Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Hola todos!

It feels like just last week that we were all sitting around that dinner table at the home base picking olives and tomatoes out of Teresa’s wonderful salads. It’s strange to think that it’s been this long since we were all together in Valencia, but I haven’t forgotten it! Every now and then something will remind me of a conversation I had with you (a discussion about who has the best fast food, or what the Illuminati is up to, or whether or not there’s an end to the universe, maybe) or an experience we all shared (like seeing the Alhambra), and I’ll catch myself thinking back to those three weeks. I know I’m not alone in this.

Looking even further back, I read over the letter I wrote to myself on our first night, and I hope you have as well. I had no idea at the time how much fun was in store for our entire group! But we didn’t just enjoy ourselves in Valencia, Barcelona, or Granada, or while rafting (I assume) or biking or drinking horchata, or learning flamenco or playing signs… we also laid the foundation for the future English language education of dozens of those wonderful young students! We can all be proud of the difference we made with these students and the enormous service our hands, heads, and hearts could provide. As the famous quote goes: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” I think that last day with the kids proves just how much our presence meant to them.

Each one of you was an incredibly important part of a group that I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to mentor. Know that. For those of you heading to college shortly, good luck! Your comfort zone will be expanded in the most wonderful way. For those of you with a little longer to go, work hard and enjoy the end of your high school career! I’m excited to see what incredible things you each accomplish. Chances you go out there and crush it? (Do it, you won’t)

Hasta luego,

David

Summer Blog Posts

The GLA Spain program has officially begun! Everyone has arrived and is in great spirits. We are very excited about the adventures that are ahead and are looking forward to sharing with everyone!

Here is the group outside of our beautiful home base in Valencia

7/15/2016

This morning we started our day at a substantial time of around 7:45. I had enough time to shower, get ready, and be downstairs with an espresso in my hand by 8:30 . Everyone came down one by one. By the time Lisette, David, and Noelia came downstairs, we were fairly awake and ready for the day. After breakfast we started for the museum. This was the first time we met the kids. We walked into the museum and then proceeded to the courtyard for the children to eat their snacks . After they had finished their snacks they were ready for the game. Since I was the group laser I had to round everyone up and form a circle. Since this was our first day I had a lot of support from the school coordinators. We played a name game and then went for a tour of the museum. After, we played duck, duck, goose. Prior to the game I had to communicate to one of the coordinators that we were ready for the game and tried to round up all the kids. This is very difficult especially when the children do not speak English and also when the other coordinators do not know too much English.We managed to complete the first day with the children fairly easily but with lots of support. After the museum we walked around town to exchange money. This is where my leadership role comes in, but by accident. When we went to exchange money I was the only one who could because I was the only person who was not a minor that had a passport readily available. I felt like a leader even if it was only for a few moments. When we got back to the house we ate lunch and then left for Barcelona. It was my duty to round everyone up and make sure we had all 7 of us. All in all, being the leader of the day comes down to being responsible and alert. Today was easy due to the support, but as this trip moves forward I can see the leaders becoming a bigger part of the overall trip!
-Maxwell Alessandri

7/16

So, today began painfully early with a blaogne and cheese sandwich breakfast at 6:30, but at least for me it was worth it. Barcelona is a city full of rich culture, beautiful architecture, fascinating people, and a seemingly endless number historic and spectacular monuments; all of which became imminent to me on just the 8 minute cab ride over to our first activity of the day. Park Güell, epitomizes the beauty of the city and sets the tone for the incredibly unique art, sculpture, and architecture that the Spanish culture embodies (This is coming from someone who has next to no appreciation for art, so you know that it must have been impactful). Next up was a shopping trip in central Barcelona, an area that defiantly rivals NYC in terms of great stores and cool shops. Most notably we passed a store literally named “Barcelona Duck Store”, a store entirely devoted to selling rubber ducks.

One of the many highlights of the day was definitely our trip to Basilica de la Sagrada Família, which is the infamous giant cathedral designed by the notorious Gaudī. Not only is this massive building a work of art, but it’s also nowhere close to being finished which somehow makes it all the more awesome.

Our final event of the day was a tour of El Raval, a neighborhood in Spain, presented through the eyes of a man who experienced first hand what it’s like to be homeless. Through his heartfelt story and vivid descriptions of the hardships that the large homeless community in Barca have to endure on a daily basis, I couldn’t help but empathize with the struggling people. The appreciation for the life that I have has defiantly increased as a result of the experience.

Although our group is relatively small I can honestly say that every person has their own unique qualities that somehow come together and make us a great team. I’m looking forward to the rest of the trip.

-Stephen Dunmore

July 17, 2016

Today was our last day in Barcelona, so we slept in a bit and headed to Camp Nou (The FCBarcelona stadium). We walked around, looking at trophies and jerseys. The touring experience was amazing, but it didn’t come close to walking out into the stadium seats(it was insane!). After taking pictures and watching the game that was going on down below, we continued to see the press conference area and others before shopping around in a huge gift shop for jerseys, hats, etc. We ate lunch and boarded the bus back to Valencia. We had a delicious dinner at the hostel, and went to bed prepared for our first official day of service.

-Emilie Schumacher

July 18th 2016:

After our wonderful weekend adventure In Barcelona, we began our first week of service at the local school. Although we had previously gotten aquatinted with most of the children, today we had the chance to form more personal connections with them.
The day began with a quick breakfast of toast, coffee, and cereal in our hostel before the short drive to the school. After a greeting circle, the children were divided into three groups by age. I taught the 5-8 age group and was surprised by how eager the children were to learn English. After reviewing their ABC, body parts, numbers and animals, the kids quickly began picking up simple phrases such as “how are you doing today” and “I am fine”, as well as playing Hangman and Simon Says in English.
When the lessons were finished, a short snack was followed with playtime. The kids, who all caught on to our names quite quickly, wanted us to play a variety of games ranging from crafts to hopscotch. After a few rounds of hide and seek with some of the younger kids, I joined the pickup soccer game that was going on and was immediately surprised with the soccer skills the kids had.
Although the Language barrier did provide some challenges, as the day progressed I realized that as long as you are interested in what the kid is saying and doing, they begin to trust you and language becomes less of an issue.
After saying goodbye to the children, we headed back to the hostel for lunch and a siesta. In the evening we did a two and a half hour long bike tour around the city of Valencia. It was amazing to see the unique combination of modern and historic architecture that makes the the city so special . Our day ended with a light dinner (that included brownies for Marley’s 18th birthday).

-Skye Maguire

July 19, 2016

Today we started our normal service schedule, with breakfast at 8 and leaving to get on the bus at 8:30. Once we arrived at the school, the kids were a lot more open to play with us and came up to us on their own. We played a very intense game of a version of hot potato (I am proud to say I was the last American standing). Teaching the kids English went a lot more smoothly today for all of the age groups, and to see the kids so excited to learn and communicate so well with us is really awesome. Hangman is a huge hit with a lot of the kids! Then our activity was making a chocolate cake, and after we all had free time. Popular activities were making friendship bracelets, fútbol, pato pato gonzo (duck duck goose), and using a monitors phone to play music to sing and dance to. A lot of the music they played was in English so it was really fun to be able to sing along with them, but being introduced to popular Spanish songs was great as well.  After lunch and siesta, we had a walking tour of historic Valencia. It was really interesting to hear the stories and legends of the city and see all the beautiful architecture in the churches and old city buildings. Finally, we had some hard earned gelato at an amazing place Noellia recommended, and we all went home happy and ready to rest before dinner.

-Emily Kinka

July 20, 2016

Today, was an exhausting and superb day. We all took the school children we work with to a small park where we partook in a great game of “catch the bad guys” in which most of us were the bad guys. After our excursion in the park, we returned to the school to help the children plant their lechuga or lettuce, in their makeshift pots, which were beautifully decorated with splashes of rosy red and alluring amber, just like the the sunset we see. Surprisingly, as we were planting, it began to precipitate, cooling the hot day that it was. After we returned home, we had an amazing lunch that consisted of salad, bread, a pork-rice-bacon, and finally some sweet peaches and oranges. After our rest time, also known as siesta, we went to an old plantation where a famous Spanish drink is cultivated. The drink is called Horxata and it is made using almond like seeds called Chufa, water, and sugar. After the tour of the plantation and the taste test, we went to a small carnival with the time we had left. We road the Farris wheel to see all of Valencia, and another ride that swung us around high in the air. Finally we returned home to dine on an amazing pasta dish and fantastic flan for desert. Today we all shared a new experience that we’ll never forget.

-Kamron Riley-Gleason

July 21, 2016

Our day started out with a casual breakfast at 8 am. We then made the bus ride to the kids’ school, where we proceeded to have teaching time for thirty minutes. In my own group we played hangman in order to practice English vocabulary. Later in the morning, we started and finished the hanging garden, a project which we had been preparing for a day before. The children had painted egg cartons to hold lentils and plastic bottles to hold lettuce. A complete picture of this is shown below, the whole group included.
All of us went back to the hostel and ate a type of potato salad including but not limited to corn, lettuce, and shredded carrots. Some people also added mayo to the mix. Finally came siesta. This is quickly becoming an enjoyable part of the day, and we have all come to the consensus that the U.S. should incorporate this into everyday living.
An example of how this extra rest might be useful throughout the day was our attentiveness during a lesson in cooking paella, taught by Teresa. While I may not be inclined to try at home, I will certainly retain the information.

During the time that we were waiting for the paella to complete one of its steps, we learned the single beat of every song that plays during the flamingo dance. The man teaching us explained that this music was learned through community gatherings or going to places such as bars. Some of us even practiced making rhythms on a drum. When the paella was ready for the next step, we all gathered back around the stove. After a short wait we all sat around the table. I think I can speak for the whole group when I say that the best part of learning how to make paella was eating the paella.
At the very end of the day our group meeting commenced. During this meeting, we used a test to find out what “type” of leader we all were. We also spoke in depth about the children at the school and how much our communication skills with them were improving. After this it was time for lights out.

-Kalki Kaplan

July 22, 2016

Today was the last day of our first week of service, and we took the kids out on a boat tour, which proved to be difficult with keeping certain troublemaker kids actually on the boat, but we returned safe and sound. Afterwards we went with them to a zoo, and the kids had a lot of fun looking at all the different animals. We even saw two baby pigs that had just been born today(they were so tiny!). We headed back to the hostel for a lunch of pasta, the usual amazing salad, and melon slices for dessert. We took a shorter siesta today, but it was worth it for our afternoon trip to la playa(beach). We spent a little time in the water, but most of the time was spent taking siesta number 2 on the beach. After we got back from the beach, we had dinner (chicken and french fries) and then we went out to go see a dance festival in one of Valencia’s main squares. It was a lot of traditional Valencian dance, and we joined in at the end(even though most of us had no idea what we were doing). Max even found some Italian girls to dance with!

-Emilie Schumacher

July 23rd

While on our white water rafting adventure we hit a rock and managed to get a flat on the back left side of our raft. When we were stopped, two dogs came out of no where and hopped into the river. The guys who were working took immediate action and grab the dogs from floating more downstream. Stephen lifted the dog to me and I sat with him in the raft while one of the workers pushed us to the other side to return him to his owner. After about 10 minutes of trying to get the dogs back to shore, the yellow lab ran back down and jumped into the water again.

Other than that our day was very relaxing. After rafting we walked from the end point to a huge natural pool. We ate our sandwiches made by the one and only, mother Teresa and hung out by the pool. It was awesome. When we came back to Valencia, we had the opportunity to get wifi for an hour, costa coffee blessed us. After wifi we ate dinner and went out on the town for a little bit. Concerts were happening all over the city and luckily they were close enough to us that we could easily walk to and join in on the Valencian crowd. Today was a good day…
-Maxwell Alessandri

July 25
Today began pretty routinely with a typical hostel breakfast and a quick bus ride over to our service site (the school). We then proceeded to wait for the kids to arrive and play/sing with them until it was time for us to divide the kids up for English lessons. I find it astonishing how close we have gotten to some of the kids in such a short amount of time, and am already dreading our last day with them, which seems to be rapidly approaching.

As far as the English lessons go, I think that each group has developed a method in dealing with their respective age groups, and although I can only speak for my group I defiantly feel like our teaching style has grown substantially and our lessons flow a lot smoother than they did before. As a team we decided to approach this week with a slightly different approach with the intention of establishing a stronger basis with the kids, and I’m defiantly exited to see the result.

A Flamenco dancing lesson was our group activity for the day and it was certainly an experience. Flamenco is a beautiful dance that is a huge part of the Spanish culture and it is defiantly something that I’m exited to have added to my array of skills. Although it was challenging for some, and easier for others I think overall it was a positive experience for the entire group.

Living together has been an adventure in itself, but I’m happy to say that we are all getting along very well I am defiantly exited for the final 8 days of this trip.

-Stephen Dunmore
July 27, 2016

After unloading ourselves from the bus, we entered the school once more and played the usual morning games with the children, the variations being Twister and Ninja. We then all spread out from the circle and walked around the school with the kids as they played. In a little while all of us either went into the kitchen or a classroom. In the kitchen we prepared the food for a later event in the day, a party and concert that the kids have been preparing for recently with play rehearsals. In the classroom we worked to make props such as cardboard crowns, for the play, and friendship bracelets to be auctioned off. Around 1 we went back to the hostel. Then we had lunch and siesta. A couple hours of relaxing went by and it was time to go back to the school at 5 for the party. We first watched a wonderful play put on my the children, full of dancing. Here are the stages used:
Then the auction commenced. Wooden contraptions, clay items, and bracelets all crafted by the kids were given away at random to the parents, faculty, and our group. The rest of the time we spent eating the food we had made earlier.
Back at the hostel we watched a very interesting Ted talk called “the danger of a single story”. We talked in depth about this afterward. I would definitely recommend the video to all parents reading this.

-Kalki Kaplan

July 28, 2016

Today started out with our usual breakfast and a quick drive to the school. Because it was our second to last day with the kids, our usual English lessons were replaced with a all inclusive game of dodge ball and a water balloon fight. By the end of the day, almost everyone at the school was soaked. In addition to the games, we also began to clean the various classrooms and kitchen.
After lunch and siesta, we headed out to the museum of “Valencia Fallas”; a museum dedicated to preserving the traditional art pieces from the annual festival of “Fallas” in Valencia. The festival consists of lighting handmade floats on fire, fireworks, and tradition dress and music . Each year, one art piece is saved from the fires and put into the museum.
Towards the end of the day, we went a Internet cafe and then headed back to the hostel for dinner.

-Skye Maguire

July 24, 2016

This morning breakfast was at 10, so we all got some much needed extra sleep. The first thing we did was climb the Valencia Cathedral stairs, which left us all gasping for breath by the time we got to the top, but the view was worth it. You could see the whole city! We then walked to the Valencia Ceramics museum, which is in an old palace in a historical part of the city. The preserved parts of the building and the many years of ceramics history were equally beautiful and interesting to see. After some of us went to the oldest place to get horchata in Valencia, and then we all walked around and shopped until lunch(Sunday’s are for paella!!) and then siesta. Post siesta, we all loaded on the bus and went on our was to Albufera Natural Park for a boas ride. The ride was relaxing for all of us and the Spanish hot chocolate and fartones our captain brought for us were delicious! Home again we went with some delicious tapas for dinner and a groups meeting beginning our planning for our final couple of days of teaching the kids.

-Emily Kinka

July 26, 2016

Although it doesn’t feel like it at all, our group has been in Spain for almost two weeks, about 12 days. Throughout this journey that all of us have taken, we have had fun, formed bonds, learned about other cultural norms, and seen how life in Valencia is different from life in the United States. Today was one of our last days with the children that we provide service for, and it’s clear that every single one of us have come to love, adore and enjoy their company. Today we played English games with the youngest kids, played hangman and worked on syllables with the medium aged group, and finally worked on past, future, and present tense with the oldest students. They all seem to be learning a gargantuan amount of English in the small amount of time that we have been with them. After their English lessons, we enjoyed watching them preform the play that their parents will see as their school program comes to an end. Our GLA group practiced the song “Lean on Me” that we will be preforming for the students, as a way of saying we will miss them.

After our service at the school, we returned to our hostel to eat lunch which consisted of delicious baked rice and some portions of chicken and vegetables. After lunch, we took a bus ride to an old chocolate producing building, that had been converted into a shop and a museum. There, we saw how chocolate was created from cacao seeds and how they used machines and tools to create chocolate. As it turns out, cacao is quite heathy for you by itself, but when you add all the sugar, milk, and other substances that creates the chocolate that most of us know, it loses its nutritional value. But the chocolate in Valencia is healthier because they only use cacao, natural sugar, and a rice flour. After our tour, we returned to the hostel to have dinner, which was an amazing pizza topped with olives, pepperoni, peppers and cheese. After dinner, we engaged in our usual group discussion to discuss the events during our day and plan for tomorrow. Today was certainly a fun and interesting day, one that we will remember forever.

Kamron Riley-Gleason

Video

June 29, 2016

Today was our last day with the kids, and we spent it cleaning up the school and teaching our last English class. We did a round of introductions in English, sang the Hokey Pokey, played Duck Duck Goose, and ended with a few games of Simon Says. The kids seemed a lot more comfortable with English than they were at the beginning of our first week, and they’re a lot more confident in coming up to us and trying to speak English with us. We eventually had to say goodbye, but we exchanged emails and since today was the day we could take pictures, we left with a lot of good memories from today and the past two weeks.
We went back to the hostel to eat tapas for lunch and have an extra long siesta, then headed to Gulliver Park, which is essentially a playground in the shape of Gulliver from Gulliver’s Travels. There are slides and ropes and stairs, and Kamron climbed up every single slide except for one! We found a mini Davíd Bruce Harshbarger Jr. at the park as well, but Davíd refused to take a picture with his mini doppelganger so there’s no proof. We came back tired and had some delicious pasta from Mother Theresa herself. We had our daily meeting before bed and then proceeded to stay up until 2:30 because we wanted to feel tired and sleep on the 7 hour bus ride to Granada tomorrow. Things got a little crazy around 2 am when Kinka decided to play hairstylist and do Max’s hair. Stephen also (pretty successfully, actually) attempted a Scottish accent at around 2:15 am. It was quite the interesting night.

-Emilie Schumacher

July 30, 3016

Today we traveled to Granada by bus, and the road trip took us about 7 hours to complete. We will be staying in Granada for about 2 nights, and 2 days. The word Granada actually translates into the word Pomegranate, and everywhere you go, you’ll see pomegranates everywhere. Granada is a very beautiful city, full of ancient architecture and wonderful shops. The shops that we went to were full of trinkets and held a wide expanse of handmade Granada souvenirs. The stores themselves were all connected and formed a giant network that anyone could get lost in, almost like an Ikea. While we were shopping, a wedding was taking place in a church next to the shopping center. We were able to see the guests throw rice and flower petals at the newly wed couple, and it’s surprising how many tourists were using selfie sticks during the wedding. The heat here is much more intense than in Valencia, but every restaurant and shore have mist machines to cool off their customers. Like in Valencia, there are public dances at random times during the day, and our group took part in one. At night, the party begins and more people flock out on to the streets than ever before, probably because it is so much cooler at night. Tonight our group was able to see a small part of AlHambra, an amazing building in Granada that people of Royalty lived in during the past. All of us cannot wait to see more of Granada, its architecture, and it’s people.

-Kamron Riley-Gleason

July 31, 2016

To start our long day in Granada, we had breakfast at 7:30 and rushed to grab taxis to get to Alhambra. When we arrived we all did a little shopping in the gift shop and then walked around the gardens until our scheduled time to go into the palace. When we finally got to go in, it was so worth it. The detail was incredibly intricate and the views that showed the historical center of the city below were breathtaking. None of us could believe that this work was done by hand hundreds of years ago. After lots of walking and lots of picture taking, we headed out of the Alhambra for a quick stop at the hostel and then a great lunch before siesta.

Right after siesta, we all stopped for some gelato because why not. After that amazing experience, we went to another shopping area in the city full of home made Arabic goods. Almost all of the girls and even Kameron got beautiful henna from people in the streets, and everyone continued a lot of shopping for gifts for everyone back home. Post shopping excursion, we had another excellent dinner and then proceeded to get on a bus to head to a flamenco show in the historical part of the city. The bus ride was crazy going up all the small winding roads up the mountain. The show was an amazing show of the Spanish culture and their love for dance and music. It took place in a little home that looked almost like a cave and was covered in copper pots and pans and pictures. It was an amazing place to be in! Finally, once the show was done we headed back to the hostel and slept in preparation for our long ride home tomorrow and our last day in Valencia on Tuesday 🙁

-Emily Kinka

August 1, 2016

Our day mainly consisted of a seven hour bus ride. We did stop for ice cream on the way. When we got home, there was a bit of time before dinner during which we relaxed. Downstairs, we were all greeted with two nice surprises: paella and the founder of GLA, Andrew. He told us a bit how GLA was started and some of his experiences going to visit the other trips currently happening. After this it was time for a group meeting during which we discussed the differences between Barcelona and Granada, among other things.

-Khalki Kaplan

August 2, 2016

Today was the final day of our Spain trip. The day started out with our usually quick breakfast made by the wonderful “Mother Teresa”, then we headed out for a last beach trip. The previous night, we had all gotten the opportunity to meet the CEO and founder of GLA, Andrew. Today Andrew and kids two daughters joined us at the beach. Unlike last time we went, today the beach was sunny and the perfect weather for swimming and suntanning. After a final lunch of chicken wings, (a favorite among the group) we went into Valencia to just walk around and experience everything for a last time, wondering around shops and drinking iced horchata. As usual, our dinner conversations were very energetic and loud, and ended with David laughing at one of Max’s stories so hard he started crying.
I think I can speak for everyone when I say this trip has truly been life changing. Not only in the service work that we have done together, but in the way our group has grown into a family. It is so hard to say goodbye to everyone but I know we will always remember this trip and the impact it will have on the rest of our lives.

Skye Telleen

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Hannah here! Bianca and I can’t believe that our incredible trip to the Amazon has already come to an end. In just two weeks, our small group of students and staff managed to pack in memories and friendships that most people form only in a lifetime.

It’s almost unbelievable to consider that a little over two weeks ago, we set out for our first dinner as a group at El Mesón. It was that night that we all chatted fluidly for the first time, enjoying the heavy rainfall in the distance. Some of you tried ceviche for the first time, while others gulped down as much camu camu (pink juice) as possible!

With our trip having come and go so quickly, I wanted to reflect on some highlighted moments from my perspective. I hope that when you read this today, your experiences from the Amazon still ring fondly in your mind, and that you continue to live with that same thirst for adventure (and camu camu) that I saw in you at our Welcome Dinner.

• Rafting down the river with Pink River Dolphins
• Using a machete to plant crucial Amazonian trees in a deforested area
• Dancing to Shakira in front of the students and staff at Santa Cruz
• A chicken taking a ride with Zander
• Using huito to temporarily tattoo our bodies and thinking that it wasn’t working until the following morning — Bam!
• The girls team making their own bridge to cross a river on the overnight survival challenge
• The joy you felt when your students in English class grasped a lesson for the first time
• Zach falling in front of all of Santa Cruz community, with a smile on his face that spread throughout the crowd

Summer Blog Posts

July 1: Day one in the Peruvian Amazon!

Hannah here, one of the Mentors on staff for the Amazon Service Adventure! We are so excited to have the entire group safely in Iquitos with us! Everyone settled into their hotel rooms, getting to know the rest of the group. The highlight of the day was our Welcome Dinner at the river front! Typical Amazonian food, new friends, and the sound of rain in the background. It was a priceless beginning to our adventure! Now, it’s time for everyone to get a good night’s sleep, we have a big day of exploring Iquitos tomorrow – the city at the mouth of the Amazon!

– Hannah

July 2, 2016

We woke to the sounds of pounding and banging on the door, thanks to our alarm clock and new friend, Madison. Once dressed with bellies full and ready for the adventures that Iquitos holds, we embark on our journey to the Belén market. However on our way there we made a quick detour to see the river houses and the bridge to nowhere. The bridge to nowhere was an old government project that, sadly, ran out of money and the job was left unfinished. Now small wooden homes with tin roofs built on stilts align the bridge. Belén market is not your typical market. Rain or shine this market is fully functioning with items from local fruits to t-shirts to cow heart to natural medicines. The list of goods sold in this bustling, smelly place could possibly never end. After our sweaty, yet exciting, experience in the market, we made a quick stop to drop off the rubber boots and other things we purchased and made the quick bus ride to the CREA manatee rescue center. Here we were able to see not only manatees, but hundreds of turtles and different species of monkeys. The reserve’s sole purpose is to help heal wounded endangered species that are local to this region of Peru. A six month year old spider monkey had come into their care with a broken arm, but now three months later he is fully functioning and living playfully once again. The last thing we got to do at the reserve was feed and pet baby manatees. Now manatees are not small creatures of the waters. The babies need to eat every two hours in order for them to live and function properly. Our lunch was enjoyed peacefully at a restaurant /zoo place. When we finished our meals we were showed around the property getting the chance to see many capybaras, turtles, alligators and wild pigs. They had a fairly large tapir name Dortia and we were able to feed her slices of oranges. Once our tour of the zoo was completed we were able to make a stop at a local grocery and department store to get any last minute items before embarking on our adventure of the Amazon!

– Eloise McCarthy

Day 3, July 3rd

This morning was kicked off with the banging of soldiers feet on the pavement. We were able to watch a patriotic march of the Iquitos military to change the flag. Each group of the military was represented, including a group for veterans and the female officers. After breakfast and watching a part of the march, a good portion of the day was spent packing in and out of varied vehicles, including boats, mototaxis, and vans. We took a boat ride to Fundo Pedrito, a small zoo. There we were able to feed piranhas, caimans and an incredibly massive, local fish, paiche. After the visit to the zoo we made a stop at the small town of Mazan in order to switch boats. In Mazan we got to have our first experiences in mototaxis. Mototaxis look like a rickshaw that you could find in a big city, but instead of a bike there is a motorcycle. After our journey in the mototaxis we got into another boat and traveled to Proyecto Amazonas, or the Santa Cruz Research Center, which was the starting point of the mile trek to our own home base in the Amazon jungle. Now some of us had convenient packs and others did not. Those who did not regreted that decision, but still made it to base safely, but pretty sweaty. The afternoon here was spent getting settled in and playing cards. At 5:00 pm we began different team work exercises. We also did a “test” to see what kind of leaders we are. The different types of leaders are, architects and analysts, who like to think things through and know the facts, drivers, who make quick, smart decisions, relationship masters, who care for others and work well with others, and finally spontaneous motivators who are passionate and voice their opinions. Through this trip we will be able to learn to work together despite our different personalities. One way we already are doing that is by having a daily leader who will help keep us all in check. As we head back to our tambos our bodies fill with excitement for the days to come.

– Eloise

Photos: before & after the trek to home base.

Day 4, July 4th

Our first full day at our home base was amazing. We began our day with a wonderful breakfast, my personal favorite was the french toast. After breakfast, several of us participated in a heated game of cards; Following that, we began our 1 mile hike to the Project Amazonas riverfront house (from now on, Don’s House). Upon our arrival, Don, a school teacher that works with Project Amazonas teaching and doing research led us on a tour of his property that is essentially an arboretum. We got the opportunity to see tons of species of trees and other plants. After the tour, we boarded our boat and made our way to the community of Santa Cruz to meet the students and see the community. At the school, after some slight awkwardness, we played a game of keep away with the kids. We had lots of fun and the kids really warmed up to us when Zach fell as he attempted to kick the ball. They thought that was pretty funny. When their recess ended we were officially introduced by the principal of the school. After introductions were made, we headed back to the boat for a short ride to Don’s House. At Don’s we had the opportunity to check out books to use for reference and grab a drink of water before our trek back to base. After our hike, we ate a much needed lunch. After lunch, we played some Uno and prepared for our next hike. This hike was more focused on moving slowly, trying to spot animals, and appreciating nature. We got to see the largest type of tree in the Amazon which is chopped down specifically for it’s wood. When we arrived back at base, Alvin found a pink and black snake! It was small, but it was really cool! We made the mutual decision to take a swim in the lagoon on our property. The water was cold in spots and the ground was really muddy but, it was a great way to cool off after a hot hike. (Big thanks to Bianca for watching/ letting us swim!) After our swim, we all cleaned off and joined in the main area to plan our classes for the next day. While there aren’t any classes tomorrow for teacher appreciation day, there is a field day. So, we brainstormed games to play. After our brainstorming session, we had a delicious “4th of July” themed dinner (barbequed chicken and vegetable skewers, potato, and a 4th of July cake!) We ended our day with a game of high, low and more cards. All in all this day was amazing, even though we were a little homesick thinking about the Independence Day festivities at home. I absolutely cannot wait to see what is in store for the rest of this trip and I am so grateful for this opportunity.

Adios!

Ellie 🙂

Day 5, July 5th

So today was well spent, and I imagine it will be one of my favorites. This morning we hopped in the boat and went to the school to celebrate teacher appreciation day. The students performed for the school and we also danced to Shakira for the children. We played games with the children and left after a couple hours, when we headed Don’s house to start some plant work, sorting different plants. Then we came back for lunch and had a conversation about our lives. Afterwards we planned for lessons the next day at the school. We ate dinner. Then went on an amazing night hike where we took a beautiful moment to enjoy nature when we turned off all lights and stopped talking. Great day overall.

Sincerely,

– Madison Wimmer

July 6, 2016

Today we began our morning with a delicious breakfast and a walk down to Don’s house. Once there we helped Don replant trees, and transplant smaller plants. After we were done helping Don we head out to the school in Santa Cruz to start our first day of teaching. After that we headed back to home base to have lunch and do some bonding activities. We ended the day with some planing and a nice dinner.

– Gabriel Crew

Day 7, July 7th

Today we woke up at 6am because we had to teach a class early in the morning. The class went great because the kids collaborated with us and I think they learned a lot. After the class we went to Don’s to plant and replant trees. We hiked back to base for lunch once we finished planting. Later in the afternoon the group split up for a bit. Some played volleyball and attempted to have a soccer game. Others went for a three hour hike. Around 6pm we began to have a discussion on waste management and recycling. We tried to come up with plans to teach the locals how to properly dispose trash. Then it was dinnertime and bedtime.

– Alvin

Day 8, July 8th

Our morning was started off with our daily hike down to the river front in order to catch our boat. We had a 45 minute boat ride to the small river town of Mazan. In Mazan we were able to see civilization again!! Some of us had decided to take advantage of the small internet cafe to check emails and surf the web. While some were in the cafe others explored the markets and had interesting public bathroom experiences. After our morning in Mazan we hiked back to base for lunch. Our afternoon was fairly relax, spent discussing and forming our plan to start a recycling/waste management program. The basis of it is to get the people of Santa Cruz to actually put trash in one place. We pitched our plan to Don for expense reasons and he was completely on board. Our dinner was spent with good food and happy conversations.

– Eloise

July 9, 2016

Today we hiked to the research station and from there we took a boat to Santa Cruz. When we arrived in Santa Cruz, we began working on the kitchen where we worked on laying down cement. After helping with the kitchen we returned to camp where we broke into group discussions and relaxed. In the evening we also did jungle tattoos using the dye from the huito plant.

– Zander

July 10, 2016

Today, we went to Casa de Dondin for our final tree planting and transplanting session. As a group, we planted over 45 trees in total. After our hike back to home base we had a Survival 101 presentation and a group discussion. We learned the basics of LNT. LNT or Leave No Trace, is a technique used to prevent wildlife from being harmed or disturbed when camping and hiking. At 3:20pm the girls set off on their over night survival challenge and the guys set off at 3:40pm. After many trials and errors we found the correct trail and settled down for the night. We were surprised with some heavy rainfall, thunder & lightning late in the night, but we all had fun and survived the survival challenge.

– Bella

July 11, 2016

Dear Families,

Today, we woke up at 6:00 in the morning in tents. The past evening was eventful. For dinner we had a typical Peruvian dish called Juane which is chicken, olives, hard boiled egg, and rice wrapped up in a native bijao tree leave. We experienced our first thunderstorm in the amazon while on our survivor challenge evening. You will be happy to hear that all ten of us survived! Once we woke up, everyone packed their belongings which included a sheet, change of clothes, bug spray, water bottles, and the remains of last nights dinner. Then we deconstructed the campsite by taking down the tent and ground tarp and folding them up to carry back to home base. We began hiking to homebase at 6:45 A.M. expecting a hard hour long hike back to camp. To our surprise we camped about 10 minutes from camp and arrived at homebase right before breakfast at 7:00 A.M. After breakfast, we had a lazy morning to recover from last nights adventure. Most people either decided to catch up on sleep or play cards with friends. We met for a early lunch at 12:00 and shortly after headed down the daily 1 mile hike to Don’s house. At Don’s we split into 3 teams to build and race rafts across a portion of the Amazon River and back. Don taught us a few knots to use while contructing the rafts. The race began and everyone easily traveled across to the other side of Amazon. Then, each group attempted to go back, but this part of the race was challenging because we were battling the current. The group consisting of Zach, Alvin, and Sophia won the race. After the race, everyone climbed on their rafts and floated downstream. The boat picked us up and we rode back to Don’s. Two men who help with Project Amazonas named Emerson and Riquelmer constructed a massive raft for everyone and we floated down the river. Lots of people dived and jumped off the rafts and floated down the Amazon. We drifted downstream for a couple of hours and saw the Amazonian dolphins. It was incredible because the dolphins were about 20 feet away. We headed back to Don’s and had dinner there for the first time. After dinner, we went on a night boat ride upstream. This was an unique experience to hear all the animals and music of the night. We were able to see the beautiful Milky Way and the luminescent moon. This was our first time exploring upstream. Finally, we headed back to Don’s and prepared for the 1 mile hike back in the dark to homebase. Once at camp, everyone headed straight to our tambos to sleep because we were exhausted after a fun day.

Love,

Your children of the Amazon (Sophia)

July 12th

Imagine a small community, lacking the infrastructure necessary to further build upon their goals toward increased education. This was the circumstance in Santa Cruz, a place where education took place, where families lived in their huts made from planks, and where we tried to help improve the lives of those families. Perhaps trying to change deep-rooted ideas about waste seemed impossible, but at least we could share with them a common vision for the future.

During the beginning of the trip, we saw that the people in the community burned their trash in the back of the school. Of course burning trash is harmful to the environment and also dangerous to the kids going to school. After our group felt melancholy for the kids, we wanted to help improve their condition. This allowed us to develop a garbage plan which we addressed today. We were separated into groups which were assigned to different tasks. One group made a video for the next group after us, the other wrote our plan down, and the last group had to address the problem to the director of the school. I was in the last group were we had a presentation to the director, and also to the teachers. Seeing the teachers at the meeting made me abashed, nonetheless the speech I made was decent. Maybe the community will never implement this concept, but at least we tried to help.

To sum up, the end of our trip is approaching quickly and our group has four big accomplishments. The first was teaching the kids English, second was helping the workers build the new kitchen, third was trying to implement a garbage plan, and fourth was planting new trees for a deforested area in the Amazon.

El joto,
Tito

July 13th & 14th

Dear parents and friends,

Zach here. Just kidding, it’s Hannah the mentor. Zach accidentally left Iquitos without fulfilling his promise of bloggery. But, our team couldn’t let our faithful readers down. So, buckle up as we wrap up our Amazonian adventure.

These last two days have been bittersweet. Early yesterday morning, the group was woken up  by the heavy tears of Amazonian skies. As the students said, “the jungle is crying because we’re leaving!” By 8 am, we were taking our last hike to the boat toward Iquitos. On the way back to this City at the Mouth of the Amazon, we made an adorable stop at Isla de los Monos, or “Monkey Island”. Monkey Island is a sanctuary for several species of primate rescued from the illegal pet trade, which is rampant throughout the developed Amazon. This sanctuary allows the monkeys to be free on the island, however also creates an unnatural dependancy on humans for food. As with all global issues, we continued to discover throughout the program that animal rights are not black and white.

After Monkey Island, we returned to Iquitos, checked into the hotel, ate A LOT, and shopped for colorful souveniers. We wrapped up the night with a buffet-style goodbye dinner of typical foods.

Today was a relaxed day of scattered flights and heartfelt goodbyes. The time went quickly, but the memories were built to last forever.

We hope the students feel the same!

-Hannah

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Hola! I can’t believe our time in the Amazon has come to an end. These past two weeks have been truly an adventure. When I was informed I was going to be a mentor in the program I was excited but also a bit nervous. I was not sure what to expect and going to the Amazon jungle seemed daunting but I love challenges so I packed my bags and was eager to meet my staff and students. One of my favorite things about GLA is picking up students at the airport and seeing their excited faces ready to explore a new country. It was also super cool seeing you guys start forming bonds from the very beginning.

A lot happened during these two weeks that have made this experience unforgettable. To me experiences are everything so here are some memories to recall. Do you guys remember when Abi fell into the river trying to help me get into my canoe and everyone laughed? Or the hike to service that seemed like an eternity? It was pretty amusing to arrive to Home Base covered in mud. Was it Jonah that started talking with a French accent? One thing we all had in common were the endless mosquito bites and realizing that repellent was worthless. Can we talk about how DELICIOUS the food at Home Base was? It was so good! I think my favorite was the paiche covered in tomato sauce. To my mentor group, you guys were awesome! Ethan, Abi, Mary, Emily, Alysa, Louis and Lauren, thank you for the laughs and our great discussions. It was pretty cool to be in Peru during their independence day and you guys rocked at the Cotton Eyed Joe song and dance. The entire community of Santa Cruz loved watching you guys perform. Plus it was really fun having our own Independence Day party at home base and Bianca teaching us some moves.

I hope everyone is doing well and staying in touch. Remember to keep sharing your stories and experiences with other students, your family and your community. There would be no point in travel all the way south to Peru if you never talk about it. I hope to see you guys soon! Un abrazo fuerte!

Rudy

P.S. Bianca here! Just wanted to share a few words of gratitude — it was an absolute pleasure to have met so many motivated, inquisitive, bright and inspiring individuals all at once. You will be sorely missed and we wish you the best of luck & positive vibes for your adventures yet to come. Should any of you find your ways back to Peru don’t hesitate to be in touch — I would be more than happy to take you to the best cevicherias Lima has to offer and talk about life at large 🙂

Also, here’s a few other memories I wanted to throw your way:

• Jonah getting bit by a bullet ant much to my dismay :/
• Not getting bit by the loro machaco!!!!
• Spotting a two-toed sloth on the night hike as well as spotting red titi monkeys at Home Base!
• Our resident medics, Alysa & Jonah, treating everyone’s ailments. Thank you!
• Lauren ‘playing tag’ with that little girl (it was a great learning lesson!)
• Marching in the Independence Day parade & having Louis take the lead carrying the Peruvian flag
• Playing soccer with the professors of Santa Cruz (and not letting the director have that goal — whoops, jeje)

Summer Blog Posts

July 17th

Greetings from Iquitos, Peru! All students arrived safely and were greeted by staff at the airport. The entire staff (Bianca, Rudy and Hannah) have worked strenuously to give students the experience of a lifetime. After checking into our hotel, El Colibri, all students settled into their rooms and refreshed because it is super humid here! The first thing in our agenda was heading out for an authentic lunch. Along the way students were able to take a first glance of bustling Iquitos and take in new sights such as the Plaza de Armas and the countless motor taxis. After lunch we took our first group photo and students exchanged currency. We ended the day with a few icebreakers and some time to explore the malecon and see how locals spend their Sunday evening. We had a delicious welcome dinner that consisted of chicken, fish and pasta by the river and we wrapped up the day so we can have full energy for the busy days ahead. Bienvenidos!

– Rudy

July 18, 2016

Hello to everyone, from the Southern Hemisphere! Today in the vibrant Iquitos, Peru we had a wonderful fun-filled day! After a delicious breakfast at a local restaurant, we hit the streets with curious eyes and wandering feet. Our senses were soon struck with a wide array of sights and smells. Rumbling motorbikes, pouring rain and dodging tarps, fruits and vegetables of every color of the rainbow, and the hum of a large crowd speaking in rapid-fire Spanish, were just a few of the things that contributed to our sensory stimulation overload (not to mention the roasted grubs some of us tried). After everyone was outfitted with a new pair of rain boots and we had had an eye-opening conversation about some of the locals’ living conditions, we had a quick stop at the hotel and then piled into a bus. Next on our to do list was a manatee sanctuary. In the animal preserve, tucked neatly into a small section of leafy forest, we found not just manatees but turtles, monkeys, and sea otters as well! Here, we had the wonderful opportunity to touch and feed rehabilitated baby manatees. As I heard someone say amid the feeding and photo frenzy, “they’re so ugly they’re cute.” After the bowls of water lettuce were emptied by excited, wet teenage hands, we made our way back to the hotel and had lunch in a cozy little restaurant. After lunch, we took another trip through the busy streets under an ever-darkening sky to a Peruvian supermarket. By some random coincidence, we all seemed to find each other in the sweets section. Weird. Once everyone had sated their curiosity and stocked up on snacks for the jungle, it was back to the hotel again. A few of us made an extra excursion to get bags and headlamps after, while the rest of the group chilled. It began to pour again like someone had suddenly switched a faucet to high, just as the excursion group started making our way back to the hotel. Then it was well-deserved chill time for everyone.

In the midst of our siesta, the air was suddenly filled with the sound of a marching band. We all flocked to the windows to see what was happening, and were surprised to see line after line of students marching in the street. A small group made our way outside to get a closer look, and we learned they were practicing for their independence day parade on the 28th. Soon our mentor Bianca talked to someone who worked at the school, and we had the unique chance to take a look. The building turned out to be a historical landmark of the rubber boom that built Iquitos, and the man told us all about it. We exited through the side door, and hung out by the breath-taking river a bit. Those are the best moments when traveling abroad. These totally unexpected, unplanned, and impromtu experiences are the ones that shape all of our take aways the most, and make every trip special and unique. After our rest was over, we walked through the dark streets, already transforming into the locals’ bright center for nightlife (music, street performers, etc.), and enjoyed a lovely dinner of cow heart and chicken. With our glasses empty and bellies bulging, it was back to the hotel and time for bed. Everyone is busy prepping for our trek into the Amazon jungle tomorrow!

I do not think I can speak for everyone, but Peru has a strong culture that maybe gave us all a little shock, it sure did to me! As we start to acclimatize and get more comfortable with each other, we are settling into Peru. I do know I can speak for everyone, though, when I say it already feels like we have all known each other for months. I´m sure this was evidently clear by the peals of laughter flowing from our tongues all dinner long, also. This is going to be a great trip. We still have much to do and much to learn, but I do think I have one thing we have all realized and can agree upon: this ain´t Kansas anymore.

– Lauren

July 19, 2016

Today we traveled from the bustling city of Iquitos to our Home Base tucked away in the heart of the jungle. After breakfast, we all jumped into boats and sped down the mighty Amazon River to the port of Mazan where we packed into a caravan of mototaxis and then headed along a scenic road to the Mazan River. Here we boarded a larger boat and headed upstream towards the community of Santa Cruz, where we’ll be working in the days to come. Finally, we hiked along a muddy, mile long trail to our Home Base in the jungle. After a filling lunch we broke off into mentor groups to get to know each other better and talk about leadership and the roles and responsibilities of the Leader of the Day. Tomorrow’s LODs will be Jonah, Georgia & Alysa — they’ll be sure to write a more detailed update on the day’s events 🙂 Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with a few of today’s highlights:

– Getting to feed pirahnas and paiche en route to Mazan
– Spotting pink dolphins on the Mazan River
– Coming across an enormous and beautiful snake as we hiked to Home Base
– Listening to Jordan play his ukelele
– Scarfing down granadillas at lunch

Buenas noches for now!
Saludos,
Bianca

July 20, 2016
Today we went to the community of Santa Cruz. We met the local children and played a number of games with them. Many of us experienced a cultural exchange or a new sense of fulfillment. We took the daily hike twice in a day. After lunch we met in our mentor groups and talked about a variety of topics. Some groups were lucky enough to see monkeys or a toucan. After our mentor groups we split up into two groups. One group went for a short hike and a swim in the lake by our tambos. The other group went on a longer hike but no swim. After our hikes we all showered and had a hearty dinner.

– Jonah & Alysa

July 21, 2016

Today we went into Santa Cruz for our second time and first time working. We split up into two groups, one to design and paint the bins with the children, and the other to continue construction on the new kitchen. Then we split into our mentor groups and moved into a whole group activity where we saw where each of us stood on a range of topics, allowing us to see the diversity of our opinions. Later we dealt with a conflict of interests in Model UN Peru where negotiators had to reach a solution between a company drilling for oil and the local native tribe it would endanger. Lastly we went on an incredible night hike where we saw a sloth, a green pit viper (loro machaco in Spanish), a tree frog and a monkey frog. However, of all this, it was amazing just to turn out our headtorches and listen to the sounds of the rainforest.

– Izzy

July 22nd

We woke up this morning and had a wonderful breakfast before we headed out for the hike to service work. We split into two groups today for service. One group began brainstorming ways we can teach the kids about the benefits of trash removal. They planned a presentation and different activites to show the kids on Tuesday. The other group continued with construction. They helped dig, move, and stomp mud. They moved and stacked a huge pile of bricks. Finally they filled and hauled 72 buckets of sand to make more cement. However, it was pouring all day so we had fun and interesting experiences with the excessive amounts of mud. We had fun playing and taking pictures with the kids during their recess. We finished our service and took the boat ride back and started the long, wet, and muddy trek back to home base. We met with our mentor groups after lunch. Then we split into girls and boys and had some fem talk and bro time. After that we used huito (a fruit whose insides are dyes) to make temporary tattoos. We had dinner & chill time talking at the dinner table. We are covered in bug bites but we’re having an awesome time!

– Nina, Jordan, and Ethan

July 23rd

Today was a little different because half of us woke up excited for the day, while the other half woke up nervous. As for the excited half, we went to the city of Mazán (about a 30 minute boat ride from home base) expecting to access wifi and relax. Instead, we found ourselves involved in a riveting scavenger hunt. They sent us around town with a list of activities to do and items to find. For example, we walked through the local market to find some exotic fruits and toothpaste. We were split into two teams and forced to communicate with others in Spanish and find our way around town. It was a great experience for all of us. The nervous half, set out on an overnight survival challenge which you will hear more about tomorrow!

– Evan & Sahil

July 24th

Today Group 2 planted trees with Don and Devon and learned a little bit about using a machete. Afterwards they headed back to base camp for lunch and survival 101 to get ready for survival night. In the afternoon Group 2 went off into the forest for survival night and had to find things like food and tents while Group 1 stayed at base camp to play games with Rudy.

– Asher

July 26th, Day 10

We started our day by having a lovely breakfast of omelete, french toast, and an arrange of exotic foods. We headed out to the beautiful Santa Cruz. We were greeted by Peruvian music, and the sun beaming on our faces as we looked upon the kids practicing their march. As the director summoned Bianca, we began to sort ourselves into marching position, where we mirrored the other students. As we began to march, laughter and smiles began to fill the air along with the Peruvian music. We separated into our groups of construction, and the trash presentation. Both groups exceled and faced their own challenges. As the afternoon drew to a close our happy faces were filled with sweat and bug bites. By lunch the raunchy smell of sweat, body odor, and 98.8% deet bug spray consumed the air, but this was quickly canceled out by the freshly prepared lunch made our executive chefs (Isaac, Pepe, and their sous chefs). We divided into our mentor groups for an hour and half of exhilarating fun, and challenges. We were then presented with the fantastic opportunity to take part in a Peruvian dance by the one and only Bianca. After, we were sat down for an enticing game of GLA jeopardy. The heat was raised as teams battled for the answer. The squeak and the clank of a spoon hitting a cup made students grow in excitement. We then had a lovely dinner.

Ping, Zoe, and Louis

July 27, 2016

Today for breakfast we had eggs, bread, bacon, fruit and a smoothie. Then we left for Santa Cruz to celebrate Peru’s independence day. We watched each grade perform dances and songs. We also put together two dances for the celebration. One was the cotton eye joe with cartwheels, front hand springs and a finale of flips from Jordan! The other was a Peruvian dance taught by Bianca which really impressed the locals. After we marched with the children and were asked to go twice, the second time holding the Peruvian flag. This concluded the formal presentation. Then the locals challenged us to a game of futbol. It was really fun but the sun was unbelievably hot. We said our last goodbyes to the community, and then got on our boats to go to Don and Devon’s. At Don and Devon’s, we had a delicious lunch of chicken, rice, potatoes, avocados, and other vegetables. After lunch it started to rain so we stayed inside and listened to people play piano. Afterwards, we split up to plant trees and look for trail markers left from the survival Challenges . Then we had fish, bananas, oranges, yuca, vegetables and rice for dinner. We then took a night boat ride and listened to Emerson tell us local ghost stories and legends. It was dark and a little scary while we heard them. When we got back to Don and Devon’s we hiked back up to home base in the dark and went to bed.

Emma, Ashley and Mary

July 28, 2016

IT’S PERUVIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!!!!

We started our day as ususal, early breakfast and a hike to the river. We were split into three teams and each team began constructing a raft of logs and rope. Once finished, we began a relay race across the river on our make shift rafts!!! After the race, we tied all of the rafts together and made a big raft which we were all able to float down the river in. We hiked back to a nice lunch and started the sad packing for the trip back to Iquitos. After packing we watched a couple Ted talks and then had our last mentor group 🙁 The day ended with a party to celebrate our last night in the jungle and Peru’s independence!!!!!

– Georgia, Kayla & Abi

July 29th & 30th

Today was our last day as a whole group together. After breakfast we all did our last hike out of the jungle to reach the riverside. Before we reached Iquitos by boat we stopped at la Isla de los Monos and experienced the monkeys, sloths, and more in their natural habitat. Once we made it to Iquitos we dropped our bags off in our rooms at the hostal and went straight to lunch. After lunch we visited a little souvenir market with cool authentic creations. After everyone had a chance to look around we headed back the the hostal to pack our bags. At 7pm we all went to dinner and shared closing thoughts of the trip as a whole. After dinner we walked around the city, got some ice cream, and closed with an appreciation game.

Today the majority of us got up late and had a late breakfast. A select few had earlier flights leaving the hostel at 3 am and 6am.

– Jordan Schultz 🙂

The rest of the group enjoyed a walk around Iquitos and to the hectic and boisterous Belen market where we bought some huito and other odds and ends. Some last minute souvenir shopping ensued before sitting down to our last meal. While sipping on camu camu juice and munching on plantains we shared some laughs and final observations of our time in Peru. The afternoon then entailed completing program evaluations, scarfing down Casinos and smothering huito on our bodies in the hopes that we would arrive back to our homes covered with reminders of our Amazonian adventure. In the late afternoon, as we headed out to the airport, Iquitos bid us farewell with a stunning rainbow.

As a side note (to the students), it was an absolute pleasure to have met so many motivated, inquisitive, bright and inspiring individuals all at once. You will be sorely missed and we wish you the best of luck & positive vibes for your adventures yet to come. Should any of you find your ways back to Peru don’t hesitate to be in touch — I would be more than happy to take you to the best cevicherias Lima has to offer and talk about life at large 🙂

Saludos & abrazos,

Bianca

Time Capsule Letter – October 2016

Hey, yavus!

I Can’t believe it’s been so long since we were down at Sahara running around with all the Dzita kids and eating Mama Rita’s delicious meals! I hope that you all have been loving life since the last time I saw you – that day we broke down on the side of the road while Johnny, Julia, Paolo and Kyle were already stateside! Lulu, I hope you are taking an American history course this semester to ensure the name Rosie Sparks does not get spoken again. And Ben, I hope you are exercising your “greatest strength” of breaking rules.

The kids are all still playing your games – Sanitation Tag, Sharks and Fish, and Red Rover are still in heavy rotation! Savage is still being savage (climbing on everyone and just generally being crazy), Ballo misses hanging out on the float with you guys, and Jaspar is still yelling yavu manyo all around Dzita. And Kyle, the chief has been asking when you are coming back so that you and his granddaughter can have a proper wedding (do your parents know about this yet?). Since you guys have left, there haven’t been any mermaid sightings (sorry Addie). But in other news, Dora has now become Mrs. Procopio and has been sporting Johnny’s hockey t-shirt around Meet Me There! The kids have been asking for you lots and it is clear that they remember you and your games fondly. I hope you have all been sharing your memories of Ghana with your friends and family back home. I know that memories of you guys are still being shared around Dzita.

Hope you are all doing well!
Caroline

Summer Blog Posts

Bula! Well to start I would like to say that we had the absolute yummiest dinner tonight. Also, we had eggs for breakfast which is a great way to start the day. The groups switched today for the first time. We all gave each other helpful tips beforehand. In education I got to meet a few of my students that I will be working with next week. Im very excited to get to know them better and watch them improve hopefully.

July 15, 2016

Our students have all safely arrived in Ghana! While it was a long journey, everyone arrived happy and excited for the next two weeks ahead. We are all settling in nicely to our beautiful home here in Dzita. Our local staff have been amazing in preparing for and welcoming our students, and we are all so fortunate to be here! After some much needed rest, we toured the community and learned about the NGO we are working with, Dream Big Ghana. We also played volleyball with the local staff, which was super fun for everyone! We are all looking forward to our first day of sports camp tomorrow!

Saturday, July 16
6:45 a.m.
The boys got up early in the morning for some weight lifting with Coach Tigo. I heard it to be difficult, rewarding, and interesting considering one bar was made completely of old car parts.
7:30 a.m.
Breakfast time, and Mama Rita and the cooks have prepared an amazing meal, consisting of fresh fruit and omelets.
9:30 a.m.
The group is rounded up and packed into a van for a trip to the Keta Slave Fort. There we proceeded to learn horrifying but captivating facts about the Danish fort that prospers hundreds of years ago.
12:30 p.m.
After the bus ride back from Keta, we are ready for another meal. The kitchen really knows what they’re doing here, and each meal we eat is a little slice of heaven.
1:30 p.m.
Brainstorming time! Our first sports camp session is today, and we must come up with drills to keep the children interested.
2:30 p.m.
We walk to the village where the camp will take place
3:00 p.m.
We meet the kids, and realize most of them can wipe the floor with us when it comes to football. They are vibrant and curious and love to take pictures. From 4-14, the children thrive under leadership. The girls, who normally shy away from sports, had a blast.
6:00 p.m.
We leave the village, dirty and tired and incredibly happy.
6:30 p.m.
Dinner time. This was the meal we were most hungry for, therefore it tasted the best. Or maybe Mama Rita really outdid herself.
7:30 p.m.
Ewe lesson! Professor Boots and Professor Tigo teach us the basics of the local language.
9:30 p.m.
Back to bed.

-Addie

July 17, 2016

We woke up try his morning to the sounds of the local fishermen pulling in their nets. Our morning workout was to help the pull their nets in. After our exhausting workout we had another delicious meal cooked by Mama Rita. After breakfast a community health nurse came and spoke to us about local health problems such as malaria and yellow fever. For lunch we ate some wonderful barracuda. After lunch we spent an hour planning for the afternoon of sports camp. Today’s sport was volleyball. We split up into 3 groups and practiced bumping, setting, and serving. After our drills we played a game of volleyball and a game of soccer because the local people love soccer. To finish the day off we ate another wonderful meal and did some team building activities.

-Aaron

July 18, 2016

7/18
Always a great morning when our trainer of the day says, “everyone grab their own water jug!” Today was started right with an intense strength and endurance interval workout led by Meghan. Everyone was sooo tired, but what’s the best heal for a soreness after a workout?? Breakfast from mama-ritas kitchen Of Course! Fresh vegetable omelettes with a side of toast and fruit salad. After our much needed showers, Lucas and Johnny got us sweaty AGAIN with an intense game of beach volleyball. Shout out to Paolo for an all star performance in front. Aaron really insisted on swimming so after this a few of the boys took a dip in the lagoon, while others kicked back and enjoyed a nice book by the beautiful water. After excellent planning, the group traveled to the local school where we had an immense amount of fun during their recess. To replenish out energy we had the pizza that tasted fresh out of a NY brick oven… Courtesy of the wonderful kitchen staff. Out the white board came, as Coach Johnny and Lucas used their rugby knowledge to craft drills and plays for the sports camp today. We Had a walk through camp session with the group and headed out for the spacious Sahara park. As we walked through the village little ones grabbed onto us while others followed us to the field. What a great feeling! The camp turned out to be a huge success and the children got down and dirty while playing a wacky version of rugby. Then came a delicious Ghanaian traditional dish, including rice, herb sauce, and a very very spicy fish dish. We closed with a group activity where we tested communication and listening skills. Today had to be one of the best days by far and I have to tell you what a wonderful feeling it is to be apart of the Dzita community. Cheers!

-Johnny

July 19, 2016

July 20, 2016

For this morning’s activity, we went to a local market where we had to find and buy several items. After our scavenger hunt, we had about 40 minutes to buy fabric, which we took to a local seamstress to have Ghanaian style clothing made. After, we walked back to the lodge. Lunch was amazing, as usual. Next, we began to plan for the challenge of teaching the local children a new sport. The children loved learning ultimate frisbee. It was very fulfilling to see the change in the ability of the kids from when we arrived to the last few minutes of the last game. After dinner, some of the locals came and performed a tradition dance where we participated.

– Aaron and Kyle

More Pictures

July 21, 2016

The sun was shining early. Some people decided to do a canoe relay with Ballo, but I decided to sleep in. Once they woke me up, we had a good breakfast and played a ping pong tournament which was created by the leaders of the day, Lucas and Kyle. The tournament was won by Paolo. We then went to go Batik our clothes. Batik is like designed tie dye. It was cool. Next, we had lunch. At Sahara park we had field day with the kids. We came back, had showers, ate dinner, then prepared for the day ahead. ‘Twas a good day.

– Kyle and Lucas

July 22, 2016

Pre-breakfast Activity: Meghan’s Interval Workout
Only Julian, Aaron and I did the workout. Julia was there for support and also captured some photos of us getting swoll.’ The others were slackers and slept in.

Breakfast: French toast, sausage, beans and fruit

Morning Activity: Cooking lessons with Mama Rita and farming with Achoo. In the kitchen, we all helped prepare the Ghanaian dish “red red” – tomato/onion sauce with beans, as well as fried plantains. We are our dishes for lunch and they were delicious. Out in the field, we fetched water from wells and watered tomatoes.

Lunch: Chicken, red red, plantains, rice, and salad

Service: Kickball
The kids generally enjoyed it. They seemed very into the game, but continued to want to play soccer. Aaron did very well leading the stretching and everyone else participated effectively.

Dinner: Fish, Noodles, Coleslaw

Night Activity: Personality test
Blues: Aaron, Johnny and Tigo
Greens: Addie, Madi and Paolo
Oranges: Julia, Julian, Kyle, Ben and Lucas *the crazy ones

– Madi and Julia

July 23, 2016

“All hail the chief…” This morning a local chief came to talk about a broad number of topics. He discussed British rule in the 1400s to polygamy amongst Ghana. Afterwards, he asked the group questions like “do you want to get married?” And “hey, Kyle, you would make a great grandson of mine.” It was a very interesting conversation and we are thankful that he took time out of our busy schedule to talk to us. After the insightful meeting with the chief, we went to the dining area to eat a wonderful meal cooked by Mama Rita and her crew! Following that, we excitedly waited for the van to pick us up to go to the soccer game at WAFA S.C. While on the van ride, we saw new parts of Ghana that we had never seen before. When we got to the stadium, we got off the van and bought tickets. When we walked into the stadium, we could hear the excited cheering of the fans and the referee blowing the whistle to start the match. About five minutes after the start, the home team, WAFA scored an amazing goal from a free kick and everyone went crazy! While in the stadium we tried a few different snacks from the vendors which tasted very good! The match stayed at 1-0 for almost the entirety of it until a header from a corner kick in the 82nd minute making the score 2-0. Eight minutes later, the match ended and everyone left happy and satisfied. After the match, we got into the van and drove back to our home lodge. When we finally got back to Meet Me There, we had a wonderful Ghanaian dish waiting for us prepared by Mama Rita and her kitchen crew. After dinner we watched an incredible drumming and dancing performance from a famous African dance group. Following the performance, we cleaned everything up and headed to bed ready for another very excited day.

– Johnny and Paolo

7/24

Today our pre breakfast activity was canceled due to rain. We had chocolate crepes which they refer to as “pancakes”. They were very Yummmy. Then, for our morning activity we learned how to dance and sing. After that, we learned how to drum on jembaes. After, we had some amazing chicken for lunch. We all loaded onto the van and went to the Anloga market in search of jerseys and other souvenirs. When we finished shopping, we headed to Sahara Park to host our daily sports camp. Today was field day and we played many very fun games with the Ghanaian children. Following the field day, we walked back to Meet Me There and ate wonderful pizza prepared by Mama Rita and her crew for dinner. After dinner we took much needed showers and had a meeting about the schedule for tommorow.

-Paolo & Ben

July 25, 2016

This morning we had some fruit, granola and cereal for breakfast. For our morning activity, we headed down to Dzita Public School to lead a sports session. We were all extremely overwhelmed by the insanely large group of kids we were to work with. Each pair had 25+ kids, which was giant compared to the groups of 10 at the previous school. After returning from the chaos, we are rice, red red, fried plantains, and salad for lunch. We were given extra free time after lunch, in which Ben, Kyle and Lucas managed to sink and completely flip the canoe 3 times. For our service today, we had a soccer tournament. It was intense, yet fun. We all scarfed down a dinner of fried chicken, fries and avocado salad after our he’d work at the peak. Our group activity after dinner was an appreciation circle where we got to show one another how much we care for them. It was very sweet and heartfelt. We can’t believe we only have one full day left here – it seems like just yesterday we were stepping off our planes to begin our adventure!

– Madi and Julian