Letter to You from GLA Mentor Maria

Hellooooo you wonderful people!

I hope this letter finds you happy, healthy and loving your school year / first college semester / rugby academy (I think that covers it). The month we spent together in Andahuaylillas and beyond flew by, but I know it will remain tangled in my memory tighter than that crazy llama’s dreadlocks. Returning to the U.S. was surreal, wasn’t it? The first message I received when I turned my phone back on was: “Donald Trump is running for president.” Well, well. Welcome back to the good ol’ US of A! I hope reverse culture shock wasn’t too hard on you all, and that you’ve been able to share some of the unforgettable moments from Peru with your family and friends.

And in case you need a refresher, here are some of my favorites:

-Singing by the campfire underneath the Southern stars
-Lugging huge bags of wheat down the mountain, but not nearly as well as the 70-year-old men
-Cold showers
-Learning how to knit, make felt balls, and practice Spanish with the women of Q’ewar
-The beautiful walk along the train tracks
-Jorge’s fables
-Soup. More soup. Here try the soup because IT’S SOUPER DO YOU WANT MORE SOUP
-Music in the plaza
-The splinter from the bridge / saving that entire litter of puppies
-Those intense hills on our bike ride (totally worth it)
-Cooking and playing pickup soccer at Carmen’s house
-Meditation by the river
-The night hike, and let’s definitely just ignore the trail. Who needs the trail?
-Chess in the garden
-You’ll never laugh at a Shaman again

…I could go on and on and on. Suffice it to say, each and every one of you is incredible. I think I can safely speak for all the mentors when I say we were lucky to have met you. Your incredible work ethic, curiosity, compassion for each other, dedication to service, and go-with-the-flow attitudes (what internet café?) surprised and amazed me every single day. And how fortunate were we to have the amazing people of Andahuaylillas share their community with us for an unforgettable month?

So quick update for those of you wondering: We’re coordinating with Julio and Lucy to set up a donations page on the website to raise funds for the school construction. Apparently, fundraising websites aren’t really set up to link to foreign organizations. But the good news: this will drive more people to the actual Q’ewar website. And as you all know, purchasing dolls is even better than donating.

So if you’re all starting to think about Christmas shopping, don’t forget Q’ewar can help check off your list!

Have a wonderful year you guys! I hope one day our paths cross again so we can have a Campfire Choir reunion, play Heads Up, avoid doors with glass windows, chat in fluent Spanish, and chug Inca Kola.

Love,

Maria

Letters to You from Your GLA Staff Members

14-Day Peru Service Programs

So much has happened since the summer! In the weeks and months that followed your departure we managed to not only finish the greenhouse that you started, but also commenced construction and finished a smaller greenhouse for a nearby kindergarten! Of course, we would have never been able to do so without your hard work and dedication. No matter how tedious and physically demanding the work was — and after hours and hours of pick axing and carrying rocks we all know exactly how gruesome the work could be! — you guys would push through and get the job done. Thank you for that! You’re all rockstars!

To quickly bring you up to speed, Clint, Dani and I continue on our lifelong journeys of growth and self-discovery. Clint continues to be a badass (of course) and is currently biking through the massive Uyuni salt flats and beyond to arrive at his final destination, Buenos Aires. Meanwhile, Dani has started a new job in Thessanoliki, adding to her experience in the field of international service learning as she basks in the Mediterranean sun. Finally, I am in the bustling metropolis of Lima, training for my next mountain race and awaiting a trip to New York where I will be assisting my sister with the birth of her first child!

I am sure that you are all super busy with school and extracurricular activities, but I honestly hope that this note makes its way to each and every one of you. You are all amazing individuals, and without trying to sound too cliché, with determination and discipline you can truly achieve anything you set your hearts & minds to. I hope that this summer helped you to grow as individuals and to better understand and develop your goals and passions in life!

Last but not least, it was an absolute pleasure getting to know you! We miss you all, and honestly would have loved to have each and every one of you stick around to witness the end product and help us plant the first vegetables that over the years will grow and thrive and help future generations to fight off malnutrition.

Abrazos,

Bianca

P.S. On a more nostalgic note, here’s a few of our favorite moments from the session:

June 8 – June 21, 2015

1. Aunt Muriel
2. Marvin’s badass soccer skills
3. Rock crew stories of self 🙂
4. Our amazing conga line at our farewell dinner (and THAT’s how you start a movement!)
5. Max’s brilliant pictionary skills — Was he drawing a man meditating? Still not really sure…
6. Felipe’s heartfelt speech at our farewell dinner. This was without a doubt the best speech of the entire season!
7. Carson’s ‘birfday’ & the confetti filled eggs!!
8. How close we got and how we felt comfortable enough to share so many personal and meaningful stories during our fishbowl.
9. Hiking up to Machu Picchu (and Adam subsequently throwing up from the exertion — Sorry, Adam!!)
10. Zumba warm ups with Emily
11. Fasai being a badass and finishing the trek despite everything. This goes for Sharon too!

June 24 – July 7, 2015

1. The rainiest day EVER at Machu Picchu.
2. Word Assassin. Was there ever a winner? Quick, everyone say North Korea!!
3. Tamera’s birthday & the awesome cake that the trekking crew managed to bake at 14,500ft! Ooh, and that crown!!
4. Kayla’s boot falling apart in the middle of the trek and having to bind it together with shoelaces, string, duct tape…
5. Listening to ‘Chasing Cars’ as we watched the stars come out with Veronica in the background.
6. Nathan teaching the kids at the elementary school to play American football 🙂

July 10 – July 23, 2015

1. FEMTalk dance party (with chocolate)! Also, you lovely ladies teaching me how to whip (??)
2. An entire week spent at the MacSalud Clinic — appendicitis, broken fibula, salmonella, sprained wrist… could our luck be any better!?
3. Dancing in front of discotecas during our scavenger hunt. And the glorious ice cream that ensued!
4. Teaching English & theater to the students at the elementary school in Chocco
5. A very, very snowy trek & Annie seeing snow for the first time ever!
6. Tentaciones <3 <3
7. Somehow all miraculously coming together for our farewell dinner!
8. PACHAMAMA!! And Sabine screaming in awe of the majestic, ponytailed singer

July 26 – August 8, 2015

1. Ajit & Geo’s drumming circle
2. Clint saving Kanishk’s life with a well timed heimlich maneuver!
3. Cray being a rockstar and sticking back to help Geo during the hike. We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again: THANK YOU CRAY!!
4. Our impromptu The Little Mermaid sing along in Agnes, Geo & Emma’s tent
5. That day we had ceviche AND lomo saltado AND picarones for lunch! So delicious!!
6. Those awful flight cancellations and having more than 50% of the group stay an extra night in Cusco!

August 11 – August 24, 2015

1. Finishing not one but two greenhouses!! You guys are brilliant!
2. Ro eating everyone’s leftover pie! Can’t remember how many pieces he managed to put back. Seven? Either way it was impressive!
3. Meditating on the 5th floor with Milan & Rose (plus Kelsey that one time 🙂 ). Thank you ladies for sharing those moments with me. It was truly wonderful and I hope that you continue to develop your practice of meditation and mindfulness.
4. FEMTalk!! I’m sure BroTime was cool too…
5. Cloe’s layering demo. We should post those pics so that future Peru GLAers understand the importance of many, many, many layers!
6. Hiking to the top of a 15,200ft mountain with Ro, Nick, Daniel, Bishop, Broheme (that’s how I spell it, y’all), Kelsey, Makayla, Clint & Richard. Also, contemplating nature at the summit (me), screaming at the top of our lungs (Kelsey) and nearly taking someone out with an enormous boulder (Makayla).
7. Abba wakeup calls. And Queen. Lots of Queen.
8. Our guide Cesar, and just when you thought it couldn’t get any better… Patrick Swayze <3 <3
9. Clint & I sneaking away to go to the hot springs in Aguas Calientes — Oh wait, did you guys not know about that? Hehe
10. Jesus the cow & his magical beans. To be honest, I’m not 100% sure on this one, but is anyone really?
11. PACHAMAMA!!!
12. Everyone waking at 5am to train with me on the 5th floor. Oh, wait, this didn’t happen. But it should have!

Finally, I wanted to send you a poem written by Spanish poet Antonio Machado. Clint shared this tidbit with me after our beautiful train ride from Machu Picchu to Ollantaytambo.

Caminante son tus huellas

el camino y nada más;

Caminante, no hay camino,

se hace camino al andar.

Al andar se hace camino,

y al volver la vista atrás

se ve la senda que nunca

se ha de volver a pisar.

Caminante no hay camino

sino estelas en la mar.

Abrazos,

Bianca (Dita)

21-Day Peru Service Programs

June 16 – July 6, 2015
Hey guys! I hope by the time you read this you are still reminiscing on our time in Cusco together. I definitely am, after all there are so many things to remember. We worked diligently for three weeks together and surpassed our goal of putting half the adobe wall into place. You guys laid the foundation of our greenhouse, and we finished just in time with our last group, all thanks to you guys!

My hope for you is that you never forget the work that you did, and the impact that you made on the community of Choquepata. That greenhouse witl directly serve all the sweet children we got to know and loved on during our breaks. All the sweat, lack of oxygen, and pick axing (ALL the pick-axing) was what we needed to turn the greenhouse into reality. Please, never loose sight of how huge that is.

Beyond our service project, we learned together. We learned about the city of Cusco, and we learned about each other. This time was so precious and I am still inspired by your drive and motivation to make a difference in the world.

Thank you all so much!

Mucho amor,

Sara

Memz:

1.     Getting in mud fights at service (sorry Fausto and Cesar…)

2.     Maddie’s shaman “experience”

3.     My awesome mentor group! (S/O Eliza, Hannah, Renee, Chris, Bill, Talia)

4.     Trying to play telephone while passing 50 lb. adobe bricks

5.     Inti Raymi!! So cool…. So stressful

6.     Fireworks in the square

7.     Churros <3

July 10 – July 30, 2015

Hey everyone! I hope you all are still obsessing over every photo you took during your time in Cusco. I’m sure you are all busy and in the rhythm of normal life at home but please, take time to live in those memories, they are memories worth keeping for sure.

The difference you guys made in the community of Choquepata is so real, and I get pumped just thinking about it. We were able to finish the greenhouse with your help. And now it will continue to serve the school and all the children we got to know and love. We left it full of lettuce, onions, cabbage, and all the apple trees we had to transplant with you guys.

My wish for you guys is to remember the work you did, the difference you made, and the lessons you learned while in Cusco. Even more my wish is for those memories to motivate you to continue to learn and to make a difference in the lives of those around you. You guys rock and I am so thankful for our time serving, learning, and having fun together.
Chau Chau,

Sara

Memz:

1.     My super cool mentor group! (S/O Annie, Flor, Regina, Shelby, Spencer, Tomas, Max, Jacob)

2.     Making record time on the Salkantay trek

3.     Seeing more stars than I’ve ever seen at our first campsite

4.     Everyone calling me mom (thanks guys)

5.     Running around Zona X

6.     The amazing yearbook Andy made for the school

August 3 – August 23, 2015

Hola mis amigos! I hope this letter finds you happy, healthy, and still thinking about our time in Peru, because I never want you to forget it! I hope you still consistently reminisce on your pictures and stay in contact with one another.

We accomplished so much together last summer. We FINISHED the greenhouse! It was iffy there for a minute but you guys pulled through and finished the thing. Now it will directly serve the beautiful children we got to know and love. The difference you made in the community of Choquepata is real and it is big. My hope is that you will continue to have the same drive and motivation to make a difference that you had every single day that we were in Choquepata. Our group was small, but man, you guys were the fiercest.

I will never forget the fun we had together and how loving your group was. I am so thankful for our time together! I know you guys will continue to do amazing things.

Mucho amor,

Sara

Memz:

1.     All the group hugs and love <3

2.     A snowy Salkantay wonderland (and snowball fights)

3.     Hiking the stairs to Machu Picchu

4.     All the llama selfies (especially Gigi’s <3)

5.     Linshan’s blog posts

6.     Star wars themed schedule ( and laughing until I cried )

7.     Cake day, and pizza party

8.     FINISHING THE GREENHOUSE (and celebrating with potato ovens and Inca Kola)

Letter to Students from GLA India 2015

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Letters from Your GLA International Director

June 10 – June 30, 2015

Hola to my amazing students from the Guatemala Spanish, Service and Mayan Culture
Program: Alex, Athena, Carmen, Carrington, Emma, Mary, Sarah, Vienna

I can hardly believe that so much time has gone by since we were living and learning together in
our fabulous home base in Quetzaltenango. When I think back on the summer, I can’t help but
smile at all of the wonderful memories we made together. I don’t know about you, but I
personally am missing the fantastic food at our home base. Okay, maybe not you Sarah. In
reflecting on our experience, you should all be so proud of the work you did in the school in
providing a bright and positive environment for the students to learn. Not to mention your
fabulous mural. I know that the kids will be remembering you and your work for many years to
come.

This was my first time working with Global Leadership Adventures so I didn’t quite know what
to expect. In addition to that, this was the first group I would be working with. So that said, I
was a bit nervous. However, the outcome was far beyond anything I think that I could have
expected. What I experienced was working with a very mature, responsible, engaged and all
around wonderful group of students for three weeks. We laughed together, worked together,
lived together and shared together. There was instant connection among the group and it truly
felt like one big family. I really appreciate how you all supported each other throughout the
process.

I hope that this school year is going great and that all of you are staying in touch with each other!
I wish you all the best of luck in your future goals and dreams and look forward to hearing about
all of your amazing accomplishments.

PS, don’t forget to practice your Spanish!

Here are some highlights of our experience together…

● The quotes activity on the last night
● The “bond fire”
● When there were those “interesting” speakers at the school (you know what I’m talking
about)
● When we handed out bracelets to the kids…wow that was crazy
● The beautiful, colorful and intricate mural you created
● Scary movie nights
● Salsa dancing 🙂

-Lisette Rodriguez, International Program Director
July 5 – July 25, 2015

Hola to my amazing students from the Guatemala Spanish, Service and Mayan Culture
Program: Anna, Antonio, Beate, Jen, Mady, Maria, Michael, Sonnet

When I think back on the summer, and all of the memories, I can’t help but smile. I can’t believe
that so much time has gone by since we were living and learning together in our fabulous home
base in Quetzaltenango. I don’t know about you, but I personally am missing the group soccer
games we had in the front yard of the home base. In reflecting on our experience, you should all
be so proud of the work you did in the school. Your service provided a bright and positive
environment for the kids to learn and play…and set off fireworks. I know that the kids will be
remembering you and your work for many years to come. And your incredible mural will be a
constant reminder for them.

From the very start I knew this would be a boisterous, fun and spirited group. And I was most
definitely right! Things were not always easy, but when is that ever the case. In fact, I think that
the challenges ultimately brought you closer together as a group. Throughout the program, I was
consistently and pleasantly surprised with the way that this group challenged and engaged
themselves in the entire process. You asked the big question, tackled the big issues and
challenged each other to grow. I am so proud of all of you and hope that this experience has been
a great one for you!

I hope that this school year is going great and that all of you are staying in touch with each other!

I wish you all the best of luck in your future goals and dreams and look forward to hearing about
all of your amazing accomplishments.

PS, don’t forget to practice your Spanish!

Here are some highlights of our experience together…

● Playing soccer in the front yard of the home base with all of the students and staff…in the
rain
● The card games that were always being played in the living room
● The team building activities that had us laughing so hard we were crying
● The awesome mural that you painted at the school based on the kids drawings
● The incredible despedida event they threw for us at the school

-Lisette Rodriguez, International Program Director

Letters to You from Meagan

June 13 – June 26, 2015

In the first program session, Joe was always pranking Ambre and myself. So we began thinking of ways to get back at him and started asking students for ideas. We brainstormed for a few nights but nothing came of it. On our last night in Xela while Joe was out of his room, Alex, Xavier, Natasha and a few others stole his mattress and sheets. The mattress they put in the girls’ room next door and they hid the sheets in one of their rooms. Joe got his mattress, but they wouldn’t tell him where his sheets were. Xavier led him on a hunt throughout the hotel telling him “You’re really hot. Almost found them” when really he was no where close. In fact they were on the first floor whereas Joe’s sheets were on the third floor. The entire thing went on for like 45 minutes. I don’t know who finally gave him his sheets, but hearing “Where’s my sheets?! I want my sheets!” became the joke of the summer. All three other groups tried at least once to prank Joe by stealing his sheets. (Only group 3 did it successfully. Haha)

-Meagan

June 30 – July 13, 2015

In the second group we played a soccer game. Almost no one knew how to play which was fine, other than the fact that three staff got hurt (not seriously though) and mine was most hilarious.  but it was still fun just to get outside and run around. Only, myself, Joe and Nayo all got injured in some way. I (Meagan) was goalie and Madison kicks the ball so that it shoots upward and hits me in the face. I leave and go check my face and when I return, Joe is on the floor because he apparently slipped and fell on his tailbone. He’s just lying face down like “Gimme me a minute”. We resume the game without him, and not five seconds in, Juana kicks the ball so that it hits me right in the mouth. I started crying because I was in pain still from the first hit, but also laughing because I couldn’t believe I had just gotten hit twice within less than five seconds re-entering the game. In the midst of all this, Olivia is taking photos pf everything-including my ugly crying face! I’m still not happy being hit in the face, but thinking about just makes me laugh.

-Meagan

July 16 – July 29, 2015

The third group, Sinclair’s birthday was in the middle of the program. We bought a piñata, set up the party, and told everyone to distract her until it was time for family meeting. When she comes down for her surprise, she was shocked but happy. She took the first shot at the piñata and the agreement was that everyone would take a swing. Instead, after two tries she takes off her blindfold and yells “Now I see!” and breaks it releasing the candy. She fell a few times while blindfolded. Then as we get ready to present her cake, Ambre whispers to me “We should push her face in the cake. Bring a little Mexican tradition to Guatemala.” So I raised the cake and told her I wouldn’t push her face in, but she just needed to take a bite with no hands. Instead, Sinclair smashes her whole face into the cake and pushes in herself. Then she pulls back and says “I always wanted to do that.” We were thinking, who wants to do that? Really? Everyone died laughing but that moment was absolutely one of my favorite moments of the summer.

-Meagan

August 1 – August 14, 2015

In the last group, Lundon and Gabby wanted to run to the store and on the way we passed a piñata shop with Dora the Explorer in the window. Gabby runs into the shop screaming “Lets buy a piñata! Lets buy Dora! Can we?” I told her it would be out of her pocket but she could and it could be an end of the summer celebration. The three of us buy Dora and sneak it around the back of the house so no one sees. The next night (our last night) they brought it out and we hung it outside for everyone to take a swing. Everyone is giving directions (some right, others wrong) about which way to swing. I cant remember some of the chants they gave but at the time they were all hilarious. Gabby even kept Dora’s face after we finished it to keep in her scrapbook. But other than her face, nothing could be saved.

-Meagan