Wow! Can you believe it has already been months since we were all together in Bali?  It feels like yesterday that we eagerly awaited your arrivals at the airport, excited to see your jetlagged faces ready to embark on an adventure of a lifetime ☺

Recently we have been back to Lovina to visit our friends from the summer. We reminisced about all the fun we had with Domingo, Anik and the singing boys at the beach.   Saw the dorm staff and they say its already lonely and feeling vacant without you there.  And of course I visited the schools that you made such an impact on.  The children were so excited to see us because they thought we had brought all of you back!  Unfortunately not, but I can tell from talking to the teachers that they have a new enthusiasm for learning that directly stems from your incredible teaching ☺☺

We hope that you have had an amazing start to your new school year.  We have no doubt that you have stayed true to your commitments that you left with at the end of the program and that you continue to make a positive impact on the people and communities around you.  Keep traveling and keep taking risks; we know that each of you are going to make such a difference in the world!

After chatting with the team, we came up with some of the most memorable moments of the summer:

• H0t_cross_buns and and Melissa Bella
• It’s a party in my tummy! So yummy so yummy! The staff continued to sing that for the rest of the summer… thanks guys.
• The sunrise hike at EBI and the staffs super slow motion run up the hill for our fake East Bali Cashews commercial staring Luna…
• LUNA!!!
• Fireworks and burgers at Anik’s for the 4th… and tasty smoothies for our veggie people 🙂
• Diving into the ocean in Lovina and finding a blue star fish… Then letting you all know that it needed to go back into its home.
• Hattie’s chocolate cake birthday treat!
• Nancy’s killer dance moves and vocals during karaoke
• The hot scuba instructor (Nicole made me add this one) and the Danish boys
• Gabby’s last night donut surprise for her birthday.
• Fan hats

Miss you all and stay in touch!

-Your GLA Bali Team

 

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Hey Guys!

We wish we could be sharing these memories and stories with you over an empanada (or 5) during snack time at Villa Victoria, but instead grab a nice cup of hot tea or coffee and think back to Argentina!

From the ice breakers on the Villa Victoria lawn and that first 3 course meal complete with spaghetti, bowls of bread, and ice cream, the beginning of Argentina: Land of Discovery was off to a great start! Right from the get go the adventures started, kayaking down the Rio Tigre and making our first eco-laudrillos in the home base. The first sunny day of service was for sure a memorable one, as everyone worked to collect sand and rocks, and dig the trench with a pick axe!

We fondly look back on the CAEC students, and the conversations and dance parties we shared with them! What a fantastic job everyone did over our service days! From making and mixing adobe, to river walks with Gerald the wheel barrow to collect supplies, everyone used their leadership skills and worked together to form a fantastic team!

The cultural aspects of Argentina are definite highlights from our 2 weeks in South America. Learning how to tango and “play a little bit” with the fancy foot work was so fun, and learning how to properly tomar mate was awesome (and delicious). Walking around the Museo de Arte in Tigre was a cool way to spend a rainy afternoon, especially when it involved an impromptu trip to a kiosco to get Argentine snacks and chocolate kinder eggs!

Spending 2 days in San Antonio de Areco at the Estancia brings back such fun memories! Some of the most notable memories are the delicious welcome empanadas, our first asado, the interesting gaucho horse show, and the horseback ride around the estancia! Rain or shine everyone was smiling!

Finishing out our 2 weeks strong with a tour of Buenos Aires was fantastic! Driving past the Casa Rosada, and passing through the colorful streets of La Boca before our last all you can eat asado lunch at Puerto Madero was a great end to the trip!

As international staff, we really enjoyed the effort everyone put into mentor groups, the leadership activities, and being leader of the day! It was a pleasure getting to know you all better thanks to big talk questions!

Thank you for joining us in Argentina ! We can’t wait to see where your future endeavors and travels take you!!

Gracias,

Argentina International Staff

-Lexi, Andrea, and Kumbi

 

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Dear Beachside Service Adventurers,

The summer is quickly coming to a close as we prepare for our last two groups of students here at La Isla. Looking back on the summer, it seems like just yesterday and yet a lifetime ago that you were walking through arrivals at SJO with those bright blue shirts on.  As our first group of students, you all hold a special place in our hearts here in Parrita. You were the first GLAers to lay in the hammocks out front. The first to tromp the sands for trash cleanup and beach soccer and a sunrise walk with Mark. The first to tackle our leadership curriculum head-on with open minds and an eager spirit. The first to hop on ziplines and horses and white water rafting tubes (and the first to fall off into the brisk water!). You were the first to interact with the locals, giving them a glimpse into what GLA is all about. You really paved the way for the students to come after you, and for that, you should be extremely proud.

I loved seeing everyone challenge themselves throughout the week. From stretching your perspective on service work and global development to becoming stronger leaders-you all truly inspired me. The impression you left and the work that you all accomplished has not gone unnoticed. Every time we barrel down the long dirt road to the hotel, we pass Escuela Isla Palo Seco and show our students the garden that Jesse’s group built.

The relationships formed between Daya’s group and Lourdes have continued to blossom into a beautiful partnership. We admire the joy and brightness brought to the front of Escuela Lourdes every time we see the fence that Mark’s group constructed. This week, I returned to Escuela Bambu to build a tire playground and I was able to show my students the classroom that my session one group painted (Aaron and Maria say hi!). The mark that you left continues to shape the lives of both of the locals here and the students that are following in your footsteps.

Looking back on your session, there are a lot of fond memories that come to the minds of the GLA staff. Here are a few that really stand out:

• The mac and cheese incident
• Screaming at Jose as we passed by the rafting place
• Creepy Barbie doll helping paint the school at Escuela Bambu
• Monkeys stealing things out of our backpacks at Manuel Antonio
• Struggling our way out into the ocean on the outrigger boats for “snorkeling”
• Ending the session with a book club

As you make your way through the end of the summer and into another school year, I challenge you to take the lessons you learned in Costa Rica and use them in your everyday life. Think critically about the role GLA played for you, and how you want to further your journey back stateside. What stories are you telling about your trip? How will you continue your growth in leadership and service? How can you make the most of your GLA experience now that it’s behind you? We miss you all, and we couldn’t be more grateful to have had you in our first Beachside Service Adventure group in Parrita. Thank you for being such a special part of our summer.

Pura Vida,

-Austyn Holleman

 

Feeling nostalgic? You can experience that same sense of friendship and adventure abroad again! Check out all our new destinations for Summer 2018, or enroll now.

Enjoy your time capsule photos below! And if you’d like to learn more about our 2017 volunteer service programs, click here.

Enjoy your time capsule photos below! And if you’d like to learn more about our 2017 Thailand service programs, click here.