Hey students!

Where are you right now? As you read this letter? Both physically and mentally. Did your eyes
light up at this letter or have you skipped over it and saved reading this for sometime later? How
has your experience in Thailand subtly or profoundly shifted the way you approach your life and
the world? Are you still rocking your elephant pants? Thankful for the familiar or missing the
bum gun? Loving being able to grab that familiar drink or dreaming of a “Mansome?”

In the blink of an eye we have all gone from being an amazingly silly gang of dreamers, seekers
and feelers during twenty-one days in Thailand; sharing meals, swimming in waterfalls, playing
with elephants, to being back to our everyday lives. I hope that you still reflect on the many
amazing friendships and bonds that were made during our time in Thailand. I hope that your
experience in Thailand has given you the desire to continue to travel this amazing world and
experience the richness of other cultures.

Some special moments from our trip:

-Talking with Monks at the Phra That Chedi Luang Temple
-Learning the process of how prosthetic legs are made
-Learning how to cook authentic Thai food
-Making personalized enrichment toys for elephants
-Hiking to the waterfall during a heavy storm
-The never-ending Yes/No/Maybe story at Hmong Village Lodge
-Hiking through the farmlands and visiting the shaman in the Hmong Village
-Getting to play with two week old Suki and having her fall asleep on fellow students at Chai Lai
-Bamboo-rafting down the Mae Wang river
-The last day of service walking the elephants through the jungle and having a cookout.

This summer was an amazing experience that would not have been the same without each and
every one of your brilliant personalities. Thank you for the continuous smiles and memories that
you have given each other and us as staff!

-written by Job Strong, Mentor

GLA Elephant Health and Welfare Staff

 

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Announcements announcements announcements!

SaWaDiKa (HELLO!) future leaders!

I hope this letter finds you well. I wish we could be sharing these memories and stories with you over some perfect eggs at Woodfield, or coconut milk curry, but instead grab some Thai tea (if you have any left) and think back to Thailand! Right from the get go we jumped right into PadThai, name games, ice breakers, and lesson planning! The cultural experiences started off strong as well, with an all you can eat international buffet, followed by a city walking tour and ending with a cooking class! I forget, who’s Tom Kha soup was rated the most tasty by our local team, Jane and Aom? Was it mine? The cooking class was also the first time we laid eyes on the fish slippers, fish flops!

Speaking of fish – remember the thatched huts at Huay Tung Tao reservoir? Who ended up eating a dancing shrimp?? And that large straw gorilla in the rice paddies? So ridiculous! Ok, bring it back, bring it back.

Your first week of teaching was so impressive and inspirational! From family to health to science and English, you could tell you gave it your all, thank you teacher. English camp was a great way to end the week as teachers, with a clothing relay, animal masks, and peanut butter and jelly sandwich making! Muay Thai, our long awaited Thai massage, and a night time pool party all followed, along with our day to Doi Suthep and the Hmong Village! You know what they say, you haven’t really been to Chiang Mai if you haven’t been to Doi Suthep and walked up all those stairs! Up at the Hmong Village we had our first market time, and Khao Soi, the famous noodle dish from northern Thailand, good thing it wasn’t too spicy! Who remembers our other day in the Hmong village, walking around the steep and hilly community, eating friend rice, and making batik art? The community leader, Mr Yua, was so funny and friendly and loved sharing about the Hmong community in Thailand!

Next came the highlight for many, elephant day at Elephant Jungle Sanctuary Camp!

From picking out our mahoot colorful wool ponchos and stuffing the pockets full of bananas to feeding the elephants bananas and medicine balls, BON BON! My favorite part of elephant day was the mud bath followed by the rinse off in the river, or maybe it was playing with the baby elephant! Another highlight would definitely be the variety of night markets! I loved taking my 100 Baht and finding glazed meat on a stick, pad thai, and a fresh smoothie! Oh and the elephant pants galore!

The service aspect of our 21 days was definitely a highlight as well. The kiddos at Baan Praporn loved hanging out with you, dancing, playing soccer, and the orphanage wide game of Sharks and Minnows! It was awesome to watch you guys work as a team to dig 4 holes for septic tanks! Not a lot of high school students can say they dug 6 foot holes in Thailand all while dancing and laughing to throw back music! Speaking of music, it was s incredible to watch you all perform the hoe down through down at the Regina all girls school! Their hip hop Thai dance infusion was also top notch. I loved watching you all interact while you were painting canvas bags, and the music that was played from the “dj booth” as well. From zip lining, to a pottery and umbrella village, to wood and silver carving, planting rice, and biking and kayaking, this program really did it all!

As international staff, Mark and I really appreciated the effort everyone put into mentor groups, the leadership activities, and being leader of the day! I especially loved facilitating our stories of self, Big talk, and crossing the line! Keep being open and willing to share! It was a pleasure getting to know you all better!

Let me leave you with one last image (a personal favorite:)… mango sticky rice!

Thank you for joining us in Thailand!! I can’t wait to see where your future endeavors and travels take you!! See you next year with GLA yeah? Yeah!

Kapunka!

-Lexi Robinson, Mentor

 

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Dear students of session 1,

It’s so crazy to think that its been such a long time since we were all living in Chiang Mai, Thailand together! I hope this letter finds you doing well, enjoying life, continuing to learn and grow as a leader, and asking good questions (you know, that’s what good leaders do!)
As I reflect back on the amazing summer experience we had together, I can’t help but giggle at all of the silliness we had, but I also remember a few moments where I may have shed a tear, just like a proud dad would do. The day we did our cultural exchange at the high school, I was so proud of the work you had put in to make your performance special and meaningful. The way you worked together, many of you getting out of your comfort zone (and into your courage zone) was truly inspiring! Oh, and those dance moves!!! Wow! Ya’ll really did such a fantastic job.

And how about our service work at Baan Praporn! I think we really honored our hosts by doing meaningful work—mixing cement, digging gigantic holes, leveling the foundation of the bathroom—you ALL worked so hard, and I know it made a difference for those students! Speaking of the kids at the orphanage, I still smile when I think of all the pretty braided & flowery hair, the crazy games of futbol, simon says, duck-duck… (goose?)…and I couldn’t forget all the beautiful hugs and smiles and tears as we said our fare-wells one last time before going to the waterpark. It’s a cherished memory for me, and I hope it is for you as well.

I also think back to some profound moments, such as our “Monk chat” with Phra KK. He took such care to tell us about the principals Buddhists live by, showing us the importance of listening to one another, asking questions, being honest, and pursuing the right path in life. I won’t forget how he showed me the importance of forgiving others—how our unforgiveness only harms ourselves, not anyone else. Did you take good notes? What do you remember from the chat? I hope you are still thinking about the ideas KK presented and learning what it means to apply healthy practices and principles to your life.

There were so many other memories for me from our first cooking class, to the crazy giant Gorilla made of straw, to biking across rice fields, our daily hashtags on the white board (#NoMoreTeb), shooting the crossbow (don’t forget I hit BOTH fruits!), all the different markets we explored, painting umbrellas & making pottery, learning how to carve wood, zip-lining, the crazy 3-D museum (and massages!!)….And my personal highlight: playing with the elephants! Wow, what an incredible few weeks we had!

All in all, I’d say we had one unforgettable summer trip. I had so much fun getting to know you all— watching you step up to challenges, listening to you encourage one another, appreciating your teaching and leadership skills in the schools and at service. I like to think that we all did a pretty good job of being present during our 21 day adventure. So, I’ll leave you with a quick reminder of my favorite quote:

“Wherever you are – be ALL there” —Jim Elliot

No matter where you choose to go in life, I hope you will always be ALL there. Live every moment to the fullest. Pursue the things you are passionate about. Stand up for those who don’t have a voice. Have meaningful dialogue. Ask good questions, and actually listen to the answers. You never know what you might learn. You won’t know what’s really possible until you attempt the impossible! Go live life!
All the best this year, and always, until we meet again,
Your “dad” in Thailand,

-Mark Tutschulte, GLA International Director

 

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Sawasdii-ka everyone!

It’s crazy to think that just a few short weeks ago we were all together riding around in vans through Chiang Mai. On arrival day, you stepped out of the airport humming with excitement in your blue shirts, taking in your first sights of Thailand.

Your first full day was a whirlwind, packed with a city tour, museum and temple visits, and ending with preparing yourselves for your first day of service, which was the very next day! You jumped into teaching like naturals, working well as groups and creating long-lasting, loving bonds with your students. We did not have a full week of service, but instead you had the opportunity to participate in ceremonies at your service sites that celebrated the King’s birthday and the beginning of Buddhist Lent. You ended your service with English Camp, where you designed creative, fun English-language games, and tearful goodbyes with your students who had followed you around and played with you everyday. They asked for your Instagram names one more time before they chased you to your vans and waved as you drove off.

After service was over, you embraced the “adventure” part of Global Leadership Adventures. We hiked through a forest garden and learned about sustainability in an indigenous Hmong village. We went to Wat Phra That, the Golden Temple on the Mountain, and ate Khao Soi at Doi Pui, after which we bunked down in a coffee shop while a storm raged around us. We trekked through mud, broke or lost several pairs of shoes, all to play with a baby elephant and splash around with the elephants in the river. We also crafted like pros: painting our own umbrellas, making our own pottery, and painting wooden dolls and making bags in the style of the Tai Lue people. It’s hard to believe that on top of all that you zipped and climbed through the jungle and received incredibly relaxing Thai massages!

Departures at the airport were bittersweet, but you all made plans to see each other again, so you knew that “goodbye” wasn’t really goodbye. The friendships that you made during your two weeks in Chiang Mai are invaluable, much like your experiences in Thailand.

Sawasdii-ka, guys!

Kathy, International Director

 

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Hello students!

It feels like only yesterday that you all stepped off the plane and piled into vans eager to immerse yourselves in Thai culture and chat with your new friends. Your excitement was palpable and you really did face your coming adventure with open minds and big smiles!

Your first day began with some insight into Thai history and the culture of Chiang Mai. This new information facilitated an understanding of where we were and set the scene for the rest of your experience. We explored the city and put on our chef hats (maybe in the form of some fish slippers) during an incredible evening cooking class that rounded off Day 1.

After a jam-packed first few days of name games, green glass doors, and consuming new foods (durian, bamboo worms, and mega spice sauce included), we jumped right into school. Teamwork was the name of the game and school preparation began. After an exciting first day of trial and error, you all found your groove and taught with confidence and creativity. To round off our week of teaching, your skills were put to test with English Camp, where you upped your creativity and had a great time solidifying the lessons you had been working on with your students. Let’s not forget our time at recess where the same kids would find you everyday to play games, sing songs, and giggle a lot! The connections you made with your students were strong and unique, we know they will never forget you!

A highlight of week one was definitely the intense basketball tournament that took place during our Cultural Exchange. Our players fully embraced the humid weather and came out with a victorious win after an excitingly close game. The students at Sacred Heart were so excited to meet you all, and the shared experience of getting to know one another through events like Thai dancing and dessert tasting was one that everyone loved.

Our second week was also full of adventure! We explored Wat Phra That and Doi Pui on Doi Suthep mountain, painted traditional umbrellas, received Thai massages, and ziplined through the jungle. Let’s not forget the AMAZING time with the elephants too! We were lucky enough to give hugs to a one-month old baby elephant and had lots of fun splashing both the elephants and each other in the river.

Saying goodbye to each other was difficult, but lifelong friends were made here at Tianna and your experience in Thailand was unforgettable!

Sawasdeeka kiddos!!

Caroline, Mentor

 

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