Click here to jump down to the new posts!

Saturday June 23, 2018

Arrival day!!!

It’s been a long journey for all of us, but we have all arrived safe and sound. We made our way to our beautiful home base in Dzita and settled in after a great dinner. With all this excitement we dont want to sleep but know tomorrow starts a great adventure!

Desiree
International Director

Sunday June 24, 2018

Today was a day of introductions to both the GLA program and culture of Ghana.

At 8:00 am we had breakfast— although after talking with some of the others students in the program, we all appeared to have all woken up at 5:00 am. For breakfast we had two types of thin pancakes, quite similar to crepes (one plain, one with chocolate) and a fruit salad; there, many had their first taste of starfruit.

Following breakfast, students were introduced to the staff of our home base. We first sat in a circle and stated our names and where we are from. Both the staff and the students then played a game to help us remember each others’ names. The traditions of Ghana were explained by the staff; this included how to be respectful and the traditional Ghanian customs; for example, receiving items from others with our right hand and remembering to greet others.

We students then went over the GLA code of conduct, and later played a version of Jeopardy to review these rules and code of conduct and some Ghanian facts. We then played a game where we were prompted to stand in a circle and link hands and “untangle” ourselves without saying a word; once we finished we learned that communication can occur even if we cannot clearly communicate (perhaps due to a possible language barrier).

We then had to take a swim test. Fortunately, we all passed. After, we spent some time in the water.

After lunch, Boots led the group to a nearby school. It was about a ten minute walk to the school. There we were informed of the education in Ghana and how it is structured. We then visited local homes in the area where the compost toilets were built last year.

Once we came back to home base, we ate dinner and discussed the day and what we had learned. Something that was highlighted was that even if a student has good grades and had the desire to further their education, the often cannot as they may not be able to afford the tuition. At the school, Boots stated that very few scholarships are available for students and many students may become discouraged in class as the student teacher relationships are not very close.

The day concluded with watching the TED talk entitled “The Danger of a Single Story.” This TED talk oped up new ideas and perspectives. Many individuals may have one idea that may encompass “Africa.” This may include poverty, sadness, and a low quality of life. From our experiences we too must also share our story to include others’ perspectives about the different aspects of our world.

– Nick

Monday June 25, 2018

“… but what will you leave behind?” he asked, a smile spreading across his face. Perhaps the old man understood that we were all thinking of the same thing – the project we had started a few hours earlier. The wise village chief continued, offering advice and suggestions for our futures. Each student was able to ask him a question and he provided fascinating responses. He spoke of life and love; the latter led to some interesting albeit slightly uncomfortable discussion. As we chuckled and shifted in our seats, the soreness in our muscles became apparent.

We had spent the morning mixing mortar and plaster and learning the masonry techniques that will become an integral part of our days in the next weeks. Transporting water in pans (which we rested upon our heads – Ghana style) and lugging 50kg cement bags was tiresome but rewarding. We were able to finish the foundations at each site. Even our HQ visitor got in on the action. We had many interactions with the people of Dzita today. Surprising locals by greeting them in their own tongue was a great experience, and it instilled in all of us a drive to learn more Ewe (the language of the Volta region).

When we arrived back at base, after a delicious dinner prepared by the staff, Elvis helped us do just this. He taught us a full page of words and quizzed us until we had most of them committed to memory (for now). The words will help us communicate at the building sites, during the day, and at markets.

Glad to have finished the first real day of work here! A day of culture, language, hard work and fun! Goodnight from all of us here in Dzita!

-Johannes

Tuesday June 26, 2018

So today started off with mini-sausage, bread pancakes, and fruit. It was all really good. Some people even took the “french toast” & wrapped the sausage to make pigs in the blanket. Service was rough today, but it was still good. We made the cement and mixed it with the shovels which was really hard! Then we poured it into the layer above the foundations to cover the chambers. We got back early, and things changed because the water was down. So, what happened was everyone took a bucket shower, and had one bucket of water to take a shower. Which really shows how much more water you can use less of.

We also visited the clinic today, and learned about public health with Rose!! After we played soccer with the kids in the community center. It was one of the best things I have experienced. The kids were so happy and had such wide smiles. They were running around so much, too! One of the kids named Grace played goalie with me and she was super cute. She tried to carry me, and hang from my arms 🙂 So yeah! I would say it is going really well today, and everyone is getting close together too.

Sincerley,

-Kate Beddard

Wednesday June 27, 2018

When you think of poverty, what do you see? Houses with rusting tin roofs, dirty feet, starving children with flies circling their heads. This is the perception of poverty many people back at home picture—and it can’t be more wrong. Today, experienced by six out of the thirteen students, we split into two groups, accompanied by one GLA leader and one local nurse each, to observe home health check-ins.

These check ins consist of:

1.) Greetings and introductions to the household as they pulled out plastic chairs in kind hospitality.

2.) If there are children living there, a check of their green booklet containing their up-to-date vaccinations and progressing weight.

3.) A measurement of each adult’s blood pressure (BP).

4.) A personalized recommendation of what they should consider according to their issues.

It seems simple bulleted on a four point list, though the nurses working tirelessly at the local clinic say it’s anything but. Between the two groups, we faced rejection, anti vaccinators due to clashing spiritual beliefs, and misinformation on health subjects relating to birth control and immunization. These challenges may seem daunting and forever constant as each visit seems to drone on for the nurses (as we asked them to translate the issue while drilling them with lots of public health questions), yet this work cannot be ignored. Like one of the nurses, Rose, said “If I can educate at least two people, then I can educate four, then six, then eight” then she can make an impact on the culture, not just individuals. Public health locals do not look for praise in this job; rather, they look for impact and understanding.

The market was full of busying people and strange new foods. While we tried to take in the overwhelming environment, the staff led our three separate groups through the market to achieve a scavenger hunt—basically just a way to show the everyday run to the market that Ghanaians in Dzita, do every Wednesday to get their supplies. We were handed a list of needed items for the lodge, given 50 cedi, and given to a staff member to help us navigate the market and prices. The informal prices and casual way of doing business was a huge culture shock, but in the end it became clearer as we went out a second time (still accompanied by the staff member) but this time to find things we wanted to buy for ourselves and our families.

After all this, we ended the day with a lesson on the difference between service, helping a local community on something they say they needed while focusing on a sustainable local program, and volunteerism, coming in blind to the needs of a community and instead focusing on “saving” them. The video we watched was a parody on how westerners viewed “helping” people through viewing service as a thing to prove how good you are. Then the parallels between the nurses and service came to surface: we all want to create a sustainable program to benefit the community, while not looking for praise but for impact and understanding.

So, to say the least, we learned a little!

-Paige Thimmesch

Thursday June 28, 2018

Hey what is up parents, my name is Jack and I’ll be the student blogger of the day.

We had a pretty fun day overall and came a lot closer as a group. So let’s start at the best place to start, the beginning. Breakfast was the first item on the agenda, and we had a blast. Ordinarily we get our breakfast and sit with the same people we’ve sat with since the beginning not because it’s required, but due to our own personal comfort. Today was no ordinary day however, because Dezzy decided to push us out of our comfort zone. We all got our food, and sat with different people at different tables. We had such a blast eating amongst friends we don’t usually dine with that we made one giant table for everyone to sit at. The meal was great, only topped by the joy of companionship.

Soon afterwards, as per usual, we got ready for work. We played a small game while waiting for the rides, nothing too noteworthy, and we built two more layers of wall, as well as fill in the sides of the base with sand to even out the ground. During this I met many small children of the area that took great pleasure in climbing me like a tree. That was great until they got told by their father not to disturb us, then they stayed clear.

Afterwards, I met a man named Coffee, or a least that’s what it sounded like, and he was handicapped and on the older side. He was just on the side of the road waiting for God knows who. He seemed thirsty so I gave him water and talked with him as best I could. It was no cake walk however, as he didn’t speak a lick of English.

In the afternoon we ventured to Auntee’s place, a local tailor, where we brought our fabric to get it designed into trousers and shirts. There were a lot of people to fit up, so we resorted to pictionary in the sand, and we had way too good of a time with that. We then came back to the lodge, and immediately got taught how to grass whistle by Lena, which annoyed surrounding members of the community, but one of the funniest things to us. Then Eric taught us Egyptian War, or Slamwich, which is a vicious card game that raises blood pressure and numbs your hand. We then played cards again for a while until dinner. We tried making awful jokes at the table, which only led to cringes and fake laughter.

Then, we got into small groups in order to self evaluate our goals. We came together to discuss the three facts about our leaders and I obviously crushed it. That will wrap it up for today’s blog as we are going to bed soon. We are fine and are loving our time here.

-Jack

Friday June 29, 2018

A new day arrives yet again, and there are many surprises laid ahead. Today began cool, with a crisp wind accompanied with a delicious beans and eggs breakfast. The group’s energy was low, but as soon as caffeine kicked in our systems, we were up and ready for service. Once arrived at our sites, the primary goal was to establish steps, and begin plastering the walls of the famous toilets. Easy day of work today, though the sun was beaming and the flies were crowding on our faces wet with sweat.

After the appropriate amount of work was accomplished, we headed back to Home Base for an early lunch. Justine, the lovely head chef, presented us a plate of soft boiled yams topped with “the sauce”, a concoction of the perfect ingredients and measurements, a large portion of coconut rice along a side of a most exquisite salad of course. After Justine received a round of applause for her work of art, the group of service-learning students went back to practicing ping pong techniques and shuffling a deck of cards for a small break.

The afternoon activity consisted of two things nowhere close to anything we have done so far: visiting a fort museum from the times of slavery in Ghana, and reaching the top of a coastal lighthouse. The transportation on the way to our first destination was a trip in itself, as the road was bumpy enough to make our bodies jump, it was soothing enough that many students fell asleep. We passed some villages that were apparently more well-off than Dzita, the village where we rest, and some were scarcer.

On our way back, we went into a village named Keta, full of friendly people and colorful market stands. There at the end of the path was the a bright red and white lighthouse, built from metal, shining right next to the fearful ocean. A kind man opened up and allowed us to climb to the top of the lighthouse, though some had a much more difficult time adjusting the increase of distance between our feet and the ground. The view was incredible, we could see thousands of palm tree and every road for miles ahead.

In the evening, we were greeted by a lively cultural performance. It involved an enthusiastic group made up of young girls singing, men drumming, and women dancing. The students were even forced into the dancing at some points, some quite nervous at first, but everyone slowly got their bodies to cooperate into a decent rhythm, and moved in a circle with the others, to a catchy beat.

After the guests were thanked, we enjoyed a nicely cooked glow fish with “sauced” up rice, alongside coconut salad. A delicious ending to a beautiful sunny day, a memorable day, and yet another day in incredible Ghana.

-Lena

Saturday June 30, 2018

Today was another fantastic day in the beautiful country of Ghana. We started off with another delicious breakfast, pancakes and fruit, and then we headed off to service at 8:30am. At the site, we plastered the four outside walls and part of the stairs. Plastering is a very hard technique, but the service leaders are great at showing us exactly how to do it; it’s all in the wrist! At my site today, all the kids were watching us while we worked and they even wanted to dance!

After service, we had lunch and then it was football tournament time! We walked to the field with some of the football players from Tigo’s team. Once at the field, we played ladies versus ladies and guys versus guys. Surprisingly, the ladies were fairly matched! The football games were really fun to play in and even watch. Watching the actual football players use their techniques was pretty awesome. Also at the football tournament, we played the ninja game and some of the girls from the other team showed us their games, including a version of our ‘duck, duck, goose’, where they sing ‘there’s a fire on the mountain’. After that, we walked back home and Claire showed us her project of the day (POTD) which ironically was another version of ‘duck, duck, goose’ with a sponge filled with water!

Then, dinner time came. For dinner we enjoyed fresh pizza with salad. After dinner, we partnered up and blindfolded half the students and the ones who weren’t blindfolded helped lead the other students through the obstacle course. It got a little chaotic, but ultimately it taught us the importance of trust, leadership, communication, and listening. We also watched a TED talk to show us the importance of being a leader, but also the importance of taking the initiative after the first leader to get others to follow. Finally, we ended with April’s POTD, which was a trivia game that involved questions about goats. Time is going very fast here and we all love it here!

The country is beautiful, the people (both the villagers and the staff) are amazing, and all the students are really getting along well.

-Chloe

 

Sunday July 1, 2018

Today was Day 9 of living and breathing in the vibrant, vivacious country of Ghana.

Yes mother and father, this is your beloved daughter Sargi writing this. Yes I have been taking my malaria pills, yes my poop has been fine, and yes I’m having the time of my life.

Since we, children and mentors alike, understand the parents need to be informed about their offspring’s aliveness throughout their visit in Ghana, I’ve decided to enlighten all of you about our happenings with excruciating detail and big words. The big words simply because I’m smart… obviously.

Today we started the day off with an energising breakfast from our head chef Justine to help us work our hardest at the sites. We finished up the exterior of our compost toilets by plastering the walls and building the stairs. After service we took much deserved showers and enjoyed yet another wonderful lunch. Soon after, we traveled in a TroTro, a motor vehicle popular with the Ghanian people, to a batik workshop. There we learned how to use traditional Ghanian designs and art to dye cloth. Once back at home base, we had an intense capture the flag game, resulting in a round of Alvaro’s for everyone.

We ended the day with presentations on public health, increasing our knowledge on the preventions and risk factors of several diseases. We are now nearing “lights outs” at home base, while getting ready for a long but fun day ahead of us tomorrow. Good night and don’t let the mosquitos bite!

-Sargi

Monday July 2, 2018

Today was a great day in the wonderful country of Ghana. We started off with breakfast at 8, then went to service at 9. My service group finished plastering the stairs, and then we got sand to fill in the rest of the surrounding area around the toilet. Many young kids came and helped us do the work a little bit, and at one point, there were about 22 kids! They all helped so much. Two of the kids, Francisca and Grace were attached to me, they were too cute. After service, we ate lunch, then went to a school.

Today is Day of Republic in Ghana, so the kids did not have school. We saw the composting toilets that were made for the school, and we saw the classrooms from the outside. After we looked at the school, Boots let us play with the kids that were at the school. They were all very nice, and Boots’ child Destiny got to play with them, too. When we got back to the lodge, we played football (soccer) and volleyball with some of the kids at the Community Center. Francisca was there, so I played with her for a little bit. We saw a lot of kids that were at the service sight as well.

At about 4:30, we left the Community Center and did an activity in the summer hut. Desiree and Jen filled cups with a liquid that we didn’t know of at the time but ended up being oral hydration tablets to hydrate us. We did two relays of drinking them. Today was Chloe’s project of the day, so we played a game called SPUD in the Community Center.

After, we ate dinner, which was fantastic as always, and met for our night activities. For our night activity, we got into four groups and got cultural greetings that we had to do to each other. It was very interesting because it showed how to respect other people’s cultures and ways of greetings. After that, we got into our mentor groups and made an elevator speech about life in Ghana. We also talked about our highs and lows of the day. We ended this great day with Kate’s project of the day, which was yoga. I enjoyed the yoga very much, thank you Kate. Tomorrow will be another amazing day full of new experiences!

-April

Tuesday July 3, 2018

Today, breakfast was at eight, consisting of toast slapped in egg and toasted in a French fashion, sausages, baked beans, and pineapples. Days for Girls, an innovative, international enterprise focused on educating girls about their monthly cycles and distributing reusable and locally sustainable menstrual supply packages, visited to tell us all about their organization. After an engaging presentation, we learned about how they are working to become self sufficient and reach every girl in need in the world within a few years– an ambitious but worthy goal. With luck, no female will ever miss days of school or work again.

Lunch, as always, was another gorgeous creation from Justine: avocado wrap, chips (French fries for you Americans), and a chickpea salad. The best part of the day was service in the afternoon. Walking up to our site, we saw the completed structure of the toilet, surrounded by the smiling members of the family benefitting from it. A few hours were spent coating our compost toilet with layers of rust colored paint, and a few more hours washing the paint off with buckets (hoses should never be taken for granted).

At the end, the children of the house gathered around, watching me give myself unintentional showers with overflowing headpans. The kids assisted in carrying water, the mother helped us clean up, and a young man shook my hand and accompanied our team to the road as we left. I saw nothing but genuine appreciation in their eyes. The blood, sweat, and tears of laughter from composing freestyle raps about building toilets were worth it, a million times over. After a lovely dinner (rice, Sauce, salad, and my favorite fried plantains) we slipped into the night. I’m heading to my bed now. I don’t know how I can leave this place in a few days.

-Claire

Wednesday July 4, 2018

Today was Day 12 in Ghana. Breakfast was at 7:00. We had omelettes, toast, and avocado fruit salad. It was a delicious meal and everybody enjoyed it. After breakfast, we split into two groups– one went to finish up the toilet, the other to go with the nurse to visit the locals. I was in the group that went with the nurse; it was a fun experience.

The nurse took us to an island off the coast into a small community. When we arrived on the island, we were greeted by a horde of mosquitoes that bit us as we furiously sprayed ourselves with mosquito repellent. After we got past the mosquitoes, the nurses took us to the different parts of the village, where they would talk to locals about their health problems and translate what the villagers said to us.

A common problem found among locals was hypertension– due to stress and drinking, and another problem was a lack of famliy planning among women. Many women in the community had unexpected teen pregnancies because they did not understand how babies were made, so they were forced to stay with their baby and were unable to follow their dreams. We then learned about breastfeeding, dangers of home births, and reasons why many people do not go to clinics to seek treatments. I truly learned a lot from this experience and it’s something I would like to do again.

We returned from the island and headed to Auntie’s where we received and paid for the clothes we had ordered last Wednesday. Lunch was right after that and we had yam balls, vegetable sauce, and beet salad. It was a great meal and it helped to prepare us for our afternoon activities. After lunch, Ballo taught us how to play drums and how to dance, we even learned a new song! After that, we had a debate with local students concerning the hazards and advantages of being a farmer or fisherman, which was an interesting experience.

Dinner was after all those activities and we had a huge feast to celebrate our departure. We had goat kebabs, fried chicken, and okra mango salad. This was one of the greatest meals during the trip and I really enjoyed it. We completed our day with a bonfire on the beach, where we dance and sang until our fire died out. Looking at the stars and listening to the sound of the waves was an amazing experience I will cherish forever.

-Eric

Thursday July 5, 2018

Today was our last day in Ghana and we had a great day! For breakfast we had an omelette cooked with peppers and plantains. We finally got to see our hard work complete and we celebrated by having an opening ceremony of the toilets. While most of it was in Ewe, the families seemed very excited to learn how to use them.

Then we took a nice boat trip down the Volta river to Papa’s bar and hangout on the beach. When we arrived we played sports with the locals and had lunch on the beach. After winding down and eating another delicious meal from Justine we headed back to home base and said goodbye to a fellow student with an early flight.

When the time came around for dinner we had noodles with vegetables and salad followed by a student talent show. The talent show consisted of a variety of songs from Count On Me by Bruno Mars and even a hula dance lead by Lena. After a long day of saying good byes and spending quality time with each other it was an unforgettable day that will always be remembered.

-Chelsea

 

Friday July 6, 2018

Our journey began early today to head back home. Although tired, we remained with smiles on our faces as we check-in and passed through customs, knowing Ghana will forever be in our hearts.

-Desi

Click here to jump down to the new posts!

Friday July 26, 2018

Today was the first full day in Quito (at least for the half of the group that arrived yesterday!) because of late arrivals, we had a relaxing morning and with a few games, get to know you activities, and a mini orientation. The 7 who were here continued on with the schedule as planned and visited the supermarket for snacks, ate a traditional Ecuadorian almuerzo, then headed off to the city to explore central Quito. We got to go up to the Panecillo, which is a statue of the Virgin Mary which sits at the top of the hill overlooking Quito. It was a beautiful 360 degree view of the city and although it was a bit windy up there, we were all impressed by the view. Following this, we stopped by the Basillica which is the biggest cathedral in the city. We also visited La Compañía church which is a Jesuit Church designed in Baroque style and the entire inside shines brightly of gold. We visited the central square and presidential palace, and then got to go to a chocolate shop where we learned about the process of making chocolate. We even got to taste a few! It was delicious!! Back at the hotel, we ate a chicken, rice and lentil dinner and then played telephone Pictionary while we anxiously awaited the arrival of the rest of the group. The group arrived late in the evening, exhausted after a rough two days of travel, cancelled flights, an overnight in Miami, and delayed luggage. But we are all so excited that the group is together, including Zixuan who arrived passed midnight, and that we are headed to the Galapagos in the morning!!

Next post will be from the Galapagos.

Greetings.

Amy and Maria Fe

Friday July 27, 2018

Today we spent the day traveling and we were tasked with bringing a bag of vegetables. This is because vegetables are hard to come by on the island. To start our journey we flew to the Galapagos. We were picked up from the airport to be dropped off at a location where a boat would pick us up. While we waited for the boat, we observed iguanas stacking on top of each other, sea lions chillin in the sun and a couple of sharks. We took the boat to the island we’d be staying on and after another short bus ride we arrived at hostel we’d be staying at. All the while protecting our bag of vegetables. It was a long day but the beauty of the final destination made it worth it.

Aidan Wolf – Leader of the day

Sunday July 29, 2018

During breakfast, anticipation filled the dining room as we prepared to experience snorkeling in the Galápagos for the first time. Soon enough, the bus arrived and students rushed out the door with snorkels, sunscreen and wetsuits in hand. As soon as we arrived, the group was split into two. Half of the students started their day by kayaking out towards the reef where penguins, sharks, stingrays and parrot fish greeted us. The other half snorkeled in a small lagoon filled with massive sea turtles and benevolent sea lions while waiting for their turn on the kayaks.

After an active morning watching sea lion pups on the sand, we headed to Home Base to prepare for our second day of community service and a delicious lunch on the worksite. There, we rejoined our team and set to work. The teams pulled weeds, improved the tortoises’ enclosures, and impressively uprooted colossal dead tree trunks. After the tree trunks had been rooted and the holes refilled, the tortoises hurried to lay in the soft, freshly churned soil. It was very cute.

We were famished and covered in dirt after the active morning and productive afternoon. Soon after returning to home base, the group joined for a lovely dinner of fried plantains, avocado salad, and fried fish. When the evening ended, the group could all agree that the day was all roses and no thorns.

Jenna Holbrook – Leader of the day

Monday July 30, 2018

Today in the morning we went on an 8 mile hike. The hike started out on flat ground, and we walked through many cool plants, including cacti. We also saw many iguanas, lizards, and even some large tortoises along the side of the trail. Along he way, we played many fun games and riddles and got to know more about each other. We trekked for three miles until we reached a large hill. Many of us decided to climb the hill to the lookout point where we had an amazing view of the land around us and the ocean.

We then went back down and kept walking until we reached the Wall of Tears. We learned about the history of the wall and took in its historical importance. We finally walked to another hill, and some of us climbed it to another incredible lookout point. We climbed back down and hiked back together. At the end of the hike, we went to a beach on the side of the trail and relaxed there for a little bit.

We got back to the base house and all napped since we were very tired from long hike. We ate lunch, and then prepared for our soccer game against a local team. We got to the field and started warming up. The local team was very good and so we lost, but we put up a good fight and played hard and it was very fun.

We had some free time before dinner so many of us decided to go explore the town near our base house. We saw all the local stores and people hanging out and also sat on the beach for a little bit.

That night after dinner, we all got together and took turns sharing our life experiences and things in our lives that shaped us into the people we are today. It was really great getting to hear about everyone else’s experiences and getting to open up to everyone else.

Kyra Resnicow – Leader of the day

Tuesday July 31, 2018

Today is the 7th day that we are in the Galapagos. Only one week left for us to explore nature’s wonders! In the morning, with comfortable sea breezes, we walked to a school on Isabela Island preparing to do community service there. Our job was to repaint the basketball field and walls for the current students. We divided into three groups for painting different areas of the basketball field.

Since the students have a different school session than us, they are still in school now giving us a chance to interact with them and to practice speaking Spanish during our break time. We spent the whole morning doing painting and finished all of the work on time. Most of us found painting a relaxing experience from all the physical activities we have done earlier. The purpose of this community service is to remind us being aware of the residents’ living conditions on this island. Not only the precious animals on this island should be protected and preserved, the current residents that spend all their lifetime on this island are also a necessary part of this program that needs us to consider and help.

Katia Hincks and Zixuan Zhao – Leaders of the day

Wednesday August 1, 2018

Hello GLA families!

Sorry for the delayed blog updates, our internet on the islands was especially challenging in the last few days.

August 1st we started off the day by waking up the boys by banging on their door at 6:45 am. We went straight to the docks to start our refreshing two and a half hour boat ride from Isabela island to Santa Cruz. After the enjoyable boat ride we had a quick lunch and continued right on into our service work. Our task today was to plant trees that restored the natural indigenous plants at the tortoise center. Although half of our group was feeling tired because of the Dramamine from the previous boat ride, we got to work beside the largest moving rocks in the world, Galapagos tortoises.

After planting some trees, we made our way back to our home base. There we ate dinner then we began our search for ice cream in town. We finally found a good ice cream place where we were all able to enjoy something we have been craving this whole trip. After the satisfaction the ice cream brought, we decided to take a walk down to the pier. There we were all staring at 5 black tipped reef sharks as they corralled a school of fish. We then got the pleasure to see a sea turtle swim underneath the dock. The best part though, in my opinion, was the momma sea lion and her pup waddling up to the pier from the docks and walking within a foot of me. Only in the Galapagos.

Emma and Lily – Leaders of the day

Thursday August 2, 2018

Today we worked again at the turtle preservation center. We continued collecting rocks in order to protect new planted trees that provide food for the tortoises. The tortoises are gigantic and will knock over the young trees or crush them which is why we must protect them by surrounding them with large rocks. We worked as a team organizing into different groups digging rocks, transporting them, scouting where they will go. In the day we also visited underground lava canals which were very cool and saw an owl in one. Jorge our guide informed us eventually the canals would cave in but not for millions of years, we just hoped it would not be that day. Later in the day, we swam in a place called las Grietas which was a fresh water stream between Two canyons that was deep and rocky. Some people leapt in with backflips and front flips, but everyone had an amazing time swimming in the rich, blue seawater filled ravine.

Ryan and Zeke – Leaders of the day

Sunday August 5, 2018

We awoke pleasantly to a sleep in for the first time since the trip started and went down for breakfast. The breakfast was made of eggs and bread paired with another refreshing drink. People are their fill and quickly left to the pier where we did an activity about the changes we can make back home.

After the activity ended, people paired off into groups for some free time for shopping and hanging out. After free time ended everyone came back and had lunch which consisted of either breaded beef, fish ceviche or vegetarian. After lunch ended everyone went up and got ready for snorkeling.

After a while we piled onto a bus and rode to the beach where we had a short hike to the snorkeling spot. Half of the group went into the water to snorkel while a few sat on the beach enjoying the sun and the remaining sitting in the water and enjoying the sight of fish and sea lions. After snorkeling we went straight home to home base and cleaned up before hiking towards the science center where we made plastic jewelry out of water bottles.

After the arts and crafts activity we went back to home base to have a small snack before going to an Italian restaurant where everyone ordered pizza and desserts which tasted heavenly. The night was wrapped up with the nightly meeting.

Monday August 6, 2018

Today was our group’s final day in Ecuador.

Our group took a bus to the equator where we visited the Intiñan museum where we explored replicas of houses built by the indigenous people of Ecuador. We also watched demonstrations on the equator.

Next we took a class and learned some basic salsa steps from some local Ecuadorians. For lunch, we stopped at a restaurant where we enjoyed crepes and waffles. We then had the chance to visit a local market to explore and shop.

We did a few closing activities as a group and shared some more laughs. We also reminisced about the good times on our trip. At last, we said our goodbyes we had pushed off and chatted as long as we possibly could. This was an amazing trip and we all are so thankful to be able to have the opportunity to go on this trip.

Abbey – Leader of the day

Click here to jump down to the new posts! 

Saturday July 7, 2018

Hello!

Greetings from Ecuador. We welcomed to our first group of Galapagos PNW-B. 17 out of 20 students arrived already and had some empanada for dinner and they are on the way to the home base. Maria Fernanda is waiting for the late arrivals of Emma Price, Jackie Cohen and Jacquelyn Rivers.

Sunday July 8, 2018

Today was our first full day in Ecuador and man, did we have fun! Although we had a few late arrivals last night (arriving to the hotel around 2am!) everyone was up and ready to start the day at 8:30. In the morning, we had orientation where we started off with some teambuilding activities, went through what the program will look like, and reviewed everything we need to know to have a successful program. We enjoyed our first Ecuadorian “almuerzo” of potato soup, salad, lasagna, and bread. It was delicious!

In the afternoon we took a bus to explore Old Town Quito. The city is beautiful! We visited two cathedrals and learned about the style of the architecture along with how the Spanish utilized paintings to communicate messages to the native peoples. We went to the famous La Ronda street and experienced a chocolate making demonstration.

This was fascinating because we learned about how chocolate is made from start to finish, and even was able to sample cacao and chocolate along the different steps of the process. Ecuadorian chocolate is quite tasty! We ended our Quito tour by driving up to the top of the El Panecillo hill where there was a giant statue of the Virgin Mary and a beautiful view of the city. We climbed up the statue, though completely out of breath as we are all adjusting to the 9,300ft elevation of the city!

We finished our evening with another great Ecuadorian meal, then some goal setting and journaling with the group. We have an early morning tomorrow as we head out at 6am to head to the Galapagos but we are so excited to get there and for all of the fun adventures ahead!

-by Amy Lepp, Mentor

 

Monday July 9, 2018

Today we had an early breakfast at 5:30am. We immediately took off and headed to the airport with all of our luggage. At the airport some of us worried and hoped our luggage weighed he right amount. We all made it through, so some of us got food before our flight. Our flight had one stop, but overall it was pretty short. When we landed in the Galapagos we got off the plane and went into the building where we discovered our luggage didn’t make it. We all took it pretty well and shortly after we got onto the bus so we could head towards the boats. From boat to boat we finally made it to our next stop where we got some lunch and got on the next boat.

This was the last boat ride of the day, and it was a tough one for everyone, but thankfully dealing with all the luggage on the boat was not an issue. Dealing with sea sickness, many had a difficult time however we helped each other out to ensure everyone was okay. Finally when we arrived we dropped our stuff off at the hotel and left to buy some clothing, which was fairly difficult. After spending hours at stores, we made it back to home base for a much needed dinner. We talked about our day, and everyone headed to bed to get enough rest for the next day.

– Jules Weeden. Leader of the day

Tuesday July 10, 2018

Hello GLA Familes!

We are now finishing our fourth day on our trip! We started our day off by heading to the beach to go kayaking and snorkeling! Everyone had a remarkable experience seeing Sharks, Turtles, Sea Lions, Blue Footed Boobies, and many more exciting creatures. In the afternoon we headed to a local school on the Island to begin our community service. We helped paint the schools basketball court for four hours straight. After painting we spoke to the teachers of the school and they thanked us for our work. We then headed back to Home Base to eat dinner. All the students got their luggage on Tuesday afternoon. We look foward to many more exciting days to come!

-Bridget & Mia. Leaders of the day

 

Wednesday July 11, 2018

Today was our 5 day on this trip and it was only filled with fun. We were kept hard at work and busy all day which makes time fly by. We started off with breakfast which included this delicious pancake things. We then ventured off to our second service project at the tortoise sanctuary to help clean up around there. It was a lot of strenuous activity but hey rewarding. Knowing that that the tortoises had a safer environment was a real prize.

We played some games during our break and drank fresh orange juice which was muy delicioso. Once we left and got back to home base, we had lunch then went off to the tortoise breeding center and learned all about how they mate. We then took a beautiful walk to the beach and saw some flamingos up close.

The beach was so beautiful and the waves were huge. A friendly soccer game took place with another program that was there and we then went back to home base for dinner. The day ended with some journaling and reflection about privilege and the power we have to transform the world around us.

-by Tabitha and Emma –  Leaders of the day

 

Thursday July 12, 2018

Hello everyone!

Today was a great day! We went on a challenging 6 mile hike to The Wall of Tears. We went up and saw almost the whole island of Isabela. It was so great seeing us all work together to achieve a goal. After that we went to the town to go explore and then to the beach for a little swim. We saw a baby sea lion too! Then we went to play soccer with the locals. It was so much fun and cool to interact with the people that live here. After we went back to the beach and waited for a concert with a Spanish singer. Waiting for it we played tag and played on the playground. Some of us left and went back to the hotel and hung out in the terrace and sat in the hammocks.

-by Lauren and Greg – Leaders of the day

Friday July 13, 2018

Today was Friday the Thirteenth, but it sure didn’t feel spooky. We began with a hearty breakfast of eggs and plantains to fuel up for our hike. We rode the windy tram to the Galapagos National Park and trekked to el Estero, the inlet. We hiked through igneous rocks, the remains of past eruptions. We reached an outcrop, viewing magnificent blue-footed boobies, and marine iguanas mere inches away. We then walked through beautiful mangroves and waded through clear blue water. At the clearing we witnessed a breathtaking pelican and other animals. Later, we visited two beaches, La playa del amor (the beach of love) and La playita (The little beach).

At the beaches we snorkeled, viewing the elusive black-tipped shark. After having an amazing time out at the beach, we took the tram back to home base, briefly stopping befitting leaving again to Campo Duro- our service sight. When we arrived we ate a delicious lunch and had some free time outside. We started our service with a few groups of students completing several different tasks such as feeding the tortoises, and cleaning their habitat. We ended the service project with a campfire and then went back to home base to eat our last dinner on Isabela Island where we thanked the hostel staff for all of their amazing meals from the past few days. We are looking forward to Santa Cruz Island tomorrow!

-by Jackie and Jeremy – Leaders of the day

Saturday July 14, 2018

Today, we got up at 6:30 AM and got ready for breakfast at 7. After a quick breakfast, we got our bags and got on a bus to the port. There, we got on the boat that would take us to Santa Cruz Island. The trip was about two hours and the water was more calm than the last time so everyone had some resting time and enjoyed the ride, I didn’t get as wet as the previous trip. We arrived about 11, and had an hour to settle into our new rooms in the hotel before lunch. We went out for a walk around town, and bought some snacks from a local store. Then we took another bus to a tortoise center called Chato ranch where we did our community service work. There, we worked until 6, planting trees, carrying rocks, and moving branches so the tortoises have more space to explore and find food. A little after 6, we got back on the bus to home base. After dinner, we hung out, talked, and played games until bedtime.

Lukas and Alexis – Leaders of the day

 

Sunday July 15, 2018

Day 9 was filled with adventure, volunteering, and fun! We started our day with a short boat ride and a half mile hike to our destination, Las Grietas. Las Grietas is a naturally formed swimming hole surrounded by beautiful cliffs. We could swim, dive, and take pictures of the scenery. Our journey later took us to a small, modest cafe where we indulged in some ice cream and popcorn while watching the World Cup game. Some were ecstatic to see France’s victory while others mourned Croatia’s loss. After, we went back to the hotel to prepare for our final day of volunteering at Chato Ranch. On the way to the ranch we stopped and took in the view of Los Gemelos, the twin sinkholes (they were huge, amazing, and beautiful). Next, our adventures took us to a delightful lunch at Chato Ranch that was followed by 4 hours of reforestation. By the end of our hard work about 100 plants had been planted and surrounded by stones to protect them from the ravages of the 200 pound tortoises that are always looking for meals. As a group, we all agreed that we were proud of our hard work and felt very productive as a team. We ended the awesome day with a meal back at Home Base. Tonight we will pack for our travels to San Cristobal tomorrow. We are excited for what’s to come!

-Julia Hudson & Miranda Vellenga – Leaders of the day

 

Monday July 16, 2018

We had a very adventurous day. We started off with an early boat ride to San Cristobal Island, considered to be one of the most beautiful islands in the Galapagos archipelago. We then headed to our fourth home base on the island, a small and rustic hostel close to the ocean.

After lunch, we walked to the Interpretation Centre to learn about the history of the Galapagos. Then, we headed over to Las Tijeretas to swim and snorkel. We spotted lots of sea lions and sea turtles.

We watched the sunset from Playa Mann, ate ice cream and watched sea lions playing in the ocean. After dinner, we had sometime to reflect about our trip and had an exciting round of charades on the pier.

-by Rachel and Megan C – Leaders of the day

Tuesday July 17, 2018

Today we started off with a late breakfast at 8:00. Everyone was happy to get the extra hour of sleep! Then we headed out for a bit to do an activity. We all had “roles” – mediators, scientists, tourists, locals, and the travel agencies. Each group then had to pitch an argument as to why or why not they support tourism in the Galápagos Islands, according to their role. In the end, we came to the conclusion that tourism should be restricted, but still allowed, and that the tourists should be more educated.

After that, we quickly stopped back at the home base to gather our snorkel stuff and head to Loberia Beach. Once reuniting with our guides Jorge and Edison, and taking a brisk bus ride, we arrived. As per usual, sea lions were everywhere!

At noon we rode a bus back to the home base where we ate a delicious lunch. At 1:15 we left to explore and walk around for an hour. A lot of us stopped at a cute ice cream shop to grab a yummy treat before heading out for a little extra service. When 2:15 came around, we got some trash bags to walk to a different beach while collecting trash along the way. With a little teamwork to get the tough-to-reach trash, we cleaned up the trail and were able to relax next to the ocean as a reward.

We then made our way back to the home base. We had a wonderful dinner and went down to the boardwalk to do our nightly meeting. Unfortunately tonight, we had to say goodbye to Jorge and Edison. We gave them the heartfelt cards we made as we said our goodbyes.

Today was our last day on the islands but it was very well spent. The Galápagos Islands are an incredible place and it has been a wonderful opportunity to go!

-Your leaders of the day, Jackie Rivers and Megan Knoll

Wednesday July 18, 2018

Today we all woke up at the break of dawn, 4:30. We ate a light breakfast and headed straight to the harbor at San Cristobal. We all got on the boat and had a very peaceful boat ride to Santa Cruz, which everybody seemed to enjoy. We headed off onto Santa Cruz Isle and got on a bus headed to the harbor. Here we all were given lunch and everybody filled up for the rest of the long travel day! We took the ferry back to Baltra Isle to get to the airport and we all went through the normal airport experience… When we got through security most of us headed straight to the food court and got french fries, hamburgers, and empanadas.

At 12:30 we boarded the plane and took off to Quito! We made a quick stop to drop people off at Guayaquil and then resumed our flight for another 30 minutes. We arrived at Quito around 6 (luckily our luggage was waiting for us) and headed straight for our hotel which is 30 minutes away. We got to the hotel and settled into our rooms, shortly after we went down for dinner and ate some amazing food. After dinner we had our usual nightly circle meeting and discussed the day. We all dispersed after to our rooms with our new roommates to get ready for the next day!

-Connor O’Sullivan, Leader of the day

Thursday July 19, 2018

Today we got up at 7 AM. After we got everyone ready, we went down for breakfast at 7:30. For breakfast, we had a buffet of toast, fruit, and cold cuts. After breakfast, at 8, we got onto a bus for the drive to Mitad del Mundo, the equator. On the bus, Lance and I did our first head count, which was successful. After about 45 minutes, we arrived and got off. We walked around with a tour guide, who showed us the way of life of some wild tribes. Eventually, we reached the actual equator, where he showed us some unique events that only occur there. One of them was balancing an egg, which turned out to be extremely difficult. A few people managed to do this, and got certificates. He also did an activity with which involved pressure and balance.

Also, he showed us that if you drain water on the equator, it doesn’t form a funnel, but funnels form clockwise and counterclockwise on opposite sides. He demonstrated this by draining a tub on the equator, above it, and below it. After that, we walked back to a gift shop and looked around before getting on the bus at about 10:30. After half an hour of driving, we arrived at a place where we’d be learning how to salsa. The two instructors split the group up into boys and girls, and we each learned different steps. After practice, we found partners and danced. We had a great time, and got back on the bus at around noon. We then drove to a place called Crepes & Waffles, where we ate a delicious lunch.

After lunch, we walked for about half an hour to a market, where we separated into groups and browsed for about an hour. After buying a few things, we started walking back to the hotel, and got there around 5. There, we had free time until 7 to pack and hang out. At 7, we went down to have a dinner of soup, followed by chicken, beans and rice. After dinner, we went outside and formed a circle to give our roses and thorns. Many people said they would miss each other, and the mood was overall very emotional. We also had feedback and shoutouts. Nearly everyone got a shoutout from someone else, and everyone shared what they liked about each other. After the shoutouts, it was about 9:30, so everyone hung out on the terrace for about an hour.

-by Todd and Lance – Leaders of the day

Friday July 20, 2018

After an early wake up of 3:00 am to see 14 students off through to midnight departures, we can now say that all students have safely departed Ecuador. We had an incredible two weeks filled with so much exploration, adventure, service, learning and fun. I think everyone can agree that it was a life-changing two weeks! We look forward to seeing all of the amazing things that these 20 bright, young adults do in their future! Miss you all already!

-Amy Lepp, Mentor

Click here to jump down to new posts!

Monday August 6, 2018

Today was our first day of service since arriving in the Galapagos. We woke bright and early for a delicious breakfast at our hostel and then went over to the worksite at Campo Duro! As we drove to the worksite the landscape changed from lava rock and cacti to rainforest. After seeing the tortoise habitat and learning about the problems faced by the many endangered species of the islands, we got to work. We pulled weeds and cut down trees to clear an area of yucca trees.

We got to bring back some yucca to the hostel to have for dinner! In the afternoon we went on a hjke along the beach and through mangroves. We explored a lava tunnel and saw lots of iguanas in the national park. After dinner we went to a nearby store and bakery and bought snacks to take down to the beach for an activity. We packed a lot of fun into the first full day in the Galapagos, so stay tuned to find out what’s to come!

Blog by: William

Tuesday August 7, 2018

Today we started out at the campo duro tortoise sanctuary. We finished clearing the habitat of invasive species and planted native species that the tortoises love. We went back to the hotel for a delicious lunch before heading out to kayak!

We kayaked through the ocean waves before anchoring the boats and jumping off of them for snorkel time. We saw many colorful fish, sea lions, penguins, several sharks, and even a hawksbill sea turtle!

After this magical time in the ocean we headed back to the hostel for a very special dinner of lobster head soup and fresh ceviche. Afterwards we did an activity called story of self where each of us got to share about our lives and our stories. It really brought the group even closer together.

Wednesday August 8, 2018

GALAPAGOS BLOG. DAY 6 (BY: Michael) The morning began at 5 o’clock. The air was heavy, stricken with the common mist we’ve become accustomed to. Marcus and I ran to the second floor, our footsteps pounding on the tile, grasping for grip atop a layer of dew. My fist hit the door with intent and purpose; waiting for the knob to turn. The group slowly rose to our noise, and we set toward the ocean’s waves. It was dark, but the opaque sky slowly melted into blue as the sun woke from it’s own slumber. We sprinted as we neared the sand, the sky, now a transformative orange, crafting the trees’ independent silouttes. Our energies were high and rising as the sun finally breached the horizon, warming our cheeks. We continued the day together with a hike spanning the island’s offerings.

The crusty soil of the dried lava fields snapped underneath our feet. Rocky coves presented a stage as we sat in specatcle of the pelicans’ flight and the boobies’ synchronized diving. The waves crashed against the rocks bathing the crabs and launching the readily moving sea lions closer to our feet. Lava gulls squawked behind, fearless of thier guests. The endemic species flicked around us, encompassing our group in rarity, while calmly navigating around our invasive soles. We left the coast to expidite along a trail, joined by the lazily awake tortoises. Their necks shrivelled towards their shells in retreat, unamused by the roaring paparazzi. They came to except however, their stardom, nearing closer to our lenses. Iguanas, flamingos, ducks, and birds on stilts filled the hike’s wonders; wetlands, hills, and walls dripping in historic tears surrounded us, swirling and twirling as our marvel branded eyes blinked, opening to the next venture. Tortoise breeding center: the baby tortoises waltzed in the pen, happily eating the many leaves lying on the ground.

Parallel to the pens roamed the adult tortoises, rising in formidable stature in contrast to the small innocence of their younger peers. Their saftey, their growth; gems locked within the sanctuary promised future to the vibrance of the Galapagos. Heavy breathing, sweaty backs, and happy spirits. Our soccer game against the Galapagan Fútball Academy rained success, though the obvious laughter and relaxation of our opposition granted permission. No tension, many goals. We managed to pose recreational threat through our undeniable love for one another, as our six day friendship blossomed further into a successfully dynamic team. The game ended, and we excitedly walked back to base camp anxious for food. Upon arrival, the shower’s water fell down my body, cleaning my blackened feet as I tore my blister open, smiling at the visceral Galapagan pain. We are all happy and safe at the Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World).

-by Michael

Thursday August 9, 2018

We all woke up excited for our fun day ahead. We ate a breakfast of Ecuadorian pancakes and fresh fruit, then headed off to the local elementary and middle school where we painted their basketball court and seating areas. It was really fun work, and everyone enjoyed meeting and practicing Spanish with the children who have lived and grown up on Isabela. Following our work we went back to Hostal Sandrita where we had a delicious lunch. Then we had some relaxing siestas before heading to the beach. Everyone went together to the tidal lava rocks and watched the waves crash into them.

Then we split up and did a range of activities such as taking pictures, swimming with sea lions in the ocean, relaxing in the sand, and eating snacks from local cafes. After our eventful afternoon, we went back to the hostel for dinner, chilling, conversations, and packing in preparation for our travel to Santa Cruz the next day.

-by Carly R.

Click here to jump down to the new posts!

Tuesday July 17, 2018

All students are here and ready for a great time! They’re so excited to snorkel that they’re already wearing their life jackets!

Thursday July 19, 2018

Today we started out our morning by going to volunteer at the tortoise sanctuary by restoring their habitat. During this time we removed stumps and boulders from the ground, and afterward we drank fresh squeezed orange juice from trees on the property. We then played a game of soccer as a group. In the afternoon we headed to the beach where we snorkeled in the lagoon and kayaked out to open water. We saw many animals such as sea turtles, stingrays, penguins, and sea lions. I like the animals. We then went back to the hostel for dinner. Finally, we prepared for the next day and then walked down to the beach!

-Julian and Audrey

Friday July 20, 2018

Our 5th day was filled with adventure and excitement! We started our day off right with some tasty Ecuadorian pancakes, which fueled our morning at the local school. There, we sanded and painted the walls (blue) and shares games and giggles with the students. This was all followed by a really long and really gorgeous hike. We walked along the shore until we came across cactus covered trails that led to mangrove lagoons where we all almost sank into the sand and lava tunnels of molten rock. After the tiring and rewarding day we settled down for DELICIOUS icecream before dinner (dessert deserves to be first sometimes).

-Ava and Matt

Wednesday July 25, 2018

Today we woke up early and had a breakfast of fresh fruit, eggs, and juice before heading out to our final day of service. We took a bus to one of the greenhouses in Galapagos National Park where we learned about Scalecia trees (the trees we’ve been planting here in Galapagos). In the greenhouse we split into groups and some of us helped to clean the soil around the baby trees, some of us filled new trays to in which to plant seeds, and others helped arrange the trays we filled in other parts of the greenhouse. For lunch we took the bus to El Chato 2 to drink organic Galata coffee and eat a big lunch at a long table together as a group. Then we walked with our guides around El Chato 2 through two lava tunnels and to a big mud pit where many tortoises were relaxing. After the hike we jumped on the bus and drove to los Gimelos (the twins). We hiked with our guides around the two huge sinkholes and screamed over the edge so we could hear the echos! After the hike we headed back to our hostel for a quick break before walking through town to find icecream and buy some snacks for our boat ride tomorrow. Finally, we had a big spaghetti dinner and reflected on the day before heading to bed. It was a good day.