DAY 1

Mambo! Jambo! Welcome to Tanzania! The students have arrived in Tanzania and they were welcomed by the local Tanzania staff and the GLA Team.  In the morning, we were serenaded by the sounds of moosulini the neighbor’s angry cow, the sounds of chickens, and the call to prayer.  Breakfast consisted of chapati, mandanzi, toast, eggs, and fruit.  The students began forging their relationships through icebreakers like name alliteration, storytelling, and bucket of dreams. Mama Simba, the regional director, led an informative orientation about the customs and cultural expectations of the community.  Students were able to reflect on how their background and experiences compare to the lifestyles of Tanzanians. The students are looking forward to exploring the community and the local markets tomorrow.

June 25, 2017

Mambo! Me (Gabi B.) and Nani started the day by waking everyone up by playing music, since we were leaders of the day. There was a group of people who went to church at 6 am. We all got ready for the day and came down for breakfast. We ate delicious eggs, chappati, and cassava! Then Upendo (Mama Simba’s daughter) talked to us as a group about Tanzanian culture. We learned about polygamy, homosexuality, divorce, child labor, teenage pregnancy and other interesting topics. We can’t wait to teach you all we have learned from this lesson! After, we were split up into groups of 3-4 people and had lunch at the home base with a host family. Most of the host families only spoke Swahili so it gave us a chance to practice and teach them some English. After lunch, we left the home base with our families and groups. They took us to their homes and when we got there we gave them a host gift that consisted of fabric, matches and food. We went around town: lake/river, the market, farm and the families own restaurant.  At around 5 pm we all came back to the home base after saying our goodbyes to our host families. We all had an awesome time! Later on, we had a yummy dinner of spaghetti, sauce, rice and fruit. Right after dinner we were given a teaching lesson by one of our mentors Tyler. She taught us how to approach the children that we will be working at the Patandi school. We then played a teaching game that helped us to practice teaching a lesson to others. Today was so much fun; Nani and I can’t wait for tomorrow when we get to work with the children in the classroom for the first time! Kwaheri!

~ Nani Blanco and Gabi Boiskin

June 26, 2017

This morning, we woke up and ate breakfast before leaving for the Patandi Elementary School to do service work. Though we were expecting to teach, the students were out of school for Eid (the end of Ramadan), so we ended up sanding the exterior of the building to prepare for a new paint job that we may or may not do. We were, however, accompanied by a few students that left home on their day off to assist us. After leaving the school and eating some lunch, a panel of five HIV/AIDS positive speakers educated us on their personal experiences and the aftermath of their diagnosis. Students were fascinated by the extent of their suffering, as well as their unawareness of the status of HIV/AIDS in America. We ended the day with a competitive (rough) game of soccer at a local field and time in our mentor groups, where we discussed our thoughts on the HIV/AIDS panel and connected their experiences with those we see from infected people in America.

Maggie Mattes, Ava

Visit to the Aston Village Orphange

Sanding the wall at Patandi School

Stay tuned for more great photos from yesterday’s hike around Kilimanjaro and today’s safari!!!

Safari Photos!

June 12, 2017

After long and exhilarating flight, students arrived safely in Tanzania. Everyone had a chance to get to know each other and take in the scenery on our ride back to home base. Tired and excited we all sat down to a delicious meal prepared by the wonderful mama D and her team. We are all ready for an amazing two weeks together and looking forward to the many adventures to come. Check back tomorrow to see what we’re up to on our first full day in Tanzania!

June 13, 2017

6/16/2017

Habari zenu! Today in Tanzania, the GLA program participated in their first day of teaching! Teaching children in the 3rd, 5th, and 6th grades, we not only helped improve their English in various areas, but improved our own Swahili. We worked on the classrooms–sanding down the walls after patching holes inside and throwing cement and fixing holes outside–to help improve the children’s education even when we are not physically there to teach! After lunch we had two different topics discussed by our guest speakers: education and history of Tanzania, and the presence of HIV/AIDS in the country. Jerome Komu, our first speaker of the day, talked to us and answered all of our (many) questions about the history of Tanzania and the education system in place. We were able to draw connections to our experiences at home and gain insight into the cultural traditions that influence Tanzania.

After, we listened to the personal testimonies of four brave women who are living with HIV, and persevering despite all the challenges they face. In discussion afterwards, it was apparent that the GLA students gleaned new perspectives on problems these women, and many others like them, face everyday. Overall, I personally felt that today was a very educational experience (for us and the kids) and am really enthusiastic for the rest of the trip!

Kwaheri!

Jacky M.

June 17, 2017

Today after another AMAZING breakfast (thanks to Mama D) we all went to the market to buy super fun elephant pants and other souvenirs, which were all wicked cool.  After spending all of our money we went to the internet café which lived up to the café part (because we all got delicious milkshakes and other snacks) but it was extremely lacking in the “internet” part.  We came back and had another super good meal thanks to mama D, then we went to a local artist who taught us how to batik and explore our artistic talents (or lack there of).  I would like to shout out all of your children for being 48475930 times more artistic than me, but they all encouraged and helped me so I appreciate everyone.  It took us multiple more hours than expected but in the end they all turned out pretty cool (and we all totally did the entire thing by ourselves without any help from the people there whatsoever).  Then ANOTHER AMAZING MEAL with a little surprise at the end for our dear friend Evelyn (Evel) because it was her birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We all made sure to wish her “Heri ya Kuzaliwa” during the day but Mama D made her a special cake to really make her day.  Also special shoutout to Aseem for having a playlist that is “off the Heezy Fasheezy”.  Hope you all aren’t missing us too much!!

-Sam (also Maggie and Taylor assisted a touch)

6/18/2017

Today started with a “late” breakfast at 7:30— there was FRENCH TOAST. After breakfast, we prepped our teaching schedule and for the lessons that we would be teaching from 9-10 at the local school. We all left for a walk to the school at 8:30. When we arrived, the kids swarmed our GLA crew: so many bright smiles, giggles, hand holding, and Swahili greetings.

Because we created our own off workbook lesson plans for today, the GLA crew was able to place a new knowledge of English to the students on a more personal level than before. The kids here WANT to learn; they are hungry for education and eager to absorb what we have to offer them in the sense of linguistic skills. After teaching, we painted classroom walls and flung concrete onto the damaged outside structures. I personally have learned that applying concrete is NO easy task. Once we reached 12:30, an end to a days worth of physical labor, we headed back to base to nourish ourselves with Mama D’s fantastic African cuisine.

6/20/17

Today started off at 7:30 with an amazing breakfast including French toast which is always delicious!! We will al definitely miss Mama D’s cooking! Today was our 4th lesson and I feel that we are all improving with our kids. Today during recess we had a very intense dance battle which was loads of fun!! After that we went back to work on painting the classroom and cementing the wall.

After that we came home to a wonderful lunch followed by a speaker that had a heavier topic to speak about, female genital mutilation. It was very upsetting in some senses however was also very eye opening and I hope to take some things I have learned back home to spread awareness.

To cheer us up after this we went to Tuleeni orphanage and Akili foundation and met with Mama Faraji and some children that reside there. I enjoyed being able to connect with some kids of the same age as I. It is fascinating to see the similarities yet the differences between our lives and how we go about certain things!

Today was such an amazing day and I can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds for us!!

– Daisy

Mambo!

Evelyn and Jordan here! Our amazing trip is sadly coming to an end. We begin the day waking up at the crack of dawn to pack and eat a delicious breakfast. we ate eggs, crepes, and drank fruit juices that filled us all up before our long day. We got in our safari cars and headed out. On our way to Ngorongoro National Park we stopped to watch the sunrise from a viewpoint off the road. It was a beautiful start to an incredible day. Before reaching the crater we drove through fog so insane it covered most of our surroundings. It was a sight to see because the fog covered most trees, leaving a distant outline of the landscape. It was truly incredible because after driving below the fog we could see the massive savannah below. We stopped at the top of a mountain on the outskirts of the crater and it was so windy that when we got out we were almost blown away. We then started our descent into the crater. The roads were steep so it was a good thing our brakes worked! The climate changed drastically as we descended, it went from windy and “cold”, as those from warm weathered states would say, to warm with a slight breeze. Our safari began with a sighting of zebras and wildebeests… which was typical because they were EVERWHERE. We popped up the top of the safari vehicle and everyone stood to look out for hidden animals in the distance. We came across three hyenas lying on the ground. Everyone thought they looked like “teddy bears” even though they were actually vicious scavengers. Our guide, Moses, then drove us over to the “Hippo Pool” where we saw hippos! There were so many of them! There were some baby ones that looked like small stepping rocks (they weren’t rocks though because rocks don’t move). Our safari then led to the sighting of three lions, two happening to be resting in the middle of the road. Everyone was beyond excited, we never thought we’d come across three lions only feet away! Don’t worry only one person was eaten ;). We then drove to a picnic spot to eat some lunch! We sat on the ground with hippos in a pond in front and zebras grazing behind us… absolutely incredible. After lunch we started the drive out of the park. On the way out we saw a black rhino with its baby, baboons, and elephants that were precariously parched on the side of a very steep hill. The drive back to home base was long and most of us slept on the way. When we neared Arusha we sadly said goodbye to Jessica, who left early. It was a sad time but she made it on her flight safe and sound. When we arrived at home base there were decorations everywhere and delicious food waiting for us! We celebrates what Mama Simba-Uweza called a “Welcome Home” dinner but we all knew was really a goodbye feast. We were then directed to where we started the trip with name games but now there was a bonfire waiting for us. We avoided saying goodbye because we didn’t want to believe time was almost up. We ended out last night with a slide show that brought back memories we will cherish forever. It’s not a goodbye, it’s a see you later.

Tuta onana baadae

 

June 24, 2017

Hola desde España! After a long day of traveling, delays, and settling in- we’re finally all here (25 in total with staff)! We ate together in our home base at one giant table! Our dinner consisted of family style salad, pasta, bread, and melon! After dinner we had a “snowball fight” as one of our icebreakers! Everyone is settling in nicely and getting some much needed rest for our first full day tomorrow! Viva España! Sincerely, GLA Spain

Day 2

Feliz cumpleaños Emily G!! Today we filled the day with a walking tour, paella lunch, flamenco class, and orientation! We walked around the city and saw ruins, the city gates, a few cathedrals, and the central market. Of course, we had to include ice cream in the tour as well. After, we had the traditional lunch of paella- or as locals call it “arroz con cosas.” We learned the game shipwrecked- an ongoing game that involves calling commands and doing funny actions! The afternoon consisted of a flamenco class where most of us embarrassed ourselves but some proved to be naturals! We ended the day with our orientation and a delicious tapas dinner. We celebrated Emily’s birthday together as well! It was a full and productive first full day!

June 27, 2017

The group started the day at 8:30 by the group leaders (picked randomly each day by the mentors) knocking on each door and waking everyone up. For breakfast was bread and a tomato sauce, a spanish delicacy. Once finished, the group went up to the common room and made “the being”- a contract of values our group plans to uphold. Then, we began our day trip to the local market in the city of Carmen. The market is open from 7 am to 3 pm and is indoor. Inside, most of the shops were mostly consisted of meat, cheese, and fruit. However, they sold knick knacks like magnets and fans and fidget spinners, ha ha. After the market we all went to our first spanish class where the señora placed us all into different classes based on our experience with speaking the language. Walking back to the hostel, we passed beautiful architecture, which you can only see in Spain. Once back at the hostel, lunch was served. Lunch was Patatas Bravas- potatoes with a delicious aioli and, surprisingly, the best chicken wings ever. After lunch, we had siesta time. In the afternoon, we had an activity called the value line where a pair of opposite words were read and we (the students) got to choose which value we most identify with. Our day finished off with our first official Spanish classes and an ever delicious dinner made by our hosts, Juan and Theresa. – Allison and Joshua

June 27, 2017

Our day started off with breakfast, followed by an orientation to community service. This was so interesting and we learned the basis of our service and how things work. We learned about the curriculum and what the school values are, which is incredibly important to our work. We learned about the book they are reading, about a Palestinian woman traveling the world. After this we went to Spanish class, where our group split up into levels. The higher class used their speaking skills to communicate ideas to each other. The speaking really helps to improve our speaking skills so speaking with the children will be more natural. After a delicious lunch, we had a relaxing siesta. We then went to a welcoming party at the service site. Then we went to school and took another Spanish class and improved our Spanish speaking skills. Then we slowed things down by having mentor meeting where we discussed our life stories and why sharing our stories are an important part of being a leader.

Written by Alvaro and Darcy

June 28, 2017

June 29, 2017

Today the leaders of the day, Fedora and Eva, woke everyone up and made sure everyone was ready for an awesome day!! After wake up we went down for breakfast which was toast with the topping choices of butter, jam and tomatoes along with water, coffee or tea️. Finishing up breakfast group A headed to service. We had an amazing time playing games with the children! We played games like pato pato gonzo (duck duck goose) and practicing our Spanish skill along with teaching them more English. During that time Group B did a leadership activity where the group had to get an item out of a circle using only ropes and only specific people could hold the materials, talk, and see. The group learned to work as a team and how every member was important and vital even with the disadvantages (like being blind-folded). Once group A finished doing their service it switched and group B had their turn with the kids. Group B played charades with the kids and they started watching a movie, Hugo, and sang some songs with them because one could play the guitar. The rest of the day we brainstormed games that we could play with the kids and help them improve their English. After brainstorming and a greatly needed siesta we went to Spanish class. When we were walking home (the hostel) we stopped for ice cream and it was very special for Sammy because there was a gluten free cone!! The ice cream was really good by the way ️when we got home we had dinner and it was delicious. For dinner we had delicious Chicken and fries. Finally wrapping up our day we had a quick meeting then free time and SLEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPP!!!! Hope you guy are doing great!

~ Fedora (like the hat) and Eva

June 30, 2017

Bueños Dias! We started the day by meeting our Spanish school students and driving to an animal farm. We saw and took pictures of the baby pigs, emus, goats, donkeys, and sheep. Next, we drove to a dock, to cruise around around rice fields, with the kids. We then said goodbye for the weekend and headed back to the hostel for lunch and a change of clothes for the beach! At the beach, we shopped, swam, and tanned all while enjoying the perfect Spanish weather. Then we went to our daily Spanish class and finished up the day with McDonalds before dinner!

-Emily G and Liam

July 4, 2017

Yesterday, Wednesday July 4th, we had an early wake up call at 7:15 to get ready for service. We all went to service together and took the kids on a field trip to a park nearby. While we were there we played games, sang songs, and danced with the children. We returned to the hostel at 1:15 and had a nice American meal of Mac n cheese to celebrate the 4th.  In the afternoon the group had an opportunity to go shopping. There were many stores for all of us to buy different types of things. After shopping, we went to Spanish class where we learned about immigration and had a debate. After Spanish, we went to a presentation about immigration in Spain. It was very helpful and it opened our eyes to things we might not have known before. Finally, we went out to dinner in a beautiful outdoor market where there were many restaurant options for us to choose from. Overall, it was a very fun and busy day.

Written by Samantha and Emily B

July 5, 2017

Today we switched volunteer shift times, so group B was in the morning and group A was in the afternoon.

In the morning, we had 2 group activities where we played “sharks and minnows” and “kickball”. It was super fun and we bonded with the kids really well. After the games, we sat in a circle and reflected about nomads in the desert.

In the afternoon, we helped to clean up the morning group’s activities. Everyone did a wonderful job putting away the sand and glue. After that, we helped to clean the children’s hands and ate our packed lunches with them. After lunch the professors organized a water fight. It was a fun day! In the evening, a group of us had cup noodles during free time. After that, we had our daily Spanish class.

– Raina

July 6, 2017

¡Buenos días! We started off the day volunteering at the school and participating in a team building exercise at the hostel. The exercise involved working together to figure out how to escape from a maze (both groups made it!) Later, we talked with the mentors about our Capstone Projects and the progress that we have made and hope to make within the next week. For dinner our host showed us how to make a Spanish dish call Paella. This dish is mostly composed of rice and chicken with many added spices for flavor. Many liters of water is poured into the pan and is cooked until all of the water is evaporated. A drummer native to Valencia came in and gave us a show while we were waiting for the paella to finish. He showed us how to play his drum and different rhythms and sounds the drum can make and also how to clap according to the drumming to add suspense to the show. We ended the day with a trip to get gelato and packing for our trip to Barcelona!

Written by Sydney and Luke

July 7, 2017

The day began with breakfast at 9 am as opposed to our usually 7:45 because of volunteering. Then, after picking our roommates for Barcelona, the crew heads out for the day of service. The excursion today was going to a local park and playing with the kids. Once finished, everyone went back to the hostel, got their money and went shopping (Samuel and staff had a little too much fun at the vintage shop) for the free two hours before lunch, which was at 2. The crew had a little bit of time to chill and pack before leaving for Barcelona at 4. The bus ride was a long 4 hours, however, everyone made it feel shorter because of all the singing and laughing occurring on the bus. Arriving to Barcelona at 9, roommates were announced and we all put our bags into our said rooms and headed to dinner. When dinner ended at around 10:45 pm, the crew went back to the hotel and relaxed because of the long day we all had.

7.8.17

We started off the day enjoying breakfast at the hotel. Then we went to some architecture created by Gaudí. Then we toured it and took pictures. Then we went to The Cathedral of the Holy Family, or La Sagrada Familia. The tour was amazing telling us how they interpreted some of Gaudí work and kept some true to him. Then we went on a hidden tour learning about Barcelona’s past and the essential places for the homeless so they can survive. We wrapped up our day eating a wonderful meal and then falling asleep back at the hotel.

-Written by Stassi and Darcy

July 9, 2017

Today was our last day in Barcelona. We started the day with breakfast and headed out to Camp Nou where FC Barcelona plays. There, students took a self guided tour of the entire stadium (even though the field was covered with grass). Then, we went on the bus and stopped to eat lunch at a rest stop where we could also buy snacks for the long bus ride ahead of us. After that we did the cross the line activity, which was a GLA activity where a prompt was read aloud and students stepped forward when the prompt applied to them or someone they know. The game was hard for some people because difficult prompts were read aloud.

-Chloe and Eva

July 10, 2017

Today was just like all of the days that we told you about before … AWESOME!! I’m not going to include the waking up, breakfast and they daily schedule. As usual we had service and then we went to  the Horchata museum and saw baby goats and ducks. Also we drank horchata. Then we went back home and had dinner. Then a few of us went out for late night gelato. I am sad to say it, but the trip is coming to an end and make sure you are in touch with your child and talk about flights. See you soon ️

~ Fedora and Emily B

¡Hola! ¡Bienvenidos a España !

We’re so happy to have all of our students here in the Carmen neighborhood which is located in the historic center of Valencia!

After we settled into Innsa hostal, we enjoyed the sunshine and played a few “rompehielos” (ice breakers) outside to get to know all 22 students, 3 US staff, and the local Spanish team. We looked over the schedule of the fun filled two weeks in Spain, and started orientation.

For dinner, we shared a delicious tuna and rice dish with fresh melon for dessert. We’re ready for our first full day tomorrow, which includes a walking tour around Valencia and 2 Spanish classes!

Note: Natalia and Pierson will be joining us tomorrow!

Un beso,

GLA Staff

Chris, Julie, Lexi, Noelia

July 19th, 2017

We had quite the jam-packed first (full) day in Valencia. Our morning started with a light breakfast provided by the owners of the hostel we are staying at, Juan and Teresa. We followed up with a tour of the city. We saw the Torre de Serranos, one of the ten gates in the wall which stood around the city still standing from the time of the Muslim reign in Spain. We also saw the town hall, the basilica, the market and three main squares of the city. After our guided tour, we went to Spanish class, where we were tested on our skills of the language and placed into two groups accordingly. At three o’clock we returned to the hostel for lunch which consisted of a light salad and a savory vegetarian paella. After lunch, we took a relaxing siesta. At 6:30, we returned to Spanish class for our first lesson. After 2 hours or so at Spanish class (and a pit stop for award-winning gelato) we returned to the hostel to discuss out stories of self. We basically were split in half and went with our respective mentors to a private location where each of us would talk about what brought us to this program or general information about themselves. This was eye opening for all of us as we shared some deep information about ourselves. This brought us closer together because of our newly acquired understanding if each other. Finally, at 9:30, dinner was served. Juan and Teresa served a lovely salad and spaghetti with meat sauce. After our meal, we had some free time for bonding and then a well-deserved rest.

Written by Aidan and Stella

Today, July 20th was our second full day of the trip. It was also our first day of volunteering. We woke up at 9:00am and had breakfast at 9:30am. After breakfast we went on a bus ride that took us to the camp. At the camp, there were many kids of all ages. The youngest kid was 4 and the oldest kid was 12. These kids were from all over the world.

At first, we all went into a circle with the kids and one of the camp adults and Noelia gave us a quick brief of what we were going to do there in the next few days. Then we all introduced ourselves to different kids. We said our names, shook hands, tapped shoulders, tapped feet, tapped knees, kissed each other’s cheeks and hugged. It was a very cute introductory game.

After that we were free to do whatever we wanted with the kids. Some people played soccer with the campers and some people played red light green light. Other people played hand games with the campers and they taught us the Spanish song. Some other people were talking one on one with the campers. This one girl started doing everyone’s hair and we did her hair. All the campers were so cute and were correcting all of our Spanish. Everyone had a great time with them and can’t wait to come back.

After volunteering and a hard goodbye with the kids, who we already are very close with, we headed to our Spanish classes. The lessons are more fun than we could have possibly imagined. I can only speak for my class, but we are so lucky to have someone like Nuria (the profesor) and all of us have already learned – and laughed – a lot. For me, it’s very exciting because there is a special pronoun, “vosotros” that they only use in spain. It is the equivalent of “you all” and it’s very exciting for me to hear people actually using it rather than just reading it on the verb conjugation lists you get in school. Lunch was a cold tomato soup with bread, which is a traditional Spain dish. We had a small siesta afterwards. At siesta everyone branches off and does their own thing. Many of us write in our journals or text and call our friend and family, but others socialize in the common room, eat one of the snacks in the kitchen, or shower.

After the siesta we went out into an open space in a park very near the hostel and did “speed friending”. We created an inner circle and an outer circle so that two people were facing each other and then responded to the question Lexi gave us. Then the people in the inner circle would rotate to talk to a new person with a new question. One thing we focused on was having big talk rather than small talk so we could actually build trust and a relationship, as well as have a real conversation. This activity was really popular.

Following that, we had yet another Spanish class. Today and yesterday are the only days we will have double classes.

Over all, today was wonderful. We’re constantly getting closer and having great conversations. The whole group works very well together, and it was impressive how well things went with the kids and how quickly we formed relationships with them despite age and language differences in some of us. I’m so excited for tomorrow!

-Nola and Elisa

Leaders of the Day

July 21, 2017

Today we all volunteered in one big group today, it was raining but we were all having a great time. We sang, we played and we danced in the rain. The children at the school had such a good time as well. Then after volunteering we got to spend a few hours at the beach. The beach was the highlight of most people’s day, and yes parents we did put on sunscreen. After the beach we had Spanish class and we learned so many phrases that will definitely help us out.

Written by Haley and Nicole

-Justin and Jonah

July 25, 2017

Today, we started our day by having breakfast and heading to the school to volunteer. Each of us got a partner and we walked with them to a local park to do activities and play with the kids. One group of kids practiced for their theatre presentation that will occur on their last day of camp, which is this Thursday, while the others played tag, talked in circles, or played games. We walked back to the school with the kids and had about an hour to talk with them. After volunteering, we arrived back at the hostel and had paella con mariscos (camarón y pulpo) for lunch. Maya drew pictures that were cut in half, so we had to pick up one half and find our matching person. After eating lunch and our siesta, we went to the beach. Soon after that, we travelled to our last Spanish class. At the end of the class, each of us received a certificate in celebration of our completion of the course. Then, we walked back to the hostel where we ate dinner (which was spaghetti) and celebrated JFast’s birthday by singing “happy birthday” and eating brownies as our desert. In addition to our usual shoutouts at the end of each day, we shouted out J-Fast to express our appreciation for the amazing work she does to make this program fun, positive, and a learning experience.

• Gillian and Madeline 

July 27, 2017

Hi everyone!

Today we started with an early morning for our adventure activity: white water rafting. After a bus ride, we arrived in the beautiful city of Montanejos where we were given wetsuits, helmets, and life jackets before getting in the raft. Our ride down the river was full of rapids and even a waterfall! We even had to get out of the raft once to avoid a tricky situation. There were many opportunities for us to face our fears with cliffs to jump off of. It was a great experience.

We visited “Los Baños” after rafting which is a river with room for people to swim, play, and picnic. Some of us took naps, while others went to walk and explore the landscape of the canyon we were in.

After a well needed break, we began to prepare ourselves for shopping in the heart of Valencia. Originally, groups were created according to interests (sports apparel, vintage, etc.). However, after around half an hour, we were allowed to roam free in designated areas. People bought food, shoes, clothing, accessories, and multiple other authentic Valencian items. We found our way home just in time for dinner (mac n cheese), and all were happy for the break.

Then, as a surprise, we were offered a trip to a local concert. About ¾ of us went, and had a blast! The live music was great, as was the atmosphere. Those who attended enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and fell asleep immediately upon return from exhaustion.

Overall, we had quite a spectacular Saturday in Spain.

Written by Maya and Julia

7/24

On our 7th day of this adventure, we had an exceptionally fun-filled day! To start of the day we had “desayuno” at 7:45, so we were all up bright and early. Soon, we all departed the hostel to volunteer. As for us all, it does not seem as volunteering for the reason that we all enjoy every minute of our time there. Today our time with these amazing children included playing a soccer game (World Cup style) and also being taught various circus tricks!

Our next activity for the day was the paella and  cajon workshop. Everyone got to watch traditional paella (which originated in Valencia) be cooked! The cajon is a box-shaped percussion instrument that is common in Spanish culture. This workshop was while the paella was cooking, and when it was over we enjoyed paella for lunch. We had free time after lunch and a few took a much needed siesta.

Wifi: this is what we had all been waiting for! We were very lucky to have time in a cafe to catch up on our online activity. From here, we went to Spanish class. Spain is a wonderful environment to learn Spanish, we are all constantly using our best Spanish to communicate with either locals, the children, and often our amazing local coordinator Noelia. Following class, we walked through the beautiful streets of Valencia to a class that informed us on immigration. This class was very helpful in giving us the answers to all questions we may have had about immigrants in Spain. Overall, it was a great day for everyone. Today marks the halfway point of the trip and everyone is very ecstatic for the upcoming week and also very glad for the memories we have made in the past week.

Written by: Kirsten and Giorgio

July 26, 2017

Today we woke up at 7:15, had breakfast, and then split into Groups A and B. Group A went to the school first and had a big water fight with the kids! At the same time, Group B was at the hostel doing leadership activities, discussing identity and privilege, such as gender, sexuality and education, as well as a teamwork activity. Then, Groups A and B switched. After siesta all of us went to the Horchata Museum. We learned about the history of Horchata and the Alquerias (which were rural homes for the Arab elite). We also got to try Valencia Horchata! Finally, we ended the day by going out for dinner. We were able to explore the restaurants of Valencia and taste its distinct cuisine. Then we ate gelato! Overall, it was an eventful and exciting day!

By: Mia and Gabby

7/27

We spilt into two service groups today: group A and B. Group A went to service from 8-1 while group B went to service from 1-5. While each group was at the school, the others performed a leadership activity that tested our group dynamics and flexibility. The activity begun with us writing down our hopes and dreams on small slips of paper and putting them in a Tupperware container. We were each then given one of 3 handicaps. A third of us were blindfolded, but were the only ones allowed to touch the materials that would enable us to remove our hopes and dreams from the “pit of death”, which was a circle of string on the ground. Another third was prohibited from talking but could touch those who’d been blindfolded. The final third could only talk and couldn’t touch anything. The goal was to get the trash bin with our hopes and dreams off the trash bin it was sitting on but not drag it out of the circle. This activity helped shift the focus from those who would normally lead group activities and new leaders stepped up to take their places.

During Group B’s time at the school, we kept it fairly low-key. We painted, wrote on the chalkboard and played some casual soccer matches. Later, we sung with the kids in front of their parents who were visiting for an end-of-program party.

Next, we bussed over to a bike shop to begin our bike tour of El Rio, a river converted to a park that runs through Valencia. We explored a huge Gulliver’s head and visited the new Science Museum. Our group especially enjoyed a specially engineered wall where we split in half and talked through holes to communicate with each other from all the way across the courtyard.

Written by Ethan and Natalia

 

7/29

Today we enjoyed many of Barcelona’s beautiful features. After a refreshing breakfast of more than toast and tomatoes, we went to Park Güell and learned a lot about the history of the park while viewing the scenery and famous architecture. After the park, we went to the beautiful La Sagrada Familia. Although it isn’t complete yet, the church was breathtaking with its tall ceilings and stained glass everywhere. The stained glass is positioned in a way that changes the color of the church as the day progresses. Finally, we took a tour of the city from the eyes of former homeless men. They gave us a new point of view on the city and showed us how they lived their lives on the streets.

Written by Dakota and Sammy

We are happy to report that all but one student has arrived in South Africa and the group is excited to welcome it’s last member when she arrives!  Stay tuned for another update coming soon!

Students trickled in to OR Tambo International Airport throughout the day on Sunday, July 9th, beginning the GLA camp at African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa. Upon arrival, students were taken to ALA’s campus for a number of “Icebreaker” activities and a briefing on expectations for the program. With a relatively small group of 14 students and 7 mentors, we were able to reach a high level of familiarity with each other by the end of Day 1.

Early on Monday morning, we boarded a bus for Kloofwaters Outdoor Camp in the Magaliesburg Mountains. Students participated in team-building activities including a low ropes course, “build a bridge,” and a series of athletic competitions, before settling in for an evening bonfire under a rising full moon. As we prepare to dig into our social entrepreneurship curriculum beginning on Wednesday, we are encouraged by the engagement of all of our GLA participants- and excited for the weeks ahead!

-Connor, International Director

10th July, 2017
What is leadership? Perhaps this was the question on the minds of 14 most promising group of young people, but, why come to Africa to find out? Actually, no, why come to South Africa to find out because Africa is not a country, right?
Well the birds outside are chirping and the plush rays of the strong South African sun are shining over the Kloofwaters nature reserve. Our 14 leaders were having breakfast, hungry and excited but also anxious about what lies ahead. The funny thing is that no one actually knew what lay ahead. All 14 students were eating, laughing and sharing stories of their childhood in an effort to continue and strengthen the bonds they had formed the night before. The night before, Sunday 9th July 2017 was the night everyone arrived. They arrived as strangers, not comfortable with each other however, they were encouraged into familiarity by playing games such as crazy crane and telling stories by the burn fire while drinking hot chocolate under the vast colony of stars displayed by the clear night sky. So today, these ex strangers were going to continue the spirit of bonding through a day that looked to be more intense than the night before – who would blame them for being anxious and excited at the same time?

-by Bubelo Mlilo(Educator)

July 11th, 2017

The time is 8.30 am and we were all walking down a trail that led into the dense forest of the unknown that is the Kloofwaters Nature Reserve. As the group walked up the hill with rocks sliding from under their feet, the suspense of the expedition grew stronger. The blistering pain felt in everyone’s shins due to the steep slope of the hill mattered not because the students kept the mood jovial. While they hiked they listened to Brenda Fassie’s ‘Vul’indlela’ which ironically means “Open the way”, they sang along to Luis Fonsi’s ‘Despacito’  and they spoke about their future; what would happen when they completed their college education.

However, what did all of this have to do with leadership?  Well, our young leaders would find out when they reach the abseiling course. For some this was the first time they had ever considered jumping down a cliff, for others this was the first time they would challenge their fear of heights, while for others this was a perfect exercise to get that adrenaline pumping.

As the group stood before the abseiling course, being instructed about how to safely climb down the rock and make it to the bottom, one could feel the excitement, apprehension and curiosity that flowed through everyone’s veins. These feelings were not only towards the obstacle in front of them, but, for the next 18 days of their Global Leadership Adventures experience. Could they trust these people that they hardly knew and could they trust each other? Could they work together despite being so different, could they reach the end of the camp? Well, they all abseiled down the cliff despite whatever feelings they had. They all abseiled down, reached the bottom, looked to where they started and in astonishment, questioned why they were anxious to begin with.

The scent of accomplishment filled the air and students filled their lungs with the confidence that came from achievement. Maybe, this was about leadership after all. Learning to trust one another, to work together toward a common goal and to jump off the cliff despite insecurities about reaching the bottom, our brave young leaders began their 18 day experience. Already, they had learned their first lesson in leadership: to take courage, jump into the water and swim together because alone you can go fast but together you can go far.​​​​​

Thursday, 13th July 2017

Today was another amazing day in Johannesburg, South Africa. We woke up early to take a trip down to the Apartheid Museum. The experience through the museum was equivalent to taking a walk through the entire history of the people of South Africa. Watching at the videos how people were tortured, killed in terrible ways, some exiled. It was annoying, we felt bad, and angry. These racial issues and discrimination occurred from the late 40s to the early 90s. It was very shocking and mind opening for all of us. Next we viewed the museum commemorating Nelson Mandela. This showed the brilliant achievements of a man who went from a prisoner to a president. We became motivated and elevated. Whatever you fight for, if for a good cause, you will get it ‘fight for what is right’ It was truly an amazing experience.
Next we went to a large mall (Rosebank Mall), we were so excited. It was clean, big and remind us of America. We then headed back to the ALA (African Leadership Academy) campus where we had some flex time then dinner. After dinner we had lots of fun competing in games and finished off the night with a dance competition. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!

-by Zachary Wargo

July 14, 2017

Incredible and inspiring Day 6 in Honey dew. We wake up and after eating breakfast we all did a group activity that helped further our skills in communication and teamwork. After having snacks, we reunited as a group and learned all about emotional intelligence and its importance in being a successful leader. what was really fascinating was the game we played the handcuff experiential, which gives us the opportunity to improve ourselves. ‘Nothing is too easy to do just viewing’. After eating lunch, we took a survey to rate ourselves concerning the following skills: self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, social skills and motivation.  This helped us to understand our strength and weaknesses. Our last activity of the day was learning about the importance between being proactive rather being reactive. We had dinner at Moyo restaurant in Johannesburg, a unique African dining experience inspired by the traditions and values of African ancestors. There, we got our faces painted. This journey is getting so interesting. We all cannot wait for what tomorrow has in store.

Done by Henry Taylor

Teah Serani on Saturday July 15, 2017

We started our day by jamming to music on our way to Soweto. Once we arrived we enjoyed coffee and bought products from young artisans at The Box Shop. The Box Shop is a retail initiative focused on solving market access problems faced by small businesses. Afterwards, we got a one of kind tour of the township from Mr.Steve, a participant of the ’76 Soweto student uprising’. He took us to the Hector Peterson memorial and museum, dedicated to the twelve-year-old boy who was the first to be shot during the 16 June 1976 student uprising in Soweto. Afterwards we visited Nelson Mandela’s house where we learned more about his home life. Then we drove to S.W.A.N.K, a local clothing brand founded by a young South African entrepreneur. We also got to play with the local kids from the surrounding community.  We then headed to Constitution Hill, to have lunch and to get to know the community partners that we will be working during our time in Johannesburg. From Constitution Hill, we were able to see the whole Johannesburg skyline. We then headed back to ALA for some flex time and another thought provoking seminal reading.

Hannah Pearlman on Sunday the July 16th, 2017

The day began with our new entrepreneurial assignments. Each of us divided between RTHC (Returning Home To Create) that encourages the young people in South Africa to be creative and helps them retail the brands they produce, LOCRATE market which means Local creative. It brings together people in fashion, culinary creators in Soweto to showcase their creativity once every month, and FIXING DIARIES that focuses on the social aspect of cycling in Johannesburg. In our respective groups, we planned and prepared for our first official business meeting with our partners. Afterwards, we took time to learn about the differences between needs & wants and their relation to solutions for small businesses or communities. We also focused on acknowledging unconscious assumptions and prejudices when assessing a situation. At night, an Anzisha fellow and successful entrepreneur named Jeff  Maluadzi spoke to the group about his hardships in school with his severe dyslexia, issues at home, and personal problems that he overcame to become the success that he is today. Many of us ended our day in a reflective state regarding our first week in the beautiful Republic of South Africa.

July 17, 2017

Today we started with a short assembly like always, but it was different because it was our first day working with the entrepreneurs. Over the course of the week we have worked to create ideas and stir our thoughts about entrepreneurship and economic stances of Africa and the world in general. We used these tools to help generate ideas with our groups and help tackle different issues within the different companies. After getting the basic idea of the problems we needed to tackle within the companies we headed back, inspired and ready to tackle the issues. We then debriefed and came out with needs statements. After a long needed break, we reconvened and had an in depth conversion about Aid and the way it has affected Africa. We end the day excited to sleep and inspired to help contribute to our entrepreneurs.

-Samuel Lewis

July 18, 2017

After a very refreshing extra few hours of sleep, the GLA team assembled for morning assembly at 10:00 am. Everyone seemed much more rested, so we began with an activity about the connection of mind, body and spirit. Essentially the activity consists of a person who can talk representing the mind, a person who can see and give direction but cannot talk representing the spirit and the one who cannot talk nor see but can move or act representing the body. After a humorous example round, we tried a few different sets of three. The exercise whole point was to give an experience that allowed us to see the importance of internal communication.

Then soon after a quick break, the team began working on compiling a list of basic needs that affects our respective entrepreneurs. We were then instructed to narrow down the list to three. Simplifying these needs was crucial due to the construction of need statements. These need statements would essentially cover most of the needs while still being concise and presentable. Discussion was very beneficial in each group and after about an hour, this task was finally completed. Everyone was very relieved to see their work pay off. Eventually each group had made lists of simple solutions to the need statements. Then, we went through the same process as with the needs and simplified the huge lists of solutions into solution statements. Which, as previously repeated, make a concise but understandable form of the solutions. Finally we had finished the process of brainstorming/constructing the work with our respective entrepreneurial companies.

In addition, we had a fun yet educational activity of the classic egg drop. Each team had the following supplies: 4 rubber bands, 2 sheets of newspaper, some tape, and a bit of string. As each group pondered how in the world they would save this egg from being splattered onto the ground beneath it, the teams made very unique designs. On the trial round, 2/3 groups survived. On the real trial only 1/3 groups survived. After convening, we discussed the importance of prototyping and how they play a major role in just about any problem-based situation. Lastly the three separate teams (RHTC, Fixing Diaries, *Locrate market*) separated once more to make prototypes that connect with their solution statements. Each group worked very diligently. After a very long period of construction and discussion we finally made it, feeling accomplished. We had the rest of the day to rest our minds to prepare ourselves for the next day where we’ll be meeting with the entrepreneurs for the second time and discussing our findings and showing them the prototypes.

-Morgan F

Wednesday, July 19:

Today we started the day with our normal routine. We woke up for breakfast at 7:00 and went to assembly at 8:00. After giving shoutouts for anything that had happened the day before, we went to the bus and headed off campus to help our local entrepreneurs. This was our second time meeting with them and we presented our solutions and prototypes to them. Surprisingly, all three groups received very positive feedback on their ideas and the entrepreneurs were impressed with what we had come up with. After three hours collaborating and discussing what to do next with our entrepreneurs, we headed back to campus and engaged in a quick group debrief. In our groups, we made sure that we knew what we needed to work on tomorrow for our third visit and how we were going to accomplish our goals for the local business. We then had free time until dinner which we spent with our advisory families, making sure everyone is having a great experience and becoming closer as a small group. After dinner, we had free time until 7:00, when we read our last seminal reading called, “Solitude and Leadership” by William Deresiewicz. Solitude and leadership seem to be opposite ideas but as Deresiewicz states, “The position of the leader is ultimately an intensely solitary, even intensely lonely one”

-Mathias E

 Juliana on Thursday the 20th of July, 2017.

We started the day with assembly at 8 am. Then, filling out our Project Canvas sheet to finalize what we are presenting to our community partners the next day (Friday the 21^st). This included our mission statements, solution statements, customers segment, value proposition, resources needed, partners, etc. After this we typed everything up and presented it to the rest of our peers and Mr Tait, who is in charge of all the entrepreneurial leadership programs here at ALA. He listen to us and gave us feedback which help us improve and solidify our projects. After taking his advice into consideration, we went back to work on our prototypes and solutions. After we finished these we had a lunch break and moved into Olympic Games. We were divided into two teams: wahlbergers and Waboo. We competed in games and sports for 2 hours. Some of the activities included soccer, human pyramid building, and our opening dances. I’m proud to say that my team, the Wahlbergers, won in every event except basketball. We added some final touches to our projects, had dinner, and discussed the seminal reading we read the previous night. This article was a speech given at a graduating class at West Point by William D. It was about solitude and leadership. The discussion was very challenging because questions arose that were really difficult but I felt we did a good job in answering them. The discussion based on our answers and the passage were passionate and engaging.

 by Varsha Thatte on Friday the 21st July, 2017

Today was another wonderful day at Global leadership adventures.
We woke up to have a delicious breakfast and headed to assembly like always. Students gave shout-outs to the people based on whatever had happened on the previous day and we also played a fun game of two truths and one lie. Then we headed off campus to meet our local entrepreneurs for a final third meeting with them. We had all worked hard to modify and revise our solutions based on their feedback on the previous day and we were really excited to present our final solutions to the local entrepreneurs.
All the three groups, Fixing Diaries, RHTC and LoCrate Market discussed  their ideas and presented their final solutions and got a very positive response. After 15 minutes of shopping at RHTC. We all headed back to the campus around 1 pm. When we reached campus we all sat in a circle and reflected on our work with the entrepreneurs. We all talked about our amazing accomplishments. Then we had break time. The Glow party started around 7 pm. The facilitators has worked very hard to organize the amazing party there was great music and delicious food.

July 22nd, 2017

First, we woke up and had assembly as always. Today was a special day – we went out to see the Cradle of Humankind and the Lion Safari Park! Couldn’t contain my excitement…Kids with a profound love for nature!!

We had an understanding of the history of humanity but going to the museum widened our scope so much more. Under the Earth lie the earliest remains of the Homo genus- it really put our humanity into perspective.

Ghosting our past while we are so technologically advanced in the present was also an eye opener. Rumour had it that we were going to see cute baby lions in the next activity. Ahh! Some of us couldn’t contain our excitement. “Sweet” said Morgan, and everyone shared his enthusiasm. Fun times were ahead. Eagerly getting out of the bus, we rushed through the gates of the safari park straight to the cars that would bring us around the place.

Here we saw ostriches, wildebeests, hyenas, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, and wild dogs (commonly referred to as Devil Dogs). It wasn’t a surprise that our favourite animals were the lions. Lions are immensely beautiful creatures with majestic manes and the sharp eyes of a predator. Living in captivity must be difficult for them. Lions tend to be very protective of their food. I saw a female lion take a male lion’s piece of meat and thus a high speed chase ensued. Everyone was shocked to see the lions fighting. Survival of the fittest, I suppose.

Going on with the program, we soon got off the safari bus and waited in line to pet some baby lions. Oddly enough the baby lions seemed very tired. Daunted, many of us approached them gingerly. “Don’t be afraid, they’re very friendly” said the lion supervisor. Once we got closer, our hearts melted at the sight of their sleepy yawns. Even after we left, our minds were still set on the cute baby lions. So we arrived back at ALA. Next activity was at 7 pm. In our activity we played a game answering yes/no to a series of questions posed by Saša, our facilitator. Some of them were very personal and allowed us to open up to each other more – I gained a much better understanding of my peers.

July 23, 2017

While the site visits to work with our partners have concluded, our entrepreneurial journey is not quite over. Today we began the final stages of our projects by learning the best ways to give and receive feedback.  We had the opportunity to trade constructive feedback between several members of our group about the work we did over the past week.  Then after lunch we met up at the tennis court for a fun team building challenge called ‘swamp crossing’.  The task was to use four wooden planks and some ropes in order to get all members of our teams across the swamp arranged on cinder blocks.  While we all struggled a bit at first, we were much more successful after we were given the opportunity to share some feedback.  We learned that our success was directly related to the amount of us working together, as long as our communication was clear and concise. After a snack of some delicious cake, we reconvened to introduce the final step in our process: presenting about our real-life experience using the BUILD process. We practiced sample presentations and received tips from the educators so we can make the most out of tomorrow’s opportunity to share with the whole group at our ideas festival.  It has been wonderfully fun and enriching process and I, for one, can’t wait to hear from everybody.  Lastly, we did our final seminal reading.  We read a speech entitled, “To Hell With Good Intentions” by Ivan Illich.  Illich proposed a thought provoking argument regarding the negative consequences of international volunteer service efforts and we took some time to consider our own intentions for our roles in this program.

July 24, 2017

Today was our last full day at the ALA campus and it was tough but also exciting. We had made a lot of great memories here but we are also super excited to head to Cape Town and spend half a week there. Today we presented our ideas for our local entrepreneurs to the rest of the GLA team and we really got to see the professional side of our peers. All in all, it was a day of mixed feelings, sadness, excitement, and most of all curiosity.

Mathias Epstein

July 27th, 2017

The tour van pulled up as we scrambled to grab our things at 33 South backpackers and begin our Cape Peninsula tour. Leticia, one of our guides’ native of Cape Town, put on her microphone and thus began the tour. Driving through the Table Mountain Chain I was stunned and awed by the beauty of this place. We began by taking a boat on the choppy waters out to an island with enormous sleeping seals. After getting off the choppy boat, a few of us tried out luck bargaining at a local market. Our next destination lay on the Cape of Good Hope where we were surrounded by incredible mountains. We hiked to a lighthouse which overlooked the deep, translucent blue Atlantic Ocean. Continuing on our hike, we reached the lowest south western land extension on the African continent. The deep blue of the ocean was incredible and no picture did it quite justice. Reluctantly we left the spot and continued on to see penguins a short drive away. When we got there we were able to see penguins clumsily playing on the beach as well as sitting over their young. We completed the day with ice cream and a beautiful sunset drive back to the hostel.

By Isabella Farfan

July 29, 2017

We woke up at 6:50 am and ate some amazing bacon egg and cheese breakfast wraps with orange juice and tea. At 8 am we left for hiking on the famed Table Mountain. The guides that took us for the hike gave us the impression that everything would be manageable and not too hard. We immediately found this not to be the case and we all proceeded to express signs of fatigue. While the pain in the moment was gruesome, it provided us an excellent opportunity to bond over the adversity. Once we made it to the top of the mountain everyone was overwhelmed with happiness. After the hike, we stopped by the Eastern food Bizzare market for lunch. Later to the Green market square for shopping. Later in the evening we all piled onto the van for the last time and ate a rewarding dinner at Moyo. It was a great last day to an excellent GLA program.

by Henry Taylor