Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures Custom Group program!
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- 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.
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-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team
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BLOG POST FOR MARCH 9
Dear Atmosphere Academy Italy 2026 families:
Ciao tutti!
We are so glad all students have arrived! We greeted them in Rome and settled in at the hotel in Capannelle near the Aqua Claudia, an ancient Roman aqueduct finished by Emperor Claudius in 52 AD. Our orientation covered the program rules and expectations and some Italian culture. We then had a nice dinner at the hotel – lots of pasta and meatballs and mashed potatoes and dessert- then headed upstairs to rest. Tomorrow, we start our journey exploring the ancient civilization of Rome starting at the Vatican and a walking & food tour in central Rome, and the next day in the Coliseum and the Roman Forum.
Our program starts here in the heart of Italy and over the next 9 days we will explore Florence, a Tuscan hill farm, Pisa, Lucca, Milan and Venice from the countryside to the vibrant modern cities juxtaposed by ancient ruins. We will immerse ourselves in Italian history, culture and language, visiting some of the world’s most iconic travel destinations here in one of the cradles of Western civilization’s culture. It will be a blast!…
A presto!
Clint, Antonella, Mireia and Sam
BLOG POST FOR MARCH 10
Pod 1
Today, we first took a bus to the center of Rome. So far we’ve been to two countries; Rome and the Vatican. In the Vatican, we went to the museum exploration where we saw the Sistine chapel and St.Peters basilica (The largest church in the world.) We saw the square in front of the Vatican and learned all about the statues and artwork inside it- the museum was huge!
After we did a Walking food tour with our guide named Alexandra. Thanks to her, we learned a lot of history about Italy, and tried new foods!! We tried supplì, panini, pizza, and gelato. She also introduced us to a shopping center where we got souvenirs. One of the pizzas had sheep’s cheese and black pepper, others the classic margarita and a vegetable one.
After we took the bus back to the hotel and went on a walk where we learned about Romes water systems (aqueduct) and also do a debrief about the day while enjoying the view of the beautiful town. We give it a 10/10!!
Kiara Gil & Kyle Muñoz
Pod 2
Today on March 10, my friends and I enjoyed our breakfast to start the day before going to Vatican City. As we took the bus there we saw ancient aqueducts and lots of beautiful grassland. When arriving at the country, we as a collective were taken to see the Sistine Chapel in the oldest Catholic Church in the world. The art, architecture, and paintings were such a sight to see. Who knew that Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci had such an important influence on Italy.
After the museum, we were taken to meet our food tours guides. Anna spoke about the history of the food we were going to eat that afternoon. First, we ate this fried ball of rice with tomato sauce and mozzarella called “supplì.” Then, we ate at this sandwich place with a unique addition of pistachio paste and tuna sauce. After that, we had 3 different street pizzas that included margarita, sheep cheese with black pepper, and vegetables.
To conclude our lunch , they took us out for gelato at the end of the day. Then we headed back across Rome to our hotel, and went straight out for a walk in the countryside and saw a 2000 year old Aquaduct, some trains, and a beautiful evening view of the countryside and city lights in the distance on a hill.
Jacob Tejada
BLOG POST FOR MARCH 11
Pod 1
We started off our day with a bus ride learning new Italian words. We arrived near the ancient Roman Forum and then to the Colosseum. We began with a walking tour of the Forum and first stopped at the Arch of Titus, where we learned about Jewish slavery, how the romans conquered Jerusalem, and how jewish slaves were forced to build the colosseum. We then walked to the colosseum, we were given facts about its structure and what it was used for. We had learned about how the colosseum had a backstage underneath the stage instead of behind because of its circular shape. At the end of the walking tour, we went to eat at a restaurant. We ate rigatoni pasta with red sauce and as the second course we had two slices of pork with potatoes on the side with tiramisu as desert. Afterwards, we then continued our walking tour by heading to the Trevi Fountain and taking pictures together. We then went to the famous Piazza Navona that has a nice statue and obelisk in the center, where we were had time explore and to shop. We bought souvenirs, pizza, and gelato!
Isabella Hernandez & Kairy Mendoza
Pod 2
For today’s schedule, we went to the Colosseum and took a tour to the fountain of Trevi. In the morning, we woke up at 6 o’clock and had breakfast at 7:30 we then took the bus to the Colosseum to have a tour based on their history. We walked through the Roman Forum with a guide and then a tour of the Coliseum which is amazingly big. The guide then took us to a local restaurant which was nice.
After the tour we then continued on to go see the fountain of Trevi and the history behind it. One legend we learned is that throwing one coin with your right hand over your left shoulder brings a return to Rome. throwing a second coin brings romance and throwing a third coin brings marriage. After learning about the legend, we then went to the fountain and threw one coin into the fountain. After proceeding with the legend we then separated and went to shop in a small area that we ended up in after the tour and came back together at 5:10. After all this the groups returned together we then returned to the bus and went back to the hotel.
-Yasmine Charleston
Today is March 11 and we are now going to the Roman Colosseum. In Italy, the Roman Colosseum was used for sports and other games and activities. Rome was built on seven Hills. Rome was founded on a hill called the Palatine. Two major emperors are called Constantine and Tigres. We are now in the actual Roman Colosseum before that we walked through the Roman forum. The Roman forum was where the Romans gathered for commerce, legal practices, and played various games.
After visiting and seeing the Roman Colosseum and the Roman forum, we went to a restaurant. Right now we’re walking about 30 minutes just to see Italy’s culture and go to a fountain nearby. We went and saw the Trevi fountain which was insanely huge and so gorgeous. It is a must in Italy to throw a coin in the Trevi fountain when you come we are still in Rome. After we went to the Trevi fountain, we walked around a little bit more and then we ended our tour. After we ended our tour we had free time to buy our souvenirs. It was amazing to see the different historical sites that Italy has. We are now walking back to our bus to head to the hotel to start packing and eat dinner to go to Florence tomorrow.
-Fallon Hugie
BLOG POST FOR MARCH 12
Pod 1
Today we traveled from Rome to Florence on a bus. It was raining bery heavy for a while and a few bolts of lighting and rumbles of thunder here and there. About an hour in, we took a small pit stop in a gas station where we bought a few things for the road. A little bit later, we arrived at a farm in the region of Tuscany. We learned a lot about the history of the farm and saw a castle. Then, we ate lunch inside the old farm building, and it was pretty decent. There were wood fires burning and some of the fireplaces had their own little rooms with benches in them.
After then touring the farm, we played a trivia game about Italy in general and the winning group will be announced later. After playing the trivia game, we headed back on to the bus and then went on our way to Florence, where we finally came to the hotel. Afterwards, we went to a nearby supermarket to buy snacks and drinks (and those prices were a huge steal). So far, today was good and after a long day of traveling, we made it and are happy to be here. And tomorrow we are off to see Milan!
Zahir Blackwood & Mia Vargas
Pod 2
Today we left our hotel in Rome in the morning and started driving through the Italian countryside of Tuscany. It was raining most of the day, but it still felt calm and peaceful. The countryside looked really nice with all the green fields and hills. We learned about sustainable farming and the history of the Spannocchia Estate. It was quiet and relaxing there. It felt like a nice break from the busy city.
At the farm we saw the huge old house with a castle tower. They told us its history and that it was from the 1200s. We ate lasagna, bread, salad and had brownies for dessert. The food was simple but tasted great. Even though it was raining, it was still a nice day. After we finished eating and spending some time taking a walk, we started heading to our new hotel. The drive was easy and not too long. We witnessed beautiful vistas of Florence. When we got there, we settled in, had dinner and got comfortable for the night.
Justin Gonzalez
BLOG POST FOR MARCH 13
Pod 1
Today was one of the most exciting days of our trip to Italy. In the morning, we took a train from Florence to Milan. The train ride was about two hours long, and it was a really cool experience. As the train moved through out we could see different towns, fields, and beautiful scenery outside the window. It was relaxing but also exciting because we went out of town to see new experiences.
As we arrived in Milan, we went to visit the Duomo. It was honestly one of the most beautiful buildings I have seen so far, the building had so many details, very modern and tall which had a lot of history behind it. When we looked up at it the view was amazing and it really made the moment feel special.
Victoria Abe
Today we visited Milan and got the opportunity to visit the Duomo in Milan, which was a great experience. We were able to visit the rooftop of the cathedral and explore the inside. Next we had time to explore the area and get lunch wherever we wanted. We decided to try an Italian Mcdonald’s which was a great experience to try it from other country. After that we did some shopping around the beautiful galleria, which I also enjoyed and so did everyone else.
Kezia Edem Dengbey
Pod 2
Today on Friday, March 13th, we headed to the city of Milan to see the Duomo, the city’s cathedral. We took a 30-minute walk to the first train station in order to go to Milan, and the ride was about 2 hours. After we got off the train, we got on the subway to get to the Duomo. We entered the Milan Cathedral, which is 356 feet high. This is the third largest church in the world and the largest in Italy, and it took nearly 600 years to finish from 1386 to 1965. Inside the Milan Cathedral, we can see many statues, spires, and gargoyles. Visitors can go to different parts and enjoy different points of view of the place, and take miraculous pictures. In the actual Church, we can see stained glass of biblical images and more statues.
After that, we had lunch and free time. There were many souvenir shops and other stores such as Prada, Louis, Fendi, Rizzoli, and many little shops with merchandise or bracelets that represent the place. For food there were plenty of restaurants and fast food places as well.
What a great day!
Adriel Garcia
Today was different from any other day because we were getting ready to go to Milan. We saw amazing, spectacular views or the exterior and interior of the Cathedral of Milan, known as the “Duomo.” We took an elevator and got to the roof we then took the stairs all the way to the top we took amazing, jaw-dropping pictures. Shoutout, Jacob Tejada and Leyah Om. We then went down the steps of the cathedral and got to a huge beautiful church. We left and got lunch with our chaperone groups. My chaperone group (the queens group), Ms A, Leyah, Jaylin, Isabella, Valerie and Fallon ate at McDonald’s. We then had free time, got gelato and went shopping. I had so much fun today with my group.
Jaydaliz Ciprian
BLOG POST FOR MARCH 14
Pod 1
Today we walked around Central Florence and then we went to learn how to make pizza from scratch. We also made cannoli for dessert with cocoa and pistachios.
Then we went to a gallery about Michaelango and how he created all these statues, especially the famous statue of David itself. The statue was large and in the center of the museum. That was definetely the highlight of the visit. The gallery has also a Museum of Musical Instruments, which had many Renaissance paintings and depictions of famous musical instruments.
Dorian Ramirez & Osahenrumw Arasomwan
Pod 2
Today we started off walking for about 15-20 minutes to the main part of Florence , and then we went to go see the Cathedral and went on tour for about and hour learning the history of the buildings. The Cathedral took around 600 years to be built and was being restored recently.
Once we finished that we went to go take a pizza making class, learning how to make a pizza from scratch. We learned how to mix the dough together with ingredients and how to properly shape the dough to get ready for toppings , after we made our pizza dough and dressed them in toppings and sauce we got to enjoy them after being freshly baked. We had also made and ate cannoli.
Lastly we had our own time to venture through Florence, some nice neighborhoods on the other side of the river, and see the vibrant and different shops.
Florence is apparently home to lots of leather so there were many shops full of belts wallets and purses, after enjoying our wonder off time it was about time to start heading back on our way to the hotel again and then go out to a nearby restaurant for dinner, enjoying yet another exciting experience in Italy.
Christopher Campos
Today we walked around Firenze and saw a lot of famous places. We visited Santa Maria del Fiore, which has a big red dome and a fancy marble exterior. Then we went to the Baptistery of San Giovanni with its famous bronze doors and mosaic ceiling. After that we toured a museum with lots of statues, including works related to Michelangelo’s David we learned the David and Goliath story and why the statue is important.
The streets were narrow with old buildings and small shops. We stopped for gelato with my group and by the end of the day I was tired, but it was cool to see the art and buildings in real life.
Later we went out to dinner in a restaurant near our hotel. Tomorrow we are off to see Pisa.
Jayleen Martinez
BLOG POST FOR MARCH 15
Pod 1
Today we had a wonderful time. We started off getting a yummy nutritious breakfast to fill us up for the day, afterwards we headed out of the hotel to get us on the bus, the bus ride was a hour long but after the bus ride we arrived at our destination which was the Cathedral Square of Pisa! It was so beautiful seeing all the different places like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Afterward we went to eat lunch in a local Mexican restaurant and it was a 10/10! It was very nostalgic after not eating our cultural identity food in a different country which was super delicious. Leaving Pisa to head over towards Lucca which we thought was 1 hour but which felt like only a couple of minutes. After we arrived to Lucca we had a guided tour of it. It is very rich in water and they have always made paper- including toilet paper, and met up with our tourist guide to learn about the many buildings that were churches in piazza! We saw the famous amphitheater plaza which has the same shape as an ancient Roman amphitheater, which was really interesting.
Cleyre Miralrio & Michele Sanchez
Pod 2
Each day is a new adventure for our small organization of Atmosphere. In our most recent adventure, we ventured into the town of Pisa located within the Tuscany region of Italy. First, we woke up and ate an extravagant breakfast, a wonderful breakfast prepared by the Meridiana staff. Then, we departed and were led by a lovely tour guide who thoroughly explained the history and significance behind the tower of Pisa. Our guide had informed us more about the dome created as a tribute to St. Peter, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ and one of the leaders of the early Christian Church.
We will never forget the unforgettable monument that the town of Pisa upheld. Then, we ventured on to the compact town of Lucca. Lucca was a town that has never been conquered by Florence and was named after their swampy land. Amazingly, we learned that Lucca was home to 90,000 inhabitants and included 100 churches, each one reflecting the artistry of Roman architecture.
Overall, our trip around Pisa and Lucca was immaculate. Learning the history of the monuments gave us insight into the enriching achievements of artists during the end of the 18th century.
– Crystal Anderson and Celine Guillou
BLOG POST FOR MARCH 16
Pod 1
Today in the morning we went to central Florence and climbed to the top of the duomo. It was a hard climb of over 400 steps but the view was beautiful. We could see the inside of the dome of the church from up close and then we went on the roof for a view of all of Florence.
Afterwards we went to the main market of Florence for lunch. There were lots of different places with all kinds of local food and we all got what we wanted from the market.
After that we went to load our buses and head to Venice. They’re saying it’s going to take about 4 hours to get there so I decide to take a nap. I’m the type of person that if I sleep in the car it’s because it’s moving and was awoken because we had came to a stop. To my surprise, we were stuck in traffic. I didn’t think anything of it because traffic is normal in New York until we were told that we’d be there, stuck, for about an hour. Since we knew we’d be there a while, Mireia, Marielys, Isabella h, Kairy, Sarah, and I began to play a repitition game. We played by using the phrase “on my vacation i’m bringing..” and then saying an item, and the next person would start by using the same thing, repeating the item the person before them said, and then saying their own item. This is how the game went and we went around playing for about 3 times. We eventually got kind of tired of it and decided to play “veo veo” or in other words, “i spy”. That didn’t last long either so we just waited out the traffic and got to our rest stop.
After using the bathroom and freshening up we got back on the bus, only to find out we still had 2 hours and 15 minutes remaining. At first everyone on the bus was quiet, me and Sarah passed time by talking and putting filters on eachother. Around when there was 45 minutes left me and Sarah shared headphones and listened to music. Clint, Mireia, and Mr. Donovan played a guess the song game with Kairy, Isabella h, and Marielys. We had some great songs.
When we finally arrived to the hotel, me and Sarah waited in line to use the elevator and arrived to our hotel room where we checked the room and left our belongings. Me and Sarah went downstairs and sat with the rest of our friends while we enjoyed the pizza that was left for us at the table. The pizza was really good, I only ate one slice however since I wanted to make sure everyone at the table was able to eat some. Then we were served pasta, which was also good, almost everyone at my table ate it all. After pasta came chicken, with a side of boiled baby carrots and fried potatoes. I’d say it was pretty good too.
Lastly, We were given a vanilla ice cream for desert which was delicious. Tomorrow we will be gong exploring Venice and the islands around it.
Dannirys Beras
Pod 2
The day started with breakfast, and all of us ate before we walked to the Duomo of Florence and we used our tickets to scan and get into it. When in the cathedral, we had to ascend all of the stairs on our way to the top (serious leg workout). There were over 400 steps to finally get to the top of it. Despite the long ascent up the Church to get to the top, the view above was absolutely beautiful, with you being able to see basically the entire city of Florence from it and being amazing for pictures that made the climbing worth it.
After the Church, we decided it was time to eat so we entered a market and me and my group ate smash burgers together at a table and then ran off to get gelato after(really really good) and were just able to explore the market for a hour or two before we finally walked back to the hotel, packed our stuff, and got on a bus to go to our next city, Venice where we settled into our hotel and ate dinner before finally heading to our rooms and going to sleep.
Jeremiah Bloome
Today we visited the Cupola, the dome of Florence’s cathedral, and climbed about 450 narrow stairs to reach the top. The climb was tiring, but the view of the city from above was worth it. After coming back down, we went to the nearby huge Florence Market where we ate lunch and looked around the stores for things we liked. It was a nice chance to rest before continuing our day. Afterwards, we walked back to the hotel to get ready to leave for our next city in Italy- Venice! We are currently on a bus heading to Venice, which is about a four-hour ride, although traffic may make it take longer. Tomorrow, we are looking forward to exploring!
Jair Roldán
BLOG POST FOR MARCH 17
Pod 1
We kicked off the day with a boat ride over to Venezia, and honestly, seeing the city from the water never gets old. We spent the morning wandering through the shops and getting lost in the narrow streets before hopping onto a smaller boat to do some island hopping. We visited three different islands, and it was cool because they each had their own unique vibe and history. We spent the afternoon basically living our best lives: eating a long lunch, doing a bit more shopping, and taking way too many photos while soaking up the sun. By the time we boated back to the main city, we were exhausted but happy. We managed to squeeze in one last group photo together in Venezia before finally trekking back to the hotel to crash. Such a perfect day!
Hazel Clemente
In the morning we had really good breakfast and it made me nice and full. Then we got on bus and we explored Venice by going to three different islands. In order to get to these islands we took 3 cruises. On the first cruise we got to see the Murano island then we took two different cruises to see the Burano island. On the Murano island we got to walk around and look at the island while in the burano island we had lunch and got a chance to buy souvenirs to take back home. Overall both islands were great and beautiful. I really enjoyed it and had a lot of time to chat with friends.
Gesabell Jerez
Pod 2
Today we took a bus ride from the hotel to a boat dock. We took a ferry to Venice and then took boat rides to three different islands called Burano, Murano, and Torcello.
In the first island we saw the process of glass making with a furnace type of machine and metal rods called blowing sticks that are used to heat the white sand and turn it into glass. They heat it to a hot orange and spin it around and reshape the substance by blowing into the rod and making it a spherical shape and poking a hole into the top to make a flower vase. They decorated it with colorful pieces and infused it into the glass by putting it in the furnace machine. This glass production place showed us how they make glass products using white sand and other materials.
In the second island, Murano, used for plantation and agricultural purposes, we walked around an abandoned church and found a canal that was quite long and we skipped rocks across it and tried to reach the other side by throwing rocks. Murano is used by In the last island, Torcello, known for producing lace, we walked around and entered shops and got souvenirs and purchased food for us to eat. I got a margherita pizza and others got hotdogs and other food.
Alister Brown
We took a ferry to venice which lead to taking a boatride to several islands called Burano, Murano and Torcello. In Burano we saw glass blowing, which they put glass in extremely hot fire with a blowing stick making it molten to give it into any shape for vases or other glassware.
In Murano we talked around the local area which was used as a farm for produce, we later found an abandoned church and other fields with old architectural structures, and skipping stones with the massive lake there. While in Torcello we ate lunch which was pizza and suppli then walked around taking pictures of the local buildings and restaurants. We eventually returned to Venice and walked around exploring the local area and buying souvenirs, after we take the ferry back to our hotel.
Cayden Wright
BLOG POST FOR MARCH 18
Today we woke up around 7:00am, had breakfast, and made our way to the bus to board our ferry on our way to Venice island. First we walked through the pretty city and then to an old building where they make glass and crafts and we made traditional masks by painting them with shiny bright colors. After mask making, they then took us to a separate room to watch how glass objects are made in real time. The guide showed us how sturdy the glass was and how they made different colors, designs, and shapes with glass. They use different chemicals like copper and liquid gold to get greens and red, it’s really pretty.
From there we went on foot to a nice restaurant for lunch, where we had lasagna, pork with potato fries, and for dessert panacotta with strawberries, which was very delicious. Then we made our way out to ride a gondola around the canals of Venice. It was a very interesting experience.. We all experienced something new for the first time so as a group we were all nervous. But it was really pretty and calm and cool to see the city from its foundations and all the secret entrance to houses and cafes.
After we got off, we walked back through the beautiful city of Venice in the little narrow streets and them to our ferry to finally make our way back to the hotel. Once we arrive at the hotel we all gathered together to show our appreciation to each other as a group and talk about all the things we have done. Then we had our farewell dinner. With two birthday cakes! Overall, this experience was wonderful and very informative for all of us.
Marielys Payano & Lia Santos
