7/2/2015

Today was a great day. Everyone felt great. We got to sleep in as well. It was a laid back morning including many name games. During our free time five girls who had been delayed arrived. They had little sleep overnight in the airport. Most of us introduced our selves. We had a very laid back afternoon as well. We created a full-value contract, talked about what a good leader should have skill wise and also found out what kind of leaders we are. Then at 5 we had a sports clinic with the nicest children ever. Many of them were very welcoming. During the clinic we had many different things going on. There was a heated soccer game between young locals and GLA students. When we split them up, immediately three of them grabbed me and told their coach they wanted me on their team. The locals were very nice. They live by the best lifestyle: Pura Vida.

-Eric Osterberg

7/3/2015

On day three we did lots of exciting things. We started the day off with an early morning and headed to the community that we will be working at. We spilt up into 3 teams, each working on a different project. Before we started working the local school gave us a festival of music. The local kids showed off their singing, dancing and fashion skills which was all very enjoyable. After the show we started working on setting up tables at the park. The leaders of the day took control and divided the work, making sure that everyone work efficiently but with lots of breaks. Coming back from the work cite the leaders led an interesting and reflective talk about everyone’s experiences of the day. The leaders of a day learned so much about being leaders; how to communicate with your followers, how to use a kind and assertive tones and overall have fun. We ended the day with a informative ecology talk from a local ranger, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed.

-Sunaina

7/6/2015

7/29/2015

Yesterday was the start of an amazing journey here in Fiji. As we got off the plane we were welcomed into open arms by the GLA leaders. After that we then headed to where we were staying and unpacked followed by a tasty breakfast. Later on in the day we began playing games so that we could all remember each others names. Then we headed out for a walk down to the beach and saw these beautiful tall palm trees. When we arrived at the beach we had seen that there was garbage all over the ground so together as a team we decided we were going to help out by picking up the trash and putting it all in bags. Once we cleaned up the beach we played a game that helped us all work on different abilities of working together. The day was full of laughter and joy. Even though it was our first day together and we were all exhausted we had an amazing day and it was the start of an extraordinary adventure along with great friendships.

– Aubrie Cross

7/30/2015

We woke up today before the sun rose around 6:30 A.M. for some exercise. There’s nothing like an early morning run along the breathtaking Fijian coast to start off your day! After showering up from that, we headed off to breakfast for another delicious meal. After that, we got to meet Elle who runs the organization Vinaka Fiji. After lunch, we got to venture out to the Gardens of the Sleeping Giant and went on an incredible hike. We finished our day by going to the natural hot pools and getting a natural mud body mask. We got to play relay games with some of the children of the community. Needless to say, we are all had such an experience of a lifetime yet it is only the second day! We all have never met more kind and welcoming people than the members of this community.

– Jessica Pollock

7/31/2015

Today we woke up early and had the option to watch the sunrise while meditating with yoga on the roof. We gathered together for morning circe soon after and discussed our attention of embracing differences. After breakfast we took the bus to the local Indo-Fijian village to learn about traditional Indo-Fijian food. We helped create delicious food for lunch while enjoying the company of 3 fluffy cats. Once we said our goodbyes we headed out to the local Hindu temple. We learned about the different gods that the religion is based upon. We than headed out to the town to gather necessities for our next 16 days on Barefoot Island. Tonight we all packed our luggage and are ready for an early rise tomorrow!

– Rosa

8/1 and 8/2

Yesterday, we arrived at the beautiful Barefoot Island. Everyone was exhausted from waking up early and the 3 hour boat ride but we were able to gain energy after seeing the incredible scenery Barefoot has to offer. After receiving our accommodations we dove into the warm ocean water for our swim tests. Even though Rosa had a tough time floating at first we all managed to pass. After a little relaxation time, we enjoyed an intense volleyball match with the resort staff. After losing, we all were ready to take a break and write what service project interested us the most. We heard informative speeches about service in 3 different areas: Education, Rain Water Collection, and Marine.

The following morning Jessica led us in a beach yoga class. After Aubrie made everyone die of laughter, we all finished the session rejuvenated and ready for the scavenger hunt. Kevin gave everyone detailed tasks which had point values ranging from 1 to 4. For example, one of the tasks said to bury a fellow team member in sand and shape her as a mermaid. After tallying the points Bura Vitu (Bure 7) came out a victor. Bura Vitu consisted of Melissa, Riley, Megan, and Haley. Even though a little rain delayed some activities we finally found out which service would take part in. After meeting with our service groups, everyone was extremely excited to start our first day of service tomorrow. Moce! (A word we learned in our Fijian language class)

– Addi Mackenzie and Riley Mahoney

Group Photo!

August 3-5, 2015

Over the past few days on Barefoot Island, weather conditions have prevented us from attending our service projects. However, the weather has not kept our spirits down and we have managed to make the most of all this island has to offer.

On Monday, we started our morning off with a delicious breakfast that included fresh papaya, yogurt, and pancakes. The leader of the day today was Emma. Abby was originally supposed to be her partner but did not feel well. Lemeki brought some fun in to the day with a rugby tutorial. After learning the basics everyone got really competitive in some intense games. In the afternoon, we got a taste of Fijian culture with learning how to basket weave. Rosa was a true basket weaving natural.

On Tuesday, Jessica and Kevin let us have a little extra sleep before starting our day. Once we were up and going, our morning activities consisted of learning how to make coconut jewelry and snorkeling. We had the option to make coconut bracelets, rings, and bowls. Next we split into two groups that went either hiking or collecting coral on the beach. Betani educated the coral group on different shells and types of coral. The hiking group climbed to view an amazing sight at the top of the mountain and took lots of pictures. We played another fun game of volleyball with the staff.

Today, the morning started out with either the choice of making thank you notes to Barefoot Staff or participating in a morning work out on the beach. These activities were led by out leaders of the day, Shania and Megan. Following these morning activities, we took a boat out to a neighboring beach for snorkeling and beach clean up. The coral reefs were breathtaking and only inches from our toes. The sun finally came out and we took full advantage by lying out on the beach. Shania even decided to have her own instagram photoshoot. Afterward, we did some team building activities and wrote in our journals as the sun set. To wrap the day up we had a powerful dinner circle about appreciating the little things.

Haley Malewicz and Abby McCollough

Aug 5, 2015
Despite weather conditions today we were able to get off Barefoot island and travel by boat to Soso village. We had the opportunity to hike to a beautiful mountain top and spend the afternoon reading books and playing games in the local primary school. Weather conditions this morning were questionable but the end of the day turned to a beautiful sunset which we got to watch on the beach amidst a workshop. Our workshop consisted of an exercise of cultural norms which worked in accordance with our intention of the day: Respecting Others. It was a beautiful ending to an amazing day. Leaders of the day today were Melissa and Anna. Tomorrow’s leaders of the day will be Aubrie Cross and Riley Mahoney.

– Riley Jo Busby and Melissa Bowman

8/18/2015

All students have departed and are on their way home!

All students have arrived safely and have called home as of July 5th. Students are excited to begin their program and participate in service projects on the island!

Staff and students will be sending photos and/or blog updates every 3-4 days, and you will receive an email from staff once a new update is available.

July 6, 2015

By: Selena and Miranda

Bula everyone!

So, day two in Fiji we woke up and went to morning circle! Today’s goal was self-discovery and self-care. We went to the roof of the Nadi resort, played an evolution game and then it was time for breakfast. Toast with jam, butter and peanut butter, eggs with baked beans, tea, coffee and a juice that could easily be mistaken for orange juice but tastes distinctly of papaya. Next we were introduced to Elle Nimacere, known by most as ‘awesome lady’. She taught us the basics of Fijian culture and language. We learned what to do and what not to do for when we go do service, which we then acted out in some hilarious skits.

With self-discovery in mind, we paired up with a partner by grabbing their shoes from a pile. This allowed us to share our story and grow a deeper and closer relationship with our partners. Definitely a great way to get close fast! I mean we are spending 3 weeks together so we have to be close right?

After lunch we grabbed our bathing suits and towels and boarded a bus. We met the sleeping giant, a beautiful mountain outline that resembled a giant man. We toured a beautiful orchid garden and hiked up to a pristine view of the whole island. Then it was back on the bus and over to the hot springs and mud bath.

We were greeted with bula and happy smiles. We broke off into four groups for a sort of Fijian Olympics. It was the Skull Flowers vs the Orchids vs the Sleeping Giants vs the Bulalas. Balloons were popped, eggs were dropped and water was spilled. It was super fun! We then painted ourselves with slimy black mud from head to toe. Our guide said it made you 12 years old again and grew back hair if you were bald. We rinsed off the mud in a mud bath. The bottom off the bath was pretty disgusting but also interesting. It felt like seaweed or something but in reality it was just mud and leaves that fell from the tree above the bath. After that delightful experience we jumped in a pool fed by a hot spring. It felt wonderful and there was a killer view of the mountains. We had to be asked to leave! We then ate fresh fruit from the field behind the pools.

On the bus ride back to Nadi Resort we were singing songs and drinking tons of water. We discussed leadership and how to give advice and constructive criticism. It was an exhausting but exhilarating day. Some people were too tired to stay for ice cream but everyone was happy.

July 7, 2015

Bula from Fiji!

We began our day with our breakfast circle lead by Jacob and Briley, where we played energizing games. After our usual breakfast of delicious toast and fruit, we took a bus ride to an Indo-fijian village to take part in making an amazing lunch. We prepared and cooked everything over a fire. We learned how to crack open coconuts and to cook with authentic indian spices. Our hosts were very kind and generous and did a wonderful job at making us feel at home. After a few hours of he=ard work preparing our food, we were able to finally enjoy our cuisine. It was a Indo-Fijian tradition to eat everything using our hands, so things got a bit messy. After lunch, Nelly and Briley were chosen to try on the traditional Indian sari. We even got to meet the family’s adorable cat, which we nicknamed Simba.

Next, we visited the town for a bit of shopping to pick up a few essentials we needed. A few of us also visited an Asian desert shop for milkshakes and coconut water. Because the store operated on Fiji time, it took quite a while and we almost missed our bus back. When we got home we got a bit of free time to exercise or relax. Miranda and Antonia visited the pool where Miranda taught her how to swim. After free time we had a guest speaker talk about personality roles. He was running a bit late, but Jake kept us thoroughly entertained by getting up and starting a horribly off tune sing-a-long complete with interpretive dancing from Briley. Once our sing-a-long was over our guest speaker Aisake gave us quizzes to show what kind of personality we have. This helped us learn how to better operate with others and learn how to compromise with different types of people. We announced our new leaders at the dinner circle, who were Miranda and Max. After eating dinner we packed up for our long boat ride tomorrow.

July 9, 2015

Home Base- We have some awesome bures that are directly on sunrise beach of Barefoot island and spend a lot of time in our base hut for meals and meetings.

Today, Max and Miranda were the leaders of the day. We had an early start with some sunrise yoga at 6:45, and today we decided to focus on flexibility not only physically but mentally. Today was the morning after a typhoon of sickness and we really came together as a group and got to know each other. With the first boat off to service, four groups started their projects. This session we are focusing on marine conservation, rainwater collection, food bank, and education.

Briley- Marine

My group and I set off for our service in the reefs and were bubbling with excitement to be in the water. We were greeted by an awesome community and sat down for an interesting lesson on the connectivity of land and sea. It was interesting to see the love for Earth’s rehabilitation and the natives working to help. After lunch, we all grabbed our fins and jumped in the water. I have only every been to beaches with brackish water so the brilliant blue was absolutely amazing. We had a great time looking for sea cucumbers, and even encountered a sea serpent! ( don’t worry I only got bitten once!)

Julianne – Rainwater Collection Project

After breakfast this morning, my group and I headed off to Navidi Island to visit Yasawa High School, where we began our project of building a rainwater collection tank that will help provide clean water to the children and teachers in the school by collecting rainwater from the roofs of the buildings and filtering it. We were warmly greeted by the children and teachers of the school – we even saw them do a welcome dance and song for us just before we were given an orientation to our project. Our group split into two groups today – one began digging the hole that the rainwater collector will go in, and the other began by moving sand from the beach to the site to be mixed with cement to eventually create the building around the collector. It was definitely a lot of manual labor, but it was still a lot of fun, and we will sleep well tonight for sure!

Alix- Food bank

This morning, we arrived on the beautiful island Naviti. Upon our arrival, we went to a structure similar to our ‘town halls’ and met with the mayor to go over cultural norms on the island, and gained permission to wear hats and listen to music while we worked. Our projects mission is to build a structure for a food bank, so when a typhoon or other natural disaster strikes, the island members will be prepared and not have to wait months for new food. We are building the structure from the ground up, which is very exciting! Today, we started by collecting sand from the breathtaking beaches to later on (either tomorrow or Monday) mix with cement. This proved to be both a physically and mentally challenging task. The sand proved to weigh much more than it looks, and while collecting it from the beach, the crystal clear ocean seemed as if it were calling our names! The smaller (kindergarten age) children were at first timid when seeing us, but gradually began to play, and even help us with our sand collecting. We had a relaxing lunch in one of the family’s houses, and then got back to work. When an unexpected downpour occurred, we returned to the hut and were treated to fresh, just cut off of the tree papaya! When we returned to the boat, although our arms may have been sore our hearts were full from the children’s contagious happiness. We are very excited to return to our project and see the approaching results!

July 12, 2015

Hello All!

I know it’s been a while since we have updated this blog but not to worry, we have been doing some amazing things! Yesterday, half of the group went on a hike from Coconut Bay to a local community called Kese. To get to the other side of the hill, we had to climb straight up for fifty minutes. Although we were all exhausted from the hike, the views from the top were incredible.

When we finally arrived in Kese, local children and their mothers greeted us. They had cut some fresh fruits for us to eat. The children were so friendly. We played hand games and tag. They even taught us some local dances. Even though most of them did not speak English, we had no trouble having fun.

Today, we spent all of our time on the island. In the morning, we had a marine biologist come speak to us about the coral reefs and manta rays. After that, some of us went on a hike to the top of our island, Barefoot Island. There were stunning views of the ocean and the coral reefs. After lunch, we went on a snorkel around the tip of the island through a canal called Manta Passage. The coral reefs were teeming with sea cucumbers, fish, and even sea serpents. We are so lucky to be able to walk out of our rooms straight into the ocean. I am 6exited to be able to experience Fiji life every day for the next two weeks. Moce!

-Shayna Bomfim-Finkelstein

7/13/2015

By: Sam Kleyner
Today the Food Bank group worked on gathering the materials for the foundation of the actual food bank. The plan is to have a 21 by 12 inch structure to hold contents in case of a disaster as a cyclone. We had to go collect gravel in sand bags and wheel barrels and bring it back to the food bank site. As well as sand and larger stones had to be collected and brought back to the site. We look forward in seeing the progression and the final result!

By: Emma Jacobsen
Today in the education service group, we started out with one to one reading with the kids. We would help kids who aren’t up to the reading level of their class. Today I worked with my student by reading “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and talked about the days of the week. He was good at remembering but had a hard time spelling Wednesday. Working one to one with them for the second day was fun because I started to see improvement in the reading level. After one to one reading, we went into different classrooms to help the teachers. I went into the 7th Grade class with Tiffany (it’s also her birthday today), and we helped put up curtains then assisted the students with their math. Today they were learning about circumference and diameter etc. I taught one of the kids a song I learned in 6th grade to remember the formulas. I also helped in a 4th grade class with class reading time. I read stories with the girls and had them read to each other. Education was so fun today and I am finally remembering some of the students names. Tonight I’m going to touch up on my math so I can help my 7th graders better tomorrow! As a group, we are going to work on coming up with a lesson plan for future one to one reading sessions to better help each individual. I’m so excited to go again tomorrow!

By: Rylie Walker
Today in the Marine Biology service group we did a couple of different things. To start the day, we began by picking mangrove seedlings to be planted later on. We hung out and bonded with the vocational students at the Mauira village who are studying marine science. After we picked loads of mangrove seedlings, we moved soil around and planted them to begin their regrowth! From there we ate lunch, which consisted of a meal the locals had prepared for us in a traditional setting. Once we had finished with lunch, we made cement mix with the other students to create cement patties. The purpose of the cement was to hold clipped coral so that they could regrow in the water when planted later on. When all was finished in Mauira for the day, we walked to the neighboring village called Kese to help the food bank service group with their service project. We had a busy day full of hard work and fun.

By: Alex Suppan
The rainwater catchment group had a strenuous day of service today. The sun beat down on our backs, as the sweat dripped from our brows. Rivers of sweat poured from our armpits, and we completely sweat through one of our two uniform t-shirts. We struggled as we trudged along with buckets of sand. The only way that I personally pushed through was by imagining that I was the wind, and that I was living outside of myself. I was a particle of air blowing through the wind, without a specific path. The only difference, my purpose is to complete a service project to funnel water into the mouths of thirsty Fijian schoolchildren. I love you mom and dad. I am doing something good for the world.

7/14/2015

By: Cherilyn Lau, Taylor Wiley and Belle Canning

After waking up from a windy night, we meet for breakfast circle hoping to begin another day of service. Instead we had to wait until 9 to begin our day, when realizing that the wind was not working in our favors. Unlike other days, the Food bank and Marine biology group left first, then Education and Rainwater catchment group left second, leaving us all with only a half day left of service.

The rainwater catchment system is coming along quite well, considering we skipped a whole day of work last Friday and a late start today, both due to weather conditions. We usually get to school by 8:30 or so. Instead, we arrived at Yasawa High School by 12. We went straight to work by continuing what we have been doing for the two days, carrying buckets of water through a giant grass field. After filling the two big tanks of water that was situated on the top of a small hill, finally we ate lunch. When our stomachs were filled began to mix cement and laying it on the platform that we have built, some helped mix, some poured cement and another helped flatten the surface. Since we did not have enough time, we did not complete the whole platform, but we are all excited to continue tomorrow.
The food bank service was the first boat to leave this morning. The ride was very exciting and bumpy. Although we got wet, most people wore their bathing suits so their clothes and sarongs wouldn’t get ruined. When we arrived to Kese Village, we immediately began collecting gravel to mix with the cement. We inserted the cement into the foundation and leveled it out. While we were waiting for the cement to dry, we continued making trips to pick up sand and bring it back to the pile. As we were leaving, some of the children from Kasey village came to say goodbye, or in Fijian, Moce!

The Marine group and the Food bank group were the first to get on the boat, we were soaking by the time we got to the village Muiera! We immediately started to pick up rubbish on the beach for about 30 minutes. Then two vocational students took us further down the beach and climbed a palm tree and started to cut down many palm leaves, which was used to weave into shelter for the hut. We dragged these giant leaves back to our meeting point where we were shown how to weave; we wove for around an hour. And trust me, it was a lot harder than it sounds! Finally, we sat down with one of the student’s and they were kind enough to make us lunch. After lunch, we had to leave early because the weather conditions were changing. What a day!

7/15/2015

By: Antonia Zhu

Today is a windy day. After we carried sand gravel and rocks from the area near the village the past several days, we became very tired, but we still kept enthusiasm with us all the day. When we reached the village in the morning, the locals there had been working for a while, so all of us loved to join them as soon as possible. The leader of a day –Taylor- distributed different work to everyone so that we had a clear schedule about what we should do today. Firstly, we found that we still needed more sand from the beach to fill the foundation of food bank, so all of us hauled sand for many rounds. Then, we helped the locals to cut the long wood into 16 shorter chunks which were used to build the structure of the walls. In those chunks, eight of them should be perfect 7ft 2in. long, and the other eight should be 6ft 8in. long. Finally, we began to use nails to hold the chunks together with a long wood in the foundation. After the work we’d done, it finally looks like a structure of house now. Although we are very tired and even slept on the boat when we came back from the village, we are proud of ourselves!

7/16/2015

Hard work makes tired students. These girls have been working super hard and fall asleep nearly every day on the boat ride back to base.

7/18/2015

By: Briley Hebner and Shayna Bomfim-Finkelstein

Today is our second and last adventurous Saturday. We split into two groups last weekend and one went on a hike and the other did yoga, and the following Saturday (today) they would switch activities.
Briley- My group headed off for the hike around 9:30. Lemeke drove us on the boat over to a resort, where we climbed up and over the mountain into the village Kese. It was definitely steep and tiring, but it did not take too long with our bad ass hiking sticks and positive energy. The view from the top was amazing and really worth the struggle. I felt like a role in Swiss Family Robinson who just sent out an SOS signal. With a break and a ton of pictures, we were back on our way down the mountain. With only a couple slips and slides, we made it down for lunch in the town hall. Of course, we stopped at the food bank site and saw their epic work on the shed. Kudos to you guys!! We were all so tired that we were literally falling asleep on the floor but with some effort we got up to play with the village children until the boat picked us up. HAHA funny moment, a bunch of kids were jumping on us calling us “Papa lagis,” and we were all like, “Awwwww what are they saying??”…..It means we are their white people!!! So good!
Shayna – Our group had some extra time this morning to get ready before yoga at 10am. We set up our yoga mats and towels on a deck looking out onto the ocean. Jess, our mentor, led us in an hour-long session with experienced and beginner yogis. After yoga, we were all very relaxed and ready to take on the day. Before lunch, we played a game called Spider’s Web where we had to help our teammates through a web made of rope. After lunch, most of us went on a snorkel safari where we took a boat out to some beautiful snorkeling sites. On our snorkel, we saw parrot fish, chromis, sea stars and many others. We were able to swim through walls of fish and hold sea stars and sea cucumbers. I felt so insignificant among all those mesmerizing creatures. Being able to swim in the ocean was such a great experience since there is so much unknown. When we got back to Barefoot, we jumped into the shower and went along to our next activity.
When we got back, we had some time to either get some sun, or have a nice language lesson from Tema, and then met back together at 5:30 for leadership activities. Taylor (Welsh) and Cherilyn designed a game similar to hide and seek, to continue their focus of discovering, yourself, others, and the beautiful island. It ended with a very entertaining song from Jacob and Tiffany and a solid spaghetti dinner. A cherry on top was the burnt orange eclipse and a dark night really brought out they amazing stars.
Thank you, Peace out, LYTTMABAAATS MOMMY. Te amo!

7/19/2015

By: Madeline and Yasmina

Today, on our final Sunday, was probably the most spirited and competitive day yet. This morning the people who hadn’t previously gotten a chance to snorkel with manta rays got the chance to do so and saw a baby and adult manta while the rest of the group began with some relaxing yoga. We then handmade coconut jewelry, which is definitely not as easy as it looks. I spent about two hours carving a ring out of the shell of a coconut. It was worth it in the end because now I feel so accomplished and proud of my hard work. After that, some people snorkeled and others spent time chilling on the island. I spent my time reading in a hammock on the beach. After lunch, we did a beach walk where we learned about the different life found on the island. And then the games began!!! Briley spent some time coming up with this super crazy game called “Fiji Fight to the Finish.” It was based off of Harry Potter, as far as characters go, but in my opinion it was pretty much GLA Hunger Games. After dividing into teams named after different Fijian villages, we sprinted back to our bures to change into our decided team colors and get spirited. That’s when the war paint (aka eyeliner) came out. Our four events included a sand castle building competition, a mermaid in the sand contest, a super competitive volleyball tournament, and finally, a game called Mr./Mrs. GLA. The theme for today was to put yourself in somebody else’s shoes. Lastly, we all got together for a bonfire under the stars. Overall its been an incredible couple weeks so far. It’s sad to think that we only have six more days in this beautiful place. We’re all looking forward to making the most of the three days of service we have left.

7/15/2015

After long journeys from Chicago, London, New Jersey, and China the whole group finally arrived at home base in Dzita last night around 9pm, just in time to enjoy a delicious meal prepared by Mama Rita, Giftie, and Jennifer. Shortly after dinner, everyone went to bed to make sure they were rested for our first full day of activities.

Today we got to know each other a bit better and visited the market to purchase fabric and complete a scavenger hunt.

Here is a photo of the whole group from earlier today! We will be updating the blog again soon!

7/16/2015

Today marked the start of the soon to be infamous 7:20 wakeups. It was a noble day that saw the GLA inner five initiate operation toilet installation. Packing up Tigo’s car at around 8:30, the inner five shipped out to take on the white throne. The inner five accomplished saw a great days work close out at about 1:15, with the assistance of Ballo, Boots, Tigo, Jasper, and Kendall. Right after, the inner five hiked back to Home Base due to the consideration of Tigo (obviously he was thoughtful enough to realize that we had not worked on our cardio today) and made it back for lunch. After a two-hour rest period, the inner five went to go meet a local herb doctor who took us on a walk and showed us the various herbs and plants used for different ailments. One herb was said to have the ability to cure a victim from poisoning, and if used correctly, could kill the assailant without physical contact. Talk about instant karma. Once the walk was over, the inner five played three highly competitive volleyball games with the staff. As of right now, everyone is lounging and relaxing before another incredible dinner. All is well for the inner five, and it looks to be smooth sailing on the horizon.

Jack

7/18/2015

The GLA inner five has had a very fun time so far! We just came back from a long day filled with awesome activities! In the morning, we were with the local children. The boys played several rounds of World Cup Soccer Style with children, and it was very intense! The girls passed around the ball, played volleyball and basketball, and ran around with the kids. We took a lot of water breaks. We also tried Kendall’s electrolyte chews, which surprisingly were very tasty. The weather has been beautiful so far. It’s hot and sunny, but parent’s don’t worry we always have our sunscreen on! In the afternoon, we went to a traditional African funeral. It was very different from western funerals. The funeral was a time to dance, sing, and celebrate the life of the one who passed. Matt, Yili, and I danced in the center with the locals. In my opinion, the funeral was interesting because it wasn’t a time to be upset , it was a time to be happy about life. What was most interesting to me was the different ways people mourn. Overall, this trip has been full of new things and new people! I can’t wait to see what the rest of the GLA trip will be like!

-Julia Nijnens

7/23/2015

Sunday morning had come, and it was back to work for the Inner Five.
We woke at 7:30 AM, groggy as ever, and certainly not feeling
particularly excited about resuming our project so early in the
morning – especially after such an action-packed Saturday. The
previous day was one free of work, spent playing football with some of
the staff members in the morning, and attending a traditional Ghanaian
funeral in the afternoon; blending a familiar activity with a more
novel one. The funeral was nothing short of spectacular – the main
event was a massive dance circle defined only by the large crowd
viewing the procession from the sidelines. At random intervals,
certain (more excitable) partygoers could be seen being carried away
from the dance circle, most of them fully unconscious, as the result
of being “taken by the spirits” – or so we were told. Overall, it was
an eye-opening experience, especially for those of us that were coming
from the Western World. This was an approach to death that was
entirely unfamiliar to us, and it provided a great talking point in
our reflections that night. While it is impossible to declare one type
of funeral to be “better” or “more productive” than the other, it is
clear to me that a celebration-type approach has many key advantages,
and could perhaps teach us a thing or two in the West.

-Matt Greenig

7/24/2015

I am a Chinese student who can’t speak English very well. At first, I was worried about going to Africa with all foreigners speaking different language. However, when I arrived I found all GLA people friendly and kind. They encouraged you to speak and to try new things. You never have to worry you can’t fit in. We built compost toilet every morning. I can’t imagine that a compost toilet can help 30 people. My tiny strength can help people a lot. People here are all very friendly. They say “hello” to everyone and help everyone, even though you are foreigner. During the trip I met a lot of kind people. I met an old kind woman who set up a school here. That was the first time I felt so badly to help people like her. We also enjoyed some traditional performances here. Traditional funeral is totally different from the sad one we know. People celebrate it and dance together. I don’t know why but I really like the atmosphere. I think maybe because funeral give people an excuse to gather together. Anyway, you can always find surprise here with GLA.

-Yili Wang

7/27/2015

The students have been taken to the airport safely!

6/27/2015

All students have arrived safely and are ready for an amazing program!

The staff at the Building Healthy Villages Homebase are excited that all of the students have finally arrived, we’ve been preparing for some time now. We ate a delicious dinner on the deck and then are heading to bed so we can get a fresh start in the morning!

– Kendall

6/28/2015

7/3/2015

Ghana! These last few days have been extremely tiring, but enjoyable. We have spent hours building our eco-compost toilet – and it is really exciting to see such rapid progress!

It may be hard to imagine this, but a toilet can actually change the lives of a family – because improved sanitation increases the life expectancy and can empower all young Ghanaians (especially girls) to regularly attend school. A lack of sanitation and education are the central problems faced by the people in Ghana. The toilet aids in sanitation, can help children regularly attend school, and can assist farmers (majority of people in the village) in increasing their crop yield with the compost produced from the toilets.

Overall, however, it’s safe to say that everyone in the group has fallen in love with Ghana. Ghanaians are some of the most hospitable, generous, and genuinely kind people at I have ever met! Time is flying by!

-Sahil

July 7, 2015

Not only have we spent our time in Dzita helping to build a compost toilet, during these past two week we have plunged into the culture that Ghana has to offer. We first experienced the Ghanian culture through the food (courtesy of Mama Rita). The food is typically filled with spices and is quite flavorful and never fails is satisfy us. We became fully emerged in the culture here when we were brought to the local market on the bank of the Volta River. We were originally brought there to complete a scavenger hunt but we had an entirely new experience with the fast paced crowded streets. Here we were able to buy goods such as handmade fluorescent fabrics. We have been given the opportunity to make use of our fabrics that we purchased to create clothes that are sewn together by seamstresses (we are excited and anxious to receive our newly made clothes). We were given another burst of culture thanks to the chief of Dzita. We were given the opportunity to create our own fabrics using batik methods that were taught to us in a workshop. In addition, thanks to Ballo (a local helping us to construct the toilet), we danced away the nigh† and learned all the “hip” moves used in Ghanian clubs. Next year, I can assure you, our proms will be a ton more fun!

The issue of sanitation is certainly prominent in Ghana, however, education is just as big a problem. Today, we visited the local school and saw first hand the way private schools are run in Ghana. (Very, very, different to those in America to say the least). We gave the kids, ages 9-14, a short lesson on the importance of sanitation and easy ways to prevent disease.

Although learning about the culture is fascinating and most definitely has enhanced our GLA experience, the most rewarding feeling we have had thus far was completing our compost toilet. All 6 us (minus a few on some days due to illnesses and hospital visits), spent every morning mixing concrete, carrying water, and constructing this structure. By the third day, the village we were working in became familiar of us and welcomed us every morning with smiling faces. Although, building the compost toilet was incredible, I’m sure all of us can testify to the fact that at times, our bodies felt tired and drained. Despite the dehydration, runs, mixed malaria pills, and hospital visits, the toilet was built in efficient time and looks stellar. Being able to be a part of something that will help benefit a community so immensely is an incredible feeling. Tomorrow is the ceremony of the toilet and our farewells to the Meet Me There Lodge. We are all excited for tomorrow but also a bit sad to leave here. You will hear more from us soon!

Sincerely—

Frances and Azia

7/9/2015

Yesterday was the day everyone had been looking forward to: the opening ceremony of our compost toilet! We woke up and headed over to Agledomi to our work site and the whole family that we built the toilet for and other people from the village were waiting for us with chairs set up and refreshments. The ceremony started off with us thanking all of our new friends who saw us working every day for being so welcoming and patient with us for the past two weeks. Then, Boots walked everyone through the proper use of the toilet and how to keep it up. This part was so important because for the compost toilet to be beneficial and successful everyone who uses it needs to be educated about it. During this ceremony I (and I’m sure everyone else) had a moment of reflection. As I looked around at all of the kids that we have played with every day and all of the adults that have welcomed us so kindly, I realized that we have actually done something really amazing. All of the people that surrounded me will benefit from this toilet for years and it could even save their lives from disease and unsafe alternatives of going to the bathroom elsewhere. The opening ceremony was truly gratifying and our hard work has undoubtedly paid off.

The day continued on with a boat ride down the Volta River and we all just marveled at the beauty of the last afternoon we had in Ghana together. There was a group singing and drumming in the back and we were all very happy and content. We stopped at a beach and walked around looking for shells and hung out with everyone we have come to know and love so much. As the day came to a close we all wore our clothes that Aunty made out of our fabrics to our last feast at Meet Me There. We sat with all of the staff and went around the table sharing our favorite memories from the past two weeks in Ghana.

We have now all ventured to Accra where we will be spending the night and waiting for our flights home. We have all had an absolutely life changing experience here and we have made the best friendships. I don’t think I have ever laughed or smiled more than I have here and we all have a great Ghanian happiness that we will be bringing home to our families and friends (of whom we can’t wait to see!)

-Casey Judge

7/10/2015

So, we are now down to two students. The California group. The East Coast girls, Lex, Azia, and Casey, all left this morning on a 9 am flight back to America. Sahil and I have just spent today at the Accra mall with Kendall. We bought tickets to go see a movie but later learned that the movie was not going to start for an hour after they told us.. typical Ghana. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that going home is going to be an adjustment.

Although eager to reconnect with friends and family, the two weeks spent in Dzita was a very special time for each and every one of us. Every staff member at the Meet Me There Lodge welcomed us in with open arms from the very first day and soon our relationships with them turned into genuine friendships. Two weeks ago the six of us were complete strangers to each other coming from all ends of America, and now, I can safely say that all of us will be keeping in contact with each other for years to come.

Each of us came to Ghana with slightly different mindsets, however, we are all leaving with a new sense of humility and love. It is our job now to educate people as much as we can about the vibrate culture of Ghana that we had the opportunity to experience. Most people don’t have that same opportunity. It is our job to explain how significant of an issue sanitation is and explain how 6 teenage kids can make a difference. That doesn’t mean they have to fly out to Ghana, they can easily make a difference in their own community.

Anyway, thanks for keeping up with our blogs, if you have. Or maybe you just decided to read this last post. Regardless, I hope you got a pretty good idea our incredible, almost indescribable experience.

-Frances Barbour

New photos are below!

Update

All students have departed for home. That’s a wrap!