PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!
Here are a few things to know and expect:
- Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
- We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
- Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
- Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
- Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.
For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.
-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team
Click here to jump down to the most recent post!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 22
We’re thrilled to share that the entire group has arrived safely in beautiful Bali! The students are already settling into their home base here in Ubud, meeting their group and getting comfortable in their new surroundings.
Although we missed the chance to capture a full group photo today as our last arrival was quite late at 10:30 PM, we did manage to snap some great pictures in smaller groups during airport pickups. We can’t wait to gather everyone together for a group photo tomorrow during orientation day!
Over the next two weeks, students will embark on what promises to be the adventure of a lifetime. Together, we’ll explore the rich culture of this incredible island, dive into thrilling adventures, and engage in meaningful service projects that will make a real difference.
To keep you connected throughout the journey, students will be sharing regular blogs filled with stories and photos posted every couple of days. This way, you can follow along and see firsthand the unforgettable experiences unfolding here. From volunteering at local schools, learning about the public health, meeting local medical students to strolling through lush paddy fields, surfing waves, and snorkelling among stunning ocean life and enjoying lunch with the view of Mount Batur, every moment is packed with excitement and discovery. The entire group is eager and ready to dive in!
We look forward to sharing all the highlights with you soon!
GLA staff team
Musha, Kristin
BLOG POST FOR JULY 23
Hi Families!
Today we woke up and we had breakfast before heading out to orientation at Bali Institute. At Bali Institute we did orientation, played some games, and ate lunch. After that we went to Banja Tarukan and did an amazing race where we talked to locals to answer our questions about the Balinese culture. After we took a dance and music class and learned how to make an offering and wood carved signs with our names.
Finally we went to dinner and enjoyed spaghetti, a coconut and a performance from two dancers who showed us what the dance we learned actually looked like.
Your leaders of the day,
Sabi and Daniela
BLOG POST FOR JULY 24
Today we had an early start by grabbing our to go breakfast at 6:45 and heading to the Herbal Walk. We learned about numerous plants and their medicinal properties, and according to our guide Made Westi, you only need a coconut tree to survive. After the walk we headed to Gunung Kawi where we learned to bargain and shopped around. After shopping we headed to a water temple, next was lunch at Kintamani which had a gorgeous mountainside view with the biggest lake in Bali. Later we made our way to the Coffee Plantation where we learned about herbal plants. We tried various coffees and teas and were able to buy our own.
Lastly, we traveled to Blahbatuh Royal Palace. Here we got a tour from a royal worker. We went to various temples and learned about Balinese culture, gods, and kites. After our tour, we had the privilege to dine with the princess, Praba. Although Praba being a princess, she was very kind, funny, and talked to us like a normal teenager. Praba was 17, recently graduated from high school, and loves many of the same things us teens do. She is attending university in London this fall for political science. We all adored Praba and she exceeded our expectations. Talk to you tomorrow!!
Your leaders if the day,
Gigi and Scarlet
BLOG POST FOR JULY 25
Hello! it is Julia and Sara! Today we had an awe inspiring day where we had DMCs (deep meaningful conversations), did some goal settings for the program, listened to a presentation about nutrition in Bali and met with local medical students. We also got a free scoop of gelato after we got a tour of the Bali institute and explored the sustainable store downstairs where we did some shopping and learned about the stories behind the differnet items in the store. With the medical students, we prepared supplies for our in-house health check-ins and learned how to use a blood pressure monitor. Finally we concluded our day with some good dinner and a chow circle.
Your leaders of the day,
Julia and Sara
BLOG POST FOR JULY 26
Today we started off our day by having breakfast at the hotel, before heading to the natural birthing clinic, Bumi Sehat. Founded by Robin Lim (what an icon!), the clinic aims to support pregnant women with a comfortable and natural birthing experience. We heard incredible stories from both Robin and mothers from the clinic, including her experience aiding childbirth during a literal volcanic eruption!
We then made our way to a beautifully Balinese restaurant before taking a quick trip to the banjar to begin our service. We partnered up with local medical students to provide personal checkups to the community. We all had an amazing time helping the medical students in the families care by performing sections of their physical exams. Some of us even got to practice our Bahasa speaking!
The 12 of us wrapped up our day with a delicious dinner of spaghetti with a delicious Balinese twist! See you tomorrow 😊
Your Leaders Of The Day,
Palmer and Torrey
BLOG POST FOR JULY 27
Hi friends and family!!
Today we started off our day by going to Bali Institute where we played some bonding games and had debate on the advantages and disadvantages of medical tourism. We were split into groups where we were given a company to represent and argued their stance on medical tourism in Bali. This exercise helped us recognize our view points as well as keep open minds when listening to others. We also had the chance to enjoy some drinks and desserts at the cafe right next to the Bali Institute.
Then after lunch we went to meet the medical students at a new banjar and started home health checks. We walked around the area interacting with the locals while assisting the students and learned lots of new skills, like how to check blood pressure and input the data we received. Once we finished inputting our data, we quickly changed and had a lovely dinner at a local restaurant.
After dinner we headed to our evening activity, where we had an intense game of fustal. We all had lots of energy after but tried our best to have an early bedtime!!
Your Leaders of the day,
Clare and Ella
BLOG POST FOR JULY 28
Hi everybody! Today we started off our day by having breakfast at the hotel and then we drove straight to the Astungkara Way, which is an organic rice farm. At the farm we learned how to make bio pesticides, seedling balls, how to compost, and some of us even got to help cook lunch! We finished off our trip to the farm with yoga nidra and bracelet making.
Later we went to the banjar to perform our last day of service. We loved helping the community and learning about the true essence of accessible healthcare through the eyes of the medical students. We said our final goodbyes to our new companions from Stikes University and later enjoyed a delicious dinner. Tonight we are packing up to prepare for another exciting day in Bali!
Until next time,
Campbell and Emmanuel
BLOG POST FOR JULY 29
Hey guys!! Today we travelled from Ubud to Amed. We began our journey at 8:45 am, and our first stop was an indigenous village. At the village, we learned about their culture and traditions and saw some local art work called lontar writing. The artisans carve prices of lontar writing and use black macadamia to create a print. We also tried two types of honey while we were there!
The honey was made from small, stingless black bees, and had a unique sour flavour. Once we finished at the honey makers house, we made our way back down into town and visited a local house where a woman was weaving kain ikat dua which is a double ikat weaving technique. This is special because this town is one of only three places in the world known for making this specific kind of textile. After that we had a little time to shop, and got on our busses again and made our way to the hotel. Once there, we finished our swim test, got snorkel equipment, went to the beach, and got ready for dinner.
Your leaders of the day,
Scarlet and Ella
BLOG POST FOR JULY 30
After the rooster woke us up bright and early we head to the local school where we spent time teaching them about hygiene, exercise, and nutrition using fun games. We had a blast playing various games with the kids, while struggling to pronounce Bahasa words. Collectively the children and us learned so much from each other, and were surprised to see how well behaved they were. After saying our hard goodbyes we headed to lunch and stuffed our faces. To burn those calories we walked exactly 30 seconds to the hotel and got ready for a swim. An hour after swimming we stomped down with our flippers to the spider boats and enjoyed speeding out to our snorkelling spot. We geared up in our snorkelling gear and loved exploring the underwater temple, numerous fish, ginormous blue starfish, and the coral. We headed back getting to see the beautiful sunset on our way and then left for din din where we got some delicious burgers.
Your Leaders of the day,
Clare and Gigi
BLOG POST FOR JULY 31
Hello friends and families!
Today we departed from the beautiful beach town of Amed and headed back to the Ubud home base.
On the drive we stopped at a Balinese water palace, where we saw some small fish and especially well-fed fish. We learned the history of the local royal family and enjoyed gelato!
Finally, once back in Ubud, we changed into our sarongs and sashes and went to see a traditional healer. He read each of our palms and predicted some interesting futures. Later, we had a spectacular time at dinner; which may have involved depleting their supply of free ice cream..
To end the day we watched a fire dance! The dance had various performers that showed their rich culture. To say the least, we were left speechless.
Your leaders of the day,
Palmer and Emmanuel
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 1
Today we took a fun trip to the Magi Farm! For those of you who do not know, the Magi farm is a sustainable solution to food waste using maggots. We also had an opportunity to sort the maggots in a contest which Clare and Palmer dominated 💪. Furthermore, we packed a nutritional lunch which we later distributed to people working at the largest landfill in Bali. After our service was done we indulged in a quick nap before heading to a leadership goal setting activity at the Bali Institute. We then had a delicious dinner complete with fun mocktails! Finally, we ended the night with some heated games of slapjack and spoons!
Sara and Daniella
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 2
Hi everybody! Today we began our day with breakfast at the hotel before driving to the Ripcurl school of surf. While we were there we learned about mangroves and their vital environmental importance. We then grabbed our paddle boards and paddled out to the mangrove forest and cleaned up serval buckets of trash. Afterwards we sorted through the plastic and had lunch at the beach. Then we spent some time in the sun before heading out for our final dinner in town where we all bought yummy desserts. To end our night we were surprised with a karaoke lounge night where we all sung our hearts out. That’s all!
Your leaders of the day,
Torrey and Campbell
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 3
Today was unfortunately our final day on our GLA adventure. We started the day off with an early wake up call of 6:00 a.m. Then we travelled to Padma beach where we learned to surf and caught some waves for a couple of hours. We basked in the sunlight and had our lunch on the beach as well. We then headed over to a giant three-story souvenir shop and did some shopping. Then we came back to the hotel and got ready for our goodbye ceremonies. We enjoyed pizza and traditional Balinese cakes and desserts. Afterwards we shared our remarks and signed each other’s books just before we had our last pit stop at Indomart where we stocked up on our favourite Indonesian sweets.
Julia and Xabi
