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 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 23

สวัสดี ทุกคน (hello everyone!)

Welcome to our first update from Thailand! We’re delighted to share that all 19 students have safely arrived in Bangkok, eager to begin their adventure.

We were greeted with an amazing Thai lunch and dinner from our kind local staff members. Some students played games while most rested and settled down in homebase.

Over the next three weeks, students will rotate through various hospital departments, learning from skilled Thai doctors and nurses. Beyond the hospitals, we’ll immerse ourselves in the vibrant culture of Thailand. From exploring temples to wandering through colorful street markets, students will savor delicious Thai cuisine and discover unique local crafts.

Throughout the program, we’ll keep you updated with regular blog posts from our Student Leaders of the Day, sharing their adventures and insights.

Enjoy your summer knowing your children are in great hands, growing and exploring in the beautiful land of Thailand.

ขอบคุณค่ะ/ครับ (Thank you!)

Alexa, Clara, Gwang, Care, Meen, and Thongtong

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24

สวัสดี ทุกคน (hello everyone!)

Greetings from day 1 of our Thailand health internship program!

We started our morning off with breakfast at the hotel and went to the intercontinental hotel for orientation led by Todd, our local program coordinator and Alexa, our international director. We discussed the hospital rotation schedule for the program, created questions to ask physicians for the shadowing visits, and tried traditional Thai snacks! Our favorite were the coconut rolls!

In the afternoon, we had a delicious 3 course lunch at the hotel, went on a city tour to see the where we took the BTS (Bangkok Transit System) to see the victory monument and got Thai iced tea at a local market. We returned to the hotel and completed our swim test.

We finished the night off with a yummy Thai dinner at homebase and nominated our first leaders of the day, Amelia and Vitoria (woohoo!) who will also write the blog tomorrow (stay tuned!)

We are excited for our first shadowing day at Thammasat University Hospital.

เจอกันพรุ่งนี้(See you tomorrow)
GLA Staff: Alexa, Clara

Local Thai Staff: Gwang, Care, Meen, & Thongtong

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25

Hey Family and Friends it’s Amelia and Vitoria!

We woke up around 6:30am and had breakfast and left around 7:15am to get to the hospital before our 9 am morning shift. We were split into 5 groups at the Thammasat Hospital consisting of orthopedics, OB/GYN, anatomy, pharmacy, and opthamology. Each shift was 2 hours long before we came together as a group for lunch.

We practiced our Thai and thanked our doctors after each session.

After Lunch, we switched shadowing groups for the afternoon rotation. During OB/GYN we were able to watch a natural live birth, scrub into Cesarian-sections, and listen during appointments with pregnant women. During Anatomy, we had a hands-on anatomy lesson where we were able to see a human cadaver to explore the organs of a human body— some of us held a human brain, lungs, and intestine! During Orthopedics, we were able to listen in on doctor appointments and learn about various orthopedic conditions. During Ophthalmology, we were able to see different eye health checking devices and learn about the common issues found specifically in Thailand. In Pharmacy we were able to play games to figure out what was wrong with a prescription and a pharmacist gave us a presentation. These were all amazing, hands on, and an educational experience.

After we came back to Home Base to eat dinner and had amazing Pad Thai. After dinner, we participated in our second GLA internship curriculum activity. We assessed our strengths in order to have a conversation about who we are characterized as in a team setting and also as a leader. We explored what advantages we have with our strengths to become a more successful leader and team member. We love it here and Bangkok is so beautiful. The staff is amazing and the locals are so kind.

Love,

Vitoria and Amelia

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

Hey Family and Friends it’s Breylen and Ella!

Today we woke up to fried rice and coffee which gave us energy to visit Thamastat University Hospital. At the hospital the doctors kindly gave us a tour and a look into patient care at Thamastat and what it is like to be in its various fields.

Some of our favorite stations from today were learning in the anatomy department and the OB/GYN department. In the anatomy department we were given the opportunity to view a human cadaver, skeleton, and brain. The doctors allowed us to hold the different organs and pieces giving us a once in a lifetime experience. We found it fascinating how the different organs work together. In the OB/GYN department we were given the chance to witness a childbirth and a C – Section giving us helpful insight into the day in the life of an Obstetrician- we also got to see a molar pregnancy!

In the middle of the day we took a break for lunch giving us the perfect opportunity to taste traditional Thai cuisine at the hospital food court. We had basil pork and mushroom bun with milk tea which were yummy! Our internship curriculum today really helped us better understand cultural humility and the overlaps between the Thai and US healthcare systems and how complex they can be.

Goodbye! See you tomorrow!

-Breylen and Ella

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

Hey family and friends it’s Annabelle and Brynn!

Today we woke up and enjoyed a nice big breakfast at the hotel before we headed to a new hospital, Kasemrad Prachachuen Hospital. They welcomed us with a speech from the hospital director and we all took group photos with the workers and staff. Two groups split up and each group got to explore Chinese medicine, the emergency room, pediatrics, and out patient treatments. We got to see and experience what it was like to work in these different fields – the groups even got to ride in the ambulance!

Then, Sola, a medical student currently studying in the UK came to give a presentation called “Journey to Medicine: Advice and Tips.” We learned about life as a med student and advice on applying to universities. Chicken and rice was then delivered to the hospital which everyone devoured. The rest of the afternoon in Kasemrad was then spent learning about CPR and First Aid by the paramedics – by the end everyone got a certificate!

We thanked the director and staff for their hospitality and drove in the vans to Terminal 21 – a six story mall so we could all do a bit of shopping. Everyone thought the mall was very fun and interesting because each level has themes of different countries and jewelry, clothes, food, shoes, and vendors selling local artisan gifts. We spent money on dinner at the numerous restaurants and market vendors and concluded our busy day by returning to the hotel. Everyone enjoyed a nice chow circle on the rooftop with a nice view and have now headed off to bed.

Goodbye! See you tomorrow.

Love, Brynn and Annabelle

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Hi family and friends it’s Oona and Eva!

We started off with breakfast at the hotel, and at 7:30 we left for Ekachai hospital, a private for profit hospital in Bangkok.

When we arrived we were greeted with a presentation describing the children’s and adults hospital. We then split into two groups. Each group toured ENT,Dental, ER, Chinese medicine, IPD. Students were shown diagrams and demonstrations of different procedures in each specialty and some even got to test their eyesight in ophthalmology.

Then we had lunch provided by the hospital. Before moving on, we took a quick trip to 7/11 where we tried our favorite junk food in traditional Thai flavors.

After lunch, we toured the pediatrics unit seeing examples of rooms and a slide that we got to go on and a pool that children are able to participate in. We also saw hemodialysis patients, and learned about the cardiovascular system.

Then we headed back to the conference room at the hospital and had a presentation from the director of the hospital, Dr. Ambaj where we learned about his experience through medical school and his experience in the field.

Then we had a long trip home because of traffic. Once we got there we had a pizza party and a presentation from the International leader, Alexa.

We are excited about our Bangkok city tour tomorrow!
Oona & Eva

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Hey family and friends it’s Clara and Delaney!

Today we were able to sleep in a little bit before enjoying a hearty breakfast and then heading to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha followed by Wat Phra Kaew and Grand Palace. Our tour guide, Nicki, kindly showed us around and inside the beautiful temple where everyone was able to take many pictures!

We then headed to Savoey Restaurant for lunch where everyone indulged in various different meals and cooled off with refreshing drinks.

After lunch, we toured the incredible Wat Pho temple which housed many Buddhas, most notably the enormous reclining Buddha! Following Wat Pho, we walked around the general area visiting many different shops picking up things like food, drinks, clothes, and several souvenirs.

For dinner, we headed to Chinatown where everyone was able to walk around the local mall for a little before embarking out on to the streets of Chinatown. We all grabbed dinner and some other snacks to bring back to the hotel. We ended our exciting day with a fun game on the rooftop before heading to bed!

Thanks for reading and see you tomorrow! 🙂

Clara & Delaney

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Hello friends and family, it’s Parker and Lilia!

Today, we got to experience life as a Bangkok local. We started off our morning with a breakfast of champions. We then made our way to Sathon Pier to feed fish while we waited for our boat taxi. We boarded the taxi, which brought us through the beautiful city of Bangkok. After a 10 minute walk, we found ourselves at Baan Som Tum (a Michelin rated restaurant). We feasted on a family-style lunch of papaya salad, mushroom soup, assortments of chicken, and sticky rice.

Afterwards, we washed it down with thai tea and lemon iced tea at a local shop. We then took the BTS (Bangkok Train System) to The Jim Thompson House museum. We learned about the life of Jim Thompson through a tour guide-led experience through his personal house. We learned so much about him just through his architectural preferences. The group later took a short walk to Central World Mall and had some free time to shop. We arrived back at the hotel to freshly washed laundry and newly made beds.

We are so excited for our next adventure tomorrow!

Parker and Lilia

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Hey friends and family it’s Joseph and Heather!

We started off with breakfast at the hotel. Croissant and juicy orange juice this morning refreshed us to start the day. Today we went to the disabled boy’s home where played fun games. Then, we danced with the children at the center, and everyone was enjoying the moment. We felt unified and realized that everyone could be friends and have fun regardless of their age, race, and or physical condition. Then it was time to say goodbye and we ate a spicy lunch. After lunch, we walked a bit to the garden to help harvest for the home where we had a little competition to see which group could gather the most healthy plant. We felt so happy that we could contribute to the community. When we had done service, it was already time to go to hotel to have a nice chicken and rice dinner. Local Thai staff even surprised us with mango sticky rice to celebrate our last day in Bangkok! After dinner we rested a bit before heading up to the roof for chow circle to end the day in peace.

Thank you🙏

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

It’s Agastya & Meenu!

Today we were very pumped up for the trip to the beach We started the trip with a very long bus ride(almost 3 hours). Luckily we had a very fun stop at a large rest stop with Burger King!! Yes Burger King. After that we had another 15 minute ferry ride to koh samet beach where we got our rooms in the resort. After a shot rest/unpacking time we finally got to the pool and then to the beach and had lots of fun swimming. After a great dinner some of us went to a local mini mart and got some snacks and ice cream ending the day on a great note. After that we had a mentor group, where we got to know each other and it was pretty cool!

We are excited for snorkeling tomorrow!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Hi, it’s Grace and Campbell!

Some of us got up bright and early to see the sunrise on the beach! We then met up as a group to go on a boat to go snorkeling! We saw really cool fish, sea urchins, and Nemo! We went to two snorkeling spots. From noon to 1:00, students ate lunch, but many decided to go swimming after.

We returned to the hotel and rested before dinner. At 6:00, we ate dinner and watched a really cool fire performance!

We cannot wait for our day at the local hospital on the island!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Hey everyone!

It’s Lilia and Michelle!

Today we got to sleep in and relax by the beach until around 9:30! We then took a songthaew (truck taxi) to a local medical center – where they gave us a presentation. It was so interesting to learn how a small medical group can care for a whole island. After our visit, we walked to lunch, where we ate thai food by the beach. Afterwards, we returned back to the hotel for a beach/pool swim. The staff graciously surprised us with a movie night, featuring the Sandlot, and an all-American barbecue dinner. We then ended the night smores overlooking the beach. It was so fun celebrating the Fourth of July in Thailand!

We are excited to go to Chiang Mai tomorrow!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Hey family and friends, this is Annabelle and Oona!

Today was our last day at Koh Samet and on the beach. We started our morning off with a breakfast buffet and then headed towards the dock where we boarded our ferry to the mainland.

Immediately after arrival, we hopped onto our new form of transportation: a 2.5 hour bus ride to the Bangkok International Airport! We grabbed a quick lunch including some of our favorite American classics (McDonald’s, Subway, Burger King) and then boarded our plane to Chiang Mai.

At our arrival, we were greeted by our new Chiang Mai staff and beautiful jasmine leis. We took a quick stop at our new hotel and made offerings to the land spirits of the resort through the form of lighting incense sticks and laying flowers on the spirit house. We said goodbye to some of our beloved Bangkok staff and welcomed the new Chiang Mai staff into our GLA family.

Finally, we headed to Duke’s Diner where we had a delicious American-style dinner comprised on mac-n-cheese, roasted potatoes, tater-tots, caesar salad, ribs, and variety of scrumptious pizzas. After being stuffed to the brim, we headed back to our hotel where we relaxed and had a night swim.

We are looking forward to our future adventures in Chiang Mai!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Hi family and friends! It’s us – Brynn and Parker!

Today was a very packed and exciting day. We started off the day at our new resort in Chang Mai with a big healthy breakfast (all vegan)! We all met with Todd to talk about our new hospital rotations and learn more about the healthcare system differences between Thailand and the West. We then went into groups to make up our own world that defines our definition of “perfect healthcare.” We presented to everyone where “Radland” was the most desired world.

All of the students headed to a delicious lunch of pastas and burgers. We then went to see some new temples – Chiangmun and Wat Jaydeeluang— which were gorgeous! Wat, our local staff member taught us about the history of the first temple in Chiang Mai!

We finished the end of the day by going to a local market tour to learn about different spices, vegetables. We then took our knowledge to the kitchen where we were taught by wonderful local chefs in a cooking class. One group listened to Disney songs while cooking. The other group had a competition to see who was the best chef. We learned how to make Thai curries, pad Thai, pad see ew, soups, and spring rolls. Everyone’s stomach was full when they returned back to the hotel and now everyone is chilling by the pool or going to bed.

Goodnight!

Leaders of the day,
Parker and Brynn

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Hi guys it’s Amelia and Breylen!

Today we had a super fun day exploring more of Chiang Mai! We visited Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, one of thailands most famous Buddhist temples. At the temple we experienced Buddhist culture and witnessed its incredible view. After, we traveled to a Hmong mountain village where we bought souvenirs, sweet treats, and enjoyed a traditional northern Thai curry for lunch. Later we met a Thai Buddhist who taught us the basics of Buddhism, achieving happiness and balance within one’s self. Finally we ended our day at Chiang Mai’s Sunday night market where we tasted delicious Thai street food for dinner and bought Thai trinkets.

Thanks!

Amelia and Breylen

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Heyyy it’s Clara and Heather!

Today we had an early wake up call and enjoyed a breakfast of an orange muffin, watermelon, jam on toast and more! Afterwards we drove up to Lamphun hospital and began on our very interesting rotations. One group visited the pediatric unit where they had the privilege of seeing children of all ages receiving proper care from the doctors. Whereas another group watched a natural birth of a healthy baby girl in OB/GYN. Once we had finished our morning rotation, we had lunch at the Terracotta Garden in Lamphun City.

Following our delicious lunch that consisted of pad thai and various different drinks, we headed back to the hospital to complete our second rotation. We split into different departments such as OB/GYN, or surgery, where students watched a live colonoscopy and then a biopsy by an endoscopy. After leaving the hospital we headed over to a 3D museum called Art in Paradise. We all took many pictures posing next to the different illusions painted on and around the walls and then headed to the cafe to grab a bite and some drinks. Following the museum, we all headed over to a restaurant called Its Good Kitchen where we indulged in a variety of Northern Thai food. After dinner, we finished off the day by walking to grab some ice cream and picked up a few snacks from 711.

Thanks for reading and see you tomorrow!!!

– Clara and Heather

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Hello friends and families!! It’s your leaders of the day, Grace & Delaney!

Today we woke up pumped for our third day shadowing at the hospital. We stared our morning off with a vegan buffet breakfast and heading off to a new hospital, Rahavej Hospital (all before 9 a.m). We split into our assigned groups and explored different departments such as the ER, the lab, physical therapy, etc. At 11, we all regrouped and headed to Arubtara Hotel for some authentic thai food (and some onion rings) and enjoyed our 2 hour rest before our short drive back to the hospital for our afternoon session. At 3:30, we had the chance to get to explore another Thai medical center, Baan Nong Noi health center. Here, we learned about the dengue fever and more about the daily life working here in Thailand. After our rewarding dinner at Boon Rod restaurant, we came back to our hotel to listen to a presentation by Angie Pakanan who works for Family Medicine here in Chiang Mai. We ended our night with chow circle and free time!

เจอกันพรุ่งนี้ (See you tomorrow!)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by Kasia & the Thailand Team

Dear Ana, Elijah, Evy, Priya, Gaia, Neve, Felicia, Leo, Royce, Eddie, Lauren and Milly,

We hope this letter finds you in good spirits. As we sit down to write to you, it’s hard to believe that our incredible 14-day journey together in Thailand 🇹🇭 has come to an end. It feels like just yesterday we were embarking on this adventure, and now we find ourselves reflecting on the wonderful experiences and cherished memories we created together. ✨🌈❤️

From the moment you arrived, it was clear that we had a special group of individuals. Our Sunday market excursion was a fantastic start, immersing us in the local culture and setting the tone for the rest of our time together. The 3-hour cooking class was a highlight, where we not only learned to cook delicious Thai dishes but also bonded over our shared culinary creations.

The time spent at the elephant 🐘 camp was nothing short of magical. Whether we were learning about these majestic creatures or sliding down the waterfall together, each experience brought us closer and added a new layer to our adventure. The unique activity of ripping through elephant poop was both challenging and humorous, reminding us of the importance of embracing every aspect of our journey with an open heart and a sense of humor.

We will always remember the excitement of seeing Ricky’s playful antics (who indeed was very naughty), your evenings spent watching “Love Island” or playing intense uno games, and the engaging debate and leadership activities that sparked insightful conversations among us. The 36 questions exercise was particularly meaningful, fostering deeper connections and understanding among us all.🥰

Teaching in schools and preparing lessons allowed us to make a tangible impact on the local community, and it was incredibly rewarding to see the students’ enthusiasm and growth. The fruit party was a delightful celebration of our shared experiences, and the Muay Thai 🥊 session provided both a physical challenge and a chance to appreciate Thai culture in a new way. Also, remember your Dara Academy buddies, chairball competition and our cultural exchange dance were unforgettable: WAVIN’ FLAG! 🇹🇭 🇺🇸 🇨🇦

Our visit to Doi Pui and Doi Suthep offered breathtaking views and a deeper connection to the rich history and spirituality of Thailand. Chatting with a monk was a highlight, providing us with wisdom and perspective that we will carry with us long after this trip.🧘🏽‍♂️

As we look back on our final moments together, the last river cruise stands out as a perfect conclusion to our journey. It was a peaceful and reflective experience, allowing us to savor the culmination of our time together and the many memories we had created.💖

One of the most memorable aspects of our time together was hearing your “I fear” statements. They were both funny and thought-provoking, and we even found ourselves using them in our own conversations. We hope that through this experience, you’ve faced those fears and emerged stronger, ready to take on the world with confidence and authenticity.

You are each incredibly special and valuable, and the impact you made during our time together is something we will always cherish. As you return to school and continue your education, remember the lessons you’ve learned and the memories we’ve shared. You have the power to make a difference and to be true to yourself in all that you do!

Remember our ONE MEANINGFUL GOAL that we established as a group on Friday, August 2 at 7:19 pm: Keep in touch with everyone for the next 12 months (at least). In order to achieve this goal you said that you will stop letting yourself be distracted by other things in life. You will continue texting in the group chat and putting in the effort to call/ catch up with each other. Update each other on important things in your life. We hope you are staying true to your goal!

Keep being the remarkable individuals that you are. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors and look forward to hearing about the great things you’ll achieve.🫶

With heartfelt appreciation and warm regards,
Kasia – International Director
Zak – Mentor

P.S. We remember your most frequently used emojis from Day 1: Priya 😍, Evy 🤨, Milly 😛, Eddie 😭, Elijah ☺️, Leora 😍, Felicia 😭, Gaia 😭, Royce 💀, Lauren 🤗, Ana 🙄 and Neve 🥰.

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 22

สวัสดี! ยินดีต้อนรับสู่เชียงใหม่! (Hello! Welcome to Chiang Mai!) 🇹🇭

Our arrival in Chiang Mai was filled with excitement and warmth. The staff (Kasia, Zak, Fai, Keds and Meen) greeted and welcomed the students at the airport with traditional flower necklaces called phuang malai kala kala. We then traveled to our beautiful hotel, which was adorned with golden elephant statues. After settling in, we enjoyed a delicious lunch featuring green curry, stir-fried mixed veggies, spring rolls, rice, and dragon fruit. It was our first taste of Thai food, and most people enjoyed it!

In the afternoon, we visited the Firefly Factory Cafe, a fun coffee shop with immersive digital art displays. The colorful and interactive artwork added a unique touch to our coffee/tea break, where we enjoyed coffee/tea and slices of cake. The cafe was a great place to relax and chat before heading back to the hotel for a rest. Dinner that evening was another tasty Thai meal, and we were excited to pick up our last student from the airport, completing our group.❤️

We ended the day with a group picture and a name game to start learning each other’s names. The excitement for the upcoming adventures was clear, and we were happy to have everyone together. Tomorrow, we’ll kick off with our orientation, and from then on, the students will be sharing their experiences through this blog. Stay tuned for more from our trip in Chiang Mai!

With love🥰,
Kasia & Zak

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

วันผจญภัยครั้งแรกของเรา! (Our first adventure day!)

During the morning, we had a rich breakfast with many different options. Some students slept in but eventually everyone got to enjoy the selection of high quality rice, watermelon, freshly baked bread, the famous Pad Thai, sausage and a delectable soup.

We had orientation to go over the program and get to know each other better. We learned some Thai in order to help converse with the locals and the yes’s and no’s for cultural etiquette.

After orientation we visited an award winning restaurant with the best food imaginable, with unique drinks and mouth-watering food. After eating, we took pictures and then left to visit the famous ancient temples that even the royals use. We prayed to Buddha, took photos, learned about the religion, admired the scenery, and visited three different temples.

Later, we had a rest at a café where we socialized and enjoyed refreshing drinks. Then, we proceeded to our cooking class. First, we visited the markets to choose the herbs and ingredients, and then individually cooked our delicious meals. We each had our own options to choose from for three different courses and were guided step by step through the recipe by Sue, an excellent chef. Some people touched their face with chili on their hands and faced the dire consequences of pain and sorrow while they desperately and dramatically experienced a burning misery (this is an extreme exaggeration, everyone is ok.) 😛

Finally, we drove back to home base and got some rest. Tomorrow we will see elephants for the first time! Good night! ราตรีสวัสดิ์

Sincerely,

Milly😛 & Elijah☺️

BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

บทนำเกี่ยวกับช้าง (Intro to elephants)

Sawadeeka!

We started off the morning with an amazing breakfast consisting of eggs, sausage, ham, fried noodles, stir fried chicken with roasted chili paste, rice, and an assortment of fruit. We then drove around an hour to the world’s first ever elephant hospital where we learned about their mission, treatments, and facts such as they have treated over 6,000 cases both impatiens and outpatient!

Next we headed over to the elephant conservation center where we had the amazing opportunity to feed some of the elephants (corn, grass bundles, sugar cane, bananas).

For lunch, we went to a restaurant right inside the conservation center. The food consisted of an assortment of Thai noodles.

Shortly after, we headed over to an organization called “elephant parade” whose mission is to create more funding for the asian elephants in need specifically around Thailand. They way they do this is by hand painting and selling elephant ceramic pieces and putting displays around Thailand of their most special pieces to raise awareness. We were able to paint our own elephants and all of the kids are excited to show you guys their own versions!

We ended the day with going to the store, eating dinner at the hotel, a fun icebreaker, and two activities (“Live your values” and “social sync leadership activity”).

We are so excited to head over to the elephant sanctuary/camp tomorrow to start our service!

Farewell from Thailand,

Priya and Ana

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

สวัสดีช้าง (sawadee chang)- Hello Elephants! 🐘

Hello from the elephant camp,

To start our journey, we woke up for a delicious but early breakfast before hopping on the bus to Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. On the bus we enjoyed karaoke, games, and long naps as we drove through the mountains.

Arriving at camp, we settled in to our non air conditioned rooms and played some ice breakers like detective and poison dart frog. Then we hopped back on the busses for a short drive to Elephant Camp 1, where we would enjoy lunch.

After lunch, we learned the differences between Asian and African elephants such as their ear sizes and amount of toes. Next we enjoyed feeding the elephants watermelon and accompanied them to take their baths.

Soon after, we got into groups and collected information on the elephants names, typical food, and body measurements. Then we created posters to share this information with the other groups.

Thankfully, after leaving the camp, we stopped at a coffee shop where we got delicious drinks to recover from our day. After reenergizing, we headed back to our accommodations for dinner and a fun activity where we learned more about each other.

Overall we had a great day and are so excited to be at the elephant camp and for our work tomorrow.

Sincerely,
Evy and Royce

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 26

ทำงานหนัก! (Working hard!)

Sawadee-ka!

This morning we slept in and we ate eggs with tomatoes and onions, toast with jelly and sausage for breakfast. After breakfast we took a ride to the grass planting fields in the bed of a truck. At the fields we got into groups of 3 and plowed, planted and covered Napier grass for the elephants. It was raining and there were thousands of dragonflies, no one could tell the rain from their sweat. We spent two hours planting the grass with the help of the local staff who were super cheerful and made the time fly by.

We then came back to the home base for lunch where we ate Pad Thai, watermelon and fried chicken pockets. After lunch we drove up to the base of a waterfall where we had a steep uphill walk, played music and had fun. At the waterfall, we took a swim test to make sure we all could swim and then we swam around and went down a rock slide. There were also elephants bathing in the lower part of the river and the caretakers were throwing the poop down the river. We spent a few hours there splashing around and sunbathing on a rock before coming back to home base.

We had an hour to rest and then we played blind karaoke where we tested our musical knowledge and then did an activity called 36 questions to get to know each other better. At dinner we had chicken, curry, and tempura vegetables and talked. After dinner we played an identity game and took the night to rest for the next day!

Tomorrow we will be working with elephants! Stay tuned!

Love,
Leo and Lauren

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 27

เดิน ให้อาหาร และอาบน้ำช้าง! (Walking, feeding and bathing elephants!)

Today was filled with elephants, laughs, and lots of mud. We started it off with a lovely breakfast at 8 am. This consisted of bread, boiled rice, boiled egg, and fruit. Afterwards , we went up to our rooms to get ready for elephant camp.

At 9am we departed to go see the elephants. When we arrived at the camp we met and fed six elephants ( boon-ca, nun-jing, Mae boon Sri, Boon-si, Si-Cau, and cam pon) bananas and watermelon. the elephants loved their deserts and warmed up to us quickly, which helped when we went to hang out with them after.

Then, at 11 am, we took the elephants for a walk and made nutrient balls for them on the trail. These balls consisted of banana, salt, Napier grass, tamarin, rice, and probiotics. We mushed all these ingredients together in a wooden bowel and rolled it up into balls to give to the elephants.

Following the nutrient balls, we returned back to the camp for lunch at 12. This lunch consisted of garlic rice, chicken, cucumbers, and fruit. The chicken and rice were absolutely delicious after the tiring work we did that morning.

After lunch, we took the elephants to a watering hole, where we bathed them using buckets. We splashed around and had fun in the water, soaking both the elephants and ourselves. Then, we walked back to camp where we gave the elephants a mud bath, covering their backs to protect them from the sun and other things.

After the mud bath we washed off as a group in outdoor showers and departed the camp, returning to our home base. At the base we were able to rest for about 3 hours before meeting our staff, Kasia and Zak for an elephant debate. During this debate, we were broken up into pairs and each one was fighting for a certain organization or group. We debated how elephants should be treated and what the regulations surrounding elephants should be.

After the heated and passionate debate, we sat for a dinner (6pm) of spaghetti, spring rolls, and fruit. After dinner we all met up again for a mentor group at 6:45. In the mentor group we discussed our rose, thorn, and buds of this trip. We were also given our roommate assignments for when we return to the first home base tomorrow.

We were then left to have our own free time until lights out at 10pm. Some people played cards for this time, while others sat down to bond over a man episode of love island. 🏝️

This was an amazing day!

Love,

Gaia and Neve

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 28

บอกลาช้างและชอปปิ้งที่ตลาดกลางคืน! (Saying bye to the elephants and shopping at the night market!)

Today we woke up at elephant camp and ate a great breakfast. We collected our packed bags into the baggage vehicles and boarded the trucks. We stopped at Elephant Camp 6 and Ab gave us the rundown for our last partial day with the elephants. He explained how thankful he was and how unique our experience was.

After this, we got to pet, feed and take pictures with the elephants. We got to meet the special elephant, Ricky. Ricky is the youngest elephant (only 8 months old!) in the camp, and he’s known to be very naughty. He got under the wood structure holding the elephants and ran to the bucket filled with watermelon. Everyone gathered around him to take pictures. We could only pet him for one to two seconds to make sure he doesn’t get violent or try to play with us.

Next, we got to walk around while the elephants fed on grass. Ricky was running around whenever he didn’t get food and he was definitely the main attraction of the day :p. When we came back from petting the elephants, we sat down at the tables. Then the staff came in happily singing the birthday song for Ana. (PS HAPPY BDAY ANA ✨ HAPPY EIGHTEENTH- ¡Feliz cumpleaños a ti linda!🥳🎂🎈🎉)

Next, we sadly had to say goodbye to the local staff and drive off with the trucks. We stopped at a café and got drinks. Once we all got our drinks, we hopped into our trucks and drove to the hotel. We got in our new rooms with new roommates (for the girls) and unpacked. Once we walked downstairs, we got to draw and design our room number papers with our names, and some groups added stars, flowers and even elephants on their signs. Once everyone came down, everyone completed the pulse check #2. After we all filled out our pulse checks, we started our activity, which was speed dating. We each got 1 minute to talk to the person who sat in front of you and switched to a new person after the minute was up.

After this activity was done, we all gathered in the front of the hotel and got ready to go to our favourite nearby store, 7/11. Once we got there, we bought snacks, makeup, utilities and even toys. Once we were done purchasing tons and tons of stuff (over exaggerated, don’t worry parents, your children are responsible with their money ✨), we walked back and got 2-ish hours in our rooms to unpack, relax and get ready for the upcoming night market trip.

After we were done with this, we gathered downstairs, everyone was ready and dressed up for the night market. Kasia set some ground rules for the night market, and we used the trucks to drive to the bustling Chiang Mai Walking Street. There were posts and stands set on both sides of the streets and street performers around. The food market was filled with people, and the food varied from Pad Thai to chicken feet to lychee shakes :).

Everyone went on shopping sprees and got hauls of clothing, trinkets, gifts and so much more. We all gathered at 8:00 in the meeting spot and waited for the vans to pick us up. We had an embarrassing moment where we waved to the wrong van overexcitedly but we don’t talk about that….once we got in our vans, we drove back to the hotel. Tomorrow is our first day to learn about education, and we are all excited to see what the day has in stock for us! 😀

Love,

Felicia and Eddie

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 29

ปฐมนิเทศและการเตรียมตัวสอน (Teaching orientation and preparation)

Sawadee ka!

Today was an amazing day filled with some laid back activities before we begin teaching tomorrow!

We started the day with breakfast and teaching orientation with Todd! Throughout the orientation, Todd introduced us to new Thai snacks while also giving us a whole rundown on what teaching will be like and how we should prepare.

Shortly after, we left for a buffet lunch at the Grand View Hotel that had countless options to choose from! Everyone liked the vanilla ice cream. 🍨

We then headed to a nearby swimming pool where we spent time swimming and laying back for some down time. The swimming pool was located on a rooftop of one of the oldest hotels in Chiang Mai!

After the swimming pool we headed back to home base to change and hangout before we spent an hour in our groups getting our lesson plans ready for the students tomorrow!

We finished off the day with dinner, a fun icebreaker, and 36 questions to get to know each other better! We are so excited to start teaching tomorrow and can’t wait to share with you all of our memories!

Farewell from Thailand! 🇹🇭

Priya and Milly

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 30

วันแรกของการสอน (first day of teaching)

Sawadee ka!! Today marked our first day of teaching. We started our day off bright and early for breakfast at 6. We were all jittery with nerves but also very excited to meet the cute kids. We finalized our lesson plans and around 7 we hopped on the bus and headed to Wa Maeng school.

When we reached the school, we were greeted with lots of waves and stares from all the kids as they did their morning routine. The kids recited words, sang, and raised flags all while sneaking glances at us watching in the corner. Then the principal gave us a small tour of some of the classes and left us to set up in our first class.

We taught the 4th, 5th, and 6th graders about jobs, animals, and food which ended up being very difficult due to the fact that the kids know very little English. To solve the language barrier, we made sure to use extravagant hand signs and speak extremely slow. In the end, we each felt at least partially confident in their learning.

Before heading back to the hotel, we had a delicious lunch of pad thai in the school. At the hotel we rested and showered for about 3 hours and then met downstairs for a 7/11 run. After refilling on snacks and drinks, we planned our next lesson for the day and headed to the busses again to go to dinner. Our leaders surprised us with a delicious pizza dinner. Italian food was very refreshing after eating thai food every day for every meal 🙂

After dinner, we played an ice breaker, had our mentor group, talked about our dance for the cultural festival exchange, and chilled before heading to bed to get a good nights sleep before our second day of teaching tomorrow.

With love,

Evy and Elijah

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 31

วันสุดท้ายของเดือนกรกฎาคม และวันที่สองของการสอน! ( Last day of July and second day of teaching!)

Hello from Thailand! We started off the morning with breakfast that was prepared by the local hotel staff, which contained protein, vegetables, and some local fruit. It had everything that our bodies needed to have a healthy start to our morning. Then, our mentors gave a couple of minutes to let us prepare everything that we would need for the market and teaching.

After gathering the supplies, we began the bus ride to one of Chiang Mai’s local schools. This was our second day of teaching English to the local students, so the majority of our lessons consisted of reviewing our previous lesson and adding more content to the lesson. After a couple of hours of teaching, we had lunch at the school, which was rice, curry and chicken wings.

After teaching, we began to make the drive to our next activity: the fruit market. The market we went to was one of the biggest markets in Thailand. At the fruit market, we got to taste some of Thailand’s well-known local snacks and got a tour of the market by the local staff. We got some time to experience the market ourselves by exploring the options available of fruits, vegetables, candy, trinkets and even clothing.

We then went to a Thai “Walmart” (Lotus) that is located here in Chiang Mai, Thailand and after visiting it we went back to the hotel. Then we had an hour of rest before our fruit party. The fruit party had many different fruits for us to try some of those being rambutan, mango, pomelo, persimmon, custard apple and an other variety of fruit.

After our fruit party, we had our third pulse check and were give an hour of lesson planning. So everyone could be prepare for tomorrow teaching. Then we had dinner.

Finally to completely our day the we had mentor group which consisted of preparing a dance that we would have to perform at the culture exchange. And in the end we were dismissed to our rooms to rest from our fun filled day here in Thailand. Tomorrow we will be trying Muay Thai right after teaching! 🥊

Good night!

Warm wishes,
Ana and Royce

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 1

การสอนและมวยไทย! (Teaching and Muay Thai!🥊)

Hello!! Today we had an early start at 7:15 AM to eat breakfast and get ready for our last full day of teaching. We arrived at the school and started with our first class of the day and began teaching english to the students. We played games like catch the bacon or slapper to engage the students with the subject they were learning. The language barrier makes it difficult however it makes it even more rewarding.
We taught two more classes and ended with a delicious lunch at the school.

We then left to our Muay Thai class where we learned the different positions and types of punches and kicks. We trained with Muay Thai professionals and had an intense workout.

We then came back to the hotel to rest for an hour. After, we took our last trip to 7/11 to get some snacks and ice cream! When we came back to the hotel, we prepped for our last day of teaching and practicing our dance for the cultural exchange tomorrow.

We finished off with a yummy dinner at the hotel and an activity where we gave each other music recommendations based on each other’s personalities and inside jokes. Today was an amazing day and we are so excited for tomorrow!!!

Love,

Leo and Gaia

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 2

สอนแลกเปลี่ยนวัฒนธรรมวันสุดท้าย! (Last day of teaching and the cultural exchange! )

Today we woke up in our hotel and ate a wonderful breakfast, including longan, noodles, rice and some other fruits and foods. We got in our clothes for school, and packed our clothes for our later dances. We then boarded the vans and drove to the school, where we were warmly welcomed by the students and the principal. We had five minutes until the first class started, so everyone started getting ready and set up the classrooms. Since it was the last day of teaching, we got to hand out candy, erasers and adorable little prizes to the kids, which they enjoyed very much.

After our hour of classes, we walked downstairs to be greeted by grades 1-6, ready for the show. The first performers were from another school, and they presented their Muay-Thai-based dance. We were all star struck at how coordinated and fast they were. The next performance were girls who danced a traditional Thai dance in dresses. We then presented our “Wave Your Flag” dance in front of the children.

After we took pictures with the group, the school presented us with some games, which we participated in. We then got to explore a few stands of hand-made crafts made by students. There were lanterns, bracelets, cup holders, keychains, some made out of wool, some were carved metal. We got to make some of these ourselves and got to buy the pre-made ones. The students were very thankful, and some teachers got gifts from some students for free.

After this, we had some rice, chicken and curry for lunch at the school. We then boarded the vans while waving goodbye to the students. We drove to Dara Academy, a more advanced and bigger school. We were partnered up with a high school student and led to the museum for a tour. We got a tour about the history and the king and queen who founded Dara Academy. We then made some flags that looked like jellyfish🪼. Grandma and Baby Jellyfish for the win 🏆.

Afterwards, we walked to the gym. We got presented with a dance from the dance team of Dara Academy. It was paired with a mashup of multiple English songs and such a good dance just speechless. Then we had to do our “Wave Your Flag” dance again. (W Eddie for his solo ✨)

After this, seven people played Chairball, which is basically basketball but with someone carrying an actual laundry-type basket while standing on a chair and moving the basket around to catch the incoming ball. Priya was the hype of the team bfr 🎉🎉🎉. We won because of Priya’s energy, Royce’s defence, Leo’s catches, Neve and Millie’s commentating, Eddie and Elijah’s passes, Lauren’s shots and the other’s yelling and cheering 📣.

Next, we sadly had to leave, but the students at Dara took so many pictures with all of us and got our contacts. We then boarded the vans and drove to the hotel. We had a few hours to relax when we got there. Then we had a dinner, which was going to be sadly our last dinner at the hotel 🥲. We had fries, fruits, rice, chicken, etc. After dinner, the people who wanted to go to 7/11 went to 7/11 from 6 – 6:30.

At 6:30, everyone met downstairs to do an icebreaker and reflection activity (SMART goals Part 2). Our icebreaker was rock-paper-scissors tournament (Shoutout to Leo for being ultimate rock-paper-scissors champion :D) and then we got to our reflection activity. We reflected on our experience, how much we changed. We got the letters we wrote on the first day of elephant camp (two weeks ago!! :p) and we reflected on that. We also set some personal and group (OMG) goals for the next 12 months. When we were done, it was free time. See you tomorrow, stay positive and party 🎉. Oh and stay tuned for mountains and monks 🤫.

With Love,

Felicia and Neve

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 3

อำลาประเทศไทย! (Farewell! Goodbye Thailand 🇹🇭)

This is our final full day in Chiang Mai! This morning we woke up bright and early and ate rice, chicken, and fruits for breakfast. We then all got into the buses and drove to the royal temple and looked around. After that we had the opportunity to talk to a monk and he taught us about Buddhism and meditation. It was very interesting and we learned so much.

After that we drove up to the mountain and went to another temple where we were blessed by a monk. There was a 5 minute uphill hike to get to the temple. After that we walked down to the bottom and drove to a monk village in the mountains and ate lunch.

After lunch we walked to a coffee shop with a beautiful view of the mountains and small village. On the way down we did some shopping in the local stands.

We then drove back to the hotel and got ready for the final dinner which is a cruise on the river. We all met in the lobby and shared our favorite memory from the trip before getting back on the buses and going to the cruise. We got on the boat and ate French fries, Caesar salad, and fried shrimp.

Soon after we all got drinks and ate dinner. We spent the rest of the boat ride taking pictures and spending time with each other. We then drove back to the hotel and did the GLA tradition of appreciation circle and shared lots of bittersweet tears. Good night for the final time from Chiang Mai, 2024!

By Lauren & Eddie

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Dear Group,

I hope this letter finds you all well, as by now, you have likely grown and moved on to new endeavors (I wish nothing but the best for each of you). I am writing this as we journey to the Elephant Sanctuary. Some of you are chatting, some playing games, listening to music, or sleeping.

I remember how nervous I was to meet you all; Kasia and I were eager to understand everyone’s personalities and foresee friendships. We were thrilled to get to know you and engage in various activities together! We fondly recall your smiles when we placed jasmine flowers around your necks and welcomed you into the group. Although the group initially divided into two, you came together as one during our activities (such as our debate or the mafia-wolf-witch games we played).

As the bus weaved through the mountains, I reflected on the new experiences we shared. From meditating with a monk, teaching children, dancing the Macarena, playing football, debating, and hiking to the mountain’s summit, many of you flourished in ways we could never have anticipated.

It’s now 6 am, and I am enjoying the peace and quiet, lying on a hammock and listening to the birds chirping. We have explored waterfalls, worked with elephants, cleaned after them, planted banana leaves, and engaged in meaningful debates. Realizing that we only have three days left together, it feels strange to think about not being with you all.

As we look at each of you, We feel a deep sense of admiration for your courage in embarking on this journey far from home.

Jaime and Javier, you both generously shared your Spanish culture with everyone, and it was delightful to watch Spain win the EuroCup together. Jaime, your humor brightened our days, especially during your icebreaker with Jenna. Javier, your insightfulness and talent in Muay Thai were impressive. We hope you continue boxing and benefit greatly from it.

Callie and Gabby, watching your friendship blossom was heartwarming. Both of you are outspoken and unafraid to share your opinions. We hope you enjoy your final high school years and get to travel more.

Harper, Olivia, and Jenna—the Powerpuff Girls—always together playing that hand game we never quite understood. Harper, we wish we had gotten to know you better. Your braids were beautiful everyday and you are so talented! Jenna, thank you for the great conversations, and we hope your ring collection continues to grow. Olivia, it was wonderful to see you blossom.

Dom, one of the youngest in the group, your dedication and discipline are admirable. Your ability to maintain consistency at such a young age is impressive.

Hannah, your energy and eagerness to be first at everything were inspiring. We appreciated your openness about your life. We know it hasn’t been easy, but your strength and intelligence will guide you through.

Berlyn and Serrin, your unique humor and growing friendship were a joy to witness. Serrin, it was wonderful to see you become more comfortable and silly. Berlyn, your maturity is commendable, and it was great to see your goofy side. You were an excellent mediator during our debates.

Isabelle, your effortless coolness and friendliness drew everyone to you. Your energy made others feel comfortable opening up.

Tamara, your unapologetic authenticity and curiosity are memorable. You are also very knowledgeable.

You all decided as a group to work on improving yourselves mentally, physically, and emotionally. I hope you have kept your word and continued living by the Buddha’s teachings. Remember to respect your teachers, family, friends, and everyone you meet. Stay open-minded and cherish the memories and connections we made together.

Remember our ONE MEANINGFUL GOAL:

We hope you stay true to our collective focus on self-improvement. This commitment to growth and progress is key to achieving our shared goals. By prioritizing personal development, we create a supportive environment where everyone is encouraged to pursue their ambitions, refine skills, and overcome challenges. This fosters continuous learning and adaptation, enhancing our capabilities, well-being, and group cohesion. Staying dedicated to self-improvement helps us become more effective, fulfilled individuals who contribute positively to our community and beyond.

With lots of love,

Jose and Kasia ❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜

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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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BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

เริ่มต้นการผจญภัยใหม่ (rôem dtôn gaan phà-john wái mài) – “Starting a new adventure” ✨

Our day began early with a visit to the “San Phra Phum,” or “Shrine of the Guardian Spirit.” We offered phuang malai and incense, seeking protection and blessings for our stay and the success of our program. At the airport, we awaited our first group of students, who mostly arrived simultaneously. Our local team welcomed them with traditional flower necklaces called “phuang malai kala kala.”

After exchanging money and informing their guardians about their safe arrival, we headed to the hotel to check in. For their first meal, we aimed for simplicity yet deliciousness, and I’m pleased that the group seems open and adventurous about trying new foods. Later, we headed to the local swimming pool for the swim test and to enjoy the fresh water. To our delight, we had the pool all to ourselves. While some chatted, others played various games. I (Jose) asked the students to teach me how to dive properly but ended up performing a spectacularly bad belly flop (though the girls were great teachers).

After the pool, we had some downtime before dinner. We held our first shout out circle, followed by a more traditional meal. Meanwhile, our international director and local director went to pick up the second group from the airport. The first group, exhausted from their long flights, tried to wait up to meet the new arrivals but eventually gave in to the need for rest. Tomorrow, we look forward to experiencing more exciting activities, and we’ll definitely post a group picture. We can’t wait to share this journey with you!

With gratitude,
Mentor Jose

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

ความประทับใจแรก (Khwaam Bpratáp Jai Raek) – First Impression

The morning started off quietly; the long flights and jet lag were beginning to take their toll. As the students rested, my colleagues and I indulged in delightful local coffee, savoring a moment of calm. In Thailand, breakfast often mirrors meals typically served for lunch and dinner, along with some classic breakfast dishes. Post-breakfast, we immersed ourselves in a comprehensive orientation session. This included guidelines, icebreakers, and an informative presentation about Thailand. The students were introduced to basic Thai phrases and cultural do’s and don’ts by the local team. We also had the opportunity to try some local tasty treats. Our packed schedule left little room for rest.

Soon, we found ourselves at a restaurant called “the View” -which indeed had a beautiful view of the mountain- where the students relished a diverse array of Thai culinary delights served in many small dishes. Some notable dishes were sea bass, cashew chicken, Tom Yum soup with shrimp and papaya salad (which was spicier than we thought!). After the meal, students tried the famous Thai tea and other local drinks.

Next, we visited three distinguished temples: Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh, and Wat Chiang Man. Wat Chedi Luang, an ancient Buddhist temple, is celebrated for its remarkable architecture and historical importance. Its centerpiece is the towering chedi (stupa), once the tallest structure in ancient Chiang Mai. Wat Phra Singh is revered as Chiang Mai’s most esteemed temple, formerly housing the significant Buddha statue, the Phra Buddha Sihing. Wat Chiang Man, the oldest temple in Chiang Mai, was established in 1296 during the city’s founding. This temple is notable for its unique architectural style, blending elements of both Lanna and Burmese design, and holds substantial historical and cultural value. In one of the temples, the students received a white bracelet and a blessing from a monk.

After visiting the temples, we moved on to our final activity of the day: cooking. We had the opportunity to make pad Thai, tom yum, a curry and spring rolls with the guidance of a vibrant instructor who explained the different ingredients and their importance to Thai cuisine. She mentioned that in the Thai culture, people cook with lots of love and passion! We first went to the garden where the herbs were being grown and then we walked over to the market to pick up the ingredients for the meal. Our efforts were crucial, as this meal would be our dinner. (Scary, right?) But overall, it turned out well! Many said that the pad Thai was the best that they have every tried! The instructor gave everyone recipe books so the students are excited to cook their foods back at home for you!

The day concluded at the hotel, where the students simply wanted to rest, call home, and sleep. Tomorrow, you will hear directly from our students!Stay tuned.

ราตรีสวัสดิ์ (raa-ttrii-sa-wat) Good Night!

Blessings,
Jose and Kasia

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

ความประทับใจแรก (Khwām b̂ā cĥāng) – Elephant Madness 🐘

We started our day off with a long bus ride to the local Elephant hospital. This hospital is the first Elephant hospital in all of Thailand. Many of the Elephants there had suffered injuries due to land mines exploding causing them to loose a leg. One specific baby elephant named Mosha suffered the same injury, but miraculously survived due to the care she received at this hospital. Mosha’s story has spread across the world raising awareness for Elephants in need, since she is the first elephant ever to receive a functional prosthetic leg. Following the hospital we went to an elephant museum where a very kind woman showed us the evolution of Asian Elephants and their differences with their cousins, the African Elephant.

After the museum we all went to a near by park to watch the Elephants get a refreshing bath and even got a chance to feed them!

Later in the day we went to the Elephant Parade. Though this may sound like a party, the Elephant Parade is an organization that creates Elephant Statues to help raise money for Elephants like Mosha. These statues can be found in major cities across the globe. The group got a change to paint their own unique statue and will be taking them home!

Once we arrived back at the hotel we took a much needed trip to 7/11 to stock up on some snacks. And our final activity of the day was a leadership activity where we all learned more about each other’s values and our own.

From,

Olivia and Javier

A glimpse into today’s two leaders:
Javier, a young man from Madrid, Spain, may be quiet, but his insights are profound. Initially reserved, he is now interacting much more with the group.😎

Olivia might appear reserved but she has been very organized and well driven with any task that we have challenge her with. Definitely a team player and a great asset to the group.🥰

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

ผู้เรียนที่กระตือรือร้น (P̄hū̂ reīyn thī̀ kratụ̄xrụ̄xr̂n) – Enthusiastic Learners

We started off the day with an orientation from Todd, a local teacher, who teaches English as a second language. He taught us methods of teaching used world wide (such as how to speak to the students), ways of the Thai school system, and many new Thai words!
Then, we had lunch at an amazing buffet restaurant and our group visited the school we will be working at for the next couple of days. We were welcomed with open arms by our enthusiastic students!

After traveling back to the hotel we prepared lesson plans in our teaching groups. These lesson plans are targeted towards grades 5 & 6 (prathom 5 & 6).

Later, after dinner for our mentor group, we made smart goals and wrote letters to our future self. We also engaged in an ice breaker called “speed meeting” to get to know each other better. Our last activity of the day was a show and tell of items that are important to us.

It was an amazing day and we are so excited to teach our students tomorrow!!

With Love,

Khrū Isabelle and Khrū Tamara

A glimpse into today’s two leaders:

Tamara is highly curious and inquisitive, making her great at starting conversations. She has a keen interest in learning about different cultures and people. She is incredibly creative. 🤩

Isabelle has a genuine spirit, navigating life with the ease and strength of a powerful river flowing through a mountain. 😌

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

เปิดสอนวันแรก! (Peid s̄xn wạn ræk!) – First day of teaching! 🍎

We had an early start this morning with breakfast from 6:00 to 7:00 am. Then we put on our clothes for teaching got on the buses to go to school. After a fifteen minute ride, during which Jose and Kasia entertained us with some games, we arrived at the school.

Our first order of business was to drop off our materials at the teachers’ lounge. Then we went down to meet our enthused students. The students immediately showered us with clapping, waving, high fives, and hugs. Every one of us felt like a celebrity. After giving out hundreds hugs and high fives we observed as they prayed, gave thanks to Buddha, and sang their national anthem as the flag was raised. After that we were brought to the front to introduce ourselves to the school.

When we got to our classrooms we were greeted by our eager students. All of us began by introducing ourselves again and learning more about our students. Finally, it was time to teach. We all started in on different lessons with unique methods.

Turns out we should give our teachers more credit because after an hour with the students, we were exhausted. So, we took a much needed 45 minute break. We ate some snacks and talked over our next session which was to go from 10:30 to 11:30.

At the end of our final session for the day, we ate a delicious meal at the school and said goodbye to our students. Until tomorrow, that is. They waved goodbye as eagerly as they had greeted us and a few even ran alongside the buses as we drove off.

Our leaders decided to reward our exemplary teaching, especially for our first day, with a trip to a coffee shop/boutique. This place was absolutely gorgeous with tons of flowers everywhere and lovely displays of many things ranging from jewelry to handbags to clothing and even dishware. Each of us were given a budget of 150 Thai Baht and were allowed to order anything we liked.

Upon returning to the hotel we went back to our rooms to change into clothing that would keep us a little cooler. Then, we moved into an ice breaker around 2:00. We were about halfway through the ice breaker when we noticed there was a snake on one of the AC units. Naturally we told the hotel staff and it was taken care of, but it gave a few of us a good scare.

After our ice breaker and snake encounter we began prepping for our next two teaching sessions tomorrow. Then Kasia and Jose presented us with a game to play called Hotseat. Each of us had to take a turn sitting in the hotseat and the other students and leaders had one minute to ask any question.

Before dinner we participated in an activity called 36 Questions. We were partnered and given a list of personal questions to ask each other. Dinner consisted of pad Thai, mushroom soup, and pork balls.

After dinner we went straight to mentor group and then took a trip to 7 11 to end our night.

Love,

Khrū Berlyn and Khrū Harper

A glimpse into today’s two leaders:

Harper is the group’s diver, known for her sweetness and exceptional listening skills. She has a calming presence that puts everyone at ease. 😘

Berlyn, a dedicated bookworm and passionate Swiftie, stands out with her unique sense of humor and frequent laughter. She exhibits a remarkable maturity that often surprises those around her. 🤓

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

ผึ้งยุ่ง! (P̄hụ̂ng yùng) – Busy Bees! 🐝

After our first day of teaching we felt much more confident and prepared going into our second day. We started off the day with an early bus ride to school. The kids excitement when we get off our buses never cease to amaze us. They swarm us with hugs and high fives, making us feel like celebrities. Some kids surprise us with the little english they know as we walk through the halls. Shouting phrases like “I love you” or “what is your name”.

When we made it to the classroom the kids had a sense of excitement to learn that was unlike anything we have seen in the US. Today we taught our group verbs and jobs. Throughout the lesson there were many laughs shared between us and the students and despite our language barrier we began to truly form bonds with each individual student. We incorporated games to keep them engaged such as moving throughout the room, throwing paper balls, and racing to write their new vocab words. Creating the lessons has given us a newfound sense of respect for teachers who spend every day planning lessons because after our lessons we were left exhausted. As we walked through the halls on the way back to our break room we were swarmed by the younger kids as usual. We got lots of cute photos with the kids and although it was chaotic, it was a very special moment for everyone. The kids smiles were contagious and we captured the moment with both photos and memories that will last a lifetime.

After school, we took a bus ride to the local market where we tried traditional Thai snacks called kalamae, kanin krok, and mango sticky rice. These snacks bursted with flavor and were very different from foods that we are used to. We had time to walk around the market where we got some usual snacks like smoothies, and some unusual ones like fried ice cream. Many of us also got dried mango, and elephant pants! Everyone was amazed by how low the prices were. The instructors helped us bargain to try and lower the price which was hard to do at first but was exhilarating and fun. We wish that we could bargain back in the US. Sometimes they would agree to lower the price but other times they wouldn’t budge.
After that, we quickly stopped at a coffee shop and were glad to be in air conditioning because we were all hot and exhausted.

After a long rest everyone recovered and made our way downstairs to begin our work again. We got with our groups and prepped for the next day of teaching. Now that it was our third day prepping, it felt quick and flowed easily because we knew the dynamic of the classroom and the ability of the kids. We were proud with the ice breaker we came up with because it was creative and different and although it started to pour, everyone enjoyed the game.

Once we had the winner for the icebreaker we went into the kitchen where we were met by floods of amazing exotic fruits, native to Thailand. They ranged from watermelon to pomelo to mangosteen and they all were very unique but so tasty! The dinner on the other hand was a taste of home! Fried chicken, pasta, and a thousand island dressing. It was so cool to see the mix of Thai and American cuisines together and was a nice change from the Thai food we’ve been eating.

Lastly, we headed to a grocery store to grab some snacks and essentials and were happy to find that the store had a Dairy Queen. Most of us grabbed some quick ice cream as a perfect way to end the night.

Love,

Khrū Callie and Khrū Dom

A glimpse into today’s two leaders:

Dom is the early bird of the group, always ready to start the day with a workout. Her positive mindset, politeness, and inclusiveness have won the hearts of everyone in the group. 😇

Callie is known for her passionate viewpoints and her knack for teaching. Her dynamic approach engages students, creating a motivating environment. 😊

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

จากครูสู่นักกีฬา (Cāk khrū s̄ū̀ nạkkīḷā) – From teachers to athletes 🥊⚽

Today was our third day of teaching. We arrived at the school bright and early and were once again greeted by the excitement of the younger students. Every morning they crowd us with hugs, high fives as we walk down the halls to our classrooms.

When we finally arrive at our own classes we receive the same treatment by our students before we begin our lessons of the day. These lessons usually include: a warm up and a review from the last day, a short presentation about what we will be that day, and then many fun games to practice what they have learned.

After our classes, we took a short bus ride to the Chiang Mai Muay Thai Gym. There we learnt some basic Muay Thai moves like punching, kicking, kneeing and blocking. Muay Thai might seem easy but it really is harder than it looks. This was a very fun experience that is unique to Thailand.

After an hour of Muay Thai, we drove over to a new cafe and enjoyed smoothies, matcha and pastries. Then, we continued driving and arrived back at the hotel to rest and shower before our next activity. We ate a yummy dinner of chicken tenders, fries, soup and pasta which everyone enjoyed. Then we prepped our classes for our last day of teaching tomorrow.

After our teaching prep, we walked to a nearby football field and played a game of football. There, we made two teams including some staff members. The match was very fun!

Our final activity was to prepare our dance and some games for the cultural exchange tomorrow at the school we’re teaching at and at one other school. We will let you know how it goes tomorrow!

From,

Jenna and Jaime

A glimpse into today’s two leaders:

Jaime has a sense of humor. He is also a huge fan of Real Madrid. 😂

Jenna is down-to-earth and wonderful to converse with, sharing a deep love for nature. She also boasts a unique and impressive ring collection. 😉

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

วันสุดท้ายของการเรียน! (Wạn s̄udtĥāy k̄hxng kār reīyn!) – Last day of school!

We started off the day like usual, waking up and having breakfast at 7:00-7:45. We then headed to the school and taught our final class. We spent our time in class playing games and reviewing the material we had taught.

After teaching we took a quick break then headed back downstairs for our first cultural exchange. The kids from the school taught us many Thai games, and then performed traditional dance and music routines. After they had their turn we had ours. We showed them our dance we had been working on for the past few days (the famous Macarena) and then had them join us. When we got off the stage they showered us with hugs and gifts, such as candy and roses. After that we were all presented with beautifully painted fans.

We headed back to the hotel for lunch and a quick rest, then went to a local private school for our second cultural exchange. Here we met up with local high school aged kids and were each paired with one to learn more about Thai culture. They presented us with another beautiful Thai dance. After that, we taught them some American games and also showed them our dance.

Later, after our dance we headed to the school’s gym, and were suited up in a loincloth. Once dressed we were taught how to do some Thai dances. Thai dances are very beautiful to watch but extremely hard to learn. After dancing we went downstairs to the master chef room where they taught us how to make pad Thai. We got to enjoy the pad Thai while chatting with our partners and learning more about Thailand, and Thai culture.

On our way back from the school we stopped at a pizza restaurant and all had pizza for dinner. After dinner we headed back to the hotel and rested. To end the day, we played a few games and wrapped up the night with 36 questions. Tomorrow is our day in the mountains! Talk to you then!

With lots of love,

Serrin and Hannah

A glimpse into today’s two leaders:

Hannah is consistently attentive and exceptionally organized, always eager to assist with any leadership activities and tasks. She is kind, approachable, and great at making everyone feel included. Her positive attitude and dedication make her a valuable team member.🥳

Serrín was initially quiet as a mouse, but as the days go by, she seems to be growing more comfortable. She’s always ready to participate in any activity. We are delighted to have her in the program. 🙃

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

ภูเขาและแหล่งช้อปปิ้ง! (P̣hūk̄heā læa h̄æ l̀ng cĥxp pîng!) – Mountains and shopping!

We started out the morning with a yummy and refreshing traditional Thai breakfast and an exciting ice breaker bingo game. During the Ice Breaker Bingo we learned a lot of interesting facts including Tamara being left handed and Dominique being an instrumentalist.

Then we headed to chat with KK, the Monk or Phra and learned all about the Buddhist culture. We learned that Buddhism is not considered a religion but a practice. There is no God in Buddhism, it is a way of Life, Practice, and Training. More than 93 percent of people practice Buddhism in Thailand. They believe in Karma and reincarnations. After some meditation we drove up a very steep and swirvy hill to Doi Pui for a long day of good food and shopping.

Our first stop was lunch and we all ordered different things which were fun to try with each other. After lunch we walked all the way up the shopping street to a coffee shop on the top of the hill with a beautiful view of the top of Thailand. The Thai Staff treated us to smoothies, drinks, and yummy desserts. After taking in the phenomenal view we walked back down the street and had fun bargaining and buying new things with our Thai Baht.

After hours of shopping, we drove slightly down the hill to Doi Suthep where we walked up over 300 steps to get to the top. The beautiful temple was worth the trip up there. After lots of walking and stairs we were exhausted and slept on the long drive home. Later that night we went to the very crowded and exciting night market which has almost a mile of Thai souvenirs, clothes, and food. We had two hours to ourselves to shop and eat and definitely made all our times worth. It was an entertaining day full of culture, beautiful landscapes and fun. We had a lot of fun and are ready to depart to the Elephant Camp!

Best,

Gabby and Javier

Gabby is well-traveled, friendly, and has a passion for shopping! She never leaves without her Stanley Cup. She loves exploring new cultures, meeting new people, and finding unique items during her travels. 😄

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

ช้างมาแล้ว! (Cĥāng mā læ̂w!) – Elephants here we come!

Today we embarked on our journey to the elephant sanctuary! Enthusiastically, our group piles into two buses where we spent our time playing games, and dreaming off the elephant related adventures yet to come!

When we arrived, we checked into our beautiful hotel and ate a delicious lunch. After a quick talk about safety we begun our journey to strengthen our relationship with the elephants. We pet and fed the elephants two big buckets of bananas! There was an adorable little baby elephant named Poopa (also known as “naughty boy”).

After bonding we cleaned up after the elephants and watched the family bathe and play in the water! They were adorable, Rolling and climbing on each-other just like humans!

On our way back to the hotel we stopped at a wonderful little coffee shop with a stunning view of a rice field. Once we returned to the hotel the group was split into teams and we explored the very relevant topic through debate, of elephants being used for entertainment purposes.

It was a wonderful day with the elephants and we all look forward to our adventures tomorrow!

Best,

Olivia and Tamara

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

ทำงานและเล่น (Thảngān læa lèn) – Work and play!

The day started for some of us at 2 am watching a historical football ⚽️ match between Spain and England which ended up with the victory of Spain 🇪🇸 and two very happy Spanish boys who woke everyone up with their screams.

After breakfast we were taken to fields where we dug holes and planted banana trees and Napier grasses for the elephants. We also weeded out the existing plants. We were exhausted and covered in dirt by the end of the service so many of us washed off and ate lunch.

Then we went to a waterfall and river where we swam, played in the waterfall, and watched elephants bathe and poop in the river. We then visited another coffee shop and ordered cake and drinks while watching the pouring rain. 🌧️

We came back to the camp where we did some icebreakers and leadership activities. After that we had some free time before dinner with some very good food!

Looking forward for working with elephants tomorrow!

Regards,

Isabelle and Jaime

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

ทำงานใกล้ชิดกับช้าง! (Thảngān kıl̂ chid kạb cĥāng!) – Working closely with elephants! 🐘🐘🐘

Today was a very eventful day! We first started off with breakfast and then headed over to the VET clinic where we got put into groups and assigned elephants to measure their height and mass. After we did that we had to present our findings to the rest of the group which was super fascinating! Since the elephants eat 10% of their body weight we took them for a walk around the sanctuary, where it then started to rain. Today was very weird weather, it was hot and sunny for one minute and then started to pour rain the next. Despite all of this, it still was so beautiful to see the different temperatures of Thailand.

Since we were very tired from walking the elephants we took a break and made vitamin balls, a mixture of different foods that are very helpful for elephants’ digestive systems and overall health. These balls were exactly like making meatloaf but consisted of grass, tamarind, salt, rice, and banana(not very appetizing!)

After the elephants gobbled that up, we went back and ate a delicious lunch made for us by the local staff. Then it was time for the fun! We took the elephants to the lake and washed them with the water and had a water fight with the mahouts and the instructors. After bathing, we took the elephants to the mud and splattered them (and our friends) with mud which was so amazing and refreshing!

The next activity we took a small hike to a local beautiful waterfall where we jumped off the rocks and swam safely around the area. After the hike back, we were so tired we needed to rest so we drove back to the home base. After much needed showers we played two rounds of mafia and did a leadership activity which was choosing songs for people based on their character so we will remember each other forever! to end the day, we had dinner, which again was delicious in every way! Tomorrow is our very last full day, which we all are so sad about. Thailand had been amazing so far!

Sincerely,

Dominique and Hannah

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

ลาก่อน (Lā k̀xn) – Goodbye 👋❤️

We started off the day by packing up our stuff and grabbing a quick breakfast before heading out for our final goodbye with the elephants. We were all sad to be leaving the elephant sanctuary. Although we only spent a few nights there, the sunsets, balcony talks, and beautiful surroundings were definitely something to remember. However, we were definitely excited to be back in the soft beds of the Chiang Mai hotel.
We loaded into the vans and took off to spend our last few hours with the elephants. Everyone was thrilled to see Ricky, the baby elephant. He was only 4 months old and adorable. His playfulness and mischievous tricks had us all laughing. We took lots of photos with the gentle giants and then watched them play in the river. We ate lunch and then departed on our road trip back to our hotel in Chang Mai. We sang along to our favorite songs for the whole ride back.

We were all relived to step into air conditioning for the first time in four days at our original hotel. We took a long break so we could shower, repack, and rest before getting all dressed up for our farewell dinner. We stopped at a grocery store for some last-minute essentials before making our way to the restaurant.

As we arrived we were pleasantly surprised by a beautiful boat waiting for us to eat dinner on. The dinner cruise was an amazing experience and everyone enjoyed their meals as we watched the sun set.

Returning to the hotel in a nice mood, our stomachs full from a yummy dinner, we began our last activity of the trip. The appreciation circle definitely hit people on a sad note and we ended it feeling grateful and closer than ever to our new friends!

Tomorrow is departure day and this will be our last blog. Thank you for all of those that followed our adventures!

As we end the night off we say “khob khun ka” to Thailand 🇹🇭 and all the memories we made along the way!

Love,

Callie and Harper

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by Shreya & the Thailand Team

Oh my gosh!! Can’t believe it’s fall already!

We hope that everyone is doing well.

Everyone here at GLA and EJS miss you all!

Still remember the day when we all met at Chiang Mai airport and got introduced to each at the money exchange.

We met Little at the noodle shop and had our first ever chicken rice in Thailand!

Remember the first time we stepped into Chotana and some of us took the swim test. Remember playing ice breakers before dinner which was just our second chicken rice out of a million more to come!!

We had a great start to a full day of orientation, lunch by the river, the temple visits and finishing off with a delicious 6 course cooking class.

We visited the Elephant Hospital next day and learnt about different elephant characteristics including meeting a vet and knowing how prosthetics work for these gentle giants.

We then fed some elephants after lunch at the conservation centre and finished off with painting some little souvenirs at the elephant parade art project.

We checked out from Chotana and headed to the elephant sanctuary where we learnt basics of elephant behaviours, different types of elephants in the world and the best part was learning to measure them for health checkups.

The elephant sanctuary was so fulfilling with getting to know the elephants up close and personal (esp Grandma, Chandong, Phue Pha and Ricky); feeding, hiking, playing and bathing with them.

Remember our little ice cream run and games at the home base.

EJS is grateful for all the hard work that you have done, especially planting food our friends. I am sure that they will want to send some love and appreciation!

We all were so excited to come back and start teaching, remember all the nerves and excitement to meet the little kids for the first time.

You all were sooo good with teaching, playing games and managing them in the classroom. That was real feast for your eyes to watch you all interact with Thai students.

Remember learning some Thai crafts and doing activities at the local high school.

We finished off our grand 2 weeks with meeting a monk, visiting a hill tribe village and climbing up 300 stairs at the temple atop the mountain.

Remember shopping at the Saturday night walking street market and then going to the rooftop restaurant for an amazing farewell and celebrating Marika’s 17th!

Little, Tah and Tong Tong remember you fondly!

Lastly, let’s remember our one meaningful group goal to eat clean and stay hydrated. And a big thank you to each and every one of you for being a part of GLA programs and continuing to be the change wherever you are!

Skibidi Sigma Rizz and best wishes,

Emily and Shreya

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 16

Sawasdee from Thailand!

We are super excited to meet our final batch of students this summer. Even though we miss Liz.

Once we picked everyone up at the airport, we went ahead and ate some chicken rice at a Thai shop owned by our local director. Everyone then came back to the home base, swam in the hotel pool and rested well for the remaining afternoon. We all loved playing some get to know you games and name games led by our international staff, followed by a delicious dinner and free time before we hit the bed.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Hi I’m Maddie the leader of the day. Today was a fun day filled with lots of amazing activities. We got up for breakfast around 8:00 before getting ready for a meeting. We went over all the rules for the program and played some really fun group games! After we headed to check out some temples. This was an amazing opportunity. They were so beautiful and we learned a lot about the culture and religion in Thailand! There was some amazing artwork and they told stories of Buddha and how he grew up. We also learned how to show respect to the monks. After we went to a super cute cafe to grab some drinks. We then ended our day with a cooking class. We got to make our own dinner which consisted of a bunch of delicious Thai food. We make pad tai and spring rolls to name a few. We ate so much and by the end we were all so full. We all had a blast and can’t wait for another fun filled day!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Hi, my name is Elle and i’m the leader of the day. We started off our day with a 7:30 breakfast. After that, we had a teaching orientation with Todd, who taught us what to expect and what to do when teaching the classes with the Thai kids later on down the road. During our lesson we tried a variety of Thai snacks. One of which was a durian candy and I think everyone agreed durian is not very appetizing and does not have an appeasing smell. We then headed on over to two different elephant conservation centers where we first learned about elephants with disabilities and how they can have prosthetics. In between both places we ate lunch, which was chicken and rice.

After lunch, we fed more elephants a variety of foods and took pictures with the elephants. On the way back we stopped at the Elephant Parade which is a foundation and place that raises money for elephants in need by painting all different types of pottery elephants. Once learning and touring the place all of us got to paint our own one and keep our own. Everyone put their best effort in and they all turned out really well. We had extra time when we got back so everyone went out for a 7-eleven run, where mostly everyone got Thai snacks that were interesting to say the least. Maddie, Marika, and I even made Emily eat a weird jelly cup that was not very appetizing. Then we had dinner which again was chicken and rice. Finally we discussed our plans for the next few days and went to bed.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Hey everyone! My name is Marika and I’m the leader of the day. Today we woke up a little earlier to pack for the elephant camp before breakfast at 7:15. We somehow managed to fit our clothes for 4 days into our backpacks and left the clothes we didn’t need at the home base. We then headed out in our vans to the elephant sanctuary which is an hour drive. We obviously stopped along the way at the 7 eleven where we bought snacks. There were also other little shops where Maddie and I bought cute tote bags and elephant pants. We love them! We got some boba for the car ride which was delicious. When we got to the new home base in the jungle we played some leadership games and settled in. We then drove 10 minutes to the elephant sanctuary where we learned general information about elephants and did physical examinations. We stopped at another coffee shop on the way back to the home base. At the home base we worked on our lesson plans for teaching and relaxed before ending the day in mentor groups. It was a very fun day and can’t wait for tomorrow!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

I’m Liz, the leader of the day. Today began with a leisurely breakfast at 8 o’clock, allowing us to sleep in a bit. We had some downtime afterward, filled with lively hand clapping games, while waiting for the trucks. Once loaded, we headed to a local coffee shop where we swapped travel tales. After enjoying our drinks, we moved on to the fields to plant grass for the elephants, working diligently to plant nearly 10 rows. After that, we returned to the hotel for a quick lunch.

In the afternoon, we geared up for the waterfalls, where some slid down nature’s own slide, others swam and swung on the swing, and we all delighted in watching the elephants frolic in the water. On our way back to the trucks, we indulged in some ice cream. Back at the hotel, free time included showers and a workout session led by our mentors, followed by an early dinner.

Post-dinner, we gathered in the meeting room for a leadership activity called SMART goals, where we set and share personal objectives. Despite the day’s length, our energy persisted as we engaged in games like Uno, BS, and a lively game of man hunt before finally retiring for a good night’s rest, eagerly anticipating tomorrow’s adventures.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

Hi! My name is Kennedy, and I am the leader of the day. Today, we had breakfast before heading out to spend the day with the elephants. On the way, we stopped at a local coffee shop to help everyone wake up more. When we arrived at the elephant camp, we waited for the elephants to return from their morning walk, and when they came back, we fed them some of their favorite treats: watermelon and banana. We then hung out with the elephants while they ate more food, and we got close up to pet them, which was really cool. After spending time with them, we went hiking with the elephants, which was part of their daily routine. We stopped during the hike to make the elephants their daily vitamins consisting of rice, banana, grass, tamarin, and probiotics. After giving them their vitamins, we wrapped up the hike and had this fantastic pad thai for lunch.

After lunch, we bathed the elephants and got fully in the water with them while splashing them and each other with water for bath time. After their bath, we went up to the mud pit, where we threw mud on the elephants and at each other. It ended up in a full-on mud war. The mud is good for the elephants as it acts as a natural sunscreen and insect repellent, but for us, it was just for fun. We then went to a nearby waterfall to wash off; the views were amazing. We all hung out, and when it was time to go, we headed back to the camp and got in the vans to return to home base. We relaxed for a while until dinner, which was spaghetti. After dinner, our lovely staff brought us to get ice cream because we are just that amazing. After ice cream we played rose, thorn, and bud to recap our day and ended with a fun game of would you rather. Today was a great day and we can’t wait for more fun ahead!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 22

Hi! I’m Chloe, the leader of the day for today. Today we woke up for breakfast at 8:30, all packed and ready to leave for Chotana! Today is unfortunately our last day at the elephant sanctuary, but that means we get to start teaching. We started the day stopping for coffee on the way to elephant camp number 6 where we fed and spent time with some elephants. We got to see the cutest 7 months old elephant which was the youngest so far!

After that we headed back on the road stopping at 7/11 for some snacks on the way to Chotana. When we got to Chotana we were all exhausted from the past couple of days so we had free time for a couple of hours. After that we all met up to work on teaching prep and our cultural exchange dance. We finished off the day with dinner and a little trip to a pizza place before heading to bed for the night. Today was so fun, super excited to start teaching tomorrow!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

Hi It’s Nina your leader of the day! Today we started the day off with breakfast at 8:15 am and after that we all got ready for the first day of teaching and headed out at 9 am. We were put into groups to teach each class. The first classes were at 9:30-10:30 and the second class of the day was 10:30-11:30. The children were super engaged in all the content that we had taught. My partner Maddie and I both had so much fun teaching 5th and 3rd grade today, their energy was super high but they learned a lot about jobs in english and we can’t wait to teach different students and grades tomorrow!

After everyone finished teaching we had lunch at the school then departed back to our home base. We spent a few minutes at the home base before we changed and got ready to leave to go to one Nimman street. We walked around and picked up sweet treats and souvenirs. Then we walked across to the mall and spent an hour shopping! Everyone got super nice dresses and outfits. We headed back to our home base where we spent some alone time as-well as swimming, working out, and playing games before dinner! We then had dinner around 6:30pm and after that we did a quick run to a pizza place and 7 eleven for some pizza and more sweet treats!

After that we came back and started the debate on future elephants in Thailand. Everyone disagreed on some points but in the end came up with a good compromise for the safety of the future elephants here in Thailand. After we finished the debate some people headed back to 7 eleven for ice cream to end the night. We had so much fun today and can’t wait for tomorrow!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

Hi! I’m Ronny, the leader of the day. Today we started early with breakfast at 7 am and left to go to the school at 7:45. We watched the students perform a ceremony and then began teaching. My partner Liz and I taught 3rd and 5th grade. They were definitely a handful, but we had so much fun teaching them! Each group taught 2 classes and had one break from 8:30 to 11:30. After we were done teaching we had lunch, which was pad Thai! Everyone loved it.

After lunch, we went to a local market. Many of us got fruit smoothies there that were so refreshing. We did some shopping and looked around at all the local foods and clothes. Once everyone bought everything they wanted, we headed back to the hotel for some free time. There were a lot of activities going on during free time, including workouts, swimming in the pool, napping, and card games. Todd brought us all some ice cream and then we played a weird game of never have I ever! We had dinner after that and then tried a bunch of local Thai fruits! There were many mixed opinions on them but it was a fun experience trying it! We finished off the night with a mentor group reflecting on our teaching.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

Today our group woke up a bit early and was driven to the nearby Thai primary school. This was our last full say of teaching the Thai children. We all had a good time being teachers. After we finished teaching the kids, we changed out of our teaching clothes and into our more casual attire to do Muay Thai. On the way, we stopped at a local cafe and enjoyed some delicious drinks. The cafe also had some koi fish in one of their outdoor ponds. Then after a short walk, we finally arrived at the Muay Thai gym. The staff there were great and they taught us many different fighting moves. The whole thing, while very fun, was also pretty exhausting and we spent the rest of the day relaxing and playing card games.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 26

Hi! I’m Alder, leader of the day. Today we started the day early with breakfast at 7:15 and left for the school at 8 am. Today was a cultural day at the school so we spent the morning playing games with the student, we played red light – green light, duck – duck goose and sharks and minnows. After that there were some thank you speeches to say goodbye as it was our last day at the school. Then we had lunch which was shrimp fried rice, it was really good! When everyone was done eating we went to a Thai high school for the cultural exchange. Once we got there we had some time to talk to the Thai students and get to know them.

After that some of the Thai students preformed a Thai dance and we surprised them with our own performance of ‘watch me’. Then we played an ice breaker game of broken telephone so we could all get to know each other and after that we participated in the activities that the school had planned for the cultural exchange, these included; trying on Thai traditional clothing, learn traditional Thai dances and making a traditional Thai craft that wards off bad spirit and helps people connect to Buddhism.

After that there were thank you speeches given by both students and staff from G.L.A and the school. We got back to the hotel at around 4pm and just rested until 5:30 when we had pizza for dinner. We finished the night off with mentor groups where we worked on setting smart goals.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 27

Hi! I’m Chloe, the leader of the day as one of our last days! Today we woke up for breakfast at 7:45 before heading on the road to a monk chat. There we learned about Buddhism, and their way of life. We ended off the chat with some meditation practice which was super relaxing and cool to experience. Thank you to Pra KK for sharing his knowledge as a monk! We then stopped at a coffee shop for some drinks before getting back on the road to Doi Pui where we got a delicious lunch and walked to see the beautiful scenery. We all roamed around for a bit, shopping at the booths before packing back into the car to head to a temple. The temple was called Doi Suthep and it was incredible, the views and architecture were all so amazing. We arrived back at Chotana around 5, then piled back into the van to the Saturday walking street as our last stop of the day. The night market was a ton of fun, we all got dinner and shopped around for a couple of hours. Today was so good and we are all so sad to leave!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 28

Hi, my name is Marika and I’m the leader of the day. Today we woke up at 7:30am to have breakfast and head out for hiking. The hike was uphill and we were very sweaty, but the view was worth it! We walked back down after enjoying the view and stopped at a coffee shop on the way to lunch. For lunch we sat in a rice den on the lake and had rice, chicken, squid, vegetables, fish and glass noodles. It was yummy and we were all so full after. We then went back to home base to pack and get ready for the farewell dinner. Everyone looked gorgeous! Dinner was delicious and was on a beautiful rooftop. We celebrated my birthday with cake and ice cream; and then played card games at the home base. It was such a memorable trip! I can’t believe we are leaving tomorrow.

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

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

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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.
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4. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
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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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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Hello parents!!

We started our first day with a nutritious breakfast consisting of a variety of different foods, having the options of a regular American breakfast, yogurt and granola, or a traditional Thai breakfast. After that, we played a variety of games to get to know each other. Varying from dancing games and name memorisation and going over our leadership roles as GLA students. We then got ready to have lunch at a traditional restaurant in Chiang Mai. The food was absolutely amazing consisting of seafood cuisine, crispy chicken with a delicious mayo sauce to top it, steamed veggies with rice, and a flavourful soup. With lots of water of course!

After that we made our way to traditional temples in Chiang Mai. The architecture was stunning and we learned so much about Thai culture and history throughout our journey in the multiple temples we visited. We stopped to rest at a jungle themed cafe and got to feed the coy fishes swimming in the cafe. After that, we went to our last stop for the day which was a cooking class of traditional thai cuisine. We got to be chefs for the night and had 4 different dishes. We loved trying new foods and it was a very rewarding experience. We were all very tired after our eventful day and ended the night swimming in the pool to cool off and going right to bed to get some rest for another fun day of new things. Goodnight from Thailand!

– Blog for the day written by leader Anna Del Ponte

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Sawadeeka!

In the morning Todd, part of the local staff who has lived in Thailand for 22 years, came and explained to us how to teach thai students. We are very grateful that Todd came and taught us the proper way to teach and also respect Thai culture. After this, we went to a buffet for lunch with local cuisine, the food was very good and we tried many new things and they were so good.

After lunch we went to a local market where we were able to get new shirts that were appropriate for teaching. Then, we arrived at the school to meet 4th, 5th, and 6th graders that we will start teaching tomorrow. The students were very cute and very excited to see us. After looking around the school we worked on our lesson plans for tomorrow and went to 7-Eleven for snacks! We ended the day with mentor groups where we reflected on our day. Overall today was a great day and we are so excited to start teaching tomorrow!

Today’s blog is written by leader Shani Le Moigne

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Sawadee from Thailand!

We woke up to an early start at precisely 6:30 am. All of us gathered for our usual breakfast of our choosing, then ventured on to the van for our first day of teaching. We were greeted with many smiles and waves from the young Thai students, where we proceeded to watch their morning routine ceremony. We broke into our teaching groups and taught English on many topics such as animals, food, and occupations. They were very cute and super eager to learn, making our jobs very easy and fulfilling. After a couple hours we met up for lunch. At around noon, after saying our temporary goodbyes, we left for home base to have a couple hours of relaxation to recharge.

With a fully rejuvenated battery, we took a stroll to our near and dear seven eleven. The guy at the counter is starting to know our faces, where we purchase many vital items such as the newest Thai snacks. We then prepared more for tomorrow’s lessons and created a game plan. Afterwards, we came together for dinner, greeted by pineapple, chicken, rice, and an interesting invention: fried mushrooms. We then participated in a GLA game called The Social Sync on controversial societal topics regarding technology, allowing for reflection on our habits and reliance on devices. Next we did a big round of hide and seek where we learned about the camouflage skills of Charlotte and Emmett. We then began to get ready for bed so we can rest up for the big day ahead of us. Good night all!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Today’s blog is written by leader Ron Le Moigne

Today we went back to the same school to teach the little Thai students of grades 4, 5 & 6. We all had a great time teaching these kids for the second time. After having lunch that the school provided us, we all went to the market but right before that we went to a traditional Thai tea place where we all had some tea with boba. The market had 3 floors, 1st one had some local food and Buddhist souvenirs whereas 2nd and 3rd had clothes. Some people bought elephants pant and others some funky slippers. We all had an amazing time and finished our day with some games like zip zap and volleyball.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Today we woke up early and went to teach in the school for the final time. Each teaching group taught 2 different classes today. Then we ate lunch at the school in the break room. After that we all went to a mini Muay Thai camp in Chang Mai Muay Thai gym. Then, we all came back for some free time and finally ate dinner here at the home base and practiced our performance piece for tomorrow.

Today’s blog is written by leader Rio Dumont

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

The first part of the day included getting up for breakfast at 7:45am. Then we headed out in the GLA minivans to the Thai school. The children there were exremely excited to see us. Everybody from GLA were happy to see this. Then we began playing games with the children and it was a lot of fun! For the last part of the day we went to private Thai high school. There the Thai students showed off their skills and special clubs. We then danced to cotton eyed Joe and cha cha slide. Finally we left the school to go to a coffee shop which had very aesthetic drinks. Today was loved by all!

Today’s blog is written by leader Charlotte Salman

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Hello! Today we got to sleep in and we ate breakfast at 9:15. We left home base at 10 to go to the elephant hospital, where we saw the patients and permanent residents. We learned about the making of prosthetic limbs for elephants and the stories behind how they ended up in the hospital.

After the hospital, we went to an elephant sanctuary where we had lunch and got to feed elephants! It was a really cool experience. We went to an exhibit about elephants after that, then to Elephant Parade, a non-profit that supports elephants through art. We got to paint elephant models which was a lot of fun. Finally, we went back to home base where we had dinner and played games. Looking forward to the night markets tomorrow!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Today we got up early and packed our bags to move to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary, where we will stay for three days. We moved in and quickly got to work, meeting the elephants, feeding them, and learning about them. While at the sanctuary, we learned about how to take care of elephants, and tell if they are healthy or not. Then we came back to the new home base and had some free time, dinner, and we played mentor group leadership games. We got ready for an early bed to rest for tomorrow.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Hello! We had a very busy day today. We started off with breakfast at 8, then left for the elephant sanctuary around 9. There, we learned how to be around elephants safely. Then we fed them and pet them. After, we went on a walk through the rainforest with them and stopped to make food for them with various ingredients. After we returned from our walk we changed into bathing suits to bathe them. We walked to a small pond with the elephants and helped clean them with water, but it ended up turning into a huge water fight and we all got soaked. After that, we took the elephants to a mud pit. We put mud on them to act as sunscreen. We got really dirty in the mud so we quickly showered before beating lunch. Once we had eaten and rested, we took a short walk to a nice waterfall. We spent a lot of time swimming and taking pictures before we headed back to our camp. We had free time until dinner, and finished of the day with a leadership activity.