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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
4. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
5. 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 JUNE 23

Day one of a big adventure in the tropical paradise of Bali!

As students arrived from there long flights throughout the day, we began to learn about each other, Bali and the program to come.

We’re looking forward to exploring Bali and understanding the realities of responsible business at home and abroad. We’ll immerse ourselves in the rich culture of Bali, exploring hidden shrines, wandering through rice paddies, we will will try exotic foods and discover a different way of life.

We’re all so excited for tomorrow and the next three weeks together.

From Ben, and everybody here on the ground in Bali!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24

First day in the GLA business internship program!

We started the day by getting introduced to the Bali Institute (local partner of GLA Bali) or the Headquarters we will be staying at to work (for our internship). At the Bali Institute we did the inauguration, did some ice breakers, and shared laughs. After this we all ate at the Bali Institute. The meal was home cooked and included foods like mixed rice, sweet and sour chicken, tempe (fermented soybean dish), and some vegetables.

We continued our adventure going to the city and participating in a scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt was a journey through the city interacting with locals about historic landmarks, traditions, and dances. We learned so many new things from this including learning how locals in a community unite in a banjar, what the typical household in these communities would look like, and a variety of different foods eaten daily by the locals. Not only did we do the scavenger hunt but we learned four new skills that we would have never learned if it wasn’t for this trip, which is wood-carving, offering making, gamelan and Balinese dancing.

The guys and girls both first learned how to dance legong (a native dance of Bali) then we proceeded to learn to play the gamelan (a musical instrument similar to the xylophone) and then a local artist in Bali taught us to carve our names in wood. Finally we all learned to make offerings that we will offer in the temple that we will head to tomorrow. All in all after a day of so much activity we ended the day going to dinner and reflecting on the day. We all had an amazing time and are so excited for tomorrow’s activities like the peaceful herbal walk (a walk in the rice paddy to learn about Bali’s herbal plants), the spiritual temple visit, and the very anticipated GLA internship brief. Goodnight and see you tomorrow!

– Sebastian Lugo

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25

We started the day by waking up extra early at around 6 o’clock and heading on a bus towards the Herbal walk showcasing various medicinal plants, herbs, and medicines. We were dropped off promptly and waited for our tour guide, Made Westi. Unexpectedly, the rain started dripping slowly onto the group, and we all put on our ponchos and rain jackets. The rain would unfortunately continue for the rest of the day (even though the weather said it would stop around 10). The journey continued through the natural bushy foliage of Bali.

Along the way, the group was mesmerized by the colourful flowers and bustling trees. The group learned about new Indonesian plants and their “magical” properties. As we traversed our way through the narrow pathways, we interacted with Bali locals and greeted them as we gazed upon their land. Made Westi would stop occasionally to show off and give the group different types of flowers and herbs to smell and look upon (and even taste!).

As we walked on, we saw different examples of suitability throughout today such as animals such as Ducks helping with natural farming and cleaning, and acting as a pesticide.

After our herbal walk, we made a pitstop at Made Westi’s all-natural tea shop, and the group purchased gifts for themselves and their families! After our refreshing tea stop, we stopped by the Mengening Temple after an hour or so drive. We put on our Sarongs and Sashes, and headed into the temple to explore. As we were walking, we were hit by an almost torrential downpour, requiring us to put on our rain jackets and coats.

As a group, we explored the springs fed by the natural mountain water and eventually made our way to perform a Balinese prayer in the temple. The prayer required the offerings that the group had made the previous day during the Banjar workshop, and incense. After rubbing in the holy water that was splashed on us and praying using different sacred flowers, we all connected back together and made our way back.

As we joined back together, we hurried along to the anticipated Kintamani Restaurant and enjoyed an all-you-can-eat buffet, where we all enjoyed the delicious food. The expected view of the below was interrupted by a barrage of fog that blocked our vision.

After enjoying the lunch, we made our way to the hotel to talk more about the busy day we have tomorrow. We’re really excited to experience our first day as official interns and excited to meet the local students! The group took a quick swim test to prepare for the awaited water experiences later and we sat down for a calm and well-needed dinner to wrap up the day. The group has not been able to stop talking about meeting the new students and we’re so ready for what tomorrow holds.

-Cavan Guest

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

Today we started day 3 with our first official internship session starting module at the Bali Institute office and Makadaya Impact store. We started the day with learning about the Makadaya Impact Center story and the journey with how it came to be what it is, followed by a tour of the store with the products. These products are sustainable items that are solving real pressing issues here in Bali in different ways by creating a new vision of known products. Example of this was seen to be the Nadis Herbal which is an entirely natural approach to tea, body care items, and so much more. This store is full of products of all kinds that help to reuse, recycle, and upcycle!

Our day continued with meeting and working together with local Balinese high-school students, hearing from guest speakers, and getting professional headshots taken all at the office. Through the day we explored ideas about Social Enterprise, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship roles and how they differ from traditional commercial businesses along with non-profit organizations. As a group we went in depth making visual representations of these real economic issues happening in Indonesia especially Bali and coming up with “possible” solutions. In our personal solutions we used processes we learned during the day like the importance of social change in business strategies and having all the research of global challenges like the who, what, when, and why?

While learning new ideas, ways of thinking, and examples of sustainable businesses we still had plenty of fun getting to know the local students. Getting to play games, work in small groups, and create our own sustainable product using eco-printing. We were able to do a form of eco-printing by using cloth then simply collecting leaves and flowers then using a mallet to pound the color into the cloth from the plants. After completing this process we were left with a colorful cloth with a handmade pattern using no chemicals or harmful processes. We had a great day learning lots of new information, like the Indonesian businesses that succeed in the right way and also getting to connect with the students on a personal level. We are all eager to learn more and hear from more insightful speakers! Until then goodnight!!

-Ava Discepolo

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

Are you a fan of maggots? It is not just any maggots, it’s maggots from Black Soldier Fly!

Today we spent most of our time learning about and working with them. But before that, the day started with another breakfast at the hotel consisting of a mix between classic Balinese food and American classics.

We then met up with our friends from the Highscope school who joined us on our journey today. We slowly made our way to the Magi Farm and began our lesson, we learned from Ima and Soma, the cofounders of the Magi Farm. We spent many hours learning the cycle of Black Soldier Fly (BSF), how they contribute to fighting the growing problem of food waste, and how Ima and Soma were able to turn it into a thriving business. Although it seemed like many of the students were grossed out by the maggots, as we continued to learn about their importance to the environment and in the battle to fight climate change, we kept open minds and eventually got to work with them ourselves. Getting our hands dirty sorting the maggots from the compost they were hiding in. Some students even went into the hectic yet safe Black Soldier Fly cage, which was packed with them, flying everywhere and scaring the students (most of the students were screaming as they left).

We then got into our buses and headed to the landfill to see first hand why it is so important for us to continue fighting problems in climate change and improper disposal of waste. When we got there we spent our time handing out food to the locals who live inside and around the landfill, many of them using it as their source of income, scrapping day and night to resell the plastic left there. It was an eye opening experience to all of us and really put us into perspective.

We left there and went through yet another lesson on how to maintain and grow a sustainable business, starting our group projects on how to help expand the Magi Farm. We got a nice dinner on our way home as our last moment with the students from the Highscope school for the day. We said our goodbyes and went to a market to pick up souvenirs and snacks for the night. As a whole, today was full of unique experiences, from playing with maggots to exploring a maze of trash and waste, reminding the students to keep an open mind.

– Paxton Hunt

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Today, we first woke up and arrived at breakfast at around 7:30. We left for the office at 8:03 after some delays in order to work on a presentation in order to help the company we visited yesterday, Magi Farms, through providing them with ideas in order to help increase the number of customers they have. Magi Farms is an up and coming company that uses maggots of the black soldier fly in order to reduce food waste in households and businesses. We were split into three groups each aiding Magi Farms on one of the situations of, Social Media promotion, acquisition of more customers, and a loyalty program.

My group consisting of me, Lugo, Mea, Nindia, and Dharma were in charge of creating a loyalty program. We were able to come up with a name called Magi Rewards with a slogan of “Join the Magi family to start eating points!” which operates on a point system. We all contributed to discussions thoroughly and all provided great ideas in order to make this program seem more attractive to both Magi farms and customers. Our program is mostly focussed on retaining current household customers to use Magi farms’ services for an extended period of time as well as gaining new customers. We had an idea of a points system where customers could redeem points for rewards. We decided that 900 points would be able to provide a customer with 1 free month of subscription, 500 points for a 50% off voucher for all merchandise, and 300 points for a free tour of the Magi farm establishment every two weeks on weekends. Customers would be able to gain points through referring a friend, which would earn them 300 points, as well as continuously using the subscription program for a prolonged period of time. For the first month, customers would not get any points, but every month onwards, they would receive 50 points per month. There would also be certain milestones customers would be able to reach which would be additional points on top of the 50 points per year. Mea and I was in charge of creating the slides and inputting the information and displaying it in a visually appealing method, Nindia and Dharma were in charge of designing a mock up of what the website which displays your points would look like, while Lugo made a demonstration website with all of its features to show the co-founder. Additionally, I also created multiple graphs with extensive calculations to show how much Magi farm would profit from this program

After the preparation of the presentation, we had lunch at the office where we chatted with the local students and played games. We then had a quick cross cultural program where we would discuss with the local students the differences between our lifestyles such as our school experiences. Then we were given 10 minutes to rehearse our presentation before finally presenting it to the co-founder of Magi Farms. Group 3 went first, where they talked about implementing more social media programs to boost the number of customers Magi Farms have. They suggested making the hook and content be more attractive towards younger audiences as well as broadening their reach into other social media platforms other than Linkedin and Instagram. They also talked about collaborating with other environmental social media influencers to increase the amount of people who are able to see their business. Then, our group presented, showing the co-founder our mock ups and website as well as our statistics and data. Finally, Group 1 presented, they wanted to implement Magi kits into schools by giving live demonstrations to schools in order to not only increase awareness to help the environment, as well as allowing Magi Farms to potentially gain more customers through the school, and student’s parents.

Next, we arrived at Ubad Ubud for a cooking class and dinner. We first had some snacks with orange juice and balinese pancakes. Then we started cooking, with each of us being introduced to all of the dishes we would be making, including Balinese yellow sauce, mushroom soup, grilled minced chicken on bamboo skewers, steamed tuna, deep fried tofu and Tempe, and mixed vegetables. We first were all separately preparing the other dishes, through chopping spices and garnishes, as well as pounding with a Pestle and Mortar to make sauces. We then fried some spices in order to make the yellow sauce. We then prepared the tuna by using our hands to mix the tuna with spices and then steaming it. We then prepared the chicken by once again mixing it with our hands and then layering it on top of a bamboo skewer. We also fried the tofu and tempe in sweet soy sauce on a wok which I quite enjoyed, as well as frying some mushrooms for the mushroom soup. I definitely enjoyed cooking, especially when I was able to fry the vegetables on a wok. For dinner, we combined all of the dishes we made and ate them together.

Finally, we arrived back at the hotel for mentor groups and to rest and prepare for the next day. Overall, the day was full of excitement and fun as I enjoyed preparing, researching and calculating for the presentation as I felt like I had truly made an impact. I also enjoyed the cooking lesson and increased my confidence in my cooking abilities as well as allowing me to be more interested in cooking in general.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

We started the day off with a great start, and we took a scenic route to the Bali Institute. The forest was beautiful and lush. We got to the Bali Institute and started the day off with the local students talking about their morning routine during the school year. Their morning starts with reflection and then a game to get everyone excited for the day. This game involved throwing a ball while there was a student in the middle. The person who is in the middle has to share a way to get comfortable around others.

After the game, we started the lesson on social business models. There are ten things that we learned that had to go with it, which we later used in the day on our posters. After lunch, we went back to the lesson. Once the lesson was over, we started our poster on Mycotech Collabs.

After the poster, we went to the local art market where everyone was able to buy souvenirs and gifts for their people back home (there was a lot of bargaining involved). The local students were able to help us with what to buy and what not to buy. Many people were able to get close to the local students and make better connections.

Going on to dinner, which was at a local night market called Gianyar Market. Everyone had a blast. Trying local food and learning more about each other. We had bakso noodles, which have chicken, meatballs, and other vegetables. For dessert, we had crepes and terang bulan (a type of pancake with chocolate inside).

After today, we are so excited for what Bali holds next, we are so excited to talk to the local students even more, and get to know them! The group can’t wait to become more like family and make memories together!

-Sreenathan Shakhamoori

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Our first week has been officially completed and we had a very well-needed sleep in before embarking on our second enterprise immersion adventure. Today we started off by driving to Made Tea to continue learning about sustainability and diving deeper into the company and its goals. We began the exploration by getting a lovely tour of the organic garden, by learning about locally grown herbal plants and trying fruits such as the Mulberry, we expanded not only our knowledge but also our taste palate.

Next we were taught about chemical-free liquid composting, and other eco-friendly practices like solar drying. However, the adventure is not complete without hearing the founder’s story from working in hospitality, visiting India for personal growth, to coming back to her home and starting her sustainable farming business. Made Tea is not just a tea business, it is the collaboration of the farmers and housewives in eight villages and the sense of community it brings.

It is also the combination of indigenous knowledge and creative innovation blended into a harmonious tea cup. However, the company is not yet 100% sustainable, which has been a lifelong goal of the founder. So, our groups will be working on this problem and creating fully eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging (options like seaweed, cornstarch, or similar materials).

Tomorrow we will be presenting what we have researched to help her reach her company’s mission of being fully sustainable. After our work and with all the new knowledge that’s been applied, we took a little celebration by having PIZZA, playing cards, and then later swimming at the pool in the hotel. We are all excited to meet the princess tomorrow at the royal palace!

Sampai bertemu lagi! (See you soon!)

-Madeline Richards

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
4. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
5. 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!

COMING SOON!

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
4. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
5. 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!

COMING SOON!

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
4. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
5. 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 JUNE 25

Hola GLA families and friends,

We are very excited to welcome our interns and get this amazing adventure started. ¡Bienvenidos chicos y chicas!

Everyone arrived safely to Cusco airport, and now we are just missing Sean, Quentin and Mackenzie, who will get here tomorrow.

After we arrived and interns settled in their new rooms, we had our introductions, followed by a delicious dinner and some time to get to know each other. Hopefully everyone gets a great rest tonight, to recharge their batteries for the wonderful adventures ahead!

In this program students will dive deep in the Peruvian culture and connect with the local communities through our engineering project and lots of fun activities, so keep on following this blog to learn about our leaders’ amazing adventures!

Your GLA Team,
Hector, Maggie, Mark and Caleb

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

Qué tal?

In the morning we had a great Peruvian breakfast filled with pancakes, bacon, fruits, and pulpy orange juice that tasted delicious. Later, when the food settled, we had an initiative brief about the plan for this trip. Before lunch we went shopping to try some Peruvian treats like canchita and introduce ourselves to the market environment. For lunch we had fried fish and mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables and purple corn juice.

After lunch we went on a forty-minute ride through the project area and discussed crop irrigation and sustainable water to places like Chauaiatiri. During the ride there, we blasted a few classic rock hits such as Queen and Linkin Park. During the trip we learned how profitable strawberries are in high altitude areas like the community we visited. During the free time, we decided to pass around a notebook and write all our phone numbers to connect with each other.

When we got back, we ate dinner and met the remaining three interns who arrived during the day. Last but not least, we met up in mentor groups and set goals for the trip.

Anton Lavrenov & Brian Chuang

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

We started the day off with a seven-o’clock breakfast, followed by a cheerful introduction to the day’s events and an overview of some engineering concepts which we will use over the course of the trip – specifically surveying, marking, and stakeposting. Afterwards, we drove directly to the worksite, and began marking out a path for trenches to be dug by locals who will help us along the way. Though the work was grueling, the brilliant views and strength of the community helped us push through. At midday, our hosts from Chaska Pisac drove out to meet us at the worksite and deliver us food, displaying incredible hospitality. Once everyone was finished with their food, we drove back to the homebase, whilst indulging ourselves with some 2010’s karaoke.

Upon arrival at the HQ, most of the group left for the central plaza and main market. While some of the group abstained from purchasing anything, several members bought glassware and bracelets and other items. Few of us got matching t-shirts and ponchos whilst bartering with the locals.

Soon after, we had a shaman come over to perform a Pago a la Tierra – a ceremony involving offerings to the mother earth and mountains, cleansing our bodies and minds, and blessing our futures. This was also, in part, a lesson on Inca culture and religious beliefs regarding mountains and mother Earth.

After the Pago a la Tierra, we had free time, which many of us spent playing football and listening to music in the courtyard. We also spent a great deal of time with the in-house Alpaca (whom we have affectionately dubbed Paka).

After dinner, we engaged in a group debate surrounding the effect of social media and technology on society and human interaction. During the discussion, we spoke with each other about the relationship between increasing social media presence and its impact on people in general.

Even as we write this blog, the rest of the group have gathered around the gazebo in the center of the courtyard, playing music, and joking around. Creating a more-than-pleasant end to what seems to us is a perfect day.

– Josh and Ash

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Today was the fourth day of the Peru STEM Internship trip. Our breakfast of the day consisted of fresh fruits, soft scrambled eggs, two varieties of sausages and a new selection of pastries. After we all filled up, the Medlife representative and lead engineer came over to show us the impacts of past service trips.

With our newfound knowledge and determination, we hopped on the bus towards Chahuaytire where we continued the staking and marking of the roads from where we left off the previous day. The students split up into two groups for the working day, and we hastily finished marking the whole 1.6 miles worth of path. Later, after our hard work, the GLA team took us to a nearby cliff where we enjoyed a hearty lunch. The cliffside was actually the location of ancient Incan drawings of llamas and alpacas.

In the nighttime, we visited the nearby market again, where there was a traditional celebration happening. At the markets, we also became friends with a local Peruvian kid. Finally, once everyone was satisfied with their purchases, we tried cantaloupe pancakes with pumpkin soup. At the end, we wrote letters for ourselves three weeks in the future.

Anton Lavrenov & Brian Chuang

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

We awoke this morning to the brisk Peruvian air. With our bags packed and breakfast eaten, we embarked on our journey to Cusco. Along the way we had several stops to learn more about Peruvian culture from Hector. We also stopped at a llama and alpaca petting zoo, thankfully only Porter was spat at by the llama. There, we learned the critical difference between real and fake llama fur when shopping at markets.

Then, we went to an inspirational buffet where you could eat whatever you want with chicken, beef, pork and endless deserts which some people have seven of.

Then we went to the famous Cusco market where we took part in a breathtaking scavenger hunt. Afterwards we all bought bracelets. Finally, we went back to the restaurant for dinner and dessert.

Logan and Aiden