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Saturday August 4, 2018

Good Evening, families!

Arrival day has officially come and gone! With 28 of our 30 arrived, our community is starting to blossom. Although two of our students are held up in Miami overnight, but we are so excited to welcome them to the Tropical Education Center in the morning.

After an awesome dinner of rice and beans and stew chicken (and stew veggies), we got to know each other by finding similarities and celebrating our differences. We have a super experienced group of young travelers, and are looking forward to seeing them support each other.

Post activity, we broke into mentor groups to touch base on expectations for the next few weeks, further our connections with each other and answer any burning questions before checking out for the night.

Our leaders of the day will be taking over the blog posts from here, filling you in on our adventures, challenges and learnings!

Here’s our team pre arrival of Eli and Erin (here, but not pictured) and Rachel and Abdul (arriving tomorrow). Will send a full group photo once our team is fully assembled.

Best,
The Belize Team

Sunday August 5, 2018

Today was the first full day ! We woke up and had the breakfast of champions. There was good bread, eggs, sausage, beans and fruit. After we got all of our food in, we had orientation. It lasted 9-12 and we can all say our butts are all sore. For lunch, we ate empanadas which were so good. Then Miss Emily came and talked to us. She explained to us the history and culture of Belize along with her work and personal story/experience. After, we did an activity where we had to find our buddy with a sticky note on our forehead where we couldn’t see. We could only ask “yes” or “no” questions to find the “jelly,” to our “peanut butter,” or “mario,” to our “luigi.” Then, we talked to our partner and found out information about him/her and then presented each other to the group. Dr. Minerva talked to us about the service that we will be doing at Saint Joseph’s School in Cotton tree. We went over the curriculum packets we will use to teach our students. After, we got our groups and went to visit the school. Our groups then split up into our classrooms and we organized our chairs and desks to get ready for tomorrow. When we got back, dinner was ready. We had really good fajitas and great tortillas along with it. After, we revisited information about service and asked questions for tomorrow so we can ready to begin service.

– Lexi and Collier

Monday August 6, 2018

Today was our first day of working with the kids and it was a whirlwind to say the least! The kids were super excited to meet everyone and see their friends after the summer. Since today was the first day, almost all the classes played games and icebreakers. At break, all the classes let out and played soccer and tag. We got back home just in time for a tasty lunch. We then had a workshop on Maya culture, women’s empowerment and education in Belize with the inspiring Miss Annelita Garcia. We ate sweet corn tortillas and made bracelets.

Before dinner, everyone took their swim tests because tomorrow, half of the group will be cave tubing and the other half will be going to the zoo. After dinner, we had service prep to make a plan for tomorrow. Before lights out, we all met with our mentor groups to discuss our days!! Overall, everyone is excited and ready to see all the kids tomorrow!

-Written by the Leaders of the Day: Maddie and Eli

Tuesday August 7, 2018

Starting off the fourth day in our program right, we ate banana muffins and bacon with a side of orange juice to energize us for our exciting day ahead! We took the bus to Cotton Tree Village to start our second day of Service. Being greeted at the gate by our kids was a great way to start our morning 🙂 we spent our day full of laughter and learning (whilst being teased by the kids of course). After our service day we headed back for lunch where we munched on a pasta salad, chicken and horchata (a rice / cinnamon /sugar drink). However, our day didn’t end here as our group split off into two groups for activities; cave tubing and visiting the local Belize zoo! (P.S. Dolly Parton took A photo there!) At the zoo we marveled at the Spider monkeys, Howler monkeys, and the Tapir/Keel billed Toucan (the national animals of Belize).

We fed many of the animals we came across too- such as the Scarlet Macaw and jungle deer. For the Cave Tubing, we drove off into the wild side of Belize, and ventured off with life jackets, rad helmets and our tubes to the caves. It was a combination of swimming, exploring the crystals in the cave and floating around whilst enjoying the beauty Belize has to offer! After our activities, we headed back for service preparations, getting into our groups to prepare for tomorrow’s lesson plans. Following up was dinner; mashed potatoes with seasoned pork, with a banana raisin cake for dessert. We ended off our night with a competitive game of Jeopardy, teaming up with our mentor groups to form the amazing three groups; The Suite Life of Kids and Codi (featuring mentor Codi), Abdul and the gals (featuring only male Abdul) and Baum.com (featuring mentor Emma). After sweat, tears and lots of competitive yelling, our winners ended up being Baum.com, giving an all or nothing in the final round! Before going the bed, we met for our regular mentor sessions and then headed to our cabins and cabanas for lights out! Can’t wait to get started with our next day!

Love, Tiffany and Liesl!!

Thursday August 9, 2018

To start off our day we woke up around 7:30 and had breakfast. The meal for this morning was eggs, peanut butter and jelly, and fruit. As usual we ate quickly so we could get ready for service on time. We left for service around 8:15 (maybe a little later) and headed off to cotton tree school. During the ride we listened to music and talked amongst ourselves until we got there.

Since it was raining all throughout yesterday not many kids showed up but there was still enough to teach and have a good class going. Although there may have been some issues, the school day went well and we all went back to home base talking about some funny or cute thing a kid in our class did that day. At 12:30 we had a great meal of chicken burritos and watermelon.

Everyone had a good time, the dining room was filled with laughter. The mentors got their food and everyone was enjoying the company of their tables. After lunch, we had a while before our next activity for the day began. Most went to their own cabin to take a nap and others went to be with their new found friends. Rejoining at 2:30, everyone was in the classroom excited to learn about the dancing workout. The dance class was the most energetic the group has been, everyone was letting loose and dancing their hearts out. We had finally come to an end with our workout and everyone was sad to say goodbye to another fun filled activity.

After we danced for a few hours, we headed down to dinner. For dinner today we had yellow rice, beef, and tres leches cake. As usual, we talked with our friends and enjoyed the delicious meal. As the day settled down, we went to our mentor groups and did a questionnaire filled with 520 random questions that you could answer. After mentor groups we went back to our cabins and cabanas and packed for the Caye. Overall it was an amazing day.

Grace Avery and Tyla

Saturday August 11, 2018

We started the day at Amor y Cafe for a tasty breakfast before the day of snorkeling. Then, one mentor group went out to the water on the speedboat while the rest took the catamaran. We got a tour of the reef, and all our questions answered about which fish we were looking at by our guide. After that stop we went to a different location and the guides put bait in the water to attract the nurse sharks in the water. We got the opportunity to swim with the sharks then get a tour of the reef in that area.

For lunch, the groups came together on the bigger boat. We had Macaroni salad, Rice and Beans, and chicken. We ate while enjoying the views of the clear blue water. After lunch we all went snorkeling at the coral gardens. We saw sea turtles and stingrays along with many different colored fish. Then we got to free swim in the water before heading back to Caye Caulker. When we arrived in Caye Caulker we went to the hotel to shower and freshen up for dinner. Considering we were all covered in salt from the salt water i’m sure everyone needed that. For dinner we headed over to Roses where we all sat at one long table.

Dinner consisted of shrimp, chicken and vegetable kebab. There was also an option of whole fish or grilled chicken. After dinner we split off in our mentor groups to debrief about the long and wonderful day. Then we had a few minutes to chill or sleep. After that it was lights out!

– by Caroline and Abdul

Sunday August 12, 2018

This morning we woke up to an air conditioned room, on the beautiful Island of Caye Caulker. We walked to breakfast and ate at Amor Y Cafe. We filled out mouths with waffles, fruit, yogurt, and fresh squeezed orange juice. After breakfast we walked in and out of local shops, buying different items for our family and friends back home. After that we walked back to our hotel, packed up, said bye to our air conditioned rooms and ocean view. We walked to the dock to get on a boat and head back to the TEC. Once we reached land the group and I met up with our bus driver Windell. Being the clumsy child that I am, someone threw me the bag of bracelet strings and when I tried to grab it it fell out the window. “The bag went out the window!”, “stop the bus!”, and “the bag!” were the only thing everyone said in sync. Jordan being the MVP that she is, ran back and grabbed the bag for us. Before coming back to our new dorms we made a detour to the Belize sign. It was a beautifully photographic ocean landscape.

Seeing everyone jump around and laughing with each other was an amazing moment for the group. Afterwards we headed back to the TEC, our home away from home. After arriving back from Caye Caulker we finally got to see our new dorms! There’s anywhere from 2-8 people per room which is great because we all get to room with the wonderful people we’ve met on this trip. The rooms are spacious with high ceilings made out of metal so that we can hear the patter of rain throughout the day and night. We have a community shower area-2 showers for 28 girls! So far we’ve been good about sharing and letting everyone have their time. For dinner we had chicken with a tortilla and some coleslaw on the side. The vegetarians got to have some delicious Kebabs. At the end of the day we all gathered for an activity where we were divided based on a personality test into separate color groups where we had to come up with different words to describe our group. After this we had a group discussion about how each group was important in a functioning society to bring a well rounded and diverse group personalities to the table in discussions.

-Bri, Rhiannon and Abby H

Tuesday August 14, 2018

Today we woke up to a gorgeous day with an awesome breakfast of banana muffins, bacon, yogurt, and cereal. Everyone was excited for the last day of teaching but looking forward to tomorrow’s celebration with the kids.

We boarded the bus and drove to service.

A lot more kids showed up at service today. Emily and I are in standard three and we worked on writing numbers and independent reading with the kids.

When we got back to home base we ate lunch which was beef and yellow rice with a side of cabbage salad and cantaloupe. We quickly prepared for our hike today and loaded the buses.

We had an hour bus ride. Everyone was very tired and fell asleep on the bus, Emma and our driver, Windell chilled while laughing at everyone sleeping.

We arrived at the Mayan Ruins – called ALTUN HA. We started by getting the background of the ruins. Then we walked around while having a tour of them.

As our tour concluded we walked up one of the ruins where we got an amazing view of the whole place. After climbing down we went to some souvenir shops. We had some smoothies and ice cream. Some of us tried sugar cane and raw coconut.

We took the bus home and arrived to an amazing dinner. We had shrimp Alfredo with garlic bread one of our favs!

Later we had a talk about the last day of service and the expectations with it. And lastly split into mentor groups and did a thoughtful activity on what shapes us! We are all excited and ready for the last few days!

-Erin and Emily

Wednesday August 15, 2018

After being away for about a week and a half it still amazes me that I’m here! In Belize! As we close out our journey and have our last few meals together we enjoy the lovely breakfast Juan Carlos and the staff made us today. Tortillas, eggs, pico de gallo, fruit and MG’s favorite, avocado. We then get on the bus and admire the beautiful scenery along the way to St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic School.

Unfortunately today is our last day teaching and seeing the cutest kids ever! We start the school day with a few math problems, spelling words and history lessons…the usual. We enjoy every moment with our kids not only teaching them but learning from them. Break ends and the party begins! Loud music! Games! Candy! Smiling faces! everyone is having the time of their life. Loving and reliving every moment we’ve shared with these kids for the past week and a half. As our party comes to an end we clean up and say our goodbyes. Many tears and hugs exchanged from one happy face to the other. Leaving wasn’t easy. Believe me. I got teary eyed. But it was an experience that we will never forget no matter what!

After service we headed out for Marie Sharp’s hot sauce factory. There was no time to stop at home base so we had packed lunches. We stopped at a little playground along the way to eat. We all sat in a circle and talked about the day while eating a lunch of sandwiches with cheese, onion, chicken, tomato, and bacon. Good as always!

After that we were on the road for about an hour and a half. After driving through some beautiful green scenery, we arrived at Marie Sharp’s. First, we got an interesting history talk from Marie Sharp herself! After we learned about how the amazon company got its start, we headed inside for the full tour. We got to see all the different rooms used for making all their products, while also they receiving more information. After the cool tour, we got to go to the tasting room. We were able to try all their different hot sauces as well as their steak sauce and many different jams. They were all delicious from what i had tasted 🙂 Right next door was the gift shop where many of us stopped to buy some cool shirts, sauces, and gifts for friends & family. After we were all done purchasing, we made our way back out the door and got on the bus for the drive back to home base.

After returning to the TEC, we had some downtime where we could all shower and relax in our rooms before a 6:00 dinner of baked potatoes and chicken! Following dinner we had our final mentor groups where we talked about our original goals for the trip and how they have been changed and/or accomplished.

-Shay, Emma and Annika

Thursday August 16, 2018

Today was out last full day together!! It’s crazy how fast time flies when you’re having fun. This morning we woke up 30 minutes later than usual which was nice getting the extra sleep. And for breakfast we had fry jacks which everyone was very excited about!!! We then had time to pack up all of our stuff and clean out cabins. Then we had lunch and split up into groups to do different activities. Emma’s group did creative writing, Jordan’s group did some nature drawings, and MG/Codi’s group did mindfulness activities. After the group activities some of us went swimming and others chilled in our cabins enjoying some of our last conversations and card games with our new friends. After that everyone gathered up in the classroom and we made reflection flags. Where we could write something to remember this trip on a small piece of fabric. Many of us wrote Belize 2018 and had everyone else sign them, some wrote quotes and others drew symbols that have meaning to them from this trip. After that we gathered in our mentor groups for the last time, we had pizza for dinner on our last night. Then we had a closing group discussion, where we reflected on our experience. Where we posed many group questions like what’s next? And motivated us for our next adventure and how we can get involved. After we wrapped up we headed to a group bonfire, where we danced, stargazed, and laughed. A great way to wrap up the program. It was bitter sweet to soak in our last memories together. We all had a blast on this program, and were all so grateful for the memories and experiences that we hold on to forever. A special thanks to all the mentors, for making this program extra special.

Thanks for following us along on this journey!

-Frankie and Summer

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Wednesday July 18, 2018

A stormy day in Belize didn’t stop all 32 students from joining us today in Belize! After everyone arrived we made the scenic journey back to home base, where we were able to settle in and get the basic lay of the land. After a delicious dinner of rice, beans, and stewed beef, it was off to bed in our cozy jungle cabañas. Tomorrow it will be a full day of orientation, getting to know each other and learning more about our time together!

Love from Belize!

Thursday July 19, 2018

Hi everyone! We’re having so much fun in Belize already and can’t wait to share our experiences with you on here! Yesterday was our first full day in Belize and we started with orientation, then met with Dr. Minerva to learn about what we’d be doing in our schools. After that we explored the swimming hole that is on Home base, and ended the day with dinner and an inspiring speech from Mrs. Emily Martinez. The day was filled with bonding time and we’re all already growing close. We can’t wait for the rest of this amazing experience!

Libby, Christina, and Bella

Friday July 20, 2018

Hey family and friends! Today we were off to a kinda early start at a 7:45 breakfast full of pancakes and bacon. We quickly ate breakfast then hopped into the rumbling bus on our way to service!!

Our first time at service was a very exciting day. First, we played soccer, duck-duck-goose, and swings with the kids, who ranged from 2 to 12 years old. Then, groups of three were assigned a grade and also a classroom. Most rooms were pretty messy and unorganized, so we spent the rest of the time fixing up our new room. After that, we said our goodbyes to the locals and were off to the Belize Zoo, which is an hour drive.

The zoo is in the Savannah part of Belize, so we got a change of scenery. At the zoo all of the animals here are rescues, and they are also native to Belize. After looking at all the animals we hopped back on the bus and headed to the dock to catch the ferry. The ferry ride was beautiful with bright turquoise blue water wherever you looked.

After a short walk from the ferry dock, we reached our final destination- Tropical Paradise Hotel. We all got settled in to our rooms of two or three. We walked 5 minutes to Roy’s for dinner. The options were Whole Fish, Veggie Curry, Chicken Curry, or Jerk Chicken. One girl didn’t sign up for a meal so the mentors decided she’d get a whole fish. Everyone got their first cold drink of the trip at dinner which were so refreshing- juice or soda. After dinner, we walked to Scoopdis, a local ice cream shack.

They had the best creamy home made ice cream- coconut and Belizean fudge were the best! Then we walked back to the hotel for the night. We formed a huge circle and gave props/shoutouts to people from the past couple days. All of us were excited we got AC for the next two nights so we enjoyed it while it lasted. We got a break from bugs in our showers too:) Hopefully you heard from us either text, FaceTime or call!

-Jack, Grace, and Victoria

Saturday July 21, 2018

Hello GLA family & friends!

The students had yet another jam packed today here on the beautiful Island of Caye Caulker in Belize!

Students began the day with a leisurely walk to Amor Cafe. A student & staff favorite, many started their busy days with a selection of fresh waffles and eggs. Immediately after breakfast the group walked to the dock, where students either boarded a small speed boat or catamaran to begin the snorkeling excursion. Each student stopped at a total of 3 snorkeling spots where they were able to experience a variety of Caribbean Sea life. An assortment of fish, sharks (don’t worry, nurse sharks!), sting rays, and even a manatee, students enjoyed a day exploring the depths of many Belizean reefs.

Snorkeling wrapped at approximately 4:00 PM where students then were able to relax in their air conditioned rooms and prepare for another dinner in the heart of Caye Caulker. Dinner was enjoyed at Roy’s where many daring students took the challenge of enjoying a whole fish for supper!!(eyeball and all!). Students enjoyed ice cream at a local shop once again and then returned to the resort for debriefing. With a variance of activities, students were able to bond and reflect on the days adventures.

Another day for the books where students were kept busy and sun kissed on this day of underwater adventure!

Bon Voyage Caye Caulker!

-Cate & Alyssa

Sunday July 22, 2018

Hey guys it’s day 5 aka 07/22/18 and we started the day off with some delicious breakfast at Amor y Cafe. We then broke off into our individual mentor groups and continued to shop and relax. At 11:30 We all sat down and had chicken quesadillas. Unfortunately we had to leave the beautiful Caye Caulker on a nice water taxi ride to Belize City. From there it was a three hour journey back to home base, with a quick stop at the supermarket so we could buy food and drinks. Once we arrived at home base we ate dinner and spent the rest of the night preparing for our service the following day. After a hectic few days we finally settled in back at home and got some good rest. We all look forward to the rest of the week helping the children. Signing off

~ Lucy and Devyn

Monday July 23, 2018

Today was our first real day of service!! Our breakfast was healthy and consisted of eggs and biscuits. After breakfast we loaded up the bus and went to St. Margaret’s Community School for service. Devyan, Isabella, and Lucy got to stay on the bus and pick up kids to bring them to service. School began at 9:00 and the groups were split up into six sections because we had fewer kids than expected. After service, we came back to T.R.E.E.S. and had enchiladas for lunch.

Right after lunch we had a Mayan workshop where a presentation of current Mayan culture was given by Ms. Garcia. After the presentation there were two different crafts which included making beaded bracelets and “Belize” bracelets. Then we had a break which was followed by the leaders of the day games. Dinner was next, and included pork stew or coconut stew. Lastly was our mentor groups where we talked about our first day of service and planned for the following day of service.

-Khari & Maggie

Tuesday July 24, 2018

Hi everyone! we started off our day at with a trip to St. Margaret’s school! It was our second day of true service so we were still getting to know the kids. After we finished service we went to a unique and amazing ice cream/dairy store close to TREES. Are our afternoon was filled with traditional Belizean dances. We then all went outside of our comfort zones and had the time of our lives! The evening was relaxing and filled with talks with our mentor groups, reflecting on service for the day.

-Mikki, Ani, & Jenna

Wednesday July 25, 2018

Today was our third day of service at St. Margret’s. We got to know our kids better and figured out our teaching styles. Today was definitely easier and we were able to understand the atmosphere of the school. After lunch, we went to Marie Sharps’s hot sauce factory. We loaded up on every kind of sauce imaginable including spicy jams, and got meet Marie Sharp herself: a eighty year old woman who started the company from her own kitchen. The dinner may have been the most exciting part yet, spaghetti and garlic bread. We are all eager to get back to service tomorrow and attend open mic night!

-by Luke & Audrey

Friday July 27, 2018

Today we had our fourth official day of service and it went super well! The amount of kids that come to school has grown each day. Right after we dropped kids off after school we stopped for ice cream and had lunch and just a little free time before going back for a talk about ethical photography and an early but delicious dinner of comfort food. We had Mac and cheese, wings, and garlic bread. As soon as we were done we set off again to go to an open mic night at a library in Dangriga. There were mostly local performers either singing or reading poetry but a few people from our group stepped up to the challenge too, presenting skits, poems, and songs. After a late night and lots of fun, it was time to head back to home base for the night.

Carli and Mackenzie

(This is Carli and yes I’m okay, mom)

Saturday July 28, 2018

Hi GLA family and friends!

We had another early start to our day with a 7:30am breakfast of spinach eggs, toast, and pineapple. We all hopped on the bus to begin service at 9am. Sadly, today was our last day of service. We taught from 9-12, and this included teaching math, English, simple games, and playing soccer during break. At the end of service, we got to bring our phones out and take pictures with some of our students that we got to know and have some pictures that we could treasure forever. Afterwards, we took the bus back to T.R.E.E.S., while dropping off some kids on the way back. For lunch, we had vegetable tacos, watermelon, and some lemonade. Shortly after, we split into two groups and half of us went to the Blue Hole while the other half took a cooking class.

At the cooking class, students made coconut milk from freshly ground coconuts, and put in vegetables such as onions, peppers, and plantains to make a soup. Students also made fresh pineapple juice, and they took turns mashing plantains to make a mashed potato-like dish. They also made brownies with frosting, which were definitely a favorite. While half of the group went to a cooking class, the other half of us went to the local Blue Hole! The water was beautifully clear, and I️t was a great trip filled with lots of swimming, sightseeing and pictures! Once we finished up at the the Blue Hole, we headed back to T.R.E.E.S. for the dinner that our cooking class made for the whole group! I️t was a delicious Belizean classic: coconut soup with mashed plantains, along with tons of other types of veggies! We also had homemade brownies for dessert with chocolate frosting which was very tasty!

Needless to say, the cooking class did a great job as our dinner was super yummy! After dinner we had our evening activity which was a bonding activity. Each person got a piece of paper to write their names on, and then would hand it around the circle and everyone else would write anonymous compliments or funny memories with the person. Once everyone had written something nice on the paper, the person whose sheet it was got I️t back. The responses were all so sweet and definitely brought our group a little closer together! After that we headed back to the bunks for a bit of chill time before bed check. I️t was another amazing day in Belize, and we all can’t wait to see what the activities have in store for us tomorrow!!

-Emily & Kathryn

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Monday July 2, 2018

What a great first day!

We are all safe and sound here at our home base in Belize! It’s a beautiful cool night and the stars are out. We had a long day waiting at the airport, but eventually made it back with a full crew to enjoy a Belizean dinner of stewed chicken and rice, topped off with birthday cake— Happy Birthday, Katie!!

We can’t wait for orientation to kick off tomorrow so we can get to know our new home!

Tuesday July 3, 2018

Hi everyone!! It’s Micky and Allyse, the leaders for day one. Today kicked off with orientation and some group bonding. We learned about safety, the code of conduct, the trip expectations. The group then divided into mentor groups. The main purpose of mentor groups is to create a smaller environment in which people can learn more about each other.

Our afternoon was quite relaxing. We took a trip down to the swimming hole near our home base. The walk there was through stunning orchards. After we enjoyed a fresh swim together everyone dispersed to shower and collect themselves. Some girls gathered in the yoga fort to talk and play cards before dinner. Later that night we met with Dr.Minerva. She talked to us about our lesson plans for interacting with the children. Overall it was a great first day and we’re excited for more!!!!

Wednesday July 4, 2018

Today, we awoke to a beautiful morning. Some of us were even lucky enough to see some real toucans hiding in the treetops! After a scrumptious breakfast, we made way to our first day of service with the children of Dangriga. Us, the teens, were split into groups of three and were each put in charge of around 15 children. We were briefed on a packet and then given the responsibility to teach it how we please. This packet taught the importance of oil in Belize as it is a growing industry and, through its contents, helped teach reading and writing. Of course, we played some games with them along they way!

After we were done, we made way to the beach to play with the kids some more! We all appreciated the cool air and the good times we had! After this, we said goodbye and went to Marie Sharps Hot Sauce factory where we had the privilege to take a tour and meet Marie Sharp herself. We learned the process of making hot sauce and even got to try some! After this, we returned to our humble abode to enjoy some well needed cold showers and some great bonding experiences. We talked and talked and talked for hours. Overall, today was a 10/10 would recommend, 100%, A+.

Love,

Dana and Beth

Thursday July 5, 2018

So today was our second day of service. Like yesterday, the kids were super sweet and we had lots of fun. We play so many games and kids seem to enjoy learning about oil. For lunch today, we all tried a new food called Stuffed Jacks which was a fried bread filled with a bean paste that had vegetables and chicken. It was really good!

Then we broke up into our mentor groups to reflect about our service thus far. For most of the afternoon it thunder-stormed so we enjoyed our free time inside. Soon enough, it was time for our cooking class with our dining staff. We learned how to make the corn tortillas that would eventually hold our tacos together. Not only was it informative, it was also a great bonding experience for the group to get closer as a whole.

For the rest of the afternoon we indulged ourselves in board and card games while it was raining (Big Boggle is my favorite). Dinner consisted of more tacos and a salad. Finally to wrap up this fantastic day, we had Ms. Emily Martinez, a local educator in Belize, come to TREES to speak with us. She taught us all about the history, culture, and education system in Belize.

I realized how diverse Belize truly is. She not only informed us about Belize, her presentation was so inspiring as it reminded each one of us that we have the tools and the smarts to well, be the change! Tomorrow we all leave for the island and we know all the girls are just as excited as we are to participate in water activities (the WiFi and air conditioning are also some nice bonuses too ;)). So far this trip has blown my expectations away and I’m so excited for service again next week!

Leaders of the Day,

Sierra and Sophia

Friday July 6, 2018

The rain didn’t stop us today! We woke up to a foggy morning and headed up top to a breakfast of toast and eggs. Shortly after we left for service. At service, the kids finished up our packets and oil, read some books, and colored. After lots of learning we headed outside to play games on the beach. Then we swung by to grab some lunch and it’s off to Caye Caulker.

After our 2 hour bus ride and the 55 minute boat ride we finally arrived on Caye Caulker. We all settled in in the hotel and connected to the WiFi so we could reconnected with our families. We headed to the shore for a quick swim before dinner. After dinner we stoped for some fresh homemade ice cream. At the end of the night we bonded in an appreciation circle and grew to be close like a real family.

Team Leaders of the day,

Grace and Rose

Saturday July 7, 2018

Today was our first full day on Caye Caulker. We walked to a café for breakfast to start our morning. After breakfast, we walked one building over to Carlos’s Tour Shop. We all got fitted for our snorkeling gear. We then made our way to the boat where Carlos and his crew gave us an introduction and took us to our first snorkeling spot. After breaking up into smaller groups, we put on our gear and got into the water. With a guide, each group explored the first area of barrier reefs where we saw things like Lion Fish, Green Eels, and Sea Urchins.

After about an hour of snorkeling, we sunbathed on the boat until we reached our next spot. This snorkeling spot is known for the nursing sharks. Carlos and his team fed the sharks as we jumped into the water. Many of us were nervous, but the majority of the group got into the water with the sharks and most of us even got the chance to touch them. Here we also saw a turtle and two sting rays. We go back onto the boat for lunch, which consisted of chicken or salad, beans and rice, and pasta salad. We headed to the last snorkeling spot where we traveled as a bigger group.

Afterwards, we had time to just relax on the boat and enjoy the view. We had bananas, watermelon, pineapple, and papaya for a snack. Carlos let us play music and we spent the rest of our day relaxing. Some of our group began to feel seasick, but luckily, with some ginger and dramamine, everyone was able to take a much needed break from our prior week of service.

We got back to our hotel and hit the showers. We shopped a little before we made it to our restaurant. After dinner we got ice cream again and stopped at a local market for some snacks and aloe! Back at the hotel, we broke apart into mentor groups and ended the day with meaningful conversations about why we chose to go on this trip. Finally, we gathered all together to say goodnight and plan a meeting time for the sunrise early the next morning!

Team Leaders of the day,

Linda Nina and Shirley

Sunday July 8, 2018

Today was our last day on Caye Caulker. Most of us woke up at 5am to go watch the sunrise and then went back to bed. Let me tell you, waking up a second time was rough for all of us but once we got to Amor y cafe (our Island breakfast spot) and got the best iced coffee around we all felt a lot better! After breakfast we went shopping around the island and I’ll let it slip that some of us got some pretty cute gifts for our parents! 😉

After taking a water taxi to the main land we had an hour bus ride to the Belize Zoo. On the way we stopped to take some super cute pictures on a rainbow “Belize” statue! At the zoo we had some surprisingly good quesadillas and did a little more souvenir shopping! Outside the souvenir shop we each got the chance to hold a snake, Queen Green the boa, which was fun and exciting.

After the exciting expierence with the boa constrictor we seperated into out mentor groups, the leaders being Laura and Danielle. Each group was assigned an amazing tour guide— either Lawrence or Harrison. Laura’s group was led by Lawrence and started by feeding the Belizean Tapirs, which are is the national animal of Belize. Danielle’s group began their tour by learning and watching the colorful and vibrant Scarlet Macaws. Then both groups continued to view Junior the Jaguar, Carlos the Puma, Roger and Dodger the Toucans, Brutus the Crocodile, Howler Monkeys, Grey Foxes, and many more. With each animal we got learn so much about their species, along with some of their personal histories. Luckily, we were also able to see the national Belizian flower, The Black Orchid! The tour lasted about an hour, and everyone had an amazing time. Special thanks to the Belizan Zoo!

After we stopped by the gift shop, again, we boarded the bus and started our journey back home to TREES. When we got back we had an hour of free time before dinner. After the delicious dinner, which was pasta for anyone wondering, the group participated in a leadership activity. The activity allowed everyone to write down anonymous compliments on a piece of paper. There were some happy tears by the end. Then we started our service prep for the next few days, which are packed with educational and fun activities for the kids! Hopefully tomorrow will be as exciting and jam-packed with fun activities like today!

-by Sophia T and Kaili

Monday July 9, 2018

After our great vacation inside a vacation at Caye Caulker and a little scorpion incident, we headed to service today. Everyone was a little tired and some felt sick so it was a slow start to our morning. In the beginning, we sang the national anthem for the kids per Mrs. Bev(Head librarian)’s request-usually, the kids would sing their national anthem, so we think that it was fascinating for them to hear the national anthem of another country.

There were less kids there than last week, but we still enjoyed our time with them. After 3 hours of service, we headed back to home base for lunch. We had hard corn tortillas with beans and cole slaw. Then we listened to Mrs Annelita Garcia who talked about the Mayan culture. We also got to learn how to make our own baskets by weaving, which was really cool. It was hard for some people to learn because Mrs. Garcia forgot to bring needles so we only had one, but it was still quite pleasant.

Next we moved into free time where people showered, napped, hung out in their cabins or talked in the yoga fort. For dinner we had a positively delightful meal of stewed beef, white rice, and beans and for dessert there was a sweet potato pudding. Everyone devoured it— the white rice is vey good. Next we talked about our plans for the youth exchange we were doing the next day.

Youth exchange is when 20ish Belizean teens come to the library where we do our service and we get to talk to them about the culture and lifestyle in Belize. There was a lot of conflicting ideas so things got a little heated, but we finished the night with a great plan for tomorrow! We were all really tired so curfew was 9:30 instead of 10. xoxo

-by Niko & Sarah

Tuesday July 10, 2018

This morning we had a delicious breakfast of fry jacks, which tastes like fried dough, eggs, sausage and a fruit salad with bananas, pineapple and papayas. We then took the bus to Dangriga where we and the kids sang our national anthems. The older kids (10-12 year olds) left and went with the local volunteers to spend the morning making drums at a separate location.

This made service much easier since there were less children running around. Many groups spent the first part of the morning making masks of their favorite animals and reading to each other. We were also able to spend some time playing outside playing ‘Tarzan the Jungle Man’ or volleyball. Overall, the day was super stress-free since all of the older kids were occupied and the younger kids were engaged in what we were doing.

After service, we ate our sack lunches of sandwiches, chips & salsa on the bus and complained about the heat and humidity. Today was one of the warmest days and the humidity was brutal. We then took a quick trip to a grocery store to buy some snacks and then head back to the library for our afternoon activity, a local youth exchange.

We went back to the library to set up for the 20 students we were preparing to meet and learn about. The students ended up being pretty late so we had some time to bond as a group in the library without the kids running around. When the students arrived, there were only nine but we were able to run our program anyway. We set up tables with different topics written on pieces of paper like education in Belize, daily lives, and gender roles.

Many groups ended up talking about being teenagers and everyday things like what music we like, relationships and hobbies. Other groups, however, had deep and meaningful conversations about the statutes of both Belize and America. After we rotated throughout the tables, the locals walked us throughout the neighborhood, pointing out some of their homes as well as other important sights on our way to check out the nearby beach.

On the way back we stopped for a quick stop to get snacks and other necessities which was fun. After that we went back to Trees and had about 45 minutes to relax and hang out we had to meet up at 6:00. This is when we played psychiatrist before dinner as our leader of the day game. For dinner we had mashed potatoes, pork, coleslaw salad, brownies, and of course lime juice which was what many of us were excited for.

After dinner we had shout outs for people who we saw doing good things today. We continued to have a conversation about what ways we can help the kids we worked with after we leave and some of the ethical reasons why we can’t give them some things and extra support in some areas. The last event of the night was mentor groups were we were able to debrief the day and just talk for a while.

-by Katie & Kaila

Wednesday July 11, 2018

Three words: Service, Sweat, S’mores.

After starting off our day with juice and toast for breakfast, we headed onto the bus and journeyed on to Dangriga for service at the library! There our day was filled with singing national anthems, drawing dozens of pictures in our small groups, and many exhilarating games of Simon Says. Between songs and games, each group worked on literacy skills and phonetics by reading all different kinds of children’s books together. Overall, another fun day at the library!

We belted Beyond by Leon Bridges the whole ride back to T.R.E.E.S. where we then ate lunch and worked on cards and gifts to give to our kids and Miss Bev, the librarian, on our last day of service. Many pieces of cardstock and dried out markers later, we went onto our next activity for the day: Dance Lessions!

From traditional Garifuna to Kriol styles of dance, we sweated our hearts out in the Yoga Fort under the fine teaching of Miss Dixie. By the end of the afternoon, we were all freestyling our way through any kind of Belizan beat she had coming for us.

After dinner, we went on a blind folded Trust Walk through the grounds. Though it was scary at first for some trust someone literally and figuratively guiding them into the dark unknown, it took only a few minutes for all of us to feel comfortable and relaxed as we were being lead to places unknown.

After the activity, we spent time under the stars. From constellations to fireflies, the clear night sky provided the perfect backdrop for all of the emotionally charged, meaningful experiences we were to share with the group and each other.

From there, we moved over a couple of feet and made a bonfire. Shoutout Windell and Rose for putting their expert skills to the test! We made s’mores amidst large colonies of fire ants and lived to tell the tale. Another shoutout to Benadryl Anti-Itch Cream!

In short, we had a rock solid day. 🙂

-by Anna & Leah

Thursday July 12, 2018

After breakfast at 7:30, we took off for our pervious to last day of service. We spent the first half of the morning working with the kids and sitting with them during a presentation on natural disasters.

We came back to TREES for lunch after service. In the afternoon, we took off for a swim in the Blue Hole and stopped for ice cream after.

We made cards for our kids at service to give them on the last day and then ate dinner. We celebrated Sophia’s 17th birthday with a chocolate cake and a fantastic rendition of Happy Birthday! To finish the night Emma led us in a discussion about ethical photography.

-by Michelle & Lila

Friday July 13, 2018

Today we woke up, ready, yet prepared, for an emotional last of service. We had french toast for breakfast which was a lovely surprise then we hopped upon our sick (but annoying) new whip which we all wish was the same old bus that broke down due to mechanical issues. While on our way to Dangriga, we learned the Belizean national anthem so we could join in with the kids in singing it. When we arrived, we were sad that we would have to inevitably say goodbye to the best kids we’ve ever met. We played games with them the entire day and took many pictures with the ones we loved. To end our service, we gave Miss Bev a cake to show our gratitude and said our goodbyes. We came back to our home and had a delicious lunch which consisted of burritos with chickpeas. We then went on a tour to learn more about T.R.E.E.S., the place we’ve called our home these past two weeks. We gained a lot of respect and perspective for our homebase. After this, we ate a scrumptious dinner of noodles and bread, but not just any bread, garlic bread. The best garlic bread anywhere south of Texas has ever seen. But to top it all off, Windell, our bus driver, but not just any bus driver, the best bus driver anywhere south of Texas has ever seen (also our BFF), distributed some delicious ice cream and almond brittle. We then ended the evening with a movie night. We watch The Hunger Games which was a relaxing way to end our hectic final day of service. All in all, today was amazing and we loved the experiences that we were able to cultivate from our service.

Love,

Beth and Siena

Saturday July 14, 2018

Hi everyone! It’s day 13. This morning we gathered for breakfast and got ready for the last day. After we loaded up on food we headed out! Windell, our lovely bus driver, made impeccable time and we arrived to the iguana project an hour early, which was our first stop of the day. While waiting girls did each others hairs, ate snacks, and used wifi to share contact information! Everyone was eager to hold the iguana. They were surprisingly friendly! The brave ones of the bunch balanced the “Kim Kardashian” iguana on their head.

Our next stop was Ajaw Chocolate Belize. Here we experienced the original chocolate making process practiced by the mayans. We tried chocolate in many different forms which included a drink with the addition of cinnamon, honey and other spices. The experience was interesting and different than any chocolate we had tasted before. Overall it was great except for when many of us later found melted chocolate in our bags.

After enjoying a quick lunch at a local restaurant named Benny’s, we headed up to the Mayan ruins, Xunantunich. We took a boat across the river then went up to the base of the ruins. Carlos lead us on a great tour around the old Mayan ruins and up the high temple. On our way back to the bus, we took a nice walk down the path to the river.

Our last dinner was amazing as usual but sad to have our second to last meal all together. After dinner we broke into our mentor groups for one last time. It was a great two weeks and a perfect way to end it.

-Micky & Allyse 🙂

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Saturday June 16, 2018

Arrival day has come and gone and we can hardly ‘Belize’ it! Staff and students alike were up early to be at the airport, with our first arrivals landing in Belize City around 6:30am. It was a long wait at the airport made shorter by new friends and a yummy sack lunch.

We took a bumpy but scenic two hour ride back to our Home Base, TREES, located in the beautiful Stann Creek District. A spaghetti dinner and some basic survival orientation awaited us, and then it was off to our colorful cabañas set against the backdrop of the Maya Mountains. Each cabaña is named after local flora and fauna! We have students staying in Treefrog, Gecko, Honeycreeper, Blue Morpho, Jackamar, and Mayflower!

We are so happy to have students here with us and cannot wait to hit the ground running tomorrow with orientation!

Sunday June 17, 2018

Whew, are we tired!

We had a very full day of orientation, complete with games, a trip to our swimming hole, and prep for our first day of service tomorrow!

We are having a great time getting to one another and getting to know Belize. Our leaders of the day were Emily Pe. and Kayleigh, both of whom are GLA alums! They gave us some great tips on how to adjust and have the best time these next two weeks.

We’d also like to wish all of our dads, stepdads, grandpas, uncles, and father-figures a wonderful Father’s Day! Sending our love to:

Steve Cassabaum
Kendall Soll
Jeff Raab
Rick Helland
Todd Deike
Scott Sinelli
Christian Merlo
Joel Brous
Sam Rasure
Stuart Bodager
Scott Logan
Bill Haveron
Andy Walsh
Jim Reddinger
Mark Satkiewicz
Russell
Ed Robinson
Alex West
Dave Wasshausen
Pete Wilson
Christian “Cri” Williams
Chris Carrigan
John Peirson
Walter Pickell
Clifton Orzolek
Brian Smith
Zach Shimp
Jason Olverholser
John Daneri
Eric van den Beemt

Monday June 18, 2018

Today was a fabulous second day in Belize! Starting our first day of service, we met and taught 1st-8th graders English.

The kids were so eager and positive and it was heartwarming to see them welcome us in the way that they did. After a long day of service, the group went to the Belize Zoo and received personal guided tours. We saw the national bird, the toucan, and the national animal, the tapir, in addition to seeing a jaguar up close!

Finally, after a delicious meal of beef stew and rice and beans, we had guest speaker Emily Martinez speak to us about Belizean culture and history. She ended with some inspiring words regarding what we can do as individuals, and even more powerfully in a group, to make a change in our community.

Like Ms. Martinez said, “there is so much you can do in a day,” and GLA Belize Day 2 proved her statement right!

-Phoebe and Abby

Tuesday June 19, 2018

Hi family n friends of GLA Belize: Initiative for Children program, today was our second day of service but third day over all…at service we’ve been working with the kids at the St. Augustine school, we work with the Standard four class so we went over the blue morpho butterflies and played a game of fútbol, otherwise known as soccer in the U.S. Being with the kids has already been such an amazing experience and to know it’s just the beginning !! Each kid is so special in their own ways and getting to know them all has a lasting impact on everyone.

After spending time with the kids, we took an adventure to an inland swimming hole known as “The Blue Hole” while another group stayed at home base and took a cooking class. The sapphire water was like nothing we have ever seen before and all of us were amazed by Belize’s natural beauty. On the way back to T.R.E.E.S, the group stopped by a local ice cream shop called “The Country Barn”. The ice cream was freshly made on the farm which gave it an authentic taste unlike the ice cream back home. Later in the evening, we participated in a leadership activity involving the issues regarding the eviction of locals in response to the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Each was assigned a point of view in which we would answer questions on during a debate. This activity showed us how to be a leader in matters of conflict and how to handle heated situations. Overall, today we got to experience so many new things that we will carry with us through the rest of our lives.

-By your leaders of the day – Jamie && Olivia

Wednesday June 20, 2018

Today was an action-packed day full of service! After the initial three hours of teaching, the group stayed at the school to plant trees, learn about reptiles, and interns from T.R.E.E.S came to talk about their turtle project.

The kids from the local school are getting super comfortable with our group and tons of friendships are forming. With only 3 days left of service, our GLA group is making sure to have fun-filled school days for the kids. After meeting with our leadership groups and sharing our thoughts about the trip so far, we enjoyed a delicious meal consisting of pasta, Caesar salad, and hibiscus juice.

It was truly an amazing day full of fun activities and developing friendships!!

-Stacia, Riley, and Sophie

Thursday June 21, 2018

This amazing day started out with a delicious pancake breakfast before our 4th day of service. Today, connections were made stronger with the kids that they showed through gifts and letters they gave to us. Our kids are beginning to ask when we are going to leave and have been saying how much they will miss us after Tuesday. After service we headed back to home base for lunch and leadership activities. We held a discussion reflection on how leadership qualities were shown at home base and the service location. We also discussed some problems we were having during the school day and some tips to help solve them and have an overall better experience.

Following dinner we headed to a town called Dangriga for a grocery run and open mic night at the local library. We got lucky because they are only held on the last Thursday of every month. We watched both locals and GLA students perform songs, poems, stories and much more. It turned into a late night because of how many performers showed up. Everyone is looking forward to tomorrow, our last regular day of service before the party on Tuesday.

-Zita & Amelia H

Friday June 22, 2018

Hi friends and family! On Friday we had an exciting day! We had our last full day of service which also had a thunderstorm added to it! We also got to have a meal at the school for a fundraiser! Barbecued chicken, rice and beans, and Cole slaw were cause for some tired students! After lunch we came back and played an appreciation game. It really helped everything to see how they affect others!

We then split into two groups for cooking and the blue hole! The cooking team made tacos and brownies! Having a cooking class definitely showed the students that the cooking staff does so much. Shoutout to the cooking staff!! They also found a secret hiding spot where a chicken hatched eggs! The blue hole people embraced the fresh rain water filled hole and loved it!

With love and smiles,

Rachelle, Katya, & Ellie

Saturday June 23, 2018

Hi GLA blog visitors!

Today was long but arguably one of our best days. We all woke up bright and early to no power and no water, because of a thunderstorm the swept through the area while we were asleep, but nonetheless we then all headed to breakfast at 7:30. After a delicious breakfast of french toast and hydrating for the day we hit the road promptly at 8 am.

On our way to San Ignacio in the Cayo district, we passed through beautiful scenery and new places we hadn’t seen yet in Belize. Then close to 10 am we arrived, split into 2 groups and headed to an iguana conservation center and to learn about the spiritual and cultural aspects of Maya chocolate and the history of it and made some yummy chocolate drinks. We then sat down for a lovely lunch on our way to the Maya Temples and where we talked and bonded some more as we sipped on sodas.

While at the Maya temple of Xunantunich, we walked 1 mile to get to the tour guides (all up hill). Once there, we got sprayed in bug spray and sun screen. We should mention that today was particularly exasperatingly hot, so you can use your imagination about how we all looked. We then headed up to Maya temples of Xunantunich (stone lady in Mayan). Took a walk around and learned a LOT about the religion, society, culture, life, and games of the Maya people.

We were all very intrigued by the astounding architectural restoration projects from the past and the just now from all the new discoveries. All before heading straight up to the top of a 140 foot Maya temple where we could see Guatemala and enjoyed the beautiful view.

Over all the GLA Belize family had a wonderful and colorful day especially because it was the amazing Ellie Shimp’s birthday! We are excited to enjoy some cake and celebrate this evening!!

Hope all is well back in the states, goodnight!

-Hailey Overholser and Alexa Orzolek

Sunday June 24, 2018

Hey guys! This morning we didn’t have breakfast till 9 so we finally got a chance to sleep in! After breakfast we had the choice of participating in 3 activities: a creative writing workshop, a mini Spanish class or going to the swimming hole. After lunch we had a little bit of free time until we had a Mayan presentation. In the presentation we learned more about the mayan culture and practicing making weaving baskets. It was a pretty relaxing day for the most part. We ended our day with dinner and a little activity and reflection in our mentor groups.

Emily Pi, Evelyn, and Vishva

Monday June 25, 2018

Today was one of those days that feels like the morning happened two years ago. We went to Marie Sharps at 10 and got too much hot sauce (duh). It’s really cool that all of the people here have an interesting story, like Marie Sharp herself, who was present at the factory to tell us her own story. We got lucky— she doesn’t do that all the time! Once we got back to T.R.E.E.S. we didn’t want to get off the bus because that meant another adventure is over. We’re finding that we’re trying to absorb as much of everything here before we leave, so our days are seeming longer. We know it’s cheesy to say this trip has been life changing, but really, we feel like whole different people. All of our perspectives— on almost everything that we think is important— have changed. We are thankful for all the talks that help me broaden my perspective of others.

Reanie and Kate

Thursday June 28, 2018

Today we spent our day sailing on the open Caribbean Sea! We saw endless colorful fish, a friendly sea turtle, sea cucumbers, purple and red coral reef and even a sting ray!

After we finished snorkeling- we boarded back onto our catamaran and enjoyed an awesome lunch of grilled chicken, rice and beans, potatoes salad and basil tomatoes and cucumber.

We sailed around for a few hours more on the crustal blue Caribbean sea and then dropped anchor to meet some nurse sharks!

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Friday July 14, 2018

Omswastiastu!

Arrival day for the Children’s Education in Action was a success here in Bali! After 20+ hours of travel for most of us, we took a nice beautiful drive through rice paddies and light rain to get to our home base at Madras in the outskirts of Ubud. We are still awaiting the late night arrivals of Addison, Donya, Emma, Josephine, and Natalie, but so looking forward to meeting them all tomorrow!

After the few of us that arrive in the early evening got settled in, we had a welcome feast of a Balinese favorite called nasi campur (rice, mixed vegetables, chicken, noodles, sambal sauce, and corn fritters!) We finished the night with a fresh coconut drink as we played name games and wore ourselves out for the night. Excited to wake up and meet the rest of our little Bali community in the morning!

Selamat Tidur (Goodnight!)

Sunday July 15, 2018

Today we woke up to a delicious banana pancake breakfast! We had an orientation to the program and Bali itself. Our mentors talked to us about the social and cultural norms of the society and how to respectfully act during the program. Afterward, we had a little down time to get to know each other more while playing card games and making friendship bracelets. The mentors split us up into groups, and we participated in a scavenger hunt where we got to interact with the locals to learn more about Ubud. In fact, a local climbed up a tree to fetch us a coconut. During another group’s scavenger endeavor, they visited a rice field and got to see first hand where our rice comes from. We had dinner and played get to know you and fun/silly games afterward. Until tomorrow!

-by Max and Marissa

Monday July 16, 2018

Today we woke up and had fruit, tea, scrambled eggs and toast. Afterwards, we had a language lesson and got the chance to learn some common words and phrases in Indonesian. After a lunch of noodles and chicken, we got to play some games and activities to open ourselves up to each others points of view and learn more about each other and what it means to be a global citizen. After that, we learned to play traditional balinese instruments, how to do traditional dances, and make wood carving of our names. From there we walked through the streets and explored a local market before going to the Prince of Ubud’s Palace in Peliatan and talked to him about his intsagram, Ms.Indonesia, and other stories he had to tell us about his life and his views of tourism in Bali. We had a huge buffet of balinese dishes and took lots of pictures before walking back to the homestead and playing games for our night activity and heading to bed. Early morning tomorrow..so goodnight!

-by Addy & Jojo

Tuesday July 17, 2018

Today we woke up very early at 6:00am to go to a tour of the rice paddies. We learned how the rice is harvested as well as what other herbs and spices are grown in Bali. Our tour guide taught us many herbal remedies for various illnesses and the history surrounding Balinese agriculture. Later today, we were able to buy his herbal products at his store.

We all bought face mask and plan to all do face mask before bed. After, we traveled to the holy water temple where we were blessed and able to bathe in the holy water spring before we entered the temple and learned how Balinese pray. After the temple, we walked around a market. We experienced bargaining and were shocked at how determined the sales people were to make a sale. We finished the day with an amazing buffet with a view of Mt. Batur. Tonight, we are going to see a traditional Balinese dance.

Until next time!

-Emma and Donya

Wednesday July 18, 2018

Today we woke up early in Ubud for breakfast, shortly after we were on our way to Singaraja. On the way we had the spectacular opportunity to stop at the most photographed temple on the island and is certainly one of the most iconic images of Bali. Many had the option to hold exotic animals such as owls, bats, or snakes. After a delicious lunch we settled in to our new hotel in Singaraja. We then excitedly marched our way around town learning the new lay of the land on a walking tour. To wrap up the day, we headed to the beach for a sunset boat ride. Coming to an end of the day we came back to shore for a nice dinner under the stars with live music and fireworks.

Thursday July 19, 2018

Today consisted of waking up for 7:30 Breakfast which consisted of toasts and fruits along with tea. We then headed to the beach for a nice cleanup, we filled two bags with garbage and brought them back to the base. We then went on to have lunch at a local warung (restaurant) followed by some enjoyable free time. At around 2:30 we headed off to the school to meet the kids! Passing through the streets is very interesting because everyone looks at you, smiles or gets a little bit confused because we are almost the only western people they see during the year. It’s during these moments that you realize how much the Indonesians are welcoming and open to new things. When we arrived at the school, all the kids ran to us with a big smile on their face, we felt very appreciated. We then had our first 3 classes today, art, games, and regular class, which were very energetic and exciting. Looking forward to the next 6 days with the kiddos.

Missing friends and family back home!

– Jada and Sam

Friday July 20, 2018

Today we woke up to a nice american style breakfast of cereal and milk and fruit. After, we started preparing for our second day of English camp with the kids at the school. The topic of teaching today was animals, and all of the groups had very colorful and fun activities, including leap frog and crafting snakes and jellyfish. After preparing, we all took on other roles of different cultures to interact and attempted to experience what it was like living and working together despite the differences.

For lunch Gita treated us to some pasta and garlic bread which varied from Alfredo, Pesto, and Bolognese. After lunch we packed the vans and left to teach at the school. It was a long hot day teaching, but we still had fun with the kids. We said our goodbyes and went back to home base for dinner and a night in. For dinner we had rice, noodles, chicken, tempe,eggs, and fruit. Later, we’re preparing for our performance at the orphanage for tomorrow.

– Marissa and Hannah

Ps. Hi mom and sean -Marissa
Hi parents and Cam -Hannah

Sunday July 22, 2018

Hi Everyone!

Today we woke up to cereal treat for breakfast and started right in on our lesson planning for todays service. After planning, we played a team building activity at our hotel which focused on leadership styles and working together. We were able to take on different roles (speech, sight and action) and perform a task working against other teams. Later we took a leadership test which told us what kind of leader we were and what our strengths were.

For lunch, we had mie goreng with chicken, egg, and chicken sate with peanut sauce. After lunch, we headed to the school for service where our theme was food! It started pouring rain so the games group was moved inside where we played hangman and a ball game. After coming back, we had downtime before dinner and finished off with a documentary called minimalism and discussed afterwards.

Yesterday, after our service we got to visit the kids at Nayaran Sava orphanage. We were told about their orphanage and what daily life is like. After we watched performances of dance and yoga from the kids. We also got to show off our moves with a dance performance from all of us, which put smiles on kids faces all around.

-Donya and Addy

Monday July 23, 2018

Today we took a much needed break from volunteering and had a beach day. It started with a presentation about coral restoration and what we need to do to keep the coral safe when we go scuba diving later in the program. We also learned about the organization bio rock which creates coral reefs out of metal that draws specific minerals in the water that propel coral growth. After that we headed to snorkeling where we saw the coral reefs which bio rock created. Some of us struggled at first breathing through the snorkel then got a hang of it. After snorkeling we got to sit on the beach and enjoy some wifi and sun. We also got to order food which all of us enjoyed pasta, french fries, desert and smoothies. Afterward, we had time to tan by the beach and swim in the pool. Once we got back to home base we enjoyed some pizza and garlic knots while we played heads up and spoons. Excited for tomorrow!

Selemat Tidur (goodnight)

Jojo & Emma

p.s. (We were having so much fun that we didn’t get any pictures today for the blog, sorry! We will definitely get some good ones for tomorrow!)

Tuesday July 24, 2018

Today we woke up early for breakfast consisting of cereal and toast. We spent the morning prepping for school, then we were off for a morning full of fun at the beach. Some of us enjoyed delicious bowls of pasta at the beach cafe. At 1 we left and headed to our 5th day of service at the school. Today’s topic for the kids was classroom objects. The students at the school were more hyper than usual which called for some extra control on our end. After that we enjoyed a dinner of pasta, chicken and fries followed by our evening activity where we discussed our various goals and dreams.

-by Max and Sam

OK OK really we promise more pictures tomorrow!!!

Wednesday July 25, 2018

After breakfast today we planned our lessons for our day at English Camp. Then, we loaded the buses to the Bali Mandara which is a government run high school we visited. We arrived at Bali Mandara and were greeted by our “buddies” for the day. The welcome was followed by a short presentation which included a general introduction session about the school and how it was founded. Our buddies proceeded to give us a tour of the school.

We stopped for lunch while our buddies answered many of the burning questions we had about Balinese culture and the school. We parted ways after lunch and packed the vans once again to head to English Camp. The school day was long and tiring, but we persevered to eat dinner and more evening activity fun. The evening activity was kept a surprise until revealed after dinner when we found out we were going to an indoor court to play futsol against each other! Overall, it was a longer, jam packed day filled with fun!

Hannah and Dante

(Yes I’m okay mom and dad lol -Hannah)

Thursday July 26, 2018

Today we woke up and had cereal. Shortly after, we as a group preplanned our last day of teaching at the school. Following, we hiked up a mountain and had the opportunity to view the breathtaking sights of Bali’s beautiful waterfalls. After the hot long walk, it was very enjoyable to swim in the cool clear waters. There was a slide made from natural rock that our group had a blast sliding down. For lunch we were all thrilled to eat our favorite lo mien, chicken satay, and vegetables. We then headed to the school for our last day of service with the kids. It was hard to say goodbye but in return they gave us gifts and letters to never forget our experience here in Singarja. As the sun was setting we ate dinner at a beautiful beachside restaurant. Today was a perfect day to wrap up our service and lifelong memories that we were lucky enough to experience here in Singaraja.

-Natalie and Donya

Sunday July 29, 2018

Yesterday we started with a breakfast at East Bali Immersion (EBI) which is located in east Bali, with a breathtaking view of the valley. Then, we took the bus for about an hour and a half to go to our beach bungalows in Amed. Some of us enjoyed massages and tanning and swimming by the pool. We had dinner by the beach with an amazing view of the ocean and could admire the sound of the waves. After dinner we did a scavenger hunt, human knot and cards, then later we headed back to the restaurant and ordered smoothies, dessert and fries.

Today started with our delicious banana pancakes with bunches of sides. After an early breakfast we headed off to the pool to test out the waters in scuba diving. Many of us had the rare exotic and amazing opportunity to scuba in open waters. Most saw the incredible views of coral fish and much more that many don’t see from the surface. Some were even able to have a second dive into more exotic waters with turtles, sting rays, and many more sea animals, while others were able to have an amazing time at the gorgeous beachside pool that overlooks miles of ocean sea. We wrapped up our long exciting day with the worlds most amazing burgers and fries that we all devoured in seconds.

Love to everyone at home!
Sam, Jojo, and Natalie

Monday July 30, 2018

Today we said goodbye to Amed, and headed back to Ubud! We had a very long bus ride but finally made it back with a bathroom break and some room for lunch! Once we got to home base we had a GLA session to discuss the effects of large sporting events like the olympics on children in that area. We tied this to the tourism here in Bali. We ended the night with a nice dinner and a closing evening activity where we played a game called Guess Who. We didn’t do to much that was active today so we don’t have any pictures.. but we’ll be sure to make up for it tomorrow! We also watched a movie and are getting rested up for a good day of laughing yoga tomorrow!

ps: love you Mechelle

-Jada and Emma

Tuesday July 31, 2018

Our first day back in Ubud we woke up to Comong’s famous banana pancakes and tea. Soon after we were on our way to laughing yoga with Kadek Suambara. His contagious laughter, guided meditation, and yoga practice left the group feeling relaxed, centered, and goofy all at the same time. The group could not get over Donya’s random laughter and the instructors awkwardly hilarious approach to laughter. We then made our way back to the home base to rest up and get ready for the trip to Tanah Lot, or the “Land and the Sea” temple. The temple is located on a rock just offshore with giant waves constantly crashing into it. After being educated on the important spiritual and mythological purpose of the temple the group then dispersed to the market that surrounded the area. The group made last minute purchases for family and friends and got their choice in food for dinner. We all reconvened later in the night to drive back to Madra Homestay. See you tomorrow for white water rafting!

Jojo and Dante

Wednesday August 1, 2018

Our day started with an early breakfast which consisted of fruits and toast with egg, tomato, and cheese. We first visited a coffee plantation. We got to taste many different types of teas and coffees, including the famous luwak coffee. All of the coffee and sugar went straight to our heads as we waited in anticipation for white water rafting. We put on our life vests and helmets and set off on our two hour raft ride down the white water river. We stopped halfway at a beautiful waterfall. We then went back to home base and began to pack our bags for our soon return 🙁 After lunch we all met together to talk about how we can take our experiences back home with us. We all began to write a vow for what we will do at home to continue to be a global citizen.

-Sam and Marissa

Thursday August 2, 2018

Omswastiyastu!

Our final day here in Bali, so bitter sweet! We woke up early to have breakfast on the road in order to get to surf day before the tide was too high to surf. So glad we did because even the small waves were a challenge! But we did our best and just about everyone stood up on their boards at least once! We spent the rest of the time lounging on the beach, drinking smoothies, and doing some last minute shopping. When we got back to home base we had our final dinner of rice, potato curry, vegetables, and chicken. After dinner, we wrapped up our last evening together presenting our commitments to our communities, sharing an appreciation web about each other, and watching a cute slide show of pictures from the entire 3 weeks! It’s going to be a lot of travel for the next 24+ hours so it’s off to bed now. See all of you in the states soon!

Selamat Tidur (goodnight!)

Friday August 3, 2018

Today was the last day of the program. We said goodbye to one student early on, with a 4:00am drive to the airport. Back at home base everyone else slept peacefully, not quite ready for their last day in Bali. We sent off the rest of the group with one last banana pancake breakfast and some much loved hot tea. The group enjoyed their last morning sharing stories and opening notes they had all written to one another. We headed to the airport in the afternoon to send everyone off. A few tears were shed but not too many because we knew we would make it a point to all see one another again.

We all felt the emptiness of the home base today when we got back. Honestly, it is just not same without you all. We loved having you all here on this journey with us and wish you the best of luck in the future. Get home safe.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om.

Much Love,
Yanti, Gita, Lena and Nicole