July 3, 2017

They made it! Everyone arrived tired but excited to start their two week adventure in the Galápagos. After a late dinner and some quick introductions, everyone headed to bed.

Tomorrow we will start the day with orientation and then explore the city in the afternoon.

Written by Tim Donovan

Today we woke up at 7 am and went down to eat breakfast. After breakfast we all went down to the water and went kayaking. However, it doesn’t stop there. We tied our kayaks one by one onto a rope and jumped into the water. Even though we are in a tropical place, the water was kinda chilly but what we saw made it worth while. During snorkeling we saw a turtle, blue footed boobies, PENGUINS, and there were also an abundance of sea lions. We say all of this despite the fact that the water was murky from the storm the day before.  Even though this already sounds like a full day, I still have more to talk about. So after the beach we had some free time to relax and do whatever we wanted. Suzannah brought us to her well vouched for ice cream place. It was all home made and it was absolutely life changing. Again, it doesn’t stop there. We then walked maybe 6 feet from the ice cream place over to the beach. And this beach along with basically any other ones on the island, was completely breathtaking. Sitting with everyone watching the bright aqua water crash on the beach and turn snow white really brought us all to a different state of mind. Everything seemed so perfect and relaxing. It was so amazing. And I really couldn’t ask for a better group to share these moments with. So after our free time we came back to the hotel and got ready for our second adventure of the day. And let me remind you this all went down before noon. After everyone packed up and got their work clothes on we were all blessed to go pull invasive  species of plants in the giant tortoise pen. These tortoises were described to us as being only like the size of a puppy because they were only 15 years old, but they seemed like giants. We worked very hard on pulling these weeds to help benefit the tortoises. For dinner we had fish curry and ended the night with mentor meetings.

July 7, 2017

Written by Ava P.

Today was such a fun day. To switch it up we spent the morning volunteering at a local school. There were only FIVE students that attended and they were there to help us repaint their school. We took a break in between to play a game of soccer with the kids, and after that they were really excited to paint and be with us. It was really rewarding at the end to see what we did to help their education. We returned for lunch and afterward went down to the beach and swam. The water was freezing but it was worth it. The afternoon was free, so everyone walked around town and shopped around and it was super nice to just spend time with everyone. Overall, it was a great day!

July 8, 2017

Written by Nick Ashworth

We started the day by heading to the tortoise breeding center and learned about the tortoises and why they are being protected. After we has tortoise time we walked back to town and explored for a couple hours. When the bus finally arrived we hopped on and headed for the volcano. The trip up the volcano was not difficult and the view we had was amazing. As we neared the top we began to hunt for guavas and a couple of us (including our guide Fernando) tried for at least a half hour to catch a wild chicken so we could bring it back to town and eat it. Sadly we lost the chicken in the brush.

Once we got back to town we were all exhausted and ready for bed but we couldn’t go to sleep on an empty stomach, so we made our way down to the kitchen and ate eggs, rice, hotdogs, and potatoes. After dinner we gathered in the terrace and reflected on the day.

7/11-7/12/2017

Written by Michael Nemez and Chloe Little

Yesterday was a long day of travel and fun. We started our day with breakfast and a 2 hour boat ride to Floreana island. There, we snorkeled with sea turtles, sat on the beach, and ate lunch. It was quite relaxing. After lunch we took a 3 hour boat ride to San Cristobal island and our second home base. We had some free time in the village and then headed up the hill to our new home. After a delicious dinner, we watched a great movie and just relaxed.
Today we went to the beach and sunbathed with the sea lions. Afterwards, we went snorkeling. The water was crystal clear, and we were able to see many fish, sea turtles, sea snakes, and eels. After having lunch at Home Base, we started rebuilding a forested habitat. We cut down guava trees and blackberry bushes (both invasive)in order to restore the natural habitat.

 7/9/2017

Hey there from Quito!

We all arrived safe and sound yesterday, and got settled into our hotel. We had dinner of soup and pasta and then headed to bed, exhausted from the days travels. Today we are learning about the programme for the morning, and will be out and about exploring Quito for the afternoon. Will keep you posted 🙂

June 27, 2017

Today was a very busy day. We woke up at 3 AM to begin our journey to the Galápagos. We rode a bus to the airport and then got a plane to Baltra Island. We got off then we took two boats to Isabella Island. As soon as we arrived, a saw a variety of wildlife: Pelicans, boobies, penguins, sea lions, iguanas and crabs. After that, we went to the beach and learned about the islands from our tour guides. We had a really nice dinner and we are all very tired. I am looking forward to snorkelling with the sea creatures and doing service work with the group.

This has been Alejandro…signing off!

June 27, 2017

We had an incredible day today and we had our first full day of activities. On our trail hike this morning we saw several  marine iguanas, finches, cacti, a horse, pelicans and at the end of the hike we enjoyed local homemade ice cream. In the afternoon we started our service at camp Duro, where we cleared weeds for the giant tortoise’s habitats. We were lucky enough to have seen many tortoises, and even at the end of service played a exciting game of soccer. We’re very lucky to have had amazing food so far, and have even enjoyed playing with the locals puppy. We can’t wait to explore more of this beautiful island.

-Abby Baughan and Julia Barkan

June 28, 2017

¡Hola! Today was a really good day. The day started off at 12 AM, when Siena had a traumatic sleep talk experience due to her immense amount of anxiety she apparently had for the day of leading. Sofie doesn’t remember much, expect siena asking how she should lead and if the past leaders were any good. Sofie kindly responded with mhm mhm mhm…that soon put Siena back to her deep slumber. Finally their alarm went off at 6:30 in that morning and they woke the group up PROMPTLY at 6:45. Sofie may or may not have knocked on the wrong door….. As usual, all the travelers got up, got ready for the day and headed down to breakfast. The breakfast was amazing: crepes with syrup and granola, croissants with guava marmalade and butter, the usual hot drinks and a delicious fresh-squeezed tangerine juice. After breakfast we all headed to the harbor for snorkeling and kayaking. We split into two groups, one group went with Gustavo and the other with Angel. Despite the strong current, the rare wildlife made snorkeling worth it. One minute you were swimming staring down at schools of fish and the next a sea lion was diving right in front of your eyes. Since angel’s group ended early, they had time to explore the beach some more and check out the mangrove trees. Gustavo’s group kayaked first, they saw Blue-footed Boobies, Penguins and even a sea turtle!!! As his group headed back to the shore, a pair of kids had managed to capsize the kayak on a large wave. Once both groups both kayaked and snorkeled they walked back into town towards their hotel. On the way to the hotel they jammed out to some music and stoped at a local shop to buy some ice cream. It began to drizzle outside, it felt refreshing considering the humidity. Arriving back to the hotel, they only had a minute to get ready for service. We had lunch at the worksite, they served us SORT OF tuna, rice, lentil soup and a cabbage salad. The fish tasted so fresh we were all so happy because we had been famished from this mornings many activities. Today’s service consisted of work to further conserve the Tortoise’s habitats. We pulled weeds, picked some fresh passion fruit and guava, and cleared the grounds of anything invasive. We also re-planted some bamboo in the dirt as food for the tortoises. The tortoises are so cute, Sofie named one Tina. Like yesterday, we finished the day with a fun soccer game. Who would’ve known that Hokan is a true soccer legend….?!?? It was all fun and games until it started down pouring on us. At this point, we decided it was time to head home. The ride was so relaxing, everyone had their headphones in and enjoyed the scenery as the wind from the open car cooled them down. Arriving back to home base, it was pretty late. We ate a hearty dinner that consisted of pumpkin soup and popcorn, beef, mashed potatoes and rice. We all are extremely exhausted and couldn’t be more excited to get comfortable in our beds. Today was an amazing day and although we won’t be working with the tortoises anymore, we are excited for the adventures to come.

Much love, missing everyone…
Sofie and Siena (s^2)

P.S. popcorn in pumpkin soup are really good, don’t make any assumptions !

 

6/17/2017

Yesterday was a full day of orientation and exploring the “old town” of Quito. We visited some famous sites and had learned about the chocolate making process.

Early to bed for an early breakfast so we can head for the islands. Once we hit the islands, contact will be infrequent, but we look forward to to sending pictures and updating you as we are able!

Ready for the flight in Quito. In 1 hour we are on our way to paradise.

After a long day we finally arrived to Isabela and our base.

6-17-2017

6-18-2017

Emma Kapani

Will Daniels

Today was our first day of service working at Campo Duro. We cleared the tortoise habitats of unwanted weeds to make more of their land accessible. In the afternoon,  we hiked along the beach and swam in water surrounded by mangroves and blue footed boobies. A great first day in the Galápagos!

June 19th: Samuel McCarthy Potter & Aylin Duvan

June 20th: Zane Stowers, Izzi Dull

 Today was a fun day, we started off the day by going to a tortoise breeding center. Learning all about tortoises and how they breed, plus why they need to have a breeding center. We then went on a beautiful hike up an active volcano. Although the hike was 10 miles in total we managed to persevere through the heat. We ended the night with a great dinner provided by our lovely hosts.

6/21/2017

Benjamin Sheffield

Lily Hofman

Today was day seven. After breakfast we went to work at a school for little kids, where we sanded metal bars and weeded the area around there school in order to better there learning environment. We than had lunch and after lunch we had the mid point check which allowed us to voice our concerns about the trip so far. Finally we had a free afternoon where we could swim, explore the island, or help out in the kitchen. Now we have mentor groups in which we will end our day in a game of telephone.

6/22/2017

Alex Morris

Jake Polanski

We started the day off early and had breakfast at 6:00am. Shortly after we arrived at the harbor and got in the boat that would take us to Floreana a for lunch and snorkeling. When we arrived, we took a short hike to a cove for some amazing snorkeling where we saw sea turtles, sea lions, and other cool animals. Afterwards we walked to a restaurant where we changed and ate delicious food. Shortly after we walked to the harbor for another long boat ride. We then arrived at San Cristóbal. We spent  40 minutes walking around and shopping. Afterward we got on a bus and rode to home base where we ate dinner a day got in out mentor groups. Everyone was desperate to get some sleep for another big day.

6/23/2017
Audrey Pacthod

Clayton Hines

This morning we went snorkeling in Darwin Bay. We saw a lot of marine fauna such as Sea Lions, rainbow fish, turtles, sting rays and crabs. As we gazed at the cliff from Darwin`s view point we saw many birds flying and diving in the water for fish. We then walked to the information center where Fernando explained to us the history of the Galápagos as well as its diverse biodiversity. He also mentioned how Ecuador strives to fight for Nature’s rights. His explanation opened our eyes about the preciousness of the universe and how we should try as well to preserve our only home. We then headed back to Home Base for Lunch. After a short a rest we reached our service destination, where we used machetes to clear brush and vines we did that for four hours and had a surprisingly good time. Then we hiked back to the hostel and had a wonderful spaghetti and pork dinner.

6/25/207

Lily Sjaarda and Jamie Malasek

Today we got to sleep in which was a well received gift. Then we moved on to helping our hosts weed out their garden space and helped to transplant native plants into small containers in order for them to grow large enough to plant directly into the ground. We then went back to Home Base to enjoy lunch. We had time to pack up our things then we were off to the beach. Once at the beach we watched sea lions play in the sand and water. After the beach we had time to explore the town. After that we came back to Home Base and had a barbecue dinner and a campfire while listening to our guide Fernandos guitar playing and singing.

6/27/2017

Bella Jacobs, Anya Tyagarajan, Aylin Duvan, Clayton Hines

Today was our last full day together!

We started the day by going to the equator, and learned a lot about historic Ecuadorian tribes. Lots of us got diplomas for being egg masters 😉

Next, we took a salsa class in town, and had a lot of fun learning all the steps.

Afterwards, we all had lunch at Crepes & Waffles. The food was so good, and not gonna lie, we all stuffed our faces with crepes, waffles, and ice cream.

From lunch we all walked to the market, and enjoyed around two hours of free time to walk around and buy some beautiful souvenirs. Some of us even got to bargain with the prices!

We walked back to the hotel from the market, and headed off to pack and write evaluations of our trip.

Next, we all had a nice dinner together, and Zane organized an activity after dinner where we all wrote one good thing about everyone on a piece of paper. Everyone got to keep their papers after, and take it home with them.

It was a very eventful last day, and we’re all going to miss each other so much! Thank you GLA! It is said that the best part of a journey is the trip back home, where you can tell your friends and family about your journeys and all the stories and exploits you had and how they will affect you in the future. So fair well and thank you for the experiences you have given to us, and may you do so to many others in the future.

 

July 31st arrival day blog:

Bula! With an early, 5:50 AM arrival our GLA group collected itself and we headed off to our hotel at Nadi Bay. After a hearty breakfast and some socializing, we relaxed by the pool and headed to our rooms. Before lunch we had our first Chow Circle where we played a shoe swap game where half the group takes off a shoe, the other half of the group picks up a shoe, and the two people find each other and talk about where their shoes have been. Then we went to lunch before having orientation where we talked about health, code of conduct, and other important things. At Wailoaloa Beach, a 15 minute walk from our hotel, we played some more ice breaker games. One game involved being back to back with someone, turning around, and yelling their name. Before dinner we printed sulus with stencils and paint. Afterwards, we had another Chow Circle, talked about the role as leader of the day and what we are planning to do tomorrow. We had a delicious Indian curry dinner and went straight to bed!

Day 2

Bula! Today in Fiji was a blast! We kicked off the morning with a nice breakfast at the Mango Cafe. After that, Gabby, a local Fijian staff member, gave us a fascinating presentation about Fijian culture and customs. We also learned how to tie our sulu’s and how to present ourselves once we are in the villages. After a fun game of poison dart frog, we enjoyed some free time hanging out by the pool and getting to know each other! Later, we hopped on the bus and headed down to the “Best Fish and Chips” restaurant overlooking the ocean. After filling up on our fish and chips, we headed over to the Sleeping Giant Gardens. We saw some beautiful flowers and enjoyed peaceful swings on the hammocks. We then endured a beautiful yet tiring hike up the mountain. But it was totally worth it at the end to see such incredible views! Once we got back down the mountain, we drove down to the thermal mud baths down the road. We coated ourselves head to toe in the mud and had a blast competing head to head in some fun games while the mud dried. We then took a dip in the mud pool and the thermal pool to cool off and relax. We all enjoyed some amazing massages and walked through the booths the women had set up selling bracelets, sulu’s, and more. Once we were done we headed back to the hotel and enjoyed some free time to relax. We met up for dinner later on and had some fantastic fried rice, fish, chicken, and fruit cocktails. We talked a lot over dinner and then finished the day with our first mentor session! Moce (pronounced mothe), bye for now!

-Written by Isabel

August 1, 2017

“Bula, This morning, we had an engaging discussion about our goals for this trip and the steps we will take to achieve them. After our meeting, we left for an Indo-Fijian community. While we were there, we prepared an authentic Indian meal, composed of pumpkin curry, potato curry, coconut chutney, and roti. In addition, we learned about the Indian migration to Fiji in the 1800s. After our afternoon in the Indo-Fijian community, we toured Nadi, a local Fijian town and experienced a diverse culture. Here, we went to a local, outdoor farmer’s market. After returning to our hotel, we participated in a student-led activity. This activity consisted of sharing our opinions and perspectives on various topics. For dinner, we had an authentic Fijian meal. We are looking forward to the next few weeks of our experience in Fiji.

August 3, 2017

Bula! Today we woke up early with our bags packed, ready to go to our new home at Botaira. After eating breakfast, we headed to the port to hop on the ferry for a three-hour boat ride to the island. On the ferry, we met some local Fijian kids and played cards. Arriving on the island we were greeted by freshly cut coconuts, a welcoming song, and smiling faces. We quickly settled in and had a delicious lunch. On the beach, Gabby then instructed us on proper snorkeling technique and we swam to the platform, where we jumped off the high dive, sunbathed, and canoed. After swimming in we got changed and participated in learning more on Fijian culture and learned about the importance of embracing cultural norms. Enjoying the sunset at dinner, we saw the infamous green flash as the sun went down. We were then introduced to our local service leaders and briefed on our tasks for tomorrow, including marine preservation and helping in the local schools. Tired from our long day, we went to bed early. – Julia and Kevin

– Julia and Kevin

August 4, 2017

Today was our first day of service in Gunu village. The hour long boat ride around the island gave us a chance to admire the surrounding islands and crystal clear water. When we arrived on the beach, we walked through the village to arrive at the main hall where we observed the kava ceremony to welcome us into the village. From there, we went to see the school, where the children were celebrating the end of “Preschool week.” We got to experience some lively performances by the local students, as well as a Fijian guest speaker. After the celebration and lunch, my group began our work with the children. we each met with two different students for 25 minutes each. It was challenging to try to make them comfortable with us and help them learn in such a short amount of time, but especially rewarding when they spelled a word correctly on the first try or came up with their own sentences to write. We are all excited to continue working with them!

Hey Jane, it’s Lulu- this blog post is for you, and by the way, I’m not dead!
Today we pulled out mangroves from the ground and replanted them in a less populated mangrove area. It wasn’t muddy like sam said it was because there wasn’t even mud. It was a good time since it wasn’t a lot of work and during lunch, we got lots of food. The locals in the village cooked us casava and plantains. We ended up planting 468 mangroves and I got really attached to one of them, so I took a selfie with it. Afterward, we met a really cute dog named Bruno! He had tan fur and black around his snout. Back on the island we went snorkeling and tanned on the dock. Some of us missed tea time because we were too lazy to swim back. There was an unexpected fire show during sunset and some students held the fire stick! For dinner, we had a barbecue out on the beach. I was supposed to write the blog after dinner but I was so tired I went to bed, so I’m sorry for the delay my friends but it’s here now… I love you all and be sure to subscribe to my channel
-By Lulu and Leila

August 5, 2017

This morning, like almost every morning here in Fiji, the group ate breakfast altogether to the sound of waves. When we finished our “pancakes” and scrambled eggs, we split off to get ready for the day that our designated activity groups had ahead of us. Group 1 sat down with Tema for a Fijian language lesson. The six of us learned key phrases and concepts of the official Fijian language until lunch at noon. The staff, and also our friends, prepared a mound of white rice and a beef stir fry for us. The afternoon was relaxed as we played in the sea and lounged in hammocks. We set out around 3:30 for the channel which a short boat ride away. We arrived and hopped into the water with our snorkeling gear to be greeted by massive manta ray beneath us! We all described the experience as one of the, if not THE coolest thing we’ve ever seen.

After group one left for there Fijian language lesson group two left to hike to Noah’s village (a local staff member). We raced to the top of a big lookout and then sang songs on the way down. It took us about two hours, faster than any other groups! Once we were in the village we met some of Noah’s family then had lunch. We took the boat back base where the ocean welcomed us for a
nice swim to cool off.

Talk about a great way to spend a Saturday!

August 6, 2017

Fiji blog: Day two of service work! Today we went back to village of Gunu to continue our service work. The marine group went into the village to survey which houses had the proper water filter systems and waste management. We then built filter systems for the houses without them, using limestone and plastic containers. Then in the afternoon we went snorkelling, looking for trash in the coral. We didn’t find any, so we made our way back onto the boat. In the education group, we walked to the village next door to Gunu and spend the day with the preschoolers there. In the morning we sat down with them and played lots of learning games and colored a lot. We practiced our alphabet, numbers, colors, and animals. We also read lots of books in pairs and as a group. The kids were so smart and knew so much! We then had our lunch break and the women in the village made us some awesome food, lots of rice, noodles, plantains, cassava, and more. After lunch we met back with the preschoolers and some more came to join as well. We all sat in a circle and passed a ball around to practice letters, numbers, colours, and animals. We then learned some Fijian songs and dances, and also practiced some in English too. Before leaving we went outside with the kids and played around in the grass. We gave them rides on our shoulders and swung them in circles. We got lots of hugs and then were on our way back to home base! On our way back to the islands the seas were quite rough as the wind picked up. But we didn’t even notice cause everyone was singing songs as loud as we could the whole ride back. It was so fun! When we got back we set right out for the sunset hike. We hiked up along a beautiful path watching the sun as it set over the horizon. When we got to the top we admired the beautiful view then made our way back down.

Fiji blog: Bula! Colin here. Today was another service day and I was part of the marine group. Unfortunately, the winds picked up today and we did not have the adequate technology to be able to traverse the obstacles of the great Pacific’s rough waters. Instead, the marine group decided to do all their work in the reef right outside of Botaira. For the first half of the day, we delved into some fish identification. We were each given a fish to look at for before we braved the cold waters. During our swim, we each tallied the amount of our assigned species of fish we saw. Getting out of the water was a challenge due to the heavy winds, making it very cold. After lunch, we once again jumped back in, but this time we were looking for an invasive species of starfish: The Crown-of-Thorns Starfish. This species is extremely harmful to the coral and is able to destroy two hectares of coral every day. We were able to find, collect, and bury nine of these dangerous creatures before retiring for the day. The education group began the day in the dining area overlooking the ocean. There, we worked with Ms. Tema to create lesson plans and activities for the next education group to use. We tried to make games that would be engaging, but that would also help the kids in areas that they struggle in, like creating sentences and being descriptive. Many of us made activities that involved matching words to create sentences or games that challenged them to remember certain English words. After our work, we got a chance to enjoy the sun and the sea. Later in the afternoon, when the marine group returned from their service, we participated in Fijian games run by Botaira’s local staff. We threw spears, tried to find a ball while blindfolded, and did an egg toss on the beach. This evening, our mentors gave a presentation on setting goals, which culminated in a description of a project that each GLA student will do. We all are encouraged to relate our experiences in Fiji to something that we can do to make a difference in our own communities, and create a presentation on our ideas. Our day ended with briefings on our next service adventures for each group, as we begin new projects tomorrow. Moce! (Goodbye!)

~Leila

Today in the sustainability service group, we completed the cement base for the water catchment system we are constructing. First, we compiled all of the supplies we needed to make the base. Next, we assembled a mold for the cement base using wooden boards. After, we mixed all of the cement ingredients in a barrel and poured it into the mold. Finally, we used a trowel to spread the cement through out the mold.

Today, we all woke up bright and early to eat our breakfast and get ready for a day of service, a short boat ride away to Gunu village. The marine group spent our morning chopping down several dozen trees and then using the skinny trunks to build a fence around a designated area for trash just off the beach. The sustainability group continued our rainwater harvesting project, where we installed gutters and continued working with cement for the rain barrel. Both the marine service group and sustainability group met in Nosongo village for a lunch of fried rice and a variety of Fijian dishes that the women of the village prepared for us. After lunch, the marine group came together again to take on the task of digging a six foot hole for tin and glass waste that builds up around the village. The sustainability group dug a hole for filling up water containers near the rain barrel and filled it with cement. Then we got back to Botaira and had free time, where some people swam to watch the sunset and others played cards. Dinner was great as usual and then we had an identity-based activity on the deck.

-Julia and Randy

8/16/2017

Hi!

Today was our last day of service, but luckily not our last day in the village. We still have the final ceremony to look forward to:) In the morning we ate another great breakfast and then were off to the village. The education group worked with their respective kids in the morning. We started off by sitting in a circle all together, singing some songs and the children recited some of their favourite bible verses. It was soooo adorable.

Then every GLA student in education got a kid to work with and read to them. We worked with them on their english and some math. Then it was lunch time. After lunch we played some games with the kids. We sang row row row your boat and I’m a little teapot. And did many dances. All the kids were very excited and into all the activities which made it 10x better. Then we read a final book all together to wrapped up our education service. I already miss the kids and it has not even been a full day. Luckily we will see them all on Friday. Education has created such great connections:)

In sustainability today we finished both of our water tanks! The concrete bases had dried so we took off the wood holding and rolled the rain barrels on top. We also set up the piping along the houses that led the water into the tank. It was pouring rain most of the day so it was awesome to see the instant results of our hard work when the rainwater started trickling down!

On the way back to Botaira the waves were huge and it was windy and rainy all the way back! It was crazy but we made it back safe and sound! We had some tea at tea time and then had great mentor sessions. We had a great dinner and played some heads up before bed and just spent some time together as we wrap up our final days at Botaira!

-Carolyn and Isabel

8/17/2017

Being one of the last days on Naviti, we had a big, fun day ahead of us. Soon after breakfast, we were off to a different part of the island where there was a remote beach with beautiful snorkeling. We spent the morning and into lunch tanning, swimming, playing in the sand and admiring the coral reefs. At noon we had a delicious BBQ lunch that some Botaira staff prepared for us, we were lucky enough to have them tag along for the day.

Once arriving back at Botaira, activity group #1 went on a medicine walk with Ms Tema. She taught us all about the medicinal uses of many plants that are at our own resort. Meanwhile, activity group #2 made coconut rings, and saw a demonstration of a local staff member opening a coconut with their bare hands. Afterwards, we had a talent show that everyone participated in. Before wrapping up the night, we had a bonfire on the beach, and participated in a variety of exciting activities.

Anna T
Lizzie O

8/18/2017

The final days are upon us. Early today, we took off in our little school boat for our last day at Nosoqo. We arrived to a lively community preparing for the lovo (earth oven). We helped where we could and then watched the local men load the food into the hole. While we waited with the villagers for our lunch to cook, we presented to them the details of the service work we completed.

Hey what’s up! It’s Lulu one last time. I’m just picking up where Randy left off. After our presentations we kicked it with some authentic Fijian dance routines. A group of Fijian kids and their parents performed a fun gospel dance for us. After we danced dambay for the village. Later the Fijians took apart the lovo which was literally on fire but the Fijians still touched everything with their bare hands. To neutralize the heat on their skin, the Fijians dunked their hands in cold buckets of water. We enjoyed some lunch together which was pretty tasty. We then had a farewell cava ceremony with the mentors. The local ladies also sold us different souvenirs and jewellery. We got some pretty sweet stuff! Finally, the village gathered to sing isa lei for us before we left. A lot of us cried as we boarded the boat! We came back to tea time and dinner on the beach followed by some sweet dance moves done by the Fijian staff. It was a pretty solid day and I’m ready for bed. This is my last time writing the blog so Lulu is out for good.

-Lulu and Randy

8/19/17

Bula! Today we started off the day early with a sunrise hike up the mountain at Botaira. After breakfast, we packed up our bags and prepared for a day of travel. Then we presented our Capstone presentations to the group and received a very heartfelt goodbye song from the lovely staff at Botaira.

We took our last ride on our little school boat to get out to the ferry that would take us back to the mainland. We said a few more tearful goodbyes as we climbed aboard, and watched Botaira disappear. After our three hour boat ride, we got on a bus that would take us back to Nadi Bay. We are now spending our last night in Fiji relaxing and preparing for the day ahead. We can’t wait to see you all!

Goodnight,
-Leila and Julia

8/20/2017

Bula! Today is our last day in Fiji and everyone is so sad to go! We woke up at Nadi Bay and had a great breakfast. We then had some packing time and left for downtown Nadi. We walked around town and bought some cool souvenirs! Some of the girls got henna and we had lunch at a pizza place. We watched a slideshow of our trip and then were off to the airport. Moce Fiji!

Day 1

Bula!

 What a truly amazing first day in Fiji it has been! Once meeting with the local staff and directors we settled into our rooms before a delicious authentic Fijian meal. It is astounding how kind and thoughtful we have found the local community to be having only been here for an afternoon. In the late evening we were pleasantly surprised by multiple traditional dancers that did everything from dancing with fire to pulling a few of us in for a dance or two! Overall this sneak peak into the local culture that we will be experiencing over the next few weeks was quite unforgettable.

-Tabitha Shively

Day 2

We all started the morning off well-rested for an introduction to Fiji’s history and culture with Gabbi (a Fijian staff member). We then learned specifically about the Indian Fijian culture before departing to a local Indian community. We were greeted by Pastor Praveen Chand, and took part in cooking various Indian dishes. We were inspired by how courageous the Indo-Fijian people are, by preserving their native roots here in Fiji. It was also interesting to see how they cooked most of the meal outside (it was eye-opening to experience how much work went into the big meal).

After our bellies were filled to the brim with delicious roti, curry and dahl, we went to a mud bath and hot springs just outside of Nadi. Everyone covered themselves from head to toe with volcanic mud. We then did ridiculous relay races while still covered in mud! It was a blast! Some people even had short massages with coconut oil while others enjoyed fruit and shopped at a little market. We learned today that the coconut tree is the tree of life here in Fiji because the whole tree is used for many things! The mud bathes were a super fun way to end day. We are all so surprised about how friendly the people are here. Everyone says “bula” and waves!

By Maria, Julia and Bundev

Day 3

Today, July 9th, we met in the presentation room after breakfast to discover more about leadership and what it means. It was informative and even allowed us to practice our teamwork abilities. In addition, we set goals for our time here and realized how important it is to support each other. We then headed out to downtown Nadi on a small bus and experienced the local culture on a ‘lil shopping spree. We bought goodies from the grocery store and browsed the different sulus to get for wearing during service time. Lunch was at a pizza shop called Mama’s Pizza! Let’s just say there’s a reason Fiji is known for its own local foods 😉 Then we went on a nature walk at the Sleeping Giant Garden. The view was amazing!

After returning to the hotel, we had internet time to have some of our last communication with the outside world before leaving for the rem te Yasawa Islands. A mentor then lead some rooftop yoga as the sun was setting! Tonight we are preparing for our big journey to Botaira and will update you all on what comes next!

Madison G, Jacob & Jared

Day 4

Today was a big day for the GLA team! We started off our morning by eating breakfast and traveling to the ferry dock to travel to Naviti. As we sat on the boat deck, we felt the Fijian sun and admired the beautiful crystal clear water and exotic islands. After the long but short-feeling boat ride, we arrived at our new home. We where welcomed with singing, fresh coconuts, and a beautiful flower necklace. As we ventured towards the island, we admired the colorful reefs and hermit crabs. We then heard the beat of the Fijian drum that signalled it was lunch time. We all sat down and ate our first meal while overlooking the view of the ocean from Botaira. After lunch we were assigned rooms and told to put our swimsuits on for our swim test/free time! We snorkelled, swam, and jumped off of a platform until it was time for tea. After tea time some students played volleyball with the locals while others relaxed in their rooms. We then came together for a cross cultural talk, where we learned about the ‘danger of a single story’ and how stereotypes are portrayed of cultures from around the world. Before dinner, local Fijians performed a torch lighting run and we all ran behind, following the flame! Dinner consisted of rice, soup, rolls, and chicken, fish and veggies. Following dinner, we were all briefed on what our service adventures hold for the upcoming days!

– Avery and Camryn

Day 5

Today was the first day in Gunu Village on Naviti and our first day of service. We were greeted on the island by the Village Mayor Whice, and observed a traditional welcoming kava ceremony. We were also greeted by the local children who sang us a song they had prepared. After introductions, we got to work on service. The marine group pulled and replanted over five hundred mangrove trees which will become the habitat for 75% of the fish caught for the village. After which, we had a mud fight with Gabby and his students. The education group taught three groups of children from all English levels by helping them with reading, writing, and spelling. Afterwards, we played soccer with some of the children during their PE class. Finally, the sustainability group spent the day gathering rocks and sand to make a water filtration system. When we got back, we got to snorkel and have some solo personal time as we watched the sunset from the beach. Today was the hardest day so far but it was also the most rewarding; we are all excited to see what will come in the next few weeks.

-Kimberly, Hannah, Kasidy

Day 6

After an informative film about how climate change is directly impacting Fiji, we headed off to bed and woke up to another stunning sunrise. It was another good day at Gunu village! The sustainability group built the base of the water tank which consisted of timber, a plastic sheet, a rocks, and cement. Education continued their one-on-one sessions with students at the school. The marine group, who call themselves the “Soso Squad” (Soso meaning mud in Fijian) remained at home base to learn about the role that mangroves and coral reefs play in different ecosystems around the world. They then geared up to snorkel in a designated area while tracking coral, fish and invertebrates. Upon returning back to home base we had some free time and then learned how to wash our laundry (the undergarments that are not washed at the village). The dinner was delicious fish, cassava and other options! We had a brief mentor time following dinner discussing what service is while star gazing. We are off to bed and will check in later!
-Billy, Phoebe and Sage

Day 7

Good morning friends and family both old and new! Today was the last day of our service groups and we are now switching on to other ventures. Marine finished up their first service rotation by cleaning up the coral reefs and collecting any trash that was seen on the beach. Sustainability finished making the water tank and putting gutters on the houses to collect more water for the village. It was really rewarding to know that this is something that will effect their lives for as long as they need water. Education continued to help the children learn; and by the end of their service they had seen a difference in how the kids performed.We are now moving on to different projects in the community to keep the village clean, help the children with education, and to preserve as much water as possible. It is a fine day on the islands of Fiji. Hope you’re all well 🙂

-Maddie, Theo and Kylie

Day 8

Good morning family and friends! Today marks our completion of one fantastic week in Fiji! We began helping out in different service groups. Some started their morning with little, smiley faces as they mentored school kids for 25 minutes one on one. Others put on their hard hats and got to work collecting materials for our new water tanks. And the others got their hands and bodies dirty planting mangroves. After arriving back at home base we all enjoyed a intense game of speed charades and delicious octopus. Although the sky has been cloudy for the past few days, the Fijians bring fun and light to our lives! #TeamBula

-Jane and Molly

Day 9

 

Today we faced some choppy waters on the way to the community; some of us were left completely soaked! The sustainability group worked to make and pour concrete for the base of a water catchment tank. The marine and education groups got a lot done, but the chilly waters were a challenge for the marine group. Sustainability and education hiked to the other side of the island where they could get on the boat back to the resort in smoother waters, and they took off from a beautiful empty beach. The boat got back in record time! We all took part in mentor groups before dinner, and after eating we engaged in an activity to better understand our leadership styles and how this translates to our work with others. To finish the day off, we said good night to a beautifully starry night!

Bula from Fiji!
Today on Gunu, education, sustainability and marine groups wrapped up our last bit of service. We all are buzzing with accomplishment.
In education, many of the students taught us hand games, sang us songs and introduced us to new Fijian words.
In sustainability, we worked up as many droplets of sweat that would fit into the 3100 liter rain catchment tank .
In the depths of the coral reef in the azul waters, the marine group continued scientific data collection, a five-year project. A fish team, invertebrate team, and a coral team checked the reef for indicator species.
Later in the day, the whole group viewed a Ted Talk made by Drew Dudley regarding the importance of “lollipop moments”. This inspired the members the collective whole to share with the group their own impactful lollipop moments.
Cheers to wrapping up an excellent two weeks of service!
– Julia and Leslie Knope
Sending love to my mother and Fitzgerald Golfo

First day after completing our service, we had a Saturday full of activities. Group 1 went on a hike to Kese Village, which we braced with 7-8 students and were lead by Noah. Originally the group expected the hike to be a lot harder than it was, but the ending was very rewarding. We ate lunch with Noah’s family, and had a beautiful boat ride back to Botaira. For group 2, we walked along the beach in the morning looking at some animals that live by the shore on low tide. We saw some sea slugs, octopi, and some eel. Then we took a boat ride around the island to visit another reef and snorkelled for a couple hours. In the afternoon, we weaved some bracelets out of local plant leaves. Group 3 started the day off with a “medicine walk” around the resort with Ms. Tema. We spent around 2 hours walking around the resort learning about all of the plants and their medicinal purposes. After we sat and drank tea made from lemon leaves while some of us worked on our friendship bracelets. In the afternoon we sat with Jessica and Lisa while they shared their wisdom about being a savvy traveler. It was very inspiring and gave us good resources about how to ‘travel authentically.’ After this, most of us spent the afternoon playing volleyball and swimming. We closed the day off with a sunset swim out to a floating dock that has a sweet high jump off a ladder. We took tons of pictures and had a dance party on the floating dock and just had a grand ‘ol time! Today was definitely the hottest day while in Fiji!

-Kiara, Jake, and Emma

Fiji July 7-27

 

Wrapping up our last few days in Fiji, today we went snorkelling, weaved bracelets, made coconut rings, and learned Fijian songs and dances. Throughout the day we celebrated one of our own’s birthday with cake, balloons, and song. Happy Birthday Kavya! To finish off an amazing weekend we held a talent show where we watched everything from an interesting German rendition of party in the USA by Billie and Theo to a belly dancing lesson hosted by Tabitha. So bittersweet to be leaving Fiji in less than a week!

July 24, 2017

Bula! Today after breakfast the group was spilt into two groups, one group went on a hike while the other went on a medicine walk. The group ended their hike in the beautiful village of Kese! The actual hike was challenging and extremely tiring, but defiantly worth it because the view was amazing! The rest of the group went on a walk around the resort grounds led by Ms Tema, who showed us the medicinal properties of several plants that grow on the islands. Both groups met up together on a remote beach called Malivu! We had a awesome barbecue and the snorkelling there was one-of-a-kind. Everyone enjoyed soaking up the sun and celebrating their last few days on Naviti Island!

July 24, 2017