Time Capsule Letter

GLA Fam!!

We miss you guys here at home base! The baby kitten is nearly a teenager, Michael from school still comes around to say hello, and your staff are still just as nerdy as when you left them (hehe). But it’s missing all the relentless chatter, the late night card games of Egyptian rat screw and Golf, and the epic talent show spectacular that went down just towards the end of it all.

We hope you guys are adjusting well back at life in the states. Remember to cherish those ‘flushing toilet paper’ toilets, leggings and shorts, and obviously, that big ol’ Starbucks. Count your blessings y’all 😉 I hope you all look back on this experience with happiness, and I absolutely hope you all try and stay in touch with each other. Most importantly, share your experience, knowledge, and skills with a neighbor. Your knowledge plus action are power!

I’ve attached our One Meaningful Goal at the bottom of this capsule, and I hope it still resonates with you all. I believe in y’all. I know you can keep up with your personal and group goals, and I wish you all the best of luck! Have a happy rest of high school and a wonderful adventure in everything and all that you do <3

Some ‘never forgets’ for your Moshi 2 weeks:

• The unbelievable work you put in at the school.  That building is still shining with fresh paint and those kiddos are bright and happy as ever
• Mama D’s famous chapati is waiting for you any time you’d like to come for a visit
• Those lizards that were for sure in each and every one of your rooms are also waiting patiently
• Don’t forget the Kili Wizard showdown circle where everyone dropped it low
• And absolutely, for surely, do not ever forget that YOU’RE DA BEST

Best in all you do,

Lena, Zack, Julie, Sarah, Siima, Siifa, and Agape

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Saturday June 15, 2019

Arrival day began with the sounds of heavy rain, village roosters, and our hardworking staff scrubbing home base to a shine in preparation for the students’ arrival. Now, after weeks of international staff training and preparation, Moshi home base finally feels like home!! Our teenage world travelers are finally here, starting with a trickle of one student at midday, then another in the afternoon, then the rest in a tired but jovial bunch this evening.

After a quick call home to reassure their families back in the U.S. while still at the airport, the students were whisked here to Rau Village in Moshi, where our lovely kitchen staff greeted each student with a nourishing meal and warm smiles. After a brief rundown of their new home, the students were settled in with their roommates and the welcome rest of a comfy be. We’ve got an action-packed schedule in store for this lively bunch, and will dive into orientation head first tomorrow morning so we can get to the fun stiff, including visits with local host families tomorrow afternoon!!

Julie Aicheson – GLA International Director

Sunday June 16, 2019

Our first full day in Tanzania was an absolute blast!! We woke up to have a delicious meal, then had orientation for the first half of the day. After, we learned some basic Swahili, and sang songs while dancing (and laughing of course). For lunch, we split up and met with our host families who later gave us a tour of the town.

Seeing the town for the first time in daylight was so eye-opening. Everyone in the streets waved happily, and the children all had so much energy and excitement! Getting to spend time with the families was so impactful. We learned so much about their culture, and had so much fun exploring the town with these amazing people. My favourite part was walking on the bridges over the river! The mud made it a slippery walk down, but we all made it with huge smiles on our faces. We are all so excited for this trip, and I know it’s going to be incredible!

-Written by Nicole

Monday June 17, 2019

Hi everyone! Today was our first day working at the school. The children were just as excited to meet us as we were to meet them. After settling in at the school, we were given the opportunity to play with them during recess. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that that was the highlight of the day. All the kids are so much fun and full of energy. We played games and laughed before getting to work sanding the classrooms that we are working on. It’s a lot of work, but we are all enthusiastic about helping out.

After service, we took a trip to the market where we all picked out fabrics for a seamstress to make into different items. After a bit more souvenir shopping, we headed back to home base to eat dinner and hang out. We’re all super excited to start teaching tomorrow!

Tuesday June 18, 2019

Day 4 was full of wonderful experiences! We started the day by teaching our classes at the school for the first time. Grade 3 focused on learning their numbers, Grade 5 learned about the different between “while” and “when”, and Grade 6 focused on knowing when to use “who” and “whose”. After class, we had the chance to hang out with the kids as they played duck-duck-goose, danced, and taught us some of their own fun games. When their free time was over, we got to work and began painting the windowsills of the classrooms we are refurbishing.

After lunch we learned a lot about Tanzania’s culture. To begin the afternoon, a speaker came to talk to us about the education system in Tanzania. It allowed us to see a deeper look into the challenges faced by Tanzanians along with the differences between their schooling and American schooling. Then we visited a local coffee plantation where we observed the coffee making process from picking our own beans to drinking the beverage itself. On the plantation we also had the opportunity to dance and play instruments with some performers that showed us some of their cultural dances. Tonight we’re preparing for another day of excitement!

-Julia Hudson

Friday June 21, 2019

Hi everyone!
Today was another fun, packed day. It was our last day at the school for the week. 3rd grade continued to teach numbers, getting all the way up to 90. 5th grade played Simon Says after continuing to teach grammar. The 6th grade teachers taught the kids how to restructure sentences. They finished with teaching the kids Cotton-Eye-Joe.

For the service aspect of the morning, the students worked one step closer to completing the restoration of the classroom. The room is finally ready to paint. After a spicy lunch, we were bussed into the city where they bought snacks at a supermarket and spent some time at Internet cafe. At the Internet cafe, we ate ice cream and spent time on the slow WiFi. After returning to the home-base, the students heard from Uweza, the founder Experience Tanzania, about her inspiring life history.

-by Quinn and Jasper

Sunday June 23, 2019

Hello Everyone,

Today was an early morning for the GLA students. We woke up at 5:00am for our toast, crepes, and eggs breakfast at the lodge. Right after we left for our trip to the Ngorongoro Crater for our second day safari ride of the weekend. We saw various animals in their natural habitats. Experiencing lions fighting, rhinos grazing, and hippos protecting their babies in the pond. T

he trip was not only exhilarating but a once in a lifetime experience. We stopped at a rest center with a view of the pond for a delicious lunch packed by the chefs at the lodge. Then we headed out for our 5 hour drive back to the home base. On the way we stopped at a gift shop where we had the opportunity to buy some more souvenirs to bring back home.

Monday June 24, 2019

Dear GLA parents,

WE ARE THE BEST!

Today, we woke up and ate breakfast at 7:30, before reviewing our lesson plans for our classes and heading to the school. We taught in grades three, five, and six discussing different topics such as days of the week, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. After class ended, we were able to go to recess with the kids and play games like soccer and patty cake, then we said goodbye so we could work on painting the classroom that we have been renovating.

After we returned to the base, we ate lunch and had a guest speaker join us to talk about tribal traditions on female genital mutilation. We were able to ask questions and afterwards, we had the opportunity to purchase goods to benefit girls in such tribes. Later in the evening, we also got to experience a Wizard Dance in which we first watched people dance and play drums before having them teach us a dance. We walked to the base for dinner and played Mafia before having free time and lights out.

Time Capsule Letter

Some time has passed since the mid-summer mornings in Toledo, during which we would arrive to schools where Spanish estudiantes would be waiting for us with open arms, soccer balls, and even water balloons. Our service with the niños stands out in the lasting connections we made with them through games and English classes. We always strove to to overcome the language barrier between us by utilizing the Spanish skills which we improved each day during our classes with Ricardo and Lucía.

Looking back on our two weeks in Toledo, many memories come to mind from within its scenic walls. Our walks along the shady, cobble-stone alleyways that led us to and from the family-owned restaurants where we spent each meal choosing our pick of delicious Spanish dishes such as paella, gazpacho, croquetas, and even desert. Amidst the rustic buildings, we presented to one another (after preparation in Spanish class), the timeless legends of Toledo in which statues came to life and ghosts went dancing at fiestas.

We also explored the impressive cathedral, visited a sword and silver shop, and danced away an afternoon flamenco-style. The paradise of the Arab baths stand out in particular as an experience in which we all relaxed with steaming, soaking, and sweet tea, as we hopped between the different temperature pools.

One memorable day sent us rafting through the rapids of the Spanish wilderness after an unexpected flat tire on the way in during our journey to Alto Tagus. We pulled our rafts to shore after hours in the water at a local river-side beach spot beside an old brick bridge before making it to Madrid at last.

A weekend in the big city showed us another side of the Europe with its endless art in El Prado Museum and the legacy of Real Madrid at the Bernabéu football stadium. We lived it up Spaniard-style, moving between tapas restaurants and enjoying El Retiro park via lounging, boating around, or cruising it on bikes. #wolverines. We learned all about the city during a walking tour and enjoyed some free time spent shopping, relaxing, and eating gelato. Lots of gelato.

After Madrid, the return to Toledo felt like a return home. Our kiddos would be waiting for us for the final mornings of service. More excursions of scenic windmills and soaring over the river on the zipline were also ahead.

At the end of the session, we came together to form our own One Meaningful Goals (OMG) in order to actively apply our experience into our lives back home. As a group we came up with a collective OMG: to continue volunteering, to practice patience, and to approach what lies ahead with a positive mindset.

Even now though time has passed, we can all remember back to the long sunsets on the terrace of our home base, where we could see all the red rooftops of the city which for two weeks in the summer of 2019, we had the fortune of calling home. Muchas gracias Toledo!

Sergio Ryan

Mentor

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Saturday June 29, 2019

We are excited to share that the entire group who will be kicking off Toledo 2019 is officially here! Everyone arrived safe and is resting up for our first full day in this beautiful city tomorrow.

The Team: Steph, Sophia, Sergio & Maria

Sunday June 30, 2019

Our first full day in Toledo was a nice and easy transition into Spain. We met for breakfast then after we gathered our things to go begin the introduction to Spanish class. After that we used our free time and explored different lookout scenes around Toledo. These landscapes were breathtaking and we saw the ancient gates to Toledo. After wandering the city, we arrived for lunch around 2:30.

After that we rested in the hostel for an hour and then we took back to the streets and walked to a nearby park where we held a group leadership discussion. Everyone contributed to a debate about education/language policies in Malaysia we were given different view points to defend. We also got to see common controversies that are discussed between politicians which gave us a platform to discuss issues. This was a group involved discussion and got people to take a stance in the argument.

-by Nolan

Monday July 1, 2019

Today half of our group had their first day of service at Carmelitas (the local school). We got to meet the children and start to teach them english, focusing on different foods. Then everyone had their first Spanish class, meeting the teachers that will be helping us with our Spanish for next two weeks. After having lunch, we visited a sword and silver shop. We were given a short tour of the shop, getting to see how metal is shaped into iconic swords and how damascene (a type of spanish jewelry) is made. The gift shop had beautiful handmade pieces! We got to know each other better in the evening by playing games in a park with a senic outlook of the city. And after reflecting on the day, we headed to dinner and finished the day with a tasty meal.

-by Kristiana

Tuesday July 2, 2019

This morning both groups headed off to service! The group at Carmelitas went on a field trip with their students to the traffic park. When we heard about this place yesterday, we had no idea what to expect. Traffic park had a small road that surrounded a typical park. On the road, kids could follow the road signs and drive go-carts and bikes while police officers directed traffic and interacted with all of the kids. On the playground, we played basketball, helped kids down the slides, and pushed them on the swings, but their favorite thing was when we were “caballitos” and gave them piggy back rides! The group at Mayol got to know their students today, played some games and taught English before the kids had their pool time.

We had Spanish class for two hours today and ate at el Mercado de San Agustín for lunch. After lunch we walked to our dance class where Ricardo, one of our Spanish teachers and tour guide, led a flamenco class. No one quite knew what we were doing but it was a lot of fun laughing around together! After dinner, we went out for gelato to cool down after a long day.

-by Gabrielle

Wednesday July 3, 2019

Today we started the day with volunteering at our usual schools: Las Carmelitas and Mayol. We spent the morning doing plenty of fun activities and teaching English to all of the young students. We then participated in our separate Spanish classes for two hours, learning about music and the history of Toledo.

After lunch, we visited a huge cathedral with Ricardo (one of our Spanish teachers) as our guide, teaching us about all of its beautiful aspects. In the evening, we had some free time, which some used to rest up while others went strolling and shopping in Toledo’s main square. We ended the day with dinner and a breathtaking view of the sunset.

-by Anaïs & Margaux

Thursday July 4, 2019

Today we continued our community service at the two schools that we have been attending for the last week. At Las Carmelitas, half of the group gave a brief Fourth of July presentation to the older students, while the younger students played different games such as freeze dance in the school’s gym. The group assigned to the Mayol school had a fun game and sports day with the kids, where they broke up into groups having to fulfill various tasks to complete a puzzle. The kids then played in the water and on a slip and slide. Afterwards, we all enjoyed a relaxing afternoon at the Arabic Baths to unwind from the last week. There were three different pools with various temperatures and a steam room, and we enjoyed some tea and cookies as we relaxed. Following this we had some free time to pack for Madrid before dinner.

Sunday July 7, 2019

We started off our day by going to a very fun paella cooking class. The paella made for a delicious lunch. We then split into 2 groups and one group went to the Real Madrid stadium and the other group went to the El Pardo museum. After that adventure, we split off even more and went biking, took the boats out onto the pond, and explored the park. Lastly, GLA surprised us with a pizza, sunset picnic to end the day.

-by Savannah and Sophia

Monday July 8, 2019

Today we started the day with a walking tour, where we learned about the history of Madrid and the Spanish Inquisition. We walked around the Royal Palace, saw the Cathedral of Madrid and experienced the “Plaza Mayor.” We also saw the world’s oldest restaurant, which was established in the twelfth century. We then ate lunch, which consisted of different tapas from three different restaurants.

After a delicious cultural Spanish meal, we had three hours of free time. Some chose to go souvenir shopping while others browsed stores such as Zara looking for clothes. Other just wanted to relax and went to the park. Then, everyone met up back at the hostel and we took the bus back to Toledo. We are all very excited to be back in Toledo and can’t wait to see the kids from service tomorrow!

-by Michael and Conner

Tuesday July 9, 2019

Now back from Madrid, we continued our community service at the two schools in Toledo. Many of us taught more English classes, while others participated in fun activities with the kids. After service, we continued with our daily Spanish classes. We then had a picnic lunch in a nearby park. After lunch, we drove to a town called Consuegra.

There, we explored the castle and each of its different rooms such as the armory, jail, garden, and church. With the help of our tour guide, we learned many interesting facts about the castle and about the Middle Ages. We also visited the famous Don Quijote windmills and learned how people made flour from grain. When driving back, we stopped at the Mirador del Valle for a nice viewpoint of the whole city. Afterwards, we ended our day with dinner.

Time Capsule Letter

Sawubona!

Some time has passed since we last saw you, and we are just dropping in to say hello. We hope all is well. At this point, you may be tired from school or perhaps you are working hard at your job, and earning all the money you can.

Maybe you are doing both plus other activities, which we imagine may be bringing stress into your life. Despite it all, we want you to know that you got this! Seriously, believe that. Amidst all that may be going on, we are hoping to bring some light into your life by sending along this friendly note.

Let’s think back to your time in South Africa. Those two weeks brought on a lot of ups and downs, but the goal is that you learned something and enjoyed yourself. What was it that inspired you? Maybe it was one of the talks by Suzette (rhinos and/or elephants) or a specific moment on a bush walk with Shaddie (tooth brushing with magic gwari, anyone?). Perhaps it was the community day. Just thinking about you all dancing around with Nokuthula’s family still makes me laugh. Think back to your favorite moment and embrace it.

During one of the nights in Kosi Bay, we did an activity surrounding goal setting aka OMG. We asked you to create a goal you hoped to achieve within the next year. Some of you focused on conservation-based goals whereas others highlighted a personal one.

It has occurred to us that you may have completely forgotten your goal. No worries! Great change does not happen overnight… Plus we have attached your goal to this email and you can now check it out.

How are you doing with your goal? If you accomplished it, great! If not, how can we further support you in your efforts to achieve it? Remember, you have made countless connections while in South Africa. Feel free to reach out to others if you need ways to bounce ideas or anything else off of someone else. We are here for each other. Let’s accomplish some big things.

With love,

Courtney & Ash

GOALS

Macey:
“My goal is to become a minimalist in the next year. I plan on moving out within the next year and something I can do to get me closer to my goal is to move into a small place with as little things as possible. I want to get rid of anything ad everything that doesn’t serve a purpose. I will start with getting rid of anything I don’t use in my room.”

Dominique:
“Become a vegetarian. I can progressively begin to stop eating certain meats at home and eventually when I go gout, until I no longer desire to eat meat. I can always find recipes online and cook vegetarian meals for myself. When in doubt, watch a documentary to remind myself why this change needs to happen.”

Logan:
“I will start helping in the area of conservation by finding out ways I can contribute. Whether it be through donations or direct volunteer work. Resources: the internet adults/people in the field.”

Jadyn:
“- Read more about global issues
– Only buy what I will use
– Volunteer more
– Use less plastic
– Spend more time w/ family
– DO THINGS THAT ACTUALLY MATTER
– Have a more positive mindset
– Live a healthier lifestyle
– Surround myself with people that want the same things in life
– Always question + grow
– Be kind to everyone
– Control my emotions
– Stand up for myself
– Don’t let ignorant. mean/rude ppl get to me
– Kill w. kindness
– Stay truthful always”

Holly:
“- Get a job
– Use less plastic
– Use more eco-friendly products”

Dure:
“I need to do more research on animals and Africa. Why are our animals getting killed? I need to search more things like that. It’s a lot more I need to do to get where I want to go. I need more help.”

Victoria:
“Moving out of my parent’s house. Not until January. 6 months to figure out. Resources: Google, cousins”
“Intern for/with Suzette. Hanging/studying hippos. Next winter. Fundraise. I have my passport. Resources: Shaddie”

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Friday July 26, 2019

Hello from South Africa!

We are super excited to have all 9 of our students here! Flights brought them from all over the US and now we are eager to get things going. The drive from Johannesburg to Pongola was lengthy, but students got to see new parts of South Africa and get to know each other along the way.

We covered all of the orientation material today, and we have some really awesome stuff planned for the next 2 weeks. We hope you all enjoy the pictures and updates from students :).

– Courtney and Ash

Saturday July 27, 2019

Hi blog! Today we woke up bright and early to have breakfast and go for a great nature walk. We learned about the importance of soil sustaining the ecosystem and it’s formation. When we got back we had a great talk with Suzette, a conservationist, about the reserve. We followed that with a nice lunch and then we went on to do our service project where we worked on cutting down the invasive species of prickly pear cactus.

Then we came back and had some tea, and all played cards, until the time came to go on our first game drive. We saw a lot of animals including one of the big five (buffalo), giraffes, zebras, jackrabbits, a hippopotamus, ostriches, African buffalo, wildebeest, monkeys, warthogs, and different types of antelopes. Then we came back and had to give an idea of cultural influences on animal conservation. Now we’re writing the blog and about to play games and go to bed (:

-by Jadyn and Dominique

Sunday July 28, 2019

Hi family! Today we started with a nature walk where we learned about animal interactions and then after that Suzette talked to us about camera traps. We found out how they use them to capture images every 15 secs: no movement equals no pictures. After that we had ham tacos for lunch and it was good, mmmh. After that at 1pm Shaddie taught us how to survive in the bush (the wild), and then after that we had tea time with vanilla muffins and then also played uno.

Finally we went on a game count and at 6pm we ate dinner. We had a veggie meal and then the last thing of the day was our favorite part. A night drive!! We saw lots of giraffes through out the day, all of them were in groups wandering around. They were so curious. We ended the day with finding crocodiles with a hippo close by. When we came back to camp we all went straight to our tents and fell asleep.

– Dure and Tori

Monday July 29, 2019

Greetings, today we started with community service by removing an invasive cactus species. After a short break we got in the van to learn/experience telemetry. This was done by holding up a device that sends out radio signals and when pointed in the direction of animals it can locate the general vicinity of the animal wearing the monitor. Next we got back into the safari vehicle to count game animals. We wrote down which animal was seen, the total number, age, sex, amount of each sex, distance from the road, and coordinates of the place it was spotted.

– Erika and Logan

Tuesday July 30, 2019

Today we took a trip to the community. During the trip we learned and saw many new things. One of the many interesting things that we got the chance to see was the healer. The healer is a person that has the ability to heal people with her special remedies. After that, we ate a delicious South African lunch. Then, we helped plaster a mud hut. This was very challenging yet rewarding, because of the smiles that we brought to the communities faces. To conclude the night we reflected about our terrific visit to the community around the campfire.

– Calvin Martindale
– Macey Fleischman

Wednesday July 31, 2019

Hi blog!

We woke up in the morning and ate breakfast, then we went animal tracking. After that we did an erosion control service project. To do that, we just added rocks and trees to eroded land with the hope we would help animals and people. We went on a game drive where we drove around the bush and looked for animals. Last but not least, we did a scorpion hunt but we didn’t find any 😂

– Dure

Thursday August 1, 2019

Hey everyone! Jadyn and Tori here, giving you the run down. We were able to have a slow morning, giving us the chance to get ready for leaving. We hiked almost two hours to what we call “fly camp”, nicknamed because of all the flys. However, there have been a lot more bumblebees than flys. Upon arriving to camp we settled down, which for us is student led games, and then had a quick lunch. Next we went on to play a game that our leaders came up with. After our game we gathered so much fire wood, enough to last us until 7 am!

Once we gathered enough we started on our task of starting the fire. It took us 7 matches due to the wind causing difficulties. When our fire was going strong we started our cook off. It was a difficult challenge as we had to make a traditional South African dish we have yet to taste. After Dinner we set out for another night game drive. We saw Honey Badger and aardvark. Other than that, we saw our usual Impala and such.

Upon arriving back to camp we settled down for bed. We also had the option to do bonfire duty if we wanted. Two of us and a leader stayed awake till midnight to watch the fire, then they woke up the next shift for midnight to 2 am and it continued on till 6 am. It was a fun day, and we all had lots of fun.

Friday August 2, 2019

We woke up before the sun and started the day off with our first morning game drive. We saw nyala, impala, warthogs, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, monkeys and vultures. After the drive we came back and had breakfast. Then we went to an elephant museum and watched a video on how they went about introducing elephants to the game reserve.

After that we did team building activities. We learned the importance of communicating together as a team. We also learned about how important it it is to work on yourself on a daily basis. When we were done playing games we went on our final game drive. After the game drive we came back and ate a traditional South African meal. After that, we had a group discussion on specific issues that we find important and talked about how we could make a difference and a change.

Macey Fleischman and Calvin Martindale✍️😂

Saturday August 3, 2019

Hi blog,

This morning we got to sleep in another hour and wake up to have breakfast around the campfire. Then a guest speaker came and gave us an educational talk about anti poaching. Afterwards we had a crime scene activity to solve and used our investigative skills to pick up clues to put together a story based on what we found. Then we went out on a drive to do snare patrol to look for any potential traps placed out for animals. We found none and went back to camp for a nice lunch and then went out on a scavenger hunt.

After an hour of looking for facts and items, we got our scores tallied up. When the scavenger hunt was done, we had some time to chill until our game drive. When we came back, our amazing cook had some very yummy pasta ready for us. Finally, we had dessert and went out to look at the beautiful stars where we discussed the different constellations. Then we came back to camp and here we are having a lovely talk around the fire.

-Dominique & Duré

Time Capsule Letter

Sawubona!

Though some time has passed, we wanted to reach out and say hello. By this point you are likely well into the school year and we are sure you are tired from jobs, schoolwork, and other activities. We have been there and know how tough it is but know that you got this! To bring some more light into your life, let’s bring it back to the good times we had in South Africa 😊.

Cactus killing. Volunteer service is not always the most glamorous thing, but the group made prickly pear eradication seem like a ball. Seriously, that was amazing to watch. Always remember to carry that positivity with you, because it will allow great things to happen.

Aside from the environmental impact you had, you also greatly impacted your other group members. To watch you all cry upon departure was both sad and beautiful. If you have not spoken to a person from our group in a bit, we encourage you to reach out and check in. We are all going through life and catching up is always worth it.

Reflection. Thinking back to those wonderful 2 weeks, we are sure that each one of you got something different out of your time in South Africa. It is also inevitable that you will process your experiences differently. To further help you reflect on your trip, we wanted to send along a friendly reminder about your OMG goal.

In case you forgot what we are talking back, think back to our last GLA activity. We asked you to create a goal you hope to achieve within the last year. How are you doing with that? If you accomplished it, great! If not, how can we further support you in your efforts to achieve it?

It has occurred to us that you may have completely forgotten your goal. No worries! Great change does not happen overnight. Feel free to start from scratch and create a brand new one. Remember, you have made countless friendships and connections while in South Africa. Feel free to reach out to others if you need ways to bounce ideas or anything else off each other. We are here for each other. Let’s accomplish some big things.

With love,

Courtney & Ash

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Monday July 8, 2019

With everyone here, after a restful night in Johannesburg the group headed east to the reserve. After a long bus ride we excitedly pulled through the gates in the early evening.

After dinner and dessert the group discussed some of the important safety considerations with regards to the wild animals in the reserve.

The group headed to bed with excitement for the first full day on the reserve tomorrow.

-Ash and Courtney, GLA Staff

Tuesday July 9, 2019

Today was our third day on our trip but it was our first day exploring the reserve we are staying at. In the morning we woke to the sound of Impalas near our tents. We split off into two groups. Group A went on a Game Drive and saw giraffes, monkeys, and different kinds of birds including ostriches. Group A also found Ostrich eggs and a Wildebeest skull- good finds. Group B went on a nature hike. They saw Wart Hogs and learned about the geology of the reserve. Group B additionally discovered an Ant Lion and Rhino “dung”.

We all came back together and listened to Suzette give us a talk on Black Rhino Expansion Project. We then had lunch before Group A went on a Bush Skills hike where they learned about how to track animals and Group B volunteered to eradicate the alien species of prickly pears. Group A immediately went on another hike- the Nature Hike- and Group B went on the Game Drive. They found crocodiles, ostriches, and a Wildebeest. We ended the day with a traditional African dinner and a get-to-know-your-name game around a campfire before we all went to bed!

-by Angela and Jeremy

Thursday July 11, 2019

Dear Family and Friends,

Today in the Pongola Game Reserve, we started our day with a camera trap introduction from a Rhino conservationist named Suzette. She taught us how to set up the traps and how to properly capture the animals. Along with the photos, one can also determine many things about the animals for example how they eat, what they eat, and where they are going. The cameras give humans a fabulous look into the lives of the animals. Then, we went on a Game Drive in which we counted the game that we saw.

We counted the animals, determined their gender, and calculated their position in the reserve. During this game drive we saw Impala, Nyala, Warthogs, Crocodiles, Monkeys, Birds, and Giraffe. Counting the animals, you see on a reserve is very important for maintaining the healthiest environment that one can. After lunch, we went on a Bush Walk where we identified tracks and dung of the animals in the area.

During these bush walks we learn how to properly navigate the bush and how to tell the signs of every animal. After dinner, we went on a Night Drive where we saw how difficult it is to see the animals in the bush during the night. We saw many Impala, Nyala, hares, and monkeys. After retuning from this night drive, we went to bed.

Overall it was a beautiful day,

Written by GLA Students,

Tristen and Savannah

Friday July 12, 2019

Ayy yo! What’s poppin’ y’all?

Today the GLA students had a busy day. We had a scrumptious breakfast of quiche and toast. After, one group went on a bush walk, and did a fun contest (Jared won!). Team B was educated about camera traps and examined images of the wildlife on the reserve. Later, Team B did a game counting service where they saw zebras, which was new for them. Meanwhile, Team A participated in a team bonding activity which was a flamboyant experience for everyone.

Then the groups came together to have a hearty lunch of delicious, home-made pizza. At a later hour, Team A cut down some cacti and created two plump piles of dug-up cacti (They’re an invasive species). On the contrary, Team B went on a walk in the bush and was schooled bush skills. At 3:00 p.m., the entire group sat down and conversed at teatime. After a comforting teatime, Team A oversaw the identification of native species on their bush stroll.

During that period, team B also partook in eradicating invasive plant species. Dinner was a splendid combination of mashed potatoes and vegetable pot pie with a delicacy of peach cobbler for dessert. Following, team b embarked on a night drive to spot active wildlife. Team A undertook a hunt for scorpions yet couldn’t manage to have the claws grasp onto the stick we used to extract them.

Best wishes,

Teo (Turkish Circus) additionally Peter (Yung-Garian) 😉

Saturday July 13, 2019

Today the GLA group started off by working with Suzette, a wildlife biologist, who leads the animal conservation projects at the reserve. She taught us how to use telemetry to track the radio collars on animals. Unfortunately, we were unable to spot the animals, but we were able to pick up their signals from a distance. The students then practiced their debate skills about environmental issues by discussing conservation issues on whaling. As intense as it got, the students were able to reach a compromise.

Next, the group sat down to learn about cultural norms of local Zulu villages and what to expect in the upcoming visit. During free time, students organized a self-lead a soccer game that got very competitive. To end the night, one group went on a night game drive to spot leopards and the other stayed back at camp to examine the night sky and learn about constellations.

Jared and Kyla (The Chicago kids)

Sunday July 14, 2019

On todays adventure we travelled to a nearby village to work with a traditional healer, beader, and other members of the community. To prepare for this experience, we learned about many of the customs of the Zulu people, such as their language, traditions, and formalities. During our time there, we learned about the mutti (medicine) of the traditional healer and her ways to heal the members of her community.

We also enjoyed a traditional Zulu lunch in the home of one of its members. Afterwards, we used mud plastering to insulate a home of one of the families within the society. We were able to connect with the Zulu children, dancing and talking with them. Overall, this experience was life changing and heart warming. Salanigache!

-by Sara and Lilly

Thursday July 18, 2019

Today was the last sunrise we would see at loose mongoose camp. We had a wonderful breakfast that prepared us for the journey ahead to Kosi Bay. Before we hit the road we said our goodbyes to the extraordinary staff. After two hours of driving through breathtaking views and through mountains we made it to our first destination of the day, Tembe Elephant Park.

On the game drive at the park we got to witness many elephants that were an arms length away from us, water buffalo, and herds of Zebras! After the exhilarating drive we had lunch at the lodge that was next to the park. Then we left the reservation to stop by a market for souvenirs and finally head to the beach. The stars were pretty they were bomb.

-by Caroline and Maggie

Friday July 19, 2019

When we woke up in our new home, the hot breakfast was late, so we just had some cereal and yogurt. Then we split up and half of us went on a 6-mile hike through many beautiful ecosystems and the other half went snorkeling and kayaking in the breathtaking Indian Ocean. The group that did not go hiking learned about traditional Tonga fish traps, and they speared a fish.

Sincerely,

Lucas and Ty

Saturday July 20, 2019

On the final day of the GLA trip, the students were split into two groups, the same as yesterday. One group embarked on a 6-mile day hike while the other group participated in snorkeling, kayaking, and traditional fish trapping. On the hike, the group passed through 5 different biomes and climbed to the top of a sand dune in a challenging but rewarding experience. Despite the inhospitable weather and extreme wind, both groups made the best of their final day and had a fantastic time.

-by Maxwell and Jared

Time Capsule Letter

Sawubona!

Not much time has passed, and Team Awesome is already missing you dearly. By this point you are likely well into the school year and I am sure some of you are tired from work, school, and other activities. We have been there and know how tough it is but know that you got this! We are sending along this note to spread as much positivity and encouragement as possible during these daring times.

First off, thank you for the memories. I will surely never forget watching each of you struggle up the final part of our 10 km hike to the sand dunes. Then there was fly camp. Good times! On another note, we also want to thank you for making an impact. Keep in mind that the impact we are talking about took on several different forms.

For example, as group number one, you were the very first to attack the prickly pear cacti (as Shaddie highlighted for us: the less prickly pear there is, the better). You also cannot forget bush packing! Yet in addition to the environmental impact you had, you also greatly impacted each other. Think about our final conversation about plastic reduction. I know that I walked away from the conversation truly amazed that young people are as aware plastic use as all of you.

Thinking back to everything, we are sure that each one of you got something different out of your time in South Africa. It is also inevitable that you will process your experiences differently. To further help you reflect on your trip, we wanted to send along a friendly reminder about your OMG goals. Like we said, we are holding you to it.

When reading over your goal, truly think about what you have done to accomplish this goal. Maybe you have completed it and, in that case, good job! Or perhaps you have completely forgot you ever wrote about it. No worries! Great change does not happen overnight. Remember, you have made countless friendships and connections while in South Africa. Feel free to reach out to others if you need ways to bounce ideas or anything else off each other. We are here for each other.

With love,

Team Awesome (Courtney and Ash)

GOALS

Henrique – Being able to turn all of the plastic waste of my school into something

Landon – Reduce the electricity bill by 20%

Gwen – Limit plastic use at school (get rid of everything at school that is possible) – Limit plastic use at restaurants – Limit plastic use at home – Increase campus and harbor cleanups (8 of each by the end of the school year)

Emerson – Attempt to go vegetarian – Become more involved in environmental issues – Educate myself about conservation issues – Limit my plastic use – Become an intern at Pongola with Suzette

Steena – Zero single use plastic in bathroom and kitchen – Come back to South Africa for the internship with Suzette

Katelyn – Cut out single use plastic from the bathroom and kitchen – Have the school stop wrapping fruit in plastic and allow reusable water bottles – Become vegetarian

Milena – Increase the number of club members by 20 – Increase the frequency of trash pickups to at least twice per month – Completely clean up at least 6 areas that are polluted

Grace – Become almost completely plastic free with food and bathroom products – Be an active member of an anti shark finning group

Julia – Limit plastic use/ completely plastic free – Cut out meat entirely – Buy fresh, buy local – Completely cut out non sustainable palm oil – influence family to stop buying commercial meat and dairy

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Saturday June 21, 2019

With almost all the students here, with the exception of Katelyn who will be joining us tomorrow, we all climbed into our bus this morning after a nice cooked breakie, to head to the reserve.

With many people still tired from traveling the journey started quiet and relaxed but once we got to the reserve the excitement crept in. We played games and did some team building and bonding.

Now everyone is preparing for our first full day on the reserve and getting some rest.

Peace and chow,

Ash and Courtney – GLA Staff

Saturday June 22, 2019

Hello everyone!

Today was our first full day on the reserve. We started out with a nature walk through the area surrounding home base, as one of our guides provided insight on the importance of conserving soil. Everyone in the group become far more aware of soil’s importance in any further conservation efforts. After that, we engaged in a talk regarding rhino conservation at Pongola with local expert, Suzette. We then began our service, which consisted of removing prickly pear cacti, as they are an invasive species that threaten the well-being of other animals.

Everyone worked together very well and had a great time participating in the experience. It was very rewarding to witness the amount of change we made to the area! We then took a break by having afternoon tea. The group was able to be both relaxed and thrilled on the Game Drive we took in the afternoon. Many animals were spotted including impalas, warthogs, and wildebeests. We also observed a beautiful environment and a breathtaking sunset. We ended the day in a stimulating and complex debate about culture versus sustainability. Throughout the day, everyone enjoyed our cook, Nokuthula’s, meals!

Sincerely,

Henrique and Milena

Sunday June 23, 2019

Today, we started our day off with another nature walk where we talked about the importance of ecology and biodiversity. After that, we sighted and checked two of the camera traps on the reserve with Suzette. When we got back to home base we sat around her computer to look at all of the really cool animals that were caught on cameras, most of which were Impalas and Warthogs.

Luckily, we did get to see several different animals from the big 5! In the early afternoon we followed Shadreck back into the bush to learn about crucial bush survival skills. He taught us what bushes/trees were useful when in the bush and how to recognize and use them. After, we learned how to count game in the bush. We used multiple tools to record the animals and to figure out their direct location. The day was finished off with a night drive where we were able to experience all the live activity of the night. The stars are like no other. (:

Love,

Stîna and Julia

Monday June 24, 2019

Sawubona! We started our 5th day off right with vegetable omelettes and porridge for breakfast. Shortly after, we got straight to work on our habitat management project. We continued the day by bonding with fun GLA activities. Our group has gotten stronger and closer as we spend more time with each other. Then, we learned about the fascinating telemetry with Suzette. The group worked together to pick up the signals of four large animals. All of us enjoyed delicious homemade pizza for lunch.

Later, we learned useful bush skills that will help us on our camping excursion later this week. Tea time is everyone’s favorite part of the day, especially when it is accompanied with Nokuthula’s muffins. We prepared for tomorrow’s community visit by learning about the Zulu culture. Before dinner, we bonded more over group activities. We prepared for our late night scorpion hunt with chicken curry and rice for dinner. So far, we are all having a great time! We are creating bonds that will last us a lifetime. Sorry guys! It’s time for us to go join the group by the fire and gaze at the stars!

Written by the BEST leaders of the day,

Katelyn and Gwen

Tuesday June 25, 2019

Today was day 6 of our South Africa trip, and we spent the day out in the local community. After breakfast we loaded into a bus to go to the area where our chef lives. When we arrived at the community, we visited the hut of a traditional healer. The healer’s hut was filled with different jars of powders, tapestries with varying and colourful patterns, and other various things. She taught us about what different powders do and how they can work together to have medicinal uses. The powders weren’t only for healing physical healing, but for finding bravery, hope, and for protection.

After that, the healer lead us to an outside hut where we beaded bracelets with her. Some of her meticulous projects have taken her up to 2 months to work on. After beading, some of us got distracted and headed over to play and dance with some of the local kids. They attempted to teach us how to do a traditional South African dance, but we weren’t nearly as good of dancers as they were. For lunch we headed over to our chef’s house where she prepared us traditional South African food. In South African culture, it is traditional to use only your hands while eating, so we attempted to do so.

Following lunch we all headed over to plaster a hut with mud in order to provide insulation. Plastering with mud was a good experience for everyone, whether or not they usually don’t like to get dirty or they thoroughly enjoyed it. This jam packed day lead to us having a couple hours to reflect on how we felt when we arrived back to hone base. Although this day didn’t have any service for the animals like we’ve usually been doing, it was a valid experience. It taught us the value of tradition and community, and was eye opening experience. Today was overall a good day which we will value and remember forever.

-by Emerson and Grace 🙂

Wednesday June 26, 2019

We started off day 7 with a delicious breakfast of French toast. Then at 8am we started our trek to fly camp where we will be spending the next few days. The 3 hour hike was also full of animal tracking and tree identification. We made our way to camp and spent some time settling in and having lunch. After lunch, we went on a nature walk to collect fire wood and see and learn about more plants and animals. With the fire wood, we built our own fire. When we got coals from that fire, we started to make our own traditional South African dinner with some vegetables and impala meat. Then, we started to wind down and have s’mores for dessert. We went star gazing after dinner to end our calm and peaceful day.

– by Katelyn and Landon

Thursday June 27, 2019

Hello everyone,

We started our eighth day off with a late breakfast. With no electricity, everyone made their toast over the fire. After that we learned about poaching by engaging in a discussion with Suzette. Shadrick tested our knowledge by setting up a realistic crime scene for the group to solve. Following that activity, we went looking for snares in the bush. Luckily, none were found.

The group then made sandwiches for lunch, which were enjoyed by all. After an action-packed day, everyone benefitted from naptime at 13:00. We then did a GLA activity that tested the groups’ ability to problem solve, innovate and communicate. The activity was called “magnetic feet.” The group had to move over a sizeable distance while having their feet connected at the ankles to the feet of other members.

Tying our shoe laces ultimately helped make the activity very successful. We collected firewood for the night before going on a Game Drive. On the Game Drive we saw many of the same animals, however we also saw new animals in the water this time. During the Game Drive, the sun set and there was a noteable temperature drop. Following the Game Drive, the evening fire was started.

We then had a vegetable pasta dish with salad for dinner. For dessert, we made banana splits in the fire. There was then time for activites around the fire. Members of the group each played a song of their choosing for everyone else. After that everyone was ready to go to bed. Right before bed everyone bundled up for the cold night and brushed their teeth around the outdoor water tap. The night shifts of watching the fire then began at 22:00 and continued through 6:00. Each shift lasts two hours and is done in pairs.

Sincerely,
Gwen and Milena:)

Friday June 28, 2019

Today we woke up for breakfast at 8am. After breakfast, we went for a drive and collected rocks in order to help prevent erosion in the bush. To prevent erosion, we used a method called bush packing. We used the rocks that we collected and branches to fill various gullies around the camp in order to help slow the erosion process and encourage the growth of more vegetation. After that, we went back to camp for lunch. After lunch we did a scavenger hunt, where we have to answer various questions and collect things from around our campsite. After the scavenger hunt, we went on a game drive. On this drive, we saw porcupines, wildebeast, crocodiles, and hippos! We then came back to our camp for a late dinner. Tomorrow we end our 3 nights of camping and head back to our original area of stay.

-by Emerson and Henrique

Saturday June 29, 2019

Hey guys!!

We started the day with another amazing breakfast made by Nokuthla at Fly Camp. After, we took a short drive back to the Loose Mongoose. Before we started our last service, we had a quick tour of the white elephant museum with Suzette. She showed us a really cool movie about the translocation of elephants from Kruger National Park to Pongola Game Reserve and discussed the importance of conservation. We did our last bit of service and knocked out an epic group of prickly pear cacti.

We played a team building game (focused on communication, as ash says) called “eyes body mouth” which was A LOT OF FUN :))!! After the the team building activity we went on a game drive and we saw a crocodile, hippo, and one of the big five. Overall, we had a super fun day

Love peace chicken grease,
Julia and Landon <3 :))

Sunday June 30, 2019

What’s up FAM,

We started our day off with our last meal served by Nokuthula. Then, we said goodbye to the kitchen crew, the staff of African Insight, and beloved Suzette. After that we were on our way to Kosi Bay. Along the way, we stopped at Tembe to go on a big 5 game drive. On the drive we ran into three different herds of elephants playing in the water. After the drive, we enjoyed lunch in their resteraunt. Shortly after we were back on the road and were able to stop by local stands to purchace travel gifts and snacks. After that we arrived in Kosi Bay and settled into out yurts. After settling we enjoyed a delicious meal along with a yummy dessert. Overall it was a great day full of road trip adventifes. (:

Peace out FAM,

Grace and Steena <3

Tuesday July 2, 2019

It all comes down to the hike. I mean yes we did have breakfast at 7:30 like everyday but that is not as important as what would come next. After breakfast and the preparation time for the hike we were all ready to start, little we know that we were not ready at all. We all thought it would be a chill walk through the 5 ecosystems that we had sorounding us and we were right about the ecosystems but it was not chill.

As we were advertised we all used open toes shoes and shorts as if we were walking in a park but those were the worse decisions we could possibly make. With the worry for ticks and all the bruses and cuts the nature gave us we would most certainly have loved to not have made those choices. The hike was already challenging and the fact we were not prepared just made it a lot worse. We did get through it though and after that we had nothing more that a relaxing day on the beach and GLA closing activities to properly say goodbye.

-by Gwen and Henrique