Going Global

In a world where you can eat sushi at a corner café in Paris while video-chatting with your family in the United States, it is clear that we live in an increasingly global society! Schools are packed with international students, and people are constantly asking others, “Where are you from?”

Nowadays, most people are proud of their heritage, and we share our hometowns, backgrounds and culture with others freely. In Guatemala, though, the majority of families are still trying to find a place for their Mayan heritage after decades of civil war and oppression, which ended in 1996, but linger in the hearts of the native people.

Only by embracing their culture and sharing it in a positive way with others will the Guatemalan people transform an ugly history into a positive future! Right now, there are two groups of adventurous, compassionate teenagers traveling abroad with GLA’s Guatemalan Service Learning Programs, and they’re working hard to help spread positivity and pride in the Mayan culture to those less fortunate in this war-torn nation.

See how GLA volunteers Abigail and Laila are connecting to a new culture!

“Traveling to Guatemala to explore and do community service was not my first choice. At first, I did not want to come to a country that seemed bland to me, but after my first day here my entire opinion of Guatemala has changed completely! Learning about the history, culture and traditions here opened a colorful new door full of wonder. Now I am really looking forward to what every day brings!”
–Abigail, Spanish, Service and Maya Culture Program

“When there are no open doors, make your own. I have made Guatemala my door. Sound, animals and green scenery bring out a more calm and curious me. Even though this could be a difficult trip, it is worth it. Si se puede!”
-Layla, Spanish, Service and Maya Culture Program

Diving Into Guatemala

Although their days abroad are filled to the brim with service projects, cultural excursions and opportunities for adventure, these teens are also in the midst of some powerful personal transformations. Here’s how GLA volunteers Hannah and Flora (Children of the Maya Program) described one day in Guatemala:

“We woke up to a chorus of iPhone alarm clocks, cock-a-doodle-doos and sheep. We threw on our now paint speckled t-shirts and jeans. After a quick breakfast of pancakes and bagels, we made our way to the school. The school kids were on vacation, so we thought we would spend the morning painting without distraction, yet periodically the sound of our scrapers and the swish of our paintbrushes were dulled by the screams and footsteps of children. The kids were there simply to hang out with us, and they had no classes so they eagerly offered us paining breaks. “Puedo pintar?” “No, es mi turno!”

In the afternoon we divided ourselves into groups and visited the homes of rural Mayan families. It was eye opening. In one of the homes we visited, there were 4 generations of family members living in the same house. And I personally was shocked that they did not have running water. Our reflection at nighttime revolved around our appreciation for what we have. We’ve also had insightful conversations about how superfluously dependent on material we are. It’s so different in Guatemala- they are so grateful for their opportunities, and they care willingly for their land without compensation. I hope this is a lesson we carry home with us!

These volunteers are taking full advantage of the life-changing opportunity to learn about the cultural and social landscape of Guatemala, while making a difference and have an amazing adventure in the process!

To learn more about Guatemala, and how you can a transformative experience of your own, schedule an appointment with one of our enrollment advisors today.

There’s really no place like a rainforest. No, really. These amazingly diverse forests deep in Central America do more than you might think for the environment of the whole world.

Though Costa Rica seems like a tiny dot on a map compared to some of the states and geographical regions in North America, it harbors one of the world’s most incredible places: thousands of acres of richly biodiverse rainforest land.

Why are rainforests important?

Climate Matters

Think back to science class. Through respiration and the regular processes of growth and decay in nature, plants give the world oxygen. That oxygen is now more important than ever, with all the pollution created by our increasingly industrialized culture.

Rainforests give back a huge amount of clean, fresh air into the environment — and that makes a worldwide difference. For instance, the fresh, clean air of the Costa Rican rainforests benefits more than just Costa Rican residents; it actually positively affects all of the world’s climates, helping to keep them balanced.

This is just another marvelous feature of a planet whose processes all work together better than a puzzle to form a coherent, healthy whole, and you can make a difference in helping to sustain it.

Biological Diversity

Rainforests also provide a home to thousands of plants and animals that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. According to researchers, there are as many as 12,000 different kinds of plants, 838 species of birds, over 1,200 different types of butterflies, well over 400 different species of reptiles and amphibians (that’s a lot of lizards and snakes!) and about 232 species of mammals.

Few regions anywhere in the world are quite as biologically diverse as the Costa Rican rainforests. These are key areas of the world to protect.

Ways to Make a Difference

Get out there

So, what can you do to help protect this one-of-a-kind resource? Well, you’ve got a few options. GLA’s Nature’s Kaleidoscope service program lets high school volunteer abroad students experience that incredibly diverse ecosystem, work with researchers to help protect the rainforests, and learn more about ways they can apply those conservation skills in their own communities.

As part of the Nature’s Kaleidoscope program, students will spend a summer volunteering in rural communities surrounded by rainforests, talk with the locals (maybe brush up on their Spanish a bit) and learn to identify the plants and animals they see around them.

High school volunteer abroad participants will also get to help build tree nurseries and plant trees to help re-forest deforested land and even work with biologists to collect species as part of an ongoing research project.

Help from a Distance

Though going to an area and working with your own hands is the best way to truly appreciate the culture you’re making a difference in, you don’t actually have to log all those airline miles to make a difference. Programs like the Adopt-An-Acre organization allow you to get involved and make a difference from your own home.

If you can’t travel to Costa Rica to work in the rainforests yourself, you might even want to consider sponsoring someone else to go work with those in the local community. Don’t underestimate the difference you can make right from your own home!

Regardless of what you choose, knowing the situation of the rainforests – and of the environment in your own area — is the first step to working toward a beautifully sustainable world.

I loved the article in the New York Times about Costa Rica – it was about how Costa Rica appeals to different types of travelers, for different reasons.  As someone who has been to Costa Rica over 10 times, the article really resonated with me.

The begining of the article talked about its appeal to eco-tourists who want to learn more about biodiversity and ecology.  It even says that Monteverde is the holy grail for people interested in ecology.  This is the exact location where we based the GLA program “Costa Rica: Tropical Ecology and Service“.  Nice to have your program location validated by the NY Times!

However, the article omitted one group that Costa Rica attracts – those interested in volunteering and learning about the local culture.  Often, people in the USA think of Costa Rica as a perfect tropical paradise (this myth is also perpetuated by the Costa Rica Ministry of Tourism).  However, like all countries, Costa Rica has its share of social issues – increase in drug use, domestic violence, homelessness, and sexual exploitation of minors.

Because Costa Rica is such a safe country (low levels of violent crime), it is often the first choice for high school students who want to travel somewhere and volunteer.  Our program “Costa Rica: Spanish and Service Adventure” is focused on community service and learning about the rich local culture.  It also includes a Spanish language training component.

As more and more travelers discover Costa Rica, more will begin to go deeper into the country, away from the resorts, and discover the warm and vibrant culture of Costa Rica.  Global Leadership Adventures will be there to offer safe, meaningful experiences for those intrepid travelers.