PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
UPDATE: Families, as you are now aware we are relocating our students on this session to our Guatemala program, due to the impact of Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean. We will continue posting our blog updates on this page, so you can continue following along here for new blog posts and photos as they become available.
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
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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28
Welcome to Belize!
Here marks the beginning of an amazing summer experience that will last a lifetime! GLA students met up with staff at the airport then made their way to Sarteneja in an afternoon and evening group. Along the ride, the students got to know eachother more and got a first look at the wildlife here in Belize!
After arriving, the first group settled in, ate dinner, and played some name games at homebase while the second group started to make their way north. The second group arrived and by 9:30 we had all 22 students and our team was complete!
We will be writing blog posts throughout the trip to keep everyone informed about our amazing adventures here in Belize!
Leah – GLA Mentor
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29
Hola from Belize!
We woke up and had an amazing breakfast with local cuisine, discovering our love for fry jacks and fresh cucumber lemon juice. Our morning continued with a “speed friending” activity to get to know our team a little better, followed by orientation of the session. The group dove into a in-depth interviews of a staff member and competed to reveal who was the best detective.
After orientation, the students got a delicious home cooked lunch to fuel for the afternoon. Due to weather, the team stayed at the homebase for the afternoon, enjoying some free time and team building games! The group also discussed social media during a leadership activity called Social Sync and made goals for technology usage after the program.
Before dinner, students made a community agreement and roommate agreements to set expectations for themselves and their peers. Dinner included beef or veggie burritos and horchata!
Before settling in for the night, we visited the beach to do our sunset circle and determine leaders of the day for tomorrow! The weather was perfect and we got to see the famous Sarteneja fishing boats and fish. Students had a photoshoot and enjoyed being off homebase for a little while.
The group bonded so much today and we are all looking forward to winning more games of giant UNO and exploring the nature of Belize!
– GLA Team
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30
Hey there from Belize!
We began our day at 7:30 AM with a wonderful breakfast of oats, assorted fruits, ham rolls, avocado toast, and refreshing watermelon juice! We then departed with our packed backpacks from the pier, on boat Azul and boat Chelonia, to our mangrove preservation sites!
Once we arrived on our boats to the mangrove nursery we met important members of an NGO Organization SACD (Sarteneja alliance of conservation and development). For the first part of the activity we listened to a presentation on the importance of mangroves in Sarteneja. After that we started two separate group activities finding and planting mangroves in the area. All together we ended up planting 58 mangroves!
Around twelve we ate lunch at the mangrove nursery and then embarked on our next journey to the New River and the Cerros Ruins! While boating down the New River, we got to see the Belize Ferry and the Double Crested Cormorant (a duck-like animal that can submerge itself under water)! We then made our way to the Cerros Ruins where we encountered vicious mosquitos attacks, which is definitely something we will never forget! We then learned about the ruins history and significance to the Belizean culture.
Finally, we made our journey back to the pier through the intense yet very exciting boat ride back. Huge shout out to a wonderful boat captains!
Once every one had cleaned up, we made our way to the local restaurant where we got to eat delicious fried fish or chicken, cilantro rice, and coleslaw with watermelon juice. We even got to try homemade flan for dessert! After dinner, we then played popular Belizean games like bingo and card storytelling!
We then ended our dinner with sunset circle and quickly made our way back to home base to prepare for tomorrow”s adventures!
Lindsey and Naomi, GLA Leaders
BLOG POST FOR JULY 1
Hola!
Today we traveled from homebase to Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve. On our boat ride, we got a close encounter with some friendly bottle nosed dolphins! At BCMR, we learned the history about the Reserve as well as observed many of the wildlife and Maya artifacts in the museum on the property. Shortly after, the group took our swim tests and we all passed with flying colors!
We then departed on the boats and drove through the ancient Mayan canal to our location for snorkeling. Next, we geared up and dove into the crystal blue water where we observed the coral reefs, parrot fish, sea turtles, and many other species of marine life. We then gathered our things, ate a delicious lunch, and hung around at the Reserve until we were ready to depart from the property and head back to home base.
Lastly, we ate a delicious dinner and had a difficult yet very informative conversation about the hurricane and what the rest of the trip has in store. We got the news that our Belize session could no longer continue and students made the decision to go home or shift to finish the program in Guatemala. The next few days will include some tearful goodbyes to good friends and some exciting hellos to our Guatemala GLA staff and partners!
– Mattie and Rebecca
GLA Leaders of the Day
BLOG POST FOR JULY 2
Hello from the Tropical Education Center (TEC)!
We departed from home base early in the morning to go on a fishing excursion and learn about sustainable fishing and the laws Belize has on fishing. We took a short boat ride to one of the many traps the local fishermen have and watched as two brother fishermen caught fish and sorted out protected species. We also witnessed the release of a duck that got caught in the net. We then headed back to land and went to one of the fishermen’s houses where we ate freshly made barracuda, fry jacks, beans, and fruit prepared by some women leaders from the community. We then headed home and finished getting ready to move to the second homebase.
The group gathered all our belongings and began the evacuation of Belize in preparation for Hurricane Beryl. We boarded the bus and began a scenic drive towards the TEC (Tropical Education Center). We stopped at a store on the way for snacks and and, in no time, we arrived to our destination. Once there, we had a meeting and got our room assignments. Most people took a quick dip in the pool before unpacking. After unpacking, we met up with our peer mentor groups and discussed our feelings about the recent program change. Then we had a zoom meeting with the GLA staff in Guatemala who answered our questions and explained their program. The group was so excited to hear about all the excursions and service opportunities that lay ahead!
We had time to explore and move about before dinner, where we prepared for our private night visit to the zoo. Once there, we split into groups and explored with professional zookeepers, some of us even feeding the animals along the way. These animals ranged from jaguars to kinkajous to owls and never ceased to amaze. After the zoo we did our appreciation circle, reviewed the schedule, and went to bed quickly for our early start in the morning.
Tomorrow, July 3rd, we will be crossing the border into Guatemala!
Camille and Isabella
GLA Leaders of the Day
UPDATE: Families, as you are now aware we are relocating our students on this session to our Guatemala program, due to the impact of Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean. We will continue posting our blog updates on this page, so you can continue following along here for new blog posts and photos as they become available.
BLOG POST FOR JULY 3
Salutations from beautiful Flores, a unique Guatamalan town set on an island in the middle of a lake.
To start off the day, we continued our evacuation to Guatemala and had an early breakfast in TEC. We ate a delicious breakfast with some pancakes, eggs, bacon, fruit, and some warm coffee. After our breakfast, we made our way to the bus for our trip to the border between Belize and Guatamala, and eventually finishing our day of travel in Flores.
During the bus ride, most adventurers enjoyed the views from our final drive through Belize, while some adventurers played games like Giant Uno with new sets of fun rules.
After arriving at Guatemala-Belize, border we departed from our bus and got into groups to cross the border. Fortunately, our international director, Pamela and local director, Jema completed our paperwork before hand so we were able to pass effortlessly.
Finally in Flores, we set our things in the hotel we would stay in and we soon embarked on a tour of Flores where we learned about the modern and ancient history of the town. After the conclusion of the tour, we returned to our hotel to see the beautiful sunset over the lake and swim.
Although we are going day by day because of the evacuation, we are still enjoying the adventure and opportunities in Guatemala granted to us by the GLA community.
– Sophie and Ethan
BLOG POST FOR JULY 4
Hello from Guatemala!
This morning we woke up and traveled from home base to Tikal National Park where we were greeted by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic tour guide. We learned about the history of Tikal, the ancient Mayan city, and their way of life. We climbed numerous pyramids and temples, admiring views of the ruins and the surrounding nature. Walking through the city we saw a variety of wildlife such as howler monkeys, spider monkeys, a tarantula, and a roadside toucan. Lunch was pesto pasta or a choice of meat under the cover of a traditional palm roof.
Once we departed from Tikal, it started raining. We learned more from our guide about the history of the land and its people. We couldn’t fit everybody in one plane so we sent the majority of our adventurers on the first flight to Guatemala City. Upon arrival, the first group headed to a local hotel for a delicious dinner. While this was happening, our second group was still in Flores. As they were waiting for their flight, they explored Flores and became immersed in local culture. The second group headed to the airport for their late night flight, they played card games to pass the time. Once the second group arrived they reunited with the others at the Guatemala City airport. Each student boarded the bus for an hour long trip to Antigua, where they stayed for the night.
Tomorrow we will explore the beautiful city of Antigua!
AJ & Sam
BLOG POST FOR JULY 5
Good morning!!!
We started the morning eating breakfast on the roof of our hotel, overlooking the breathtaking view of Antigua and their active volcano Fuego! After a yummy breakfast, we started on the road towards our first activity of the day, a Mayan wedding. We went to a shop called Mañanas Mayas where local women taught us how to weave their beautiful art. A handful of students then volunteered to reenact an authentic Mayan wedding. The local women dressed up the volunteers in proper attire and guided then through the wedding where we danced and made sure the mother-in-law was pleased. We then swept out the store, buying many souvineers.
The group then hopped on the bus to travel to our next destination, the Guatamalan Coffee Farm Tour. They showed us the coffee bean fields, hand packaging, and allowed us to try their quality coffee. After our coffee sampling, we headed towards lunch, eating yummy food on the property that over looked horse stables. We split up and ventured around the property ranging from playing hacky-sack in the rain, shopping, and some even singing with spunky older women!!
After everyone was fulfilled, we regrouped to hop back on the bus for a four hour drive to finish our travels. We reached our new home in Quetzaltenango, which is usually used as a retreat house. Today was full of fun and immersion in culture that we couldn’t get anywhere else!
– Mackenzie and Nora
BLOG POST FOR JULY 6
Hola!
In the morning we got to sleep in and woke up to the view of the mountains. Then, we had the choice of eggs, fruit, pastries, beans, and jello for breakfast. We then drove into the city for a chocolate tour. We had an assortment of fruits dipped in 60% cacao local fondue. Then we walked through the chocolate museum hosted by the family of chocolate makers that owned the property and learned about the traditions of chocolate making through a generations of Mayan culture.
We then bussed to Salsa Rosa and learned to salsa dance! The class was very upbeat and fun. We had lunch back at home base and we had pasta, chicken and vegetables. After lunch, we went to Trama textiles and watched about the history of women in a documentary about weaving business and then we shopped at their store.
At 4:30, we went to a local store to buy clothes for our new Guatemalan mountain climate. We drove to homebase and had free time until dinner. People were chatting and playing hacky sack. After a delicious dinner of pupusas, we hung out playing uno and ping pong.
Tomorrow we are looking forward to a zipline adventure!
Irene and Estela
BLOG POST FOR JULY 7
Hola!
Today, we had an early start in eating breakfast in preparation for a zipline adventure through the Guatemalan mountains. Upon arrival, students rode in open-air trucks to reach the first zipline. The three lines progressed from short and easy to longer distances and greater heights. While on the line, we saw beautiful Guatemalan towns and jungles as we zipped to the other side. After completing the three ziplines, students went to a balcony to absorb breathtaking views. On clear days, the Pacific coast is visible to the west, and the volcanoes Santa Maria and Tajumulco are to the east. The students then hopped on the bus to head back to home base.
After returning to base camp, students ate lunch and took an extended break. Some students took naps or played games like hacky sack. Some students also helped the chefs Gloria, Mary Cruz, Aura, and many others to peel potatoes for the other GLA program that would be joining the Belize group for dinner.
The students took some time to make their OMG (one meaningful goal). They heard from their mentors on how they can make an impact in their communities through sustainability practices, volunteering, and advocating for causes close to their hearts. After, students practiced and demonstrated activities such as songs, games, and drawings in preparation for their interactions with kindergartners at an elementary school.
We then had dinner and welcomed the students from the other program who would be staying at the same home base with us. We are looking forward to beginning our service in Guatemala tomorrow!
River and Olivia
BLOG POST FOR JULY 8
Greetings from Guatemala!
We had an early wake-up this morning at 6:40. Before heading to a local school to meet a large group of kindergartners, we had a sweet breakfast of fresh pineapple, pancakes and hot dogs.We traveled about 30 minutes from our home base to a school for students commuting from both rural and city areas called Pacaja escuela. Here we had the wonderful opportunity to work with kindergartners in their classrooms! In each group, we were able to teach the students two songs that we prepared in Spanish and explain to them terms such as evaporation, condensation and precipitation. We also sang a song about fish in the ocean with a dance as well which the classes enjoyed! We spent time drawing with the students and coloring in the illustrations of ocean animals native to Guatamala, which we had prepared the day before. This opened up a unique opportunity for conversation with the students in Spanish!
After working with the first group of students, we were given a tour of the school by our local director Nayo, who explained the changes that the school has gone through since 2008 when they began collaborations with GLA students. After this, we repeated the same activities with two new classrooms of students. Around 11:30, we left the school to head back to home base for lunch.
Once lunch had ended, we all quickly changed into our swimsuits and headed to the hot springs! After about an hour and a half bus ride, we arrived to our destination, which was located up in the beautiful Guatemalan mountains in a secluded area. There were three main hot springs, each a different temperature, that we got to swim in. We were able to explore the springs and find the direct heat sources from the volcano! We all made sure to stay close to those spots to escape the rainy weather! After about an hour in the hot springs, we gathered our belongings to leave and stopped at their small store to get snacks, hot chocolate, and local pastries!
Once we made it back to home base, we cleaned up and enjoyed a delicious dinner, then gathered to prepare our activities for working with more students tomorrow.
– Lindsey and Naomi
BLOG POST FOR JULY 11
Hasta Luego!
Our last few days in Guatemala were amazing! We had swoon-worthy food from our local cooks in Quetzaltenango, practiced our Spanish and shared love for the ocean at local schools, and wandered around the legendary city of Antigua. Our days consisted of soccer, hacky sack, and more giant UNO, as well as reveling in the beautiful mountain landscape around homebase. After leaving for Antigua, we stopped at some local shops for last minute souvenirs and gifts.
Once we arrived in the city, everyone rushed to get ready for dinner in the city and one last anchor activity. As the students made their way to the restaurant, we stopped at Central Park in front of the historical fountain. There, we got in a circle and took turns anonymously appreciating each other for the support, laughs, and friendships we made over the last 2 weeks. After our circle, we took pictures and walked the rest of the way to dinner. The restaurant was beautiful and the tomato soup and entrees left us feeling satisfied. Before finishing the meal, ice cream was brought out and we all sang Happy Birthday to one of our beloved mentors, Ben!
We sauntered back to the hotel, tired and ready for bed. Before resting, the students prepared for departure, saying goodbyes and filling out surveys.
Bright and early, the first group left for the airport and the rest of the students gathered on the roof for breakfast. We could see three huge stratovolcanos from our seats: Acantenago, Agua, and Fuego. As a cherry on top, we saw Volcano Fuego erupt 3 times during our breakfast! The second group left with Ben, and the last group went on a short jaunt across the city to Arco de Santa Catalina with Leah. The wonderful arches dramatic history was – loosely – retold by Ethan and AJ while we took in our final views of the city.
The last group got back to the hotel and packed the bus for the airport!
Although our trip is coming to an end, we know the friendships and memories we made here will last forever.
-GLA Belize/Guatemala Program
