Uncategorized - Part 3

May 31, 2023 by Ashley Welter

Spain: Spanish in the Land of Don Quixote (July 1-July 14, 2023)

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

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

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

Cell Phone Policy: The GLA cell phone policy is currently in place this summer to help foster meaningful connections between students. This means your student’s phone will be collected every day and returned to them after activities are completed to have with them through the night. Actual tech times and regularity will vary greatly by program location and time zones. During designated ‘tech time’, your student may use their phones as they wish. Please note that your student may not always choose to use this time to get a hold of their parents. If you are not hearing directly from your student each day, you can assume that no news is good news! We strongly recommend you follow the blog to follow your students’ experience without talking to them every day. If you are a parent and would like to get in touch with your student directly, you can call us at +1-619-758-3031 and we can set up a formal time for you to connect with your student.

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 posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Arrival day!

Hello GLA family!

Greetings from the program Spanish in the Land of Don Quixote in Toledo. As staff, we are so excited to welcome our first group of the season. After long travels, few sleep and much anticipation, we have the whole group here in our home base in Toledo.

On their first day, they already have shown how eager they are to experience Spanish culture and improve their Spanish language skills, we are happy to be the facilitators of this experience. We are certain that the people they will meet, the places they will visit and the experiences they will have, will help them develop their very own leadership style.

After some group activities and orientation topics, we got to sing Happy Birthday to Jaq and had some delicious traditional Spanish cake.

We are looking forward to what is coming in the following days.

More blogs coming soon.

Leader of the day! – Mentor Ronald

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Written by Leader of the Day – Mentor Cody

Our first full day in Spain is complete!

Today was spent learning much about our new home, what we will be doing here, and of course, each other. We awoke refreshed, finally shaking off our jet lag. Throughout the day, we got to know each other better, as well as the GLA staff. We discussed policies and expectations of our participation in this program. Perhaps the highlight of the afternoon though was our Spanish assessments, where we took a brief Spanish test and had a conversation in Spanish, in order to determine which Spanish course we will be taking. Between sessions, we also began tackling a massive Pokemon puzzle. We’ll have it finished before the end of the week.

We’re very excited for tomorrow! We have our first Spanish courses, we will be meeting the children that we will be helping, and we will finally get to explore the city of Toledo! Hasta luego!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Written by Jaq H. – Leader of the Day

Hola!!!

Today we had a full day of activities, we had our first day of community service and met all of our students. We will be supporting the summer camp of a local school. We played sports and helped with arts and crafts and learned Spanish. We also did gym class. Some students are much better at English than the others. In Spanish, the different groups studied different words and questions.

We also went to Toledo for a walk around the town and found lots of swords and interesting shops. This was one of the favorite part of the day for most of the students who got to take lots of picture of the beautiful streets and interesting landmarks of Toledo. Finally, we are almost complete with our puzzle and will have it finished by tomorrow.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Written by Miguel Mendez – Leader of the Day

Que tal?

Today was a balanced day between service and fun, spending the morning until lunch on studying spanish and assisting the teachers and students. Dancing, sports, and fun games were part of the many activities that filled our service hours, complete with a celebration of the 4th of July with the students, dancing to American music. During our time in the classroom we practiced new vocabulary, grammar, and listening activities to improve our understanding and speech.

After our service, we had our siesta and went straight to the pool to enjoy the cold water and take a break from the heat. While walking we made a quick stop at a shop to buy snacks and drinks which made for a great two hours relaxing at the poolside.

Finally at the end of the day we had a fun celebration of the 4th of July with music in the background and a beautiful sunset as our backdrop. Today was one of the many wonderful days to come as we continue our stay in the beautiful country of Spain!

Hasta Luego!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Written by Sydney and Alma – Leaders of the day

Hola!

Today was a day packed with many activities and fun. The morning began with Spanish classes and service work. Today, the students in the summer camp had a pool day, and we all enjoyed helping and playing with the kids during this time: throwing water balloons and splashing in the water. The Spanish classes helped us to improve our language knowledge and participated to our immersion in Don Quijotes country.

Following this, we helped the kids with their lunch, and then took our siesta.

Following the siesta, restful and necessary for everyone, we met for a departure scheduled for 4 p.m. Taken by bus, we arrived safe at the Gothic cathedral of Toledo. Thanks to our famous local guide, we visited the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo, symbol of the all-powerful Christian era in Spain in the 13th century. Amazed by the sculptures, the spectacular architecture and the Custos (fruit of the first gold brought back by Christopher Columbus from America and treasure acquired under Isabella of Castile), we were also able to discover the fresco of Theotocópuli, son of El Greco, who’s paintings featured to. Caravaggio, Titians, Velasquez and Rubens were also present at tea.

After this cultural activity, we had shopping time and some were able to enjoy an ice cream in these hot weather.

Araft, we walked to the Zip-line place, which made all the adrenaline enthusiasts very happy. The beautiful sight was enjoyed by everyone.

After this short but extreme activity we returned exhausted. Indeed, this very intense day had tired more than one and will make it easier to go to bed tonight. Back at Mayol College, we had dinner, then shared our take aways from the day spent together.

We will remember from today that spending time with the lovely little ones was a big highlight, and this long journey rich in novelty has made it possible to strengthen our ties.

Come on, enough said for today,

Let’s go to bed !

Buenas Noches Chicos y chicas !!!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Written by Lili and Cathy – Leaders of the Day

Hola!

After a busy weekend in Madrid we come back with all our blog updates you are missing very much. The past few days we’ve been busy, busy, busy!!!

Thursday started off by waking up in the morning and going to get breakfast. After breakfast half of us went to Spanish class while the others had service work. In Spanish class we learnt about some basic knowledge to help us communicate more conveniently with the kids both in present and past tense. Following on we played with the kids using the jump rope and helped feed them their lunches. After feeding them, we got food ourselves. The food was amazing. During siesta it was our time to take a rest in which we chose to play cards. It was really funWe then headed off to the pool.

After about a twenty minute walk we arrived at the pool, anxiously awaiting to buy goodies from the shop nearby. Part of the group spent the time by relaxing in the shade playing cards or talking. The other half hung out by the pool, (personally, the cool water felt even nicer after the walk in the heat). Later that evening we went over the schedule for Madrid! We were excited to travel there and the many different activities we were to partake in that weekend. The day ended with us packing up our bags and a nights rest before our trip to Madrid.

Adios!!!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Written by Dylan and Liam – Leaders of the Day

Hola!

Today we had to wake up extra early to start our trip to Madrid. Before getting to Madrid, we made a first stop to go kayaking. Kayaking was amazing, great views, fast rapids, and lots of fun. After the kayaking, some of us went to have a picnic in the field early while the others went on a rope course that was full of obstacles and a couple of fun zip-lines. After reconvening at the picnic spot and finishing lunch, we played cards in the shade with Tom’s music in the background during our siesta time. After that we took the bus to the hostel in Madrid and got settled in. Once everyone unpacked their things, we had our first dinner at the hostel. Then we finished off the day by getting some taiyaki ice cream.

Here’s a picture of me eating the ice cream, among other things.

Adios!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Written by Christian and Jett – Leaders of the Day

Hola todos! Today was day 8 on our Spain excursion. After our first full night in Madrid, we woke up and had a filling breakfast at the hostel. After breakfast we grabbed our bags and went out to theSpanish kitchen. After a small metro trip we arrived at the kitchen, Cocinea, ready to make our food. The menu was Paella Valenciana and tapas, which included: melon and ham as well as Russian salad and cheese board. We also made (non-alcoholic) sangria. We listened to music, ate food, and had a relaxing time. Leaving the kitchen full and energized we headed to the park for siesta time. This included, walking around the park and visiting Palacio de Cristal, eating ice cream, and group bonding — duck duck goose.

After the riveting game of duck duck goose, we proceeded to have mentor meetings. Where the group is split into half, one group with mentor Cody and one with mentor Ronald. During mentor group time, we speak about what we are learning, what we like, what is challenging, and how to grow from our experiences. The discussion was led by the students, which helps us talk about topics which are most vital to our experience. After, we had our daily meeting, consisting of: rose and thorns, shoutouts, new leader presenting a talent, schedule for the following day, and final announcements.

After the meeting we made our way back to the hostel. For dinner, we had pasta and shrimp as an appetizer, and as the main course we had chicken and fries. Some of us were still hungry for another desert, so the mentors took those who wanted out to get ice cream. Following the ice cream trip, everybody was tired after a long day of activities, so we went to bed ready for the next day of touring and shopping.

Adios!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Written by Jack H. – Leader of the Day

Hello Everyone!

I came on this trip because I wanted to experience Spain. I had fun hanging out with the local kids and going kayaking. I enjoyed exploring Madrid and Toledo. I truly appreciate this opportunity and I’ll never forget it.

Here are some pictures from our final day in Madrid. Exploring the landmarks and visiting the Prado Museo and Real Madrid Stadium (by groups).

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Written by Tom – Leader of the Day

After a tired start to the morning, we closed out our service project with the colegio students, and had our final Spanish lessons in Spain. The colegio threw us a small celebration to let us spend some extra time with the kids before having to leave. Saying goodbye to the kids, staff, and friends made in Spain was an emotional moment. After a lunch break to recharge, we had a quick siesta, before reflecting on our experiences as a group. We headed out for one last group activity, where we had an excursion to the don Quixote windmills made famous in Cervantes’ world-famous novel. We toured the incredible, breathtaking sites and learned a lot of the history of the region. After an excellent tour of the windmills and the nearby castle, we stopped for a snack before heading back to home base to wrap up with some final bonding activities with the group. We shared one last dinner as a team, and then gathered together to show our appreciation for each other, which was an emotional and eye-opening interaction among the group. Overall, on this trip, our group has accomplished so much together, learning more about ourselves and our friends, about our culture and about others’, and unanimously agree that this experience will be a very cherished memory in the future. On behalf of the GLA students and staff, thank you to everyone who was here to make this experience possible, from our peers, to our mentors, to our Spanish teacher/tour guide/flamenco instructor, we appreciate everything you all have done.

Enjoy some pictures form the last days.

Adiós a todos!!!

May 31, 2023 by Ashley Welter

South Africa: Safari & Conservation Expedition (Sessions Starting July 12, 2023)

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

14-DAY PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

21-DAY PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

This blog is for the South Africa split session starting July 12, 2023, which includes both the 14-day and the 21-day student group.

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

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 posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Hello,

We were excited to welcome all the students to South Africa today! We are enjoying the cold weather in Johannesburg. We are staying in a beautiful hotel just for tonight and we are excited to head out to Zingela Game reserve tomorrow. We played some games to get to know everyone’s names and we are anxiously waiting the arrival of our last 3 students whose flights have been delayed.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

Sawubona from South Africa,

We are now in Zingela. We arrived yesterday after a bumpy bus drive. We settled in our tents and we got to know each other! We woke up to a frosty morning but once the sun came out everything warmed up! Half of us kayaked down Tugela river while the other half went in search of giraffes. In the afternoon we switched activities. Both groups were able to identify the giraffes they encountered – a few groups may even get the chance to name one. When we got back to camp, we were excited to find Olga and Kai waiting for us! We played some games before a delicious dinner and then we headed off scorpion hunting and wild boar feeding. We are excited for tomorrow.

Stay tuned for more updates!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Written by Zoe, Lucy D and Spencer

Today we met up at the main camp and had a delicious breakfast, there was eggs and tomatoes and multitudes of cereals and toast. Once everyone had finished breakfast our counselors gathered us and split us up once again into group 1 and group 2. Group one had to come up with blueprints on building a raft that could support the travel of 8 people. After much deliberation they were able to successfully construct a vessel to float across the Zingela river and carry back fire wood. While they were doing this group 2 went on a nature hike. Our lovely guide Cait led the group to an amazing cliffs where we took plenty of pictures. Then we hiked up to Hippo Hill to track some animals. We found several giraffe on our way and paused to admire them. As the group traveled up the mountain they heard baboons howling and found kudu climbing along the mountains edge. Then we all gathered back to camp around 1:00 pm for lunch. There were tasty burgers, fries, and salad. We are eating very well here.

After lunch the groups switched activities. Both groups found plenty of obstacles along the day and were able to conquer all of them. We then had a very interesting discussion around the fire talking about the different ways to make money on different types of game reserves and how that effected the carbon footprint. All groups (there were 4) shared a lot of good insight. Dinner was ready at 7:00 and once again it was fantastic! Dessert was just as great. Now both groups are going to help with night activities. Group 1 will be feeding the wild pigs all of the past food scraps, and group 2 will be finding scorpions and examining the fluorescent capabilities with a UV light. Like most nights here in Zingela, we end with around the fire with our phones before we head to our tents for the night. Tonight is our last night in Zingela reserve and it will surely be missed.

Stay tuned for more updates!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Written by Nick, Kaveh, and Henry

Today was very eventful for the GLA squad. There were several groups that did various activities. One of which was predator monitoring. This group saw a variety of animals including lions, elephants, giraffes, zebra, and much more. To find the predators, a telemetry system was used. The carnivores are fitted with a collar that was received through a radio and a metal antenna. The closer the animal, the louder the beep from the receiver. Even though this is effective, it’s not a guaranteed animal sighting. Cheetahs and male lions were able to escape our view by hiding in the tall grass.

For another group today was mostly uneventful due to the elephants we were supposed to see to be hiding because they were relocating. Regardless it was fun to be driving around the safari and spotting various different types of animals, including impala, kudu, zebras, and hippos!

Another group had an exciting day! We started the day in the Land Rover and were tasked to be monitoring and identifying predators. We came across lions, impalas, nyalas, black rhinos, antelope, kudos, and even elephants in the distance. It was a great experience to be able to be extremely close to the animals and observed them eating and socializing. The reservationists utilized collars to help track each animal and this way we were able to see a variety of predators. Following the animal sightings, we made our way to a river where we had a picnic with the whole group. Finally, we returned to camp and made friends in our new service groups, got souvenirs, and got ready for dinner and evening activities.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Written by Lucy and Kyle

Everyone in my group had a 7:00 AM wake up call to get ready for breakfast at 7:30AM. Breakfast consisted of oatmeal, bread and fruit. By 8:45AM group was all loaded up into the truck to start their day elephant monitoring. By the time we had found the elephants it had been an hour since we left and they were supper far in the distance surrounded by trees. Despite this we tried to identify one that was visible. Unfortunately we were unable to make much of the images. We later gave up since the elephants showed no sign of coming any closer. Instead we tried to look for some cheetahs since there had been a sighting near by, again we were unable to find anything. We headed back to the tents for some lunch where we had about an hour till lunch at 12:30pm. For lunch we had grilled sandwiches with no meat, only veggies and cheese. After lunch we had some more free time until 2:45pm where we met to rate Rhino art made by kids at local schools. Rating these we extremely hard as only one person from each age would go on a trip in Nambiti so we were technically ruining some kids dreams of seeing Rhinos which we all felt bad about. After that we had some more chill out time (which is when I am writing the blog now at 5:30pm). In one hour we will had dinner, not sure what it is yet but it smells like some sort of barbeque. After dinner we will have a night safari where we all hope to have some better luck with animals.

After a 7am wake-up my group had breakfast and headed out for the first activity of the day. Our first activity was road maintenance to clear bushes and branches from the side of roads to help the reservation keep the roads safe. However on our way to the maintenance location we spotted an elephant but it was a bit hard to see and looked a lot like a rock. We also spotted giraffes, impalas, waterbucks, and more! We attempted to clear 50 meters of bush and after around 2 hours we headed back to camp. After some chill time of card games, naps, and showers, we had lunch in which we made grilled cheese sandwiches with chutney sauce alongside oranges and fruit. For our afternoon activity we planned a skit about our day/what we learned. In the skit we performed a scene where there are some tourists on a game drive and they traverse bumpy roads, greet animals, crash into a tree, and end with a turn of events.

Lucy and Kyle

BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Written by Kai, Charlie, Emilio, Haylee

After a breakfast of porridge, toast, eggs and more, my group began our day with a predator monitoring session at 745. Right away we saw 2 female lions and 1 male lion, none of which had tracking collars on. After driving around using a radar-which can get signals up to 9 km away-we discovered 2 more female lions which were collared. Then, while searching for one of the 3 cheetahs on the reserve, we discovered a large heard of elephants. After searching a bit more for the cheetahs, we headed back to camp for lunch. Today’s afternoon activity for my group was planning an anti-rhino poaching lesson for the students in the communities around camp. These will be taught to the students later this week.

When we finished our traditional South African Porridge my group got on the safari vehicle and set off to do our Elephant ID. We departed at 8:45. It was a slow start at first only spotting Kudu and impala. After a little bit we noticed another vehicle parked right next to a pond. When we investigated further, there was two hippos getting some early morning sun. After we moved on we sotted a female lion walking away from its feast of a dead wildebeest. When we were done taking pictures our driver got radio message that there were elephants spotted from a lookout. Making our way we met on the lookout with another group. There were 9 visible from the herd of 26. We made our way down and got closer. We couldn’t ID them since they were pretty far away. We could make out that one was a male because of the sharp and big head. Making our way out of the reserve, we spotted a bush pig which our guide has apparently never seen which was cool. It’s also a nocturnal animal so it was pretty rare. Right after that we made our way back to camp.

After a traditional breakfast of South African style Porridge, Toast, and Eggs, my group disembarked on our bush walk safari of the day. We woke up and prepared bright and early at 6:00 and got onto the rover that would take us to our designated drop off spot. After we got out, we walked down the grassy embankment to this quaint creekside quary and learned about several different plants and their medicinal and spiritual uses. Students were also instructed as to which plants could be eaten as well as which ones were poisonous. We also spotted telltale signs of recent Rhino activity in the area and the previous feeding sites of predatory animals such as Lions and Hyenas. After returning from our trek, we boarded the vehicle and witnessed a sleeping pride of female lions. We identified about 3 or 4 of them. We finished the day with a windy ride back to our home base at Nambiti Reserve, filled with beautiful scenery of the South African bush plains.

The day began with a chilled, but much warmer, morning than what we’ve been accustomed to here in Nambiti. We had porridge pap for breakfast and had free time in camp for an hour until it was time to depart for road maintenance out on the reserve. However, our service was delayed due to one of the land rovers breaking down which required the assistance of our guide along with some others. During this hiatus we filled our time with song and gossip from back home. We also had a beautiful view of the surrounding landscape accompanied by a lone white rhino basking in the sunshine on the hillside.
With the car fixed and our spirits brightened we went on to the overgrown area of the road. Our guide handed out tools and we got to work, which lasted for about an hour. Our progress was hard earned and noticeable compared to the rest of the road. We were working against acacia trees so their natural spikes posed as a big challenge but we were all satisfied with the work that we had completed. Most of us had the scratches and pricks as a reminder of our workload but nonetheless we returned to camp with an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment. On our way back we saw wildebeest rolling in the dirt which we learned was to get the parasites out of its fur. We also observed a rock hyrax which is a rodent that resembles a small groundhog but is actually very closely related to an elephant of all things.
We then had some pasta for lunch which was followed by free time in camp. People played games, read books, and got rest. After our rest time we headed back out for our bush walk. We learned how to recognize the dung of Zebra, Elephant, Impala, Rhino, and Porcupine. After about 1.8 kilometers of walking we came across four, fully grown, male, Cape buffalo. They are called Daggaboys by the guides since they aren’t with a full heard by choice. Afterwards we found the car and headed back home for some dinner and a skit before bed. We were also treated to a very rousing presentation by a Zulu man named Richard (which isn’t his real name but it’s what he came up with for foreigners since they couldn’t pronounce his Zulu name) who covered his views on Rhino poaching and why he created his Rhino art project that the local children participate in. Not to mention our delicious dessert of Malvo putting. All in all, it was an amazing day.

Kai, Charlie, Emilio, Haylee

BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

Written by Jordon and Wesley S.

The last two days we spent them in the local community.

Our first day started with a very frigid morning as it is currently the coldest day of our trip so far. We were able to sleep in a bit before heading to breakfast which was scrambled eggs with bacon and toast. After breakfast we headed to the local school where the winners of the rhino art were announced and handed their prizes. We then proceeded to spend 3 hours there dancing, playing games, and sharing laughs and beautiful memories. They showed us their cultural music and dance moves providing us all a place of comfort and welcoming. After saying a very difficult goodbye to all the kids we came back to the Nambiti campsite for a much needed hot meal for lunch after a morning filled with excitement and activity. Lunch today was incredible as it was butternut squash soup with traditional Vetkoek and two other assorted breads perfect to comfort all the campers during this dreary and cold afternoon. We then had an hour of down time before doing a team building exercise which helped with communication, ways to strategize, and teamwork.

After the activity we watched a TED talk where Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie spoke about stereotypes and the definition of a “single story”. We then went on another 30 minute break before Richard spoke about the culture of the Zulu people. After a conversation with Richard we headed to dinner where we had spaghetti and ground beef with a side of sweet and sour sauce. Some of you may be wondering “hmmm that’s an interesting combination” but trust me they very much complement one another. After dinner we had our breakout sessions where we played ice breakers and had a fun time with our small group. We then had a dance party in the main tent where we played all our favorite types of music. And now we are off to bed after a day of music, dance, laughter, learning opportunities, and some amazing memories we continue our days with GLA.

On the second day we woke up at an average time around 7:30 when the weather was still cold but had settled down from yesterday. We ate some scrambled eggs with toast. We then headed to a local school to give out prizes for the drawings. After that we went to a school for younger children where we played with them on the playground. Then we headed to a nice local shop with food which had chickens and cute little cats. We headed down the road where we found this nice homey place with handmade hats and a good cuisine lunch which had mashed potatoes beans porridge and sweet potatoes slices. We headed across the street where we played soccer match with a local team and the score ended up being 3-4. After that we headed back, had our break time then had a good mac and cheese with onion and mushroom dinner which would be tasty for all eaters. We finished it with watching a movie and headed off to bed with a fast fulfilled day.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

Written by Kylie, Finlay, Ela

Today my group was assigned the task of elephant IDs. Early on the drive we saw two baby hippos. Throughout the drive this morning we saw multiple nyala, which was exciting because they are usually more elusive than other antelope species. Our field guide, John, found a wildebeest skull, and stopped the vehicle to let us all take turns holding it. Later on we were having trouble locating elephants, so we drove to high up vantage points to see if we could spot any. We couldn’t spot any from either of the points, but we did see a tower of 8 giraffes. John took us on new paths and roads that we had not yet been on trying to find an elephant. Ultimately, we did not see any living ones, but John took us to see a 3-4 month old elephant carcass. This afternoon, Cait took my group to learn about tracking and signing. On the walk we saw tracks of a springbok, red hartebeest, and giraffe, and Cait also taught us about multiple other animals in our area. For the walk back to camp, we took turns leading the group by following animals paths made in the tall grasses.

Compared to other days today was quite warm. After a tasty breakfast our group departed on predator ID kits. While looking for the lions and cheetahs we passed several wildebeests, zebra, and nylala. We eventually found a sub adult male lion poking his head out in a grassy field. After that we went looking for the other pride. We couldn’t find any other predators but we saw an elephant which was pretty cool. Our driver Toro was amazing because he was not afraid to step on the gas during bumpy parts of the road, which made the ride even more exciting. After lunch we went on a anti poaching walk where we learned several tactics the rangers use to patrol the fields. One of them, Stone, was apparently a legend among other patrol groups so it was pretty cool walking with him as he taught us tips.

My group’s task today was reserve maintenance. We took a short drive to the first stop where we cleared up some branches and acacia trees that were falling into the road and making driving difficult.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

Written by Spencer

Today, in Group Numero Two, the adventurous leaders of GLA waded further in the waters of exploration. As the day began, the young pioneers woke up and were greeted with a mouth-watering breakfast of french toast and bacon. This energizing meal fueled the students through the day’s first activity: Game Drive. On the Game Drive, Group Two was given the opportunity to drive around the Nambiti Game Reserve and try and spot any wildlife they could find. The future leaders saw several unique species of animals such as wildebeest, kudu, and impala. The highlight of the expedition was getting close contact with a group of two elephants as they crossed the road behind the game viewer. After the enchanting experience with the gentle elephant giants, Group Two embarked on an unfortunately unsuccessful search for one of the most elusive of South Africa’s predatory cats: the cheetah. While no cheetahs were found, the search was a fun challenge for the group as they navigated the rugged terrain that the savannah offered. Returning to camp, the explorers found a delicious lunch of venison sausages made from kudu. After a period of free time, Group Two embarked once again, alongside their comrades from Group One. The task this time was to use the tracking collars called telemetry. In the activity, a reserve worker hid a collar in the wild bush, and the students were tasked with using the telemetry equipment to locate and uncover the collar. After a long trek, the combined efforts of the two groups were able to discover the location of the collar. The victorious groups returned to the base camp, and were tasked with cleaning and packing up their tents and common areas, as this would be the last day on the Nambiti Game Reserve. As a fourteen day student, this was not just my last day at Nambiti, but also my last on this trip.

When I first applied for this trip to South Africa, I had no idea that it would change my life and perception of the world as much as I now see it has. Through this journey, I have been introduced to people, wildlife, scenery, and cultures that never would have gotten the chance to experience if not for this trip. From observing the giraffes at Zingela Game Reserve, to seeing mighty lions at Nambiti, to playing soccer (football) with a local team in the community, the GLA South Africa trip has been a never ending joy to be a part of. I have come into contact with so many incredible individuals from across the world, and done so many unique activities unavailable at home in the United States. Coming from a small town in Pennsylvania, I had never seen a wild rhino or giraffe or elephant or lion, and had never truly understood how incredibly special they are. Now after seeing these incredible creatures firsthand in a real, authentic, and wild environment, I have a much greater understanding of how amazing they are, and why it is essential to preserve them. Furthermore, I was also introduced to new people, culture, and ideas on this trip. Getting a firsthand look into the Zulu community and culture was a fascinating and exciting look into a world foreign to me. Visiting the Zulu schools and playing with the children was a highlight of the trip, and seeing the joy on all the kids’ faces was an incredible feeling.

The past fourteen days have been a truly life-changing adventure. Every element has been a surprise, and every obstacle was a fun and interesting challenge to overcome. I am so incredibly thankful that I am in such a position that I am able to have these experiences, and the lessons, sights, and people that I was introduced to on this trip will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Sala Kahle (Goodbye),

Tomorrow the student will say goodbye as the 21 day students head off to Bonamanzi and St. Lucia in search of new adventures

Spencer

BLOG POST FOR JULY 26

Written by Loren

Hello! Today we woke up to some delicious pancakes for breakfast, they were amazing. We are all still getting used to the new, smaller group, and missing our friends from the last two weeks. My group went on the boat tour. It started out nice and peaceful, and we were taught about snare traps for hippos as well as nets the poachers use to catch fish. We actually found a huge snare on the river bank tied around a tree that was there to poach hippos. We also found a net that was placed from one river bank to the other. After going around for a while, looking for more traps to take down, the motor stopped working cause the net was caught in it. We tried for a while to fix it, but did not have much luck, so we called others at the reserve for some help. While waiting, we had a little poisonous frog hop into the boat, which was cool to see up close. The motor eventually worked and we made it back. Once at the reserve we had time to chill out until lunch. We had some pasta, pineapple, and banana bread. After lunch, we began our second activity of the day, which was a bush walk to find snare traps. We found 4!!! Some people had a hard time not getting stabbed by thorns, but it was still very enjoyable, and awesome to see into what the jobs and obstacles people have to face on a daily basis. When we got back, we just hung out and talked until dinner, I’m looking forward to tonight’s food and night activity!

Loren

BLOG POST FOR JULY 28

Written by Ellie and Ady

Today we had a packed breakfast of pbj sandwiches and fruit. We went whale watching on boat and got splashed by the waves. We saw lots and lots of humpback whales. Once we came back to the hotel, we walked to a laundromat and then got smoothies. After free time, we had grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch and then left for a beach cleanup. At the beach, we collected a bunch of trash and then went to the shops nearby to get some bracelets and necklaces. We saw lots of monkeys there! After that we went back to the hotel changed our sandy clothes and left to the town, which was very fun. We went to shops picked up some fruits and snacks. Then had dinner and had some mentor group activities.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 30

Written by Aidan

As we approach our last days in South Africa, we want to enjoy every last bit of the time we have left. Today I will recount how my group helped clear out a part of the crocodile center and went shopping at the markets in St. Lucia.

The day started with my group going to the crocodile center where we helped clear some paths between enclosures. We used a myriad of tools including saws, machetes, bushwhackers, and rakes to cut down vine trees and clear overgrown grass. All our work culminated to my group cutting down and clearing a monumentally large tree. After that our group pilled back in the van to go back to base. After lunch our whole group went to the boardwalk to shop, we browsed around to see beautiful paintings, masterfully carved statues, and ornate masks. I know I personally bought more than I should have but it was rather fun to haggle with the locals.

We then walked along the boardwalk and beach to see if we could find any sharks or other wildlife. When we finished walking down boardwalk we drove to the local market where we could buy pineapples, bowls, and other locally made items. As of writing this Wesley holds the record for buying pineapples at 15 which I find hard to beat. As of now we have returned for dinner and our nightly activities. As a personal note I cannot wait to see what tomorrow holds.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 31

Written by Loren

This morning, we woke up around 8:00 for breakfast at 8:30; it was eggs and some toast. We then separated into our groups to fit into the game viewers, and drove towards a safari. We saw amazing animals including Buffalo, warthog, zebra, and even more in the other groups. Although it is the twenty first day that we have the privilege to see these wild animals in their natural, free-range environment, it seems impossible to get used to. To watch them interact with one another, with us, to eat, drink water, and go through their everyday life, its incomprehensible how truly lucky we are to get this opportunity. The safari ended at the beach, we all walked onto it, to see the amazing ocean. The water was too rough to snorkel, but we all easily managed to make the most of it, some of us swimming, tanning, me personally, I went on a run. How crazy is that? I casually ran on the beach of South Africa.

We ate lunch in an area just off the beach, it was a barbeque, as well as our last lunch together. After enjoying the amazing food, we got back on our game viewers and headed back towards our hotel. We were presented with the option to either go into town, or chill out at the hotel, Most chose to head into town. We walked around the local markets, stores, and Main Street. It may not be the beach, but it is still so important to see the culture, and a gift to interact with the locals.

We then headed back to the hotel to do an activity. This activity was by far, the most memorable, and touching one. We sat in a room side by side, while listening to a summary of our whole trip, the same itinerary I read before this trip, that filled me with nerves and excitement, now is touching me with emotion and meaning. In the middle of all of us, lied a stick, a leaf, and a rock. The stick stood for something that will stick with you, the leaf standing for something you’d like to leave behind, and the rock, standing for something that rocked. We went around saying our personal answers. Mine: Something that will stick with me is the realization that I can be away from my family and live my life, without feeling absent in their lives. My leaf was the nose bleeds (caused by the dry climate), not getting another one would be nice. My rock, was seeing the children at the school, being able to connect with them. This activity was emotional, and I think it meant a lot to everyone, just like this trip has.

After this, we took a survey for GLA. One question was, “what is your One Meaningful Goal?” This question means a lot to me, because every time I have answered this, I felt like I was putting a temporary answer, not my true one. This time I put my real one, “I aim to get to know myself better, and become more confident and secure in myself, in order to gain the courage to truly live my future.” It is simple, but completely true. After the survey, we had an amazing dinner, and will do one more activity tonight. This group of people made an impact on me, and each other, the experiences we gained, whether it’s the activities, or connections we made, or even being away from home, will stick with every one of us forever.

May 31, 2023 by Ashley Welter

Peru: Service Expedition in the Sacred Valley (July 23-August 5, 2023)

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

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

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 posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

Written by Alejandra González, International Director

Hello dear families!

We have started our journey in the sacred valley with great spirits! We had all of our students arrive safely and happily to Perú. The group’s amazement and gratitude for the stunning mountains, local town and beautiful Home Base filled the atmosphere with joy and ease. We enjoyed some nice lunch at our main lunch restaurant Uchucuta with the first 5 students.

Afterwards we had some time to relax and rest after the long flights. Soon enough students were playing football in the Home Base garden. At that time the group became complete and our last two students arrived! We went out to explore the town and looked for a soccer ball as students were eager to play soccer with the local boys. The main plaza was full of kids and we all enjoyed the time playing and interacting together. With infinite energy, our students wanted to keep playing and continued the game in another soccer field close by home.

This program is one of GLA’s few male only programs happening and it sure feels like a special crew!

My kind regards from Ollantaytambo!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

Greetings from the Sacred Valley!

We had such a beautiful and full day! Our day started with a grounding orientation session where students learned about each other through fun games and music, reflected about code of conduct expectations and safety boundaries from a self responsibility perspective, and established community agreements to build a learning environment together. We also had our service site director introduce the important work students will be doing at the local girls’ homes.

We celebrated one of our dear student’s birthday – Grant! We sang and ate cake at lunch which was a delicious highlight. Also, students tried alpaca for lunch!

In the afternoon students learned about the history of the Incas as we went up the amazing archeological sites we have in front of our home base. We visited the temple of the sun and students remained curious and engaged discovering the ancient traditions and admirable architecture.

Finally we had a truly special traditional ceremony, to honor reciprocity with Pachamama (Mother Earth in native language Quechua) with the Qeros indigenous community members. This manifestation of faith to nature and the spiritual leaders’ open heart to bless each of the students dreams was very touching for many of us.

We closed our day with a leadership activity around self knowledge, learning about personal practices and self care as the starting point for leadership.

We are having a beautiful and very meaningful time already. The journey just begins!

Alejandra González
International Director

BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

Written by leader of the day, Sebastian Floreani:

Hello parents!

Today we woke up late making us leaders of the day. We went to our first service where we uprooted the weeds in the garden. After 5 hours and a good lunch we left back to home base. We later went out to the markets where we bought necklaces and ponchos.

When we went back we were invited to listen and ask question to 2 guest speakers of the ancient Incan priest hood. After a very interesting lesson about the history we had dinner and came back to home base. We did a lesson on listening and then did an exercise where we spoke about challenges in our own lives and practiced listening to our group partners. After an eventful day I look forward to what’s ahead in the coming days.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 26

Written by leader of the day, Gabe:

Dear parents,

Today we did our service 1 hour away in calca. There we tore down a wall brick by brick in order to preserve the bricks in order to rebuild the wall. After that we took a short bus ride to a market in Pisac where we purchased souvenirs such as ponchos, bracelets, necklaces, etc.

Later we came back to base camp for mentor group where we debated on weather to build a road to the indigenous people’s village. During this Grant took the role of a government representative and had the final say on whether or not it was built. Ultimately Grant decided to not build the road, however, Manuel our local director then taught us about how the roads really help the indigenous because it allows the people to get medical attention and other access to important services relatively fast where as before it would’ve taken at least half a day by horseback to get to a hospital.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 27

Written by leader of the day, Grant Stumbles:

Today was a long day for the boys. 7:30breakfast followed by 8:30 departed called for another early morning. The boys worked hard today from 9:30-12 moving bricks, digging ditches, and peeling bark. The group then headed to Cuyo Chico to gain a glimpse on local life in the Andes. They made their own bracelets and necklaces, played soccer with the locals, and exchanged info on everyday life with the children of the village. Most importantly though, they gained knowledge on the ancient beliefs and customs passed down by the Incan people. Overall a tiring but successful day for the group!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 28

Written by Leader of the Day: Jack Beauregard

Friday July 28th started with a 8:30bus ride the the maras salt mines. Upon arriving at the salt mines, our bus ride was able to stop and overlook the mines from above. The mines consisted of hundreds of white salt baths, that local community members would work on yearly, to provide fine quality salt for the whole country, if not world.

After leaving the salt mines, the group headed towards the bustling city of Cusco. Cusco charmed everyone. From the Spanish colonial architecture, to the ancient cobblestone streets, the entire group was surprised by Cusco and curious from its beauty. We had lunch in the town square(one of the most beautiful places in the world) and then toured the streets – learning about the city’s rich history.

After walking Cusco we headed towards our hotel where we ate dinner and rested for a short period of time until we went to a Peruvian independence celebration at the Cusco center for art. Here we watched various dances and songs performed by locals. The dances and songs included traditional clothing and meaningful dances. After finishing the pleasing performance, the group returned to the hotel for the nightly group activities and sleep.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 29

Written by Alejandra González, International Director

Good day dear families!

Today was our adventure day! Waking up early after our cultural night in Cusco, we traveled to the river lodge to embark on a day of rafting and zip lining. The students were thrilled even though the water was cold! After some exciting rapids we were received by a relaxing sauna and delicious soup followed by a chicken potatoes and veggies main dish.

Later on the team zip lined across the river, happily and safely we flowed through this beautiful and eventful day. The long 3 hours bus ride was a good time to relax with music…

All our best from the sacred valley!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 30

Written by leader of the day, Dan Alireza

Hello!

Today we woke up early to walk to the dormitory in Ollantaytambo to work on sanding and varnishing the doors. It was more relaxing work than we had before. We stayed there past lunch and on the way back to home base we stopped by some secluded Incan ruins near the river. We had a few hours of free time then had a dance class where we learned some Peruvian styles of dancing from the coast, mountains and jungle. Then we went out to a new place for dinner and tried some pastries before heading back for a leadership activity about receiving and giving feedback.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 31

Written by leader of the day, Liam Findley

We started off today knowing it was our last service day in Ollantaytambo which gave everyone some mixed feelings. While we were walking over to start a long day of painting doors, we saw our friend Oscar, a stray dog from the town, who followed us all the way to the housing. Along the way we saw some goats and llamas which got us some great photos, and then we continued with our service work. After we finished applying varnish to all the doors we talked to Carmen, who works at the Sacred Valley Project, and she talked in depth about the impact that education can have on these girls lives. We then recorded a video for the girls to see when they come back, and then wrapped up our day playing some soccer and American football with kids we met on the field.

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 1-2

Dearest families,

We started August with our big trekking adventure with much joy and dedication! The team was full of amazement and cohesion as we worked together to make it up around 15,000 feet high. Our day started early departing home base at 6 30 am.

After driving through amazing views traveling into the Andes, we hiked for around 2 hours to get to our first stop for lunch. The cooking staff served us with delicious buffet meals every meal keeping us well fed and full of energy to hike. We continued our trek after lunch this time uphill, we encountered the local community celebrating the beginning of the Andean year with unique traditions like horseback racing to catch a chicken.

The students had presents for the local children like toys, and coca leaves for the adult members of the community. Our adventure was full of beautiful exchanges… one boy, Josue, joined us all for the whole trek. The boys found a new friend in him, practicing their Spanish, making races with him and even being guided by him through the mountains.

When we arrived to the campsite we were all blown away as the clouds covered the mountains, leaving only the peaks to be seen. We had a full moon that night, many laughs, hot chocolate, music and shining stars as the sky opened up.

The next day the sunrise woke us up early at 5 30 am. After a really cold night, the sunlight was truly appreciated. We started our next phase up the trek riding to the highest peak, to do our coca offering all together. Honoring the tradition of offering our intentions and dreams to Mother Earth.

After this the journey was down hill, for 2 more hours, embraced by the great Apus (mountain spirits in Quechua). We finally made it back to eat a well deserved lunch in the community of Patacancha.

The bus ride back home was silent sleep, followed by several hours of rest back at home.

Machu Picchu awaited us for the next day.

My best regards!
Alejandra González,
International Director

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 3

In our last day as a full group we went to Machu Picchu. Our day started early again, rising to take the train for the first time to Aguas Calientes, the Machu Picchu town. The train ride was a beautiful experience as the scenery already invites you to be in the here and now, and the cultural environment never stops to show us something new. When we got to the train station there were locals dressed with traditional suits dancing and celebrating.

Once we arrived to Aguas Calientes town we got another bus which took us to the park entrance, the boys were impressed by the high jungle mountains the whole way. Our tour guide, Sonia, guided us into the park, sharing about the impressive and mysterious history of how it got built, the symbolism in Machu Picchu like rocks in shapes of a condor, and the practices of the Incas, like doing ceremonies for the sun and using astrology to guide their lives.

We enjoyed our lunch in town after a full day in Machu Picchu and headed to the market before taking the train back. The train ride was definitely a high light, as two of our brave students, Luke and Grant, spontaneously modeled in a fashion show with alpaca clothes! No moments are dull with the boys 😀

In the night we had our closing activity, as Sebastian would be leaving the next day. The students presented one meaningful goal they want to commit to to be the change once they’re back home. We shared special moments as each one got to receive appreciative feedback from their peers. Finally we had our closing appreciation circle. It really feels like true friendships have been formed. We are all really grateful for our adventure together!

Kindest regards,

Alejandra Gonzalez,
International Director

BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 4

Hello parents!

For our last day the students woke up to have a special breakfast at a crapes place in town. After a time for packing we went for lunch to our main restaurant Uchucuta and had an unforgettable lunch as the students had cuy (Guinea pig) to end their journey in Perú. I couldn’t say they loved it but it was sure an experience they had fun with. We also celebrated Manuel, the local director, for his birthday coming up on Sunday. So we are delicious carrot cake.

Soon after our first student to depart, Sebastian, said goodbye. The afternoon was rainy and cold, so we had a relaxing time in. We had our last dinner at home base, sleeping early to rise at 4 30 am for the next crew of students departing. There were mixed feelings, with memories to never forget and new friendships to keep. We will treasure our time together forever!

Alejandra González,
International Director

May 31, 2023 by Ashley Welter

Peru: Service Expedition in the Sacred Valley (July 6-July 19, 2023)

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

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

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

May 31, 2023 by Ashley Welter

Peru: Service Expedition in the Sacred Valley (June 19-July 2, 2023)

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

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM

Here are a few things you can expect:

We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

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 posts!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19

Arrival day was a beautiful success as the students happily and safely arrived to the airport in Cuzco. We were welcome at our home base and did a tour with Alex, our home base manager who very kindly shared about the Living Inca City we are in, Ollantaytambo. We played soccer with the local boys in the main plaza, which was a true highlight of joy for the group.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20

On our second day we started a morning of get to know you games and orientation. Students did several activities to continue creating a sense of trust in the group. We had an interactive tour through the Ollantaytambo ruins and dove into the Andean culture with a heartfelt ceremony with Q’uero community members, one of the last indigenous Incan descendants Quechua speakers in the region.

In the night we got to be in a cultural presentation in the Ollantaytambo ruins to celebrate the original tale of the town, a truly unique experience. We are now a complete group with the arrival of one of our students today!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21

Dear families!

As the leader of the day Seth U., I got the chance with my fellow peers being more of a mentor to them rather than just a friend. Being a mentor means you have to make sure rules are being followed but it’s more than that it’s all about making sure that people are safe and having fun.

I had a few jobs like making sure that people were getting to places on time and staying hydrated and not getting absolutely cooked from the sun and not bullying – that last one was luckily not hard at all.

It all started early in the morning around 7:00 waking up making sure I was ready and mentally prepared to handle a bunch of crazy 17 year old. At around 8:00 I made sure that everybody was getting to breakfast and that they knew what we would be doing that day and what they would need through out our first day of service. After eating our amazing toast and eggs we got all our super important things together and started our small hike up to a girls school to help them cleaning up the yard and making sure they would be able to grow crops for the future.

We had lunch at the service site which was really cool we got to try food that they would normally eat and it was really good. Next we got to meet a lot of the girls and introduced our selves in their native language and they introduced them selves in English. It was a struggle and very hard pronunciation but it was super fun. We played tag with them running around and we were in a pretty small area but that made it even funnier. Finally we sadly had to head back to home base after a lot of fun with the girls and helping out.

When we got back to home base there was a guest speaker ready for us so we quickly grabbed some more water and jumped right back into the fun after speaking to the guest speaker more about why and what we are doing to help these girls and their education. We had a fun little game which we got to connect more with the speaker and the small family we are creating. Then we got to take a small break and headed up to dinner. When we got there we decided to go shopping a little bit while they were making our food. We got to go out and try some of the very unique products, the very interesting candies and snacks they have in Peru. Some were definitely tastier then others. After that we quickly headed back to the restaurant and ate our food which was very good. We are only a few days in and have tried some very cool foods.

After dinner we headed back to home base and had a leadership activity with our peers. Some more then others got to a very deep level and really were able to relate and connect with our emotions. It’s very heartwarming to see how much alike we are and what hard things that we have all been through and honestly are still going through.

Last but not least during our free time we like to get everybody together or at least all people that aren’t about to fall asleep from the long day and go play cards and keep connecting for this last hour. It is definitely a special moment and one of my favorite moments every night. After that we all go to our respected rooms and head to bed getting ready for the next day.

It’s amazing we get to have these special connection and seeing these almost unworldly things from where we live today. What an experience!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22

Written by Connor and Seth – Leaders of the Day

Hello parents!

On day 4 we started our day early with a long bus ride to our service trip in Calca. There, we worked hard to remove weeds and moved rocks to create a more level ground. Afterwards, we travelled to explore some artisanal markets in Pisac. We were introduced to a new world of colorful textiles, and we even got to meet an alpaca.

On the way back, we had quite a bonding experience on the bus. Then, we got to eat some delicious dinner and followed the night with a leadership activity.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23

Today was a very eventful and exciting day. We had breakfast and drove to Calca to do our service. We used pickaxes to break the ground up and get the grass out of the ground. Not as easy as it sounds. We also spent some time tanning/burning in the sun. The girls from the home finally arrived back and we got to make ceramic Makarinas. We forgot what they were called. But they made whistle noises as you blew into the hole in the top. We got to watch the girls laugh at us as we tried to speak Spanish with them. The people who were teaching us how to make the whistle noise things had brought their daughter, Naira. She was the absolute cutest child EVER!

Our cuisine of the day consisted of some delicious green noodle soup, and shredded chicken stuff with rice. But the most exciting meal of which we had been waiting for since the day we saw it on the menu was Alpaca. Now that may sound gross but it was actually amazing. They added this sweet sauce and it just had so much flavor and tasted like no other meat we’ve tried. Some people had a hard time eating as we were having laugh attacks mid dinner. Also the fact that we had just held a baby alpaca yesterday and now we’re eating one. Overall it was a very good day.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24

Written by Beatriz and Kaitlin – Leaders of the Day

Good morning, today we had a later wake up and some of us got up early to go on a jog with Manu, our local director! After breakfast we packed our bags for Cusco and learned about responsible photography. Shortly after we headed to the Maras salt mines where we learned all about the history of the mines and got some great photos. After that we headed into Cusco for lunch at a local restaurant.

We then did a walking tour around the popular streets of Cusco and got to visit the local markets that sold delicious foods. Shortly after we checked into our hotel where we then had a safety briefing to prepare us for our exciting day tomorrow of white water rafting and zip lining. For dinner we had delicious chicken and fries and ended the night playing group games.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25

Hello dear parents!

Today was our adventure day as we went rafting and zip lining! It was a beautiful day with the sun shining and the students adventuring the nature in Peru. We woke up early in our hotel in Cuzco where we spent the night and had our breakfast prepared with much love from the wonderful host in the hotel.

We arrived to the river with our rafting guides where they prepared us for the adventure, getting us the right gear including our padels, lifeguards and our suites and boots to face the cold water. We grouped in two boats and had fun rides as we navigated through rapids up to class 3. We had some exciting moments with rougher water but both boats made it through without any falls. As we arrived back to the lodge we had the sauna waiting for us, where we enjoyed warming our bodies and relaxing after the adventure.

They served us a beautiful lunch with nutritionus quinoa soup and the main dish chicken, vegetable and of course potatoes – we have had many potatoes as Peru has 4 thousand kinds which students are enjoying.

After lunch we zip lined across the river to close our journey. We came back in bus in a 3 hour ride, where many students peacefully slept through 🙂

The journey has been smooth and beautiful!

My kind regards,
International Director Maria Alejandra Gonzalez

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26

Written by Aedan and Montana

Today was day 8 in Peru and it was extremely exciting. We woke up and had a breakfast of pancakes and eggs before heading out to our last day service here in Ollyantaytambo. We worked in the garden using pickaxes to get rid of weeds and loosen up soil. After lunch we tanned in the scorching sun. On our walk back to homebase we stopped in the plaza for some ice cream and handmade Peruvian goods, such as clothing, backpacks, and bracelets.

After our shopping spree we hit the dance floor and learned some cultural dances from the four regions of Peru. Turning the tables, we taught the dance instructors the Cotton Eyed Joe line dance. We finished off the day with some free time before dinner and a leadership activity (Extremely competitive Pictionary). We also learned how to be a more cohesive team with a power point presentation. Today was another great day in Peru and we cannot wait for tomorrow and our trek later this week.

Signing off!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

Written by Seth – Leader of the Day

It all started waking up nice and early in the morning of course as the amazing leader of the day I was totally not late 😉 lucky my amazing partner Dane the other leader of the day, also my right hand man, was there and up making sure everyone was at breakfast and on time. Me and dane explained the schedule to everyone to make sure they knew where they were going and were ready for the day. After that me and Dane rounded up everybody and made sure they had their necessities and were getting on the bus for the service we were going to be doing at this school.

When we got there we separated into teams and started getting work done with Connor who had speakers so we could be jamming while working. After working for a while we all sat down and had lunch together. It was amazing probably one of the best things we had so far and a little taste from home if you could guess what it was I wouldn’t be that surprised because it was a delicious burger.

After that we headed back out and finished up doing some more work and ended the service pretty strong. After that we made our way back to home base to chill for a little then do a nice debrief of the good hike/camping trip we had in store for us which was around 12 miles in total. After that we had FREE TIME! We all played some cards joked around and had some really interesting and fun talks. After that we went to dinner and had some amazing food then ended the night going to bed early sadly for the crazy camping day we are going on. Good night for now.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Written by Connor and Montana – Leaders of the Day.

Dear families,

We started our day bright and early with a 6:00 am breakfast. We headed to our starting point of the hike just past the town of lares. We got oriented to what the hike was going to be like and started our journey.

We hiked past waterfalls, alpacas, and spikey grass on our way to base camp which was situated at about 14,000 feet. On our journey, we got to meet some locals at a small town that we had lunch at. Though it was a tough feat, we all made it, and got congratulated as we were one of the fastest groups of hikers that our leaders had. After this long hike, we were met with a light snack of pocorn, crackers, and warm drinks before dinner. Dinner was hot spaghetti. The stars in the night sky were to die for and the constellations were very different from what we were used to as Peru is in the southern hemisphere. In preparation for our long day tomorrow we went to bed very early in our tents.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Good morning!

Today we woke up freezing and above 14,000 ft! After we found it in ourselves to leave our warm sleeping bags, we had breakfast and packed up our tents and started our trek. We climbed to the highest point of the mountain and took a long break to enjoy the view. Then we continued down the trail, some fast and some slower, and all eventually met to have lunch in the nearest town to the lares pass.

We took the bus back home and enjoyed the views, and then unpacked and showered off all the sweat from our hike. In town, we got coffee and bought souvenirs in the markets. We also saw a concert in the town square, as there were many festivities going on today. We had fun chatting at dinner, and back at home camp we relaxed. Overall a very fun day!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Written by Luella and Kaitlin – Leaders of the day!

We were awaken at the crack of dawn. Had delicious bread for breakfast and then headed on our way to the train station to start our journey to Machu Picchu. We soon realized we could have slept in an extra hour as our train got delayed. We spent the hour in the train station coffee shop drinking our delicious Peruvian iced coffees. We then got on the train for a two hour drive and arrived around 10:30 to the town of Machu Picchu. Throughout the train ride the habitat around us changed, we were used to a dry and cold environment, but it changed into a more jungle and humid environment. The town of Machu Picchu was full of tourists waiting to go to one of the 7 Wonders of the World. We waited in line for about 15 minutes and then we went aboard the bus to our destination. The bus ride was around 30 minutes and had the most beautiful views we’ve ever seen. We arrived at the bottom of our walk to Machu Picchu. We climbed up flights of stairs and finally made it.

As we turned around the corner we were struck in awe. The views were mesmerizing. The pictures of Machu Picchu do no justice of what it is like in real life. The amazing architecture and beautiful views were stunning. We got to learn about many things including the Sun Temple where they would sacrifice pure children for the gods. We also learned about the astrological significance of Machu Picchu and how many buildings were built around the way the sun and stars move. We then arrived back to the bus stop and headed on our journey to lunch. The ride down from Machu Picchu is the most beautiful but most scary car ride i’ve ever been on. The road is the width of a car and a half and we’re all holding on for dead life. The whole tour took around 2 hours and we were on our way to lunch!

We finally arrived back at home base around 7:30 and went to our dinner spot. After dinner we had our own concert down the streets of peru, singing and dancing! We then have our closing activity as two of our people are leaving tomorrow, a day early.

Closing was an emotional roller coaster. We started off laughing and ended outside around a candle crying our eyes out.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1 & 2

Written by Alejandra Gonzalez – International Director

Dearest families,

We have closed our wonderful learning journey finalizing our time together with space to relax at the homebase, pack, share with peers, play games and music and enjoy a fire in the terrace. We also walked around the town for the last times. Students enjoyed getting ice cream, being in the plaza and buying last souvenirs from the local artisans from the stores in town.

We had our last lunch all together on Saturday, and student reminisced as we played a video from all the memories we shared in our last 2 weeks. Seth and Dane departed first on Saturday afternoon, with a feeling of nostalgy but also warmth from the new friendship that have been formed. Our next 3 students, Katie, Kaitlin and Luella left the home base at 3:30 am – great early bird warriors 😄! Other students woke up to give the last huggs and goodbyes to them!

Finally we had Beatriz, Connor, Montana and Aedan be the last students to leave homebase and leave all together in the airport Sunday afternoon.

We feel so grateful to have shared this life-changing experience with our dear students who have made this time truly memorable.

My best regards and wishes in receiving your sons and daughters back home. Thank you for your trust and support throughout the journey!