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Wednesday June 20, 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. After everyone 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 and some juices as we played name games and wore ourselves out for the night. Excited to see what awaits us in Bali tomorrow!

Thursday June 21, 2018

Halo semuanya! Apa kabar? Halo, kabar saya baik. (Hi everyone! How are you? Hi, I am good.)

Today was an amazing first day in our new home of Ubud, Bali!

This morning we woke up at 7:30, jet lagged, and somehow managed to make it to breakfast on time. For breakfast we ate delicious banana pancakes, with various fresh fruits, kopi (coffee) and teh (tea). After breakfast, we had orientation. During orientation we learned first hand about the Balinese culture from Gita and Yanti, two local Balinese women. They taught us specifically about Balinese religious practices, temple etiquette, health & safety advice, tri hita karana (three causes of goodness), and the subak system (irrigation system for rice paddies native to Bali).

Next, we ate lunch, prepared by the outstanding “Mama.” She made a delicious soto ayam (chicken soup) in which nearly everyone had two servings! After devouring lunch, we had our Language 101 class with Gita and Yanti. We learned numbers, greetings, simple phrases, foods and descriptive words to describe foods, as well as family structure. Due to the near torrential downpour we quickly began our next activity…the Ubud Amazing Race. (Fun Fact: In Bali, during religious ceremonies, rain signifies blessings to the people.) We split into three groups and each group ventured to a different part of Ubud trying to complete a scavenger hunt which required you to interact with the local Balinese people.

Unfortunately, our ventures were cut short due to the torrential downpours. We returned back to Madras, soaking wet, and split up into our mentor groups where we journaled and established our “team” name, motto, and values. Next, we ate dinner consisting of rice, potato fritters, chicken curry, sweet tempe, and stir fry water spinach. After dinner, we ended the night with our student led evening activities: two truths and a lie as well as story strips!

We could not have asked for a better first full day in Bali and cannot wait to explore deeper into the Balinese culture.

With gratitude,

Grace Lee & Emma Miller

Friday June 22, 2018

Selamat Pagi!

We started off today with a delicious breakfast made by Mama consisting of some tropical fruits and an omelette. After our breakfast we walked to the banjar close to our homestay. At this banjar we got to experience multiple cultural activities, including learning to make offerings, wood craving, learning traditional dances, and playing Balinese instruments. We came back to the homestay to eat lunch, which was fried rice, chicken, and vegetables. After lunch, we were lucky to have nice weather, and continued our amazing race scavenger hunt of Ubud. We got to immerse ourselves into the culture and see rice paddies. We came back and had a group discussion about what it means to be a global citizen. It made us think more about the world around us and how we can make a difference. We played some other group games as well which helped us get to know each other a bit better. We’re excited for dinner and evening activity, which is going to be charades!

Salamat Jalan,

Isa and Isha

Saturday June 23, 2018

Today started off quite early- 6:00 am! We hit the road by 7:00 am in order to arrive for our herbal tour through the rice paddies. Westi, our tour guide, had high energy and gave lots of laughs! After the tour we had an opportunity to shop at the local herbal shop for lotions, balms, and masks. Afterwards, we began the trek up to the Tirta Empul Temple. There, we purified ourselves in the springs by submerging under the water.

In the central part of the temple, we learned how to do traditional Balinese prayers. Upon our departure, we were given time to shop in the neighboring stalls. Many students learned the art of bartering! A scenic 45-minute drive up the mountain left us at a beautiful overlook of the volcano. We were fortunate enough to be able to eat a yummy lunch buffet there as well!

At 4:30 pm we left to take a tour of the palace of the Prince of Ubud. We were also able to chat with him about various topics such as common problems that the Balinese people face to his Instagram accounts as well as current music artists! After dining with the prince, we watched a balinese performance with loud music, colorful clothing, and traditional dances. Day 4 was a busy but very successful and fun day!

See you guys tomorrow!

Cody & Paige

Sunday June 24, 2018

Halo!

Today was an exciting day. We woke up to soft rain and ate delicious apple crepes. After that, we gathered around two buses and began the long drive to Singaraja, the location in which we will be teaching english. Midway through the drive we stopped at the Ulun Danu Beratan Temple–one of the most famous temples in Bali. We toured the temple and then had a delicious buffet lunch. Once we began the long drive, we saw monkeys running wild around the streets. Finally, we arrived to Singaraja. We toured the city and then had a delicious dinner of noodles and chicken. In the evening we made a run to the local Indomart and had snacks while we played a heated game of pictionary. Om Santi Santi Santi Om!

P.S: hi mom and dad.

–Linda Guite

 Monday June 25, 2018

Pagi!

Today was the best day yet! We started off early this morning in our new town of Singaraja to get a head start on what we came here to do. The children we began working with today were overwhelmed and so pleased with our presence. We were divided into 3 groups where we alternated class grades throughout the morning. Our three groups focused on 3 different things Games, Art, and most importantly Classroom. Our lesson’s focus for Day 1 was Numbers and Colors.

After the lessons we grabbed lunch and debriefed our eventful morning. Then headed back to the A/C. We lesson prepped for Day 2 and met in our mentor groups to do a small check-in. The coolest part of the trip so far was getting to go to the beautiful black sand beach, where we went out on spider boats to swim in the clear ocean and watch the sunset. We also enjoyed an American style dinner for the first time all trip and listened to some locals play some great music around a beach bonfire with the stars above. We concluded the night with a quick trip to the Indomaret to get some treat yourself treats.

Tidur!

-Holland, Cody, Charlotte

Tuesday June 26, 2018

Halo!

Today was one of the days where we focused on more service and interactive lessons within the group after our second successful day of teaching! They asked us, What is cross cultural communication? To answer this question, the mentors showed us a documentary called ‘Framing the Others,’ a short film that identifies the effect of tourists and ethical photography. Basically, it demonstrated the relationship between the Mursi people of Ethiopia and western tourists.

In the video, a Mursi woman describes her village life, where she and her companions depend on the money that tourists pay to take pictures of the village. However, the tourists don’t see into the photographs they take. They take pictures of the Mursi people and leave without connecting with any of them. One woman tried to barter her way out of paying two Burrs, which is 24 cents in USD. They come and go for pictures yet know nothing of the Mursi culture. Watching this documentary opened our eyes into the difference between being a tourist and being a traveler. We never knew that taking something as simple as pictures could cause a rift between two different walks of life.

Other than that, service went fantastic! We focused on the topic of animals; the kids drew pictures, learned new vocabulary, and played fun games such as Sharks and Minnows. It was especially touching when the children decided to write our names and nice messages about us with chalk in the courtyard. As for the rest of the night, we ate a yummy dinner and played Mafia! Turns out we have a really competitive group (: HI DAD HI MOM HI MORRISSEY

-Madeline & Amanda

Wednesday June 27, 2018

Hello!

Today we got to sleep in (until 7:30). We then spent two hours picking up trash left near the beach just down the street from our hotel. We managed to fill three whole trash bags. Then we traveled home and did our lesson prep for Friday. We did not have school today due to the election going on in Bali. The school was being used as a polling area. Then we ate lunch, which for some of us happened to be a binge on Pop Meis (instant ramen).

Then we went to the beautiful Lovina Beach where we spent all our money on iced coffees and clothes and went swimming taking in the beautiful Bali landscape. After four hours at the beach we went home and had free time. Our dinner consisted of “Western Food”, spaghetti bolognese, chicken strips, and french fries. Our evening activity tonight is movie trivia and a much needed, and anticipated, movie night.

Bye for now!

-by Charlotte and Savannah

Thursday June 28, 2018

Hi fellow bloggers, Dr. Monica, and Dana!

All thirteen of us had another outstanding day in Singaraja. Again, we went to the school and delivered lessons all surrounding the topic of “body parts.” The kids embraced the lessons from sprinting outside on the concrete, to singing “head, shoulders, knees, and toes,” and labeling the human body.

After an exhausting, yet fulfilling four hours of teaching, we debriefed the morning and enjoyed American style sandwiches (yummmyyy!!!). We returned back to the hotel, ate again, lesson prepped for the next day, got an hour of WiFi, and slept.

After two hours of free time, we embarked for the Narayan Sede orphanage in Singaraja. This orphanage is home to 83 Balinese kids ranging from 8 month old babies to 18 year old adults. Upon arrival, we were greeted instantly with hugs, smiling faces, and fist bumps. The orphanage brought us into their family by calling us brother and sister, including us in their spiritual meditation for their Guru, a talent show, and a delicious dinner.

Overall, it was a very insightful, eye opening day that we will never forget.

Sumpai gumpa (see you later),

Grace Lee and Isha

Friday June 29, 2018

Today started off with day 4 of service! We taught weather and nature! We left right after for a packed day in the beautiful Pemuteran, specifically Taman Sari Bali Resort and Spa. There, we listened to an educational presentation about the coral restoration project called Biorock. Afterwards, we got to see the biorock in action while snorkeling off the local beach.

We had the luxury of using the resort’s pool and poolside service. There, we sipped smoothies and snacked on american foods such as chicken nuggs and french fries. The resort was a nice reward to enjoy the fruits of our hard work! We also stayed for dinner and had pizza and wifi! Yay! Then we headed back and are now writing this blog and we are all tired so we apologize for any errors in this post!

Selamat Tidur!

~Paige & Holland~

Saturday June 30, 2018

This morning was just another fun day of service at the school! We taught them articles of clothing, such as shirt, pants, shoes, etc. It was hard for them to grasp at first, but they got the hang of it eventually!

Things got super interesting when we took a trip to a waterfall in the afternoon. The water was so beautiful and refreshing, maybe even a little cold to some. Sadly, we could not jump off any of the dangerous-looking yet intriguing rocks, but we still had a super awesome time. There was even a little slide, and I know all of us enjoyed that the most. When it came to the hike back up to the road, which was an extremely steep staircase, I think everyone could agree that it was an intense workout, especially for your glutes!

Our lesson prepping is also improving as of today. So far, we’ve been struggling with coming up with ideas that aren’t repetitive or boring for the kids, and finally we delved into our more creative sides. Tomorrow the topic will be Places and Transportation; for example, the Art class will be having a paper airplane contest and origami lesson!

The evening activity was definitely one of the highlights of the day. We judged a Lip Sync Battle by splitting everyone into two teams and having them prepare a routine to a song of their choosing. The winning group lip synced “Tik Tok” by Kesha and it was absolutely hilarious. The other team did great too, with the song “Party in the USA.” When we made a quick trip to Indomaret beforehand, we got a winning prize: a bucket of Wafer Sticks! (It’s all we could afford lol)

Overall, today was a super fun day for the group and we’re excited to see what the first day of July has in store ! (:

Love,
Amanda & Hope

Sunday July 1, 2018

Selamat Malam Parents and GLA Family!

We started day 12 bright and early with the beginning of our second to last day of teaching at the school :(. Today we taught the kids about different places and modes of transportation! We continued the day with a series of GLA activity sessions surrounding discovering what our true leadership style is! These activities included an obstacle course (blind folded), mentor groups where we checked in with our outstanding mentors to see how we are doing, and a leadership activity to find out what type of leader we are.

After a delicious dinner we headed out for another surprise…Indoor Soccer/Futsal Tournament!!!!! We split up into three teams to play in a tournament-style competition where winner takes all! We truly channeled our internal leaders today. The soccer tournament specifically was great way to let out any extra energy before bed!

Tidur!

~Holland&Grace

Indo language guide
Malam~evening/night
Tidur~Going to sleep

Monday June 2, 2018

Halo!

Today was our last day in Singaraja, so our morning was full of tearful goodbyes to the children. Seeing some of the kids cry definitely hit a spot in our hearts, and it really shed light on how much the children cared about us and our role as teachers and friends. Many of them gave us cards, letters, little notes, candy, and jewelry! It was the sweetest thing ever. However, the gifts were not what we really wanted from them; it was the memories and bonds that we hoped to create since the beginning.

For our afternoon activity, we visited the Bengkala village, also known as the “Deaf Village,” because of the local population of deaf and mute people, which is 40 out of 3,000 inhabitants. We saw their homes as well as their workplace. They were very welcoming, even though they couldn’t speak to us. It was a heavy experience for us and it made us realize how lucky we all are.

For dinner, we headed over to Anik’s restaurant at the beach. We ate some yummy food, watched the beautiful Balinese sunset, and sang along to some acoustic One Direction at the bonfire. As a special treat, they set off some awesome fireworks!

I know we all really enjoyed our last day here, but we are also excited to move on to a new place: Amed!

Thanks for checking in on the blog,
Isha and Amanda

 

Tuesday July 3, 2018

Hi Parents and Families!

Sorry for the mild two day absence from the blog..poor service here ):. We’ve just been loving and lounging here at the beach with some added activities and a visit to a local environmental NGO !

Today in Amed our small group of thirteen was split. Ten of us went on an epic scuba diving adventure, while the rest of us stayed at the beach and went snorkeling. The scuba divers started off their day early to get the most out scuba diving. We headed over to the diving training center at 7:45. Only one of us, Charlotte was certified so she broke off from the group because she was not required to do training and got to go diving immediately. The rest of us stayed and got our training in the pool.

While in the pool we learned basic skills which ended up taking a couple hours. We then moved to a bay close by for our first dive so that there would be no current. We went around 10 meters under for our first dive and saw a lot of cool coral and amazing fish. We then had a lunch and headed out for our second dive. We went to a more open place where there was a current and got to experience more sea life. This time diving we went under 12 meters. We saw sting rays, a bunch of colorful fish, a sea snake, a bunch of new colorful coral, and even got to see an eel. Our second dive took us around forty minutes. We headed back to the beach to finish off this exciting day relaxing in the sun.

The other half of the group had a nice relaxing day. Isha, Isa, and Madeline got to sleep in listening to the ocean waves crash onto the shore. We then got to go get breakfast and just got to hang around reading, listening to music, and taking some nice refreshing naps. Around noontime we gathered for a nice quite lunch that consisted of some fried rice and different types of pasta.

After we went to let our stomachs digest the yummy food, we grabbed our snorkel gear and waddled into the turquoise waves. Our eyes were greeted by the fantastic underwater world close to our shore and spent about an hour and a half diving down to greet our new fishy friends…who swam away. After we snorkeled we came back and hung out, read some more, got some water, and just relaxed until dinner. With dinner concluding we played our nightly dinner activity and spent the rest of the evening stare gazing/ meditating. HI MOM HI DAD HI MORRISSEY-Madeline

-Written by Madeline & Cody

Friday July 6, 2018

Halo!

This morning a couple of us woke up early and watched the sunrise. Then we ate breakfast and had a couple hours of free time to say bye to our favorite beach spot. After that we packed our things and left Amed 🙁 Our trip lasted about three hours, with a stop for lunch, and of course an Indomaret run for snacks. Finally we arrived back at our home stay in Ubud where we had an hour of free time to unpack and rest.

We did a GLA Activity where we talked about the effect of major sporting events such as the World Cup on the countries that host them. This activity opened our eyes to a whole new perspective on these events. After that we had dinner which was highly anticipated by many, if not, all of us (we all missed Mama’s cooking). Once dinner was over we headed to a local night market. Here we tried tarang bulan (pancake chocolate), had ice cream and other delicious treats. Some of us bought clothes as well. Tomorrow we are looking forward to attending a laughing yoga session.

See you in a few days,
Savannah and Linda 🙂

Saturday July 7, 2018

Today started off with yummy banana pancakes from mama for breakfast! Then we headed off to laughing yoga! We learned that it is okay to laugh even if there is nothing funny going on. We practiced this through four different types of laughs (ha, ho, he, mmm), different dances, and ended with some traditional yoga! For lunch we had Paige’s favorite dish- soto ayam- with clear noodles, cabbage, egg, broth, chicken. Then we had some free time!

During free time some of us went up to AlfaMart to go get ice cream! We were able to use WiFi when we got back and when free time was over we headed to Tanah Lot. Tanah Lot is a famous temple on the water and around it are a bunch of shops! It was around a two hour drive, but it was worth it. We had a lot of fun buying souvenirs for ourselves and our families. Some of us even got Henna Tattoos (temporary stick on tattoos).

We were given some money to go buy dinner and some of us went to an American restaurant called Natya’s. After a bit more shopping we got desserts like lava cake then began our journey home!

With full bellies & empty wallets,
Hope & Paige

Sunday July 8, 2018

Selamat Pagi,

Today we woke up had breakfast at our homestay and headed to a luwak coffee cafe. Luwak coffee is a special balinese coffee made of animal’s poop. It’s one of the most expensive coffee’s in the world. We are lucky we got a free tasting. We tried multiple types of luwak coffees. After spending the morning learning about Luwak coffee we drove to the white water rafting place! We were on the river for 2 WHOLE hours with a short break to take cute photos in front of a beautiful waterfall. There were a lot of wonderful waterfalls throughout the trip, too, we even went under one and got even more soaked then we already were! Our guides worked very hard to ensure we all had a good time and made it back safely.After those two hours we then had to hike up who knows how many stairs in order to get back to our buses in order to get to our delicious lunch which had a great view. Then we took off for an hour ride back to our homestay, where w did one of our last GLA activities to close up our 3 week session in Bali. Can’t believe it is almost over!! ): After dinner, we headed to a surprise for Holland’s 16th birthday!!! Yay, he can drive!! Happy Birthday Holland! We hope you had a fun birthday 🙂

See you back in the USA!

Savannah and Isa (and Brenda)

Tuesday July 10, 2018

Hi CEA Bali and Family!

I can’t believe the program is over already! All but one are off and on their way back to their homes. With one student spending a little extra time in Bali with our GHI program (more time in the sun for Grace !). 🙂

Yesterday we spent our last day basking in the sun and working on our surfing skills. Although we did see a few minor wipeouts, everyone really looked amazing catching waves and gliding through the ocean! After our surf lesson with Pak Wayan we had some lunch and headed over to the smoothie truck to have some delicious and fresh juices and smoothies.

We then headed down the street to do some last minute shopping, making sure we got just the right souvenirs to bring back to the fam. With an hour and a half bus ride back to Ubud everyone took advantage and napped the whole way. When we arrived back home we had just enough time to shower before we had our last farewell dinner with Mama! Unfortunately our favorite chef (Mama) couldn’t make it because she was visiting family in Java BUT it was clear her love still came through in all the delicious food that was enjoyed.

After dinner we had our closing ceremony where we spoke our commitments to Bali and our home community out loud to the group. We received our wood carvings from our second day at the Banjar workshop and lastly enjoyed donuts by the projector screen as we watched a slide show of our time in Bali.

This afternoon we said goodbye to our group as they made their way through security to begin their journey! You all will be missed so much! Safe travels and I know all the family reading this right now is so excited to see you.
We will leave you with a collection of our favorite group photos! Until next time !!!

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om

Much love 🙂

Gita, Lena, Brenda, Yanti and Nicole

 

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Monday July 23, 2018

All 10 of our Bali Global Health Initiative participants have officially arrived!

The first 8 got back in time for a Indonesian dinner of fried chicken, rice, rice noodles, veggies and samba (spicy!). We drank young coconut water straight from the coconut and tried Terang bulan (a typical Indonesian desert that is similar to a think pancake with layers of chocolate, peanuts and cheese!) complete with candles to celebrate Cole’s 18th birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLETTE!

Out last two students arrived later after some delays from lost luggage – their bags won’t arrive until tomorrow so until then they are borrowing clothes and made an indo mart run for toiletries! (see picture of Vera and Aina with mentor, Kate at the airport). We are so excited to start getting to know each other, and to explore the beautiful island of Bali!

We will keep sending photos and updates along the way. Until next time!

Tuesday July 24, 2018

Om Swastiastu!

The past couple of days we have been exploring more about Balinese culture. Our first full day after arrivals, we woke up and dove right in with our GLA orientation. After lunch we had a language lesson led by Eka, and then head out in groups to explore Ubud on an “amazing race”. Ubud is a crazy place! We practiced bartering, ran into some monkeys, and Kyle’s group went on a determined search for Asia’s smelliest fruit – Durian. After Dinner we had our first mentor group and talked about our goals for the program and created our GLA “banjars” – these are the local community centers here in Bali.

Wednesday July 25, 2018

We started off the day walking to a nearby family complex and learning about the Balinese community Banjar and the activities they do there. This included woodworking (we realized how hard wood carving is by trying to carve just 3 letters of our names), music making, traditional dance, and we learned how to make an offering our of bannana leaves, sticks and flowers.

We came home for lunch and then had a GLA workship on Global Citizenship where we talkeld about our different values and beliefs. After the workshop we put our sarong and sashes on and walked to the Palace of Pelitian for a tour and special (and spicy) dinner with the prince. OH! And we found durian on the walk back from the palace, so some brave souls tried this famous fruit.

Best memory of the day: “The prince taking a selfie with all of us and posting it on his instagram!”

Quote of the Day: “A smile is a small curve that can fix a big problem!” – our tour guide at the palace… or Sumara.

Leaders of the day – Colette and Alayna

Thursday July 26, 2018

Today we continued our exploration of Balinese culture with a walk through traditional rice paddies. Our guide Elik took us through the farmers field and showed us local plants and their uses. We took a quick break for a second breakfast and donned our sarongs for the water temple’s purification ceremony where we learned about the god and how to do a traditional prayer. We went to a buffet lunch with a crazy view of a volcano and delicious food.

Our session today was an introduction to healthcare where we tackled different struggles of Healthcare from different perspectives by holding a true life court case on aids medicine and its cost. We had dinner and then returned to consider the lives of the physically and mentally disabled throughout the world. After a heavier topic we went on a late ice cream run to finish off the day

Best memory of the day: “Getting to do a offering at the water temple.”

Quote(s) of the day: During a game of mafia Vera: “Nurse wake up” Sumara(Nurse): “What?”

“10,000 IQ level right here” Kyle

Leaders of the day: Aina

Blog written by cecatae!

Hello friends and family!!

We have arrived in singaraja at our new home base – where we will be jumping into service (home health checks) tomorrow. But first, a quick update on the past two days.

Friday July 27, 2018

We slept in a bit and then after breakfast headed to a local nonprofit – a home for people with disabilities. We toured the center, ate lunch and practiced our drumming and dancing skills.

After lunch we had some down time at the home base before we went to learn about another organization – the fair future foundation, which is a restaurant that funds health care serviced for the underprivileged around Bali. After dinner we went to a very unique dance performance… I don’t think anyone was expecting the intensity of the fire dancers! It was a special performance due to the full moon.

Saturday July 28, 2018

We woke up and packed our bags to head out to our new home base!

Along the drive (through the windy but beautiful countryside) we stopped to visit the organization Bumi Sehat, a world renouned natural birth clinic, and then explored a temple alongside a lake. Finally we made it to our home base, and had dinner with the Balinese medical students who will be leading our service.

Tomorrow our first day of service begins! Everyone is very excited to get started and head to the beach after. Sending love to friends and family!

Leader of the day: Emily

Quote of the day: “We decided to do this work because the smiles on their people’s faces make me smile.” – one of our medical students volunteer partner (Tipe)

Sunday July 29, 2018

DAY 8: We woke up ready to go… slightly earlier due to an suprise earthquake and do our first day of service! Everyone was super pumped to help the people in the more rural parts of town. It was a solid day of service the highlight being able to hold 5 month old puppies and a little baby bunny. We then went to the beach, a long awaited treat after sweating it out walking around the town. We went to an adorable coffee shop and finally got our American food cravings fullfilled with pizza as we watched the sunset.

Monday July 30, 2018

DAY 9: We started our day with service. Again it was really inspiring to walk and help and we definitely helped 75-90 people with the highlight being telling a man that his 200/160 blood pressure was not normal and that he should definantly see a doctor ASAP. We might have saved a life! We then went back to home base to change and get ready to go to the childrens home. A HUGE welcome was given to us as we rolled in to the home in our dope van. We sang, danced, meditated and ate dinner. The children’s homes’ food was all vegatarion so that left most of us craving meat. We made a quick pit stop to KFC on our ride home to complete our very full day.

Wednesday July 1, 2018

Hello again from Bali!

We finished out last day of home health checks – such a cool opportunity to connect with the community, see how Balinese people live and learn about preventative health care. Our last day we played games with the local kids and they helped us pick up trash around the neighborhood. Thanks to our amazing medical student partners for being our teachers, guides and translators!

After our last day of service we went back to Lovina Beach to enjoy the afternoon and get coffee and French fries. We went back to our home base and did some competitive activities before heading to bed.

Today we woke up and jumped on a red bus to head to pemuteran village beach where we spent the day learning about the Biorock coral restoration project which has planted 130 structures in pemuteran bay and has rejuvenated the coral reef there. After a presentation and lunch we got to snorkel and see these structures. Visibility may have been low, but we still had a lot of fun! We perfected our duck dives to get up close and personal with the coral and fish.

After snorkeling we had time to chill at the beach resort and pool and ordered lots of American food that we had been missing. Tonight we got into new service groups and began prepping for our next round of service – children’s health education workshops. Tomorrow we will be teaching classes on oral hygiene, sports, and emotions. Wish us luck!

Sunday August 5, 2018

Hey friends and family, it’s Colette, Aina, and Cecetae writing from our beach bungalows to update you on our adventure.

The health education workshops with the children was an inspiring challenge for all of us, not being able to speak their language and also some cultural differences created a noticeable barrier.

The first day all of us were awkward not really knowing how exactly to connect with the kids, but through the days we learned that there are more ways to communicate than just language and by the last day all of us had a dance party in the common area as a goodbye to the children. Every day after service we did other excursions – to a hot spring, waterfall and deaf village.

Last night we stayed at east Bali immersion, which had a beautiful view of Mount Agung we had a cashew harvesting contest as well as a cooking contest between two groups, then as we sat around the campfire reflecting on our day there, the ground started shaking and we all looked around as our mentors told us to go out into the open area, everyone had quite a different reaction to it, some were scared and some were wondering what heck was happing, but thankfully we are all safe and sound and slept well through the night.

In the morning they also taught us all about the east Bali cashew business, with factory tour concluding our stay there.

Today we headed to Amed to stay in our luxurious beach bungalows, as tomorrow we will be scuba diving.

Love and miss you all having a great time in Bali!

*A note from the GLA Bali Program Staff 8/5/18:  As you may have heard, tonight we experienced an earthquake. We just want you to know that we are all safe here!! There was no damage near our home base and everyone is calm and in good spirits! Also, we are inland in Bali and far from the coast so there was no risk of a tsunami here!

*Update from the GLA Bali Program Staff 8/6/18: This evening, there was a moderate aftershock off the coast of Lombok island. There were very minor tremors experienced in Bali for a few seconds. We’d like to reassure you all that the students are safe, secure and sleeping at the home base now. There has been no damage reported in Bali and there is no danger of a tsunami. Staff will continue to monitor the situation and provide you with updates.

Hello families! Here are some photos from the weekend:

Sunday August 12, 2018

What a whirlwind our final days have been! From the adventure of scuba diving (some saw a turtle!), exploring temples, shopping, a crazy morning of river rafting, visit to a traditional healer and surfing… the past few days have been jam packed.

Last night we finished our program together with a final dinnner and closing activities. Everyone recieved the wood carving they worked on of their name at the beginning of the program, we shared what we learned and finished with an appreciation circle and final offering together for the new moon.

Students are currently on their way to the airport and will soon be on flights across the world. Safe travels to all.

Note from international director, Allie:

Thank you to all the GHI participants for the incredible energy, inquisitive questions and work you have done these past three weeks. We love you all and cannot wait to see where life takes you. We hope you continue to process this experience as you get home and that it has sparked something within you. Keep in touch! So much love to our keluarga (family in bahasa).

We hope you continue to Be the Change, and continued to BE CHANGED.

Thank you to the support from friends and family along the way – this was a crazy program especially with all of the earthquakes, so much love to everyone who followed our blog! 💕

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Saturday June 30, 2018

Greetings from Bali! WE MADE IT!!

What an adventurous start to the program! Students were diverted all around the world because of the volcano on the island of Bali, Mount Agung, erupted! Rest assured that the alert level for the volcano has not been elevated and we are safe to stay on the island of Bali.

After tireless travels, most students spent the day catching up on sleep or making their way home from the airport. Together we ate a traditional Balinese dinner at the home base, but not before we ate we sat down together to share stories of our crazy travels to get here and to pay gratitude to all those who helped us along the way.

HUGE shout out to all the families and our GLA staff members that worked endlessly to make sure everyone got to where they needed to be safely. With everyone safely here, we are now ready to start the program and have some fun! Stay tuned for more updates 🙂

Please note, the end date for the program is still the same. We will be losing a day in the mist of the eruption, but the students’ community service hours will not be affected.

Photo 1: Group photo after dinner at home base!
Photo 2: Director Allie picking up the last student at the airport!

Written by: Mentor Lauren

Om Swastyastu from your Bali Global Health Initiative “Blog Squad!”

Sunday July 1, 2018

Seven a.m breakfast led to a short but sweet yoga session thanks to our international director Allie! Of course, before we could start our adventures, we had our orientation regarding house rules and cultural norms for our next three weeks in Bali. Satisfying our hunger with a delicious lunch, we prepared ourselves for “The Amazing Race Ubud…” “The world is waiting for you, good luck, travel safe, GO” was our motto for the next few hours of our competitive hunt through our newfound lands. As the groups split off, team-building skills became stronger and unbreakable bonds formed between students. Throughout the scavenger hunt, we had to search for temple art forms, perform dances, and talk to locals in our best native tongue. Returning back to homestead, we had a wonderful evening full of travel stories, laughs, and delicious food. Finally, to conclude the day, we met in our mentor groups and called it a night.

Monday July 2, 2018

Early morning wake up call had us all ready-to-go on our adventurous day planned. We began with an Herbal Walk through the Magical Rice Fields of Ubud, which felt like a fairytale story come to life. We learned about how local famers have effective sustainability practices; for example, Did you know that the coconut tree can provide a farmer with water, oil, sugar, wine, bowls, meat, and endless other possibilities? After completing our Herbal Walk, we were off to the beautiful Water Temple of Ubud. The aura of the temple was mesmerizing, with many fountains cascading water into the sacred pool. Then, we were given the opportunity to present an offering and receive a water blessing in the main temple. After leaving, we drove to an amazing restaurant that provided an all-you-can-eat-buffet, leaving everyone feeling as full as a volcano ready to erupt! Returning back to homestead with a little free time, we left to eat dinner at the Fair Future Foundation restaurant, learning about the program and how they provide free medical treatment to the very rural and poor areas of Bali. To conclude the day, we met in our mentor groups and reflected on our time spent in Bali so far!

Selamat tidur!

Written by: Savannah, Sara

Tuesday July 3, 2018

This morning we woke up and had a later breakfast time from 8 to 9 am. After breakfast we went to a Disabilities Clinic, which aided local peoples with disabilities to help live a normal and healthy life. After enjoying our time singing and dancing along with them, we had a delicious lunch and proceeded to head back to homestead. For most of the afternoon we had free time to pack our things and prepare to head to our next homebase in Singaraja on the North side of Bali. Finally to conclude our day, we had the privilege of touring the Royal Palace, as well as meeting and eating with the Prince, Kris.

Dinner was very spicy!! Before leaving the palace, we were presented with the traditional Legong dance; the dancers entranced us with their eyes and beautiful dress, while the music only emphasized their dance and the story. Finally, we spent our last night at the Madra Homestead.

Wednesday July 4, 2018

Today, we had a delicious breakfast of homemade apple crapes, and sadly said goodbye to the Madra Homestead. We then stopped, on our way to Singaraja, at the Bumi Sehat International Natural Birth Clinic. It is world re-knowned for natural and holistic care for expecting mothers; the facility was amazing. Leaving the birth clinic, we stopped in the mountains at a wonderful buffet restaurant, and then proceeded to go to another Water Temple alongside a lake. The temple was absolutely gorgeous, and so many amazing photos were taken. Each buddy group was swarmed by other visitors wanting photos; like bees to flowers, and everyone had a great time.

Around late afternoon we arrived at our new homestead and before dinner, we met our medical student mentors for service week! They showed us how to take blood pressure and explained what we would be doing during service. After the meet and greet, our group was surprised for the 4thof July with dinner on the beach, a bonfire, singing, dancing, and a small fireworks show! After dancing our feet off, we came back to the homestead and crashed for the night!

Thursday July 5, 2018

Today was our first day of service!! Everyone was very excited this morning, and we had a warm welcome at the local village by small, smiling children and wise elders. After the briefing, we split into our service groups and walked throughout the small village, taking blood pressure of the adults, checking the cleanliness of the homes and eradicating any mosquito larvae. We did this both morning and afternoon, and finally ended the day at the beautiful Lovina beach; swimming and laughing were at an all time high this afternoon. After dinner at homestead, we had a speaker come and discuss his foundation on HIV/AIDs, and the day ended very happily.

Friday July 6, and Saturday July 7, 2018

Everyone was up and ready to go for our second and third day of service, excited to reunite with the children and people of the village. For the second day of service, we once again toured the local homes and took blood pressure and asked questionnaires in Balinese language.

Towards the end of service time, we also picked up trash on the streets. Touring morning and early afternoon, we wrapped up our volunteering time and headed to a local children’s home in Singaraja. There, they showed us around their home, led us in a meditation session, and gave us several performances (during which we joined in one dance)! Sadly leaving after dinner, we returned to home base for mentor group meetings and wrapped up the day. During our third day, our service involved a pop-up clinic in the same village. There, the med students aided us in providing local residents with health information such as blood pressure, blood sugar, height, and weight; we also served food and played with the children.

After completing the pop-up clinic, and saying sad goodbyes to the children, we had a wonderful treat of spending the rest of the afternoon shopping, swimming, and tanning at the beach. Our dinner consisted of delicious pizza while sitting and stargazing on the beach. We finally drove home and called it a night.

Thursday July 12, 2018

These past few days since our last blog post have been filled with hard work, laughs, excitement, and adventure! After completing our first 3 days of service touring through the villages, our next task was to teach Physical Exercise, Nutrition, and Hygiene at two different local schools, with each of our groups teaching a different subject everyday. This proved to be a tedious task due to the language barrier between GLA students and the loc students, but through creativity, laughs, songs, posters, and “charade-like” styles of teaching, we all took away our own valuable lesson from the experience.

However, our days were not just service, as we had many other exciting and beneficial activities planned! We visited a local nursing home that was free for elderly residents; our students even performed for them, we took a small hike to a gorgeous waterfall and went swimming below it in the chilly yet refreshing waters, and finally after our last day of service, we took a sunset boat ride off the coast, swimming and playing in the crystal clear waters while watching the colors of the sun dance in the sky. A delicious dinner, a bonfire, and singing was a high note of our last day in Singaraja!

We are at the beach, so the pictures are loading really slow! We will send more soon 🙂

Sunday July 15, 2018

Our recent stay in Amed was out of this world!! Arriving Thursday, our new homestead consisted of beachfront, bamboo bungalows outfitted with a front porch, hammocks, an outdoor bed, a small upstairs area, and a gorgeous communal infinity pool! We were all in awe and so excited to spend the next 3 days there! Our time in Amed was spent playing in the water, both pool and ocean, making eco bricks, and of course, SCUBA diving! 19 of our students decided to take the Discover Scuba course with Bali Reef Divers.

They learned the basics of SCUBA, completed a pool dive, and then were able to participate in a shallow water dive off the beach of the resort! 2 of the GLA students and staff Allie were already SCUBA certified and went to Tulamben, just north of Amed, to dive a much deeper dive, exploring a sunken shipwreck as well as dive a vertical coral shelf dropoff. Many amazing photos were taken by both SCUBA excursions! The remainder of students who didn’t dive were able to relax, go snorkeling, and take another sunset boat ride!

Each morning, many students woke up early and sat together on the beach to the beautiful sunrise over the east horizons; Our last night at the bungalows consisted of a picnic on the grass, eating delicious burgers and we finished our stay in Amed around a beach bonfire!

Thursday July 19, 2018

This is by far the saddest blog post to be written, as the end of our 3 week trip is here. Our last few days in Ubud have been filled by entertaining market shopping, laughing yoga, visiting a sacred beach temple, having a karaoke night in Denpasar, and last but not least, an epic morning of surfing! As we are about to leave our separate ways, we have all formed amazing lifelong friendships and experiences that will last a lifetime. Over and out from your June 29 to July 19 GLA Global Health Initiative Program!

Blogs written by: Savannah

Note from director and mentors: the student have all been dropped off at the airport and are on their way home! What an amazing group, we will miss you so much!!!

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Thursday August 2, 2018

Om swastiastu!

Our session 4 globe trotters arrived to Bali safe and sound and the GLA staff and our local Bali Institute partners have welcomed them to the island and also into our leadership family! A delicious Balinese feast and hydrating coconuts (with reusable bamboo straws!) were the perfect end to a long voyage.

Flight delays and traffic meant that most students got in later than expected, but as of today the students have met each other, learned a little bit about the staff and their peers, and have settled into our home-base, Kaya House. Everyone is looking forward to the next two weeks where we will dive head first into the culture, language, and scenery of this magical island-Let the journey begin!

We are still waiting on a couple students to join our crew, but they will be here soon!

*not pictured- Abigail, Sarah L., and Cierra

Friday August 3, 2018

Today was our first full day in Bali, and although we were all a little jet-lagged we still made the most of it! We started out the day with orientation and getting to know each other. We also got into our mentor groups and continued to make deeper connections with each other.

After learning about the Balinese language, we headed out into our local village of Mas in groups for a Bali culture scavenger hunt. The prize of a massage on the beach was clearly on our minds. Following a great dinner we had health checks and made envelopes that will later be filled with messages from the other students. Time to sleep and recharge for another day filled of adventures tomorrow!

~Megan E. & Izzy

Saturday August 4, 2018

Om Swastyastu!

Today started off with a 5:45 wake up call, which was way too early for many of us. After a delicious meal of green, banana pancakes, fresh fruit, and black coffee we set off in a caravan of buses to a herbal walk. We were led by Westie, a splendid Balinese herbal entrepreneur. He led us on a walk through the beautiful rice fields of Ubud. We learned about the family and financial value (1 rice field straight is approximately 10 Lamborghinis) the rice fields hold. We stopped at a warung and had coconuts and nasi kuning (Turmeric rice, veggies, noodles, chicken, and LOTS OF SPICE). We finished the walk by looking through Westie’s herbal shop and bought a variety of products used for good health and well-being. Although some of us may have stepped in rice field canals (Ayden), the trek was worth it in the end.

We then walked back to our busses, turned the music up to 11, and drove to the Pura Tirta Empul. This location is one of the oldest water temples in the world and was said to appear in the 10thcentury. Before entering the temple we all put on a sorang, which is needed to appropriately walk into the temple. While at the temple, we gave an offering in the traditional Balinese-Hindu method. After our offering we visited the “Instagram Pond” and observed many large Koi fish. We also saw the bathing areas which are used to cleanse the soul.

After meandering through a market of clothes and other items, we left and went to lunch by a volcano and, as usual, had delicious Balinese food. Then, we drove an hour and a half filled with bad music remixes back to home base. We had an hour to relax and hang out before we welcomed the medical students we will be working alongside for the remainder of the trip. We split up into six groups and went through the necessary steps for a successful home visit including taking one’s weight, height (which is more complicated than it sounds) and blood pressure. Directly after our medical lesson we had yet another scrumptious dinner. After finishing dinner we learned how to travel more sustainably from Kelsey. As many of us were still jet lagged from the flight over from the distant USA, we made our way to our rooms and went to sleep, ready for the following day.

Livin’ the dream from Bali! Selemat Malam (Goodnight)!

Yours truly,

Steven Lin and Ayden Sabharwal

Sunday August 5, 2018

It was a very eventful day filled with many activities and we were able to immerse ourselves into the Balinese culture. We went into a local banjar, a small community, and took part in a workshop that involved us learning how to dance a traditional Balinese dance, make music, carve our names into a wood plaque, and make offerings which are used by Balinese people during prayer!

We had some lunch and then went to a local market to stock up on some munchies! We then split into smaller groups and went with local medical students into the community and offered free medical checkups to different families who don’t usually see a doctor.

After, we came back to home base and ate some dinner and participated in a personality test which showed the type of leader you are! We learned how each personality type interacts and how we all are different but still able to lead effectively! Overall today was a 10/10 and we can not wait for the rest of our adventures in Bali!

– Lindsey, Alaina, Victoria

*A note from the Bali Program Staff:  As you may have heard, tonight we experienced an earthquake. We just want you to know that we are all safe here!! There was no damage near our home base and everyone is calm and in good spirits! Also, we are inland in Bali and far from the coast so there was no risk of a tsunami here!

*A note from the GLA Bali Program Staff 8/5/18:  As you may have heard, tonight we experienced an earthquake. We just want you to know that we are all safe here!! There was no damage near our home base and everyone is calm and in good spirits! Also, we are inland in Bali and far from the coast so there was no risk of a tsunami here!

*Update from the GLA Bali Program Staff 8/6/18: This evening, there was a moderate aftershock off the coast of Lombok island. There were very minor tremors experienced in Bali for a few seconds. We’d like to reassure you all that the students are safe, secure and sleeping at the home base now. There has been no damage reported in Bali and there is no danger of a tsunami. Staff will continue to monitor the situation and provide you with updates.

Monday August 6, 2018

The students were given a brief break from writing the evening blog since Day 5 was such a busy day and a late night, but I thought everyone would still appreciate a recap and some pictures from the eventful day!

The morning consisted of a session of ever-hilarious, but also rejuvenating “laughing yoga” at Ambar Ashram. This practice combines dancing, traditional yoga poses, and you guessed it-lots of laughter- to heal the body and spirit. We all left feeling great! Laughter truly may be the best medicine.

The afternoon was filled with another day of successful home visits where the GLA students continued to assist the local medical students to provide medical services and check-ups to Balinese families. It’s always a treat to see the students in action and to witness the gratitude and smiles of the patients!

The evening was a royal affair as the students were invited to the Peliatan Palace to enjoy a dinner hosted by the prince and to watch a private Legong dance performance. They got dressed up in their sarong and sashes and looked their best for the outing. At the palace, everyone learned about the historical roles and the current day-to-day lives of Balinese royalty and were wowed by the art and skill of the dancers. Balinese dancing is all about calculated eye and hand movements and each Legong performance portrays fables of the gods. Some of the students were even invited on stage to show off their moves!

What a day!

Om santi santi santi om,
Kelsey Stone (GLA Mentor)

Wednesday August 8 through Friday August 10, 2018

We are back in Ubud after fun couple of days in Amed, the local beach town. Before heading to amed we stocked up on snacks at the indomart and hit the road. On our journey through the windy mountain roads we stopped at a majestic water palace and took in the scenic views. We walked on water, admired large koi fish, and enjoyed a traditional balinese buffet styled lunch

After arriving at amed we all passed a swim test and were ready for some much needed free time. we spent the day in the pool and exploring the black sand beaches. At night we enjoyed a close to American style dinner and played some pool games before and after dinner. On the next morning we woke up bright and early at 5 am to head out on our sunrise boat tour. we watched the sun rise over the horizon as we headed towards a Japanese shipwreck to snorkel among beautiful fish and coral reefs. It was an awesome experience to see eye to eye with the bio-luminescent plankton.

(We even saw the cast of finding nemo!) After snorkeling we enjoyed our breakfast and then had the rest of our day to relax. Some enjoyed a massage while others enjoyed a nice dip in the pool. Later that day we visited a recycling NGO hat works with trash clean up in the area and other towns. we also learned how to make eco-bricks which are an efficient way to recycle a ton of trash! later that night we bonded over a bonfire on the beach while roasting some marshmallows and having a great time.

The next day we headed back to home base to relax after being tired from our beach trip. Later that night we visited another NGO which offers free and cheap medical insurance and visits areas in need of medical assistance. The food we ate was money we donated to the organization so they can continue to build upon their organization and help hem continue what they do. We then prepared for our next round of service when we returned to home base.

-Sonia, Lucas, Abby, Rose, Sophia

Saturday August 11, 2018

We started off the day living the dream with some delicious banana pancakes and fruit, then headed to Bumi Sehat, a clinic which offers free medical services with an emphasis on natural birth. We were treated to an interactive tour, informational and tear jerking videos, and a snack. After a spicy pork lunch served in banana leaves, we headed out for our first day of leading health workshops at the local elementary schools. We were divided into 6 groups; each group was teaching either hygiene, nutrition or fitness.

The main challenge was the language barrier, but we overcame that with laughter, games and of course chocolate. The happiness and enthusiasm from the kids kept us all smiling and excited for our future service days. We came back and headed to Indomaret to pick up some snacks and came back to Mama’s pasta, chicken nuggets, and French fries- it was a nice surprise after a lot of chicken and rice. We then went to play futsol (soccer) at a local center. We split into four teams and everyone was super competitive but we had a lot of fun (blue team for the win!!). It was a long night and we are all excited for a good night’s rest.

Selamat Malam from Bali!

-Sara, Emily, and Kaiya

Monday August 13, 2018

Our day started at 7am in the morning where we at pancakes with chocolate for breakfast. We soon drove for an hour for

Along the way, we stopped by at an Balinese coffee shop where they allowed us to taste all the coffee for free and buy their products. Our personal favorite was the vanilla coffee and the lemon honey tea. They were also selling the world famous lawak cat coffee which is actually made of their poop.

After another 30 minute drive, we finally arrived at our final destination where we water rafted for two hours. We all got super wet but it was so fun and refreshing since today was so hot. After rafting, we ate lunch and then drove back to our house to change and get ready for our last day of the Children workshop. We taught the children about hygiene, exercise and nutrition. At the end of the workshop we gave the kids a certificate, book, pen, pencil and a snack.

After dinner we celebrated John’s birthday with chocolate cake.

-Stephanie and Kate

Tuesday August 14, 2018

Our last couple days in Bali together were packed with final service, karaoke, ceremony, traditional healing, soccer (futsal!), and fun in the sun!

Our last full day together was spent in Legian Beach where students shopped, lounged, and caught some waves! After surfing and chilling beach-side, the evening was spent reflecting on our 2 weeks of adventure, cultural immersion, and service. Students shared their goals for the future, made one final offering, and watched a slide show of special moments from the trip. A mini “graduation” ceremony closed the night where student’s received a wooden Balinese carving of their name and an Indonesian flag.

This afternoon, everyone headed off to the airport to depart from Bali. Tears were shed, hugs were given, and wishes of safe travels filled the air. The GLA and local Bali Institute staff were so glad to meet the session four students and live and learn alongside the 25 leaders and future world changers! True relationships formed and we have no doubt that these awesome individuals will be lifelong friends! While our time together in Bali is complete, our memories and GLA bond are forever <3

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Tuesday July 17, 2018

Om swastiastu!

Most of our globe trotters arrived to Bali safe and sound and the GLA staff and our local Bali Institute partners welcomed them to the island and also into our leadership family! The students met each other, learned a little bit about the staff and their peers, and settled into our home-base, Kaya House.

A delicious Balinese feast was the perfect end to a long voyage and a much needed night of sleep will prep the wary travelers for their first full day in Bali. Tomorrow we will dive head first into the culture, language, and scenery of this magical island-Let the journey begin!

-The Bali: Global Health Initiative Crew

Not pictured due to late arrival: Gal, Jackson, Eva, Caroline, Logan, and Mackenna

We’ll be sure to update soon with a full group photo!

Wednesday July 18, 2018

We began our day to the unique sounds of Hindu prayer. Gongs, music and prayer echoed throughout the village of Ubud. Fog rolled over the peaceful sunrise, as the residents of Kaya Culture House slowly woke up.

After breakfast we did a quick 2 hour orientation followed by Soto Ayam (Chicken Soup with rice noodles, sprouts, potatoes, and eggs). Afterwards, we separated into groups of 3 to 4 and began on our scavenger hunt around Ubud. On one particular route, we passed by a Balinese wedding and they invited us inside to celebrate and meet the newly-weds. We ate these amazing solid jelly cakes, and roasted nuts. The bride was beautifully dressed in vibrant colors and lavish jewelry. Absolutely everyone we met along the scavenger hunt was friendly and willing to point us to where ever we needed to go.

It’s crazy how one could be half-way across the world, and people are still considerate enough to know your language. School children all knew basic greetings in English, and all said hello as we walked by. Due to the unique culture of Ubud, it was common for the groups to go inside the homes of locals and speak to them. Some locals didn’t speak English well so it was a fun experience to try and understand Bahasa Indonesia and communicate back. The scavenger hunt overall was wonderful and we ended up buying smelly fruits called Salak.

At night, we ended the day with card games like Uno and board games like bananagrams at the Kaya House. It was a good opportunity to get to know each other better and ended a successful first day in Ubud.

-by Amy, Henry, Riley

Thursday July 19, 2018

The morning began, once again, to the sound of chanting. Today, however, instead of going immediately back to sleep, we trudged down the stairs. Our disappointment quickly dissipated due to the wafting smell of cane sugar and green banana-pancakes. After sitting down to breakfast, cards, and conversation, we rallied to the vans and started our long, but fun, day of travel. We arrived at our first cultural experience of the day, the herbal walk. We split into two teams and explored the unknown culture of Balinese traditional lifestyle and all-natural medicine. We discussed the various facets of herbal medicine with our extremely intelligent guide.

After sharing snacks and visiting his herbal shop, we parted ways and began our adventure to the temple. Due to our separation into three buses and the language barrier between chaperones and our local Balinese drivers, we were unable to communicate directions and subsequently realized that we had taken a wrong turn. Our three authors for the night, Jackson, Haley, and Henry, who were conveniently located in the back of one of our buses, noticed the familiar site of the housing construction and the scented vaporizer shop we had already passed. This led the group to suspect the possibility of a wrong turn. After an additional 45 minutes of travel, the buses finally reached the destination and met up with the original group that had correctly navigated the winding Balinese roads and had waited for nearly a half hour.

Wearing our sarongs, we gave offerings to the gods and had a firsthand experience with the power of healing water. We then departed from the temple and made our way towards the mountainside buffet where we would enjoy lunch with the stunning view of volcanoes in the distance. After taking pictures with the scenic view, we headed back to home base where we greeted the Balinese medical students. They informed us of the various activities we would be performing for the days to come, and ate dinner in the common room with us.

As the medical students silently departed, we celebrated Caroline’s 17th birthday with chocolate cake and more games. We also had a bit of free time before we participated in the evening activity on sustainable travel with Kelsey. We eventually grew tired after enjoying activities such as card games, hangman, and soccer with the dog, and retired for the night.

Authors: Haley Inzunza, Jackson Tahmoush, Henry Huang

Friday July 20, 2018

We woke up to an egg and toast breakfast one hour before we left on our first excursion to the banjar 15 minutes away. During this 3 hour activity we had the privilege of being immersed in day to day Balinese culture consisting of wood carving, traditional dance and song, and the crafting of canang offerings. During our first activity, each student was introduced to the different tools used for the Balinese art of wood carving.

We were all able to carve our name into a block of wood held by our feet. In the next activity, we were taught by an instructor the unique art of puspanjali, which is a dance that focuses on the hips, eyes, and hands. Activity three was lead by a local musician within the Banjar who took on the role of teaching each student to melodize in order to come together in a song-like ritual. During the last activity we learned first-hand the technique of turning a local plant into a base used in the daily rituals of offerings. This outing was topped off by a fun bus ride to the Home Base.

After lunch provided by the local staff, we got ready to head out to meet up with the medical students, and begin our very first service hours. We broke up into our pre-assigned groups and took off to the houses of the locals. The medical students showed us how to take blood pressure, weigh, and measure the height of the patients. Each of the GLA students got the opportunity to interact in a genuine capacity with the locals. After a long afternoon of fulfilling we returned to the home base. We finished off the night with a presentation on stereotypes and an insightful discussion of the positive and negative effects of your words. A great third day of our Bali trip!

Love, Logan, Gal, Cella, and Jarom

Saturday July 21, 2018

In the morning we went to laughing yoga. It was kind of awkward at first but really fun once everyone got into it. We had to shake each others hand and just start laughing. We also did a few dances where we had to laugh the whole time. We had to pass around a microphone and do different types of laughs that were suppose to heal different parts of your body. At the end we did sun salutation. After we got ice-cream and T-shirts.

After lunch we went back to the banjars with the medical students to continue service. Each group had different experiences while walking around the banjars. Sam, Abbey, Riley, and Gal found really cute puppies at one of the houses and got the pick them up and play with them. Olivia, Cella, Mackenna, and Anna met a man who spoke 5 different languages and he attempted to teach them Bahasa. On the bus back, Fika did the In My Feelings Challenge which is where she got out of the bus and did a dance to the song In My Feelings by Drake along the side of the bus as it was moving. There was a group of Balinese kids watching her and they waved to us afterwards. There have been many funny moments like this throughout the trip.

We went on a tour of the Peliatan Royal Palace and ate dinner with the Prince of Peliatan. We got to talk with him and ask him questions about the culture of Bali and his views about it. After dinner we watched the Legong Dance at the Palace. The colors during the dance were bright and the costumes they performed in were very elaborate. The dance lasted about an hour and a half. Overall it was a really great day and experience.

-Abbey, Olivia, and Sam

Sunday July 22, 2018

Today was yet another great day! Our morning began with a trip to a local community center for the disabled. We were lucky enough to be able to tour the facilities and to meet some of the residents. In the Balinese culture it is often viewed as black magic to be disabled, but the NGO center offers nothing but great opportunity for its residents (English classes, sewing classes, and a sense of belonging).

After our tour, we played the drums along with our new friends and ate lunch with them. Lunch consisted of a variety of Balinese delicacies that we have come to love including rice, chicken, and tempeh.

After lunch we headed back to Kaya Culture house for a quick break before service. It was our third and final day of home visits with the Balinese medical students. Service was very enlightening yet again. Every family we visited was extremely welcoming and grateful for our help. Meeting them was an incredible privilege and a wonderful lesson— to appreciate what we have and to always be kind to others.

Saying goodbye to the medical students was sad, but don’t worry, many instagrams were exchanged.

After service, we headed back to home base and were surprised with the thing we have all been missing the most— PIZZA! (we miss our families too of course). After dinner, we had a relaxing night and we packed our bags for our beach trip to Amed tomorrow. We can’t wait to explore more of this beautiful island!

-Jordyn & Anna & Julia

Wednesday July 25, 2018

This Monday and Tuesday we traveled to Amed for some down time from service. Throughout these two days, we spent time at the infinity pool and at the beach, where we all learned was not like a normal beach in America. The beach was full of coral and beautiful sea life. After we settled into our bungalows, we ate dinner at the resort restaurant and enjoyed fresh fish and chocolate milkshakes. We woke up bright and early the next morning where “spider boats” took us to watch the sunrise.

On the way back, we stopped to snorkel over the Japanese ship wreck where we saw lots of fish, coral, and the underwater history. Afterwards, we made our way back to the resort where we ate chocolate crepes, cheesy omelets, and freshly made banana smoothies. Some of us got massages while the rest relaxed on the beach and by the pool. In the afternoon, we ate lunch then took a small hike to learn about a company that makes recycling bins and Eco bricks.

Eco bricks are bottles stuffed with different plastics to lower the pollution in and around the ocean. Overall, these two days were a relaxing break from the service we have been doing, and we’re eager to get back to Ubud and learn about our next project.

Authors: Kaity King, Peyton White, William Hawkins

Thursday July 26, 2018

This morning, we visited Bumi Sehat, a clinic specialized in childbirth. Bumi Sehat provides free health care services to patients that cannot afford large hospital bills, which can sometimes cost as much as a family’s annual income. We walked past the reception area, emergency room, office spaces, birthing rooms, and recovery rooms where we were given brief explanations about what rooms were for and how they contributed to the functionality of the clinic. After taking a short tour, we watched several films about the history of the clinic and how the founder was able to raise enough funds to build the establishment.

This afternoon we were surprised with a special treat from the cooking staff, fried chicken and spaghetti! Everyone was delighted with the change of cuisines because it reminded them of food at home. Also, it was great to eat something other than the usual chicken, rice and noodles. After lunch we split up into three groups (each led by a mentor) to compete in a series of challenging activities for a special prize, donuts! We participated in three activities which required team-building characteristics such as communication, strategy, and patience. For example, the first activity was a relay race with a very unique twist; we had to pass a ring off to each other using the pens in our mouths! This required an extreme amount of patience and strategy because we needed to figure out the most efficient way to pass the ring. Out of the three activities we participated in, John and his group decimated the other two mentor groups with three victories; however they are not the champions yet because there are still more games to be played.

Next, we continued our service portion of the trip. On today’s agenda we had to educate fourth, fifth, and sixth graders on hygiene, nutrition, and exercise with a half-hour lesson, something the Balinese schools do not offer. This is very vital to children because it encourages them to lead a healthy lifestyle. While preparing for service, some groups felt a little nervous about working around the language barrier, however the young students were very attentive and cooperative, a great aspect which turned out to be fun and a little relieving. Also, the kids were very cute and gave us hugs and goodbyes while we were on our way out from the school. Finally, we went back to Kaya House in a great mood, prepared for the last upcoming days of service.

-Antonios and Alex

Saturday July 28, 2018

Today was an early start. We woke up and had some delicious pancakes before heading out to white water rafting. On the way, we made a quick stop at a coffee plantation where we were given some samples of the different coffees and teas. They were all delicious- even the one made from cat poop!

At white water rafting, we split into groups of four and got dressed in our life-vests and helmets before heading out on the boats. The water was rough and at times a little scary, but the beautiful view made it hard to be afraid. Afterwards, we had lunch and dried off with towels before piling back on the busses and heading home to get ready for service.

We again taught the students at the schools about nutrition, hygiene, and exercise through lesson plans that our groups created and delivered in Balinese. The kids were even more excited to see us again, and did not want us to leave.

After service, we had dinner of chicken and rice and prepared our lesson plans for tomorrow’s service. After which, John led an eye-opening activity about privilege that left us all feeling very thankful.

Authors: Jordyn, Caroline, and Eva

P.s. Shoutout to Eva’s Dad, Giuseppe. Happy Birthday!!

 

Monday July 30, 2018

Our last couple days in Bali together were packed with final service, ceremony, traditional healing, soccer (futsal!), and fun in the sun!

Our last full day together was spent in Legian Beach where students shopped, lounged, and caught some waves! After surfing and chilling beach-side, the evening was spent reflecting on our 2 weeks of adventure, cultural immersion, and service. Students shared their goals for the future, made one final offering, and watched a slide show of special moments from the trip. A mini “graduation” ceremony closed the night where student’s received a wooden Balinese carving of their name and an Indonesian flag.

This afternoon, everyone headed off to the airport to depart from Bali. Tears were shed, hugs were given, and wishes of safe travels filled the air. The GLA and local Bali Institute staff were so glad to meet the session three students and live and learn alongside the 25 leaders and future world changers! True relationships formed and we have no doubt that these awesome individuals will be lifelong friends! While our time together in Bali is complete, our memories and GLA bond are forever <3