Uncategorized - Part 17

April 13, 2023 by Ashley Welter

Bali: Island Health Expedition (July 26-August 8, 2023)

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

Cell Phone Policy: The GLA cell phone policy is currently in place this summer to help foster meaningful connections between students. This means your student’s phone will be collected every day and returned to them after activities are completed to have with them through the night. Actual tech times and regularity will vary greatly by program location and time zones. During designated ‘tech time’, your student may use their phones as they wish. Please note that your student may not always choose to use this time to get a hold of their parents. If you are not hearing directly from your student each day, you can assume that no news is good news! We strongly recommend you follow the blog to follow your students’ experience without talking to them every day. If you are a parent and would like to get in touch with your student directly, you can call us at +1-619-758-3031 and we can set up a formal time for you to connect with your student.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 27

Greetings from Bali!

Today we kicked off the first day of the last program of the summer. As staff, we can already tell that this is going to be a good one. We are very excited to get to know our twelve students over the course of the next two weeks.

The sun was out and the sky was blue this morning when we started orientation. People were still a little sleepy after the group’s first night in Bali (most of the students got in last night just in time for a welcome dinner and coconut), but after a couple of icebreakers, everyone was already interacting and making friends. We covered GLA’s Code of Conduct and then did a cultural orientation to get the students ready for being immersed in Balinese culture.

After orientation, the group did a Bahasa lesson to help prepare for basic day-to-day interactions with the locals, and then we went out on a scavenger hunt to explore the community we will be calling home for the next two weeks. The students had a great time and already are asking so many intelligent questions about Bali. We love to see their eyes light up as they experience this new culture and all of its nuances.

The family we are staying with invited us into the family temple this evening for a traditional ceremony. This was a very special experience that most foreigners do not get to experience, and we were all very grateful to take part in the cultural ceremony.

The next two weeks have so much to offer. Expect a blog every two to three days highlighting the group’s journeys around this magical island. We can’t wait to share our adventures with you.

Cheers,

John Dewald
GLA International Director

(Not pictured is Joe, who arrived late. Will update a new one soon.)

BLOG POST FOR JULY 28

Afater receiving a late arrival the night prior, we are finally all together ready to start the first “official” day of program! We started program off strong at Bali’s infamous Bumi Sehat natural birth clinic, exploring the intersection of Western and Eastern medical values concerning maternal healthcare. We met with Robyn Lim, CNN’s 2007 person of the year and founder of the clinic, where we discussed the importance of accessible and holistic maternal healthcare. We left with stickers, shirts, and new perspectives.

We then made our way back home for a quick lunch, put on our sarongs and sashes, and visited our village’s local banjar for some fun cultural activities. We played traditional gambelans, learned how to do legong dance, how to make Balinese offerings and even some wood carving!

Finally, we had the honor of visiting Puri Agung Blahbatuh palace where we had a tour of the grounds and got to have dinner with the Princess of Ubud. The Princess is 16 and loves American pop culture! We asked her questions about what it’s like to be a princess, her favorite type of music, and her interests in school. Exhausted and cultured, we loaded back into our buses and made our way back to home base. We’re looking forward to another packed day filled with bus dance parties, rice paddy walks, and volcano views!

Until next time,
Mentors Skylar and Musha

BLOG POST FOR JULY 29

Written by Alex and Celio

Today we woke up very early in the morning because there was s a magnificent walk waiting for us through rice paddies, colorful plants, medicinal herbs, and fruits.

After the track we took a look at the market of the city and then went to a beautiful handmade shop with a big variety of perfume, herbs, and body products. After finishing the shopping, it was time for lunch so the staff brought us, with our “party bus”, to eat in front of the Batur volcano, one of the best views on the island. Besides the buffet, a lot of us ordered coffees, smoothies, or juices!!

When we got back to the home base, we had a lecture on public health in Bali, including the current issues and solutions and how our volunteer time with GLA will benefit both the local community and ourselves. Following the presentations, we worked with 8 local female med students and prepared for our house visits we will begin tomorrow. We are all so beyond excited to expand our knowledge of Balinese culture, community, and medicine, while also gaining experience and memories to bring home!

Bring it on Bali,
Alex and Celio

BLOG POST FOR JULY 30

Today we woke up around 7 to enjoy a wonderful breakfast. After our breakfast we found what kind of leaders we are. We packed our bags slowly… and left to go cook our own lunch at Ubad Ubud cooking class. We met the cutest little animals and devoured our delicious food. After leaving with our belly’s full we got our things together and left for our service. We arrived at our service and met up with the medical students. We were able to meet many families and were able to diagnose blood pressure, height, weight, blood sugar etc.

After finishing a tiring day wet hopped back in the bus and headed back to homebase. Dressing up for dinner was a necessity. We all enjoyed a wonderful walk down to de metri we enjoyed our pre planned dinners and splashed around in the pool. We then ended our dinner with being serenaded, by Beni on guitar. The walk back consisted of party music and embarrassing ourselves in front of the locals. We finally finished our wonderful day on an adventurous game of charades.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 31

Written by Dhanvi and Mikayla

Today we started out our day by with toast and eggs at 8am, and then quickly refilled the medicine and prepped our service bags for day two before going to Senang Hati, an NGO. We were greeted by a lemon drink, flowers, and a warm welcoming. We learned it is the only place in Bali for people with special needs and when it was made, people with disabilities had a place to go and learn. We played a cool drum circle with a call and response game, learning new rhythms.

We then had lunch at the NGO site and bought some cool bracelets. After, we headed back to home base to get ready for our final day of service health checks. We split into our groups and went around teaching kids how to wash hands, checking blood pressure, blood sugar, heights and weights. After we finished health checks, we said goodbye to the medical students.

When we got back to base we changed, had our traditional chow circle, ate dinner, and had some free time to play with the kids outside. When everyone was ready we then headed off to watch the Legong, a traditional balinese dance. It consisted of 8 parts, each culminating to a final conclusion of the story. Ending our night, we ate some ice cream and drive back to home base. 🙂

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 1

What’s up it’s Jacob and Carmin here. Today we woke up at and got an inspiring presentation about Johns organization, Full Belly Brazil. We learned about how impactful of an issue food scarcity is and how we can aid the efforts to fight it. Next we started preparing 200 meals consisting of rice, tempe , eggs and tofu to give to workers and their families who are currently living and working in a landfill. We passed the meals throughout the mountains of garbage. Next we came back to home base and played a game of street soccer with some local kids. Then after a good dinner the mentors surprised us by taking us to an indoor soccer field. We enjoyed a fierce three games before heading back and ending the night with a game of apples to apples.

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 2

Written by: Amber and Dana

Halo all!

We kicked the day off with a classic Sudjana homestay breakfast of fresh fruits, pancakes, and eggs. Then we rode another eventful bus ride to the beach. Here we learnt about Mangrove trees and plastic pollution. We put on our protective gear and rode paddle boards to pickup the most plastic than any other GLA group 😎. After sorting out the pollution we collected a very small amount of plastic that was actually reusable. The rest was for landfill, this was definitely eye opening. Once we got home we had fun passing time by playing soccer and card games before the Galungan festival. When it was time we walked to the festival and listened to the bands of Indonesian xylophones and gongs. This was a true immersion of rich culture and religion. Lastly, we ended the night with mentor groups where we debriefed about our feelings and talked about key moments in the trip so far.

Selamat tinggal from Amber and Dana!

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 3-4

August 3

We started the day off with our last breakfast at home base before heading off to the resort. We stopped for lunch and went sightseeing at the water palace, where we got an ice cream snack and walked over the water on stones.

After that we made one more stop at the Bali Besat clinic, a nonprofit health clinic that offers free medical service to locals. They gave us a tour of the facility and explained the service they do.

Then we finally arrived at our resort! After acing our swim tests, we all went snorkeling, and ended the day with dinner and service prep.

Song of the day: Riptide

August 4

Today the alarm rang at 5 a.m. just in time to see the beautiful sunrise on the typical balinese wood boats.

After a lot of photos we did some snorkelling in the bay where were there fishes and corals of every type.

We finished the morning with a big breakfast and long naps.

We had a very delicious lunch and prepared to go teach some basics to Balinese kids at their school. We were groups of 4 and each group had 30 minutes to educate the kids about their topic .. (but to be more realistic, we had only about 5 minutes of education and the rest was games and fun). The kids were so exited to see us and they had so much fun and we did too.. and everyone was all smiles and laughs. After that we came back to the resort .. had dinner (BURGERS) on the beach, the. We had some down time .. we played, chilled, and did the chow circle and went to sleep.

This was such an amazing day and we managed to out so many smiles on ao many faces.. so shoutout to everybody that helped make this happen.

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 5

Written by Alex & Mikayla

Hi everyone!! Welcome back to our channel!! Sunday was a daring day for Bali GLA as most of us participated for the first time in Discover Scuba Diving.

For the scuba newbies, we started in the pool and then went 12 meters under the ocean in two different locations! Lots of coral, turtles, and Nemos were found which were BEAUTIFUL!! The three certified divers; Zeina, Joe, and John experienced “such high quality of both soft and hard corals and assorted reef fish”. They also were lucky enough to see the great wonders of a sunken ship wreck from WWII. Many of us learned the importance of trying new things and how new experiences can reshape your mindset.

Cheers to seeing the world!

—

The dive was delightful
The fish were an eyeful
It was cooler than the eiffel
We were under the water for over an hour
Slam Poetry.

-John

April 13, 2023 by Ashley Welter

Bali: Island Health Expedition (Sessions Starting July 2, 2023)

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

This blog is for the Bali split session starting July 2, 2023, which includes both the 14-day and the 21-day student groups.

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

It was a great day! It took some of us longer than others, but after a long day of travel, we all made it to homebase by last night to join the group and get settled into our beautiful homebase in Mas, a village just outside Ubud, Bali.

Being here is like living in a dream. The architecture is incredibly ornate. Everyone is always smiling. The air is filled with incense and the sounds of ceremonies. The food is delicious. Palm trees blow in the wind as kites soar overhead. The group is great. And I’ll say it one more time, the food is delicious.

Today we did both GLA and Bali Institute orientation then did a lesson in Bahasa and Balinese to help prepare us for interacting with the local community. After that, we went into town to do a scavenger hunt. It was so much fun interacting with locals and learning more about Balinese culture.

This evening we were invited to join a traditional Balinese ceremony for students to celebrate our arrival in Bali. We all wore sarongs and sashes and got a chance to go into the family temple. It was a once in a lifetime experience.

We have a great day planned for tomorrow, and we can’t wait to tell you about it in the next blog. We will be posting blogs every couple of days, so keep your eyes peeled for the next update.

Terima Kasih!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Written by Mentors, Skye & Clara

Hi everyone!

After three unforgiving days of torrential rain, the students woke up at 6am to sunshine! For our first group excursion, we took an herbal walking tour through Ubud’s picturesque rice paddies, and learned about the medicinal properties of native plants like turmeric and coconut. We visited an herbal store afterwards where students loaded up on natural creams, teas, and soaps… so expect some awesome late Fathers/Mother’s Day gifts! We then toured the infamous Tirta Empul Water Temple and learned how families from all over Bali use this temple’s natural spring water for all their ceremonies. Lunch was a delicious Balinese buffet overlooking Mount Batur! After, we went to a Luwak Coffee Farm where students had the chance to taste 15 different teas and coffees— including the iconic Luwak coffee!

After our amazing coffee tour, we headed back to homebase and had some free time to relax for a bit before going to our royal palace tour!!

We wore our sarong and sashes where we headed to one of the royal palaces in Ubud where we got a tour and also had dinner with the king and princess. We were welcomed with an amazing iced drink and cassava and coconut snack. The tour around the palace was absolutely stunning. We even had a chance to take some photos around the different quarters of the palace. After, we had a fantastic dinner with the princess and King that consisted of chicken skewers, corn fritters, lumpia, green beans, soup, and rice. After eating, we had a chance to ask questions to the princess and King! After, we took a group photo and had a chance to personally interact with the king and princess.

After the amazing dinner and tour at the royal palace, we had mentor groups for the first time. We also presented leaders of the day: Lia and Sydney! Woohoo!

Overall, we had a great day exploring Ubud and cannot wait for the rest of the trip!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Written by Sydney & Lia

Today we started off our day visiting the banjar (a community meeting place close to our homestay) and learned how to dance, play an instrument, make an offering, and carve our names in wood. We then learned the health issues of Indonesia and bettered our understanding of what we can do as volunteers in this country and how we can implement what we learned here, to better our communities at home. We met the medical students that we will be working with for the next few days for our service project and wrapped up our time exchanging silly dances and a rigorous game of rock paper scissors. We are looking forward to our first day of service tomorrow!!

Apologies for small photos, we will try to update with the full size versions!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Written by Hannah and Lizzie

Today we started our morning at home-base with breakfast and music before heading out to explore the natural birthing clinic. We had the opportunity to speak to the founder of the Bumi Sehat organization Robin Lyn and get an inside perspective on the natural practices the clinic provides for the community. This includes, acupuncture, maternal healthcare, as well as support for mother throughout the entire pregnancy all for free. We had a very interesting discussion about the US health care system and it’s effect on expecting mothers and babies.

Next we came back to home-base for a delicious lunch and soon embarked on our next journey; our first service day with the Balinese medical students, where we ventured into homes in the community and had the privilege to connect with locals and provide healthcare. We took blood pressure, checked their water for mosquito larvae to alleviate the threat of dengue, and practiced our Bahasa. After service we had dinner, showered, changed, and ventured into downtown Ubud see a cultural Legong dance performance. It was a great day and we are looking forward to our next day of service!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Written by Leaders of the Day: Penelope & Ruthie

Today we woke up to a beautiful rainy morning and got ourselves ready for a packed day. We first visited an NGO that provides a boarding school for children with disabilities, trying to destigmatize disabilities in the Balinese community, and helping empower these people to take charge of their lives. The residents of the boarding school led us in a drum circle where we laughed, learned how to unite as a group through music, and played simple but fun rhythms. We toured the facility and then left to get ready for service.

Service left us soaked but we persevered! We walked along Ubud in the rain, assisting Balinese medical students in health checks on locals. We learned how to check blood pressure and got to exercise our Bahasa language skills with the friendly locals. It was very exciting to be practicing medicine, even if on a minimal scale, in the real world. Taking part in the service for the second day definitely challenged us, but it also strengthened our passions for playing a role in the medical field and helping those in need.

We then had mentor groups where we journaled and reflected on our day. After, we had another delicious dinner which consisted of noodles, chicken skewers, veggies, and chips. We were then surprised with our evening activity, futsal! Futsal is a game similar to soccer. We went to an indoor futsal field where we had a fun tournament. Beni, our local director also surprised us with boba!

Overall, we had a great day and cannot wait for tomorrow.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Written by Nico & Makenzi

This morning some of us started out the day with a run with beni, where we really experienced a tour of the neighborhoods of ubud. with the rain sprinkling on us for most of the morning, we stayed cool and energized. afterwards, everyone met for breakfast at the home base. our group activity was a debate, which helped us learn each other’s leadership skills. after watching a brief presentation about balinese healers, we took buses to a local healer’s home. she shared her experience in becoming a healer, and her role entails. a small group of us were even able to have a one on one sit down with the healer, which was really amazing! then, we stopped for coffee at local cafes. after returning to home base, we ate lunch together and got ready for service. today was our last day, which was such a bummer since we all enjoyed working with the medical students and helping the locals. when we got back, we checked the medical bags and i outed our data from the patients into a computer base. we finished off the day by having dinner, packing up for amed, and watching a movie on plastic waste and it’s harm to the ocean, so that we can be conscience tourists at the beach in Amed.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Written by Connor & Charlize

Today we left Ubud, and drove to Amed to stay at a resort which was a 2 hour drive. The first part was about 1 hour, stopping at the Tirta Gangga Water Palace to explore some incredible scenery and have spectacular lunch consisting of rice, noodles, and even a hint of some American food.. french fries! The scenery was beautiful with crystal clear waters and high mountains with many trees.

The next and final stop was Amed Beach, and on the way there we had amazing views of the ocean and mountains. When we got to Amed, we did swim checks in the pool and we were able to get into the beach for a couple hours to have some fun! We then got fitted for snorkeling gear and prepare for our sunrise boat ride and snorkeling tomorrow, and had dinner which was wonderful!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Written by Zeke and Avery

Today was one of the most relaxing but rigorous yet. The day was full of adventure, curiosity, and service. We started the day off at 5:45 am with a beautiful sunrise boat tour. Groups of three people got in one of the most unique and smallest boats. We watched as the sun rose over the horizon and the majestic volcano was lit by the sun. We then arrived at our snorkeling destination. We all got geared up and eagerly jumped in. Immediately swarms of fish and heads of coral surrounded us and left us breathless, and that’s why we had snorkels. Some of us swam down and saw spectacular purple starfish. Some people were stung by jellyfish tentacles floating around in the water but the beauty outweighed the pain.

We jumped on the boats and headed back to our home stay. What followed was the most relaxing hours we’ve had on the trip. Some people laid by the pool and soaked up the sun while others went to get coffee.

Soon after lunch we went to a Balinese elementary school and taught them about hygiene, exercise, and nutrition. We previously made posters and presented the posters followed with games and activities. The children were all welcoming and excited. The school was very different from what we were use to and reminded how blessed we are to have the facilities that we have at home. We then provided them with some school supplies and headed back to the hotel.

We ate dinner at a new Thai restaurant close to the hotel. We then came back to do chow circle. Chow circle was immediately followed by relaxing pool time and games with the whole group.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Written by Leaders of the Day: Emma & Evie Mar

Today was an event full day full of fun and relaxation, most importantly we went scuba diving! This was an impactful but safe way to test the depths of our comfort zones and push us to try new things. For many of us this was our first time, no matter the outcome each of us found a lot of enjoyment. Many groups saw turtles, fish and even a few sharks! We starts with a training in the pool and went into the ocean next. This gave us a chance to build up our confidence and test out all of the gear needed for diving. We then went to two different spots, some more experienced divers even had the opportunity to swim through a ship wreck. We all enjoyed see the variety of coral and underwater plants.

The rest of our day was filled with relaxation. Between the beach and the pool there are many spots to lay and talk with friends. Some of us were even able to get a 7$ massage at the hotel! This rest was much needed after the scuba diving. We ended our day enjoying the night with our friends and spending our last night in Amed. Tomorrow we are off, back to Ubud!

See you soon!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Written by Leaders of the Day Tereza & Alana

Our day began with eager anticipation as we prepared to return to our home base in Ubud. Before departing at 8:30 am, we enjoyed a delightful final breakfast in Amed. As we embarked on the bus, our journey was filled with joyous moments of singing, dancing, and much-needed rest. Along the way, we made a captivating stop for our main activity of the day: an awe-inspiring hike through Bali’s lush tropical forests and scenic rice paths.

After a thrilling hike that left us with cherished memories, we reached an indigenous village. There, we savored a delicious lunch and had the opportunity to learn intriguing facts about a culture that sadly faces the risk of fading away as the years pass. Immersed in the experience of the hike and the indigenous village, we spent a few hours exploring and made a pit stop at Indomart for snacks.

Finally, we arrived at our familiar and beloved home base, which instantly felt like home. We settled in and engaged in several leadership activities tailored to our unique personalities and leadership styles. To conclude the day, we participated in a moving dance party, creating memories that will be cherished forever.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Written by Giuliano and Sophia

Today we started our day with some optional exercise lead by our mentor Clara. We then had breakfast and talked to one another. Yesterday was our mentor Beni’s birthday so today we surprised him by performing a dance and giving him a handmade card. Afterward we learned more about our mentor John’s NGO called “Full Belly Brazil“ and how it applied to our service today.

For service today we packed and prepped a variety of ingredients in order to create meals for people who lived in a land-field. The meal that we created included white rice, chicken, vegetables (peas and carrots), tempeh, egg, and tofu. After we packaged the meal through the assembly line we then drove to the land field and distributed the meals to the individuals who were located there. We then later had a discussion about the service we did and how we felt about the service. After that we decided to go to a cafe that wasn’t too far from home base and we chilled and relaxed there.

We then went back to home base for dinner and preformed chow circle. After chow circle we ate pizza that we shared with each other for dinner. After dinner we went to our evening activity which was….KARAOKE! We had a blast singing and celebrating our mentor Beni’s birthday. After that we went home and on the way home we kept singing.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

Written by Leaders of the Day: Jackie & Evelin

Today was such a bitter sweet day and for some of us, our last full day of this GLA adventure. We began our day early in the morning with a nutritious breakfast with a side of the nervous surfing jitters. As soon as everyone had their things together, we loaded the buses and headed to our destination, Legian Beach.

After a long drive, we were met with rapid waves and a sandy beach. We were divided into two groups for surfing, Group A and Group B. While some of us suited up for surfing, the rest enjoyed the comfortable seating and refreshing drinks of the beach. To mention, it was the first time for A LOT of us, but we rode those waves (despite many dunks in the water).

Following our many surfing attempts and successes, we had an incredible lunch and then enjoyed some more relaxing time on the beach. Next, we went subvenir shopping to get all of our family members some fun gifts.

Then, what awaited us was some delicious gelato with very unique flavors. Once everyone enjoyed their treat, we walked together to the beach. Our mentors led us through an appreciation circle. With the anonymous tap of our peers on the shoulder, we were able to show our appreciation for one another and our lasting goodbye for our two-weekers.

Finally, we ended off with an incredible dinner filled with laughter and singing. We will miss you Kenzi, Brooklyn, Lauren, Paulina, Tereza, Connor, & Hannah!!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Written by Leaders of the Day: Georgia & Gia

Our day started with another round of optional workout by one of our mentors – Clara. After, we had a refreshing breakfast filled with fruit and banana pancakes. Our first activity of the day was a service project where we were tasked to create a presentation of hygiene, nutrition or exercise and teach elementary aged kids about the subjects. It was certainly an amazing opportunity to interact with and learn about kids and Balinese schools!

Unfortunately, today we had to say goodbye to our two weekers, and we all shared our last moments appreciating how much we’ve grown together.

Following that we had free time and a filling lunch that consisted of rice, eggs, Tempe, tuna, spinach and corn! Not much longer after we got ready and headed to another compound where we learned traditional cooking and enjoyed a wonderful meal together.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

Written by leaders of the day: Penelope & Ava

Today was a relaxing day of fun in the water and reflection on the past two weeks. This morning we started out bright and early with some white water rafting! We set out for the jungle, which looked remarkably like the set of Jurassic World. We rafted through water falls and rocky passes, bouncing around in our rafts. Some people even fell out of the raft, but we all got soaked in water and had a blast. After a delicious lunch at the rafting place, we headed back to our Homestay in Ubud where we met with our mentor groups to reflect on the past two weeks. We have been going nonstop and have had so many great experiences, so it was nice to take a pause and process all of these experiences in smaller groups. After dinner, we packed and got ready for tomorrow, where we are heading to the beach for more adventures.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Written by leaders of the day: Evelin & Georgia

Our day started bright and early with another workout from our mentor Clara. The ones who chose to do the workout had a lovely early breakfast and soon headed for a walk while the rest ate breakfast.

Today was the day we were headed North to Pemuteran where we are going to stay for the next 3 days! On the way we stopped at a beautiful water temple where we had a chance to explore some amazing views. Some of us even got croissants and one got to feed some bunnies!

Next, we headed to a restaurant to eat some yummy lunch accompanied by complimentary ice cream. Afterwards, we headed back on the road before stopping and Indomart for some snacks.

Before we knew it we arrived to our new home and and finished off the day with dinner, free time and a dive in the resort’s pool!

See you tomorrow!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Written by Ruthie & Charlize

Om swastiastu!

This morning we woke up and had our first breakfast at our hotel in Pemuteran. It was a clear day, birds were singing, and we are stoked to get out an explore West Bali National Park. We prepared for service for an hour before heading off for the hike nearby. It was lead by a friendly local named Putu who taught us all about the mangroves that we pasted by. Half way through the hike we stopped and planted some baby mangroves on the beach. Then we stopped and had some lunch while watching monkeys run by. The view was stunning.

Next we went back to home base and a took a quick swim before getting ready to go on our last day of service. Groups gathered their posters and props then we headed down the street to a school. Students welcomed us with lots of high fives and smiles. We each taught our hygiene, nutrition, and exercise classes and handed out water and some snacks to all of the students. Each student also got a notebook, pencil, and pen.

To wrap up the day we headed back to home base and walked down the beach to a very nice restaurant. We ate, sang, and enjoyed some ice cream before heading back for a night swim. Our day was long and fun and everyone will definitely be sleeping good tonight.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Written by Leaders of the Day: Lia & Sydney

Today we started of our morning with a nice breakfast and dip in the pool before we walked on the beach to our first activity of the day. We went to an NGO called BioRock where we learned about their efforts in coral reef restoration. This NGO has worked to create electrode structures that over time uses electricity to form limestone and new coral that will make a lasting new habitat for marine life. We were so moved with their work that we gathered up the money to donate and have GLA.2023 written on one of the structures. Shoutout to Lia for organizing this!!

We then got to go snorkeling in a guided tour from the NGO that let us see their amazing underwater structures first hand. We ate lunch on the beach and enjoyed a few hours of free time before we got on our next Bali adventure. We went on a sunrise boat tour and enjoyed ice cold sprite and watermelon. We danced as the sun set and even taught each other some new dance moves. Finally we ended the night with dinner back at the hotel and an evening activity.

April 13, 2023 by Ashley Welter

Bali: Island Health Expedition (June 15-June 28, 2023)

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 15

Dear GLA Bali Global Health Families,

I hope all is well.

We have all made it to Bali. It’s a beautiful day. The skies are blue, and kites are flying overhead. The air smells of incense and today’s lunch. Orientation is underway. All the group is here, and everyone is happy. It was a long day of travel, but the students are in incredibly high spirits—youth is powerful. When I arrived last week, I was pretty jet lagged.

Over the next two weeks, we will be learning about Balinese culture, carrying out community service, and exploring this beautiful island that we have the luck to currently call home. Students will be writing a blog post every one to two days to keep you updated about all the great things they have been up to. Remember that students will not have their phones during the day, but they will have access to their phones during the evening/night. Please feel free to remind them about the importance of sleep.

We have a six-person staff team in the field providing a 3:1 student to staff ratio. We also have the 24/7 professional support of the office staff. Your children are in great hands. This is going to be a wonderful program, and I am excited to be part of it. Keep your eyes open for the first student blog in a day or two and enjoy your summer.

Cheers,
John Dewald (GLA International Director)

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 17

These past few days have been a whirl wind in Bali! We started off with an Herbal tour and some shopping, right after we traveled to a water temple and saw so many fish and holy water fountains. Next on our agenda we headed to lunch on a volcano with insane views, next we went to a coffee/tea tasting. The mangosteen was the best by far. If that wasn’t interesting, lastly we went back to home base and got ready for dinner with the King and Princess while getting a tour of the royal palace!!! We learned so many new things and immersed ourselves in the Bali culture from food to royals.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18

Beautiful morning at the homestay accompanied by French toast, edamame, and bananas!

At around 10 am, we had our first official leadership activity—- a Debate! And everyone was split into groups representing the representatives and perspectives of the South African Government, the treatment action campaign, Groot pharma, Human rights judges, and mediators of the conversation called Create. It was pretty cool watching everyone invest in views apart from their own on such a controversial subject, being the human rights of life and property!

Afterwards, we walked to the banjar workshop, where we learned the Legong dance, and played traditional instruments! In addition, we learned to make offerings, and touched a little bit on wood carving.

Afterwards, the entire group decided to delay lunch for a trip to the nearby convenience store for snacks and supplies.

Back at the homestay, we had lunch and received a presentation introducing the public health of Bali, and went over procedures of tomorrow’s public service with the medical students. Then we got to have dinner with the med students!

Finally, we had a GLA Olympics event with our mentor groups. The event of this Olympics was charades, with some very interesting twists! Starting off normal, limitations were added and removed, such as sound effects, sitting down, performing under a sheet, sitting backwards, and even an interpretive dance to music!

All and all, day four was both exciting, and a great learning experience!

Here are some pics from the last few days!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19

Happy first day of service!! We started our morning with omelets at 8am. Then we did a leadership activity designed to help us figure out our personal leadership styles and how we can work best with others.

We drove to Buni Sehat a natural birthing clinic here in Bali. We got to talk Robin Lim the founder of the clinic. We also got to watch videos of the birthing process and how they raise money for their clinic. They have locations around Indonesia and the Philippines.

We enjoyed lunch at homebase and then got to start service. We joined with the medial students and went on house visits in small groups. During the house visits we took people’s blood pressure and assisted the medical students with taking their glucose levels. We also got to help take their height and weight as well as documenting their information.

We went home for dinner and ended the night with mentor groups. In mentor groups we talking about stepping out of our comfort zone.

We are so excited for day 6!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20 & 21

Hello!

Yesterday was another great busy day at GLA in Bali!! We started off with another NGO visit that works with building confidence in those who struggle with a disability. In Bali, disabilities are looked down upon and aren’t accepted. This organization works with donations to create safe spaces and classrooms for people of all ages to learn and grow together! We enjoyed a lovely welcome and background debrief then moved on to a tour around the classrooms, kitchen, gym, and garden. To finish off our morning, we enjoyed a tasty Balinese lunch prepped at the NGO. U

Service came next! Kids worked with med students visiting homes and providing check ups for families. Students began to grow their skills and notice their strengths and weaknesses.

Ending our night we traveled by bus to downtown Ubud, definitely a new perspective! We enjoyed a delicious meal at a beautiful restaurant that works with the community to give some of their profit to those in need! The generous gift of Nutella crepes and friendship bracelets brought a smile to everyone’s faces!

Following dinner, we walked to the legong dance performance and enjoyed our front row seats in an amazing story telling dance experience. So amazing to follow the story line as costumes and characters arrived on the dance floor!

Quite a long day, but everyone enjoyed the experience!

Today, we started out the day with an energizing breakfast. After breakfast, we did a pulse check about how the program was going for each one of us. Then, we were fortunate enough to be able to experience a palm-reading by a Balinese healer, who is also known as a “Balian.” André, one of our mentors, got his palm read by the Balian. Quoting the Balian, “André needs to work on his financial problems, drink ginger tea, and eat less meat. Apparently, André also got his heart broken when he was young, but now he has a stable love relationship.” He also said that his ancestors were samurai.

When we came back to the home base, a delicious home-made meal was waiting for us. But there is always room for snacks! So Beni and John (our instructors) took us on a trip to Indomart, which is a convenient store popular in Bali. The top two favorite snacks of our group are the seaweed potato chips and Hello Panda chocolate cookies. Yeah!

Then, from 2-5pm, we did our last day of health check service around local Balinese communities. Some of our roles were taking vital signs. When we finished the service hours, we worked together to digitally input the information we attained.

Last but not least, we split off into our mentor groups! We had a deep talk about how we think other people perceive us and how we want to be perceived. What a great calming way to end our day!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22

Hi! Today was Day 8 of our program. We did a lot today, and had a lot of fun.

After eating breakfast, John gave a presentation on his nonprofit “Full Belly Brasil”, which is based in several cities in Brazil. It aims to combat food insecurity in poorer communities and also prevent climate change. The nonprofit’s goal of combating food insecurity relates to one of our next activities today: making meals for orphanages. This nonprofit works on food recovery, in which food distributors donate soon to expire food (it is checked to make sure it is safe to eat) to the nonprofit, and it is then distributed to the community quickly.

John’s nonprofit also has water projects, where it provides water filters to families lacking clean water. Additionally, the nonprofit has environmental initiatives, such as beach clean-ups (partnered with marine biologists to ensure as large of a positive impact is created) and planting trees (over 70,000 trees have been planted, the equivalent of removing around 3,500,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere per year).

After listening to John’s talk, we split into six smaller groups to create lessons on either: hygiene, nutrition, or exercise – these lessons would later be taught to orphans at two orphanages. Some groups chose to make posters; most (if not all) groups involved fun games such as Red Light Green Light and Infection.

Next, we started to prepare 300 delicious meals for the orphanages. This involved folding paper to make the containers for food, cooking the dishes (eg. eggs, vegetables, tempe), and finally packing the food into the containers we made. We had a lot of fun while preparing these meals, and overall, it was a very enjoyable experience.

As a treat, Beni ordered us all bubble tea! It was nice and refreshing after preparing food, when it did get a bit hot. We snacked on this while eating lunch.

After a nice break, we split into two groups, and each headed to a different orphanage. Once we arrived, we got to know and taught the orphans ranging in age from 5-19 our lessons we created. All of us played fun games with the orphans, and we hope they enjoyed it as much as we did! Right before we left, we distributed the meals we had packed. There were a lot of leftover meals, so we headed to an environmental center in the countryside to hand out the remaining food (150 meals). The meals were quickly given out, and we headed back to homebase.

On the way back, we stopped at Indomaret – some people decided to purchase snacks and treats such as ice cream.

After eating dinner, we had another fun activity planned: futsal! As a surprise, we headed to a proper futsal arena, where we played many competitive games in a GLA championship! In the end, team Bahamas (wearing white) won. Congratulations!

Overall, it was a great day.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24

Hey guys! Today we had an early morning wake up, but it was all worth it to see the sunrise on a beautiful boat tour. After the sun rose we had a chance to go to a Japanese shipwreck near the shore and snorkel there. It was really cool because John pointed out a poisonous fish, as well as a lion fish that everyone got to see. After we headed back, we had a delicious and fulfilling breakfast before we had some chill time. Many of us spent time at the pool, by the beach, or in our own rooms. Then it was time for lunch.

We had a delicious lunch, and afterwards we did some service prep and headed to a school to present our presentations about nutrition, exercise, and hygiene one more time to kids in 3rd to 6th grade. We also got a chance to give them books, pencils, pens, and bread. After that, we headed back to our resort and got fitted for scuba suits and then we chilled. Then we had a nice dinner before having chow Circle on the beach and having quiet chill mentor groups. Yet another beautiful day in Bali.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25-27

Sunday:
Hey guys, today we had an early wake up at 7 o’clock to catch breakfast because today was scuba day. we saw lots of fish, such a star, fish and clown fish and we even got to see multiple sea turtles eating their lunch. It was really cool to swim among the fish and feel like a sea creature. We also saw lots of coral. After scuba, we relaxed and had dinner. We ended the night with chill time.

Monday:
Today was day 12 of our program. We traveled back to Ubud from Amed. Today we had our last breakfast in Amed. After breakfast we left to go back to Ubud at 8:30am. We made one stop to do a hike through an indigenous community with a guide.

Following a filling and delicious breakfast we had begun our trek back to home base in Ubud. However, on the return we had planned to visit an indigenous community planted deep within the jungle. Therefore, to reach this community we were required to hike 5 km into the jungle. Arriving at the edge of the jungle prior to our trek we were met with our tour guide, an indigenous community member himself. He had guided us through the jungle and rice fields towards his community, where he explained a variety of ideals as we walked.

Ideals including those of the younger generation failing to take the traditional roles such as being a farmer, but also ideals of how holistic and environmentally conscious his community was. The guide had stopped in several locations to share the community’s pride in their conservation, such as their conservation of the incredibly strong trees, like the Durian tree on their land. Once we had arrived at the community we were greeted by cattle, chickens, all sorts of animals. The guide had brought us to a large patch of grass to eat lunch, prepped by the local people themselves. The lunch had included items such as white rice, egg, and fried shrimp that just made your mouth jump in excitement.

Lunch was delicious ,and afterwards, some students had bought some scrolls from vendors in the community near where we ate that had designs drawn on them. The designs were based on the Balinese cultural beliefs and how each month had an entity that represented it. Following this break our tour guide has brought us to a sport for some honey tasting, as the community produces natural honey from a selection of bees. Students tried the honey, many squealing at how good the honey tasted! The tour guide ahead also given us some bananas that were adequately ripe and were a favorite of everybody’s. Following these taste trials we were provided

After returning from our adventure through the community, we made it back to Ubud and settled back into our rooms. After settling in we finished up our last GLA activity of the trip. The activity was a fun way to end the activities by the students setting up goals they want to achieve in a certain period of time and how they will achieve the goals. To end it off the students had a choose a goal they all wanted to accomplish together. The students decided they all wanted to be more like Beni. After the GLA activity the students had free time until dinner. Our local staff noticed the kids were missing the American food at home and they had a wonderful surprise for the students. Dayu and Beni, members of the local staff, got pizza for dinner and many rejoiced.

Once dinner had ended the students had free time for a bit and prepared for an evening activity. The activity was a version of charades where the two mentor groups faced off, for first to reach 10 points. After the activity the students were ready and bed. It was a great day and the students are excited for the activities that come tomorrow!

Tuesday:
Today we surfed. It was rad 🤙

April 13, 2023 by Ashley Welter

Alaska: Juneau Wilderness & Glacier Adventure (June 18-July 1, 2023)

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18

Hello from Alaska!

We are so excited to welcome everyone to Juneau for the next two weeks. All 13 students arrived safe and sound to a beautiful, sunny and clear sky day. The day was filled with several airport pickups; walks by Auke lake, the University of Alaska: Southeast campus, and to the marina, where we saw lots of Bald Eagles flying overhead. We got to explore home base as well where we played Mexican Train, soccer, foosball, super nintendo, and chatted with each other. Dinner was delicious, Alaskan fish and chips. We’re looking forward to another beautiful day tomorrow!

Here are a few pics of the groups as they arrived to home base. Not pictured is Gabriella and David who arrived a bit late.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19

Written by Kira I.

Today was such a wonderful day. We got to do so many different things. The day started with breakfast and then an orientation that went over serious things while still staying very interactive. After the orientation we had a scrumptious lunch and head out to the Mendenhall glacier. First we watched a video about glacier and the change it had overtime.

After walking around the visitor center we went for hike to Nugget Falls trail where we saw a breathtaking waterfall and cooled off our feet in the glacier water. Since it was a very warm day we decided to take a dip in the ocean while looking at a beautiful landscape. When we got to our homebase everyone enjoyed a delicious dinner while connecting the peers. To frame the day we head out to our mentor groups to talk about the values we have. This was truly a great first day and everyone bonded strongly!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20

Written by Sebastian Y.

After starting the day off with breakfast, we went to take the tram. With no bus issues, we made it and got to see amazing views from the observation deck of Juneau and the surrounding mountains. We hiked to the top of the mountain, where some people threw snowballs and others made snow angels. We hiked back to the tram, which we took back to town. We explored, eating fish tacos or crepes for lunch, and then window shopping.

After a few hours there, we went to a Fred Meyer’s, where we bought lots of snacks. We then headed home, and played charades with everybody showing off their acting skills. After an amazing dinner of Chicken Adobo and dancing, we had a lively Town-Hall debate over drilling, which was probably more civilized than an actual debate. Lastly, we again played charades… then we fell asleep.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21

Today was our much anticipated first day of service! We started the morning meeting our service partner for our time in Juneau, a nonprofit company called Trail Mix. We will work with them during our time here in Juneau to develop and maintain the Juneau Trail System. First, the Trail Mix team did a great job explaining how to use all of the tools needed for the jobs on the Equestrian Trail. Our work consisted of using a variety of tools to reset culverts, dig water drainage ditches and do a technique called foresting. After a long, but rewarding day of maintenance we headed back to home base for some nap time. Ultimately, we all still wanted to enjoy the sunshine and the lake, so we did some swimming!

After a hearty dinner of homemade lasagna, we embarked on a leadership activity down by the lake. We thought it would be an easy one but boy were we wrong! We played a game called “Don’t Break the Ice” that was so much fun! It really tested our teamwork, communication and leadership skills. But in the end, we came up with a solution and mastered it! It was a great way to end the evening and I think we got much closer as a group because of it. With bellies full and feeling accomplished, it was time for a good nights sleep.

– Andrew Ireland, Mentor

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22

Written by Aiden Fitzgerald – Leader of the Day

Today we woke up to another early start at 7:45 for this mornings chow circle. All announcements were made and then we all chowed on some delicious pancakes. There was a lot of time between breakfast and our first activity of the day, which we departed for at 10:15. The first activity of the day was native Alaskan games.

The organization Native Youth Olympics hosted us at a local high school where we learned how to play multiple different games and got the chance to compete against each other. They also taught us the significance of the games to their culture and survival. Then we ate lunch on the bus ride to one of our hardest hikes. We set to perseverance trail around 1 and started the long journey. We saw many beautiful sights and relaxed surrounded by nature.

Around 6:15 we went to a beach where pastor Tim grilled reindeer hot dogs and taught us marshmallow baseball. We spent the leftover marshmallows on a cozy fire where everyone enjoyed mostly burnt marshmallows. We then took a walk to a beautiful spot on the beach where we all sat on rocks and told stories and played games.

When everyone was all storied out we set back to the barbecue spot where we concluded the day with shoutouts and a fun little game. The bus ride back was very energetic and fun and concluded the night with a good vibe.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23

Written by David M.

Today we visited botanical glacier gardens and had a cultural based activity near home base. At the glacier we climbed the mountain using a tour tram and looked at all the plants. After we stopped to look at baby salmon and go eat lunch back at home. Then we had a cultural based activity consisting of making a cream from devils club, a native plant, and canoeing along the lake near home.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24

Written by E Evans – Leader of the Day

Hi! Today was a unique day as we spent most of it on a boat. We saw humpback whales, eagles, seals, and the tracy arm fjord. It was a beautiful and long sail and it gave everyone the chance to stand on the top of the boat and enjoy the view as well as sleep and talk. For lunch we had a sandwich and ships as well as hot chocolate. The top of the deck became very windy and that made for some great photos. Also, we got to hold a part of an iceberg! It was heavy and we all got some photos with it, some of us licked it.

In the evening, we had some hall time and free time where we split up. Some people went to listen to live guitar music and some went to sit in the hall and talk. After, then we had dinner which was brisket. Then we did an evening activity which allowed us to connect together even more and on a deeper level. It opened up good conversation about life and happiness and many appreciated the activity. A lot of people went to them sit out in the hall and then it was lights out. Overall a great day!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25

Written by Gabby K. – Leader of the Day

This morning we all woke up and headed to chow circle where we discussed our plans for the day. After getting ready we all headed to the bus where we had a 40 minute bus ride where we listened to a mixture of fun songs and chatted.

After arriving at the Point Bridget trail head we began our first half of the 7 mile hike. We arrived at our destination and were given an hour to collect our thoughts. During this time a few people napped while others journaled their thoughts. We watched fish jump through the water and a seal play in the water.

After resting we made our way back to the bus and began our journey back to base camp. We took turns showering before beginning our evening activity where we used our communication skills and improved them before having our evening chow circle and soon after ate dinner. Finally we were given a few hours of free time before finally turning in for the night.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

Written by Stella Ziegenhagen

Today we went sea kayaking in the morning after a good breakfast. We went with guides and kayaked 4 miles. After that we went and got changed into new clothes and got nice and warm. We got food at a really good Pho place in downtown Juneau. Even though we were all tired, we went to Sealaska. We learned more about the Native Alaskan culture. We got to learn about their extensive contributions to Alaska’s societies. When we got back to base camp we were able to rest before dinner. After we had dinner we did a group activity made up of multiple games. Today was a day full of fun and lots of laughs.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

Written by Stella

Today we did hard work. We woke up early this morning to do service with Trail Mix. We all split up into groups and worked on trails. We all worked for 5 hours, when we came back to base camp we were greeted with showers. And a well deserved break, until dinner. We had a baked salmon with rice and vegetables. Instead of doing a group activity we watched a movie together. Every decided to watch The Dark Knight. Everyone enjoyed the action packed movie. Then it was lights out after a day full of team work and many loads of laundry.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Written by Natalie R.

Today we started with service day 3. We worked on separate parts of the trail, widening the trail and making it more accessible. We had a nice lunch from Mar y Sol, with an arrangement of burritos, tacos, and quesadillas. Shortly after lunch, we went back to the trail and it started raining so we layered up and kept working.

After service we went back to home base and showered and rested up for our intense game of hide and seek. After running around the church having fun, we had a nice dinner of beef stew. Directly after dinner we had a team building competition of baking cookies. They judged them based off of presentation, appearance, taste, creativity, and overall. The winning cookie was the miners delight, and was certainly a delight 😉

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Written by Natalie R.

Today we started with service day 4 and worked on Perseverance Trail. We hiked two miles to our spot and carried and dug up rocks to put on the side of the river. After we finished, we hiked back down and returned to home base for showers. After everyone got cleaned up, we went to the chapel to do the capstone activity where we talked about everything that has happened so far on the trip and reflected on it.

After the activity, we played a wonderful game of Werewolf and then ate dinner. Dinner was burgers. After dinner, we separated into two groups, boys and girls. Each of the groups had their separate night where we watched movies and talked. We ate popcorn and connected even further.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Written by Zoe Anderson

Today was so majestic. We started our day with getting the privilege to sleep in an extra hour. It was certainly well needed. Then, we all headed to a tiny local cafe and got some yummy waffles and brekkie burritos.

Afterwards, we drove to our mine tour. On the way we saw elegant deer and angry bald eagles. Once we got to the mine, we met our very friendly tour guide. We learned so much about mining and got to see him use a little train thing that scooped water. We also learned he has 23 kids… and that he barely remembers their names… Wow!

Later in the day, we embraced our inner tourist and went shopping in downtown Juneau. To top it all off, we ate delicious food at Hangar at the Wharf.

Finally, we settled down to a nice bonfire (campfire) on the beach and said our farewells in a beautiful, sad way. We also had an amazing roast battle in which I won.

February 7, 2023 by Ashley Welter

Costa Rica: Spring Break Service Adventure (Program Blog for April 10 – April 16, 2023)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 10

Hola! 

It is Spring Break here! And we are excited to start our fifth session of Costa Rica: Spring Break Service Adventure!

Today, our students made their way to Guanacaste Province in Costa Rica to jump into their adventures and learning opportunities that are coming along! We hope that you will enjoy using this blog as a way to experience this journey with us!

Our group has safely arrived and is getting comfortable in their new home on the beach of Junquillal. Most of the students shared that a long day of traveling tired them, but they are all super enthusiastic and looking forward to the adventure and service days to come!

We picked up our Costa Rica 14 students crew around noon. After their 1.5-hour van ride they reached their home for a coming week to get settled, walk around, and start living the Pura Vida. We are all excited to make meaningful connections and work at the turtle project and Guanacaste Water Centre.

We can’t wait for the week of service learning , lifelong memories, and deep friendships that awaits.

Pura vida from Mag (International director) and Juan Carlos (Local director) and our amazing staff members Eden and Lauren

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 11

This morning we woke up to birds chirping and the gleaming sun beaming in our faces. We started our day with a nutritious breakfast; then headed to orientation. We started off orientation with ice-breakers, that helped each of us get to know each other better. Afterwards, the staff had the students do interactive activities to become comfortable with the code of conduct. Once finished, we had lunch and enjoyed each other’s company.

After lunch we got ready, sat outside and prepared for the rest of the day at the beach. We took a thirty minute bus ride to a popular local beach named Playa Avellanas, beach of the hazelnuts. We applied sunscreen and had the choice of boogie boarding while being supervised by a lifeguard. After thirty minutes we came out of the water, spent time in the shade and went to the local restaurant on the beach to get smoothies and be at the souvenir shop. We were given the choice to have local fruit in our smoothie, named Guanabana. We had a 30-30-30 cycle, so after the thirty minutes in the shade we went in for our last thirty minute dip in the ocean. We then proceeded to leave the beach. As we were driving down to our hotel, our amazing driver and staff member noticed monkeys on the trees and stopped to let us see the monkeys firsthand. Everyone was amazed as the male dominant monkey started to defend his pack.

After the excitement of the monkeys, we headed to home base and showered up for the sunset-circle. During sunset-circle the group shared what they appreciated about the day, and what they wanted to achieve during community service the next day. We had dinner, then finished the night with a fun activity. We had a fun first day.

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 12

At 7:30, our day started with a delicious breakfast of juice, cereal, pancake, pinto, and sausage. By 8:00, we took a short walk to the Sea Turtle hatchery where we met the founder and local, Valeria. We learned more about sea turtles: the seven different species, their habitat, their behaviors, and more. After learning about how Sea turtles make their nest, we had our own activity where we had to find and dig sea turtle “eggs” as a team. The following service contained moving dirty and old sand from the egg hatchery and replacing it with fresh sand. In this way, it was like changing a bedsheet for the new sea turtle eggs.

Once we finished replacing the old sand for two sea turtle nests, it was time for lunch. The menu consisted of salad, vegetables, chorizo, and rice. The day continued after a small break and we traveled to a secondary forest. Macia, Lukas, Amuricio, were our guides for this service project. Marcia taught us about the importance of the water cycle and trees as well as their mission to restore Costa Rica’s ecosystem. By the end of the service portion, we had planted and watered 50 fruit and other types of trees. These trees are building the biodiversity of the ecosystem while serving as a habitat and food source for hundreds of species.

After a long and hard working day of service, we were able to enjoy ourselves by the pool. Although we were tired, we had fun by the poolside. At 5:45, we had our daily tie for reflection at the sunset circle. We asked “what did you get from today” and “what are you proud of today”. There was a consensus that we were all proud of our perseverance, teamwork, and our new knowledge of the environment and how we can act to save the environment.

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 13

Written by Grace, Emily, Anja

Hi parents!

Today we woke up early and got on the bus at 6:30! We had a long and fun adventure waiting for us. We had a delicious breakfast on the bus. It was a breakfast burrito with eggs, rice, and yummy vegetables! After getting a nice rest on the long bus ride we finally arrived at our destination. After we roamed around the area it was ready to hop on another bus to head to where tubbing starts. It was a beautiful way down to the river. There were many butterflies, a waterfall, gorgeous types of plants and birds.

While going down the river the landscape was extraordinary. We ran into monkeys swinging in the trees and lots of iguanas. The water was refreshing and going down the rapids was a blast. We got to experience things out of the ordinary and see many animals in their habitat. There were also many trees over the river keeping us cool with their shade. It was an amazing experience and one that we’ll never forget! After that we were all very hungry. We were so excited for the buffet. We were looking forward to trying the local Costa Rica food. We loved the vanilla cake they had and the wonderful fruit.

After lunch we got on our harness for ziplining. First we glided over beautiful Costa Rican trees. They siplined down a slide and through a gorgeous canyon. At this point alot of us had to overcome fears and get out of our comfort zones. After we were done we hopped back on the bus and sang to the radio. We got home just in time for sunset and reflected on our very adventurous day. After the beautiful sunset we enjoyed taco Thursday.

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 14

Written by Maddie, Tatum, and Marishka

Hello from Costa Rica!

Today we woke up for breakfast around 7:15, and had delicious french toast, with a side of cereal, fruit, beans, and yogurt. Then, we headed out to service around 8:00! We worked at the turtle nursery and did the same thing we did on Wednesday, cleaning out 3 nests. Since we finished quickly, we got back in time to swim in the pool for a bit. Right after swimming, we had lunch, which was chicken tenders, crinkle fries, and a salad. The meal was one of the favorite meals we’ve had so far. After eating, we all went to the second service site. We worked for the same organization as we did Wednesday, but did something different. We were split into three groups and drove to different rivers of the town. There, we set up signs of the names of the rivers in place. We were able to dig the holes in order to put the signs up and seal it in with cement. After coming back together, we had a reflection on the importance of water and how people take it for granted.

Right after service, we went to a local’s house where we made homemade tortillas. We learned the process of how to make it, and ate them afterwards. They were delicious and the only two ingredients were corn and water! There, we met three little girls. They told us about the farm animals. One of the girls mentioned they enjoyed making bracelets, and Tatum, Sabela, and Tess offered the girls their bracelets as a very kind gesture. Afterwards we went to a field and were able to play a game of soccer with the locals. We enjoyed being able to play with the locals, and it was an incredible experience. After we got back, we had dinner which consisted of stir fry with rice, and a salad. Tonight we are going to have a sea turtle debate, and some people are going on a night patrol for sea turtles.

BLOG POST FOR APRIL 15

Written by Frankie and Bella

Hi parents! Today was our last day. We had lots of fun and many said it was their favorite day of the trip. We first woke up early at 6:45 and left on the bus. On the 1 hour bus ride we ate empanadas and sang to the songs on the radio: We arrived at the beach where we were picked up by a small transport boat. That boat took us to the cateran, the lazy lizard, and we all went up to the front of the ship were there were two nets where everyone layed down. They played music and the sun was beaming, it was great. We arrived after a little bit to the Honeymoon beach where we hopped off the boat and went snorkeling. We saw many fish and coral. We swam back eventually and got on paddle boards and swam around. Some went to the beach where the sand was very mushy. We had lunch next where they served wraps, salad, pasta, fruit, and desert. They also served drinks, the most popular being the shirley temple.

After we hopped back in the water and some did flips into the water. The boat headed back and we played music and everyone sang. People danced and everyone was having lots of fun. We got back to the shore where we took a bus ride back to home base. When we got back we took about two hours to pack our bags and rest. Some kids took a break and ate snacks provided by the kitchen. Then we did an appreciation circle where there was an inner circle who stood up and an outer circle who sat down facing outside of the circle. We were given a prompt like “Tap a person who made you feel good about yourself this trip”. Then the inner circle tapped people on the outer circle. It was great and many kids shared that they felt touched and appreciated. Then we split into groups for our activity, one meaningful goal. The groups talked about their biggest takeaway from the trip and what they learned. They came up with goals to implement into their daily lives like environmental awareness and mindfulness. Then they came up with skits showcasing specific ways they will implement their newly earned knowledge in their daily lives.

We then did our sunset circle that lasted longer than normal and then ate dinner. We then performed the skits and laughed a lot. After Maggie surprised us with a pool party and everyone was laughing and having a blast. Now we are at the end of the day and it is a bittersweet goodbye to this trip. Every single person made a significant memory on this trip and it made them all grow as kids and humans.