PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!
Here are a few things to know and expect:
- 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.
- 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.
- Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
- Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
- 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 25
Hola GLA families and friends,
We are very excited to welcome our interns and get this amazing adventure started. ¡Bienvenidos chicos y chicas!
Everyone arrived safely to Cusco airport, and now we are just missing Sean, Quentin and Mackenzie, who will get here tomorrow.
After we arrived and interns settled in their new rooms, we had our introductions, followed by a delicious dinner and some time to get to know each other. Hopefully everyone gets a great rest tonight, to recharge their batteries for the wonderful adventures ahead!
In this program students will dive deep in the Peruvian culture and connect with the local communities through our engineering project and lots of fun activities, so keep on following this blog to learn about our leaders’ amazing adventures!
Your GLA Team,
Hector, Maggie, Mark and Caleb
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26
Qué tal?
In the morning we had a great Peruvian breakfast filled with pancakes, bacon, fruits, and pulpy orange juice that tasted delicious. Later, when the food settled, we had an initiative brief about the plan for this trip. Before lunch we went shopping to try some Peruvian treats like canchita and introduce ourselves to the market environment. For lunch we had fried fish and mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables and purple corn juice.
After lunch we went on a forty-minute ride through the project area and discussed crop irrigation and sustainable water to places like Chauaiatiri. During the ride there, we blasted a few classic rock hits such as Queen and Linkin Park. During the trip we learned how profitable strawberries are in high altitude areas like the community we visited. During the free time, we decided to pass around a notebook and write all our phone numbers to connect with each other.
When we got back, we ate dinner and met the remaining three interns who arrived during the day. Last but not least, we met up in mentor groups and set goals for the trip.
Anton Lavrenov & Brian Chuang
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27
We started the day off with a seven-o’clock breakfast, followed by a cheerful introduction to the day’s events and an overview of some engineering concepts which we will use over the course of the trip – specifically surveying, marking, and stakeposting. Afterwards, we drove directly to the worksite, and began marking out a path for trenches to be dug by locals who will help us along the way. Though the work was grueling, the brilliant views and strength of the community helped us push through. At midday, our hosts from Chaska Pisac drove out to meet us at the worksite and deliver us food, displaying incredible hospitality. Once everyone was finished with their food, we drove back to the homebase, whilst indulging ourselves with some 2010’s karaoke.
Upon arrival at the HQ, most of the group left for the central plaza and main market. While some of the group abstained from purchasing anything, several members bought glassware and bracelets and other items. Few of us got matching t-shirts and ponchos whilst bartering with the locals.
Soon after, we had a shaman come over to perform a Pago a la Tierra – a ceremony involving offerings to the mother earth and mountains, cleansing our bodies and minds, and blessing our futures. This was also, in part, a lesson on Inca culture and religious beliefs regarding mountains and mother Earth.
After the Pago a la Tierra, we had free time, which many of us spent playing football and listening to music in the courtyard. We also spent a great deal of time with the in-house Alpaca (whom we have affectionately dubbed Paka).
After dinner, we engaged in a group debate surrounding the effect of social media and technology on society and human interaction. During the discussion, we spoke with each other about the relationship between increasing social media presence and its impact on people in general.
Even as we write this blog, the rest of the group have gathered around the gazebo in the center of the courtyard, playing music, and joking around. Creating a more-than-pleasant end to what seems to us is a perfect day.
– Josh and Ash
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28
Today was the fourth day of the Peru STEM Internship trip. Our breakfast of the day consisted of fresh fruits, soft scrambled eggs, two varieties of sausages and a new selection of pastries. After we all filled up, the Medlife representative and lead engineer came over to show us the impacts of past service trips.
With our newfound knowledge and determination, we hopped on the bus towards Chahuaytire where we continued the staking and marking of the roads from where we left off the previous day. The students split up into two groups for the working day, and we hastily finished marking the whole 1.6 miles worth of path. Later, after our hard work, the GLA team took us to a nearby cliff where we enjoyed a hearty lunch. The cliffside was actually the location of ancient Incan drawings of llamas and alpacas.
In the nighttime, we visited the nearby market again, where there was a traditional celebration happening. At the markets, we also became friends with a local Peruvian kid. Finally, once everyone was satisfied with their purchases, we tried cantaloupe pancakes with pumpkin soup. At the end, we wrote letters for ourselves three weeks in the future.
Anton Lavrenov & Brian Chuang
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29
We awoke this morning to the brisk Peruvian air. With our bags packed and breakfast eaten, we embarked on our journey to Cusco. Along the way we had several stops to learn more about Peruvian culture from Hector. We also stopped at a llama and alpaca petting zoo, thankfully only Porter was spat at by the llama. There, we learned the critical difference between real and fake llama fur when shopping at markets.
Then, we went to an inspirational buffet where you could eat whatever you want with chicken, beef, pork and endless deserts which some people have seven of.
Then we went to the famous Cusco market where we took part in a breathtaking scavenger hunt. Afterwards we all bought bracelets. Finally, we went back to the restaurant for dinner and dessert.
Logan and Aiden
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30
In the early morning, we woke up from our comfortable beds at Hotel Urpi in Cusco. We ate breakfast in the hotel lobby and then embarked on our trek to a Peruvian lake embedded in an Andes valley. Along the way we played our homemade playlist that we collaboratively made a couple nights before.
After greeting the multitude of dogs at Piuray, the outdoor kayaking center, we suited up with neoprene boots and changed into our swim clothes. The guides divided us into kayaking, canoeing, and paddle-boarding groups. While the guides prepared the boats we tanned on the warm bean bags by the water. Some even played chess on a handcrafted wooden board. We explored the lake and playfully splashed and tried to capsize each other, resulting in several falling into the water. After taking a group picture and chasing each other in the water, we returned to shore, dried off, did some more tanning, and had a delicious grilled chicken lunch with a mysterious fruit named “granadilla”.
Our bus, filled with lively music, then took us to an ancient Peruvian salt farm in the town Maras. Hector, our local director, even informed us that they dated back to the Incan empire. After taking plenty of pictures, we headed to a local store where we bought many exotic chocolates and salts.
We finished our day by heading back to Pisac and doing a routine “Pulse Check” that consisted of answering several questions about our wellbeing. Dinner was eventful with one member accidentally dumping half a bottle of honey into his tea. Finally, we learned and played a new card game to complete another fulfilling day of our Peru STEM internship
– Hugo and Sean
BLOG POST FOR JULY 1
Hello everyone!
Today we went back to our project site for the first time in three days. We were divided into two groups, one digging trenches to place water lines, and the other filling in walls to support a dam upstream. We worked hard in the hot sun over the course of 4 hours and felt well rewarded for the progress we made. After a long, and delayed, bus ride home, we had free time until dinner where we had the opportunity to go out into the town. We spent time shopping, playing card games, and chatting with peers. While we didn’t have a set afternoon activity, we still had lots of fun and had time to rejuvenate for our next day of work tomorrow. We are tremendously grateful for the locals who helped us dig the trenches and fill in the dam. It was nice to get to know people in the community to directly see who we are helping. We can’t wait to work with them again tomorrow and we are waiting to see the end result of our hard work and dedication!
-Mackenzie and Decker
BLOG POST FOR JULY 2
Hello Everyone!
Today’s work was much like yesterday. We stayed in the same groups and finished the work that we started yesterday. With the help of a few locals, we were able to extend the trench much more efficiently than yesterday. We also spent a lot of time moving large rocks in place to build support for the pipe that will be installed later. We ended work earlier than yesterday because of work on the road being repaved.
After we got back to home base, we had a delicious lunch of salmon, rice, and potatoes. We then continued our STEM learning and leadership curriculum work. After finishing work for the day, we had free time. A bunch left to go to town and get Crepes while a few stayed back to relax after a long day. To end the day, we had a dinner reminiscent of home with chicken nuggets, more potatoes, and a vegetable new to most of us called Yuka. After dinner, we played a fun game about choosing an option and defending your choice. Now we are sitting in the dining room, playing cards and listening to music from home. We are excited for tomorrow’s adventures in pottery and archeology.
– Sam & Quentin
BLOG POST FOR JULY 3
Hey y’all welcome to the blog!
It’s yo girls Karla and Delilah! Wanna know what we did today, it was quite exciting. Today we attended a highland art class and learned how to create traditional indigenous pottery, using clay sourced from Peruvian soil. After we finished making our creative pieces, we listened to “The Master” play traditional Incan instruments. We learned of the ceremonial usages for the instruments the Incas used, and their purposes.
After our artistic adventures we returned home for a delicious lunch (and some dessert). Following lunch we fell into our traditional card games and then followed Hector as he guided us through incan archeological sites and were blessed to learn of the rules of the incan trail as well as the quechua language. After dinner we led a friendship circle where we danced, laughed, and played to encourage bonding and fun memories.
Thank you for tuning in to the blog, come back next time for more compelling stories.
Delilah and Karla
BLOG POST FOR JULY 4
Today was day ten of the internship! Today was bright and sunny with a high of 67 degrees, a beautiful day for service! We woke up bright and early as per usual and started the day with a hearty breakfast. Today was service day followed by a fun cultural immersive activity. We worked from 9am – 12pm, finishing the trenches and marking where our future pipe valves will be placed. After a morning of hard work in the sun, we had a yummy lunch on a beautiful hillside, overlooking a breathtaking landscape of the Sacred Valley.
After lunch, we travelled to a home in the local community that specialized in the art of making traditional Peruvian textiles. We had an interactive lesson on the making and production of traditional textiles, learning how to cut, spin and color alpaca and sheep wool as well as how they weave said wool into beautiful, intricate designs. After our lesson we got to shop and look around their beautiful collection of textiles including scarves, bracelets, wallets, table runners, belts and much more.
After our textile activity, we returned back to home base where we were surprised with delicious chocolate cake courtesy of our amazing hotel staff. Afterward, we had time to load up on snacks from around Pisac, before beginning our Fourth of July Celebration! We enjoyed cheeseburgers and fries for dinner and homemade ice cream for dessert! Then, we ended the day with s´mores around the campfire for a fantastic Fourth of July Celebration!
See you tomorrow for another amazing day in Peru!
Tess and Jill
BLOG POST FOR JULY 5
Today we had a much needed late breakfast at 9am which was fresh fruit, eggs, sausage and others. Following that we gathered in the yard to hangout and play a couple games such as poison dart frog and mafia led by MacKenzie. After that we had a guest speaker named Iñakapalla who talked about engineers thousands of years ago built structures to capture and efficiently distribute water to communities, the cause and effect of how people mistreat water in the community, what we can do to prevent the negative impact, and the significant role women have played in these efforts.
After the presentation we had lunch and a little time to rest before a highly anticipated (or not depending on who you ask) dance class. We learned local Peruvian dances and had a bonus salsa lesson. As soon as it ended we were out the door to a local Italian bakery/cafe to snack up on some empanadas, pizza and desserts. We came back to home base to eat dinner which was rice, potatoes and chicken followed by a mentor group session about goals that we have for the rest of the trip since we are halfway through. After that we had free time for the rest of the night and that was it for another great day!
-Porter and Barrett
BLOG POST FOR JULY 6
Hello everyone!
We woke bright and early, like usual, to eat breakfast before starting our 2.5 hour bus ride to our host families in the remote community of Raqchi. On our way, we stopped at Mayuc, a river lodge, where we suited up in our wet suits to start our whitewater rafting adventure. After lots of safety explanations, we seperated into 4 rafting groups with a mentor and local in each. Next we went through many basic drills like back paddling, hard left, hard right, and rowing forward, and all of it in sync. We took plenty of videos on the GoPro whilegoing through the rapids, ranging from level 1-3. When we were close to the end of the river, we jumped in the freezing cold water and then went into the smoky sauna to warm up.
After a delicious soup and chicken leg, we geared up again to do some zip lining across the river. The zip line required us to climb a ladder and control our speed by braking with a leather glove that we held in our non-dominant hand.
Once we were all done, we finished our bus ride and arrived at our host village, where we also decided which family would get who. We settled in and ate a hearty dinner and then got dressed up in traditional ceremonial Peruvian clothing—a poncho and beanie for the boys, and a dress and hat for the girls. With all the host families gathered in a courtyard, we honored Pachamama, Mother Earth, and Apus, the mountains, with Coco leaves. Finally, we burned our offering while dancing in a circle to our host families singing and playing guitar. Once our several traditional dances were done, we went back to our separate houses to go to sleep. This day was very eventful, bringing us one day closer to the end of our stay.
– Hugo and Mackenzie
BLOG POST FOR JULY 7
Today we woke up in our beautiful host families’ homes, after spending the night in our home stay. We had a delicious homemade meal and split into two groups to learn about the community’s different responsibilities; husking corn and making ceramics. The ceramics group learned how to make plates and the corn husking group worked in the corn fields under the shining sun, husking corn.
We then had another amazing home cooked meal provided by our host families and boarded the bus for our journey home.
On the way home, we stopped in a small community to participate in a soccer tournament with local boys, men and women. The boys took home a win while the girls unfortunately got smoked by the local women 🙁
Then we got back on our bus and had a nice, scenic ride back to the home base for a quiet night in.
See you tomorrow for another fantastic day in Pisac!
– Tess and Barrett
BLOG POST FOR JULY 8
For our morning service, we began the final step of the project and laid out 500 meters of pipe along the trenches we and the local community had dug. Then, we received a presentation from the engineer about hydrology and pipes before being treated to beef, rice, and hash browns for lunch. Afterwards, we were given free time to go out into Pisac and spend an obscene amount of money on jewelry, bracelets, and more. For dinner we were treated with soup, rice, and fried chicken. Finally, we got to present our group projects on problems impacting Peru and how to solve them.
Decker and Logan
BLOG POST FOR JULY 9
We awoke at the home base in Pisac for the last time before our hike to Machu Picchu, which had been briefed to us during that breakfast.
Today was one of the final days of service for the internship. After we arrived at the site our work began through working together to mix concrete for one of the locals, Lucio, to distribute into the casts of blocks needed later on in the project. We finished the rest of the pipes from the previous day and returned back to home base for lunch.
Following lunch, Alvaro gave us a presentation about the Incan labor principals that are still in use in many parts of Peru including Chahuaytire. Following we travelled with Hector to visit the Pisac Museum where we were able to learn more about the history of the region from our museum guide.
In the afternoon we had our dinner which was preceded by a night game where we had to compete between groups on who knew their members the best. In the end it was Mark’s group who found victory. We ended the night there and began to prepare for our long journey in the days to come.
Sean & Ash
BLOG POST FOR JULY 10
Today we had to wake up early for Machu Picchu, and we finished gathering our belongings to leave on the short bus ride to the beginning of the hike.
At the start of the hike we were given some hard candy and passionfruit, and we started the hike at a moderate pace up the first half of that day’s hike, taking a few breaks before we arrived at the lunch spot. We had some delicious soup and meats at the pop up lunch site, and took a 2 hour break before moving onto the next 5 kilometers of the hike.
The next part of the hike was much steeper, wrapping around the mountain and climbing to a high elevation before it plateaued out. Shortly after we made it to a campsite, which was surrounded by a beautiful mountain range. After settling into our tents we had dinner and warmed up with some hot tea and hot chocolate. And that was it for a very eventful and tiring day!
– Anton & Porter
BLOG POST FOR JULY 11
This morning we woke up to a slow sunrise from inside our tents by the bitter cold of the Andean mountains. Breakfast consisted of Peruvian pancakes, fresh fruits, peach yogurt, and sticky granola. Shortly after, we packed up our tents and finished the trek up to the highest point of our journey. Here, we laid down our burdensome stones atop a pile of others- each left behind as an offering to the mountains and Mother Earth. We yelled our “echoes” and replenished our drive for the excursion after gazing at the nearby snow capped peaks.
Our tour guides informed us that the rest of the hike would be downhill, and with this new boost of confidence and a weight off our shoulders we frolicked down the mountainside, arriving at a lakeside home. Here, we befriended two dogs and three local children, and shared the rations we purchased at the previous town.
We finished our trek downhill, arriving in the home of our tour guides for a warm lunch. There we played cards and shared laughs before saying goodbye to the homeowner with a traditional song and dance. After this meal, we headed to our next destination of Ollantaytambo, where we explored the area before sitting down for a delectable meal.
Afterwards, we took a two-hour voyage on the PeruRail to Aguas Calientes, the city at the base of Machu Picchu. There we split up for the night in two hotels and rested our tired bodies for the next day’s visit to one of the New Wonders of the World.
– Barrett Paschane & Brian Chuang
BLOG POST FOR JULY 12
We started the day at the hotel where we spent the night in Aguas Calientes. We ate a small breakfast before walking to a bus, which took us to Machu Picchu. Upon our arrival, we climbed up 300 stairs to the top of Machu Picchu. We got to the first of two terraces that we could visit on circuit one, and took pictures of the ancient city’s remains and photos of the group and each other. Then we hiked to the second terrace, which is closer to the city, and took more pictures together.
Once we finished with pictures, the guides pulled us aside to teach us about the history of Machu Picchu and the methods used by the Spaniards who invaded and conquered the Incan civilization. After the lesson finished, we took the bus back down to the town where we explored for an hour.
Once the group reconvened, we ate lunch at a restaurant and took the Peru Rail and some buses home shortly after. Finally we had a Peruvian dinner with a strawberry jelly cake.
– Josh & Aidan
BLOG POST FOR JULY 13
Today we had our final day of service, finishing the final steps of our service project, spending as much time as possible concluding the project. We ate lunch on site and then continued working into the afternoon. We returned around 4pm before having a guest speaker from Kumbre Media who talked about his documentary production company which focuses on the disappearing of glaciers specifically in the Peru area. He spoke about climate change, solutions and effects of these disappearances.
Afterward, we had free time until dinner and then after dinner we had an exciting evening at a local carnival where we played games, had fun and enjoyed one of our last nights of the trip! It was a fulfilling day with equal parts work and fun, a perfect way to start the conclusion of the trip.
See you tomorrow for our final full day of the internship!
-Tess and Sam
BLOG POST FOR JULY 14
The day started with a ceremony to celebrate the hard work we’ve been putting in our engineering project. We went to Chahuaytire to celebrate with the local community the conclusion of the irrigation system project, and to finally see it working – distributing water to all the families and agricultural fields nearby. We shared kind words (thank you Decker and Barrett for making a speech in spanish in the name of the whole group), danced, and had some delicious potatoes.
In the afternoon we had cake to celebrate Josh’s birthday and went to play football, basketball and volleyball with people from Pisac.
The night ended with our farewell dinner, an award distribution by Mark and Tessa, and a sweet appreciation activity.
– The Staff Team
BLOG POST FOR JULY 15
Hello GLA family and friends.
Josh woke up bright and early to catch his flight leaving Pisac at 4am. A few hours later the rest of the group woke up excited to get crepes at their favorite restaurant.
We all left at 12:00pm for Karla’s afternoon departure. After arriving in Cusco the group got lunch and a few students ordered guinnea pig. After lunch our shrinking group spent the next few hours exploring Cusco shopping and searching for the best coffee shop.
We arrived at the airport at 5:30pm to drop the rest of our group off. As the students filed into the departing terminal Margarida, our international director, exclaimed “fly little birds.”
We wish all the best to our students and hope to meet them again one day!
– The Staff Team
