this beautiful country their home who are surviving on less than one dollar every single day. Yet there’s a sense of gratefulness that resonates in a way I have never seen before.
Our color of skin may be different and we may not speak the same words, but I’ve come to realize that those things don’t quite matter when it comes down to it. We’re all human beings. We’re all a part of a family, whether it be blood relatives or love and kindness shown by those we are lucky enough to have met and shared a piece of our stories with. I’m beyond excited for the remaining time we have left here in Tanzania, and I am so grateful for all of those who have welcomed us with open minds and arms.

Caitlyn G.

Friday, August 5

Today we had the chance to use the fabric we purchased at the market yesterday. After breakfast we had Evarristi, the Taylor visit the compound to hem and sew our fabric into various clothes and bags. After everyone had their objects made we took an introductory visit to the local school. We got to meet many of the children during their break and took a tour of the building. We met many of the wonderfully friendly staff and had an introduction to our lesson planning schedules. Later in the day we had lunch with local host families. We got to know one another as we ate and were invited back to our host familly’s homes. We were introduced to relatives and neighbors and shown local points of interest. After a few hours we returned to the home base and reflected on what we learned before going to bed.

-Eric orange

Saturday, August 6

Today we woke up to a wonderful breakfast that included a Tanzanian style french toast. Following breakfast we visited a local orphanage. The orphanage has close connections with Mama Simba and Agape here at the home base. At the orphanage we learned how to hand wash clothing with the older children, and after played lots of games with the younger children. As orphanage tourism is a very large problem, GLA has made sure that we are not buying into that business, and that all the work done it help the children. We learned local games the children played, and were astonished by their excellent English. Later in the afternoon we drove to a Batik painting studio, and along with a fair amount of help made our own beautiful paintings. Wax and dye are primarily used to create these masterpieces. After coming home, we had our first venture to a very small local stand that sold candies, cookies, and drinks. For dinner we ate fried fish; a local corn dish that looks that mashed potatoes, but did not taste like them; and vegetables. To finish up the day we had a long leadership workshop continuing to discuss the dangers of stereotypes, the single story, service learning, and the white savior complex. All in all we had a great day.

– Emma Jaeger and Izzy Licata

Sunday, August 7

We began the day with a delicious breakfast made by Mama Dee. Differently from other days we began the day with a mini-workshop: teach me how to teach. Then after that we had another mini-workshop about voluntourism and corrupt orphanages. It was hard to hear the truth about how managers fill their orphanages with kids who have parents, but it helps us focus in on an organization before we commit to it. In the afternoon we went to three different markets: one that was new and industrial, one that was outdoors and artsy, and Africa’s version of Walmart. We filled up our carts with special snacks and drinks that I am sure will be gone quickly. In addition finally got our first wifi connection in five days at an Internet cafe where everyone was trying to check all of their social media sites as quick as possible because of the thirty minute time slot we paid for. This was our first meal outside of the home base and we ordered as much American food as possible. Pizzas, milkshakes, and French fries filled the table. After we all overfilled our stomachs, we headed back to home base and heard Mama Simba’s inspiring, empowering story about where she got to where she is today. It was a long day, but we all still did our ritual gathering at the gazebo to conclude the night.

Julia and Summer

Monday, August 8

Who knew teaching could be so hard?
Today we had our first day of teaching and although only a portion of the children came in because of the National Holiday it was still a struggle. The barrier of different languages is the hardest obstacle but seeing how eager the children are to learn is awe inspiring. I think finding a common ground with the students is the best way to go. Their happiness is contagious and if you look around everyone is smiling.

We began the prep for the re-vamp of the two classrooms. Sanding down the walls helped show us how privileged we are with the classrooms we learn in back home. I think all our arms developed an extra layer of muscle from that.

In a market, westerners are often charged a major inflated price, so today we learnt how to haggle and bargain with the best of them. It became a sort of competition, with different teams seeing how low they could get the price… Our team definitely won!

Good coffee is often something we take for granted, this afternoon we visited a coffee farm where we saw the entire process of making a cup of coffee. Firstly, you pick the berries, then you peel of the skins and dry the beans. Then you grind the beans to rid the second layer of skins. Roast them to perfection and grind them down to a powder and voila, the best cup of coffee we’ve ever tasted.

All round the day was very successful and again we got closer to the family we made here in Tanzania. We learnt a lot about ourselves today with our first day of teaching, they say it gets easier but I guess we’ll have to wait and see…

Tiffany and Alex

Tuesday, August 9th

We started our day off with a delicious breakfast full of mendazis and eggs to sustain us for teaching the children. By 8:00, we were on our way to the primary schools for an educational morning. We arrived and got straight to teaching in our classrooms with a class double the size of yesterday’s class. We picked up our lesson on “everyday” tense and “yesterday” tense, which our bright students grasped very easily and fairly quickly. A shocking part of teaching was that the teacher was actually asking us questions about English as we were teaching. This portrayed that the teacher was not completely sure what she was teaching and whether things had proper grammar or not. This makes learning the language more difficult on the students, especially if they are taught wrong because there is no one knowledgeable enough to correct them. After class, we began to paint the ceilings of two classrooms. Needless to say, as inexperienced painters, we had paint splattering all over us as the wet paint was applied and gravity did its job from there.
On our way home, it was finally clear enough out to see the massive Mount. Kilimanjaro. When we arrived back at our home base, we had some guest speakers who were people living with AIDS. They seemed to be damaged souls who were alienated by their community and family due to the social stigma. Only those who are educated enough to understand the effects of the disease, such as Mama Simba, were kind enough to take them in. At the end, they all said they are not praying to become healthier, but rather, they are praying to die. I could not even fathom myself or another praying for death; it is upsetting to think that they are so damaged to the point of no healing. To sum up this exchange of perspectives, it was truly eye opening and everyone felt empathetic towards them because their stories usually did not have happy endings. After the speakers, we had the opportunity to visit and meet students at a secondary school in the village. Most of the students whom we had the chance to interact with were 16 and 17 year olds. I found this cultural exchange to help me have a more global perspective.
Later, we had a workshop on female genital cutting, or you may know it as “genital mutilation” (FGM for short). We were introduced to the topic of FGMs, before receiving a talk the next day by an activist group, called NaFGM. One of our mentors, Ashley, told us to take everything with a grain of salt because the activist group would be giving us a biased view. After a long and tiring day, we all headed to bed with tired hearts, eager to start the next day of teaching and adventure.

Wednesday, August 10

Today was the third time we visited the school. The initially awe we felt consequently wore off, but the feeling of doing good was still there. It’s great to know that you’re making a impact on another’s life, even if it’s the smallest amount because the same way you effected them, they will effect another and so on.

Today was the first day we painted the two classrooms. Paint wars are not a good idea when the paint stains. After finishing up painting the classrooms, we headed back to the home base to enjoy lunch made by Mama D. We then had a Nafga speaker come in and inform us about the cultural differences on female cutting. After an eye opening discussion we were uplifted by going to the local soccer field and entertained by the Kilimanjaro Wizards. And let me just say its not anything like watching “dancing with the stars”. After we had dinner and joined in on a great workshop. During the workshop we discussed the issues The Albino community is facing in Africa. It was a very touching presentation which touched everyone of us. We then went over our lesson plans for the next day. Afterwards we had an hour of free time before we have to be in our rooms at 9:30.

-Josh & Brigitte

 

August 11

Morning call at 7 am. Woohoo! Breakfast was served at approximately 7:30 am… It was delicious. After eating we showered and prepared ourselves for another teaching lesson with the younglings, education is key. Forty minutes passed, and we walked over to the dirt field to play with the kids during their recess. After that, we walked over to the schools to continue the manual labor of painting the second layer on the walls and windows frames. All sweaty and painty we headed back to base to enjoy another tasty lunch. Tummies full we loaded up the bus and headed out to the supermarket to purchase snacks for the safari and shop for any souvenirs for the fam we all miss back home. Shopping bags in hand we Skrt’d to the Internet cafe to keep up with life back home via our drama boxes (phones). The food was amazinggg! I had a personal pizza, bagel with cream cheese & soda float. YUM!

Stomachs satisfied we drove back to base, unloaded our fresh goods and walked over to the orphanage to play games and say goodbye 🙁 it was had but everybody left with a smile. The staff and kids there are truly special and will forever have a place in all our hearts. The kitchen staff cooked up another great meal for us. Sarah then lead an amazing presentation about gender empowerment which ended around 8:10 which gave us an hour and twenty minute of free time which we spent star gazing, laughing, and sharing stories about life back home. Another great day full of unforgettable experiences!

Tristan Gravelle and Abby McAuliffe

 

August 12

Today was our last day of teaching classes at the primary school and painting the classrooms. It was a bittersweet goodbye; all of the GLA students agreed that we had seen progress and growth in our students and in ourselves. Although our interactions were short and sweet, they will never be forgotten.

We also had the seamstress and the hair-braider come to the home base. People got their clothing items back (that we had been measured for the week prior) and hair braided (some were hilarious! **eric**).

To finish the day off we had an impressive speaker come talk to us at the home base. The men’s names were John and Lucas. John lost his right arm and leg in a train accident over 20 years ago. Since then he has overcome many obstacles and accepted that “everything happens for a reason”. John and Lucas had just climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, an impressive accomplishment for anyone, let alone someone with one arm and one leg. John and Lucas’s story and perspective on life inspired us all and we are grateful to have met such amazing people devoted to a life of service!
– Mayah and Molly 🙂

 

August 13 & 14

Saturday morning we had an early wake up for the start to our safari weekend. Once we entered our safari cars each group began to feel the excitement for what was about to be an amazing day. At the safari park we quickly noticed a rare sight, a lion killing a wildebeest. As more and more safari cars gathered, everyone started to watch many younger female lions come over to join their mother in eating the wildebeest. We were very fortunate to see lions making a kill because it’s not something most people see. Following the lions eating the wildebeest, we moved into the rest of the park and saw many other animals; zebras, elephants, wildebeests, birds, and lots of others. It was a successful day for GLA in the safari park. We all drove to the hostel after the safari and met with our roommates and made ourselves comfortable in the little hotel in the mountains.

Sunday the safari car groups were changed up, so that everyone could have a chance to be with their friends as well as make new friends. We drove to the Ngorongoro crater which is actually a volcano that collapsed in on itself. It felt like we were in an alternate universe. The horizon seemed to go on for eternity. Although we were not able to find a leopard for Ashley we did see zebras, hippos, birds, buffalo, wildebeest, and elephants. Everyone loved how the roofs of the safari cars popped up, and that we could stand on our seats and enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view. The car rides were filled with laughs, jokes, intense debates, and bonding experiences along with a few naps. It was a packed day and after about 6 hours of driving home we were all ready for bed.

Izzy & Emma

 

August 15

Today is August 15th and it is the second to last day of our trip. We woke up in the early morning and drove an hour and a half to hike the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro. We were all incredibly excited to hike the roof of Africa, although it definitely was not an easy task for many of us. However, with the newfound inspiration from our new friend, John, we continued on despite the challenges. The guides led us to see several waterfalls, before we stopped at one for lunch. Some of us went swimming in the waterfall, but only for a short period of time because the water was icy cold. After that, we went to one final waterfall before heading back to the starting point. All of us were exhausted from the hike, but we were so glad for the much-needed exercise and to have been able to see one of Africa’s most breathtaking landscapes.

When we arrived back at the home base, we met with our host families for one last time before saying our final goodbyes. We spent some time talking to them and getting to know them a bit more. Some host families brought their children along with them, which we were happy about because we got to play with them some more. Soon enough, it was time for them to leave. It was a bittersweet moment when we said our last farewells.

Since today was the last time we would be having dinner in Tanzania, Momma D cooked up a real, big feast for us all. We had all sorts of BBQ’d meats, such as pork, chicken, and beef kabobs. There was also French fries and garlic bread, something everyone missed eating. We stuffed ourselves until our stomachs were full and couldn’t take any more food. It also happened to be the evening before Carly’s 17th birthday, so we had a surprise party for her, and celebrated with birthday cake and signed cards.

Of course, our last night here couldn’t be complete without everyone gathered around a bonfire. We sat around the bonfire, talking about our high’s and low’s of the trip and what enjoyed most. After, we told each other how much we appreciated everyone on the trip, which made us all feel warm and fuzzy inside.

It was an incredible last night in Tanzania, one that I’m sure many of us will remember for years to come. The next time we sit at a bonfire with our friends, we’ll be able to tell stories about all the wonderful experiences we had in Tanzania.

-Joey & Jenna

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Mambo!!!!!

I cannot believe that I am back in the United States after spending an AMAZING summer in Tanzania with Global Leadership Adventures! I am now into the routine of work and school here and I hope that all of you are fully immersed and enjoying your next adventure whether that be another year of high school or your first year in college.

Every day I was amazed at how well you bonded with each other and fully immersed yourselves into the program.  I will not forgot the times spent doing service, debating during discussions, relaxing at the home base, and adventuring on safari.

I want to take this opportunity to once again express my heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for everyone who worked at and participated in the GLA Tanzania Moshi program this summer.  All of you took an incredibly brave step by traveling halfway around the world to a foreign country to experience a different culture with strangers who turned into friends and you all succeeded in fully immersing yourselves into the GLA experience.  Most importantly, all of the hard work that you did for the students at Himo and Korona has had a positive impact on their lives.  I hope the GLA experience has been life changing for you as well and that your experiences in Tanzania continues to positively impact your life as you continue to grow both as individuals and future leaders.

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Summer Blog Posts

Hello from Moshi! After many hours of flying and travel our students arrived safe and sound to Tanzania! With smiles on their faces and excitement in their eyes, the group took on their first full day here.

We started out our first morning with some games and getting to know each other. While shaking off the jetlag after breakfast, the mentors gave an orientation session and we had our first Swahili lesson.

In the afternoon, after an amazing lunch of fried chicken, we loaded up our bus and headed to the market to exchange money, shop for fabrics and gifts and see the local market place. The students were able to see what daily life was like here and even got to practice some of their Swahili!

Once back at the base, we had our lesson on the history of education and the education system here in Tanzania. The students were able to share ideas and stories about how their own education systems work.

We ended our day with dinner and an open discussion on our expectations, goals, and feelings about the rest of the trip. When we finally looked at the clock it was time to head to bed. As someone mentioned, time flies when you’re having fun! Everyone is so excited to see what the next few weeks has in store for them!

Until next time!

– GLA Team Moshi

July 4, 2016

Today was our first day going to the two schools, but it was only for orientation. After a forty five minute drive we got to there. A few kids watched as we arrived, some looking skeptical and some looking excited to see us. We introduced ourselves to the teachers, trying our best to speak in Swahili as we said our name (jina lako ni …..) and where we were from (nimetoka ….).We learned that in the entire school there are around 600 students in the entire school and seven classrooms. We then went to each classroom to introduce ourselves to the students. When we left one of the classrooms the students crowded in the front of the classroom to try to high five us and hold our hands, which we found suprising as that would never happen in the west! We then went to the next school that we would be teaching which is right next to the first school. Once again we met all the teachers and introduced ourselves, then to each classroom where we did the same thing. As we walked through each school kids would come to the windows of their classrooms to see us. When we left on the bus some of the students came forward and watched as we pulled away chasing our bus down the road.
We came home and had a great lunch, then right after had some batic artists come to instruct us on how to make our own. Some of us were able to draw really well on their own while others, like myself, needed help from the artists to draw. We watched the batic artists do some of the steps to make the paintings, and did some of the steps ourselves. The artists brought some of their own artwork which we had the option to buy. For dinner we had an American styled meal for the Fourth of July. It was pizza and french fries and for ice cream for dessert. After dinner we were taught how hard it can be to teach by playing a game where we had to teach each other, then learned a bit about Tanzania schools. Every day the LOD’s ( Leaders of the day) have to do a presentation, we decided to do ours on the local gem called Tanzanite, and the mystical healing powers it possesses.

– Audrey and Tino

July 5th, 2016

Despite the early start to our day, we were all bubbling with excitement as we boarded the bus, as we would be teaching the students at The Himo School and The Korona School for the first time. Our group were allocated three grades across the two schools – standard three, standard five, and standard six, and we taught a class English for an hour in the morning. We were all assigned class materials the night before, in order for us to prepare lesson plans for our classes.

As we were introduced to the dusty classrooms packed with row after row of children, my grip tightened on my textbook, and shadows of doubt began to creep into my mind. The class began with brief introductions to ourselves and to the topic that we were teaching, which was about “activities throughout the day” for Korona Standard 3. At first, the children were quite unresponsive despite our attempts to engage the class, and only a handful of students raised their hands or answered our questions. However, after some experimentation and trial and error, we found that dividing the class into rows and incorporating visual, audio, and tactile components to our teaching allowed us to be more effective. In no time, the students were all bursting with renewed energy, as they shouted the answer at the top of their lungs.

Time whisked by, and soon it was play time! Groups of children flocked around us, curious of our wondrous stories, peculiar accents, and new company. For many, playing with the children and interacting with them on an equal level was the highlight of their day. More importantly, seeing them smiling and laughing despite all adversities, made me truly realize how fortunate I was, and gave me a message of hope and resilience in the face of all the evil in the world. For a moment, when I was singing songs in Swahili while linked hand in hand with the children, I felt all of the barriers crumbling away, and we were all connected together through our shared love and humanity, together as one big and happy family.

After our time with the children, we congregated in one of the classrooms in The Korona School, to prepare the classroom for renovation. A few of us had to apply the plaster to the cracked walls, while the rest of us sanded off the walls in order for repainting the next day.

Once we were done with the room, we all got onto the bus to drive back to home. There we ate a delicious lunch with bread, soup, corn, and beans. Then we boarded the bus again to head to a coffee plantation. We were greeted by dancers and the owners of the plantation. They showed us the many steps on how they make their coffee. We were able to participate in picking, crushing, and roasting the coffee beans. We all danced with the other African dancers in a circle. When the coffee was made, we were able to taste and buy some of it. It was very good!

From the plantation, we went straight to an Internet cafe where most of us ate dinner at. Having internet for the first time in many days was such a relief and we all were very happy to be in contact with our family and friends.

After the cafe, we returned to home and had a workshop where we learned about street kids and orphanage tourism. That prepared us for our trip tomorrow to a local orphanage. Finally, the leaders of the day gave their presentation on Mount Kilimanjaro and had everyone play a card game.

– Melody Leung and Maggie Neumeyer

July 6th, 2016

The day began at 7:00 Sawyer and I woke everyone up with cowbell. Then we ate breakfast. After breakfast we went to the school, the kids were supposed to be there but they were on holiday due to Ramadan so we just started our community service instead (sanding, painting, and plastering the walls). Since we finished early with the community service we went to a market to look at more fabric. Around 12 we went home and had lunch at 1:00. After lunch a local dance group called the Kili Wizards came and sang and danced for us and we were able to participate which was very exciting. After the dance group left we walked to the orphanage. we brought the orphanage rice, and played games with the kids for about and hour and a half. Then we walked back home for dinner. After dinner we had our “night time” activity. We learned about cultural sensitivity, and female genital cutting. We learned that female genital cutting is illegal in Tanzania, but it is still practiced due to cultural purposes. We found that it was interesting that male circumcision isn’t illegal or a act against human rights but female circumcision is. Our day consisted of doing a lot of fun and different things, and learning about a lot of new things.

Leaders of the day
– Annie Vance and Sawyer Scheitler

July 7, 2016

We woke up to breakfast and soon after had a talk with Mama Simba about becoming a leader And how she became one in the face of many challenges. After that, we headed to the Korona school to continue our community service refurbishing one of the classrooms. We plastered the walls and did the first coat of paint on the inside and outside of the classroom. The class has already come a long way in only a couple days of work. After that, we headed home for lunch. Then, an anti-FGM (female genital mutilation) group came in to talk to us about ending the practice because the Maasai, a local tribe, has deep roots in this ‘right of passage’ practice. Before dinner, we headed into the town of Moshi to buy some souvenirs for friends and family. The markets had unique paintings, figurines, and many other authentic goods. After dinner back at home base, we watched a documentary about Albinos in Tanzania… Tanzania has one of the highest rates of Albinism in the world, and Albinos in Tanzania are often subject to brutality due to Ancient beliefs telling tales of how the body parts of an Albino can bring good fortune. After an exciting day of learning and new experiences, we were all ready to go to bed and were looking forward to our hike the next day.

– Alii and Olivia

July 8, 2016

Group photo during a beautiful day hike near Mount Kilimanjaro

Saturday, July 9th

We (Sawyer, Skye and I) woke up at 5:30 to bathe and get dressed before waking everyone else up at 6:00 to go on Safari! Upon having our breakfast, still half asleep, we embarked on the 4 hour journey to the first Safari location, Terengeri national park. We were split up into our assigned groups and set off. We were marveled at the sheer amount of spectacular wildlife, such as; African elephants, baboons, giraffes, buffalo, gazelles and Impala. After the amazing but long morning we arrived at our home for the night, a Lutheran hostel, those of us that chose to have a shower (very few) we bewildered at the amount of dust and dirt that had somehow attached itself to every part of our bodies, as it washed away ; almost mimicking a snake shedding its skin! We were asleep by 2am…

Sunday, July 10th

After waking up at 5:30 for the second day in a row we continued our journey to the Ngorongoro crater where, after waiting at the gate for an hour due to a technical malfunction and a spontaneous GLA dance part, we saw an obscene amount to life and beauty. After only a hour driving we came across a pair of LIONS. Two of the three jeeps left much minutes before the lions started to mate. After that brief but efficient and loud encounter between the two lions they started walking down the long line of cars as if they were nothing to them, growling at each of cars that they passed. Around 2:00 we had lunch next to a small lake with hippopotami and elephants. Upon finishing lunch we left the crater and headed home. On the way home we stopped of at a Maasai market were we bought gifts for our friends, family and our selves, of course!

Quinten Dreesmann

Monday, July 11

Today was our first day back from our SAFARI & we were EXHAUSTED!! We went back to school for the first time in over a week, but the kids had yet to forget us. We taught our hour-long class and then recess began. We taught the kids ‘duck-duck-goose’ which was a total hit. Half the group was feeling under the weather and allergies acting up- so we decided to fit in a nap time! Then we headed to the Internet café to find an overwhelming amount of tourists also enjoying our cozy spot. But no worries, after an hour and half we got our lunch. After that we headed over to the Blue Zebra for some last minutes shopping- always a must. Mama D’s and Mama T’s dinner, per usual, was delicious. We finished the night off with a game and workshop. As leaders of the day, we created a game to play with everyone, Assassin. Basically the gist of it was a giant game of tag, once you were tagged you gave your nametag to the tagger. The object of the game was to collect all 16-name tags, which is what Sophia successfully did. Our nightly workshop consisted of Sarah and Ashley taking the stage, and talking about gender empowerment. Overall it was a very fun and easy day to conclude a jam-packed safari weekend. We are all trying to enjoy our last few days here in Tanzania. We are very excited to see our families and get back home; bringing our gifts and memories back to you!

Lots of love!!
Noah & Olympia

7/12

Hello everyone. My name is Sophia and I was a leader of the day with Cassia. Cassia and I work everyone up by doing the cup song on their doors and singing very loudly (which one best wake up call). We hopped on the bus and went to school where we continued to teach the kids English, played with them for an exhausting 30 minutes at recess and then continued painting the classroom at Corona Primary School. We made sure to take plenty of water breaks. Our poor friend Noah fell while painting and hurt her ankle, but being the strong lady she is, handled it wonderfully. We mostly slept on the drive back because we were all quite tired. We came back to home base and had a wonderful lunch. After lunch, some women came and braided our hair (photos to come), and the tailor was supposed to bring our clothes that we ordered the first week but did not show up. We all ate dinner and played some card games. For our workshop, we finished Girl Rising and our discussion on women empowerment. We later discussed different types of development aid and the inequality and lack of responsibility or thought put into the usage of the money, for example the money used in Haiti after the earthquake in 2010. Overall, good day. *thumbs up*

-Sophia
Wednesday, July 13th
We woke up, realizing that it is our last day in school and the second to last day in our lovely home base. With a mixed mood of excitement and sadness, we started our day.

At 9 in the morning we started our last lesson. For most of us the class went well: we surprisingly found out that basically all the kids respond very well. After that we had our last recess with the kids. All of us were deeply moved by the “goodbye” from numerous gentle and innocent voices. Our souls and hearts were warmed by the continuous hug from all of those small and lovely figures. As usual, we played games with them, chasing them and laughing with them. It is so hard for us to say goodbye to those little angels even though we only taught them for a few lessons. Apparently, connections had formed. Then, we finished the painting of the classroom. Compared with its once squalid appearance, the classroom really changed a new look. We all felt satisfied that we would offer a better environment for kids to study.

When we came back to home base, we found that the seamstress, who we had waited for so long, finally brought back our dresses and elephant pants. Everyone tried on his or her new outfits and everyone seemed extraordinarily gorgeous. After a delicious lunch, we waited for our host family to come and again to say goodbye to those kind local people. Even though some could not make it due to a departure for college, we still enjoyed all the precious moment. At around 4pm, we went to the orphanage, hoping to play with the kids again. However, to our disappointment, most of the kids were at school. Interestingly, we met another group, a living example of “orphanage tourism”.

At night, we had a goodbye party. We held a “warm fuzzy”, genuinely complimenting each other and expressing our emotions to our lovely companies and mentors. We closed the day with a party during which we danced and sang together with campfire. Then, we felt asleep gently after nice hugs.

-Skye & Krystal