PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

From Adela:
Hey everybody! I can’t believe so much time has passed since we were all together! It seems like we were JUST painting walls, eating and drinking tons of chocolate, and traveling on cramped buses. After arriving back from this trip, I know you all had so many activities planned for the rest of the summer, and even now that you’re all immersed in your classes in high school or maybe even college, I still think about all the wonderful adventures we shared together.

The schools here in Guatemala that we visited were influenced so much by your visits, with walls brightened by your creativity, and children so happy they had met you. I too was inspired by your creativity and willingness to connect with other people here. 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! I’ll never forget your amazing band performances, the mentors and I just knew ours would never measure up!

Finally, we can’t forget our group’s OMG! One meaningful goal. We all decided to take initiative in our own lives to make a change, and we’re going to do that by checking in with one another, with community members, parents, and the internet! I would love to see how you all are incorporating the OMG into your lives, I know that no matter how you decide to achieve this OMG, you’re making a difference in your communities. You each have so much potential and kindness in your hearts, I am so excited to see where it leads you.

Thank you for always making me laugh, 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 your futures are full of beauty and light!

Esthefany:
As almost you all know by now, I experienced my first GLA program with all of you. Personally, it is an experience that I definitely want to repeat. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to be your mentor in this leadership experience and for teaching me so many new words in English. It was a pleasure to have you here in my country and share in deep so many aspects of our culture: the food, the textiles, our diverse people, customs and beautiful landscapes. I loved how open minded you were to immerse yourselves in a culture so different from yours but also you were so brave to do it by yourself. Thanks a lot for letting me be your mentor in this experience. I am pretty sure that all of you have a great potential and I’m curious to see what type of leader you become in the upcoming years. You know that you’ll always have a friend and a mentor in Guatemala. I had a really great time with you all and I hope our paths cross again in life.
Esthefany Moscoso

Dear Yasmin, Onyx, Amanda, Oona, Maria, Maggie, Cami and Chloe. Thanks a lot for all the time, experiences and the insights that you shared with me during our mentor group sessions. I learned so many things from talking to each one of you, it was a pleasure for me to be able to lead and guide our discussions. I really felt that we connected on the day that we did the “show a photo on your phone” activity. I got inspired by the quality of humans you all are and I am completely sure that you will achieve great things in life. Based on things that we discussed during our mentor groups…I wanted to share this quote with you. “There are three essentials to leadership: humility, clarity and courage.” —Chan Master Fuchan Yuan
Don’t forget to practice this and always try to put your own secret sauce to your leadership path. I’m sending you a big hug!

Will:
Hey everyone! I hope the last months have gone well and everyone is having a positive start to the school year so far. I would imagine it is hard to believe that so much time has passed since you were in Guatemala. Hopefully you have been able to create some positive change wherever you live, whether It is in your own lives or the lives of others. I want to encourage you guys to keep pushing your boundaries and trying new things because in my own life I have found this to be the key to personal growth and happiness. This can be as simple as going outside your comfort zone on a daily basis because when you keep doing the same things every day I think It can be difficult to not be complacent. Thank you so much for all of your hard work and interesting discussions. I had an amazing time with your group and miss you all!

Best,
Will

P.S. Keep traveling the world if you ever have the opportunity! There are so many amazing countries out there to experience and before you know It you may not be able to do so due to responsibilities and other boring adult stuff haha

To my mentor group,

Thank you for all of your input and insightful comments during our discussions. I truly feel that I learned a lot from listening to you guys speak and hope you were able to do the same from me. I know sometimes the activities were difficult when you were tired at the end of a long day, but I felt like you guys always stepped up to the challenge and for that I am very thankful. I am always here to help if you guys ever need anything like a recommendation for college or just some advice on navigating the challenges that life presents us. I hope that one day our paths cross again, whether It be through GLA or something else!

Sincerely,
Will

Jossy:
Jack, Alyssa, Phoenix, Ari, Sierra, Lucy, Bailey, Ellery and Nicole,
I just want to thank you all for all the energy and good attitude you showed during the program, it was an amazing experience to have you
all in my mentor group, all the deep conversations and sharing moments were very important for everyone to have an even better experience, we learned from each other and I can see in each of you how eager you were to learn, share your knowledge and help others to grow with you. You have very kind hearts, amazing humour, great personalities and the intelligence to create and achieve amazing things for yourselves and the communities you are part of.

I’m really glad to have had the opportunity to share this experience with you and I’m sure you will have an amazing future full of joy, success and achievement.

Much love to you!

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18

The hard part is over! After a long day (or night) of traveling to Guatemala, our group is finally together, with a couple others coming tomorrow. After getting off our flights, we were able to eat at some typical Guatemalan restaurants, and head to Antigua! Tomorrow we’re excited to enjoy this colorful colonial city for some coffee, then head to Xela where our home base is located!

Buenas noches!

Adela – International Director

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19 & 20

We’re so happy to be in Xela with every member of our GLA family! Yesterday was a beautiful day that started with a delicious breakfast at our Antigua hotel that consisted of beans and many other different breakfast foods!

Soon after, we headed to a Mayan Wedding Ceremony where we were taught the typical customs of an indigenous Guatemalan wedding, one of which consisted of the bride hand weaving beautiful textiles for her mother-in-law.

We then headed to a coffee farm where we learned about coffee plants and fruit, drying, roasting, grinding, and the history of how Guatemalans have typically incorporated coffee into their culture.

We ate a delicious lunch at the coffee farm, and did some activities with our mentor groups before heading out on a long drive to Xela, where home base is located.

It is rainy season here in Guatemala so we’ve gotten to enjoy most activities with a healthy dose of precipitation. Due to this, we arrived to home base around 8:00, and were eager to eat a quick dinner and go to bed!

This morning, we were excited to head to our first service day, where we started designing areas to paint in schools, and playing with the kids that attend them! No language barrier stood in the way of creating a playful energy.

A full morning of service lead to an exciting afternoon of chocolate and salsa. We started the chocolate factory with a full on fruit buffet accompanied by chocolate fountains followed by many courses of chocolate drinks, including hot chocolate, chocolate teas, and cardamom chocolate.

The chocolate experience energized us for our next activity, salsa. We danced until we couldn’t anymore, and headed home.

Upon arrival, we finished orientation, had dinner, did leadership activities, and finally headed to bed after a long but meaningful day.

Buenas noches,
ID – Adela

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21

We woke up to the quaint sound of church bells in the cloudy mountains of Xela. After breakfast, we headed to our service sites where we painted a mural at a local school and gave English lessons to the children. After lunch, we went to a local woman-owned textile business and learned about the history of the civil war and its impact on the community. We came back to do some mindful goal-setting and self-reflective activities. After a quick earthquake, dinner, and mentor groups, we went to bed early in preparation for our volcano hike tomorrow!

¡Hasta luego!

Raphael, Oona, and Maria (leaders of the day)

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22

Hey GLA fam!

Today we started our day early with a hearty breakfast to fuel us for our hike of the sacred Volcano Chicabal. We started our journey up the mountain in cow themed cars which was like a roller coaster ending at the peak of the volcano turned lagoon. After sightseeing , a quick picnic around the lagoon, and a long hike back down, we traveled back to our home base in Xela for lunch followed by a heated debate. Then we ended off the day with a filling meal and left to our rooms to pack and sleep early for our weekend excursions to Lake Atitlan and Chichicastenango market.

Ciao for now!

Adelyne, Yasmin, Onyx

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23

We started the day leaving early for the Chichicastenango Market. We were able to walk around, shop, and explore the culture of the everyday lives of people in Guatemala. We had a quick lunch right outside the market before continuing our journey to Lake Atitlan. We made a stop to see the beautiful view of the lake before continuing to our hotel near the lake.

We then went to a nearby town and were able to shop more, try some of the local foods, observe the local jewels and artifacts, and explore more of the Guatemalan culture. We then returned back to the hotel to eat dinner and talk in our mentor groups, solidifying our relationships within our smaller groups further. Overall it was a really fun day full of exploration and we’re all excited for what the next week of our trip will entail.

-Annie, Maggie, Bailey

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24

Today we ate breakfast at the hotel and then headed on a boat to San Juan where we walked around the town and shopped. We headed back to the hotel and had lunch and then drove all the way back to home-base. We had time to hangout with friends before dinner. We ended the day by playing jeopardy on Guatemalan trivia.

-Ava, Annie, Cami

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25

We started the day off with a delicious breakfast, before leaving for service at 7:30! At service, we worked on painting our murals and talking and playing with the kids that attend the school. At 11, we went to home base for lunch and got ready for the hot springs! Unfortunately, there was a storm and we were not able to stay in the water too long. (ID note – like thirty seconds!) After we changed into warmer clothes, we headed to Interplaza mall, where we stayed for a half an hour! Afterwards, we returned to home base for dinner, and finished the day with mentor groups with a poem activity! Adios!

– Caroline, Lily, and Natasha

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

Today, we had a delicious breakfast around 7 AM. Afterwards, we traveled to service and finished up our paintings, and it was most people’s last day at that specific school. Once service was over around 12 PM, we ate a good lunch and had some free time before our city tour of Xela. We visited the first school GLA had ever fixed up in Guatemala, and also got to visit a cemetery that contained the famous legend of Vanushka (Margarita Mielos). We then walked around a popular cathedral, and proceeded to shop around the city square!

– Jack, Phoenix, Ari

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

This morning we woke up and ate pancakes again for breakfast! Today, everyone went to the same school for our community service work which was a wonderful opportunity for the group to connect as a whole. During service, we continued our work painting the walls and then participated in traditional Guatemalan kids games. During lunch, we ate pasta, chicken, and potatoes before setting off to the small town of Momostenango which was about an hour and a half away from our home base in Xela.

At Momostenango, we learned about the process of tapestry making with wool starting from shearing sheep all the way to weaving the yarn into a rug. This process has been done for seven generations by a local Guatemalan family. We also made tortillas which were so delicious! We headed home and had hamburgers for dinner.

– Sierra, Nicole, and Alice

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Buenos Dias!!!! We woke up bright and early and had the most scrumptious breakfast made by the most amazing home base staff!! 😋😋

After breakfast, we were off on our adventure to the last day of community service at the local escuela! At the school, we finished all murals and played with the kids for the last time. The staff there had treats for us and the children made us paintings as a farewell. We had a piñata and danced with all of the kids before saying our sad goodbyes. They truly impacted us more than they will ever know. ❤️

We then came back to home base and ate a delicious meal before heading off for our afternoon excursions! We went to San Martin Xecula and learned more about the Mayan culture and religious practices. We saw the most beautiful churches and were welcomed by the sweetest tour guide who gave us homemade hot chocolate and fresh bread. Delocioso!!🥖☕️

We ended the night with the BEST PAPUSAS EVER!!! Afterwords, our last mentor group took place and we’re headed to bed early for our last weekend excursion! Although sad, we’re so excited to share all of our memories when we get home.

Buenos noches y hasta pronto!!🤗🤗

Malia, Alyssa, Chloe

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Today we woke up bright and early to eat pancakes, eggs, and yogurt. We jumped on the bus and road into the mountains to zipline. We broke into two groups to avoid rain and drove on the back of a truck (standing up) to the first platform. We ziplined and relaxed at a restaurant before heading back for our last afternoon at home base. We had free time, a reflection in the meeting room, and then began to pack. Finally, we did one last activity that got many emotional and ate a yummy dinner of lasagna and banana bread. Everyone spent some last time together at home base and then finished packing to prepare for our drive back to Antigua. Adios!

Amanda and Ellery

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

We made it to the end! After two beautiful weeks, we have arrived to the last full day of our program. It started with an early morning wake up and drive to Iximche ruins. At the ruins, we were able to participate in a Mayan ceremony where we were able to give thanks and ask for abundance in our lives. We then were given a tour around the ruins and all the different Mayan plazas, and learned that the Mayans played a ball game that would determine political differences, land differences, and other conflicts. The tour was fast, as the rain came on and off a couple times, and soon we had a delicious lunch at a nearby restaurant.

Afterwards, we made the drive to Antigua where some people decided to walk around and explore the city. Soon after, we had our farewell dinner, where people dressed up to the tens. Afterwards, we headed back to our hotel and the first goodbyes were said, and many tears were shed. The next day will be full of more goodbyes and hugs, but only because we had such a wonderful time!

– Adela (ID)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by John & the Greece Team

Turtles Team,

Long time no see, how are we? All good? I hope you had a great rest of your summer. We definitely did, but it wasn’t the same without you guys. You were so much fun. I can’t believe taking you around Greece counts as work. We would do it again in a heartbeat.

Tonight, before you go to bed, I want you to close your eyes and relive some of your favorite memories from Greece. Focus on the highlights. Remember as many details as you can, and one memory will flow into the next. It should put a smile on your face.

I’m going to do the same thing tonight, and there will be so much I’m going to think of. Ancient Delphi was incredible, and so was running on the track in Ancient Olympia. The view from the Acropolis will stay with me forever. I’m going to remember all of the times snorkeling through the beautiful waters of the Mediterranean and swimming at the beaches. I’m going to remember the city tours and delicious food. I’m going to remember the bees and the turtles. And I’m going to remember all of you. I’m proud of all of you. You all did such a great job this summer. I hope you’re proud of yourself too.

How are things going with your group goal? Are you getting more involved in organizations back home? Are you being the change? Are you helping each other stay accountable? If the goal got forgotten during many long summer days, here is a nice little push to remember to keep you on track. You are powerful. Make the change you know you can be. If you need help, feel free to reach out. Full Belly can always use some help.

We miss you and hope you are well. I hope we get a chance to travel again together one day. There are plenty of rad trips left out there. Reach out to each other for me. Send a message in a group chat. Send a virtual hug. People miss you.

Cheers,
International Director Dewald

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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 JUNE 27

Greetings from Greece!

We are thrilled that the group has arrived safely in Athens and is already captivated by the city’s buzzing and vibrant energy. Although Jillian’s flight was delayed, she will join us on the 28th, and we eagerly anticipate her arrival.

As we embark on this twelve day adventure, our itinerary is packed with exciting and enriching experiences, from exploring Athens by bike and diving into marine conservation efforts in the Messenia region to exploring the ancient wonders of Delphi and discovering the vital role of bees in sustainability alongside our community service activities.

Stay tuned as our student written blogs capture these moments, sharing captivating stories and visuals that will bring our Greek adventure to life. We will update another blog every few days to ensure we can fully immerse ourselves in each experience. We cannot wait to share our discoveries and reflections with you as we embark on this unforgettable journey.

Cheers,

Greece Turtle and Conservation

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

It was a great day today. Jillian joined us this morning, making the group whole. We spent the day exploring Athens. First, we went on a bike tour, learning all about ancient Athens as well as some more modern sites. After the bike tour and a delicious lunch, we did Athens on foot, buying souvenirs and site seeing until we headed up for an acropolis tour. The acropolis is the hill the Parthenon (the temple) is built on. We learned about how Athens got its name (it started a feud between Athena and Poseidon) and took a bunch of great pictures. Our first full day was a blast.

GLA staff

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Hi parents!

Today we woke up early in Athens and got ready for a long day of traveling. After breakfast, we headed to a turtle conservation center and learned about their organization and how they save the turtles. After that, we headed to lunch and at an authentic Greek restaurant and were fed until we were very full.

We got on the road and drove 2 hours to the diving center where we will be doing our service. After getting sized for our snorkeling gear, we wen to our new home base. Once we arrived, we quickly got situated in our rooms, we headed straight for the amazing pool and swam until dinner. So far this was our favorite meal, as it was the most authentic and traditional.

After dinner, we watched the sunset on the rooftop and completed a leadership activity about our social media and phone use as teenagers and how we plan to reduce our time on both. That was pretty much it, we’re all heading to bed now.

Goodnight from Pylos!

-Sophie and Lucie

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Hi parents,

After a long day of traveling through the beautiful streets of Greece, we ended up at a gorgeous site near the water. This morning we woke up bright and early, exited to spend our first day in the ocean.

After an amazing breakfast, we drove out to a resort on the water. Here we broke into two groups. While one group went out to go try snorkeling the other group learned more about our dear sea turtles and how to save them.

Then we went for a quick stroll on the beach soon arriving at a breathtaking restaurant were served delicious club sandwiches and flavorful falafel wraps. After eating we quickly traveled to an ice cream shop.

We walked back to the resort and our two grouped switched activities. We went out on a motor boat and gawked at beautiful sites—including a wall and castle on the coastline built by the Ottoman Empire and holes in the rocks formed by the repeated crashing of waves.

After the wonderful ride, we entered the water and saw animals such as lion fish and crabs. Then we ended the trip with a final plunge off the boat into the awe invokingly clear ocean.

We rode back to the site where we’d woken up (the hotel) and ate a marvelous traditional Greek dinner. Then we had a “friendly” charades on steroids competition—normal charades but with more complicated rules for each round such as the actor is a puppet and two of their teammates have to move them around to get the act out the word. It came down to the final moments when the mentors had to do an interpretive dance round.

As the day comes to a close all we. can think about is how exited we are for tomorrow’s adventure.

-Clayton and Ian

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Geia!

Today we woke up and had a delicious buffet-style breakfast at the Agrikies hideout.

We headed on the bus to a Peloponnesian beach for our second day of snorkeling and exploring the water through a pretty route.

After a bit of a chilly swim to see the turtle nests, everyone had fun hanging out at the beach.

After our snorkel, we then went to lunch at a cute outdoor restaurant and left there to start our walk; calling it a hike” would be a reach.

It led us to a beautiful beach cove where we spent some time to relax.

Some of the group, led by adventure Ian, visited an old tomb on top of a cliff and learned a bunch of cool facts.

We then treated ourselves to ice cream and gummy octopi, then headed back to home base.

For dinner, we had a cooking class and made our very own spanakopita, aka spinach pie, which everyone enjoyed with a happy face.

We ended the night with a group activity reflecting on our amazing trip up until now.

It’s been a busy but tiring day, but always the best to end with peace and chow.

Kalinychta!

Love, Emily & Jordyn

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

This morning we woke up and went back to the dive shop to begin a new activity. We split into three groups and focused on recording the posidonia, a native sea grass in Greece. We spent a few hours in the water working with a compass, thermometer, and salinity meter.

Afterwards, we returned to the shore and each group made their own maps of the under-water area nearby. Next, we strolled along the shore on our way to lunch, picking up trash off the beach on the way. There, the group enjoyed a delicious meal consisting of veal and rice followed by ice cream from our favorite new spot.

After a quick break at our hotel, we went out to another turtle center to learn about how they work to protect the nests. We were even given the opportunity to see recently made turtle nests on a nearby beach. Afterwards, we hung out at the beach for a while and then headed to dinner.

We had a delicious dinner at a traditional greek tavern and then returned to our hotel for a leadership activity and some free time before going to bed.

Saila and Vivian

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Hi parents,

Today, July 3rd, GLA travelled to Petrochori for a beach cleanup with Aqua Dive Center. The excursion lasted about 3 hours before it came to an end, with a total of 3 large trash bags (and 2 smaller bags) filled to the brim with trash. It was satisfactory knowing that we were able to contribute positively to the environment’s cleanliness, even if just a little!

Afterward, we ate at the beach’s restaurant, where we were served a delicious mix of penne pasta, vegetables, fresh bread, Greek salad, and more. Once lunch was finished, GLA returned to the beach, where we were awarded with a certificate by Aqua Dive Center. The certificate congratulated us for our hard work, and thanked us for working with them! After saying our goodbyes, we returned to the hotel.

Students spontaneously decided to spice things up, declaring everyone should wear formal clothing to dinner tonight. Amazingly, everyone (both students AND staff) showed up in fancy attire to commemorate the occasion! Dinner consisted of delicious, homemade pizza, crafted to the tastes of each individual GLA student. It was a wonderful experience all around! The night ended with lots of laughter and joy, leaving everyone feeling fulfilled.

Lots of love,

Willow and Maggie

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Happy Fourth of July !

Today we woke up to our last delicious breakfast in Pylos. After we ate the scrumptious meal we packed up the luggage onto the bus to start our trek back towards Athens. First stop was Ancient Olympia, a small town filled with history and the birthplace of the Olympics. After being led around the museum of Olympia, we were able to see all the sites such as the stadium and Hera’s temple. While in the stadium we participated in a friendly race where John left us in the dust. He’s so cool. We want to be just like him when we grow up.

On the way out we were able to cool down with ice cream and frozen lemonade! We boarded our bus once more and made the journey to the city of Patras where we checked into our hotel and had some down time before dinner. Dinner was filled with food and fun, it allowed us to explore and experience the city! Back at the hotel we enjoyed the new beds and will be rested for the day ahead of us!

Loads of love,

Josie and Addie

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Hi parents!

We had an early start this morning as we got our bags together to travel from Patras to our next destination. Following breakfast, we drove to the bee and olive farm where we began by learning all about how bees function and work in their colonies. After this quick lesson we put on our beekeeping outfits and got to see the bees up close.

We got to try samples of different types of honey with our delicious lunch at the farm and had apples with the fresh honey and cinnamon for dessert. We quickly moved into the service portion of the day and split in to groups to cycle through the different activities. We searched for the queen bee in the hives, watered the plants around the land, and raked leaves out of the way to clean and freshen up the farm. Once finished with our service we bought some of the fresh honey provided in a shop on the farm to take home with us.

Heading to our next destination: Delphi! We arrived and settled into our new hotel then strolled around the town and did some shopping. Coming back we had some downtime to relax and get ready for dinner which was another delicious authentic Greek meal. We finished the night by listening to music and hanging out all together. We’re all excited for what’s to come in the next few days as we near the end of our trip!

See you all soon!

-Josie and Addie

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Hi Everyone!

Today, we woke up in Delphi and after a delicious buffet style breakfast, we walked to an archaeological museum and followed a tour explaining the cultural importance of the Oracle, Temple of Apollo and other Greek sculpture. We then proceeded to walk up the actual site of the temples, designated a UNESCO heritage site back in 1987. Delphi, all though now a well preserved part of greek culture, was once torn down to build a small village called Kastrí, until excavations began to rebuild the site of Delphi in 1890.

Afterwards, we stopped for lunch at a restaurant before continuing our drive to Athens for the day. Once there, we settled in and went out for a short walk to what is supposedly the best ice cream place in all of Athens. Afterwards, we continued on with a leadership activity centered on goal making, ending with people sharing their personal goals that they had made and then our accumulative group goal, which is to participate more in our individual communities. Emily lead our group in said group discussion!

We then took a short hour break before dinner at our hotel, eating buffet style greek dishes with brownies for dessert. Then, we ended off the night with our final mentor group activities, split between Juliette and Adham. Finally, we all headed off to bed to prepare for the next day!

πολλή αγάπη (much love),

Eve, Lara & Jillian

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by John & the Greece Team

Hey GLA,

How are you? How was the rest of the summer? I can’t believe so much time has passed since we were all together. I still remember laughing and dancing with all of you on the last night like it was yesterday. That trip was a blast. You are definitely one of the best groups I’ve ever had. Thanks for restoring my hope in the future generation.

Do you remember biking around Athens and exploring the Acropolis? What about service at the soup kitchen out in Monastiraki? Crete was pretty cool too, yeah? From the city tours to the farm, the dancing to the dinners, life was good in Crete. I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Hopefully we all get a chance to travel again together in the future.

What about Santorini? Remember the boat ride? That was so much fun. Dancing with all of you was one of the best parts of the summer. Before you go to bed tonight, we want you to take a moment to think back about the time you spent with us this summer and savor your favorite moments. Text some of your friends from program and say hi. Send them a virtual hug. They miss you.

I wanted to check in and see how your group goal is going? How is getting involved? Are you being the change? Are you helping each other stay accountable? If the goal got forgotten during many long summer days, here is a nice little push to remember to keep you on track. You are powerful. Make the change you know you can be. If you need help, feel free to reach out. Full Belly can always use some help.
We all miss you. Know that we haven’t forgotten you, and that we hope to see you again. Stay rad team.

Cheers,
International Director Dewald

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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 13

Yesterday was a long day at the airport, but we are all so excited to be in Greece. The sun is out, the food is delicious, and the group is amazing. We are making friends and exploring Athens. The leaders of the day from today will be sending a more detailed report of what we did today, it will include a street tour and a trip to the Acropolis.

We can’t wait to see more of Athens, get to know Crete, and experience Santorini. It’s going to be a blast. We will be sending blog updates every two days or so, so stay in tune for all of the adventures to come. Here is a pick of us gearing up to watch the Euro Cup finals.

Cheers,

Greece GLA

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

Today we woke up at 8 and had breakfast from the buffet. We had a walking tour called “The invisible Tour” it was led by a homeless man. During this tour we walked around the less visited parts of Athens. The guide told us about his life story and warmed us about the use of drugs. Then after the tour we got gelato from the best ranked ice cream store in Greece. Then we walked home and prepared for our trip to see the acropolis.

Touring the acropolis and learning the history was an amazing way to start the trip. The site is the heart of Athens and is only right to visit if in the city. The stories that go along with the tour were also a great way to introduce us to Greek mythology if we weren’t familiar. I took a picture next to Athena’s olive tree because I was told it would bring good luck.

George and Henry

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Ya sas,

The morning started with a buffet breakfast including local food in Greece. We then headed to our bike tour which included the different views of the acropolis. We also learned the different between what the acropolis’s and the parthenon. We then stopped at a really nice restaurant. For the appetizer we had a spicy cheese with bread that was called tyrokafteri. And then for the main course we had Pastitsio. After our lunch we went to the Alimos beach. We stayed for a few hours swimming, playing ball, and hanging with our friends. Then we did a leadership activity about cellphone usage. Since the weather is warm it was so refreshing to cool off in the water and enjoy the beautiful view. Finally we boarded our overnight ship to head on over to the start of our next adventure which will be in Crete.

Julia and Dani

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

καλή μέρα!

We had an early start at 7am today, driving into Chania and walking around to see the sights. Then, driving almost 2 hours along the coast, students indulged in their creative side making clay pots in Crete’s most famous pottery village, Margarites! It was so cool. Students had the option of sending their beautiful creations home or recycling them for future pottery projects. After a beautiful lunch in Margarites, we drove to our hotel for the night; later watching a very intense pool game that ended in a draw. So much fun. Finally students kicked off their night with dinner and traditional Greek dancing in the mountains. It was a blast.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

After breakfast today, we took a food tour around Rethymno, where we tried different Cretan treats in various bakeries and restaurants. We went to lunch, where we were able to try a variety of Greek foods, like yellow split peas with caramelized onions. After that, we took the 2 hour drive to Zaros, where we were able to stay the night in a nice hotel called the IDI hotel, complete with a restaurant, pool and playground. It is beautiful. We spent some time in the pool before going out for dinner at the Idi restaurant, and ended the day with mentor groups, where we did some self reflection and story time. We can’t wait for tomorrow.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Today, we started our day off with a nice breakfast at the hotel. We then made our way by bus to the farm. We made bread from scratch, tiropita , and enjoyed a plate of fresh goat cheese made out of the milk that we got to squeeze out of the goat ourselves. Then we continued to go look at some sheep, cows, pigs, and chickens. We ate lunch, danced together and headed back to the hotel to take a dip in the refreshing pool before our optional hike up the mountain. 4 hours long, it was steep and tricky but there was a beautiful view waiting for us at the top. We then made our way down the mountain to dinner. Dinner was amazing, we had pork skewers, home-made french fries, salad and fresh fruit for dessert. Our day ended with the infamous Chow Circle and the playground! Yamas!!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

We started the day off with a morning at one of the best beaches we have ever been to. The waves were amazing, and the few games of volleyball we played were even better. We were near an airport, so we had a great view of airplanes landing right in front of us as well.

The temple of Knossos was a great introduction to the mythical and expansive history of Crete. Not only because of the famous story of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth, but because it gave an illustration as to how it was ruled, as well as a depiction of the politics.

We then checked into the hotel, and relaxed a little bit before going to dinner. We all dressed up nicely and had some of the best food so far. Afterwards, we decided to do a little shopping and treated ourselves to some new clothes.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Today we woke up early and after a quick breakfast boarded a ferry to the lovely Santorini. Our journey was a lengthy one of nearly three hours across a stunning and still ocean. Once arriving on the island, students were treated to a relaxing morning on a black sand beach. While on the beach many students either chilled by the ocean side, went swimming through the waves, or shopped in the various stores and restaurants that lined the beach side.

After lunch and a quick checkin at the hotel, students explored the ancient ruins all over Santorini including old castles, caves and housing. Students were then explored the surrounding areas while watching the sun set on the island. Afterwords students enjoyed a delicious meal and dessert in one of many restaurants.

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by John & the Greece Team

Hey GLA,

How are you? Did you have a good summer? Are you remembering to wear your seatbelts? I can’t believe it has been months since we were all together. That trip was a blast. We’ve head plenty of groups before, but you guys were special.

Do you remember biking around Athens and exploring the Acropolis? What about service at the soup kitchen and all of the interesting characters we met there? GLA Olympics on the ferry to Crete was one of our trip highlights. Wasn’t Crete amazing? From the city tours to the farm, the dancing to the dinners, Crete was where we really started to bond as a group. I would do it all again in a heartbeat. Then came Santorini. That boat ride was out of control—so much fun. Dancing with all of you was one of the best parts of the summer. Before you go to bed tonight, we want you to take a moment to think back about the time you spent with us this summer and savor your favorite moments. Text some of your friends from program and say hi. Send them a virtual hug. They miss you.

Talking about texting, how is your group goal of decreasing phone time going? Did you do it? Are you helping each other stay accountable? If the goal got forgotten during many long summer days, here is a nice little push to remember to keep you on track. The less time you spend on your phone, the happier you will be and the more time you will have to focus on other things. How is your personal goal by the way? Stay after it, we know that you can do it.

We miss you. Since we said goodbye to you we’ve had plenty of ups and downs traveling around Greece and then the rest of the world as one road leads to the next. Know that we haven’t forgotten you, and that we hope to see you again. Keep those hair cuts looking good and your passports ready for travel. Hopefully you will all be going on another rad trip sooner than later.

Cheers,
GLA Greece
(John, Juliet, and Adham)

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 JUNE 13

Greetings from Greece!

The group has all arrived safely in Athens, and we could not be more excited. The city is alive with energy, and we have a beautiful view of the Acropolis from our hotel’s terrace. This is such an incredible start to the summer.

Over the next twelve days, we are going to have the adventure of a lifetime as we travel from Athens to Crete to Santorini and back. Student written blogs will keep you informed about the highlights of our program. Blogs should be posted every couple of days and will have plenty of great pictures, so you can see what we have been up to.

We know this is going to be an incredible experience and can’t wait to tell you all about it. We hope you enjoy following along on the blog, and we will come home with plenty of stories to tell. From exploring ancient sites, doing service to help the local community, learning about Greek mythology, exploring the beautiful islands, and swimming through the refreshing waters of the Mediterranean, it is going to be a blast.

Cheers,

Greece Mythical Cities and Island Expedition June Programs

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 14

This morning we took a bike tour around the city center of Athens. We enjoyed taking pictures at the sites and buying local goods from the market areas. We then enjoyed a delicious Greek lunch, followed by refreshing ice cream and frozen yogurt.

Following this light break, we began a bus tour guided by a native citizen who taught us cool tidbits about Greek history and mythology, which was very interesting! Most of it was about the Acropolis and particularly the Parthenon, which was where the tour was headed anyways. And in the interludes, one of the students played music on a speaker they brought along.

Arriving there, we ran across the cobblestone path to get to the bottom of the main attraction. It was actually a short walk up the stairs and we were at the base of the acropolis. We scanned in the passes provided by our international director, and then we were in!

There was so much foot traffic that the stones were worn smooth, like slippery smooth. There were multiple temples in various states of ruin, but the Parthenon was definitely the most well-maintained. You could pick out the pieces where the marble was replaced, and you could kind of imagine what the whole thing would look like if it was still bright white.

We all took lots of pictures before getting back on the bus, and of course we played music on the speaker. Getting to the hotel was relatively painless, we loaded up on snacks, had dinner, cleaned up, packed up (because we’re going on an overnight ferry tomorrow!!!)

That’s about it, peace out!

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 15

The gla students had yet again another great day. To start the morning, the gla group hopped on a bus and went to help the local Athenian food bank. It was interesting to see them working together and communicating with the locals while preparing a meal. After the service work, the group took a fun bus ride to a picturesque beach. There, they were able to enjoy the ocean activities including swimming, socializing, and relaxing. From the beach they jumped on a ferry to take the group to Crete for yet another day of fun and activities.

The ferry was great, it was honestly more of a cruise. We all had cabins! After a delicious dinner we played games on top of the boat, feeling the sea breeze with a beautiful sunset in the background. We sure signed up for the right trip. It has been great and seems like it keeps getting better!

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 16

We woke up in on the boat in Crete, we had a group breakfast then disembarked. It was thrilling to wake on the water. We took a bus into the village of Margarites. It was beautiful with a capital B. There we learned about pottery making and the history behind it. We got to make our own pots out of clay. After we went down into the village to the shop which has an array of plates, bowls, trinkets, etc. It was time for souvenirs round two.

From there we had a group lunch all together. After lunch we used a scenic route to get into our hotel. From there we drove into a small mountain village; we stopped and looked at the major valley. The view was priceless. In the village we had a very large dinner prepared for us. We watched traditional mediterranean dances. We then got a chance to learn in the dances, we spent the rest of the night learning dances! It was so much fun. This trip was been an extraordinary transformative experience, and it only keeps getting better.

More pics coming soon!

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18

Today our GLA group woke up in Rethymno, Crete. We started off the day with a nice hotel breakfast and then we embarked on our food tour. Our friendly guide led us through the town and we visited multiple restaurants and tried various Cretan dishes such as baklava and a bread with cheese and honey as well as a wide variety of drinks. We bought souvenirs and gifts for friends and family. Then after stocking up on gum, energy drinks, and other various snacks and drinks, we started our journey to Zaros, Crete. The journey was long but very entertaining. We sang, chewed gum, and played music for the whole 2 hour trip. It was a movie.

Once we finally arrived at our hotel in Zaros we had a little downtime then we went straight to the pool and hammocks. Lots of fun was had. After the pool we found and ate oranges from a nearby orange orchard. Best oranges ever. Then we went to dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. There was a huge fish tank with a ton of cool looking fish as well as some not so cool looking fish. Finally we finished our day by hanging at the playground. We laughed and got even closer as a group. Overall, the day was a big success and we enjoyed almost every second of it. It’s been fun so far and our group can’t wait to see what tomorrow holds.

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19

Another busy day for the gla students! The group started off the day by attending a guided tour of the Knossos Palace. After the tour, they had a little time to shop for souvenirs/ buy food. From there, the gla group drove to a nearby restaurant and had a long, relaxed lunch. After lunch, the group took a short bus ride to the hotel.

At the hotel, the gla students changed into their bathing suits and put the bags away. Then it was off to the beach!! the group had a fantastic time! After a few hours, the group packed up and got back on the bus.

Back at the hotel, the group had around an hour to shower/ prepare for dinner. Then, the Local Director, Margarita, took the students on a short walking tour covering some of the interesting places near the hotel. For example, old churches, fountains, ect. From there, they went to dinner at a nice restaurant in the heart of downtown (FIX). That meal also lasted a couple hours and it was very enjoyable.

Overall, the gla group had a great time today! They saw so many awesome historical sights, items, and places! The next update will be in Santorini, and the group is super excited to arrive!

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20

Today the GLA students had an early morning in Crete. After saying goodbye to the largest island in Greece we were on our way to Santorini. We departed from the island shortly after leaving the hotel and took a short ferry to Santorini.

Once at Santorini the GLA group took a stop at a black stone beach to catch some sun and enjoy the waves. After an hour or two at the beach, the group headed to a restaurant for some lunch.

After lunch the group got on a bus to head back to the hotel, and get ready for a bus tour to the highlights of Santorini. The bus took students to Oia, the town known for its white buildings and blue roofs, surrounded by a caldera.

After a couple hours of sightseeing and touring the town, students got back on the bus and went to a secluded lookout to catch the sunset over Santorini. After the sun dipped below the mountains, the GLA group went to a restaurant for a group dinner.

GLA enjoyed another delicious traditional Greek dinner. After a filling meal full of laughs and delicious food the GLA group took a short walk back to the hotel filled with reminiscing and conversation.

After a full day the trip is ready to rest up and hit the ground running to explore Thera and embrace the caldera on a boat tours.

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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21

Hello blog readers!! What an amazing last day in Santorini! From getting to see inside a historical cathedral, to sailing around santorini, our day took us from one end of the island to the other. We started off the day with a relaxed morning breakfast at our hotel and then started off on our walking tour of Thira. We walked up to an amazing overview of the ocean and got to walk inside and spend some time in a historical cathedral at the top of the hill. Then we made our way through dozens of shops, markets, and charming little pathways. Then we finished our tour by walking to a restaurant with a beautiful ocean view and had some amazing food.

After lunch we had a quick turnaround and got on a bus that took us down the mountain and to the port where we boarded our boat. The first stop on the boat tour was the Santorini volcano where we had the opportunity to hike up to the top and enjoy the views. After that we were taken to two coves where we swam, hung out, and had some delicious bbq dinner made right from our boat. Later we got to watch the sunset from the boat and then danced the whole ride back to the port. Finally we finished off our night by stopping to get some greek fro-yo on the way back to our hotel. It’s been a great day and we will see you tomorrow!

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by James & the Ghana Team

Efɔa? It’s hard to imagine that so long has passed since we were shoveling sand and perfecting our brick mold pounding techniques, playing games with the local kids at home base, teaching in your classrooms, eating red-red, dancing and singing in the vans, feeling the ocean breeze, and just living life to the fullest in Anloga!

Maybe you’re back in school, working a part-time job, or navigating your first year in college, but the entire GLA team, both local and international, still think of you often and of our impactful time we spent together over the summer.

Whether you realize it or not, you’ve made a tremendous impact on the people of Anloga, both old and young. Whether it was drawing or playing with the local kids in the evening, receiving a warm welcome from your classroom students each day you showed up to school, the fun times joking with the local staff, and the conversations you had with the local high school students, each of you has touched the lives of more people than you can begin to imagine. With nearly 1000 bricks made between Mary’s Little Lambs and The Mangos, it will go a long way to reconstructing some classrooms at the high school damaged from floods. You energized the students at the primary school and gave them a spark to continue studying and learning English. You brought so much joy to the local kids who anxiously waited for you at home base every day to play whenever you had some free time. Whether it was a smile or a wave, or just a hello, the little things you did each day made a positive impact, and that’s how you’ll be remembered!

Here’s a list of some memorable moments that I hope you never forget:

– The weekend trip to Ho and Hohoe, especially the canopy walk and Wli Falls
– The day of trivia with the high schoolers
– Winning our football match 2-1 against the local high school girl’s team
– ⁠Father’s House Int. visit
– ⁠Xenui Island visit
– ⁠Beach clean-up morning and sand volleyball
– ⁠Dance party in summer hut during free time
– ⁠The talent show
– ⁠Our very first day meeting the local youth and watching the sunset on the beach
– ⁠Learning to balance baskets on your head and backing each other
– ⁠Cooking class with Chef Dodzi and Free Heart
– ⁠Birthday buckets!!!
– ⁠Beach bonfire and Appreciation Circle
– Designing custom made outfits from local tailors and seamstresses
– The Pulse Check rap
– The Sunday morning church visit and dance
– The boys’ room flooding
– Skin care routine night masks
– The local barber shop visit
– Sanitary pads making
– Euro 2024 final match
– The backflips
– Saquib’s carpool karaoke
Of course that just scratches the surface of the memories made. We passed through some difficult, intense moments together, but only grew closer, us becoming a big family after the 21 days together. We experienced true Ghanaian culture together by dancing traditional dances, visiting the market, learning the process for making batik cloth and Kente weaving, and learning to cook some local dishes.

Remember your OMG – “One Meaningful Goal” – of raising $2,500 for Father’s House Int. to support the creation of better infrastructure as well as financially support the intake of more youth in need to be able to stay there, eat there, etc., as well as to spread awareness of human trafficking and mitigate the risks for youth vulnerable to trafficking. In addition to raising money, you made a commitment to make individual posts on World Day Against Trafficking (July 30) to inform others on this subject. The fundraising goal was met within days of you making it back to your homes! How have you continued to share your memories of Ghana and be an ambassador to your friends and family of what life in Ghana is really like?

Remember to share your personal goals with GLA too, they’d love to see how you are BEING the CHANGE back home!

I hope you’ve allowed this experience to change you, light a small fire inside, and humble you. Sending you all the good vibes and a huge thank you for your part in making it such a memorable summer!

Miadogo,
James, Mary, Gus and the entire local team!

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Woezo, or welcome, from Ghana!

It was a smooth start to our program with Omar lucking out and arriving one night early to Home Base to rest and relax with the team!

We had an early start to pick up the majority of our students on arrival day, us leaving the airport for Accra Mall to have breakfast and do some snack shopping before driving to our Home Base in Anloga, Volta Region, along the eastern Ghanaian coast. There we got settled in and ate lunch as a group before playing some ice-breakers and having fun with a group of the local kids at the nearby beach! This evening we welcomed our late arrivals, us sitting down to eat dinner together.

The students enjoyed some free time at Home Base as they settled into life in a small town, grateful for the cool ocean breeze!

Two of our arrivals, Marienne and Mia safely arrived this evening and are spending the night in Accra with Seyram, one of our awesome Local Team members. Tomorrow morning they will pick up Amanda and then head to Home Base where we will be anxiously awaiting them for us to finally be a full group!

Hede nyuie, or goodbye!

-James (International Director)

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Author: Olivia D.

Today our day started off bright and early with an 8:30 AM breakfast. With three new additions to our group, everyone was buzzing with excitement.

After a delicious breakfast (consisting of omelets, sausage, and the best mango we have ever had) we headed to a lengthy, but crucial lesson teaching us about GLA’s policies (some fun and some not).

After a long 4 hours, we were greeted by Madam Felicity to teach us some of the local language, “Ewe”. Many of us were skeptical at first when she told us that by the end of the lesson we will be able to read, speak, and sing in Ewe, but she was right. At the end of our language lesson we prepared for our next activity. We were met with a local group of dancers and drummers who performed and taught us their cultural history which was documented through dancing. Throughout the performance many local kids showed up and practiced our dance and Ewe skills with us. They were just as excited to learn the dance as us.

Following a delicious dinner of cheesy pasta, apples, and salad we split up into two mentor groups. In these groups we were given the chance to make stronger connections with our fellow students. While we were resting in our rooms Elsie and Seyram gave us culture markings on our face and arms for our “Ewe” naming ceremony. The ceremony was not only informative, but very engaging where we all got bracelets with our name (the day of the week we were born on). And we ended the night while making Tik-Toks in the summer hut with Gus, one of our mentors!

“Never say Never” -Justin Bieber

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Author: Bailey W.

Hey guys! Day 2.5 in our Ghana Adventure!

Today was the day we finally started our community service by going to the local high school where we started off by making bricks and playing with some younger students. Then, we visited the classrooms (Kindergarten-6th) and got to meet all of the students, deciding on what grade we will be teaching in our GLA partner student pairs.

Next we had lunch with our host families at Home Base and got to hear about how they feel about living in Ghana, and also our experience so far in this beautiful part of Africa!

Not to mention, half of the group got to see an island and got to hear about the traditional religion they have used for years, the other half visiting a foster home and hearing the stories of their history and meeting some children there.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Author: Tate H.

Hello GLA parents and family! Today was a long one, but rewarding as always! With a sharp 7am breakfast, and departure at 8am, the students took on their first “real” day of community service.

Yesterday, students were assigned a partner that they will be working with daily to teach local primary school students following their work in brick making. Considering the fact that GLA students were able to choose the grade they would teach, the excitement and positivity in the classrooms today was overwhelming and extremely infectious.

After students wrapped up their service, they were transported back to home base where they shared yet another deliciously made, home cooked meal. The appreciation for the food quality here has been conveyed by so many!

After some much needed downtime, students embarked on their cultural activity of the day, visiting a market where they were encouraged to buy fabric to bring to a seamstress and turn into custom garments. While fabric was bought, so were the necessities such as ice cream and faux designer gear.

The day didn’t end there for this group, for when they returned to home base, they were greeted by the local children, eager to play. This group has been abundant with energy and enthusiasm, admirably embracing any discomfort they may feel in this drastic change of their scenery and routine!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Authors: Arthel Z. and Sofia A.

Today, both Mary’s Little Lambs and The Mangos Mentor Groups made valiant efforts at the brick making site. Though Mary’s Little Lambs seemed far behind after the first bag, they caught up and ultimately finished first. Though the Mangos may have finished second they got extra cookie points for achieving the least amount of broken bricks. We accomplished a lot in our individual groups but we accomplished more as a collective team. We made a total of 69 bricks, give or take a few because of our very intentional half bricks.

After brick making we split into two groups and set off to the schools we taught at. There was a significant amount of positive feedback from all of the GLA students teaching kindergarten to 5th grade. Everyone agreed that today, the second day of teaching, was definitely easier because the kids are adapting to the GLA students being figures of authority. The only negative comments that have come to attention have been the new voice the students have had to develop. Unlike normal, the GLA students have to be serious when the kids they’re teaching aren’t listening or aren’t learning.

Promptly after a delicious lunch of Jollof rice and chicken with a side of salad and pineapple, we were given the option to go with Gustavo to the store down the road or with Mary to the beach. A lot of people went to the beach and had a great time playing in the sand, climbing on African fishing boats, and checking out the massive ocean waves. The people who chose to go to the store came back laughing with smiles from ear to ear. With no time to wash the sand out of our clothes, we split up into Mary’s Little Lambs and The Mangos once again.

The Little Lambs went to the foster home that The Mangos had gone to previously. The students played with the kids for a little over an hour and had a great time. The students all made friends and a few kids even managed to do a few unlikely tricks. From see-sawing with the kids, to sand down shirts, and even backflips, the students made the most of their time there.

The Mangos headed to Xenui Island in wooden canoes through the Keta Lagoon and were warmly welcomed when the group arrived. The students listened to a short presentation on the history of the island and learned about how they weave baskets and mats and sell them at the market. Students then were able to try basket weaving with the help of some of the women who were demonstrating it. By this point lots of the kids from the island had come over to where we were and we walked with them to a shrine. We planned to talk to a priest from the shrine, but we came while there was a religious ceremony taking place so we were unable stay and instead met back up with the kids and walked to the only school on Xenui. We had some time to play with the kids and get to know them better. Lastly, the kids walked back to the boats, said goodbye and had a nice boat ride back.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Author: Paloma C.

Today we started our day with a 7am breakfast. Our delicious breakfast included pancakes, rice water, and watermelon. After breakfast we headed to community service to make bricks and then teach our classes. We divided into two teams and built bricks by mixing cement and sand together. After our two-hour brick making session both groups headed to their schools to teach. We taught grade 1-6 and finally felt that we got the hang of teaching. Once we were done teaching at 11:45 we headed back to home base to eat lunch.

For lunch we had rice and beans, egg stew, and oranges. The food was amazing and after lunch we had an option to go to the beach or to the store. After coming back from our mini excursion we were met with a guest speaker named Etorko Jerry Duphe. He taught us about how Ghana became an independent country and other aspects of daily life.

After our guest speaker we were met by the local children who we played with for an hour before dinner. Dinner as usual was delicious and consisted of chicken, mashed potatoes, and mouthwatering mango that we all fought over. We then had a half an hour to rest before ending our night by watching a movie called Amistad that educated us on the struggles of slaves that set sail from Cuba to America.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Author: Toby P.

Hi everybody! Today was an eventful day! It was our first full weekend here in Ghana, and we got to sleep in until 8:00. We started the day with a beach cleanup, collecting a whopping 15 bags. Following that, we got some free time, having a chance to regroup with our friends and spend time with the local kids on the beach playing soccer, beach volleyball, or just hanging out.

Later, we got to spend the afternoon with host families, all sharing a variety of different experiences.

In the evening we had a guest speaker coming all the way from Accra to talk to us about child slavery and share stories from the orphanage we had visited earlier in the week.

The speaker was a great way for some people to channel their emotions and he really shared some great and important insights. Despite the emotion that came with this difficult subject, we sat in a circle and everybody took the night to figure out where they were and make sure they were ready for the next two weeks coming up and the church service the following morning.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

Authors: Megan M. and Leia F.

Hey everyone! These are the GLA leaders of the day! Many people rested late on this Sunday morning and others woke up bright and early to attend a local Christian church. At 8:00am some of us ate a delicious meal of pancakes, sausage, and watermelon. When we attended the church we were very surprised with the difference between our churches at home and the Ghanaian church. The Ghanaian locals dressed in vibrant and lively colors that caught our eyes. At church we participated in dancing and singing with everyone and learned some new dance moves. We also introduced ourselves and were very welcomed.

After church we relaxed for a little bit and woke up all of the late sleepers. We had lunch at 12:30 PM and ate bambara beans and watermelon that was all very tasty. After lunch we had free time where some of us played with the local children and others rested in the house.

At 1:30pm we chose partners to play a game called “split rock paper scissors” that determined which activity we would do for the day. We will definitely be sore tomorrow! One group went to the Keta Slave Fort with our mentor Mary and others stayed at home base and were taught a cooking class with our mentor Gustavo. At the cooking class we learned how to make “Red Red” and fried plantains that were to die for. At Keta Slave Fort the other group learned about how it was used to transport slaves overseas to the Americas. They also learned about the different rooms in the fort and their purpose as well as how they treated the slaves. After the tour they went to the beach nearby to have a cold drink. The group that stayed at home base for the cooking class went to the beach nearby to play with the local kids.

At 6:30pm we had a dinner of salad, pineapple, and ragout. We also plotted our birthday surprise attack on our local staff Steve. It is a Ghanaian tradition to pour water on the birthday boy/girl. It was really funny and he didn’t expect it!

We finished the evening watching the Euro Finals soccer match between Spain and France, and just hanging around home base.
It was a great day in Ghana!

“Don’t worry about a thing, every little thing is going to be alright.” – Bob Marley

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Author: Omar I.

Welcome to today’s blog,

Today was quite an eventful day, with a lot of excitement happening. We first started the day as usual, making bricks for the schools in order to help rebuild them after the unfortunate events that happened with recent damaging floods. We spent almost two hours mixing cement and molding it into bricks, and we made a total of almost 70 bricks today (of course Team Mangoes were better, duh) and afterwards was teaching.

Unfortunately there was a nationwide civil servant strike so the local teachers were not observing our classes, but in the end, thanks to the local and international GLA team, there was a positive outcome in the classrooms overall, with the GLA staff supporting us all.

The bus ride back from the school was filled with good music and vibes thanks to my fellow L.O.D. (Leader of the Day), Paloma. We sat and played with the kids for a few minutes and then had lunch, which was then followed by a cultural activity.

Yesterday, we split into two groups and had either a cooking lesson or visited a slave fort and today my group did the activity we didn’t get to do the previous day which was cooking. The cooks, Free Heart and Chef Dodzi were so sweet and taught us how to make red red and fried plantains, a local Ghanaian dish. The experience was amazing and we learned a lot from their guidance.

Afterwards we played a fun game that was brought up by Mary which was similar to two truths and a lie, finally, we had dinner and enjoyed each other’s company in how we interacted and hopefully, after handing the L.O.D. position to Sabrina, we will enjoy days like this more often.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

Author: Sabrina V.

This morning we started our day with a healthy breakfast of eggs, oats, and apples. We headed to Anloga Secondary School for service, to continue brick making and teaching at our respective primary schools later on.

We came back to home base at 12pm for some chicken, rice, and pineapple. After lunch we had the Days for Girls organization come and speak to us about the difficulties of menstruation, and access to menstrual products in Ghana. We all tried our hand at sewing reusable pads, that we will give out to the local high school girls later in the week.

We had fun with the kids for a few hours playing soccer, volleyball, and just hanging out. For dinner Chef Freehart and Chef Dodzi made us Chinese noodles, watermelon, and sugar cane. After dinner Dodzi, the Local Director spoke to us about the education system in Ghana and his personal childhood story. We ended the night with mentor groups and a birthday surprise for James, the International Director.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Author: Milana S.

Ɛdidi (Long time no see)!

Our group had a bright and sunny morning today balanced with a cooling ocean breeze from our left. After a sweet or (ŋaneŋane) breakfast consisting of pancakes and many more delights, we departed at 8:00am for our service.

Our service is now nothing new to us and we are all really getting the hang of it. After so many days of brick making it’s almost second nature to us with us getting better and better everyday. Not only do we have a blast making the bricks consisting of LOTS of music, dancing, and motivating each other to do our best, we also have a friendly competition. This competition is made of the two mentor groups “Mary’s Little Lambs” and “The Mangos”, racing to see who can make the most bricks each day! (Both groups make a lot). But not only are we all able to accomplish quantity, but also quality! After our hot and sweaty workout we got ready for our next part of service, teaching.

The smiles these kids have are unforgettable. They make everybody else smile just looking at them. Our students are all so full of energy and light that no matter how tired we are from our “brick race” we are ready to put in our best efforts to give these kids the best teachers ever! But we aren’t the only ones learning in these classrooms. Our students teach us so much and open our eyes to so many different things. Our students teach us a variety of things including their favorite games, traditions, and so much you could never learn from a single book and especially not from a single “Google” search. This experience is so incredible because most of everything we see and learn are things you have to be completely present in the moment to do so. Many GLA students including myself dreaded not having our phones on this trip but now we are all dreading the times we SPENT on our phones. Some of us who were able to bring a camera are lucky to have the ability to capture these great moments but, these cameras don’t catch everything. In fact, not even a quarter of it. Everything we experience and see will only be contained in our memories. This is what makes this experience so special and this is why it is so important for us to be so present. We cant just look back at any photos or videos and relive these moments if we were distracted or daydreaming at that particular second. We all see and remember different things from the same moment that are all special and unique to all of us and how we remembered them. But this doesn’t just apply to us, a majority of Ghana’s history and story wasn’t captured or written down. Instead, it has been passed down through many dances, songs, and storytelling.

Today’s activity after lunch had us taking a trip to a local high school to be able to connect with people our age and come together to solve fun little puzzles among mixed teams of GLA students and Ghanaian high school students. We played a trivia game reaching from “Who was the first US president?” to “What do the colors on Ghana’s flag represent?” which is why it was so important to have diverse groups. This experience was able to successfully bring together individuals with different backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and problem-solving approaches. But, among all our different types of knowledge and wisdom, who doesn’t love to eat ice cream and dance? After our activities together, we all enjoyed ice cream together accompanied by some music we all danced to the music whether we had heard it before or not. This was an unbelievably joyful and heartwarming experience. We all barely knew each other, not even each other’s names! But you don’t even need to know THAT to be able to laugh and dance together and you ESPECIALLY don’t need it to eat ice cream together!

After a tasty dinner, our evening consisted of learning about traditional Ghanaian funerals. If you are a carpenter would you want to be buried in a hammer shaped casket?? Well in Ghana, don’t be shy! You can customize your casket to whatever your heart desires! Taxi driver? What about a car?? Do you love to paint?? What about a paintbrush? Don’t be boring!! Ghanaians don’t even know that word ESPECIALLY when it comes to their funerals. Want to know what’s it’s like?? Don’t be timid to visit one! They are open to everybody! When a Ghanaian family hosts a funeral, everybody is welcome! This makes funerals very expensive as there are many more factors than just catering for food for those coming. Dancing and music is ESSENTIAL! In Ghana, many believe in reincarnation which makes funerals a celebration for your next life. Some even place an item unique to the person who died for them to then take to their next life. Ghanaians know how to go out with a BANG and so can this blog! BANG!

“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring” -David Bowie

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Author: Lena B.

Today was another great day at GLA. With a fresh hop out of bed, the students enjoyed one of Dodzi and Free Heart’s amazing breakfasts rich in nutrients that gave us just the right energy for the day. After flying out of the van, we excitedly began our brick making session. Under extreme heat, it’s Mary’s Little Lambs versus The Mangos… who’s going to win today!? Although Mary was fast asleep back at home base, her Little Lambs didn’t fail to make her proud and brought yet another victory to our mentor group!

After snacking on delicious Ghanaian snacks (the potato crackers being the most successful choice) we made our way to our respective schools.The kids always greet us with the brightest smiles and warmest hugs. We learn just as much from them as they learn from us. From them, we are able to learn traditional games that embed their culture such as “ampe”. They also teach us all kinds of music and songs in both Ewe and English that just keep us on your toes. In return, our GLA students are committed to teaching them Maths, English, Science and Social Studies.

After coming back to home base and fueling ourselves with another sample of Dodzi and Free Heart’s amazing cooking, we headed straight to the market. There, we were divided into groups and given the challenge to gather ingredients from a list. However, there was a twist… the foods were all written in Ewe. What an amazing experience to bond with locals and interact with the sellers in the market. Some students even had to use their bargaining skills to attain the price we were instructed to pay.

After an exciting afternoon at the market, GLA students were up and running back to the local high school. Today was a day of no rest because we were headed straight to a sports competition with the high schoolers. The game was on and GLA brought home a victory with a score of 2-1 from James and Gustavo! It was thrilling to see people try the sport for the first time and carrying the team to our victory. The tough match ended with a fun session of penalties where everyone took a hit and scored, making GLA proud once again.

Back at home base, we were able to enjoy a sunset while playing with local children. Many of us will be coming home with treasures from the children, as our pockets are filled with drawings and letters.

Our evening concluded with an exceptional dinner and a structured yet heated debate about potential oil drilling in Ghana. Big congratulations to the High School Youth Group team (Omar, Mia, Sofia and Paloma) for winning the debate with a result against oil drilling!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Author: Jasmine S.

Hi everyone! I’m Jasmine, the leader of the day!

This morning, we started the day with our usual (and healthy) 7am breakfast before heading to Anloga Secondary School to continue with brick-making. The absence of the speaker was noticeable, but we still kept our motivation and did our best, even without the boost of energy that music gives us! This morning was our 5th consecutive day of service and it’s just so incredible to see the progress we’ve made since last week. It’s delightful to be able to help out the local community and make a difference. After nearly two hours of shoveling and moulding bricks, many went to the corner store to get some well-deserved snacks before we all headed to our respective schools for another teaching session! No matter how tired we are, the children never fail to cheer us up with their warm greetings while flashing million-dollar smiles.

After completing our service hours for the day with good vibes and positivity, we were rewarded with a (once again) delicious lunch consisting of “red red”, plantain, garden salad and watermelon chunks. It was a chill afternoon at home base. After filling up our stomachs, we had a fun cultural activity where we attempted to carry loads on our heads. Head-carrying is a very common art among Ghanaian women, which is something that all of us must have noticed during the (nearly) two weeks we’ve spent so far in this breathtaking and charming country. With the opportunity to try it out for ourselves, we realized that this is an impressive and hard-to-master skill that requires great control and strength! While this activity was ongoing, we welcomed hair braiders to home base once again. Thanks to hours upon hours of effort by these talented ladies, Sabrina, Leia and Olivia will get to go on the upcoming excursion with new and gorgeous hair! Later, the seamstresses and tailor arrived with the elegant clothing items we ordered a little more than a week ago (as well as some extra goodies!). We tried on our new intricately-made outfits that all look like they could belong on runways.

We had a decently long period of free time until Chow Circle where plenty of shoutouts were made and I passed my L.O.D. position to Amanda. After dinner (tasty french fries, chicken and pineapple), Dodzi presented the logistics for our 3-day excursion to Ho which we’re all extremely excited about! We concluded the day with movie night. The earlier vote I carried out revealed “Rio” as the heart of our last group activity before the upcoming weekend that comes with the highly-anticipated excursion!

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” — Credited as an anonymous African Proverb

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Author: Amanda F.

Today, our group finally made it to their weekend destination, Ho! Following a three-hour bus ride, we stopped at a location in town where a lunch buffet was served.

After lunch, the group immersed themselves in learning about batik fabric in Ghana and even participated in a hands-on experience with the process. We began by using a foam block carved with a design, dipping it in wax and then applying it to fabric. This technique leaves parts covered in wax white while the rest of the fabric absorbs color.

Afterwards, we checked into the hotel where we’ll be spending the next two nights. The GLA students were pleased with the hotel amenities, which included a pool and playground. Before dinner, some students decided to take advantage of the hotel’s pool.

Finally, during their free time before bed, many enjoyed playing games outdoors or treating themselves to delicious ice cream available at the hotel.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

Author: Sophie S.

Hello all: parents, loved ones, and students of the program. We started off the day bright and early with breakfast at 7am. When we woke up, the sky was covered in that rainforest mist we all know and love.

We headed out of our lovely hotel in the Ho region and drove to the Ote Canopy Walk. The walk was beautiful in the very humid rainforest. We started off with a descent down 200ish steep steps and began our walk over three extremely high and bouncy canopy bridges. It was absolutely beautiful other than the fact that someone kept bouncing the bridge. After taking pictures we then drove to our lovely lunch spot.

After a filling buffet lunch, we headed to the entrance to Wli Waterfall, which marked the beginning of our 40-minute walk to the actual waterfall. The walk consisted of going over nine bridges and was extremely beautiful. The waterfall however, was definitely the best part. The Wli Waterfall is the tallest in all of West Africa and it definitely didn’t disappoint. Right away we all slowly tiptoed into the water as it was very cold. We then had to walk backwards as the wind and mist from the waterfall basically smacked you repeatedly in the face making it very hard to walk straight into it. Imagine you are being power washed. Some made it through the waterfall to touch the wall on the back side of the falls while others stopped and turned around as the spray was powerful. We took a group picture at the falls and then walked back and shopped at the craft market until it was time to leave and start our journey back to the hotel. Overall one of my favorite days of the program!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 22

Authors: Esmeralda R. and Caden S.

Today we got up bright and early to get to a delicious buffet style breakfast served by the hotel in Ho. After breakfast we split into our mentor groups and took on the day with two different activities.

The first group to leave the hotel (Mary’s Little Lambs) went to experience a Kente weaving class where they wove their own small section of fabric. They also learned about the historical importance of Keta cloth and its many applications in the culture. While this was taking place the other mentor group (The Mangos) began packing and had some time to relax at the pool or in their rooms before the groups eventually switched.

After both classes experienced Kente weaving and were back at the hotel, we all packed our bags and took a group picture before we all hit the road for lunch. After lunch we began our ride back home including a stop at the supermarket where several students stocked up on snacks and other treats for the kids.

Following our arrival at home base we were met with another visit from the seamstresses where students purchased clothing and other cloth goods, played with kids, or walked to the beach.

We concluded our day with a short “pulse check”, dinner, and great mentor groups. All in all it was another amazing day here in Ghana filled with new experiences and lifelong memories.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

Author: Angel M.

Today we started our morning at the usual time of 7am. The breakfast was made up of french toast, mangos, and rice water. We then headed to service, and we all began to feel a bit down because we began to realize how little time we have left on the program. There was a slight inconvenience of the materials needed to make bricks not being available, but in the end we ended up making a good amount of bricks with less time than usual, combining both teams to work on the last bag of cement all together.

After we finished making bricks we split up into two groups and headed towards our respective schools where we teach. When we arrived at the school the students rushed us as we got out of the van. We had a little time before class, so we spent it preparing to teach and playing with the kids. Teaching went smoothly, with the kids all being pretty cooperative and respectful to us.

After some free time we did a community-wide scavenger hunt. During the scavenger hunt we had to find people and things to take a picture of and to submit in order to win. The staff have not decided which group won yet, and said it would be told to the students tomorrow, but it will be a close call.

After the scavenger hunt we had free time before dinner. Almost immediately after that we went to a group meeting for our goals that we made on our fourth day. It helped a lot to allow us to reflect on how the trip has gone so far and how we could help our communities and the world after this.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

Author: Leya A.

Today we woke up to a delicious breakfast of fried eggs, toast, and orange slices. Then at 8am sharp we left for service (we finally were on time!). During the brick making portion of service we all came together (Mary’s Little Lambs and The Mangos) to make three sturdy bags of bricks and put our friendly feud to the side, but obviously the Little Lambs were still the stronger ones and more dedicated to the job.

After cleaning up our mess from making the bricks we packed up and split into groups to go teach. Half of the group teaches at the Anglo Basic School so they only have to walk two minutes from the field to the class to teach their students, although the other group only has to drive five minutes down the road to Avete Basic School. Today at Anglo Secondary School where we do our brick making, they started their sports tournament with 10 different high schools coming for a week-long competition. They’ll do everything from track to handball. Today my 6th grade students went to a different school to take a particular exam so my teaching partner and I went with staff to watch some of the events; others came as well but just a little later.

When teaching was over we went home to eat a lunch of “red red”, plantains, pineapple, and a garden salad. We had a couple of hours of free time after lunch so some of us napped or played with the neighborhood kids.

At 2:45pm we all went to the summer hut to get ready to go and visit a local chief from the nearby town of Keta. When we first walked onto his property you could hear the sounds of drums and feel his energy. Before we could even start talking to him we had to be welcomed with a prayer. His two pupils brought out all the materials that were needed: cornstarch for the earth, water for the hydrosphere, air for the atmosphere, locally made palm spirits for the spirit, and a calabash bowl. While mixing everything together they were saying a prayer to God to protect us and to once again welcome us to his home. He talked to us about the roles of a chief and his life story and afterwards we were able to ask him questions. He also is an author and some students were able to purchase autographed copies.

When we left we didn’t go straight home, we stopped at a resort for some soft drinks before picking up some supplies we wanted to give to our students, some of us buying notebooks, pens, while others purchased sports balls and candy.

In the evening we ate Chinese noodles and watermelon for dinner and at 8pm we started the talent show. We had many amazing performances from singing, tongue gymnastics, moshing, and stand up comedy to end an amazing day!

Now for the quote to end this amazing blog:

Get your MONEY up!
NOT your funny up!

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

Author: Marianne W.

Hi! Today was our last day of service. This morning we had breakfast at 8:30am, different from our usual 7am breakfast. We headed to brick making, where the Mangos and Mary’s Little Lambs made one bag of cement each. We each signed our own bricks to commemorate our time here!

Next we went to our respective schools for the last time. The kids in our classes shared sodas with us, and we played with our students for the last time. It was a tearful goodbye.

After that, we came back for lunch and played with some of the kids from the neighborhood. We then drove 45 minutes to a boat, and traveled to an island through a lagoon. The boat there took a little over an hour. On the island we browsed some craft shops, had soft drinks, and swam in the warm water. We headed home, a shorter ride back as we went a different route and came to home base for dinner.

After dinner, we went to the beach for our goodbye bonfire. We played an anonymous special activity to appreciate each other. We finally headed home for a short dance party to end the night.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 26

Author: I.D. James M.

Our final full day of the program had us sleeping in until 9am when we went for yet another delicious breakfast prepared by Chefs Dodzi and Free Heart. Afterwards all of the students gathered for our last leadership group, The GLA Way, where students journaled and reflected on how they embodied GLA’s five Leadership Pillars during the program.

Afterwards students did some final shopping at a local bead store in town, most of the beads handmade in Ghana from recycled glass.

This afternoon Mary’s Little Lambs and The Mangos had their final mentor groups to discuss lessons learned throughout these past three weeks, full of reflection and appreciation, the reality of our upcoming goodbyes really beginning to sink in.

We had time this afternoon to pack up and play with the local kids before everyone changed into their locally made Ghanaian clothing from the tailors and seamstresses to enjoy a final drum and dance performance in the summer hut!

The staff prepared a special final dinner banquet with a wonderful spread of food which we all enjoyed! After some words of thanks from the staff and students, we enjoyed watching such a fun video that Mentor Mary worked tirelessly with one of our drivers, Saquib, titled “This is Ghana”, hoping to make Saquib go viral! We finished up with an hour-long slideshow of over 800 photos that staff had taken throughout the three weeks, reliving so many wonderful moments shared together!

We ended the night by finishing packing and writing notes in each other’s journals, having a late last night in Ghana!