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June 11, 2021 by Brett Scuiletti

Dominican Republic: Global Health Initiative (Program Blog for June 25 – July 08, 2021)

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

  1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
  2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
  3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team


Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25, 2021

Buenas noches,

This is Andrea Gallegos and James Tuttle the International Directors for the 1st session of the Global Health Initiative program in the Dominican Republic.

Today we are excited to have our students arriving for the first day on their two-week adventure here with us. Students in our group arrived at all three of the country’s airports, Santiago, Puerto Plata, and Santo Domingo. My team and I divided up early this morning and traveled across the country to greet the students and bring them back to our Home Base where they were able to eat, shower, decompress, and get acclimated to their new home.

Students were getting to know each other while enjoying playing games, chatting, and walking on the slackline. We are so excited about this amazing group of students, their interactions, and their energy.

Per our focus on leadership curriculum, students will be assigned as ‘Leaders of the Day (LOD)’ throughout the program. Our LOD will help support us in contributing to our blog posts so we can keep all those back home up to date on their days here. Our leaders tomorrow will be Sofia, Adam, and Aiden!

Here is a picture of very happy and very tired campers!

(Laurelle and Mateo are arriving later tonight – we are looking forward to having them join the group.)

Hasta pronto!

-Andrea, James, Jenny, Julianna & Enrique


BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26, 2021

It was the first full day of our GLA experience, and volunteers and young community workers from Los Angeles to Madrid came together to meet as a group for the first time.

For some, this was 4am, and for others this was 1pm, given all our native time zones! After eating a nutritious and healthy breakfast of local cuisine, we began orientation, in which we went over the day’s plan. Following breakfast, we engaged in several group bonding activities, where participants made new friends with their peers.

Prior to eating lunch, students took swim tests and the Mentors and Directors ensured that we were healthy. Shortly after, we headed to the community in which we would be providing support for the next few days.

As we walked up the rocky dirt road, we saw the local community’s water supply, which primarily consisted of a contaminated vat of filthy water. Surrounding these bags was a haphazard collection of degrading, and broken-down shacks and eroding dirt paths. This was our first exposure to this impoverished world, and it made us extremely thankful for our developed, wealthy, fortunate, and privileged bubble.

After our short hike up the hill, we were greeted by a conglomeration of locals. Despite the significant language barrier, some volunteers put their school and self-taught Spanish skills to use, and successfully instructed the locals on how to build a water filter, using only a bucket and a ceramic membrane.

Additionally, we were able to snag a glimpse of the stove and house that we will be transforming the next day, where we will be making them more environmentally friendly.

When we ran out of time we returned to Home Base, marking the completion of our first of many service adventures. We then headed to the beach, in which students participated in an intense soccer match, making elegant drip castles, or simply enjoying the scenic environment, which many people are not used to.

After rinsing off and playing a few card games, the group came together for dinner, where the day’s leaders presented their interviewees and ate yet another delicious meal.

Local director, doctor, and beach soccer superstar – Enrique Blanco – then gave an informative lecture regarding all aspects of global health, and its many causes and effects. James then shared an activity with the students, in which we broke up into groups and discussed the intricacies and conflicts of Global Health.

In the simplest terms, or in the most convenient definition, today was an amazing first experience of what life would be like in the Dominican Republic for the next two weeks!

-Aiden Jaskolka-Brown, Adam Marshall, Sofia Escontrias and the GLA Team


BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27, 2021

Our group took COVID-19 tests. Fortunately, all of our tests came back negative so we no longer have to wear masks with each other!

After our tests were finished, we headed to La Colonia, which is the service site we visited yesterday. Our group made a lot of progress with making installation with empty water bottles and mesh/wires as well as laying concrete for a house at the service. After about 5 hours of work, some of our group played soccer with the kids at La Colonia.

Our bus ride back to home base was full of childhood throwback songs and singing. After we arrived, we hopped in the pool and relaxed after a long day. Dinner was delicious, of course and then we headed to the beach for some group activities. We played a fun group game, then a name game. Then we headed back to base camp for a lecture on Planetary Health.

-Auden, Brooke, Dylan and the GLA Team


BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28, 2021

Hello, we miss all of you. Today was an emotional rollercoaster. In the beginning of the day, we did not know what to expect but we stayed open minded and learned about the conditions people live in here. We began a sleepy ride by taking a 2 hour bus ride to our destination, La Grua. When getting off the bus we were greeted by the locals of La Grua with open arms. We began interacting with the locals and got to meet one of our counselor’s mom who has lived there her whole life. We got straight to work and started making concrete.

At about 11:30 we stopped for lunch because we ran into a problem dealing with the water being turned off to the city. As we were eating in their beautiful church one of the counselors went around offering locals money for some of their stored water. We got back to work and finished around 3. As we were leaving the local kids excitedly waved goodbye and blew kisses and even braided some of the camper’s hair. We got to learn about the internalized racism in the country against the Haitians.

(Pictures taken and today’s blog post written through the combined efforts of Clarissa, Charlotte, and Cayden.)

James Tuttle

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

The day began with a refreshing breakfast which brought a sense of tranquility after an emotionally tolling day yesterday. After many incredible days of hard work and determination, we were excited with the chance to get away and relax. By 8:00 A.M we were on our way to Laguna Dudú.

After the 1.5 hour drive, our breaths were taken away by the unique beauty of Dudú Lagoon. The lagoon was breathtaking-striking teal water surrounded by jagged cliffs and vivid greenery. But the most beautiful thing about our time at la laguna was not the scenery but rather the opportunity we got to get to know each other as a GLA family. We spent around 1.5 hours bonding, jumping, and swimming at Laguna Dudú before our stomachs were cuing us to eat.

We hopped on the bus and drove a whopping two minutes to the restaurant. This was the first time we’ve eaten outside of the lodge together. There, we met a friendly spotted cat, who we affectionately named Señor Meow Meow. The food was delicious: beans and rice and, of course, fresh tropical fruit.

Afterward, everyone boarded the bus for a trip to a beautiful beach called Playa Precioso (?) where we were able to enjoy crashing waves on the shore. This was the most idyllic beach many of us have ever seen. The water almost glowed in the sun and the sand was a sunscreen-commercial yellow. Many of us also had fun buying jewelry from the vendors who set up shop on the beach. Souvenirs!!

We ended the day with a medical brigade training from a special guest. He taught us how to take blood pressure and how to properly record patient information. We also had the opportunity to whack a counselor with a reflex hammer. Now we’re ready for what lies ahead!

Hasta Luego!

Katelyn, Gisella, and Jessica

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Today was yet another amazing day under the Dominican sun. We traveled far and wide—twenty minutes away to Islabon. 28 of us, now known as medical students, helped set up our first medical brigade in a local church. Most of us got to use our Spanish skills to speak to the locals about their medical issues. To top it all off, as “medics”, we decided to wear more professional attire… aka scrubs. Working as a team, we were divided into 6 groups.

We greeted the patients, took vitals, shadowed doctors + dentists, ran a pharmacy, created nutritional charts, and taught sanitary guidelines. Ironically, it was “taco Wednesday”, as we all wrapped our burritos, piling them with beans, cheese, and guac (no extra charge included). After 6 hard working hours, we managed to treat over 75 patients— when originally we planned to see 30! A great day to say the least, mucho amor to all of our families. <3 Laurel, Laura, and Maddy

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Not only does today mark the first day of July, but it also marks the halfway point of our Dominican Republic GLA experience. The morning was rather haphazard, with many students disappointed with the cancellation of 6:00 am yoga, resulting from the rain. Due to the fact that the service site was a two-minute walk (or a 30 second sprint, depending on how determined you are), we enjoyed a late breakfast and a chill morning. We then headed to Ricky’s house. Who Ricky is, we do not know, but regardless of his unknown identity, students were still motivated to help him out after hearing his tragic story. Once we arrived at the work site, we were divided into three separate groups; cement mixing, wall building, and hole digging.

After three hours of hard labor we then enjoyed a nutritious and delicious lunch back at home-base, and then resumed our work at Ricky’s. Dr. Enrique Blanco, whom we are still trying to sign up for a TED Talk, surprised us with an early finish to our hard work, and rewarded us with local ice cream and a trip to the beach. Dinner followed shortly after, of which the Alfredo pasta was the absolute highlight. After taking a short survey about our GLA experience thus far, Dr. Enrique Blanco gave yet another stellar presentation, this time regarding Healthcare and Forced Migration.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Today we split into two groups and half went to an amazing chocolate factory made by only women. The other half went to work at a medical brigade and at lunch time the people from the chocolate factory came to work at the medical clinic. It was an amazing day we filed through 80 patients all helping them with their specific needs. Then we went to the beach during sunset to enjoy the amazing views and hang out with our friends.

Ruby, Maera, and Mateo

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Hello everyone. Today was another day of fun in La Republica Dominicana. This morning, we had breakfast at home base. It was mashed potatoes, eggs, cocoa puffs, watermelon, pineapple, and juice. Then, we walked over to Ricky’s house, across the street, and painted the walls inside of his house. We also made cement for the floors. We went back to home base and had lunch. We had rice, beans, fish, and the usual fruits. Then, we got ready for a surprise adventure later today.

We went to the beach, but the waves were too rough to swim in so we played in the sand and hungout. There was a car that had a huge speaker system in the trunk and played loud music. Enrique convinced them to play his favorite song. Then, we had dinner at home base. We had pasta with chicken.

We listened to another one of Enrique’s fascinating ted talks about waterborne diseases. We had mentor groups and did an activity about the 25 aspects of life that we think are most important. We had to choose only one at the end. That was deep. Peace, love, and ciao.

-Molly, Raphaelle, and Clarissa

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Today we had a late start, we got to sleep in until 8 and had breakfast while it was pouring around us. After that we had a group clean up competition. Congratulations to Gigi, Clarissa, and Laura for winning. Then we started a project on Malaria on a Proximal, Intermediate, and Distal level. We had a delicious lunch then hit the beach for a 30 minute beach clean up. After that we had a sand sculpture contest (results to be determined). We washed the sand off in the pool then had dinner. After dinner we had an interesting lecture on malnutrition and diabetes. To finish the night off we played a round of capture the flag and headed to bed. It was a relaxing day and we were glad we could recuperate after our days of service.

Mia, Auden, and Merrill

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Nearing the last day of the trip, we ventured to Sosúa for a snorkeling excursion. We spent some time on a boat, switching between diving into the water and exploring the reefs and watching the tropical schools of fish. After a while on the boat, we spent some time on the shore enjoying the sun and some cool lemonade. Eventually, our 16 boxes of pizzas arrived. Our efforts to consume all of the pizzas were unsuccessful. After lunch we headed to Puerto Plata for our next adventure.

We went on a tour of an amber mine museum. We learned about the creation of amber and had the chance to purchase various souvenirs. We took a break at a local coffee shop and then explored the town a little further. We returned to home base for a delicious dinner. Finally, we watched the sunset on a nearby beach and then listened to one of Enrique’s Ted Talks.

Shalini, Ruby, and Maera

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

The last day!

The day began bright and early at 6:30 am when we woke up to get ready for our excursion. After breakfast, we left for our two hour drive to 27 charcos. The group split up between the van and the bus. The people on the bus got to listen to Mateo’s Spanish songs one last time (bittersweet). Enrique introduced the van to his favorite songs (Ed Sheeran was in the mix, and so was Eminem.)

We arrived at the destination and got ready with our life vests and jackets.
Once everyone was suited up, we walked about 30 minutes up a mountain and through a vibrant forest before arriving at the first waterfall. This first descent was the most intimidating: each of us had to jump seven meters into the ice blue water below. We had a few other jumps and natural water slides after that and had a blast.

We then headed out for lunch. After lunch, we drove 40 minutes to a grocery store for one last stop, many stocked up on candy and snacks to share that night. We started to pack a bit when we got back and then ate dinner and had a surprise cake for Zoë’s 16th birthday and watched some videos from James’s GoPro refecting on our time. We all got little papers and signed everyone’s with notes and memories. We then went to the beach for what we thought was going to be watching the stars, but ended up being a little party! There was music and dancing and balloons and a fire and everyone had so much fun spending our last night together.

After the party, some of us looked at the stars for 10 minutes before heading back and going to bed.
It was an amazing last day and we had so much fun together throughout this trip.

– Sydney, Zoë, Will (with the help of Gigi )

**We all had so much fun on this program with this wonderful group of students, you will all be missed ! So much hard work was put in to help improve the lives of others, and we learned so much from you all. We wish everyone safe flights home and a great rest of the summer! – The staff team – Andrea, James, Jenny, Julianne, and Enrique

 

Filed Under: Programs

June 11, 2021 by Brett Scuiletti

Dominican Republic: Caribbean Service Adventure (Program Blog for August 05 – August 14, 2021)

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

  1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
  2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
  3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team


Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!


BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 5

Hola a todos (hello, everyone)!

Most Caribbean Service Adventure students have safely arrived at our Home Base, Indalo Lodge, here in the Dominican Republic!

Today, we arrived at the Home Base and got to meet our roommates and settle in.

After a delicious local dinner including beans and rice, we had orientation and learned about the rules and regulations of the program as well as the itinerary for the next 10 days! We are so excited to dive into service learning tomorrow in La Colonia community.


BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 6

We woke up this morning and had lots of fruit, oatmeal, eggs, fried cheese, and toast for breakfast. We then left for La Colonia where we spent the day mixing cement and sifting sand for the walls and floors of the house that we were helping to build.

We worked until about 2:30 in a campo at the top of a large slope. We all bonded through the heat and hard work of physical labor and very much enjoyed the hike down at the end of the day.

When we returned to home base, we all took our swim tests. Everyone passed! The cool water was very nice after a long day of work. For a while we hung around the pool, some people tanned while others swam.

At 5:30 we had our “Leader of the Day” activity which was a name game called “Drop the Sheet”. It was a very heated game but team two triumphed. After that we had dinner and a very interesting lecture about the Seven Elements of Human Security from Junior.

We ended the night by splitting up into mentor groups to talk about our days and anything else on our mind. We are all very much looking forward to another day of service on this beautiful island tomorrow!

-Bre and Molly

P.S. Here are some AMAZING photos from today’s adventures:


BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 7

Hey y’all!

We are enjoying the Dominican Republic sunshine and learning about Haitian communities in the country by making two clement floors in La Grúa.

Here we are able to practice our Spanish and also learn about the language Creole!

By now in the program we’ve bonded a lot more as a group. We know how to work together, even if we were arguing during our debate last night as we took sides of different stakeholders and modeled real world complex global issues.

Can’t wait to write more details soon! Here are some snaps of our service work now!


BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 7

Today we went back to La Colonia and worked more on the cement floors, and we covered the outside walls in cement. We got to ask questions to locals in the community which was very interesting.

We learned that it’s a very tight knit community and even people who are not related are very close even if they are not related because of living so close together.

When we got back, we went to get ice cream. There was Caramel cake chocolate and strawberry ice cream flavors, and they were all really good. For breakfast we had pancakes with honey, for lunch we had pork and salad and for dinner we had pasta.

We also got to speak Spanish to locals we met in the community, which was very engaging and interesting. We are finally settling into life with GLA in the Dominican Republic!


BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 8

Today we visited the La Grua community and helped them with their cement. We also got to meet more kids!

We finished early so on the way home we stopped near the water to eat lunch. When we got home, we had extra time, so we all swam and got ice-cream.

After that, we had leader activity, dinner, and a lecture from Junior.

Today we also celebrated Ella’s 17th birthday! What a great way to enjoy more of island life here in the DR.


 

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 9

After an incredibly rainy morning, the group boarded the bus for Dudu Lagoon.

We arrived and dropped off our bags. The first part of the day was spent jumping into the blue-green water underneath a large cavern and climbing out to do it again and again. We then moved onto a larger part of the lagoon where we swam some more. Afterwards, a riveting volleyball game was played. If you missed the Olympics volleyball, this would have been a great substitute. The game ended our time at the lagoon; we piled onto the bus to get lunch. Upon our arrival we grabbed tables and sidled up to the buffet where there was an amazing selection which included rice, salad, fruit, chicken, and pasta.

After lunch, we went to Playa Preciosa and had fun swimming in the ocean. The waves were intense and many of us tried to ride them. The group also enjoyed virgin Pina Coladas in a pineapple! These drinks were a little chunky but so refreshing. Furthermore, there were also some small souvenirs stands and many of us bought beautiful rings and necklaces made of a special stone, only found in the DR, called Larimar.

Many of us enjoyed the experience of getting their hair braided by two Dominican women. Sadly, our time at the beach ended and it was time to head back to the lodge. But the fun did not stop there. Most of the group enjoyed swimming in the pool and many of us made an ice cream trip. This was followed by Circlo de Cena and an amazing dinner of beef and potato stew.

After dinner, the group participated in an insightful lecture about Economic Security and Poverty.

The day ended with a fun game about our similarities and differences which allowed the group to learn more about what makes unique and what we have in common.

-Seth and Sam


 

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 10

Today, we went up to La Colonia and we worked on the houses as part of our ongoing community service project. We threw the concrete we mixed onto the walls of the house and shifted the sand as part of our efforts. We had lunch, then we worked for about an hour or two more, before returning to Home Base.

Once we got back, we had ice cream, swam in the pool, and hung out together before having mentor group discussions.

After mentor groups we had the leader of the day activity, which was a game called Queen Bee. Then we had dinner, and a lecture by Junior learning all about the Haitian and Dominican sides of the island of Hispanola.

Then we talked and laughed until going to bed after another long but fun workday!

-Kate and Ellen


 

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 11

In the morning, we took a trip to an ATM and supermarket to exchange cash and buy some snacks. We had to change our hiking plans a bit due to inclement weather, but we still had quite an adventurous day!

After lunch back at Home Base, we journeyed to Choco-Jobo, a chocolate factory completely run by women. We toured the factory, learned how the chocolate was made, and had a chance to purchase some chocolate products at the gift shop if we liked. Can’t beat a chance to be around chocolate!

The group then returned to the lodge for dinner and Junior’s thoughtful lecture about colonialism and its many impact.

We finished the night with a karaoke sing-off and some serious Marco Polo games in the pool to kick back after an exciting day!

-Chase, Sean and the GLA Team


BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 12

We started the day like usual, breakfast and getting ready for the day. Then we left for the Cabaret Caves. There we went to three different caves!

The first cave we went underground to a small swimming hole. We all jumped in and turned off the lights, so it was pitch black for a little bit. The second cave had stalagmites that we got to see, and the third one had about a ten meter distance off into a swimming hole. The caves were super cool to see and an amazing thing to experience!!

After the caves we went to a new community called Maranata. We had lunch and mixed and carried cement for two floors in a house. It was our last service project and by this time we were pros at mixing cement.

After we finished up the floors, we headed back to Home Base and changed and had an ice cream run. Afterwards we had appreciation circle.

Appreciation circle was where people went into the middle of a circle and anonymously appreciate each other. It was a feel-good activity we all loved.

We then had circle de cena and dinner. Afterwards we had a movie Junior showed us and we all gathered around to watch it. Then it was lights out after a fun and exciting day.


BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 13

Today was snorkeling day! We had such a great last day, from swimming with fishies, eating pizza on the beach, getting our souvenir shopping and learning how to bargain, and more.

When we arrived back home to the lodge, we did a GLA leadership activity and all set goals for how we will use the knowledge we learned in our lives when we leave here. Then we had culture night and danced the night away followed by a last nighttime swim in the pool.

We’re excited to come home tomorrow but also sad to say goodbye to the friends we made and grateful for our life-changing experiences here in the Dominican Republic!


 

Filed Under: Programs

June 11, 2021 by Brett Scuiletti

Dominican Republic: Caribbean Service Adventure (Program Blog for July 24 – August 02, 2021)

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

  1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
  2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
  3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team


Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

Hola a todos (hello everyone)!

All Caribbean Service Adventure students have all safely arrived at our Homebase, Indalo Lodge, in the Dominican Republic! Today, we arrived at the home base and got to meet our roommates and settle in. After a delicious local dinner including beans and rice, we had orientation and learned about the rules and regulations of the program as well as the itinerary for the next 10 days! We are so excited to dive into service learning tomorrow in La Colonia community.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

Written by Reed and Nick

Today was a ton of fun except for the 8,000 bugs constantly attacking you. The bug net helps when you fall asleep but anytime before that is really bad. I feel like it is also worth mentioning that the mosquitos don’t care whether or not you are wearing any bug spray. After I put hydroquinone cream on in the morning the day was great. After a short hike we made it to the building we worked on and got to use some new tools for the first time. It was very hot out however there was a slight breeze which did a lot to cool us all (Nick).

The project of today was building a house out of recycled water bottles, chicken wire and cement. This task was made harder by the heat along with the constant buzz of mosquitos and baby chicken peeps every five seconds. Somehow through the heat and exhaustion we were able to still have fun and even crack a few jokes here and there (Reed).

(Hi mom and Dad, my phone is being weird -Reed)

We also took the swim test and had to tread water for two minutes, swim 4 laps, and back float for thirty seconds. We then had a delicious dinner of fried fish and then had our first lecture and mentor groups so we could get to know each other more. Overall, I think today was great and we are excited for tomorrow.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 26

Written by Lucas

The second day of work was a lot more tiring than the day before, especially the heat. The early morning was interesting and similar to yesterday, but everybody was a lot more friendly to each other. When we started working, we separated into the same groups as the day before, in addition to some new GLA participants. Compared to the day before our work was much more efficient than the previous day both in making the cement and placing it in the walls. Along with that work group working much better together we were able to practically finish two of the three houses, and with enough effort we might finish the last house in the next workday. Several of us were very proud, but mostly sweaty and tired.

After we got back to home base, several of us went to go get ice cream. They had 4 different flavors chocolate, caramel, cake, and strawberry and they were all delicious. After, a large group of us went to the pool, where we had fun, played games, and talked. We decided to have the leader of the day game in the pool, and we played drop the sheets, which was fun for the most part but towards the end got a little chaotic. Dinner was good as usual lots of good food and interesting choices to pick from. Afterwards came the debate, which we had to split into 4 groups and discussed the advantages and disadvantages to building a baseball stadium from 4 points of view. We all had fun but with so many people trying to prove their points and talking really loudly it got out of hand, but in the end it was a really great day and hope there are many more to come.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 27

Written by Devin and Jess

Morning yoga was beautiful and very relaxing, a good start to our day. Then we had a delicious pancake breakfast before getting on the bus to head to Dudu Lagoon. The lagoon was very pretty, though the water was super cold. We got to jump off a platform into the water and swim in another part where we could relax on a floating platform. Some of us played beach volleyball while others relaxed and bought snacks. We had a good lunch at a restaurant and then took the buses to the beach. The beach was so much fun. We were able to accomplish stacking three people on shoulders, even though our goal was a five-stack. We bought souvenirs and had pina coladas.

Then it was time to head back to home base, and lots of us jumped in the pool as soon as we arrived. We jammed to music on the bus. We stayed in the pool for all our free time and did our leader of the day activity in the pool. For dinner, we had fries, chicken, and fish, and it was delicious. We had a video lecture from Junior about planetary health that was very informative. Then we spent time in mentor groups, and now we’re finally heading to bed after a day of fun, since we have an early start tomorrow.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 28

Written by Ally and Jack

Hello all, this is Ally and Jack. Today, the 28th, the group took a tour hour trip out to la Grua. We spent several hours mixing cement and transporting buckets of it over to construction volunteers who were laying the groundwork for the houses of low-income families. The experience provided great exposure for us as we had opportunities to play and interact with the both kind and fun loving local children. Shortly after the work was completed, we were given a quick lunch along with a history of the community in which we were working.

After arriving home, we were afforded some downtime to go to the pool, grab ice-cream, and partake in a sunset walk on the beach. As night fell, we gathered as a group for a special activity in which we learned more about our own individual similarities and differences. Overall, the day was a great success and definitely a highlight of the trip so far for several people. Also–hey mom, it’s Ally-you told me not to contact you because you wanted me to “fully experience it all,” I am btws, also, love ya and my phone is really not working 🙂

BLOG POST FOR JULY 29

Written by Zoe and Rylee

Today we had a half day of service at La Colonia and explored the Caves of Cabarete. We were able to complete a lot of our empty walls and cover them with cement. After we enjoyed lunch, we headed over to see the caves. We were able to go into three different ones and jump into crystal clear water in two. It was very refreshing to cool down in the water after sweating a lot at service. We were able to fill up on snacks and treats at the store and come home to a yummy dinner. I am enjoying this trip so much and learning a lot about the culture and the different communities.

-Rylee Means 🙂

For our half day of service today in La Colonia, we needed to mix a lot of cement and place it on the walls of the house. We spent a lot of the day on the ground and the ladders to place cement near the top of the house. We all enjoyed walking in the caves and jumping into the water. One of the jumps was pretty high, and many of us had fun jumping off of it- including Lauren!- who is a little afraid of heights. We returned for an activity and a delicious dinner of chicken and noodles. We had a lecture tonight from Junior, where we learned about the economy and the division between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. I am very grateful for this experience and am happy to be making a difference in the communities here and experiencing their culture.

-Zoe

 

BLOG POST FOR JULY 30

Written by Elyssa and Kayla

Hey Squad.

Today we woke up to a beautiful morning and a baby blue sky with fluffy clouds. Elyssa and I banged on doors with our water bottles to wake up our fellow guppies. After that we all went to breakfast and ate cantaloupe, eggs and avocados with a scrumptious juice. We demanded everyone to wear bathing suits, bring towels, and money to go to the beach and get ready for an amazing day of snorkeling on a boat on some blue ass water. A lot of us got sunburnt and a few chosen ones got tan. At the area where we snorkeled our day away, there were multiple shops that we all bought souvenirs at and many other things. (you guys will see.) The bus ride back wasn’t too bad because Elyssa played some head bangers on the way back.

After, we obviously didn’t get enough water in our system, so we plopped in the pool and swam like guppies. Once we were done, we proceeded to go into mentor groups and play some games with our peers. Finally, we led a spontaneous game of eye contact and screaming, and everyone really enjoyed that. Right away after, we had a delicious meal of tacos and fruit. We concluded our day with a beautiful lecture from King Junior, talking about colonialism. WE had the best day ever tbh 🙂


BLOG POST FOR JULY 31

Today was our final day of service at La Colonia where we have been building bottle houses for the people in the community. We focused mainly on mixing concrete for the workers to use on the flooring inside the house. We were able to tackle multiple milestones in relation to the construction of the houses that we have been working on. We finished the flooring in the main room, most of the walls, etc.

Although, since it was our last day of service everyone was tired, but we managed to finish strong and conquer our goals for the day. After dinner, we watched an interesting documentary about poverty in lesser developed countries that Junior presented to us.

-Sawyer and Noah


BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 01

The day began with COVID tests for each student (we all tested negative). Since our snorkeling and hiking days were switched, the group spent today hiking through the community of Brison. We took an hour and a half bus ride to the beginning of the trail and began the climb. Along the way, we met local families and they shared their stories with us.

After an arduous two hours uphill, the group reached the summit of the mountain and enjoyed a meal prepared by a local woman. The way down was much easier, aside from the slippery gravel beneath our feet.

We returned to home base, with many sleepy souls drifting away on the bus. At home base, lots of us hopped into the pool, while others stayed in their rooms to rest. In the evening, we had our OMG (One Meaningful Goal) activity, where the students agreed on a goal for the group going forward. Then each student had to create their own personal goal. Following this activity, each student had to complete a survey about our experience.

The day ended with culture night and a dance party. Some students had to wake up bright and early for their flights, so they packed and went to sleep. What a wonderful day!

-Michael and Aiden

Filed Under: Programs

June 11, 2021 by Brett Scuiletti

Dominican Republic: Caribbean Service Adventure (Program Blog for July 12 – July 21, 2021)

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

  1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
  2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
  3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team


CLICK HERE TO JUMP TO THE MOST RECENT BLOG POST


BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Everyone made it safely to their airports and arrived at the base camp. Students were immediately immersed in a completely different and foreign environment. From the moment they landed many were facing a language barrier and had to navigate their way to the GLA staff. Being submersed allowed students to get a feel for the type of atmosphere they will be in for the remainder of the trip. They then faced Dominican traffic, a very new experience for many. The lack of strict road laws and relaxed signs were quite the shock.

Once students arrived at home base, they were shown their rooms and were settled in they had dinner and were then briefed on the agenda for the week. Staff led a lecture / introduction once dinner concluded. Then students were sent to bed and got their much-needed rest for the service work the next day. After waking up and getting breakfast we then to go work to our service project. While working many students noted on the differences between life here and that of the US.

Working through a language barrier caused some difficulties, but students were able to remain patient to overcome them. We worked on two houses, putting plastic bottles in as insulation, and covering spaced with chicken wire. Many students also marveled at the ability to use old plastic bottles in the creation of the buildings. Students went to home base for the swim test and icebreakers. After, the students were treated to dinner and a lecture by Junior on the 7 elements of human security. Then they gathered in mentor groups to talk about bonding things to help the students open. Then students retired to their bedrooms to prepare for tomorrow’s events.

Written by Nova and Zach


 

BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

On the 14th of July we had a nice morning yoga session to start the day at about 6:15am. Breakfast was some yummy eggs and peppers with a choice of toast or oatmeal.

We then headed to the community service site, La Colonia, where we started cementing and continued bottling the two houses. Our service project has been a real highlight of the program so far. And as you can from our photos, we’re making some really meaningful progress!

At around 3:00pm we went back to the Home Base, swam a little and a group went to buy ice cream and walk on the beach. Afterward we held a student debate as a leadership activity over the pros/cons of building a large baseball stadium in a local community here on the island. There were four different student groups representing the government, government supporters, the people, and support alliance. Support alliance won the best critical argument, but the government supporters had an extremely solid argument and amazing debate skills, especially when you know that they were provided with the least solid evidence. They were all really good and fascinating to hear out.

Today, on the 15th of July, some of us woke up to go watch the sunrise and started their day at 5:50am. Early start! For breakfast today we had some great pancakes with honey.

We then headed to Dudu Lagoon, a famous spot in the Dominican Republic with beautiful views. It’s like a hidden oasis in the jungle. We spent the day swimming and playing volleyball and soccer.

We had lunch at a restaurant and then headed to the beach. We were able to go into the ocean and spend the rest of our day at the beach. Excursions like these really round out the experience as they complement service well, and offer both fun and a bit of a unique insight into life on the island.

Afterwards, we headed back to the home base, but we got detoured because of a strike going on in the community. After a slight delay on the bus, we got to the Home Base where we had a conversation about the demonstration, so we could turn the detour into a learning experience about life in Dominican communities. We then had a nice dinner and had a lecture on global health and climate change. Our day ended with our mentor group discussions and reflections.

Here are some more photos from yesterday and today for you to enjoy!

-Saskia, Aaron, Maria & the GLA Team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

Hi there! Lea and Ella E. were chosen to be leaders of the day today. We started off with an early breakfast then had a 2-hour bus ride to our service cite at La Grua.

At La Grua we mixed concrete and lugged buckets of it to 2 different houses within the community. They used the concrete to lay floors in 2 homes. Our amazing local director, Junior, showed us around and gave us a descriptive tour of the community in La Grua. We were able to learn about their struggles and how they live their day to day lives. We had a chance to connect and play with the children of the community. They were very kind, friendly, and welcoming to us as visitors. We all loved the kids so much and getting to hangout with them was the highlight of our day.

After La Grua we arrived back at homebase and had some free time to build better connections with our friends here. After that our leaders of the day led us in a group game and then we ate dinner. Lastly, we received a detailed lecture from Junior on economics and poverty.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Hola padres!

Today started out like a typical day. Lauren took some of us to the beach for a walk/run at 6:15. Although we missed the sunrise, it was nice to start the day by hearing the waves. Thankfully, the sand was hard this morning. Yesterday, it was so soft.

Breakfast was delicious. Today we had French toast, eggs with peppers, and the delicious Dominican fruit. After breakfast, we ventured back to La Colonia. One crew spent the morning finishing the chicken wire and water bottle while the second crew kept putting concrete onto the walls. We enjoyed lunch (early today) at 11:30. We ate down by the bus today, since we were going caving in the afternoon. We enjoyed chicken, beans, salad, and fruit! On the way to the park, we drove through some larger towns and saw the ocean with tourists! At the park we began our adventure by planting seeds. Then we embarked to the first cave where we descended 90 feet into the ground and jumped into the water.

The path down was tight and dark, but we were equipped with flashlights and helmets. The experience was exhilarating and remarkable. The second cave we entered was only 20 feet underground, but it held century old rock. We had to be careful not to touch the rock as it would damage it. Lastly instead of descending into the third cave, we ascended to an edge and jumped into the water. The drop was about 9 feet; the feeling of landing in the water was freeing and refreshing. Our park tour guide even climbed up the side of the cave, like rock climbing, and jumped down from thirty feet above. The splash hit everyone!

After the caves, we came back to the lodge and took quick shower. Then, we played in a NINGA tournament and enjoyed a delicious dinner. Lastly, we walked to the local store and indulged with some ice-cream. They had a new favor tonight: caramel! We are looking forward to hiking Mt. Brison tomorrow! Goodnight:)

Written by Elle and Cassidy

BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

After our pancake breakfast this morning we headed toward the bus for La Colonia, our service site for this trip. At La Colonia today, we split into groups to work both on cementing the walls of the lower house and bottling the walls of the top house. With some students leaving the service cite early from feeling under the weather, the students who remained at La Colonia stepped up to get even more work done on these houses.

After eating lunch at the service cite, we returned home with extra free time. This time gave us the opportunity to further bond with each other by playing games, hanging out at the pool, and getting to know each other better. After free time we all gathered in the kitchen for the “appreciation circle” activity and then enjoyed dinner together. Tonight’s lecture was a super informational movie that gave us all a new perspective on poverty. This has been a great experience so far!

Written by Ethan and Natalie


 

Filed Under: Programs

June 11, 2021 by Brett Scuiletti

Dominican Republic: Caribbean Service Adventure (Program Blog for June 30 – July 09, 2021)

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

  1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
  2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
  3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team


Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Hello! First post here 🙂

Today almost all the students arrived at the Home Base. Four students arrived at 10:30 am, so they were able to relax at home base for a couple of hours before the majority arrived. During this time, they went to the local ice cream store, some did swim tests, took the health check, and hung out. At around 5:00 pm 12 more students arrived. Many of these students were very tired after a long day of travel. By 6:00 pm, everyone arriving today was at home base, so they ate a delicious dinner of rice, beans, chicken, salad, and potatoes.

After dinner, the evening activity was orientation. During orientation, the students heard from Junior, a local working with GLA from 7 elements, and taught the history of 7 elements and the Dominican Republic’s traditions. Then they learned about GLA’s code of conduct and what to expect on the trip. Overall, the students were cooperative and were able to get a good sense about the adventures of the next 9 days spent with us. We can’t wait for Brooke, Charlie, Anna D.P., Ignacio and Caroline to join us soon!

Written by Laila and Annesley

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

This morning we woke up and some of us did a morning yoga class led by one of our leaders, Lauren. Afterwards we had a lovely breakfast of eggs, toast, potatoes, and fruit. The fruit here is SO amazing. After breakfast we all got covid tested. We are all negative!! And are so happy to finally hang out with one another mask free. Then we headed on the bus over to La Colonia. And worked on building Jacklyn’s house. We stacked plastic bottles along the walls and used chicken wire to secure them. Later a group will come in with cement to finish off the walls. Our group unanimously decided the second day of service work was a lot better than the first, because we knew what to expect. It is quite hard, but we are very excited to watch it all come together!

At about three o’clock we returned to home base. Most of us immediately jumped in the pool to cool off! In the pool we played Marco Polo and The Categories Game. Afterwards we went to get a scoop of ice cream at the local shop. We came back and played real life among us. We then had dinner that definitely catered towards those of us from the U.S. Fried chicken, French fries, salad and of course fruit! After dinner we had a heated debate on real estate development in the D.R. And it helped us see how our world leaders often are so divided. It is hard to make a compromise when things do not align with your own opinions. Now as we write this it is the end of the night, and we are all getting tired. But we are playing card games and getting excited for our adventure day tomorrow.

Written by Anna D and Caroline

 

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

On this day, 19 years ago, Maxwell Lourie was born. To commemorate this historic day, Max’s roommates, and coincidentally, Leaders of the Day’s Chandler and Sebastian, decorated his room while he and many others attended a beach sunrise viewing at 5:45am. Hurricane Elsa, as it turns out, popped in to also celebrate as she party-crashed the entire day. After a lovely brekky, the gang embarked on a perilous and wet bus drive to Dudu Lagoon!

Despite Dudu’s tragic title, the lagoon was quite stunning, and the group enjoyed swimming and sports. After crushing a delicious lunch, the lads and ladies of GLA enjoyed a swim-less and virgin pina colada filled day at Playa Grande beach. Thanks, Elsa!

After our beach excursion was over, we enjoyed a very musical bus ride home as all the members of our GLA trip sang in harmony to the best songs of the recent decade. But unfortunately, a routine stop to the grocery store turned into a 25 minute wait because the power in the store and nearby areas went out.

Once back on the road again, we continued our musical enlightenment until back at home base. After getting back most of the gang showered, before commencing on the greatest leader of the day activity in the history of GLA. It was a game of Ninja.

After the game, in which Chandler was the winner, we watched a very eye-opening video on the challenges of Planetary Health. Overall, we could not have asked for a better day thanks to the amazing staff that taught us lessons that will last a lifetime.

Written by Chandler and Sebastian

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Today was pancake day! We started the day with a delicious breakfast at 6:30 to fuel us throughout our work filled day. We were loaded on the bus by 7:15 and began our trip to a local batey called La Grua. Once we arrived, we immediately got to work. We helped complete the cement floor inside of one of the local’s houses. We had to carry buckets and buckets of rocks and sand to create the base for mixing the cement. Once mixing the dry ingredients we added water and mixed even more. Then, we hauled the cement in buckets to the inside of the house and the owner began dumping and smoothing it out. We were able to work side by side with the locals which made this project even more meaningful.

After hours of hard work, it was time for lunch. We had rice, chicken, salad, and fresh fruit. We took a well needed break while we ate and took in the community. After our descansito, we got to meet the people we came to help. Junior gave us a brief lesson on the history and problems that Haitians face in the Dominican Republic, and then we played soccer, baseball, and sung songs with the kids we met before embarking on our two-hour bus ride back to home base. There, many of us leapt into the pool to cool off from our hard work. Once we dried off and enjoyed our remaining free time, we transitioned into the amazing Leader of the Day activity that was our game of broken telephone. Many laughs later, people were ready to eat, and everyone lined up for another amazing dinner of fish and pasta. Finally, our long, fun-filled day ended with a lecture from Junior on economic systems and poverty followed by our mentor groups before heading to bed to begin the second half of our trip.

By Brooke and Mustafa

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Today some students started off the day with an optional soccer on the beach activity at 5:45 am, just in time for the sunrise! Everyone was up and awake by 7:00 for a nutritious tasty breakfast of baguette slices, fried eggs, cereal and more. We were all loaded on the bus just before 8:00 because everyone was excited to make some good progress during our half day at La Colonia. After about a 45 minute to an hour bus ride to the community we unloaded with all our gear and headed up to the same house we had been working on during the previous service days. Students immediately split off into different groups to tackle the different aspect of the house. Some people collected the last of the small bottles and filled some of few remaining walls with the bottles. Others hammered sheets of chicken wire onto finished portions of the wall.

Another group of students organized themselves and made cement and used their hands to lay it on some sides of the wall. Lots of students mentioned how they thought the house is coming together and looking more and more like a house with each day we spend there. Everyone worked diligently throughout the morning and at noon we all had lunch at La Colonia. It was taco day and we all got very excited to make our own tacos. One of the families that is right next to where we work gave us the gift of a huge avocado, the biggest one any of us had ever seen. After that we cleaned our tools, packed up, and headed to the bus to drive to the Cabarete Caves.

Everyone was very excited to visit the caves and even get to jump in the water to cool off while in there. Students changed into bathing suits at a bathroom and after a tour guide led us down a path where we saw quicksand and the remains of an old entertaining house with a bar, dance floor and more. The first cave we went to had a small and narrow entrance that led to a small pool of water about 82 feet down. We went down in three different groups of 6-10 people. For the most part, students jumped into the water to cool off then navigated the slippery steps to the top. After everyone had their turn, we all walked over to the second pool which had no swimming. It was a crystal cave with a variety of rocks, stalagmites, and stalactites.

We also go to see a sectioned off hole of water that is connected to another hole in the ground through a 2-kilometer tunnel. The final cave had a platform at the top where you could jump down to the water and climb up the stairs. Everyone was tired out on the bus ride back to home base. We had a regular afternoon of free time, a super delicious dinner with the main course being a local stew, a lecture on political security specifically in the Dominican Republic by Junior and a group activity. Everyone got in their rooms at 9:30 and had their lights out by 10:00.

Written by,

Waleed and Carter

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

This morning a few people joined Lauren in morning yoga. Afterwards, we had a delicious breakfast, and many people were very enthusiastic about the avocado toast. We set out for a Mount Brison community “walk” starting with a long bus ride to the base of the mountain.

A couple minutes into the walk we made our first stop at one of the community member’s houses. We asked many questions to learn about her life and how it differed from our own. Next we visited La Escuela La Batata “Emi.” We talked to a teacher and learned about careers and the school. Then we started our steep uphill trek while our trusty L.O.D.s and the staff cured bad blisters and minor tweaked ankles. About halfway uphill we made another stop at Dona Juanita’s and had the opportunity to purchase passion fruit juice, bracelets, and cake.

Finally, when we reached the top where we had a delicious lunch ready for us at Dona Maxima’s house. She told us about her lifestyle living at the mountain top and many students were impressed to hear that she completes that hike about four times a week! Most students purchased cold ice cream and we took a group picture before heading back down. Even though we endured scorching heat we kept complaints to a minimum which achieved the goal of the day. Furthermore, once we returned we had our circle discussion and almost every student rated their day 5 out of 5.

Written by Dylan and Riley

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

It all began with sunrise soccer. Despite being planned for 5:45, everyone arrived at 6. Unbeknownst to Brooke, her friends snuck off to set up her room with posters, streamers and silly strong. Oh, did we forget to mention, it was Brooke’s birthday! After an intense celebration of life, we had a hardy breakfast of oatmeal and eggs and headed off to our last day of community service at La Colonia. After 6 hours of work and a fun game of poison dart from “leaders of the day” we had finished an entire cement wall plus more. We headed home to an exhilarating game of pool volleyball before Oscar the dog popped the ball.

After we headed off for ice cream. Right before dinner, Sonne lead us in a happy and carefree appreciation game sure to put a smile on anyone’s face. We had all worked up quiet an appetite and were happy to dive into a taco night dinner. After Dinner Junior presenting an eye-opening documentary on the negative effects of NGO’s accompanied by popcorn. And unless Brooke’s first party wasn’t fun enough, we ended the night by raging out to everything from Nacho’s Spanish music to wKaty Perry. We also feasted on cake while listening to “go Shawty, it’s ya birthday.” It was surely one of the highlights of the trip and we can’t wait for snorkeling tomorrow!

By Charlie and Nicole


 

Filed Under: Programs

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