PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by David & the Peru Team

Hi, how are you?
Hola, como estás?
Allinllachu, imanalla?

Time has gone by like a blink of an eye, we’re all hoping that your experience was meaningful and that you might remember every minute we had the opportunity to be together. Now Cusco feel far away from our homes, the weather might be different, and the streets don’t look the same anymore; but we know that every stone, every corner, every smell and the bright sun still lives with us every time we see a mountain or probably when we find something related to our clinic work.

Can you remember the first day you were at the airport? The first time you got to see the shinning blue sky. The first time you got into your room and thought “this will be my home for the next two weeks” Maybe the first time you felt the cold in the mornings or how the sun warmed you like a gentle hug coming from our beloved “Tayta Inti”.

The first days filled with new food, new people and new places; going around the city and walking the same steps people have walked for over 500 years, can you fell the first time you ate coca leaves and tasted “weird” or “bitter” most of you didn’t like them that much but did enjoy the coca tea from time to time. Can you remember your intentions at the “Pago a la tierra” ceremony and how our Shaman “Cesar Augusto” played like a child in the forest as he said, “look at me, I’m 250 Y.O. but I can still play as a kid!”.
After those first few days we went on our reality tour and had the chance to see many places far away from home base like the viewpoint at Ccorao and the viewpoint at Taray (where we also had our first packed lunch) with the amazing view of Urubamba River and the way to the sacred valley. The visit to the health center at Taray and how that started to change our perspective about public health and the many differences that may exist between a small town, a small city and a big city. Realizing how distances and transportation can play a big role in how people can access to health services like doctors or even medicine.

After that our first clinic day! Going to the communities and having an eye-opening experience feeling how all the work became very “real” at that moment, with a bit of confusion here and there all of you started to get the hang of clinic work and how a mobile clinic develops in so many different places and situations. Whether you were first at the Hygiene station, Toothbrush, Education, Triage, Doctor, Dental or Pharmacy you might recall the first impression and impact we had in communities and with ourselves. Going to communities and going back to Cusco it always felt like every time we were different people, getting to HB tired but with the achievement of have been able to help.

Five days had gone by that moment when we all started packing our overnight bags to take our long trip to get to Machu Picchu, getting up early in the morning and going in the bus for Maras salt mines, walking around and learning how there can be salt water so up in the mountains! Later going to Andean colors, learning the weaving techniques the coloring process and how these magnificent artisans create this one-of-a-kind clothes and pieces of art at the same time (don’t forget the bracelet!). The road to Ollantaytambo filled with magnificent views of the mountains, the mystical train ride at night in the dark and suddenly arriving to Aguas Calientes before our brief rest at the hotel and the very (5am) early morning preparing for MP. For those who were at the clinic still on that day, can you remember running back to HB to pack our things as quick as possible to meet the group in Ollantaytambo? Woooh, we almost didn’t make it! But…we did (yeah!)

Can you picture in your mind how it first felt when we started walking up the path and saw the first constructions in the mountain? Or maybe when we were at the terrace and had that awesome view from the citadel? We traded the cold weather for a burning sun, we traded our conversations for a mesmerizing silence contemplating the magnificence of the engineering and how that was built so up in the mountains, the cultivating terraces, the rives below representing the Snake (Hurin ‘or Uku’ Pacha), the mountain on the side representing the Puma (Kay Pacha) and the carved stone representing the Condor (Hanan pacha).

Then going back to Cusco for our last clinic day filled with excitement and lots of feelings, our cooking class with those yummy picarones and round table as a close for clinics; the visit to the Qorikancha museum, remember the last couple of days with closing activities, cafés, shopping for souvenirs and packing with a bittersweet feeling? Knowing that even though we were all excited about going back to our homes we will be also missing our time in Cusco, the people, our walks through the city and the fireworks at night during “Inty raymy”.

With the best of luck and warm hearts all the Staff hope you’ve had a meaningful experience and your goals to be: More open minded, self-aware, grateful and contribute to you community to have a positive impact keep flourishing! And, you never know, maybe sometime in the future if you get back to Cusco you will find yourself again in tiny details and relive the experience.

Kindly,

David Flor
Mateo Coello
Mary Malone
Jess

Until we see each other again, Thanks!
Hasta que nos volvamos a ver, Gracias!
Yapamanta Tupananchikama, Yupaychany!

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
2. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
3. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
4. Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Hola families! All of the students made it to Cusco by 2pm, with no major flight delays! Woo!! After some time to rest, we completed orientation, had dinner, and then took our first walk in our mentor groups to Plaza De Armas. This area is the heart of Cusco and only a short walk from our home base. We enjoyed seeing the mountains all lit up and taking time to get to know everyone. We have so many fun things to look forward to this week! Tomorrow we will go to our first market, and participate in the Pago a La Tierra ceremony that will be led by a local shaman. This week we will begin our service work with MEDLIFE mobile clinics and take time to explore the sacred valley. Our blog will be updated everyday with photos, stay tuned to see our adventures!

¡Hasta Pronto!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Hola,

This morning we got to sleep in a little bit till around 8 am. After a great breakfast we walked down to the San Pedro Mercado (a market) as a group. It was so cool to interact with the locals there, and to practice our spanish. We saw people selling juice, jewelry, clothing, meat, cheese, fruit, and much more. We also spent a lot of time in Plaza de Armas taking group pictures, buying more souvenirs, and interacting with the locals.

Soon it was lunch. We enjoyed our meal together, then rode the bus up a hill where we participated in Pago a La Tierra ceremony which was led by a local shaman. We hiked down through the woods and came across this cute road called Siete Borreguitos (7 little lambs). Some students discovered a little ice cream shop, and decided to spend their soles on a scoop. Along the walk back, the group ran into some nice ladies with llamas. We all huddled around to pet them and take some pictures.

After we got back to our home base, we had chow circle. This is where the whole group gets together to reconnect, go over the day, and learn about the events for the next day. When dinner was over we participated in a group activity focusing on technology and how it affects our life. Lastly, we all got ready for bed and decided to talk out on the porch until lights out.

It was a great day today, and everyone is so excited for all of the adventures that will come tomorrow.

Adios!!

Written by: Toni, and Rebeca

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Today at GLA, we woke up at 6:45 and ate breakfast. After breakfast we went on the reality tour and we explored the various aspects of Cusco and how some people live in poverty and some people live more like we do in the US. Mateo and Nella from MEDLIFE gave us insight on how different various areas of Cusco are. Then we got the opportunity to visit one of the local schools and we played soccer with some of the students.

After, we were educated on how the students made it through covid and how the teachers did not have the proper equipment to educate the students. Because many people did not have access to a computer or internet, the country broadcasted lessons for students of all ages by T.V. and radio. Students as young at 2nd grade had to take radios to higher points in the mountains just to learn.

After that, we got to see one of the level 1 clinics and learned how that level does not have to technology or supplies that clinics in Lima and Cusco would. We learned that it was very hard to get access to a good clinic compared to how it would be for us living in the US. Then we got the opportunity to see a beautiful view of the sacred valley where we ate lunch. Then we got to the the entire view of Cusco at the statue of Christ the redeemer. One of the MEDLIFE staff members gave us an orientation about how the pop up clinics will work and what to expect for our next couple of week participating in them. Then we had dinner and went to bed, we are very excited for our service work in the clinic tomorrow.

Chloe and Abishek

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Hola!

Today we had an amazing time in Tupay, a community located a few hours (by bus) outside of Cusco. Upon reaching our destination, we all helped to set up the mobile clinic inside of a local school.

We were able to have the opportunity to learn how medication is prescribed, how cavities are filled, how pharmacies are organized, and much more! Helping the dentist and doctors was a fantastic experience.

At the education and toothbrushing stations, we were able to meet a lot of people and practice our Spanish! The kids were very enthusiastic learning about hygiene and how to brush their teeth. While waiting for parents to finish up inside the clinic, some of the medical gloves were blown up into balloons – making for some great “don’t let the balloon touch the ground” games! Additionally, there was a fun game of soccer going on.

After packing up the clinic and returning to the hotel, we had some dancers come to teach us about Peruvian dancing and culture. We did a total of four dances: one from along the coast, one from in the mountains, one from the jungle, and lastly some salsa!

We all had a fantastic dinner together at the hotel. It was an awesome day, and we’re all very happy to be able to learn more about Peru and the culture!

¡Ciao!

Grace and Micah

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

¡Buenas Días!

Today was so much fun. We woke up this morning a little bit later than usual, and left our hotel around 9am. Our first stop was the Maras Salt mines which have been around since 700 BCE. It is crazy to think of people building something like it that long ago, and it is still here for us to see and still producing salt!

Afterwards,we went to Andean Colors which is a weaving co-op that was started by a single mother effected by domestic violence. They employ other single mothers now, and help sell their products. They made us lunch here and we got to try CUY or guinea pig!! It was a little weird, but some of us really enjoyed it. Either way we are glad we tried it. Marco from Andean colors told us about the significance of serving cuy. Peruvian people eat it for special events like birthdays or other celebrations. Usually the most respected person is given the head!

After we ate some people showed us how to make bracelets, dye alpaca wool, and weave ponchos and other items. They had alpacas (a really cute baby) and a guinea pig farm with hundreds of them!!

Next we drove to Ollantaytambo to have some pizza and catch our bus to Aguas Calientes which is where we will stay before going to Machu Picchu tomorrow!! We can’t wait.

Missing you!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Machu Picchu day

Today we had a very early start at 5 am, we woke up bright and early so that we could catch the bus up to machu pichu, we were staying in the town of aguas calientes becuase it is closest to machu pichu, we then got on a bus and winded our way up the mountain. As we reached the top, the majestic ruins of Machu Picchu unfolded before us.

We then took a guided tour through Machu Picchu, our guide, an expert, brought the ancient city to life with fascinating stories about its history and culture. We learned about the different designs of the houses, the rock formations, and many other interesting facts that we would have never known.

After a morning exploring the ruins, we took the bus back to Aguas Calientes for a delicious lunch at a local restaurant. We enjoyed a nice reminder of home with some burgers and fries. Refreshed and energized, we boarded the train back to Cusco, a scenic journey that offered a different perspective of the Andes Mountains. The two-hour train ride was a relaxing way to look back on the day’s adventures. Back in Cusco, we hopped on a bus to our hotel, exhausted from the days adventure we all crashed and went to sleep.

-Harris

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Today we got to wake up a little later than usual, since today was our round table day with med life.

In the morning we had a cooking class. We made the traditional meal of Peru – Lomo Saltado and Peruvian doughnuts called piccarones. The food was really good, and we got to learn how to make it at a local culinary school.

Then we went to a round table event with Medlife

During the Round Table, we took a 1 hour bus ride to the town of Pisac, where we got to meet people who were part of med life’s follow-up program, which is a program provided my Med Life that allows people to get the medical help they need over extended periods of time, regardless of their ability to pay.

During the round table, we met with patients in the follow-up program, along with Med Life staff who explained to us how they were helping these people.

In my opinion, this was the most impactful day of the trip so far, and it showed us how much we were actually helping people in the mobile clinics.

Shylah

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Today was an unforgettable experience! We went on a fun journey that combined white water rafting with the views of Mountains.

The cold weather made it necessary to wear wetsuites. The mountains surrounding us were breathingtaking. After going through the river, we were treated to a sauna, a perfect way to warm up. A delicious warm lunch followed, preparing us for ziplining. Floating above the river we had just rafted down was a great experience, offering a unique perspective of the stunning landscape.

Back at the hotel we finished tne day watching “A Dog’s Purpose” and enjoying some friendly card games. Today was such a great experience.

Ann Marie and Tori

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by David & the Peru Team

Hi, how are you?
Hola, como estás?
Allinllachu, imanalla?

Time has gone by like a blink of an eye, we’re all hoping that your experience was meaningful and that you might remember every minute we had the opportunity to be together. Now Cusco feels far away from our homes, the weather might be different, and the streets don’t look the same anymore; but we know that every stone, every corner, every smell and the bright sun still lives with us every time we see a mountain or probably when we find something related to our clinic work.

Can you remember the first day you were at the airport? The first time you got to see the shinning blue sky. The first time you got into your room and thought “this will be my home for the next two weeks” Maybe the first time you felt the cold in the mornings or how the sun warmed you like a gentle hug coming from our beloved “Tayta Inti”.

The first days filled with new food, new people and new places; going around the city and walking the same steps people have walked for over 500 years, can you fell the first time you ate coca leaves and tasted “weird” or “bitter” most of you didn’t like them that much but did enjoy the coca tea from time to time. Can you remember your intentions at the “Pago a la tierra” ceremony and how our Shaman “Cesar Augusto” played like a child in the forest as he said, “look at me, I’m 250 Y.O. but I can still play as a kid!”.
After those first few days we went on our reality tour and had the chance to see many places far away from home base like the viewpoint at Ccorao and the viewpoint at Taray (where we also had our first packed lunch) with the amazing view of Urubamba River and the way to the sacred valley. The visit to the health center at Taray and how that started to change our perspective about public health and the many differences that may exist between a small town, a small city and a big city. Realizing how distances and transportation can play a big role in how people can access to health services like doctors or even medicine.

After that, our first clinic day! Going to the communities and having an eye-opening experience feeling how all the work became very “real” at that moment, with a bit of confusion here and there all of you started to get the hang of clinic work and how a mobile clinic develops in so many different places and situations. Whether you were first at the Hygiene station, Toothbrush, Education, Triage, Doctor, Dental or Pharmacy you might recall the first impression and impact we had in communities and with ourselves. Going to communities and going back to Cusco it always felt like every time we were different people, getting to HB tired but with the achievement of have been able to help.

Five days had gone by that moment when we all started packing our overnight bags to take our long trip to get to Machu Picchu, getting up early in the morning and going in the bus for Maras salt mines, walking around and learning how there can be salt water so up in the mountains! Later going to Andean colors, learning the weaving techniques the coloring process and how these magnificent artisans create this one-of-a-kind clothes and pieces of art at the same time (don’t forget the bracelet!). The road to Ollantaytambo filled with magnificent views of the mountains, the mystical train ride at night in the dark and suddenly arriving to Aguas Calientes before our brief rest at the hotel and the very (5am) early morning preparing for MP.

Can you picture in your mind how it first felt when we started walking up the path and saw the first constructions in the mountain? Or maybe when we were at the terrace and had that awesome view from the citadel? We traded the cold weather for a burning sun, we traded our conversations for a mesmerizing silence contemplating the magnificence of the engineering and how that was built so up in the mountains, the cultivating terraces, the rives below representing the Snake (Hurin ‘or Uku’ Pacha), the mountain on the side representing the Puma (Kay Pacha) and the carved stone representing the Condor (Hanan pacha).

Then going back to Cusco for our last clinic day filled with excitement and lots of feelings, the (extremely long) cooking class and round table as a close for clinics; the visit to the Qorikancha museum, remember the last couple of days with closing activities, cafés, shopping for souvenirs and packing with a bittersweet feeling? Knowing that even though we were all excited about going back to our homes we will be also missing our time in Cusco, the people, our walks through the city and the fireworks at night during “Inty raymy”.

With the best of luck and warm hearts all the Staff hope you’ve had a meaningful experience and your goals to be: More open minded, self-aware, grateful and contribute to you community to have a positive impact keep flourishing! And, you never know, maybe sometime in the future if you get back to Cusco you will find yourself again in tiny details and relive the experience.

Kindly,

David Flor
Mateo Coello
Mary Malone

Until we see each other again, Thanks!
Hasta que nos volvamos a ver, Gracias!
Yapamanta Tupananchikama, Yupaychany!

---

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
2. We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
3. Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
4. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
5. Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 15

Hello!
Hola!
Allilanchu!

GLA families; from the mystical, beautiful, ancient and magic city of Cuzco,

After long hours traveling from many places to get here the Andes have welcomed our students with a bright sun and a chilly wind. Some of them arrived very early in the morning, some around noon and others in the afternoon; since we had sometime before lunch we decided to have a quick tour around the city center so they can have their first fell from Cuzco, their people and magnificent architecture, taking a few pictures here and there in iconic places. Also, being able to see a dog parade from pets dressed up in native clothes (so cute!) afterwards we went back to “Casa Campesina” our home base for lunch; our first lunch together was filled with good taste from our amazing cooking staff that had prepared one of the signature dishes in Perú, the “Lomo Saltado” and for our vegetarian fellows “Tofu Saltado”.

We played a few name-games during lunch to get to know each other before picking up the rest of the students that hadn’t arrived yet; meanwhile students had some time to rest, get settled, play games and get to know one another and overcome the first “awkwardness”, after a couple of hours during health checks they were playing card games, chatting and laughing around. Their faces light up when they see the mountains, the amazing blue sky and this magnificent schedule packed with service work and wonderful activities, Machu Pichu being the “cherry on top”.

We’ll keep you posted during our adventures and experiences!

See you soon!
Hasta pronto!
Tupananchikkama!

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 16

Hello all!

We started our day off with a much needed extra hour to sleep in before heading off to breakfast at 8:00 am. After we finished eating, we met for our program orientation to cover everything from GLA history to program expectations. We also enjoyed learning about each of our mentors and their path to GLA themselves. After acting out and guessing the prohibited behaviors for the program, we wrapped up orientation and took a quick break before heading off to lunch, where we enjoyed some shrimp rice, chicken-wrapped ham and cheese bites, strawberries, and some juice among other items.

-Maddie Smith (Leader of the day)

After lunch the group went on a van ride to a hike led by a local shaman. While we hiked, the shaman talked about life lessons and how to maintain equilibrium in the modern technological world. After walking for about 30 minutes in effort to connect with nature, we came to a clearing where there was a cave filled with past offerings for Pachamama or Mother Earth in English. He then laid down a colorful mat and we began the offering. It was a ceremony that is popular in Incan culture called Pago a La Tierra or payment to the land in English. It consisted of him blessing us, a long prayer with bells to set an intention of positivity for our trip. After, taught us about the use of coca leaves for tea and chewing to help with altitude sickness and other ailments. They are very special to the people here. We then took a couple pictures because the sunset and the view of the city was beautiful and hiked back down. We walked back on a colorful street called siete borreguitos, which means seven little lambs. It was a really cool experience that you can’t get anywhere else and it was a really mindful and respectful way to start the trip.

-Cooper Ford (Leader of the day)

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 17

Hola!

Today we woke up bright and early to explore the outskirts of Cusco through a reality tour. Our helpful guide Natalie, a leader with MEDLIFE, took her time explaining to us the challenges people living in Cusco face in their everyday lives and how MEDLIFE has helped to support communities. MEDLIFE stands for Medicine, Education, and Development for Low Income Families Everywhere. This eye opening experience taught us all the roles MEDLIFE plays in order to help people in Cusco live a more good and sustainable quality of life. Due to the mountains and altitude, healthcare, agriculture and is very difficult. Anemia has impacted many communities especially outside the main city of Cusco creating a lasting effect on learning development in children. Education, is just one area MEDLIFE is working to expand. As a part of the development aspect, MEDLIFE has built greenhouses for many varieties of vegetables and fruits to be grown year around so that people can have a well-balanced diet ultimately preventing anemia and allowing a better education. Lastly, medicine is a key focus that development and education is rooted in. Many locals living in areas outside the major city of Cusco do not have room for patients or access to medical technologies that we may have. In the afternoon, we learned more about what MEDLIFE provides for healthcare and what our first day of clinics will look like.

-Olivia

Next we had a lunch over a view of the mountains before going to see the Cristo Blanco statue that sits at the top of Cusco, with a view of the whole city. It was amazing to see the smaller communities outside of Cusco in the mountains and learn about the different health care access. During this we learned more about what Medlife is all about and its impact in North America, South America, and Africa. We then learned about the Mobile Clinics and the health protocols, different stations, and the roles for us volunteers. We then wrapped the day up with a reflection and list of goals for our trip. Tomorrow we begin our service work in a small community in the mountains and we are all so excited.

-Sebastian

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18

Hola famílias!

Today was day four! We started our day at 7 o’clock for breakfast. We then headed to the bus to meet our clinic doctors and staff. It took us two hours and a very windy road through the mountains to get to our first clinic location.

Today was a very important because we built our foundation and knowledge of what the day should look like. With the help from clinic staff, we set up all of the stations with medical supplies to prepare for the patients. We split into small groups to take on the six different stations; hygiene, triage, education, doctor, dentist, and pharmacy.

In the small town Q’enqo, we met sick children, mothers, fathers, and grandparents. We shadowed doctors who diagnosed and prescribed medication to help alleviate pain. Most patient struggled with lower back pain, joint pain, and acid reflex from hard manual labor. In the dentist clinic, most patients had broken or rotting teeth that needed to be extracted. However, most declined treatment because they were afraid of the pain. We helped MedLife staff provide treatment that these families wouldn’t otherwise receive.

While the parents were inside with clinic staff, the children were learning about oral hygiene, and how to wash their hands. At the end of the session, they all received toothbrushes and interacted with volunteers. Plus, they all got stickers which they were very excited about!

In the evening, we visited the San Pedro market for some souvenir shopping. To finish the day we had dinner at 6:30, chow circle, and shared an impactful moment from the day. We all agreed that today was full of eye-opening experiences and we feel better prepared for tomorrow’s clinic.

Kayakaman (see you soon in Quechua!),

Kinsey and Lucia

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19

Hola from Peru! Today was our second clinic day where we visited the village of Sihua and got to work at different stations than yesterday. Today, the clinic took place at a school so we set out to meet many more kids than yesterday. They were so excited to see us and receive help. We loved to get to know them and play with them throughout the day. The community was so grateful four our services at the end of the clinic they boiled potatoes as a thank you gift. It was so amazing to see the impact we had on them in just one short visit.

After the clinic we headed back to home base and got to participate in a dance class which consisted of five different types of dance styles: Coastal, Jungle, Anaconda, Andes, and Salsa. We followed dance class with our chow circle where discussed our favorite part of the day and our plans for the following day. After our third clinic day tomorrow, we are making our way to Machu Picchu! Stay tuned!!

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20

Greetings from Peru!

Today we had a packed day, finishing our 3rd successful clinic, learning about different music and instrument’s and a fun night in the town! We started the day off early with breakfast to fuel for our bus ride. Once we arrived to the clinic we got busy setting up and going to our stations. After 2 hours at our stations we had a delicious lunch in the bus and got right back to work. Some of us were helping the pharmacist, shadowing the do to and others helping fill cavities with the dentist! After our 2nd station we made our way back to the home base and started backing for our weekend adventure to the Mara’s salt mines and Macchu piccu!

-Kate

After packing and a little free time we proceeded to do a music workshop where a local musician informed us about different types of interments and their significance. We learned that some instruments are masculine and some are feminine but can be played together to create balance. Then, we proceeded to learn “on the floor“ by Jennifer Lopez and play instruments together! although it wasn’t easy to play the right notes, we successfully created a similar sounding version. After workshop, we ate a delicious dinner and continued packing for our big weekend.

Chow!

-Leigh

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21

Hello! We started our day off with our usual breakfast at the hotel, then departed to the maras salt mine by bus. we saw beautiful views of the progression of salt being formed. after that, we took the bus to andean colors, where we saw textiles, llamas, alpacas, and even guinea pigs! a few brave souls got to hold some guinea pigs and a baby alpaca! the kind workers also taught us how to make different colors for their yarn. we enjoyed a nice lunch on the farm, eating teadition peruvian foods.

After a delicious lunch that Andean Colors provided for us we were able to interact with the llamas and Alpacas. We also viewed the farming of the (cuy) guinea pigs. Andean colors introduced the process of creating the wool and dying it in many colors. They also taught the group how to make colorful bracelets which was super fun! Later we had dinner in Ollantaytambo and were given the chance to try the local delicacy…cuy. We ended the night with a train ride to Aguas Calientes, a quiet end to the eventful day. We have a 4:45 am wake up for Machu Picchu tomorrow and we couldn’t be more excited!!

-Kira & Mia

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22

Hello all!

Today, everyone checked off a box on their bucket list as we explored one of the new 7 wonders of the world, Machu Picchu! Waking up at 4 am was definitely worth it to see this magnificent site. With beautiful weather, we had great views of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and pictures that we will cherish forever. Looking at the early Incan architecture, we discovered how they built homes from stone, and practiced their religion, which centered around the sun and other astrological symbols. After Machu Picchu, we headed back down to the local city, Aguas Calientes, where we walked around going to shops and buying snacks until we had lunch. After much walking, we headed back to the train station and had a peaceful train ride back with gorgeous views of the Andes mountains.

-Olivia

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25

For starters, yesterday we went to a cooking class in Cusco and made traditional foods like ajo de gallina and lomo saltado. It was a really good experience and everybody learned a lot about cooking. We then went to MetLife’s round table and toured a greenhouse. It was really amazing to see the non-medical work med-life does and how much more variety farmers have when growing in a greenhouse vs outside. We also visited a patient’s home that is involed in Medlife’s follow up program to learn about her treatment program. We started out today with a sleep in until 8:30, which was awesome, and then started the bus trip to the rafting and zip lining place.

We stopped at a small market along the way for some snacks and played with a kitten that belonged to an older woman who owned the shop. When we got to the place, we started with a zip line across the river, then went on a 2 hour raft ride, then finished with lunch inside and a sauna to warm up. The rapids went up to class 3 and were a ton of fun. We then went back home in the van, stopping again to see the kitten, and came back to home base where we did a leadership activity and had dinner. We finished the day with candy and watching the emperors new groove. It was a super fun day.

-Cooper

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

¡Hola a todos!

We began our day with an extra two hours to sleep in (for which we were all exceptionally grateful) before heading to breakfast at 9:00. After everyone finished eating, we walked over to the San Blas market where we had the opportunity to shop at some beautiful markets. We then headed over to the San Blas plaza, nestled amongst one of Cusco’s artsiest neighborhoods. We played a fun game or fishbowl as part of our leadership activity before having free time to browse local shops and cafes, where many of us enjoyed iced lattes!

After lunch back at the hotel, we visited Qorikancha, an art museum that had once served as an Incan temple of the sun before being converted to a monastery and church of Santo Domingo by the Spanish. After taking in the beautiful art and architecture, we spent some time in the San Pedro market before heading back for dinner. We wrapped up the night with mentor groups and prepared to enjoy our last day in Peru!

-Maddie

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by Austyn & the Hawaii Team

Hello to all of our favorite GLA Hawaii girlies!

It’s hard to believe how much time has passed since you all were waking up in your cabins to the sound of crashing waves, roosters crowing and Abbie squealing at Camp Olowalu. We had such an amazing time with you all swimming in the ocean and waterfalls, playing beach olympics (where you all got impressively competitive!), diving into the bluest ocean water and watching those dolphins give us a show, learning about Hawaiian culture from all of our amazing speakers and service partners like Ua and Auntie Nettie, and crushing it at the Kipuko Olowalu, Habitat and Lahaina Resource Center service projects! You all brought so much enthusiasm, curiosity, compassion and love to each other, the staff and all of the people you interacted with in Maui, and we are so lucky that we had each of you as a part of that magical group of students. We hope you carried all of the perspective you gained from this beautiful island back home with you, and that you are continuing to grow into your full leadership potential each day. Remember-change is made through intentional, small actions and engagement in meaningful relationships over time. I can’t wait to see how you all continue to make real change in your own unique ways. Keep spreading your Aloha and know that I am cheering you on always!

-Austyn/mom

Hey Abbie, Audrey, Cynthia, Elizabeth, Ella , Giselle, and Schuyler

How’s it going gang? I can’t believe how much time has passed since those amazing 10 days in Maui! I hope you have brought all the lessons and memories from the trip into your everyday life. Now that some time has passed I want you to think of the biggest takeaways from our time together. I also hope that you all are working towards the group goal we had set on our final day together in Maui. I wish you the best of luck in all your future adventures and continue to live your values to the fullest!

Aloha,
Charlie

Heyyyyyyyy Lucy, Chloe, Lexie, Genesis, Cayla, Allie and Jay,

It’s hard to believe that six months have passed since our unforgettable days in Maui! Reflecting on that time fills me with immense gratitude for the experiences we shared.

I encourage each of you to take a moment to contemplate the journey you’ve been on since then. What insights have you gained about yourself as a leader? In what ways have you positively impacted your community? As we move forward, what aspirations and goals are you setting for the future?

I hope you are all doing well. I miss each and every one of you deeply and hope the impact of our time together is still alive. May you continue to channel that energy to do good in your communities! May your paths be filled with success, growth, and fulfillment.

With Lots of Love,
Tori 🙂

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
2. We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
3. Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
4. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
5. Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

Today we woke up and got together for breakfast. After a lovely meal from Jake, we piled into the vans and headed to our hiking spot. We got out and had a great hike through the Forrest/jungle and traversed a small river. We eventually ended up in a clearing where we all picked tea plants and watched as Ua made a ley for us with some ferns. After we took pictures with the fern crown, we all lined up to do some hula dancing. We learned a few different moves that we will be using on the luau night! On the way back we stopped by the river and some of us got in and used a special plant to clean off the dirt.

After that, we went to a park and sat down for some caesar raps (thanks jake). Then we got back into the van and blasted some great songs on our way back to the grounds. Once back, some of us took a swim test and then the rest of us joined for a swim afterward. Before we swam though we played a few name games and did our shout outs and announcements. We all showered after swimming and hung out making bracelets and walking the beach until dinner and then we had groups to discuss leadership and what a leader is.

-Schuyler & Lexie

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 22

Today we went to do service work & learned so many cool new things! we helped remove invasive plants to make room for new ones we will plant later and learned about a lot of plants. how some water themselves during the night and othered the leaves turn red and that shows the sharks are nervous. we even had a chance to learn how to make leis to take home with us. we also had a guest speaker who talked about how we may think of the time we are in now as bad but people also thought that during their time and how we grow over time. we needed the day with a awesome activity talking about how important the land is to the natives.

-Lucy & Cynthia

BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

Written by: Giselle and Jay

Today was a full day! We started off with breakfast of 7am and then headed off on The Road to Hana. Our tour guides Kea and Gus/Gustavo, drove us to Hana, making stops at cool places along the way. During our first stop, we did a bit of sight seeing where we saw the ocean waves crashing into rocks and many sea turtles we initially thought were rocks! Some of us even got an up-close look at a sea turtle on his own sunbathing!

Our second stop was Auntie Sandy’s for some fresh banana bread straight from the banana plantations. Everyone got to get a taste and most everyone went back for seconds, thirds, and even fourths, it was so good! There were more crashing to see as we ate our banana bread at rest stop. There were also a few local vendors.
Our third stop was a bit of a surprise stop at a small local jewelry shop. Everyone checked out the jewelry and many of us got rings, bracelets, and necklaces.

We continued on to find a waterfall which was our fourth stop. It was freezing! It also started to rain and the rain was freezing as well. We got a chance to swim behind and around the crashing water. The cold was honestly refreshing.
We got back into our vans with wet clothes and continued on to our next stop, the Black Sand Beach. The name was a little misleading as the beach was black but there was a lot more rock/stone than sand. This one was the group’s favorite stop! The waves were huge and the water was so salty.

After the beach we headed back to the vans and stopped at a chocolate farm.
We tired some handmade fresh dark chocolate and saw a fat pig named Chanel. And got to give her some snacks before it started to rain. After this we started to head home on our long car ride and we went through the 356 turns on the road of Hana. Some also napped on the long ride home.

After this adventure we showered and had some Chinese food for dinner and ended the night with some trivia on the things we learned today.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

Starting off the day, we had pancakes, eggs, fruit, bacon and yogurt for breakfast. Shortly after, we went on a drive to a Habitat for Humanity house to prep for painting by filling in holes and putting in the flooring. The house was to be given to a native family of five who needed the extra help affording a place to live. We then ate lunch at the scene and chatted about our day. At 3:00 we left to go back to camp where we showered off a hard day of work and got ready to relax. Shortly after we reflected on our day in a “chow circle” and ate a dinner of steak, mashed potatoes, asparagus, salad, and bread rolls. To end the day we played trust games with an engraved message surrounding healthy communication skills.

-Cayla & Abbie

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

This morning we woke up at 6:30 and went to breakfast at 6:45. We had acai bowls with granola bananas, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and honey. We left to go onto the bus at 7:30 to do service across the street where we picked weeds and planted seeds. We ate lunch at the creek where some of us went swimming! We then stopped at the convenience store and bought snacks for our movie night later tonight. We stopped at our home base to pack for our hiking trip which was the Hoapili trail. It was 5 miles roundtrip, we saw the ocean views and lava rocks. We then went back to home base where we ate hamburgers, hot dogs and Mac and cheese for dinner. We ended our night by watching Moana on the big screen.

-Allie & Audrey

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 26

This morning we got up and went to the Ritz Carlton and watched a documentary on Hawaiian history concerning colonization and the annexation of Hawaii. We learned about the continuing decline of “pure Hawaiians”, how natives are forced into poverty, and the integration of western culture with the spirituality of the Native Hawaiians.

After the documentary, we were allowed to ask questions to Uncle, the supervisor and showrunner of the documentary. We learned that most pure Hawaiians now come from Ni’ihau, a private residential island, and that by 2044 it’s predicted that no pure Hawaiians will exist.

After our education exploration with the ritz Carlton, we retired back to our campsite and indulged in our cook Jake’s delicious lunch which included salad, chips, and barbecue (thanks Jake!).

Then, we set off for the Lahaina Recovery Center, where Aunty Nettie orientated us on what we were doing which involved moving boxes, labeling, setting up showrooms, etc. These items were donated to help families that lost everything in the Lahaina fire last year.

We helped those like Uncle Jojo move toiletries, chandeliers, extension cords and more during our time with the recovery center, which we participated in for the next few hours.

Afterwards, we enjoyed a pizza night, then to close the night off we met with our mentor groups to discuss the different leaders and organizations we’d done service work with, their different leadership styles, whose were most effective, what we learned, and our overall thoughts of the experience up to this point. Then, we called it a night, and everyone’s excited to go snorkeling with each other tomorrow!

-Elizabeth and Chloe

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 27

We started off the day with getting ready to go on the catamaran which we had breakfast on. When we got to our snorkeling destination they taught us how to put it on and the signals when we’re out on the water. As we sailed through the ocean we stopped somewhere to snorkel. We swam over a sunken pier and discovered a multitude of sea turtles. Everyone hopped back on the boat for some sun bathing at the front and sightseeing. Soon enough we stopped again to jump into the Pacific Ocean. We were able to open our eyes under water and see 150 feet of nothingness underneath! As we were sailing back, a pod of dolphins was swimming right next to us. After many videos and photos were taken, we finally returned to home base.

The next activity was beach olympics! Three teams were made and the fun began! Competitiveness ran high as we played many fun games, one of which included building something to represent what takeaways we have from the service we did.

Lastly, we went to the luau! They had all included four course meal and any drink on the menu, my favorite was the pulled pork. Our waiter Uncle Tim gave us surprise drinks if we asked. As we ate they had live music and dance. The dances were recreated stories of Hawaii, like the beginning of agriculture and the fire goddess. Some dances honored the past kings and queens. We also had a moment of silence for everyone who lost everything from the fire. They’re using the money from the luau to donate towards helping to build back what was lost from the fires. At the end we had a farewell dance which they hoped we come again.

Ella and Genesis 😘

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by Austyn & the Hawaii Team

Hello to all of our wonderful GLA Hawaii students!

It’s hard to believe how much time has passed since you all were waking up in your cabins to the sound of crashing waves and roosters crowing at Camp Olowalu. We had such an amazing time with you all swimming in the ocean and waterfalls, playing beach olympics (where the boys were surprisingly good at limbo!), learning about Hawaiian culture from our amazing speakers Abner and Rodney, and doing service work with Kipuko Olowalu and Backpacks for Hope. You all showed a ton of growth over those 10 days, and we hope you are continuing to grow into your full leadership potential back at home. Remember-change is made through intentional, small actions and engagement in meaningful relationships over time. I can’t wait to see how you all continue to make real change in your own unique ways. Cheering you on always!
-Austyn

Emily:

Em&m’s!!!!!

Beach Olympics winners!

It was an immense joy working with all of you on our session months ago (…? Wild it’s been so long). As promised, here is the email reminder of our group-chosen one meaningful goal. How’ve you done so far?! It’s ok if you forgot, life gets in the way. Let this be the reminder. I’m hoping all of you enjoyed the remainders of your summer breaks before school, some of you had some fun sounding trips planned. As important as a mindset geared for community service is, so is having fun. Because like I always say, you have to take care of yourself before taking care of others. I still fully believe in each of you to take on a leadership position in whichever way it feels right to you, because this world needs many types of leaders, and there is space for each of us. Hoping you’ve been well, and the warmest wishes from Em

Charlie:
Nate, Sydney, Julia, Maya, Julie, Willow and Liam

Hello y’all how’s it going? Oh boy how has the time flown since those magical weeks in Maui. I hope all is well on your end and the school year is going great! I just wanted to reach out to see how you are doing as leaders in your community. Hopefully we were able to strengthen those skills during our 10 days together. Just remember in my heart 4 x 4 will always equal 8.

Stay awesome
Charlie

Tori:
Hey Liv, Fallynn, Maeghan, Cat, John, Hopper, Caden, and Eddie!

It’s hard to believe that six months have passed since our unforgettable days in Maui! As I reflect on that time, I’m filled with gratitude for the experiences we shared and the bonds we forged.

I want to encourage each of you to take a moment to contemplate the journey you’ve been on since then. What insights have you gained about yourself as a leader? In what ways have you made a positive impact on your community? As we move forward, what aspirations and goals are you setting for the next six months?

Let’s continue to live our values with integrity, embrace courage in the face of challenges, foster meaningful connections, and take purposeful actions.

With love,
Tori

OMG GOALS SESSION 1:

Emily’s mentor group:

Charlie’s Mentor group:

Tori’s mentor group:

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

1. Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
2. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
3. Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
4. Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Hello!

Missing two students from the group photo due to late arrivals and only got photos of a smaller group of students at an overlook (it was a van coming from airport back to HB) but it’s a good picture so I included it! We will take another group photo with everyone in it tomorrow after our final two arrivals.

Thanks!

-Austyn

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Awakening to the beautiful sound of waves crashing and roosters singing, our GLA students began their day by consuming a delicious meal. The meal consisted of fresh pineapple, watermelon, eggs, Spam, and of course coffee. We then embarked of a journey to the Iao Valley, where we learned about the culture of Hawaii through gathering tea leaves to be processed and used to make leis and then leaving physical offerings to the ancestors of the land we were on. Following this learning, we continued our journey to a part of the river where some incredibly courageous students chose to swim in the cold water. We then had a fulfilling lunch with a stunning view. We returned to base camp to have a riveting discussion about the ethics of volenturism, benefits of disconnecting from our phones, and ways to be present with each other this week. We then swam in the beautiful blue waves for over an hour. After swimming,we circled up to discuss the day. A delicous dinner folllowed this. We had lasagna. After some time of rest, we went into groups for more activities and then turned in for the night.

Written by Liam & Hoppe

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

This morning, we participated in service with our partner Kipuko Olowalu where we got rid of invasive weeds and planted native plants. We learned how to keep balance between us and nature. Our volunteer leader taught us more about Hawaiian culture and how to connect with nature. We learned more about Hawaiian land rights history from our volunteer partner and our guest speaker Abner. We gained a lot of insight on modern day issues such as conservation, native rights and development of Hawaiian land. Many of us swam in the ocean and saw two seals.

-Marshall, Julia, Maeghan

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Today was our first big excursion! For breakfast we had some yummy smoothies and then we left to drive the Road to Hana. We went down a super windy road and some of us definitely had to overcome car sickness. We stopped at a few sites along the way including some lookouts, a banana bread bakery with the best banana bread we have ever had, and a waterfall where we got to swim. The water was really cold but we got in anyway! After enjoying the refreshing water we continued up to the beach and had lunch there. After lunch we swam at the black sand beach and explored around the area. We then had a windy road back to home base where we had pizza and other treats for dinner! Lastly we ended the night with some Hawaii themed Jeopardy!

– Olivia, Maya, and Eddie

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Hey GLA fans!!! Today was a great Friday full with adventure and connecting time! We first started the day with watching an Informational National Geographic short film about the history of Hawaii and its diminishing population of pure Hawaiians over the years. We later than devoured a scrumptious lunch of kebabs made by our talented chefs. Afterwards we headed our way over to our service of the day and helped with removing the invasive plant species of Maui and learned about its ingenious and endemic plants. At night we indulged in a Asian cuisine dinner and put away a whopping 100 spring rolls. Finally we finished the day stargazing and having mindful and deep conversation with our councilors. See yall tomorrow GLA mega fans and stay tuned!!!

-Chloe, Nate, Fallyn

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

We had a really early start to the day. We were on the road at 6:15 in the morning, heading to backpacks of hope where we gave backpacks, food, and water to people in need. After we were no longer needed we headed to the beach to pick up trash. We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in the sand and swimming in the ocean. Once we were done we had the absolute privilege of being invited to the Epic Swim event where we got to speak to the people swimming around the island of Maui to bring awareness to the health of the ocean, and we watched a documentary about Duke Paoa Kahanamoku “the father of surfing”. All together we had a very rewarding day and we all went to bed feeling accomplished.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

With a slightly late start to the morning, we enjoyed another delicious breakfast made by our chefs, Jake and Nick. Unfortunately, the Haleakala volcano we were supposed to explore was closed due to a fire which caused us to reschedule our day. Our first activity was a shopping trip to Paia Town, Paia meaning noisy in Hawaiian. After shopping we ate lunch at the beach and headed over to our afternoon activity. We took a shoreline hike on the Hoapili trail and headed back to home base. For dinner tonight we had short ribs, mashed potatoes and green beans with regular salad. We concluded our night with mentor groups. WE ARE ALL EXCITED TO SURF IN THE WATER TOMORROW!!!

-Shea and Caden

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Today we took surfing lessons at the guardrails beach. The water was very clear and the people were very welcoming. Some of us even saw a sea turtle while surfing! Then we went back to homebase and some people got shaved ice and others went to the general store. After that we played the beach Olympics which was 3 groups and we competed in different challenges. Throughout the Olympics there was a mixture of being flexible and being blindfolded for majority of the challenges. We then had hotdogs and hamburgers for dinner and after that had smores.

John, Julie, and Morgan

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by Adela & the Guatemala Team

From Adela:
Hey honorary Chapines! A lot of time has passed since we were all in Guatemala together, but for me it feels like we were JUST experiencing so many new and exciting adventures. I know that you all had a lot of plans for when you got back from Guatemala, applying for college, more traveling, soaking up the last bit of summer, I hope those all went so well, but also that Guatemala holds a special place for you.

The clinics that we did at the school in Guatemala were influential, we did find quite a few cases of children with malnutrition, luckily we were able to start the process of growth with the oatmeal and vitamins, and the doctor will continue with the work we started. I was inspired by your willingness to help and connect with other people in Guatemala. While you contributed so much to these children and schools, I know they left an impact on you as well. I hope your experiences here have influenced you to inspire change in your own communities, and to pursue goals in your own life that will create a difference.

Along with service, we experienced so many great adventures. From the coffee farm, to hiking a volcano, dancing, to chocolate, weaving, ziplining, and more! We even had a marriage! Even though by the end we faced some challenges with sickness, I believe that it was a bonding and growth experience! You all have lived an experience that is unique, and I hope you look back on it with a smile and positivity.

Finally, we have our group’s OMG! One meaningful goal. We all decided to use resources and things we’ve learned to benefit ourselves and those around us. I hope you can come back to this goal and let it inspire you. Every one of you has an abundance of potential and I hope it leads you to beautiful and great things.

Thank you for creating such a unique and fun experience, and thank you so much for making these wonderful memories in such a beautiful and adventurous place! Good luck with your personal and group goals, and I hope that your lives blossom with what we asked for during our Mayan ceremony: vision, wisdom and abundance. Much love to you all!

From Jossy:
To the group:
Hey everyone, now that you went back home and you are getting to your regular routine. I just want you to receive these words and that they bring good memories of the things you learned and you enjoyed while you were in Guatemala, I’m glad I had the opportunity to get to know you. I’m impressed with the impact and good relationships you formed with the whole group but also the amazing work you did in the service with the kids and teachers. It was really good for me to see how engaged you were with your work at the school, and also how you overcome difficulties that normally happen while you travel. My best wishes for you, I’m sure amazing things are waiting in your future.

To my mentor group:
Thank you for taking the time and commitment to have deep conversations in our group, I’m glad I had the chance to get to know you a little bit better, the things that you love, your pets, the nice places that you love, part of your work.
Sharing your thoughts sometimes is difficult while you are with people that you don’t know but is a really good opportunity for you to get to know people as well and it shows how brave and open-minded you are.
Thank you for your commitment and the amazing impact you showed during service.
I’m glad I shared this experience with you and I know you are going to have amazing futures where you can put in practice the things you learned during this trip.

I hope you keep traveling and open your minds to learn more about different cultures, that you appreciate and use your privileges for good causes.

Lots of love and good luck in everything you do in the future.

From Will:
Hey guys,

I am sure it is hard to imagine that so much time has already gone by since you were in Guatemala, but I hope everyone is having a great school year so far! Whether you are applying to college or navigating the challenges of another year of high school, I believe it is important to keep in mind the experience that you had in Guatemala. I really enjoyed the time we spent together, and I hope the feeling was mutual for everyone. Your group was special for me because you guys fully embraced the clinic we set up at the school and it was amazing for me to see so many of you guys form special bonds with the students. I know we had some difficult times during the program when everyone got sick, but I hope you guys focus on the positive moments when thinking of your time in Guatemala. Lastly, I want to encourage everyone to keep seeking challenges outside of their comfort zone because I have found that this is the key to learning and growing as a person. This can be done through small daily goals or making choices that scare us. A great way to do this is through traveling because life outside the United States can be very different than what we are used to. Good luck with everything and I hope our paths cross again someday through GLA or somewhere else in this crazy world!

Best,
William

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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

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Welcome to Guatemala! Bienvenidos! It was a long day of arrivals from 6am to midnight, but happily everyone arrived and we had our whole group together by the end of the day. Upon arrival in Guatemala City, each arrival group took an hour long drive to the old, beautiful, colonial city of Antigua. At the end of the day, we were all able to meet roommates and head to bed excited for new adventures and for the exciting day tomorrow of Mayan culture and coffee!

Buenas noches!

– Adela (International Director)

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Today we woke up in the beautiful Antigua, had breakfast and went right to a Mayan wedding ceremony. Here we got the opportunity to learn how to weave traditional textiles, and also got to role play a Mayan wedding. Soon after we headed to a coffee farm, where we took a tour and learned the process of coffee history, growing, harvesting, roasting, brewing, and drinking! As we exited we were able to try some samples of delicious cafe, and even try coffee jam. We then had a delicious lunch at the coffee farm and made the long journey to our home base in Xela. Here we were able to start orientation, officially meet our roommates, take a home base tour, and have dinner! Afterwards, we finished a bit more of orientation and headed to bed!

– Adela

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Day 2 in Guatemala! Woke up to the church bells of Quetzaltenango, we began the morning by indulging in delectable homemade sausage & eggs. We then made our way to the Meeting room where intelligent doctors taught us about malnutrition in children and adults. We learned the intricate process of taking vitals, including blood pressure, blood sugar, blood oxygen, etc. We then walked down to the comedor to eat Arroz con Pollo. Then we had some free time to have disconnected fun and play UNO as well as other card games! The group then got CPR certified after an intense training period of over 600 chest compressions in total!!! Then we had some delicious Tamales with a Tostado and beans on the side. We then played a deep game of “Social Sync” where we had some realizations that maybe 2 weeks without phones could be OK! And then we all said goodnight, and caught some Z’s!

From Ethan and Nadia!!!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Today marked a very special day for us: our first day of community service! We woke up bright and early to travel to a local school where we provided health services to first grade children. Despite the originally daunting impression of the large group of students to aid, teamwork and our enthusiasm made today fun and memorable experience. Along with the various medical skill we applied such as calculating BMI and evaluating malnutrition, we collectively agree that the best part of service was the connection that were fostered with the children accompanied with the several letters and drawing they gifted to us.

Following service, we visited the Trama Textiles—a women’s group that promotes healing and community through the intricate art of weaving. This visit taught us about the generational trauma following the civil war and the power of community for overcoming emotional barriers. Additionally, we were shown the three stages of weaving and even has the opportunity to try it ourselves! After a filling day of service and education, we applied our leadership skills through debating the topic of traditional and modern healthcare in Guatemala, which deepened our understanding the value of tradition along with the need for advancement in an underdeveloped country. After the experiences of the day, we are all looking forward to continuing to develop our leadership skills through interaction with not only our group, but the children and healthcare professionals that we have the opportunity to work with.

Leela and Kesar

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

It was our second day of service today! We got to spend even more time at the school and interact with more of the kids. Since we knew what we were doing everything went a lot smoother.

After a delicious lunch at home base we left for salsa class. Everyone learned a lot of dance moves and had a great time. Straight after salsa class we got to go to a place that makes and sells chocolate. Everyone was hungry after salsa and ate lots of fruit with chocolate. We even got to taste different types of chocolate drinks.

Once back at base we played with a soccer ball together; later we all watched the soccer game between Columbia and Uruguay. Then we had an amazing dinner where most people went back for seconds.

Lots of love,

Bill and Elizabeth

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

7:30 breakfast as usual.

We left at around 8:00 am to return to the school. This time we switched roles. It was a challenge since we had gotten used to the stations we had for the past two days yet this was a great opportunity to expand our knowledge and enhance our experience. In order to grow, we had to step outside our comfort zone. It was also a great teaching opportunity as well as a learning opportunity. We got to exchange information from those who did the stations previously to the ones who would be taking over today. We got to utilize teamwork, collaboration, and communication skills.

During recess, we played with the kids. Interaction between those who provide care and those who receive it is very important. Building an understanding in these circumstances are very beneficial for both parties and we got to experience it firsthand. We practiced Spanish for example while playing soccer or basketball with the kids. And just like us, they weren’t attached to a mobile device so we all were living in the moment.

After recess at around 10:30 we opened up the clinic again.

12:00 was lunch. At 1:30 we left for Momostenango.

Then at around 2:30 we arrived in Momostenango. After many days in the heart of the cities, going to Momostenango, a city within the mountains and forests, was a good change of pace. It was beautiful. We witnessed the process of making yarn and clothing. We each got a chance to try our hand at the spinning wheel. Everything was natural, even the dyes which we learned came from plants, bugs, and even out of the country! We got to try weaving and designing as well. Afterwards we were treated to homemade cooking: tortillas with beans, guacamole, and salsa. We drank tortilla tea as well. Afterwards we hiked back up to our bus since we had to hike down part of the mountain since the house was along the edges of the beautiful hilltops.

7:00 dinner. After dinner we watched two videos on the importance of getting rid of stereotypes and not dehumanizing people. We learned and agreed that social media can create unrealistic expectations and can cause harm when people only want to help others for the attention or likes. We were reminded on what we had been doing for the last few days: we go to service with no phones and social media, so we get to be in the moment and do work for the benefit of others. We thrive in genuine in person interactions, like the ones we had with the kids, not the exaggerated or belittling story/life/reality that is shown online. Overall the day ended with a good reminder of why we joined GLA: we seek to learn and to serve, like how GLA seeks to teach and serve. In the end, we all gain something valuable.

Izzy and Kiara

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

After a quick breakfast of fresh fruits and coffee, we made our way to the school for the fourth day. We were greeted with warm smiles and enthusiastic waves from the kids. We spent the morning engaging in various activities—drawing, reading, and playing games as well as continuing our medical check ups with the children.

After a fulfilling morning of volunteering, a trip to the nearby hot springs was the perfect way to unwind. The journey to the springs was scenic, with winding roads and misty mountains offering glimpses of Guatemala’s breathtaking landscape.

The combination of meaningful volunteer work and the natural therapy of the hot springs made for a truly unforgettable experience.

Love,
Lily and Matthew

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Today, our group went zip lining! It was a wonderful experience and very beautiful. The friendly guides, the state-of-the-art equipment, and the breathtaking views all contributed to an atmosphere of excitement and adventure. Everyone had so much fun! Then we went to San Andres a beautiful city with amazing culture and traditions. The church we saw was painted with such perfection it was breathtaking. Our Guide also surprised us with bread and hot chocolate. After that we headed to a mall and had a blast there buying snacks and other items. 🙂

-Rosa and Anya

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

Although we woke up later than usual, we still had a full day ahead of us. We got into the bus a bit behind schedule yet we made it to the Chichanatengo market at around 1:00. We ate lunch at a very beautiful place with parrots hanging out on branches. After we ate we established our meeting place near the birds and left in groups to explore the markets. Some of us went to the ATM first. There were many things to see such as clothing and food. We stayed until around 2:15. Many people got the opportunity to practice their bargaining skills in Spanish. Then we left and returned back to the parrot place.

Soon afterwards, we were back on the road. On the way we stopped at a lookout area where we took pictures of Lake Atitlan. After 10 more minutes of driving, at around 4:20 or so, we arrived at a smaller marketplace. It was the lake Atitlan town, a beautiful area very close to the hotel. We stayed there until 6, before we left. While there, one of our own people helped out a child in need and gave some money to him. That sort of kindness and generosity is valued highly at GLA. After the marketplace we traveled to the hotel for dinner. Some of us already ate but we enjoyed some delicious local food before we celebrated someone’s birthday. We surprised them with a Piñata and treats! We went to bed feeling good, even when a few of us started getting sick. Even with the sickness, we still stay strong and willing to adventure and learn!!

– Izzy

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Today we woke up at our hotel by lake Atitlan and got ready to head across the lake to San Juan; one of the many gorgeous towns in the area. The boat trip took around a half an hour and once we arrived we were able to split our separate ways to explore the area! The town was filled with vibrant colors, beautiful sights and numerous shops to get souvenirs and gifts from! Not to mention lots of delicious cafes and restaurants with amazing food and drinks! After about an hour and a half of shopping we traveled back to the hotel to have lunch and get ready for our 4 hour trip back to home base.

Once we arrived back we spent the rest of the day taking time to relax and spend time together before having dinner, mentor groups, and then going to bed to get ready for a fun day of adventure tomorrow!

Autumn, Maddy, and Chase

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

Today started off, slow and restful with an 8am breakfast and the option to stay at home-base or going on a hike in San Martin Sacatepequez. Those of us who opted for the light hike, went on our way, packing our cameras, bug spray, and snacks, while the rest of us stayed back and slept in. Once we got to Chicabal volcano we rode a small truck called “El toro (the bull)” up the mountain and then hiked down to a beautiful and sacred lake, formed from a natural crater in the volcano. Getting there took a lot of skillful stair climbing, but once we arrived we could all feel the magic of the space. Covered in fog, Chicabal lake truly felt sacred. Before heading back up/down the mountain we ate some yummy chips and peach juice. When we got back everyone gathered to eat out FAVORITO fried chicken lunch and then the rest of the afternoon consisted of more recovering or playing games. For the last part of our day, we did shout-out circle, ate dinner, and played a game of Guatemala-themed jeopardy!

Buenas noches!!

Maddy, Autumn, Chase

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

After we risen we went to eat our delicious and nutritious breakfast to get us ready for our last day of service as we were all very excited and also sad because we had to say goodbye to the bonds we had created we indulged in a dance that the kids performed for us, and all of us joined in as the kids invited us with excitement we then listened to Will’s horrendous speech and said our goodbyes and came back for lunch that consisted of chicken yet again we had some free time where we laughed and giggled and then settled down for a leadership activity where we reflected on our previous letters that we wrote early on in our journey. We learned how to use our resources for the greater good and really appreciate the things we have. We then had a closing ceremony where we sat in a circle and reminisced about our memories during this wonderful trip we then had dinner followed by a birthday surprise for our dearest Elizabeth who turned 16 today! All in all, we had a great last day at our homebase and are ready to travel to Antigua tomorrow.

Best wishes,

Lola, Daniel and Quinn (the best team leaders of the day)