PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Hola amigos!

Your GLA family here! We hope you didn’t forget about us and your time in Costa Rica! We are checking in to remind you about the impactful trip we had! We wish that everything you learned during your time in Costa Rica, and especially staying at Lands in Love (animal rescue) & Hotel Wilson (veterinarian project with VIDA) has stayed with you and impacted your daily life.

The day you arrived in Costa Rica, although we bonded over playing Uno, and various card games while sitting at the airport for hours, you were all nervous and apprehensive about the journey ahead of you. But throughout the course of the entire trip, we saw all of your individual personalities shine creating a diverse group of future leaders.

Although service was hard, it was so rewarding to see the dogs being walked, cats being fed, chicken cages being cleaned & horses being washed, all animals appreciated the love that you showed them. We learned through doing and coming out of our comfort zones, even if that meant we had to get our hands (and pants!) a little dirty! The Lands in Love & Vida Team appreciates your efforts in taking care of their animals and being the leaders you all are.

Over two weeks, we hope everyone learned to embrace the heat, humidity, and awesome animals literally every step (and boat ride) we took. We will remember all the awesome animals we also saw at the cocoa tour, the fishes we saw while snorkeling and swimming, the birds we saw (and heard) as we walked through the jungle in Lands in Love, and much more.

Do you guys remember talking about your OMG (one meaningful goal) on the final night in Costa Rica? We all had the goal to volunteer at an animal shelter and continue veterinary work to be advocators for animal rights. We had some meaningful conversations about your personal goals as well! To bring back the memories, we attached some videos from that night!

Finally, a huge shoutout to:
-Juanca for coming through with the mamones
-guest speaker for the Chiky & Yipy cookies
-Lands in Love team & Vida team
-endless animals we got to see at Lands in Love such as monkeys, toads, ducks, dog, cats, chickens, agouti with a booty from the cocoa tour
-Giovanni for our bus rides and getting us there safely (especially taking us to get snacks!)
-Namas Vegan food
-Hotel Wilson staff with Jose and Sharon and their delicious food and hospitality
-our fun karaoke night
-Elio our chocolate tour guide
-amazing leaders of the day (Mathew and Anna) HA!
-salsa dancing
-the FROYO couple (haha)
-Zip-lining guides
-our killer hike
-the woman we saved from the Catamaran
-braving the Costa Rican rainforest
-Hang up & hang out (thanks Bella)
-all the bug bites
-our cockroach roomies
-sleeping in weird positions on our long bus rides
-all of you for making this first session special and helping with the animals

We wish you all a very bright future and hope that each of you chases your dreams and achieves your goals. Every single one of you left a lasting and memorable impression on all of us. We genuinely hope that you go out, live each and every day outside of your comfort zone, and be the change you want to see in the world.

Matthew Hwang (International Director)
Juan Carlos Alvarado (Local Director)
Anna Castellanos (Mentor)

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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

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 10

Hola!

This is your crew from Costa Rica’s Animal Rescue and Veterinary Program (CR AVRP), and we are so excited to kick off session 1 (our first session) of Summer 2024!

Today is arrival day! Everything is ready for our students to arrive and start experiencing everything Costa Rica has to offer! Most of the students were picked up at the airport in the morning/early afternoon at San Jose Airport. Students then took a 2-hour bus ride to the beautiful “Lands in Love”, our all-vegan home base in the middle of the beautiful Costa Rican rainforest! On the way there, we stopped by the bank to exchange money and a local grocery store to buy snacks!

At the home base, students were able to mingle with other students, explore their new home base, and rest/shower after a long day of travel! The students also ate dinner, met the GLA ARVP staff, and played some icebreakers to get to know each other!

Although all of the students shared that they were exhausted from the traveling, they were super enthusiastic and looking forward to the adventure and service days to come!

We can’t wait for the next two weeks of service, learning, lifelong memories, and deep friendships that await.

We hope that you can use this blog to keep up with your student’s adventures and as a way to experience this journey with us!

From the excited GLA CR ARVP team,
Matthew (International Director)
JuanCa (Local Director)
Anna (Mentor)

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 11

Written by Jacey and Olivia:

Hola!

Today is Day 2 of the Costa Rica AVRP! We woke up with lots of energy and excitement to get the day started! We then had breakfast at 8 AM, where we ate an average Costa Rican breakfast consisting of gallo pinto (rice and beans), platanos (plantains), and ensalada (salad). Soon after, we headed to the conference room to start orientation! We played games to get to know each other and break the ice. Then, we sat in a group circle where we communicated about expectations, wrote them down, and signed our names indicating commitment.

Afterward, the Lands in Love owner spoke to us about how their animal rescue came to be; we learned lots of valuable information regarding the resort and its animals. We even got to see the animals that we would be working with during service! Then, we had hot dogs or burritos for lunch. We were all so shocked that this was vegan! During orientation, we learned that we could either elect or randomly choose two leaders of the day who are writing this wonderful blog right now! Next, we had our swim test! Everyone easily passed and then we hung out at the pool, playing games like Marco Polo. We then had burgers and spaghetti bolognese for dinner! And then, we headed back to the conference room where they were introduced to another guest speaker who talked about Costa Rican culture and food. We even got to try mamones (Costa Rican fruit) to end our day.

Overall, it was a very relaxing and exciting day, as all of us got to know each other better and started adjusting to our new environment. We are looking forward to the rest of the program!

From the Leaders of the Day,
Olivia and Jacey

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 12

Written by Jacey and Olivia:

Hola!

Today was a very eventful day! We started off at 7 AM walking, or running, dogs for 1.5 hours. Everyone was very tired by the end, and we probably smelled like dog poop. After that, we had pancakes and bagels for breakfast. From 10-12 PM, we helped clean the cats’ cages and some of us walked even more dogs. Some of us have the chance to adopt a cat or dog! Working with the cats was calming, but the dogs were more rowdy. At 12:30, we had lunch, with a choice between shawarma (a Mediterranean dish) or tacos. A little later, we went on a hike to the waterfall! The trip down to the waterfall was pretty easy, and the waterfall was a beautiful sight, but the trip back up was rough. We had to hike uphill, and everyone definitely got their exercise in for the day!

After freshening up, we started mentor groups, where we played games to get to know each other better and to focus on becoming better leaders. It was a very important bonding experience for us, as we shared our goals and interests. We wrote a letter to our future selves, which we can read after the program. At 6:30 PM, we had a choice between an Israeli dish and a Mexican basket for dinner. Soon after, we had dance lessons! We learned how to do the salsa, bachata, and the swing. It was much harder than we anticipated, but everyone was so excited to learn.

In the end, today was a very active day. We are all so excited to get to bed and have a good night’s rest.

From your Leaders of the Day…again,

Jacey and Olivia.

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 13

Written by Kayla and Linus:

Hola!

Today we had an early start with walking dogs early in the morning. The perros (dogs) were exhilarated upon our arrival 🙂. The hotel’s wonderful chef, Nama, prepared us a dish of vegan assortments including french toast loaves, fruit salad, and mimic breakfast eggs.

Phase two of the service involved group Vivianne working with chickens while group Cheetah worked towards washing horses. The group working with chickens scraped feces off a variety of surfaces. The roosters were not thrilled to have their eggs collected from them. During this time the other group was getting their hands dirty washing multiple horses while trading jobs concerning water buckets. We were greeted by a very delighted goat that had a major underbite bringing a constant smile across their face.

After a lot of hard work, we were treated with a choice of vegan mac’n’cheese or pizza which we had taken a tally for previously. After a delicious meal, we had a short break before we headed into the city. Once we arrived at San Ramon we were greeted by a local tour guide to showed us a few of the landmarks. Due to the rainy weather, we took a pit stop at a local frozen yogurt shop where we munched down on an enlightening cold treat. Following our detour we split ourselves into two groups. Both groups wandered and once finally landed at a nearby French bakery thanks to technology. The other group was undecided on where to go. But when the put-together group sent a temptatious picture of their purchased hot chocolate and pastries into the “GLA Gang Gang” group chat the previous joker of the group decided to track them down. After a bit of frolicking everyone ended up being in each other’s presence for a hot cup of cocoa.

Even though everyone was stuffed from the deserts we enjoyed along the way, dinner came rather fast once we arrived back at the home base. The votes were in and dinner was served accordingly with some receiving a serving of Chinese-styled rice with an egg roll on the side. The others feasted on a vegan burrito with a side of fries. We ended the night strong with a group activity identifying our similarities and differences. With the soreness from the hike the day before, everyone will be catching some major ZZzzzzzs.

Sincerely,
Your leaders of the day, Kayla and Linus.

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 14

Written By Abby and Matthew

Hola!

We started our day off with a breakfast of cereal with two choices of almond milk or soy milk (yum!), fruit, and bread. We then got ready for a long day of travel and adventure!

We arrived at the rainforest cacao plantation where we met the tour guide, Elio, a funny and delightful man who gave us a tour of chocolate-making and sustainable practices. We looked at cacao trees and were even able to pick one off the tree. After, we tasted chocolate in its different forms. Some tasted better than others, but overall we had so much fun.

After the chocolate tour, we boarded the bus again and set off for the Baldi Hot Springs and Resort! We first had a buffet-style lunch with lots of different options, such as chicken, rice, and fresh fruit. Afterward, we had so much fun going into the different sections of the resort, which were many different pools, saunas, and forms of hot springs. The hot springs made us scream for joy as we went down the waterslides that were included in the resort. 🙂

We boarded the bus once again to go to the city of La Fortuna for some fun exploration. There, we traveled around the city going into shops for souvenir shopping and buying local food from vendors. When it was time to go, we boarded the bus one final time back to our home base, Lands in Love, where we finally had a delicious dinner of Pad Thai or a hamburger.

After dinner, we had mentor groups where we discussed differences in culture between the United States and Costa Rica. To end the day perfectly, we had momones, a hard-to-find fruit that made us very very happy. Shout out to our local director, JuanCa, who searched super hard to buy us a bag of momones!!

Overall, today was great! We are excited for tomorrow and the rest of the trip.

Your leaders of the day,
Abby and Matthew

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 15

Written By Nikol and Bella:

Buenas!

Today we woke up bright and early, ready to start service at 6:45. We once again began our service with walking dogs until 8:30, then enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes and fruit. We then got ready for our second service of the day with the horses and chickens at 10 o’clock. The group working with horses got to wash, and brush horses, as well as clean stalls. They also learned some local Spanish slang from the head barn-hand, Marcello. The group washing the horses may have had a little too much fun with the hose. The other group assigned to the chickens was tasked with dusting enclosures, collecting eggs, and also enjoyed some time playing with the bunnies.

After a delicious lunch of either tacos or a traditional Israeli dish, we freshened up and headed out for a traditional Costa Rican cooking class, where our instructor, Sycelia taught us how to make tortillas and empanadas from scratch. We enjoyed our creations with a cup of agua dulce: a Costa Rican sugar-cane drink.

Upon our return to Lands in Love, we were greeted with a dinner of Asian rice or a Mediterranean wrap. After our delicious dinner, our guest speaker – Joseph from night 2 returned. We aced our Costa Rican culture quiz and learned a lot from his presentation on Costa Rican tourism and economy. We played a fun game of Fact or Fiction and compared common Costa Rican brands to the ones in America. Joseph ended the presentation by gifting us two delicious Costa Rican snacks: a Pozuelo Yipy and Chipy cookies. We winded down while enjoying our snacks, preparing for our final day of service at Lands in Love.

Pura Vida!

Your Leaders of the Day,

Bella and Nikol

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 16

Written By Jacey and Alina:

Hola!

Today is our last day at Lands in Love! We woke up early to walk dogs for the last time here, and everyone was very grateful for being able to walk them. Then, we ate breakfast, which consisted of bagels and a fruit bowl. After that, we took care of cats from 10 AM to 12:30 PM. We split up into Team Cheetah and Team Vivianne, and we went to the same places as before. Then, we came back to eat lunch, where we had a choice between burgers and fettuccine.

From 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM, we had free time! We were given our phones, and we had the time to pack for our next hotel as well as take naps or watch TV. At 5:30 PM, we met up to do Chow Circle, where we talked about the importance of our service at Lands in Love as well as reflecting on the day. We chose the Leaders of the Day for tomorrow, as usual, and we went to dinner. Everyone got to choose their own dish! There were many different meals, like hamburgers, hot dogs, or pasta.

After dinner, we had mentor groups, where everyone shared their story. We drew our river of life, and we added different things to demonstrate the ups and downs of our lives. Everyone got very emotional, many people shed tears, and we all had a big hug afterward. Today was a relaxing and cathartic day, as well as yummy. We are so excited about our upcoming adventures and service at new places.

Your Leaders of the Day,

Alina and Jacey

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 17

Written By Nikol and Kayla (No Pictures Cause Travel Day):

Buenas!

We got a little extra sleep this morning to prepare for a day of travel. We enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes and maple syrup at 7:45 o’clock. We packed our things into the van, said goodbye to our favorite animals, and were on our way! Halfway through our bus ride, we stopped for a quick bathroom and snack break at the local market. We stocked up on our Costa Rican snacks and headed off for the rest of the drive to Hotel Wilson in Liberia.

Upon arrival we were greeted with a delicious lunch of rice, beans, pasta salad, and fried fish. The Vida team introduced themselves and discussed our duties and responsibilities during our time here. We shared our goals and expectations for this clinic, as well as a little bit about ourselves.

After finishing our delicious meal we enjoyed some free time outdoors and in the pool, playing games like catch, and Marco Polo. We rinsed off and prepared for a delicious dinner at 6:30, which consisted of pasta, rice, beans, meat, and a side salad. Everyone enjoyed cell phone time after dinner, and were off to their rooms to prepare for a bright and early morning start at 6:30 am the next day.

Pura Vida!

Your Leaders of the Day,

Nikol and Kayla

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18

Written By Kayla and Nikol:

Buenas!

We started the morning off bright and early at 6:30 am with a breakfast of a local delicacy of beans and rice, eggs, and toast. After finishing, we met with the VIDA team again for the day’s family consultations. Everyone was split into three groups and completed a total of four house checks. During these house checks, one student took notes of the information. The information included the interviewees’ personal information, as well as the information on the conditions of their pets. The other students spent time with the children and donated coloring books and colored pencils. Once everyone was more comfortable, us students were able to participate in the deworming process taught to us by the professionals.

Upon our return to Hotel Wilson, we were greeted with a lunch of chicken, rice, and a side salad. We had a short break before departing for our waterfall hike. We enjoyed the views on the hike and made sure to take lots of pictures.

Everyone rested well upon returning and were ready for dinner and mentor groups. Dinner consisted of pasta, meat, and a side salad. Today, mentor groups had us taking a stance with a group debate. The debate was about a Costa Rican law advocating for repercussions on those who abuse their animals. The students took roles like the government, the VIDA clinic and local differentiating class families. Though everyone had different opinions, in the end, this mentor session taught us to compromise and we were able to come to a conclusion about this law. Finally, we enjoyed cell phone time and headed off to bed to prepare for another early morning at the clinic.

Pura Vida!

Your Leaders of the Day,

Kayla and Nikol

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19

Written By Linus and Matthew:

Buenas!

Today was the first day of service within the actual veterinary clinic. Starting bright and early we all woke up for a short bus ride to the neighborhood where we then set up tables and different stations for the VIDA veterinarians. We all worked at different stations from intake, observing the animal and taking important vital information, all the way to shaving, anesthesia, and then shadowing real surgery. After the spaying or neutering, we were then able to help the animals recover by listening to their heart rates and finding all the other information to ensure effective care until they woke up. The first day may have been stressful, but in the end, it was highly rewarding for all of us to get our hands on real clinic procedures. We took down the clinic we left for a lunch break back at our home base before departing back onto the road for another trip to go ziplining.

After a long and bumpy ride, we eventually arrived and were suited up for the adventure ahead. We were briefed on safety instructions and got to the fun right away. As we figured out midway through, the ziplining adventure had many other obstacles included with it like a rope swing across a river, rappelling down a canyon, and a rope bridge, where we spotted a paper bear lying in the water. It was a thrilling adventure going across the jungle and over the river so afterward we stopped for a quick and deserved snack break filled with buying ice cream and other treats.

The bus ride was tiring, but thankfully we had our TVs and ACs to cool us off at the hotel. Our break was long and amazing. At the end of the day, we came back for chow circle and our new leaders of the day were chosen. Afterward, we had an amazing dinner of fried chicken and delicious fries.

Night Y’all,

Linus and Matthew

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20

Written By Olivia and Abby:

Hola!

Today was a very exhilarating day! We started off at 6:15 and headed off to the coast after a delicious breakfast of gallo pinto (beans in rice) and eggs. After a loooooooong bus ride, we finally reached our destination on the Liberian coast. We boarded a small boat that took us to the catamaran. We split up into two groups. Half of us explored the beach, and the other half went snorkeling. After we all met back up on the boat, we were served a delicious lunch before heading back to shore.

After the catamaran, we took the bus to a souvenir shop where we broke off individually to buy a bunch of goodies/aloe vera for those who were unfortunate enough to fall asleep tanning on the boat. We stopped by a small ice cream shop and got some treats before heading back to Hotel Wilson for free time.

After a delicious barbecue dinner, we gathered for mentor groups and then a fun night of karaoke! So many songs were sung and even Juanca and the hotel owners joined in on the fun! Overall, it was a very fun day full of activities that had us all exhausted by the end of the day.

Sincerely, your gorgeous, stunning leaders of the day,

Olivia and Abby

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21

Written By Bella and Alina:

Buenas!

We started this morning off bright and early at 6:30 for a yummy breakfast of Gallo Pinto, eggs, chorizo, plantains, and cereal. Then we headed out for a long day of service at the clinic with Vida. We assisted in 13 successful spay and neuters, helping with patient intake and recovery by continuously monitoring vitals. We had a very long but fulfilling day.

After the completion of service, we headed back to the home base for a delicious lunch and began packing for our departure back to San Jose tomorrow. We once again participated in “Chow Circle” where we discussed our favorite meal of the trip, gave shoutouts to many people, and chose our final Leaders of the Day. We then enjoyed a delicious dinner prepared by Hotel Wilson’s owners Jose and Sharron consisting of rice, beans, carne, and a side salad.

Finally, we reflected on our entire trip in our very last mentor group, tears were shed and laughs were shared to end the night. We then all winded down, preparing for our last early morning and our final day of service.

Pura Vida!

Your Leaders of the Day,

Bella and Alina

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22

Written By Matthew and Nikol:

Buenas!

Today was our final day of the trip so we started bright and early at 6:15 am and began our last day of service with VIDA. We had a delicious breakfast of pancakes and Gallo Pinto and got onto the bus. We arrived soon after and set up our vaccination clinic at different houses in the neighborhood. Because of the donations, we were able to fit in 6 more vaccinations along with food and other things for the animals. We packed up the vaccine clinic and said our last goodbye to the VIDA team. We came back to home base and had lunch, which was a variety of rice, beans, meat, and a side salad. With our last lunch done we packed up and put everything in the bus and we drove to our new hotel.

The bus ride was long, but filled with beautiful sights. We arrived at Hotel Robledal where we then settled in our rooms. After a break, we got ready for our last chow circle and our farewell dinner with our fancy clothes. Dinner was fantastic with a buffet for more rice, beans, and meat. We enjoyed a dessert of vanilla ice cream with fudge.

After dinner, we prepared for our last mentor session, and appreciation circle. We started the session off by splitting into two groups and coming up with one meaningful goal we wanted to take back home with us. We acted out a skit that represented the goal in front of our peers. Upon finishing, we completed a survey on the activities we did on this trip, our personal evaluation, and the staff. We ended off the mentor group by doing an appreciation circle, where we shared our final appreciation for our friends. We finished off the night by singing ‘Count on Me’ as our last sing-along, which concluded our GLA program.

Adios!

Your Leaders of the Day,
Matthew and Nikol

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23

Written By ID Matt:

Buenos dias,

Today was a bittersweet day as we said goodbye to the amazing 9 students who made up the first “Animal Rescue and Veterinary Project” GLA Costa Rica trip of 2024! Staff dropped off students at the San Jose airport in groups depending on what time their flight was departing. All students have departed without any issue, and should be arriving home shortly!

On behalf of the staff, we want to thank every student that made this trip possible. Their incredible passion and love for animals, dedication to trying different foods and activities outside of their comfort zone, funniness, and patience truly reverberated with everyone in the staff team, the Lands in Love staff, the Hotel Wilson staff, and their peers. We hope that Costa Rica was truly a one-of-a-kind trip that the students will never forget, and take their newfound global knowledge, leadership skills, and life lessons that they have learned on this trip to “be the change” in the world as our future leaders.

Pura Vida, and Goodbye for Now! 😊

💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙
🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍
💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

Matt (International Director)
JuanCa (Local Director)
Anna (Mentor)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by Becca & the Belize Team

Hola Amigos!

Can you believe how long its been since we were all together in Belize? It seems like only yesterday, we were waking up to delicious home-cooked meals at our home base and setting off to a new adventures in our boat, Chelonia. Sarteneja certainly left it’s mark on our hearts with its beautiful sunsets and friendly community. During this time together, we were fortunate to grow and learn in the company of exceptional people while delving into the importance of marine conservation.

Belize welcomed us with its warm hospitality and its wonderful wildlife. Our journey started with an amazing tour of New River, where we floated and learned about the importance of mangroves and even tasted some egregiously salty leaves. This is also where our manatee journey began as we searched for snouts and tails among the jumping fish and diving birds.

As a team, we monitored the local bottle nosed dolphins, discovering a few new friends! We named them Sonny, Sushi, and Scooby. We had the amazing opportunity to snorkel in Hol Chan together with spotted eagle rays, nurse sharks, and an abundant diversity of other wildlife. We also visited Shark and Ray Alley where we got within feet of a number of sharks, almost tipping the boat in our excitement to catch a glance!

Group goal: We will all reach out to our representatives about conservation efforts in our communities and we will help educate those around us.

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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 posts 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 on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
4. 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

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 31

Hola from Belize!

We are all here safe and sound in the beautiful fishing town of Sarteneja! We woke up to a wonderful sunrise and amazing local breakfast with fry jacks, eggs, and melon. After eating, we did a quick get-to-know-you activity called speed friending. Once we all knew eachother a bit more, the group transitioned into talking about the Code of Conduct as well as the upcoming learning opportunities students will have here in Belize!

Before concluding, the students got into mentor groups and put them on the hot seat for a few minutes to see if they could win a “How Well Do You Know Your Mentor” competition. Lunch was served following a short break and mango picking. It was a delicious plate of corn, fish in a delectable sauce, and plantains.

Finally, the students left the gates of homebase and boarded the boats to tour New River where they learned more about mangroves and everything that relies on them. Our group chatted and relaxed in between swatting at doctor flies and leaning over the edge trying to spot crocodiles. The students asked lots of questions and even got to chew on yellow mangrove leaves to test a theory. Once we reached the hand crank ferry, we turned back around and headed for Cerros Ruins. We looked upon the ruins from the boat, avoiding the mosquito haven on shore and listened to Mercy teach us about the Mayan people who once occupied the area around the temple.

As soon as we arrived back to Sarteneja, the group detoured to some local shops, buying snacks and ice cream. Back at homebase, everyone showered, chatted around tables, and played basketball in anticipation of dinner. Dinner was beef burritos and carrot cake, which we all scarfed down, leaving the trays clean and empty.

Before heading to bed, we did our first shout out circle, went over tomorrow’s schedule, and decided leaders of the day.

Today was so great and we can’t wait for all the eye-opening and life-changing experiences we are about to have for the next 2 weeks!

Sincerely,

GLA Staff

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 1

We had breakfast at 8 am. We had eggs, pancakes, and some fruit: pineapple and cantaloupe. We had a presentation about mangroves and the different types and what they do for the environment. Next we walked around the town we are staying in, Sarteneja, to identify the mangroves using the information we just learned! We had lunch which was pork with potatoes, mashed potatoes, and a roll with orangey mango juice. We left the hotel to go to the mangrove activity, we picked seeds off the red mangroves which were ready to be planted and we mixed sand and dirt together to create a porous environment for them to grow in.

After that we took the swim test and everyone passed!! Then we played capture the flag until we came back a few hours before dinner. During this time we had free time and many of us played cards. For dinner at 6:30 we went to a local restaurant called Raquel’s Kitchen and had bbq chicken wings, mashed potatoes, rice, and a slice of watermelon with fresh squeezed lime juice. We also celebrated a birthday!! We played a game called Chalupa which is Mexican bingo. We came back to the hotel and have free time until 9:30 which is bed time!

– Sydney and Bridget

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 2

Hi! This morning we had an early start and had breakfast at 7. We enjoyed some scones, avocado toast, and deviled eggs. After breakfast we headed out to the dock for a 10 minute boat ride to rocky point. There, we spotted and took pictures of some bottle nosed dolphins. We also launched a drone to scans the area for manatees around a sinkhole. However we did not see any manatees this time. After that we anchored the boat in a shallow part of Wildtrack bay. Here we gathered some buckets of sea grass to later feed the manatees at the Wildtracks rehabilitation center. After a rainy boat ride back to home base we had chili with rice, chips and salad.

After lunch we split up into two groups, one group took a short car ride to the Wildtracks rehabilitation center while the other stayed back at home base to review and identify dolphins and drone footage. Halfway through the groups switched.

After we returned we took a quick trip to a nearby store to grab some snacks. Finally we returned to pizza dinner and cake for Bridget’s 17th birthday! We wrapped up the night by watching a documentary. Can’t wait for tomorrow!

– Alice and Kela

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 3

We had a late wake up call at 8:00 am and had a delicious breakfast of waffles, fresh fruit, beans, and eggs paired with pineapple juice. We then set off around Sarteneja with trash bags and gloves to clean up litter in the community as a thank you for the locals’ guidance and help.

After we filled two bags per group, we went back to our rooms to cool off in the air conditioning. We headed down for lunch consisting of chicken, mac & cheese, mixed vegetables, salad, and mango juice. We were then visited by Abi and Jamie, two local conservationists who frequently work with schools. They shared with us our plans for tomorrow with the students and we broke up into groups to work on the activities, like embroidering various local fish and creating Pin the Tail on the Manatee. Becca taught us about responsible photography and Leah led us through Sarteneja to observe local wildlife as a part of citizen science. We returned for a dinner of nachos and watermelon juice and participated in a debate about the pros and cons of deep sea mining during the thunderstorm. After the debate, we finished celebrating birthdays with a piñata!

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 4

Today we woke up to eggs with fresh fruit, chorizo, frijoles, and tortillas! We then went straight to an elementary school where we were greeted by GLA’s partners, Avi and Juliana, and 14 Belizean students at the school. We then learned the Manatee cheer, and then split off into four groups: visual, dancing/cheer, pin the manatee, and guess the body part of the manatee, all lead by GLA students towards the elementary school students. Each station had lots of fun and both parties learned many things from each other, GLA students and elementary students. We then took a break and paired up with buddies to eat lunch, rice&beans, plantenos, and coleslaw.

After lunch, we went off with our buddies and embroidered fish & facts onto a cloth. After each buddy signed their fish embroidery, we all headed to the community soccer field. We had a super fun match of futbol, with the students, mentors, and ourselves, and came to an end in the bleachers. After saying goodbye to the elementary school students, we loaded ourselves up into trucks and headed back to our home base. After hanging out at the home base for a while, we all headed to the stores in the town and got some snacks. After we got good Sartenejan snacks we split off into our mentor groups and had a chat about “voluntourists”.

After ending the conversation with our mentor groups we all headed into the dining room for dinner which was chicken, potato/egg salad, and other salad! Yum! Currently the GLA students, myself included are sitting on the balcony bonding and hanging out! Come back tomorrow to hear about what we do tomorrow!

Adios!

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 7

Hello from Bacalar Chico!

Today we woke up at 6:40 and had a delicious breakfast of avocado toast and bananas. We grabbed our bags and embarked our journey to Hol Chan and Bacalar Chico on the boat. We had a fun and bumpy ride to our destination, singing throughout and making a stop along the way to purchase some sweet snacks, including but not limited to a shared bag of Tostito chips!

We also stopped at Hol Chan Marine Reserve. There, we took some time to discover and appreciate the beauty of the coral reef beneath us through the lense of snorkels, catching a sight of some small nurse sharks and eagle rays. After snorkeling, the boat made its way over to an area in the park where nurse sharks congregate. We practically tipped the boat as all of us rushed to one side to see the striking creatures.

When we finally arrived to our home base for the night, we were greeted by a tour of the national parks museum and the breathtaking island! Some of us had a rustic style shower using buckets of with reclaimed rain water. The rest of us connected a little harder with nature and avoided the shower altogether. They generously made us sandwiches and passion fruit juice for lunch. Afterwards, we had some nice relaxed time to plunge in the warm waters around the dock on the island.

At night, we had a comforting dinner of bbq chicken and potato salad, followed by a meeting of shout out circle and an amazing presentation by the leaders of the day. We stargazed for a while, appreciating the mystical starry sky, and (some of us) finally went to sleep. Others stayed up immersing themselves in the musical buzzing of bugs and soaking in the warmth in the air.

– Noa and Adriana

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 8

Our day started off early with a wake up call at 6:40am. Emi and Zoie decided to wake the group up by signing a special song and banging very loud on everyone door. We then ate tostadas prepared by our wonderful chefs.

We left the Sarteneja inn at 9am and began our journey to the mayan ruins. We had one small stop along the way where everyone could get snacks from 123 supermarket. The group ended up arriving at the mayan ruins tour at 12:30pm and had lunch prepared for us. We walked through the many ruins shortly after learning about the history of the people, gods and culture. The buildings had a variety of significances and story’s behind it. The first building we saw was the homes of the rich mayan people where they found prices of jade artifacts. We then saw the buildings that represent the 13 gods and steps to heaven then the 9 steps to hell. Along with this we discovered that there were many sacrificial ceremonies including, orphans, winners of ball games and invaders.

Finally, we learned about the massive jade artifact that has face carvings of elongated head signifying riches and power. This artifact is rented by museums for over 2 millions dollars and travels the world. We ended this adventure by going into the souvenir shops and buying little trinkets and bracelets.

We then started our journey to our new home base called TEC and settled in. We had swimming time in our pool shortly before dinner where we enjoyed fish fillet, cilantro rice and roasted vegetables. After dinner we had mostly free time and completed the night as always with shoutout circle and a performance by Emi and Zoie.

– Emi and Zoie

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 9

We spent our first night here at TEC (Tropical Education Center) waking up at 7:40 with a breakfast of ham, cheese, and bean sandwiches at 8:00. We were visited by The Real Manatee Man, Jamal Galves, who gave us an enlightening and inspiring presentation about his work with Manatees and conservation in Belize! After the talk and questions, we played Just Dance before lunch at 12.

After lunch we ventured to The Baboon Sanctuary which actually houses almost 5,000 Black Howler Monkeys! We were given a talk about their work, and then took a tour looking out for monkeys and other various wildlife! After the sanctuary we came back and had downtime to go in the pool, or take a hike looking at all the plant and animal life here at TEC. We then all gathered for dinner of BBQ chicken, tortillas, and a banana bread dinner.

After dinner we all came together as a group and created our “one meaningful goal” to accomplish once we get back home! We ended with an early night to prepare for our busy day tomorrow.

– Maggie and Lainie

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 10

We started off our day early at 5:30am and made our way to the bird misting activity. We learned lots about the birds and how tagging is beneficial for them and their species. The rangers started off by showing us how to set up the nets that are so thin they don’t harm the birds. Our group ended up catching two birds one of which we had to release right away because hummingbirds legs are too thin and the other escaped as we were taking it out of the bag. After this we made our way to breakfast and then hopped on the bus and made our way to the belize zoo. This zoo is centered around native animals who cannot be re release because of injury’s or being held as illegal pets. We then took a tour of the zoo until lunch time at 12pm.

After lunch we made our way to the service which was split into two parts. the first part was painting railings at the Zoo and the second worked on cleaning up the paths. Eventually we went back to home base and had some swimming and nap time before dinner. After dinner we went back to the Zoo for a night tour of the nocturnal animals. We saw all sorts of animals such as jaguars, otters, tapirs, owls, royal rats and many more. The tapir ended up spraying pee all over Emi and Becca and it made quite an interesting ride back. We ended off our night with shoutout circle and went to bed to prepare for the next days early wake up.

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:

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 posts 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 on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
4. 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

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

Hello from Belize!

We had beautiful blue skies for our arrival day! Our students met up with staff at the airport outside Belize City and had lunch and juice before making their way to Sarteneja in 2 separate groups. The first group saw some amazing wildlife on the way, catching a glipse of the wonderful biodiversity Belize has to offer. After arrival, they had a delicious nacho dinner with a special Belize cheese sauce and chocolate cupcakes. The students then circled up for a name game before retreating inside from the bugs. A few teammates played cards and uno until it was time to go back to the rooms.

The second group arrived a few hours after the first and topped off their nights with some nachos and chocolate. They then met their new roommates and got settled in for the night. Twenty-two of our twenty-four students are here, and the rest of our group will be meeting Ben and Claudia at the airport tomorrow.

We start off our day tomorrow with a late 8 am breakfast, followed by orientation and ice breakers!

Cheers to a great Session 2!

– GLA Staff

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Hello!

We had a late start to our morning and woke up to a breakfast of pancakes and eggs. The students then played a quick speed friending game, getting to know their teammates better. We dove straight into the Student Code of Conduct, acting out some of the guidelines and asking clarifying questions about the standards set for the upcoming weeks.

Lunch consisted of rice, beef stew, and bread fruit. After eating our fill, we changed and set out for the boats. From the Sarteneja docks, we boarded 2 boats and made our way to New River. Once we arrived, our Local Director, Jema, and Marcy from Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD) began speaking about mangroves and manatees. The boats chugged slowly down the river as we learned more about the importance of the trees for all the wildlife and humans. After reaching the hand-crank ferry, we all crammed into one boat while the other received a spare part. Smushed together, the students played a group game and to pass the time while they watched out for cool birds and manatees in the river.

As soon as we made it to the entrance of the river, we headed back inland to see some Mayan Ruins called Cerros. We learned more about the Mayan culture and customs as well as the connection of the people to the land.

Once we made it back to homebase, we took some time to get ready for the afternoon. The group gathered for our Social Sync activity, discussing the usage of social media and cell phones before relating it all back to ocean conservation.

After a wonderful dinner, the group did our sunset shot out circle, then proceeded to go to bed or play games in the common areas. We also welcomed our last 2 students that are joining our adventure!

Tomorrow we have an early morning, so we can go visit fishing sites all around the Corozal Bay!

-GLA Staff

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

Hello,

Today at 6:30, we ate cereal and authentic toast for breakfast followed by some refreshing homemade juice. At 7 we left the hotel to go on the boat. We went to observe some traditional and sustainable fishing methods that have been passed down for generations in Belize. After that, we went to do the swim test and everyone passed!

We then participated in aquatic activities such as sharks and minnows, capture the flag, and racing. To get to lunch, we swam next to the shore for a while before being picked up and taken to a mangrove research and rehabilitation area. Inside, we ate fish and rice and vegetables for lunch. After that we went back on the boat to go back to the hotel but one of the big boat’s engines broke and the small boat dropped off the people on the Azul and went to go rescue the Chelonia and the people on it.

In conclusion, we managed to have a pretty good day! We became closer as a group and had a lot of fun spending time and hanging out with our new friends! We learned how make tamales, which was a lot of fun. Overall we had an absolutely immaculate day!

– Toby

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

After a 6:00 wake up call playing “La Chona” at max volume, we had a breakfast of scrambled eggs with waffles, watermelon, and mixed fruit juice until 7:00, when we waited a further 25 minutes for the cooks to be ready to leave for Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve.

Splitting into three boats, we rode for roughly three hours until we reached the snorkeling sight. While snorkeling, we saw many groups of colorful fish and some people even saw a stingray. After a one hour trip at the snorkeling sight, we rode again for about 10 minutes to a different sight which we could not swim in. That is because the water was filled with peaceful yet “scary” nurse sharks. The boat I was in was right above a group of 5 nurse sharks, two big, two medium, and one baby, which was yellow compared to the brown color of the adult sharks. After a while looking at the sharks, all three boats headed to Bacalar Chico Island.

After arriving, we were greeted with a lunch made of yellow rice, a cole slaw, and two skewers made of chicken, tomatoes, onions, pineapples, and green bell peppers. After eating their share of food, most of the boys went hunting for iguanas with permission from Leah, but I couldn’t do the same because she was “afraid I might actually catch one”. With the ending of the futile efforts to catch an iguana, began a tour of the Bacalar Chico

Museum, which had a 3D and 2D map of the region, as well as descriptions of the unique creatures found in the area. After which almost every one of us went for a swim off the beach of the island, where the water was hot and the sand was hotter, we had lots of fun floating around and talking the whole time until I opted to step out and write this blog.

Tomorrow we head back to home base, but for now we plan on having a campfire before going to sleep. We all have the succulence to succeed, but we will have to wait for tomorrow, goodbye for the day

Evan Tran & Kaler Schultz

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

The oncoming day necessitated plentiful rest and the Bacalachico National Reserve and Park served our cause. The sea side breeze and the rustling of the tropical shrubbery catered ideally to our sleep and we all rested in a contented stupor. Accompanying the greeting of the sun came the calling of the island’s roosters waking us for our traditional Belizean breakfast. After our meal we rode vessels of the sea to clean the islands unrecognizable beaches. A once plentiful and bustling diving center was forgotten, leaving behind a desolate and uninhabitable wasteland littered with plastic and glass. Following our successful cleaning excursion we rode to snorkel at Barracuda Patch exploring the wonders of the sea. Unfortunately, we eventually had to depart from the reef and all its offerings and rode back to the our place of stay for an afternoon meal. Soon after finishing we thanked the kind staff and overseers of the island and took on the journey back home. Even a seemingly dull moment of the day (a 2 hour long boat ride) was filled with activity and joy. We participated in games and bonded as a group all the while having the wind grace our warmed hair and welcoming the splashes of the tropical blue that kissed our faces. Once at our home base in Sarteneja, we enjoyed much needed showers and passed the time with card games a more notable one being called Mind Game that was introduced by a fellow student named Evan. Soon we ate a delicious dinner and retired to afternoons activities and much needed rest.

In the grand scheme of time this day will not only be fondly recollected but rather will be cherished and fall into a special place within each and every one of our personal history books.

– Matthew Pilat & Leo Weiss

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Hola!

Today we got to sleep in a bit and woke up at 7:30 for an 8 am breakfast comprised of biscuits, toast, and fruit. Shortly after, we went down to the local beach for a beach clean-up. It wasn’t nearly as covered in trash as the previous beach, but it still needed some work, and I think we cleaned up nicely. Right as we were heading back to base, it started to rain. Luckily it didn’t rain too hard until we were already back at base. After a bit of a delay, we had a presentation with an SACD representative named Claudia. She was very nice and showed all of us how SACD worked and how they contributed to the local environment.

As the rain slowed we ate barracuda, beans, and rice for lunch before the leader of the conservation camp came to prepare us for tomorrow with the local school activities. The activities included a choreographed song and posters of the main protected fish in Belize and various information of them. We also prepared a game were the kids were given fish names and jumped in and out of a imaginary fish trap for positive or negative points depending on the fish. The last activity is a scavenger hunt that will take the kids on a hunt for clues to learn about where the fish live and how to find them.

After preparation for tomorrow was complete, we all sat down and watched the majority of a documentary about the debate over whether or not we should continue with deep sea mining to further humanity towards green energy. To end the day, we ate chicken for dinner and finished our individual fish projects until 8:30.

In the end it was an okay day. Mostly because we stayed inside most of the time but the projects were fun and the documentary was interesting. We are anxious and excited for the Student Conservation Camp tomorrow!

-Owen (Jimmy)
-Sam

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Hello from Paradise!!

While in paradise, unfortunately the weather today stayed consistently on and off raining. However, this did not stop us from having a fantastic day here in Sarteneja.

We started our day off with sausage, fruit, eggs, beans, and tortillas. After breakfast we headed off too the local school for the conservation camp! At the school we broke off into groups.

There were 4 different stations each run by GLA students; they included informational sessions, fun dances, and different games! Sadly due to the rain we had to relocate back to the home base. We passed time by teaching the local kids many playground games.

We continued the stations, followed by a delicious lunch consisting of chicken and rice. After that, we finished with an arts and craft activity teaching the local students about different species of fish.

Following our sad goodbyes, we had a debate arguing the pros and cons of deep sea mining, and it’s environmental effects. We were divided into countries and cooperations, simulating a real debate.

Overall, we had a great day teaching students about the protected fish and learning more about ourselves through the debate!

Sincerely,
Hannah B and Sofia S 😎

P.S. We had a yummy chicken soup with rice and tortilla chips for dinner (some may argue it is the best meal yet, aka Lucy)

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

Hello!

Today we started the morning with a bit of a late start. At 7:40 we woke up to the glorious sounds of hype music along with knocking and screaming “wake up!” We met downstairs at 8:00 for breakfast, which consisted of eggs with ham, beans, fryjacks (a fan favorite), and mangos. Then following that scrumptious breakfast, we had an informative and entertaining presentation on mangroves and the role they play in protecting humans and wildlife and ended with mangrove identification. We learned the different types of mangroves (red, black, and white) and how to identify them by leaves and color. Following our presentation, we ventured past the walls of the Sarteneja Inn into the wilderness to put our skills to the test! We successfully identified all the mangroves as a team and it made for a joyous morning of learning!

We then had a delicious lunch, consisting of pork, rice, and salad. We took our newly found mangrove knowledge to the field! We travelled by boat, while playing lots of games, one being mafia (a fan favorite), to a mangrove restoration site (which was previously built by GLA students in 2023!). There, we split up into two groups: unicorns and mermaids. Group unicorn started by swimming out into the glorious water (that is filtered by mangroves) to collect red mangrove seeds. During this time, group mermaids made soil by combining sand and regular soil. We then came together to plant the mangrove seeds collected in the newly created soil. We wrapped up our expedition with a stop at a local ice cream shop where many students got ice cream and smoothies. We then dressed up to go out to a local restaurant. While there, we took numerous photos and played a traditional bingo game called chalupa! It was extremely intense but ultimately brought us closer as a group. Once back at Homebase we sat around and bonded while playing card games all while watching a storm come in!

It was a beautiful day filled with bonding with our wonderful friends which ended with such a bang!

– Anslee and Lila

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

We started our day off at 8:00 am with a breakfast of hamburgers, cereal, juice, and mangoes. After breakfast, we grabbed our suitcases and headed out the door to our next location. We took a bus and was on it for around 3 hours, halfway through we stopped for snacks and a visit to the supermarket. Next, we arrived at our first destination, Mayan ruins. We stayed there for around an hour and a half. We ate a lunch of chicken and rice at a restaurant, and then explored the Mayan ruins with a guide. At the ruins, we took pictures, climbed ruins, and learned interesting facts about the Mayan people. We also stopped to buy souvenirs and gifts from vendors at the end of the guided tour. After, we hopped back in the bus and drove to our new location. Once we arrived, we unpacked. Once we were unpacked, many people went swimming while others played cards and socialized. Afterwards, we cleaned up and ate a dinner of mashed potatoes, chicken, salad, and buns. For desert we had carrot cake! Lastly, after a discussion of the plans tomorrow, we went to bed excited for a new day!

Lucy & Amelia

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

Bien le bonjour from The Belize Zoo! Today, the wake up call was at 7:40am and breakfast was at 8:00. We had a Zoo Tour from 9:00 to 12:00, there, we saw jaguars, ocelots, parrots, crocodiles and lots of other mammals and birds! Then, we did some community service where we split up into 3 groups: some repainted the zoo fences, others cleaned and raked the jaguar area, finally the last group transported items from one end of the zoo to another. After that, we cooled off in the pool for 2 hours.

Everyone’s energy was rejuvenated with a rambunctious game of Monkey in the Middle. Overall, today was an amazing day! We had lots of fun and the animals were cool. We are very grateful for these experiences. Can’t wait for tomorrow’s adventure! P.S. Shout out to Sawyer for head-butting the ball during the pool game.

Emma Thrin & Emma Norwood

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

Hello from Belize,

Today was a day full of activities and adventures that started from early in the morning to late at night. We first started with a wake up call at 7:40 and prepared for the days with our WITS and a delectable breakfast made by the chefs. After we were all ready to conquer the day, we boarded the buses and headed back to the zoo mentioned last blog. After we got off the bus, we all headed into a classroom where we listened to presentation about the conservation of Manatees presented by our amazing commentator and presentator, Jamal aka the Manatee Man.

After the informative presentation was finished, we all ate pre-selected lunches that came along with free drinks and conversated while some of us played a few card games here and there. After that, we ventured to the ‘community baboon sanctuary’ where we met the infamous Howling Monkey’s, which fun fact are the 2nd loudest mammals. Unfortunately our time was cut short due to thunderstorms, but we persevered through and made the best of it with a presentation regarding the backstory of both the monkeys and the sanctuary. After being informed, we drove back to our home base where we soon had a visit from a local ranger who spoke all about Belize and it’s ecosystem and all it’s being.

Continuing on, we enjoyed our delicious dinner consisting of pasta, garlic bread, and cake. We then hurried our way back to the zoo to explore the wonderful nocturnal animals of the zoo, as well as viewing them in their feeding state. This whole experience today has been a big reflection on just how much is going on in the world that we are so unaware of. But the time is now to act on our ideas and turn them into reality. The animals can’t speak for themselves, so we need to speak up for them.

So excited for tomorrow!!

Sincerely the best duo,
Malia and Sofia

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by Pamela & the Belize Team

My Dear Adventurous Group!

It’s hard to believe that we’ve just returned to our regular lives after our unique adventure! Hurricane Beryl gave us an unexpected masterclass in leadership and teamwork, but that’s not all we took away from our shared experience. I can still taste the delicious fry jacks, the fresh cucumber lemon juice, and the rice, beans, and chicken we enjoyed together. It feels like just yesterday we were bonding through team-building games, exploring stunning landscapes, planting mangroves to protect our precious environment, and sharing about the oceans in the schools
of “Xela”!

Each of you left an enormous impact on our hearts in Belize, and believe it or not, we always mention you as an example of resilience and leadership, hoping that our other students can be inspired by you. The mangroves we planted and the lessons we learned about sustainability will resonate in our lives and communities long after we’ve returned home. Time will continue to pass, and you will become exceptional adults, spreading all your love for the ocean with those closest to you. Do you remember our “Meaningful Goals”? We hope you’ve continued investing your time in organizations larger than yourselves!

Our adventures were not just about service; we created memories full of laughter and fun! From snorkeling in the vibrant Meso-American reef to learning salsa and exploring the ancient ruins of Tikal and Cerros, each moment was enriched by your enthusiasm and spirit. The connections we formed, the (many!) challenges we faced, and the joy we shared truly made this trip unforgettable. This entire journey was completely yours, and no one can take away these unique moments.

As you settle back into your routines, we encourage you to carry the lessons learned and the friendships made into your everyday lives. Share your stories, keep advocating for change, and remember the beauty of our shared experiences.

We are so grateful to have traveled with each of you and continue to be inspired by your resilience. Please stay in touch and let us know how your Meaningful Goal is unfolding!

Remember that a good leader must continually grow and be full of humility and empathy to accept different realities; our cause is greater than ourselves, so seek out people with these qualities. Among dreamers and leaders, we recognize each other.

One Meaningful Goal: I hope you remember Belize and Guatemala as an extraordinary adventure of personal growth and that you’ve returned home with some incredible stories to share. Beyond that, I want to acknowledge the personal growth each of you experienced during the journey. I hope you remember the importance of seeking more sustainable solutions and examining our consumption habits. Supporting local initiatives, like urban gardens, is crucial. Your empathy was evident in your desire to join organizations and their causes, dedicating your free time to something greater than any one of us. Never forget the version of yourselves that wanted to change the world, and continue seeking out others who share that vision. I have full confidence in you.

Thank you for being exceptional and giving meaning to our work.

Pam, Jema, Nayo, Leah, and Ben

UPDATE: Families, as you are now aware we are relocating our students on this session to our Guatemala program, due to the impact of Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean. We will continue posting our blog updates on this page, so you can continue following along here for new blog posts and photos as they become available.

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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

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Welcome to Belize!

Here marks the beginning of an amazing summer experience that will last a lifetime! GLA students met up with staff at the airport then made their way to Sarteneja in an afternoon and evening group. Along the ride, the students got to know eachother more and got a first look at the wildlife here in Belize!

After arriving, the first group settled in, ate dinner, and played some name games at homebase while the second group started to make their way north. The second group arrived and by 9:30 we had all 22 students and our team was complete!

We will be writing blog posts throughout the trip to keep everyone informed about our amazing adventures here in Belize!

Leah – GLA Mentor

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Hola from Belize!

We woke up and had an amazing breakfast with local cuisine, discovering our love for fry jacks and fresh cucumber lemon juice. Our morning continued with a “speed friending” activity to get to know our team a little better, followed by orientation of the session. The group dove into a in-depth interviews of a staff member and competed to reveal who was the best detective.

After orientation, the students got a delicious home cooked lunch to fuel for the afternoon. Due to weather, the team stayed at the homebase for the afternoon, enjoying some free time and team building games! The group also discussed social media during a leadership activity called Social Sync and made goals for technology usage after the program.

Before dinner, students made a community agreement and roommate agreements to set expectations for themselves and their peers. Dinner included beef or veggie burritos and horchata!

Before settling in for the night, we visited the beach to do our sunset circle and determine leaders of the day for tomorrow! The weather was perfect and we got to see the famous Sarteneja fishing boats and fish. Students had a photoshoot and enjoyed being off homebase for a little while.

The group bonded so much today and we are all looking forward to winning more games of giant UNO and exploring the nature of Belize!

– GLA Team

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Hey there from Belize!

We began our day at 7:30 AM with a wonderful breakfast of oats, assorted fruits, ham rolls, avocado toast, and refreshing watermelon juice! We then departed with our packed backpacks from the pier, on boat Azul and boat Chelonia, to our mangrove preservation sites!

Once we arrived on our boats to the mangrove nursery we met important members of an NGO Organization SACD (Sarteneja alliance of conservation and development). For the first part of the activity we listened to a presentation on the importance of mangroves in Sarteneja. After that we started two separate group activities finding and planting mangroves in the area. All together we ended up planting 58 mangroves!

Around twelve we ate lunch at the mangrove nursery and then embarked on our next journey to the New River and the Cerros Ruins! While boating down the New River, we got to see the Belize Ferry and the Double Crested Cormorant (a duck-like animal that can submerge itself under water)! We then made our way to the Cerros Ruins where we encountered vicious mosquitos attacks, which is definitely something we will never forget! We then learned about the ruins history and significance to the Belizean culture.

Finally, we made our journey back to the pier through the intense yet very exciting boat ride back. Huge shout out to a wonderful boat captains!

Once every one had cleaned up, we made our way to the local restaurant where we got to eat delicious fried fish or chicken, cilantro rice, and coleslaw with watermelon juice. We even got to try homemade flan for dessert! After dinner, we then played popular Belizean games like bingo and card storytelling!

We then ended our dinner with sunset circle and quickly made our way back to home base to prepare for tomorrow”s adventures!

Lindsey and Naomi, GLA Leaders

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Hola!

Today we traveled from homebase to Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve. On our boat ride, we got a close encounter with some friendly bottle nosed dolphins! At BCMR, we learned the history about the Reserve as well as observed many of the wildlife and Maya artifacts in the museum on the property. Shortly after, the group took our swim tests and we all passed with flying colors!

We then departed on the boats and drove through the ancient Mayan canal to our location for snorkeling. Next, we geared up and dove into the crystal blue water where we observed the coral reefs, parrot fish, sea turtles, and many other species of marine life. We then gathered our things, ate a delicious lunch, and hung around at the Reserve until we were ready to depart from the property and head back to home base.

Lastly, we ate a delicious dinner and had a difficult yet very informative conversation about the hurricane and what the rest of the trip has in store. We got the news that our Belize session could no longer continue and students made the decision to go home or shift to finish the program in Guatemala. The next few days will include some tearful goodbyes to good friends and some exciting hellos to our Guatemala GLA staff and partners!

– Mattie and Rebecca
GLA Leaders of the Day

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Hello from the Tropical Education Center (TEC)!

We departed from home base early in the morning to go on a fishing excursion and learn about sustainable fishing and the laws Belize has on fishing. We took a short boat ride to one of the many traps the local fishermen have and watched as two brother fishermen caught fish and sorted out protected species. We also witnessed the release of a duck that got caught in the net. We then headed back to land and went to one of the fishermen’s houses where we ate freshly made barracuda, fry jacks, beans, and fruit prepared by some women leaders from the community. We then headed home and finished getting ready to move to the second homebase.

The group gathered all our belongings and began the evacuation of Belize in preparation for Hurricane Beryl. We boarded the bus and began a scenic drive towards the TEC (Tropical Education Center). We stopped at a store on the way for snacks and and, in no time, we arrived to our destination. Once there, we had a meeting and got our room assignments. Most people took a quick dip in the pool before unpacking. After unpacking, we met up with our peer mentor groups and discussed our feelings about the recent program change. Then we had a zoom meeting with the GLA staff in Guatemala who answered our questions and explained their program. The group was so excited to hear about all the excursions and service opportunities that lay ahead!

We had time to explore and move about before dinner, where we prepared for our private night visit to the zoo. Once there, we split into groups and explored with professional zookeepers, some of us even feeding the animals along the way. These animals ranged from jaguars to kinkajous to owls and never ceased to amaze. After the zoo we did our appreciation circle, reviewed the schedule, and went to bed quickly for our early start in the morning.

Tomorrow, July 3rd, we will be crossing the border into Guatemala!

Camille and Isabella
GLA Leaders of the Day

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UPDATE: Families, as you are now aware we are relocating our students on this session to our Guatemala program, due to the impact of Hurricane Beryl in the Caribbean. We will continue posting our blog updates on this page, so you can continue following along here for new blog posts and photos as they become available.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Salutations from beautiful Flores, a unique Guatamalan town set on an island in the middle of a lake.

To start off the day, we continued our evacuation to Guatemala and had an early breakfast in TEC. We ate a delicious breakfast with some pancakes, eggs, bacon, fruit, and some warm coffee. After our breakfast, we made our way to the bus for our trip to the border between Belize and Guatamala, and eventually finishing our day of travel in Flores.

During the bus ride, most adventurers enjoyed the views from our final drive through Belize, while some adventurers played games like Giant Uno with new sets of fun rules.

After arriving at Guatemala-Belize, border we departed from our bus and got into groups to cross the border. Fortunately, our international director, Pamela and local director, Jema completed our paperwork before hand so we were able to pass effortlessly.

Finally in Flores, we set our things in the hotel we would stay in and we soon embarked on a tour of Flores where we learned about the modern and ancient history of the town. After the conclusion of the tour, we returned to our hotel to see the beautiful sunset over the lake and swim.

Although we are going day by day because of the evacuation, we are still enjoying the adventure and opportunities in Guatemala granted to us by the GLA community.

– Sophie and Ethan

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Hello from Guatemala!

This morning we woke up and traveled from home base to Tikal National Park where we were greeted by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic tour guide. We learned about the history of Tikal, the ancient Mayan city, and their way of life. We climbed numerous pyramids and temples, admiring views of the ruins and the surrounding nature. Walking through the city we saw a variety of wildlife such as howler monkeys, spider monkeys, a tarantula, and a roadside toucan. Lunch was pesto pasta or a choice of meat under the cover of a traditional palm roof.

Once we departed from Tikal, it started raining. We learned more from our guide about the history of the land and its people. We couldn’t fit everybody in one plane so we sent the majority of our adventurers on the first flight to Guatemala City. Upon arrival, the first group headed to a local hotel for a delicious dinner. While this was happening, our second group was still in Flores. As they were waiting for their flight, they explored Flores and became immersed in local culture. The second group headed to the airport for their late night flight, they played card games to pass the time. Once the second group arrived they reunited with the others at the Guatemala City airport. Each student boarded the bus for an hour long trip to Antigua, where they stayed for the night.

Tomorrow we will explore the beautiful city of Antigua!

AJ & Sam

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Good morning!!!

We started the morning eating breakfast on the roof of our hotel, overlooking the breathtaking view of Antigua and their active volcano Fuego! After a yummy breakfast, we started on the road towards our first activity of the day, a Mayan wedding. We went to a shop called Mañanas Mayas where local women taught us how to weave their beautiful art. A handful of students then volunteered to reenact an authentic Mayan wedding. The local women dressed up the volunteers in proper attire and guided then through the wedding where we danced and made sure the mother-in-law was pleased. We then swept out the store, buying many souvineers.

The group then hopped on the bus to travel to our next destination, the Guatamalan Coffee Farm Tour. They showed us the coffee bean fields, hand packaging, and allowed us to try their quality coffee. After our coffee sampling, we headed towards lunch, eating yummy food on the property that over looked horse stables. We split up and ventured around the property ranging from playing hacky-sack in the rain, shopping, and some even singing with spunky older women!!

After everyone was fulfilled, we regrouped to hop back on the bus for a four hour drive to finish our travels. We reached our new home in Quetzaltenango, which is usually used as a retreat house. Today was full of fun and immersion in culture that we couldn’t get anywhere else!

– Mackenzie and Nora

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Hola!

In the morning we got to sleep in and woke up to the view of the mountains. Then, we had the choice of eggs, fruit, pastries, beans, and jello for breakfast. We then drove into the city for a chocolate tour. We had an assortment of fruits dipped in 60% cacao local fondue. Then we walked through the chocolate museum hosted by the family of chocolate makers that owned the property and learned about the traditions of chocolate making through a generations of Mayan culture.

We then bussed to Salsa Rosa and learned to salsa dance! The class was very upbeat and fun. We had lunch back at home base and we had pasta, chicken and vegetables. After lunch, we went to Trama textiles and watched about the history of women in a documentary about weaving business and then we shopped at their store.

At 4:30, we went to a local store to buy clothes for our new Guatemalan mountain climate. We drove to homebase and had free time until dinner. People were chatting and playing hacky sack. After a delicious dinner of pupusas, we hung out playing uno and ping pong.

Tomorrow we are looking forward to a zipline adventure!

Irene and Estela

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Hola!

Today, we had an early start in eating breakfast in preparation for a zipline adventure through the Guatemalan mountains. Upon arrival, students rode in open-air trucks to reach the first zipline. The three lines progressed from short and easy to longer distances and greater heights. While on the line, we saw beautiful Guatemalan towns and jungles as we zipped to the other side. After completing the three ziplines, students went to a balcony to absorb breathtaking views. On clear days, the Pacific coast is visible to the west, and the volcanoes Santa Maria and Tajumulco are to the east. The students then hopped on the bus to head back to home base.

After returning to base camp, students ate lunch and took an extended break. Some students took naps or played games like hacky sack. Some students also helped the chefs Gloria, Mary Cruz, Aura, and many others to peel potatoes for the other GLA program that would be joining the Belize group for dinner.

The students took some time to make their OMG (one meaningful goal). They heard from their mentors on how they can make an impact in their communities through sustainability practices, volunteering, and advocating for causes close to their hearts. After, students practiced and demonstrated activities such as songs, games, and drawings in preparation for their interactions with kindergartners at an elementary school.

We then had dinner and welcomed the students from the other program who would be staying at the same home base with us. We are looking forward to beginning our service in Guatemala tomorrow!

River and Olivia

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Greetings from Guatemala!

We had an early wake-up this morning at 6:40. Before heading to a local school to meet a large group of kindergartners, we had a sweet breakfast of fresh pineapple, pancakes and hot dogs.We traveled about 30 minutes from our home base to a school for students commuting from both rural and city areas called Pacaja escuela. Here we had the wonderful opportunity to work with kindergartners in their classrooms! In each group, we were able to teach the students two songs that we prepared in Spanish and explain to them terms such as evaporation, condensation and precipitation. We also sang a song about fish in the ocean with a dance as well which the classes enjoyed! We spent time drawing with the students and coloring in the illustrations of ocean animals native to Guatamala, which we had prepared the day before. This opened up a unique opportunity for conversation with the students in Spanish!

After working with the first group of students, we were given a tour of the school by our local director Nayo, who explained the changes that the school has gone through since 2008 when they began collaborations with GLA students. After this, we repeated the same activities with two new classrooms of students. Around 11:30, we left the school to head back to home base for lunch.

Once lunch had ended, we all quickly changed into our swimsuits and headed to the hot springs! After about an hour and a half bus ride, we arrived to our destination, which was located up in the beautiful Guatemalan mountains in a secluded area. There were three main hot springs, each a different temperature, that we got to swim in. We were able to explore the springs and find the direct heat sources from the volcano! We all made sure to stay close to those spots to escape the rainy weather! After about an hour in the hot springs, we gathered our belongings to leave and stopped at their small store to get snacks, hot chocolate, and local pastries!

Once we made it back to home base, we cleaned up and enjoyed a delicious dinner, then gathered to prepare our activities for working with more students tomorrow.

– Lindsey and Naomi

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Hasta Luego!

Our last few days in Guatemala were amazing! We had swoon-worthy food from our local cooks in Quetzaltenango, practiced our Spanish and shared love for the ocean at local schools, and wandered around the legendary city of Antigua. Our days consisted of soccer, hacky sack, and more giant UNO, as well as reveling in the beautiful mountain landscape around homebase. After leaving for Antigua, we stopped at some local shops for last minute souvenirs and gifts.

Once we arrived in the city, everyone rushed to get ready for dinner in the city and one last anchor activity. As the students made their way to the restaurant, we stopped at Central Park in front of the historical fountain. There, we got in a circle and took turns anonymously appreciating each other for the support, laughs, and friendships we made over the last 2 weeks. After our circle, we took pictures and walked the rest of the way to dinner. The restaurant was beautiful and the tomato soup and entrees left us feeling satisfied. Before finishing the meal, ice cream was brought out and we all sang Happy Birthday to one of our beloved mentors, Ben!

We sauntered back to the hotel, tired and ready for bed. Before resting, the students prepared for departure, saying goodbyes and filling out surveys.
Bright and early, the first group left for the airport and the rest of the students gathered on the roof for breakfast. We could see three huge stratovolcanos from our seats: Acantenago, Agua, and Fuego. As a cherry on top, we saw Volcano Fuego erupt 3 times during our breakfast! The second group left with Ben, and the last group went on a short jaunt across the city to Arco de Santa Catalina with Leah. The wonderful arches dramatic history was – loosely – retold by Ethan and AJ while we took in our final views of the city.

The last group got back to the hotel and packed the bus for the airport!

Although our trip is coming to an end, we know the friendships and memories we made here will last forever.

-GLA Belize/Guatemala Program

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by Mag & the Bali Team

Om swastiastu!

I hope you haven’t forgotten all the Bahasa you learned from our three weeks in Bali! Doesn’t it seem like just yesterday you arrived at our cozy homestay to meet our host family. How they welcomed us with open arms with the beautiful Sisya Upanayana Ceremony. How they fed us delicious Balinese dishes. Have you tried any tempeh or tofu dishes since you returned home?

It was so crazy how you hit the ground running those first few days! Using the little Bahasa you learned to complete that fun treasure hunt. How welcoming everyone was to let us visit their homes and ask them personal questions about their health! You must have enjoyed that nice herbal walk amongst the rice fields, learning about the irrigation system, The Subak system which is a UNESCO heritage! We learned so much about medicinal plants and how they’re used in Balinese cuisine.

Then our official first field trip, visiting the Pura Tirta Empul temple in our beautiful sarongs, lunch in Kintamani in front of the Batur volcano. What a view we had! But maybe the main highlight of that day was our dinner with the Princess at the Royal Palace. She was so down to earth and didn’t hesitate to answer all of our questions. Especially Richie’s!
We packed in some service learning after all that fun, visiting Bumi Sehat, the maternity NGO where we discovered a natural journey to motherhood. We even got to meet the tiny newborn only 2 hrs old! What a beautiful first look into the medical world of the East. Our day was not complete without the excitement of our Banjar workshop. How much fun was it to learn about communities in Bali and participate in some daily traditions. Where did you hang your wooden name plaque?

Our learning was non-stop when we had the chance to visit Magifarm and the Food Fighter Project. What an eye-opening experience! It was so cool to see everyone enjoying making food together. And what a powerfully emotional experience to hand out the food to the families working so hard in the landfill. We truly saw another side of the paradise that Bali is known to be. I’m sure that experience has imprinted a new outlook on our daily lives and our participation in global sustainability. A deep reflection seemed to settle over us as we prepared for the next adventure of our trip, Amed! Where we snorkeled, scuba dive and even debated about medical tourism in Bali.

The next 3 days was spent in medical service, along with the medical students, in the village homes of the locals of Banjar Juga. We took their blood pressure, blood sugar level, weight and height. Also, taught the kids hand washing technique, and checked for dengue larvae in water deposit spots like bathrooms, etc. We also asked them other questions regarding their overall health.

So much happened in the 3 weeks in Bali it’s hard to believe we met so many people and had all this experiences together. The trip to Permuteran was a very spiritual experience as we got to be part of a full moon ceremony in the very important Night temple. We were so grateful for this experience. You also got to teach a health workshop related to exercise, nutrition and hygiene at a local school! Back in Ubud we just have a couple more days before your departure. We maximize our time, that’s for sure!

Throwback to some other highlights from our experience:

Futsal game
Sunrise Snorkeling in Amed
Scuba diving and seeing all the fish
Waterfall
White water rafting
Hiking through padi fields
Cooking class
Astungkara Way and learning about regenerative farming
Surfing class
Karaoke
Shopping
BOBA!!!
Visits to Indonmaret

An important part of our journey was to talk about actions you all want to take when you get back home to apply your learning and Be the Change! The OMG and skits you came up with were an awesome way to reflect upon all that we want to do differently back at home. Our group OMG (One Meaningful Goal) were:

To work on Environmental Sustainability and Help community and Environment. We attached some photos to remind you of this important time and hope you were able to work on your personal and group OMG.
At the very end we closed our experience with an Appreciation circle and offerings.

We all hope that you had an amazing experience and look back to our time in Bali with smile on your face. Don’t forget to Be the Change back at home 😉 We count on you!

We are sending best vibes to you all,

Magdalena (Mag) Michalczuk
Beni Sanjaya
Rohit (Richie) Patkar
Kristin Pelaud
Dilla Sugiantari
Billy Abi

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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

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Selamat malam from Bali!

We are so excited to start our first session of Bali Health Expedition!

Today, our students made their way to Denpasar airport 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 our homestay in Ubud. Most of the students shared that long hours of traveling were tiring, but they are all super enthusiastic and looking forward to the adventure and service days to come!

We picked up our first three students just after midnight. Then two in the morning and 12 in the evening. One student is coming tonight (Sumiko) but the team won’t be complete until last person (Jessica) arrives on the 5th of July. We had a dinner together in our homestay. Students got to meet the team: Mag, Kristin, Richie-our international director and mentors and Beni, Dilla and Billy-our local director and mentors. We will be with the group during this whole trip, facilitating the experience, supporting the learning and making sure we all have a lot of FUN! We also met the homestay family we are staying with: Nyoman, Tik, Gina and Kadek. They are all very welcoming and the students were thrilled to meet them and have opportunity to learn their first words in Indonesian.

We are all looking forward to service learning , making lifelong memories, and friendships that await for us.

Tomorrow onwards the Leaders of the day will be writing the blog entries to keep the parents and loved ones updated about our adventures.

Hope you will enjoy our blog!

Mag & Beni (International and Local director)
Dilla, Kristen, Billy, Richie (mentors)

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Salamat malam!

The day started with our orientation straight after breakfast, which introduced us to each other as well as the details of our program. We played many icebreaker games in between to break it up and got to learn more about each other. We had a Bahasa language class where we got to learn some basics and an introduction to the culture here.
We were also taught how to wear a traditional sarong and sash, which is usually worn to temples.

After lunch, we had an Amazing Race, which included a scavenger hunt that helped us get out of our comfort zone by being able to talk to locals without fully knowing their language. This did create barriers but we were able to work through them and were able to get a fun experience. When talking to these locals we not only were out of our comfort zones but also very impressed by their life stories, different backgrounds and their welcoming attitude. We then got the opportunity to be part of a welcoming ceremony held by the family in their temple to bless the students staying at their homestay and give us a typical Balinese spiritual cleanse. It gave us a hands-on experience and was our first official greeting. A lot of us can’t wait to experience more temples like this.

Everyone is really enjoying the food, especially the traditional noodles! After dinner, we watched legong, a traditional dance, and even got to participate as well! We ended our day with an evening activity, by creating and signing a community agreement, where we shared all the values we will be committing to throughout the program.

After today, many of us felt excited and inspired for what is to come, especially after the ceremony and Amazing race.

Om shanti shanti shanti om!

Monique and Eshika

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Hello everyone!

Today we woke up early in preparation for the busy day. We began with an herbal walk through the paddy fields and learned about the significance of different traditional herbs. After that, we made our way to Trita Empul Temple where we were able to walk the grounds and explore the beautiful landscape that surrounded the area. For lunch we traveled to Kintamani, an active volcano on the island, and ate while admiring the beautiful view of the volcano and the lake. We wrapped up the first part of our day by visiting a coffee plantation where we were able to try many local drinks.

In the evening, we got a tour of the royal palace and we able to meet the princess and enjoy a beautiful traditional balinese dinner. The princess was 16 years old and shared a lot of the same interests as us which allowed us to bond with her. Overall, we had an amazing, fun filled day where we were able to learn more about Bali and the culture.

When we returned to home base, our last member of the group, Jessica, had arrived at the home base.

See you next time sending lots of love!

Peace out,
Jenni and Mackenzie

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Om Swastyastu!

We started our day today a bit later than usual. We headed to the NGO, Bhumi Sehat natural birthing clinic. We had the opportunity to have a tour of the facility, and were introduced to their ways of caring for their patients, which differs greatly from the culture we are used to. They spoke about holistic medicine, acupuncture, and other traditional and natural medicines and remedies. We watched a few natural birthing videos of long term patients of the clinic and were amazed and impacted by the emotional aspect of them.

After lunch we walked to the Banjar workshop that took place near by, where we learned how to do the Legong dance, how to play a song on the Gamelan instrument, how to make an offering, and a simple carving technique. Later that afternoon, we took part in an activity with a health researcher that taught us about Public Heath.

We got to partake in a 2 hour discussion that taught us a lot about the climate in Indonesia and the history behind the medical facilities, global warming, and fast growing public problems. We got to work in groups to implement solutions to issues that are growing in Indonesia. We ended the discussion off by starting our temple circle!

We ate a delicious dinner and begun our evening activities and mentor groups. Overall, today really put our trip into perspective, and more awareness about the country we are visiting.

Sampai Jumpa Lagi!

– Monique and Mika

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Om Swastiastu!

We are the leaders of the day, Nina and Maggie M. We started our morning by visiting the money exchange and trading US dollars for Rupias. The reason for our withdrawal of funds was to have plenty of money to spend at one of Ubuds many vibrant and exciting markets. We all got lots of traditional Balinese clothing, trinkets, snacks, and accessories as tangible memories to take back home with us.

We then attended a local restaurant in Ubud where there was a wonderful selection of cuisines and mocktails. After a much needed rest after a long day of shopping and eating, we participated in a leadership activity. This consisted of watching videos, taking notes, creating solutions, and participating in activities revolving around the knowledge and exploration of plastic pollution. Following leadership we exposed ourselves to difficult ideas and questions pertaining to cellphone use in today’s generation as well as the part we play in modern technology. After small group discussions and temple circle, we ate a delicious traditional dinner. We ended our night with a language class and Zumba class before heading back to our rooms for lights out. Overall, it was a great day!

Mimpi indah (Sweet dreams)

Sincerely,

Maggie M. & Nina

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Om Swastiastu!

Today is day six of our 21 day Bali adventure and we were able to delve into the world of SAMPAH (garbage). We learned about more sustainable ways to manage our food waste at Magi farm. There, they feed their food waste to Black Soldier Fly larva to reduce the amount of food waste and the methane gas emitted from the food decomposition process. Some of us were lucky enough to get to try a dehydrated maggot filled with plenty of protein, 36 percent to be exact. This fueled us for our grand maggot harvesting competition where we sorted food waste from maggots at rapid speeds! Shout-out to Billy for his phenominal guidance leading his team to victory.

Later on we prepared and cooked meals that we delivered to families living at the largest landfill in Bali. Meeting these individuals was an eye-opening experience, as we immersed into the realities of climate change and those living without proper access to clean air and water. On our venture back home we got the opportunity to visit the much anticipated Indomart, and fulfilled our ramen cravings. Afterwards, we had a much needed nap and rest time, before we concluded with our reflection questions, dinner, and evening activities.

Always mengurangi, menggunakan kembali, mendaur ulang!

– Fiona and Kayla

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Om Swastyastu!

As the sun rises, everyday presents a new opportunity to explore the natural beauty of Bali. Day seven of our adventure started with Dragon fruit pancake before the drive to Amed. On the way there, we stopped to eat at the Good Karma Tirta Gangga Resturant and walked right next door to the Tirta Gangga Water Palace.

The palace was a dream come true offering a glimpse into the island’s royal past. Originally built in the 20th century by the royal family of Karangasem, the palace served as a retreat and a place for spiritual purification. The highlight of this place was the iconic stepping stones and the Koi fish that lay below.

Once we arrived to Amed, we settled into our hotel right along the beach. Hotel Uyah is the perfect blend of relaxation and natural beauty. Walking into the tranquil beach getaway, with our feet in the volcanic sand, we immersed ourselves in the warm waters. Afterwards, we got fitted for the sunrise boat, snorkelling tour ,tomorrow early morning. Finishing the day with a sunset circle, the leaders of the day, Jessica and Betzabe want to say goodbye and Selamat malam!

Jessica & Betzabe

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Om Swastyastu!

Today we had a wonderful opportunity to see an amazing sunrise and colorful fish while snorkeling. We started the day bright and early, leaving the beach at 5:30 am on spider boats. There was about 3-4 people per boat, making the experience personal and special. The sunrise was a beautiful mosaic of colors and felt mesmerizing. After the sunrise, we headed over to the bay to enjoy some snorkeling. Jumping off the boats we dove into the beautiful blue water and observed a whole ecosystem of sea creatures. We even happened to come across an underwater temple in the middle of the coral.
After coming back to shore we ate an array of foods for breakfast and talked about the morning. Then we kicked back by the pool, recovering from the early morning. Many of us found out about the spa offered here at the hotel and scheduled some massages for some self-care. Around mid day we gathered and began a leadership activity/debate. The debate followed the theme of medicine, we debated the idea of medical tourism in Indoneasia. We were divided up into four groups with mediators and debated our designated argument. We then ended this debate with a reflection activity talking about how our opinions changed about medical tourism and other thoughts on the activity.

We were then granted more free time where we were allowed to swim in the beach or just relax around the hotel. While the sunset approached the west, we ended the day with sunset circle and talked about what we can do at home to practice self-care. Then we headed to dinner and ate some delicious food and talked about concerns regarding tomorrows scuba activity. That concludes this amazing day! Bye bye for now from today’s leaders!

XOXO,
Isa and Maddy

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Om Swastyastu,

The day started early with breakfast at 6:30 am. Following soon after our first group left for scuba diving. They started in the pool in groups of 3-4 with an instructor assigned to each group. Once their instructors thought they were ready they took a car to the first diving spot. Which was the longer dive of the two with stunning coral reefs which contained an array of animals of all different colors. The dive was challenging yet exciting as it was most of the students first time diving. Throughout the dive people got more comfortable and confident in the water.

The two groups lunch overlapped in Amed at the Bali Reef’s restaurant. The first group headed back for free-time while the second group got their briefing and went out to their dives. Similar to the first group the second group felt uneasy at the beginning but quickly embraced the experience. Once both groups were back they got their final opportunity to go in the ocean in Amed. For dinner the local staff ordered burgers and fries to be enjoyed by the beach. During dinner the students got opportunities to go take pictures with the awe-inspiring sunset on the beach. We ended the day with our sunset circle, where we said our biggest challenges from scuba diving. Goodbye from today’s leaders of the day!!!

Selamat Malam,
Teagan and Rebecca

“In the beginning they were like fish out of water, but very soon they were like fish in water.”- Richie

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Om Swastystu

For our last day in Amed, we had breakfast at 7:30, packed our things, and headed towards our trek. We drove an hour to the Tenganan Trekking point where we walked through rice pattie fields and traversed through the jungle a bit. We enjoyed a picnic-style lunch of traditional Indonesian food. After lunch, we completed our hike and drove back to our homestay in Ubud, and met with the medical students of the local university. They taught us basic skills we will need for our upcoming home checks in the community such as taking blood pressure, height, and weight. We had dinner with the students and celebrated Beni’s (our local director’s) birthday with a strawberry cheesecake. We concluded our day with laughs and smiles while our mentor Kristen led a Zumba class.

To reflect on our day we learned to appreciate the beautiful sites Bali has to offer. The rice patty fields truly took our breaths away as well as the volcanos and mountains. After our fun vacation and relaxing time in Amed, we are ready to jump into service and help the community stay healthy.

“Om Shanti Shanti Om “

Love,

Maggie Soper & Izzy Triandafilou

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Om Swastyastu!

We began today later than usual having breakfast at 8:30. Afterwards we had a GLA session reflecting on the importance of having an open mind and seeing different perspectives. Right after we had lunch at the home-stay and prepared for our service for the day by ensuring we had all the equipment we needed and that it was working properly. Then we hopped on the bus and headed to Banjar Juga, where we met up with the local medical students and prepared to go to the community homes.

In the homes, we did a medical check which included checking the persons blood pressure, blood sugar, height, weight, and other question regarding their overall health. Additionally we checked the bathrooms for mosquito larvae, and taught children how to wash their hands. Each group went to between 5 to 7 houses in the time we had. After we debriefed the service and discussed our challenges and successes and how to improve our experience for the coming days. We came home and input all the data we collected from the homes and reorganized our equipment and supplies. Finally, we had our temple circle, where we reflected on the day and ate a yummy traditional Balinese dinner.

Goodnight from today’s leaders of the day!

Selamat malam,

Laila and Rikar

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

Om Swastyastu!

This morning we headed off to a cooking lesson after breakfast. We enjoyed some juice and pancakes while we learned about Balinese culture, marriage, and family life. We then participated in a cooking class and even got to see a traditional Balinese kitchen and tools. We were able to cut, saute, and mold different ingredients to create many different dishes. Some of group favorites were the mushroom soup, black rice pudding, and chicken skewers. Following lunch, we had some down time before heading off to Day 2 of Service. Similar to yesterday, we went into locals homes, took their vitals, learned about their ways of life, and assisted the medical students with anything else they would need. Some groups got to play with children, some learned about traditional carving methods, and others discused pop culture with the locals. After a long day of service we retuned to the homestay to input the days data. We enjoyed rice, noodles, vegtables, chicken, and watermelon for dinner before have some free time and ending the night with yoga. Overall, it was a wonderful day and we can’t wait for tomorrow!

-Maggie M & Sumiko

(over and out ;))

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Om Swastyastu!

Sorry for the late post, we had a eventful day! We started the day by heading over to Astungkara Way, here we learned about regenerative farming. On this beautiful farm, we got to wear farming hats while we were taught how to make mulch out of cow manure, worms, and banana trees. We also learned how to plant different types of plants. While getting our hand dirty prepping plants, we learned more about the agriculture behind planting rice. Then we enjoyed a delicious lunch grown and harvested by the Astungkara Way farmers. Leaving the farm, we heading back to the Homestay to get dressed for out final day of service for the home health checks. Due to our hardwork, we were able to service most of the houses within the communinity. Saying goodbye to the med students we worked with for the past three days, we were able to head back to the Homestay for a quick Indomart trip! To end the day, the mentors surprised us with a indoor futbol match. Congrats to the black team that ended up winning the whole turnoment! Thanks for waiting for the update!

XOXO,

Isa

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

Salamat pagi!

Today we had quite the adventurous day. We began bright and early and headed towards the rushing rapids in northern Bali. We were dvided into groups of three or four and begun our 15km (2 hour) exhilirating rafting ride down the river. As we descended the rushing water, we were amazed by the tall cliffs and waterfalls that surrounded us. We stopped at a beautiful waterfall half way through that gave us a chance to catch our breaths! After we finished, we climbed what felt like a 1000000000000000000 stairs to the buffet-style restauraunt above. We also had the chance to download the pictures taken during the rafting that reminded us of how “adrenaline inducing” the adventure truly was (yikes). Anywho, we later had a delicious dinner down the road from our homestay in Ubud and spent a lovely evening there.

Love, peace and chow,

monique and teagan

P.S. Richie quote of the day: “When you go rafting, you go boom boom!”

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Om Swastyastu,

Today we welcomed the third week with another fun filled day! The day had a later start allowing for some much needed rest after these early mornings these last few weeks. We kicked off our day with a bus ride to Kopernick, a lab directed at tackling social and environmental issues and ensuring change occurs. Afterwards, we had some time at the home-stay to work on the workstation activities we are creating and presenting to the elementary school students later in the week. The next part of the day was quiet the spiritual experience, as we visited a healer. The lucky bunch of students that were chosen to have a personal reading will truly have a story to tell once they return. Unfortunately, I and Betzabe were not part of the select few so please (directed at our families) do not ask as it is a touchy topic. Fortunately though, we were lightened up by the fire dance filled with lots of intriguing visuals as well as impressive vocals. We returned home and headed to bed after this long day.

Peace out,
Betty Boo and Kayla Poo

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Selmat malam!

Today was day 16 of this impactful and inspirational trip. We jumped into the bus at 9 am to start our 4 hour drive to Permuteran. On our long travel day we took a much needed break at the most “instagramable” temple in Bali. We sprung out of the bus and explored the beautiful attractions Ulun Danu Beratan temple had to offer. Such as, the floating temple, koi fish water fountain, and my favorite the DURIAN ice cream (smelliest fruit). Let me give you a tip DONT EAT THE DURIAN ICE CREAM.

After our break at the temple we continued on our journey to Pemuteran. We arrived at the Sudi guest house soon after and we scurried to the beach for sunset. To conclude our day we watched the gorgeous sunset, while we jumped into the huge waves in the warm ocean.

Tomorrow we start our service, teaching local kids about taking care of themself with nutrition, hygiene, and exercise. Cant wait to tell you all about it tomorrow.

Xoxo,

Izzy Triandafilou

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Om Swastyastu!

For day 17 we started our first full day in Permuteran with an NGO visit. We learned all about coral at Biorock; we learned about coral structures, coral bleaching, and coral restoration projects. We unfortunately couldn’t snorkel due to weather conditions but we got to see a turtle hatchery instead. There were so many baby turtles! We then had some beach and volleyball time. The volleyball players got 51 consecutive hits while the beach kids got pushed around in the waves. We then headed back to the homestay for burritos and rest time. After some rest and preparation we were headed off to the school. Many of us were nervous, but it turned out great. Everyone had a lot of fun teaching and playing with the kids. We ended the teaching with a dance party before separating into debriefing groups where some kids came to greet us. They took our hands and put them to their heads in “salim” as a strong sign on respect that was unexpected even by the mentors. We had some time to put things down before heading to a resort for pool time and snacks. We had a relaxing walk on the beach while the sunset followed us back to the homestay for dinner. Bali is super fun but we can’t wait to go home to our families!

Miss you,
Maddy and Sumiko

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Om Swastyastu!

For day 18, our last day in Pemutran, we started off with our last day of service teaching local elementary childern the importence of hygiene, excerise, and nurtion. We then went back to homebase to chill untill our fun-filled day of being at the beach, which included beach volleyball, body surfering, getting spa massages,and chilling by the pool. After our day of relaxing, we ate dinner and headed to a moonlit temple ceremony. This included praying with offerings, which was very heart-warming being able to enage in the Balinese culture. As we come to our last days for our GLA Bali trip, we hope to cherish these memories we made along our journey! See you next week!!!

– from Nina and Eshika

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 21 & 22

Om swastiastu!

Our last two day of the program pas by so quick. We traveled back from Permutetan to our main homebase in Ubud. We stopped on the way for a waterfall visit to stretch our legs and then we went for a delicious lunch.

Before dinner we had a leadership activity that helped to set the goals of how to be the change back at home. After dinner we went for a surprise activity, the leaders didn’t tell us where we were going and it was KARAOKE. We had great time at our little private singing party.

The next day we woke up early to then go on the bus and travel to Padma beach for our surfing class. The rest of the day was for shopping, packing and final activities as a whole group. The appreciation circle made everyone feel great!

The next morning some of the first students left for the airport early in the morning so we said our first goodbyes and then a large group took off.

This 21 days adventure ended and we hope you will remember this experience forever!