PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!
Here are a few things to know and expect:
- Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
- We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
- Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
- Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
- Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.
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 post!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 13
Hello Friends & Family!!
Today is officially day two of our program here in Bali! After a long day of travel and airport transfers yesterday, we dove headfirst into orientation today.
We spent the morning learning about GLA, what our program will be like, and about Balinese culture. We’ve been getting to know one another, tasting our first bites of Indonesian cuisine (delicious), and trying to get through a bit of jet lag!
This afternoon we had a language lesson and then went on a scavenger hunt in the town around our homebase to start to get know the area. We met lots of locals and learned a ton along the way!
It’s been a day filled with information and getting to know the lay of the land. We are so excited to get to venture out into Bali tomorrow!!
-Taylor, Isa, and Sam (GLA Staff)
BLOG POST FOR JULY 14
Hello GLA families,
Today was another great day in Bali; it was so packed!
Rise and shine was at 6:15 am this morning. We began with traditional Balinese banana pancakes in a breakfast box and headed over to an Herbal Walk! We got to smell tropical flowers and learn all about Balinese traditional medicine.
Our morning was not even close to over, it was only 9am! We headed over to the Tirta Empal Temple where we walked around and learned about offerings and different kinds of prayer in Hinduism. Everyone was deeply immersed in the rich culture and so excited to learn! We all wore our Sarong and Sash.
For lunch, we went to an all you can eat buffet. And trust me, that had to have been everyone’s favorite part. The view was of a volcano and it was something you might see out of a movie, but it was real.
The afternoon consisted of a coffee plantation where tasted different coffees and teas made from different plants. Some of them were really delicious even for non coffee drinkers.
As the evening arrived, so did the princess!! We were lucky enough to have a meal with the princess and explore her palace. We watched traditional dances and even joined into some of them!
I think it is safe to say we are all exhausted and excited for a little bit of a later wake up (8am).
Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings – Ryann
BLOG POST FOR JULY 16
Hey Friends & Family,
This is Mary Grace, and I was one of the leaders of the day today! Today we started the day at seven in the morning and our breakfast was banana pancakes! After that we split into two groups, and mine went to the Magi Farm and the landfill.
At the Magi Farm, we learned about how trash is sorted, and how we should try to not produce as much food waste. We also learned the life cycle and process of how maggots produce fertilizer and they can positively effect the environment by producing less methane gas. We also made food for the people living in the landfill.
Next, we went to the landfill and brought the food we made at the Magi Farm and passed it out to those living in the neighborhood. We then discussed how seeing this affected us and how we felt seeing it.
After this, we visited the Bali Institute, and got to try some gelato. We went back to the homestay and played team games and jumped into the pool afterwards. Last, we went and played indoor soccer, and my team won!
This is Alex. Today we split into two groups and my group ventured out on a boat then launched our paddle boards into the mangroves with our paddles, baskets and gloves. We picked up tons of trash off of the trees and branches. After learning about the importance of mangroves and collecting trash we had some chill beach time where we ate lunch on the sand and spent some time swimming in the ocean. It was a very fun day today and we can’t wait for the next.
Tomorrow groups will switch. The Magi farm group will visit the mangroves and vice versa. We’re excited to see what they’re like after getting to see a little sneak peak from our friends!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 18
Today was the first day in our new homebase in Pemuteran and we started off this amazing day by sleeping in. After breakfast we headed to a turtle hatchery.
First, we heard a detailed description of how the turtle project works, which was really informative. And then we got to see the Buddy, the 21 year old turtle. Moreover, we had the opportunity to see the baby turtles really close up, and of course, the most unforgettable part was that few of us helped releasing some of them to the sea. That was truly an emotional and inspiring experience.
Next, we had a final teaching preparation back in the homebase followed by a delicious lunch.
Later in the afternoon, we visited a local elementary school, and finally carried out our teaching preparation into a real life-setting.
We were divided into three groups, teaching English, art and sports. Each group had an unique way of teaching, and the students rotated between us every 45 minutes. The classroom’s atmosphere was full of laughter and the kids were fully engaged, and curious. It was a challenging experience, but incredibly interesting and meaningful.
We ended the day with a yummy dinner and we are looking forward for snorkeling and teaching tomorrow.
-Laura
BLOG POST FOR JULY 20
Today started off with an early morning for some, leaving at 6:15 for a run along the beach. It was very peaceful. Breakfast was at 7 and we enjoyed banana pancakes and watermelon.
At 8:15 we walked to the local beach and got our snorkeling gear. Before going snorkeling, we listened to a very informative presentation about coral and its benefits to ecotourism and the environment, and once the presentation was finished it was time to go snorkeling! We spent an hour snorkeling and got to see beautiful coral, fish and were even lucky enough to see a blue sea star. After a great time snorkeling we got to have some free time at the beach; some chose to go swimming while others relaxed on the beach.
We walked back to home base for showers before a delicious lunch at 12. At 1:15 we left to walk to the local school where we taught english, art and sports in our groups. Everyone had a brilliant time and the children were amazing. We’re all very sad it’s our last day going to this school as the children were so welcoming.
We walked back from the school and had a little bit of time to relax or shower before dinner at 6. After dinner we took a quick walk to the shop and bought some snacks and ice cream.
Love, Sincerely, From, Best, xoxo,
Ffion
BLOG POST FOR JULY 21
Today we are visiting the Biosphere! We left home base at 6:30 and had a wonderful breakfast. After breakfast we watched a documentary about the inspiring biosphere 2 scientific experiment. We met the scientists who sealed themselves off from our biosphere for two years in an artificial biosphere. They did this in order to study how humans both impact and depend on the biosphere — all life on earth and the geology of the planet. We learned more about the important local concept from Ridge to Reef as well.🪸
Then we walked around and toured the land. After a snack we split into two groups. The first thing we did was go scoop cow manure. Maymay was really enjoying it. We then switched activities and started chopping down plants for a compost pile. Sophie was really serving. After lunch we made the compost pile using the cow manure and plants. We then went on a hike through the nature to see the Ridge part of the water cycle.
After that we had dinner and headed back to base! Goodnight ❤️
BLOG POST FOR JULY 23
For our last day in Pemuteran we went scuba diving and went out for dinner. First we went to the dive center and learned about scuba diving. Then, we went to the beach to get ready to dive. There we split into our groups, one would dive first while the other stayed on the beach, then they would switch.
We got to see coral, sea stars, fish, sea slugs, and one group even saw a turtle! The visibility was incredible, so some people when out snorkeling to catch up with the divers. After we dove, we all spent a while hanging out on the beach, enjoying our lunch and relaxing in the sun.
When we got back to our home base we played games and got ready for dinner. We dressed up nice and made our way to the restaurant on the beach.
We took lots of pictures on the beach and enjoyed our food. For dinner we got to choose our meals and mostly got pizza and burgers. The food was amazing!
After dinner we danced and sang our hearts out to karaoke. Then we headed back to home base for the night to pack up for traveling the next day.
With love,
Gla students
BLOG POST FOR JULY 24
Hello families!
We started the morning with a delicious breakfast of banana pancakes and fresh fruit. After finishing our meal, we packed up our belongings and loaded into the vans to begin our trip back to Ubud.
As we made our way back southeast, we took a break to stretch our legs and explored a stunning waterfall. The view was amazing. It gave us a nice pause during our three-hour drive.
Around midday, we stopped for lunch at a local restaurant, which not only served up great food, but also had a view that made the meal even more enjoyable.
Once everyone had finished eating, we continued the drive back to the Kudesa Homestay. After we arrived, we settled back into our rooms, unpacked, and spent the evening unwinding— some rested, others chatted, and a few took time to journal about the trip so far.
Later in the evening, we gathered together and split into four groups for an activity focused on creating social media campaign ideas that could benefit Bali. Each group made a unique poster and presented their ideas, showcasing creativity and thoughtful insights on how to support local communities and raise awareness about important issues.
Dinner was a delicious spread of rice, noodles, chicken, tofu, and fresh fruit — a great way to end a day of travel.
To end the night, we watched a safety video in preparation for our upcoming whitewater rafting adventure — an exciting activity that everyone is looking forward to.
– Rebecca
BLOG POST FOR JULY 25
Om Swastiastu!
Today we started our morning early with our first breakfast back in Ubud. Then we got into pairs and did some teaching prep for later in the afternoon.
Once we were all prepared, we left homebase and headed to our local director Yudha’s family compound for a cooking class. We learned how to make Base Genep or ‘magic sauce’ which is used in lots of Balinese dishes. We also learned how to make other traditional Balinese dishes such as Sop Jamur, Gado Gado, Bubuh Injin, and so many other things. After 3 hours of cooking we got to enjoy our meal! The tempe and tofu, peanut sauce, and mushroom soup were some of the favorites!
We said goodbye to Yudha’s mom and adorable dog Bim Bim, and headed to the PKP community center. We were greeted with snacks and tea and then went off to do some gardening. We cleared a patch of land and planted lemongrass and turmeric.
After some hard work, we went to the center’s outdoor classroom and hung out with the kids that live there. We played games, made paper airplanes, colored, sang, and danced. We spent 3 hours with the kids getting to know them and everyone had lots of fun and was exhausted. Then we had yet another delicious meal at the PKP center. We said goodbye to PKP for the last time and headed back to homebase for some much needed rest.
BLOG POST FOR JULY 26
We started the day with banana pancakes at our home base before heading out for our whitewater rafting trip in Bali. The drive took us through some beautiful scenery and got us excited for the adventure ahead.
Once we arrived, we geared up and hit the river. The rapids were fast and fun, and the whole experience was full of energy and excitement. We had some friendly competition between the rafts, each team trying to be the first to reach the end. It made the ride even more thrilling and brought out everyone’s competitive side.
We then visited Bali Institute for bagels, ice cream, and junk food for our future adventures in the coming days
Overall, it was a fun and action-packed day that we won’t forget anytime soon.
-Mitchem
BLOG POST FOR JULY 27
Today we drove from Ubud to Amed. We headed out to visit an indigenous village where we were supposed to start out with a trek in the morning. Due to heavy rains, we had to avoid the trek, but we got to stop at a coffee shop instead where we got drinks and a second breakfast!
Then we made it to the Indigenous village where we were given a tour. We were given a demonstration on how they create art by carving wood and filling in with charcoal. We tried tea and honey underneath some bee hives, and then an ate fresh lunches in a field near some buffalo.
Our guide showed us how they make traditional garments that last hundreds of years. Afterwards we finished the drive to our hotel, and had time at the beach. Some of us went swimming in the ocean while others took some rest time in our new rooms. We had a delicious dinner and then people went for a night swim in the pool.
We’re looking forward to a full day in Amed tomorrow!
-Jack
BLOG POST FOR JULY 28
This was our only full day in Amed. We started the day with breakfast at our hotel and getting fitted with masks and fins for snorkeling.
Afterwards we rode in the back of a truck to the beach where we would be snorkeling. We saw coral, fish, clams, and an eel.
After having chicken/pasta for lunch we had beach/pool time at our hotel. Next we learned about making recycled products and sustainability. We each repurposed an old bottle into a cup by sanding it down and painting it.
After more free time at our hotel, we ended our day by having lunch at a burger restaurant. Before bed, some of us gathered to lay on the beach and look for shooting stars!
We are getting ready to head back to Ubud tomorrow morning, but we had such an amazing time exploring Amed the past few days!
– Jack
