The Young Leader

by

Galapagos: Preserving Nature’s Wonders (June 30 – July 13, 2024)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Hey everyone, it’s Clint!

Y’all left recently but I already miss all the fun times we had. I remember you working hard at Primicias, the huge logs Landon would carry, the long wheelbarrow trips, sometimes with passengers, and all the many empanadas de pollo we would finish the day with. Then the bus ride back to homebase – I’d hold my camera and just snap some photos and probably end up with Oliver doing something funny in them.

We had some great impromptu soccer games in Santa Cruz, and of course Hannah and Porter challenging the locals there at basketball. And evenings at the gelato place, and watching the Ecuador game all together, and seeing huge lobsters.

And then we changed to San Cristobal. I loved the night you all had your GLA shirts on and we marched through town with music to the soccer fields– everyone was looking at us, especially when we got out of the center. Was fun! We looked pretty cool I have to say. And of course the game was fun. Then we had some nice times in town in Baquerizo Moreno exploring the shops and restaurants and waterfront.

Remember our conversation about goals near the end? I think you all challenged each other to travel with an open mind and be open to other cultures as a main goal. You also all wrote down your own personal goals. Keep working on those small changes and tasks to achieve them! I meant what I said after the appreciation circle – I saw in every one of you so much potential and know you will do good things with it.

All the Best,
Clint Ballinger, International Director

Hi everyone! It feels like it was yesterday when you all were here in the Galapagos. I can not tell you how much you are missed, your laughs and your work in teams.

I have to tell you that although time keeps passing by, your hard work to improve the environmental conditions for the giant tortoises a better home remains in Las Primicias.

Hopefully, one day, you do have the opportunity to get back to the Islands and see the great and positive impact you visit to the Galapagos left in the summer 2024.

Words are not enough to describe the wonderful memories we all got together. Keep dancing salsa and making empanadas. You guys were an excellent group this summer!

With love 💖

Ligia Possos, Mentor

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

P.S. Are you interested in supporting the Global Leadership Adventures International Foundation? We invite you to learn more about GLAIF and consider donating here.

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30 & JULY 1

Dear GLA Galápagos: Preserving Nature’s Wonders Families,

We are so glad most of the students have arrived! We are currently in our lovely hotel by the airport going over our busy schedule and orientation, then headed to the equator for the afternoon.

Soon we fly on to the amazing Galápagos. First up is the island of Santa Cruz. There we will hike through a pristine landscape of endemic flora and fauna at Tortuga Bay, explore huge lava tunnels, work alongside giant Galápagos tortoises, enjoy homemade Ecuadorian ice cream, play sports with local kids, and swim in the famous Las Grietas (a volcanic fissure on the sea). Then we take the several hour boat ride over to San Cristóbal. There we will snorkel with sea lions, visit Isla Lobo with its colonies of blue footed boobies, frigatebirds, and sea lions, explore the quaint town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno that seems to have more sea lions than people, more snorkeling in several different natural preserves, and maybe some soccer with the locals. We will also have a recycling workshop one afternoon, visit and work at a local school, and of course be doing a number of leadership activities in the evenings. We will also have two full time local guides with us on all activities teaching us about the biology and geology of the Galápagos.

Student leaders of the day will be writing a blog post every one to two days to keep you updated about all the great things they have been up to. Remember that our location is remote and our schedule packed so for the days on the islands there won’t be frequent communication. We truly hope the students enjoy a break from their phones and immerse themselves for several weeks in the fascinating and beautiful Galápagos Islands.

We hope to primarily give a window into these weeks through the blog. We arrange access to communication for it and of course have plans for any needed urgent communications at any time. We have four staff directly with the students, plus two full time guides with us (Fernando and Carmen) on all activities, plus the support of our homebase staffs for cooking and cleaning. We also have the 24/7 professional support of the office staff. Your children are in great hands. This is going to be a wonderful program, and I am excited to be part of it. Keep your eyes open for the first student blog in a day or two and enjoy your summer.

Best,

Clint, Patricia, Ligia, and Christy

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Today was a travel day! Off to the Island of Santa Cruz from our Quito base in Tababela. We got up early and before we knew it we were on the small ferry crossing from the galapagos airport island of Baltra to Santa Cruz. We then had lunch, settled in, and went to explore town. Then we had a guided tour through the Charles Darwin Center, walked back to town for chow circle, dinner, and got to explore town by evening before mentor groups and bed. Tomorrow is our first work day at Primicias, the giant-tortoise preserve, so we tried to get to bed early.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Today we woke up at 6:30 am to get ready for our longest day of work. After about 35 mins we arrived at our work site and began scoping the scenery out. We removed invasive species brush and logs to clear an area for the tortoises. Lunch at the tortoise preserve restaurant was a very rewarding thing after working in the heat. We had pesto, pomodoro, chicken or local albacore tune.

Later we also had the option to try empanadas and fruit smoothies. All of it was very delicious and we all enjoyed it. After lunch we took a tour of the tortoise habitat and got to see them eating, chilling, and laying in the mud. Today was tiring but rewarding, and we completed service that will give us more snorkeling time on the next island. Tomorrow we are up very early to swim in the famous Las Grietas before breakfast.

Hannah Leinberg & Sapphire Yau

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Today we woke up at the break of dawn to visit Las Grietas, or “The Crack” before breakfast. Las grietas is a naturally formed fissure that is full of cool, crystal clear ocean water, and makes a good natural swimming pool. We had to wake up early in the morning due to our reserved time slot. After swimming we headed towards The Grotto Cafe, located near a pretty sizable salt pond. We grabbed empanadas and corviches, which are an interesting but delicious food made from ground yucca and peanut, and stuffed with fish and topped with carrot salsa.

After enjoying a good snack we finished the walk home and had a hearty breakfast. We then rested some, went into town, and then we left for Primicias to continue working with tortoises. Highlights of working included riding in wheelbarrows, playing baseball with sticks and lava rocks, and seeing just how much wood we could load into a single wheelbarrow. Finally, we headed home for a very American dinner of hotdogs. After eating a quick dinner and showering we then all walked into town to have sushi and fruit drinks while watching the Copa America game—Ecuador vs Argentina, which Ecuador sadly lost in the last seconds on the last penalty kick.

Lennon Francis & Jewelea Olsen

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Today we had a tour of Los Gemelos – two huge sinkholes – and then walked though lava tunnels. Afterwards we had lunch at the tortoise preserve and an afternoon of service work. After work we had the chance to visit a local food market in a different part of town where we could try different things like marocho, which is like horchata but made with white corn and served warm, and octopus empanadas, nutella and banana empanadas, and other things.

Later, after dinner we had mentor groups and then some of the group played basketball with the locals, and others played soccer.

Tomorrow is our last day of service at Primicias- we have gotten a lot done!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Today we woke up at around 6:30 on a very sunny day. We had breakfast then went straight to Tortuga Bay, a beautiful and sandy beach where we swam, played games and even saw a baby hammerhead shark. We split into two teams and competed to see who could pass a baton across the widest box without throwing it, stepping in the box or going around. After a couple of hours we headed back home and ate lunch before leaving to complete our last 4 hours of community service for the tortoises. Some ant bites but the end result was well worth it. After showering, packing our bags and having another delicious dinner we went to an ice cream store and did some shopping and went to bed excited for the trip tomorrow to San Cristóbal island!

Gamble Van Cleave
Oliver Abbett

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Today we took a two and a half hour boat ride from Santa Cruz to San Cristóbal. The group reached the port of Baquerizo Moreno around 11:00 in the morning. After we unloaded all the luggage, we headed to the laundromat and then the home base on the island. There was fish, rice, and vegetables for lunch. At 3:00, we arrived at Playa Mann, where we spent a few hours swimming and relaxing on the beach with sea lions. After getting back to home base, we ate dinner and did group activities focusing on leadership and teamwork.

Matthew Jamroz & Porter Hagerman

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Today, when we woke up we were greeted by a breakfast of watermelon, papaya, and eggs at our home base in San Cristóbal. Then we all packed our backpacks and left into town where some of the group made the decision to rent wet suits and other snorkeling gear. After that we took a bus to a natural park and walked along the coast to a beach where we snorkeled. We saw lots of marine life including sea turtles, sting rays, and other colorful schools of fish. On the surface we also saw many hermit crabs and sea lions including a very curious and vocal baby sea lion. After snorkeling we took our voyage back to home base and had some down time before we ate lunch. While we were anticipating our lunch, we managed to kill time by playing a group game of Uno flip. For lunch we enjoyed soup, rice, chicken, and vegetables. After eating lunch we mutually gathered at a local bakery where we all picked out baked goods.

After heading back to home base, we had some time to rest before we left to a recycling workshop where we each got the chance to create some unique jewelry out of recycled products. Toward the end of our jewelry making, some gathered at the local soccer field and started our own short game where we met a sweet, young, local boy who joined us. We then came back where we prepped for a debate of the foreign animals that were invading the Galapagos Islands before dinner. After we ate dinner, we had a very energetic debate where we divided in five groups representing different interests and we came to a common solution to ban the import of non-native animals and try out a TNR (trap, neuter, return) system for the non-native animals that are on the island. After we finished the debate, we were rewarded with lollipops. We then went to sleep anticipating what we had in store tomorrow.

Ivy Wells & Michael Bubeck

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Today we split into two groups for the day, with the first group getting up early and going to Isla Lobos and then time to explore the town in the afternoon and the second group the opposite.

Isla Lobos is an amazing national park where black volcanic rocks and white sandy paths are lined with blue-footed boobies, some doing their mating dance, some with eggs, and some with chicks. There are also frigate birds with big red throats and other birds and wildlife, and sea lions along the shore. After a tour of the island with our guide, we the took a little dingy back to our boat and snorkeled with sea lions swimming around us, and rays, turtles, and other fish, in the clear deep channel between Lobos and Santa Cruz. Everyone also got to do things they wanted in town like try the fresh ceviche or shop for souvenirs.

Then in the evening we all walked across town to a soccer stadium and challenged a local team to a game, was fun! They won because they were a team with lots of practice together, but we had a great time playing and cheering for our side!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Today we had a beautiful walk to a national park area to snorkel in our favorite place yet! On the way we went through the San Cristóbal Interpretation Center, a kind of partly outdoor museum on the history and nature of the Galápagos along the trail. Very interesting. Then we headed along a volcanic stone path to Tijeretas- a kind of rocky bay perfect for snorkeling. We had a hot sunny day great for visibility in the water and warming on the nice deck after we got out. We saw octopus and marine iguana and swam with sea lions and turtles and lots of fish.

After lunch we headed to a local school (pre-k) and painted some colorful scenes on the walls, getting to use our creative side. After a long day we got ready for bed by relaxing with a movie all together on the top of our hotel.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Today is our last day in the islands! So we started with a relaxing morning on Playa Mann with the sea lions. Then after lunch we had a discussion about what we have seen and experienced and how we think it might challenge and inspire us. Then a fun afternoon of making empanadas, salsa dancing, and getting ready for our farewell dinner. In the evening we walked through town and enjoyed a nice evening out with pizza and an ice cream place. We then strolled along the shore at night back to homebase to get ready for our flight in the morning to Quito.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Yesterday we had our flight from San Cristóbal to Quito. In the morning we stoped by a bakery and spent some time in town and then just walked to the airport! We arrived in Quito and had a nice dinner of lasagna together and watched the twinkling lights of hilly Quito from the rooftop. The next day we had fun swimming, sliding on a water slide, and warming up in the hot tub. Then the final packing and off to the airport.

by

Galapagos: Preserving Nature’s Wonders (June 13 – June 26, 2024)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Hey guys! I hope you are doing fine and still with all the wonderful memories that we got in the Galápagos Islands in June of 2024. Well, there are many moments still in my heart which I would like to share with you! Do you remember when we got to Santa Cruz Island and you saw for the first time some animals such us iguanas and sea lions so close to you? You were very happy and amazed how friendly they were.

When you were working so hard at Primicias in order to give more free space to the tortoises so they could walk around that spot. It was really worthy, wasn’t it? I know it was hard but you made it and I was so proud of you!
Finally, when we went to San Cristóbal Island we had more time to visit some amazing places and know more about the flora and fauna. We had many funny moments together. It was so cool to dance salsa together so I hope you are still practicing salsa and your Spanish, by the way, do not forget to eat many empanadas.

I wish the best for every one of you and continue focusing on your dreams!!

With love ❤
Ligia / Mom 🙂

Hey ya’ll, Clint here!

I know it’s been awhile so I wanted to say “hi.”
I’m sure you are all back in your normal lives but I still remember tons of good times in the Galapagos and Quito. For starters all the food, from the gelato evenings in Santa Cruz to the delicious empanadas at Primicias (the giant tortoise worksite) and the market one evening.

And also at Primicias I remember some dancing lol! And some of you dancing in the concert during Inti Raymi, and all of you dancing salsa on the last day in San Cristobal. Your group was so much fun that way.

We also had some nice snorkeling, especially at Tijeretas, that last pretty place we snorkeled at with the crazy colored conch shell and the friendly sea lions.

I hope some of you are still being inspired by the biology and ecology you learned and experienced on the islands. Some of the things we learned from Fernando and Carmen about the life-cycle of giant tortoises and how they are different on the different islands, and when we saw the blue-footed boobies on Isla Lobos and learned about them and the red throated frigate birds. We also learned a little about the history of the Galapagos on that last museum visit on the way to snorkel, and so much more. And the culture – Chase- you were doing great with some Spanish on those last days!

Remember at the trout restaurant- you were ordering in Spanish!
Some of you spoke about some ideas you had from being here and I hope you are all still working towards your goals, whatever they may be. I saw how smart and hardworking you all were and I am sure you can achieve those goals.

Miss you all!

Clint

PS Hakan, Carmen, and Fernando miss ya’ll as well and say “hi”.

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

P.S. Are you interested in supporting the Global Leadership Adventures International Foundation? We invite you to learn more about GLAIF and consider donating here.

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 13

Dear GLA Galápagos: Preserving Nature’s Wonders Families,

We are so glad most of the students have arrived, and we and the students are eagerly awaiting the last 3 arrivals, Claire, Adrian, and Katie tonight (flight delays). We are currently in our lovely hotel by the airport going over our busy schedule and orientation then headed to the equator for the afternoon.

Soon we fly on to the amazing Galápagos. First up is the island of Santa Cruz. There we will hike through a pristine landscape of endemic flora and fauna at Tortuga Bay, explore huge lava tunnels, work alongside giant Galapagos tortoises, enjoy homemade Ecuadorian ice cream, play sports with local kids, and swim in the famous Las Grietas (a volcanic fissure on the sea). Then we take the several hour boat ride over to San Cristóbal. There we will snorkel with sea lions, visit Isla Lobo with its colonies of blue footed boobies, frigatebirds, and sea lions, explore the quaint town of Puerto Baquerizo Moreno that seems to have more sea lions than people, more snorkeling in several different natural preserves, and maybe some soccer with the locals. We will also have a recycling workshop one afternoon, visit and work at a local school, and of course be doing a number of leadership activities in the evenings. We will also have two full time local guides with us on all activities teaching us about the biology and geology of the Galápagos.

Student leaders of the day will be writing a blog post every one to two days to keep you updated about all the great things they have been up to. Remember that our location is remote and our schedule packed so for the days on the islands there won’t be frequent communication. We truly hope the students enjoy a break from their phones and immerse themselves for several weeks in the fascinating and beautiful Galápagos Islands.

We hope to primarily give a window into these weeks through the blog. We arrange access to communication for it and of course have plans for any needed urgent communications at any time. We have three staff directly with the students, plus two full time guides with us (Fernando and Carmen) on all activities, plus the support of our homebase staffs for cooking and cleaning. We also have the 24/7 professional support of the office staff. Your children are in great hands. This is going to be a wonderful program, and I am excited to be part of it. Keep your eyes open for the first student blog in a day or two and enjoy your summer.

Best,
Clint, Hakan, and Ligia

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 14 & 15

Hey everyone!

We are very happy Catherine and Adrian finally got here after their flight delays- just in time to join us for the flight to the Galápagos! They are settling in with the group and we all have a big day tomorrow exploring our island and starting service work.

Yesterday we visited the equator and got to know each other on our first full day in Ecuador. During our visit to La Mitad del Mundo (middle of the world) we learned about the various Ecuadorian indigenous cultures and bonded over our shared struggle to balance an egg on a nail. We also brightened every drive with energetic conversations and lots of music. We even culminated the evening with a lively two truths and a lie game with lots of stories.

Now for today, we gathered for breakfast and spent the morning playing games including, football, soccer, and volleyball. We enjoyed a quick lunch and a teary eyed goodbye to our favorite home base cat, Mitchi. Prior to boarding the plane to the Galápagos we met Adrian and Catherine, the final two on our journey and our group was complete.

After landing in the Galápagos on Baltra Island we were greeted by iguanas and it felt as though our trip had finally commenced. The real turning point was the beautiful cliff lined channel between islands with blue footed boobies overhead and a reef shark in the clear water as we boarded the boat between islands. As if it was an entirely different world all eyes were glued to the bus windows as we watched the sunset on the journey to our next home base. We watched the arid terrain filled with palo santo trees turn to the lush green forest and then drove into a foggy mountain cloud as seen below.

Many times groups of entire strangers can take days to mesh and appear as one group of friends; however, this particular group was friends from the beginning. Even other travelers on the plane assumed that we all went to school together. Each day so far has been filled with laughter, smiles and tiny moments of joy that make each day worth living. Especially as we venture into many days of tough service we have no doubt our group will continue to work hard while never taking ourselves too seriously. Throughout bonding with each other we have also connected with the locals at both home bases most of the time in broken Spanish but never failing to try.

With love,

Emma Grasso and Jennifer Ramos

P.S. Especially to my parents who may encounter an animal in their bed when I get home. Love you the most! – Emma

And to my mom and dad, I cannot promise that Katie, Snowflake will not have a new Galapagos Tortoise as an addition to the household. (I think Katie and the Tortoise would get along.) – Jennifer

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 16

Today we started our day by waking up at 5:30. Our chefs cooked us a wonderful food which consisted of Ecudaoran yucca with cheese and onion, eggs, cheese, juice, and fruit. After our delicious breakfast we headed off early to the Charles Darwin center to learn more about evolution and the wildlife here on the island. There our guide Fernando showed us around and did a wonderful job sprinkling in his own humor. As he was walking us through his partner Carmen explained to us the importance of adaptation and how it can apply to everyday life.

After a fun trip at the Darwin center we headed on the bus and drove to preserve the wildlife for the Galápagos Tortoise.

We soon got to the work site and saw all the work needed. Chase and Josh spilt up the group into three teams. Chase’s team was collecting rocks and putting them into piles Josh’s team was bringing logs to the pile in the woods the third team was bringing sticks to the pile in the back. After two hours of hard work we headed off lunch. While some got a tasty pesto or bolognese the majority ordered either chicken or local albacore tuna. As dessert menus were handed out smug grins filled the table as there were a variety of interesting and exotic milkshakes and smoothies to try. As lunch finished up the group headed back to the worksite with a new sense of energy. As the day continued we started to finish up ending in a chow circle, where Josh and Chase faced off in a dance battle. After a hard fought battle from both sides Josh prevailed showing off to be the better dancer. After we took the bus home, we ended off the night going into town and trying out the local ice cream, then going to the docks at night and seeing sea lions on the docks and fish swimming through the lighted water.

Josh Brown & Chase Green

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 17

Today we woke up before 5:45 to get ready to visit Las Grietas, which is a beautiful pocket of water in a space between two cliffs. We took a 1 mile trail to and from Las Grietas which was definitely worth it. While walking the trail we found a little outdoor place with hammocks, smoothies and table tennis and enjoyed while we dried off and relaxed. When we got back, we had breakfast, which consisted of fruits, eggs, a corn tortilla dish, and some juice. Afterwards, we played soccer at the local park and explored the town. Many of us bought great souvenirs. After some shopping, the group returned to home base for lunch. It was soup, pork chop, baked potatoes, and rice. We left for the Primicias site on our bus to get to work helping the tortoises by moving logs and sticks. We wore gloves and protective boots, as well as sunscreen and bug spray to keep bugs away. We worked in the afternoon getting water breaks and snack breaks around every thirty minutes.

After we finished working, we took the bus to the center of the city. We stopped at a local street food area to get empanadas before dinner. Some people got multiple, while some people split with others as to not get too full before dinner. We looked around the area and enjoyed a place full of locals and families while waiting for others to finish their snacks. At around 6:45 PM, we walked back to home base. At around 7 PM, we had dinner which was chicken, rice and a pasta and veggies salad. We did a quick chow circle, picking the new leaders of the day and giving our daily shoutouts and announcements. We then wrote in our journals about the first days at GLA to reflect on how the trip is going and think about what we want to get out of it. After that, we had some time together to play a few games, get ready for bed and the next day.

-Kenna Schwartz & Taishi Nishimura

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18

We started our day with a breakfast fruit, two delicious cheese empanadas and fresh guava juice. We then left the home base to explore the lava tunnels and see huge Los Gemelos sinkholes, visiting a local bakery on the way. The sinkholes were so big there was even a rainbow in one of them.

Following seeing the spectacular natural sights, we headed to Las Primicias to further investigate the giant tortoises that can be spotted all around us during our service work. We enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Las Primicias cafe, talking over plates of either pesto pasta, pomodoro pasta, tuna steak, or chicken, plus milkshakes and juices as wanted.

Once we were back up and energized, we walked down to the service site and continued our hard work lugging sticks and logs to clear a path for the giant tortoises. We regained our breath as we played fun group games and had our nightly Chow Circle check-in in a field of giant tortoises by the restaurant. Finally, we rode the bus back to home base, where we enjoyed steak or soy patties, rice, and beans for dinner. We finished up with mentor groups, the schedule presentation by the leaders of the day and some free time getting ready for bed. Tomorrow we are off to Tortuga Bay, the nearby national park to see the wildlife and swim at the beach for the morning.

By Owen Power and Noa Tsur

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19

Today we woke up and took a nice long walk to Tortuga Bay national park. it was a 2 1/2 mile walk to the beach. we spent the time in a beautiful smooth bay with animals including some black tip reef sharks and lots of fish. Due to some rain we eventually decided to go into Puerto Ayora and stopped for ice cream and crepes and then visited a book store for some gifts.

After some warm showers and lunch we headed to our last day of service at Rancho Primicias. The light misty rain was nice and cooling as we dug with metal bars and pickaxes to plant native trees that will provide shade to the tortoises. We also have to protect them by digging up big volcanic rocks and putting them around each seedling so the giant tortoises don’t run over them. As our services have come to an end on this island so did our rewards of empanadas and milkshakes. We said a teary eyed goodbye to or tortoise friends and the nice people we worked with at Primicias and took the bus back to home base. We had dinner and packed for our upcoming travel day tomorrow. Off by boat to the next island!

-Izzy Rapp & Claire Benckenstein

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20

We started our day with an exciting adventure to our next island, San Cristobal. This excursion consisted of a two hour boat ride in the open ocean. We saw the beautiful blue waters and spectacular views of the islands. Once we got to San Cristobal, we headed over to our hostel and ate lunch which consisted of grilled albacore tuna or chicken.

Once we finished with lunch, we packed up our things and headed over to a gorgeous beach filled with sea lions.

We spent the afternoon swimming and snorkeling, taking in the beautiful sites of the waters. The sea lions were scattered all over the beach, and we got to observe and watch them play and bark at each other. At one point a sea lion came up to explore our towels and stuff! We also enjoyed some really good piña coladas (don’t worry- pineapple with coconut only!), and snacks while at the beach it was super relaxing and amazing.

Once we were done at the beach, we headed over to a shop to rent snorkel gear for activities the following day. Right next door there was a sweet shack so we got a quick little snack. After this, we went back to our hostel and enjoyed a delicious dinner of chicken and rice and potatoes.

Once we were finished with dinner, we broke into groups and talked about leadership and presented our ideas. Then the leaders of the day organized a dance off. The leaders of the day split us up into teams and then we got to choreograph a dance and perform it for everyone. It was super fun to watch all the dances and get to perform.

This day was incredibly fun and we got to do incredibly cool things. There were definitely a lot of ups and downs like a few of us getting seasick, but also seeing hundreds of sea lions and overall it was really fun and amazing. We are so excited to see what the rest of the trip has in store for us.

Erinne McGinnity Schneider & Malia Preston

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21

Today, we started off the day by eating a breakfast of empanadas at about 8:00. Afterwards, we took a short bus ride followed by a short hike to a local beach called La Lobería. Here we had the privilege of snorkeling. There was lots of native wildlife around, mainly turtles and endemic species of fish, and a ray.

We also go to swim with sea lions who frequently inhabit the beach! Then after snorkeling for a little while, we played duck duck goose, played in the sand and went back to home base. Here we had a lunch of fried chicken and mashed potatoes with salad and passion fruit juice and fruit pudding for dessert. Finally, after some rest, we went to do service at a local school. Unfortunately, the schools in Galapagos are very underfunded, so we assisted them by starting to paint a mural on a wall. This was a mural of ocean animals along with coral and seaweeds decorations. When we finished, we cleaned up and went back to home base where we had chow circle and ate pasta for dinner.

Then, after that, a group of us went out to celebrate the Incan Midsummer festival, Inti Raymi. We walked around town and did some shopping at local stores and pop-up markets. We got ice cream before heading to the town center to enjoy some live music. We all danced and had a very fun time enjoying this cultural celebration. This celebration was used by mountain Inca people to commemorate the summer solstice and the middle of summer!

Catherine Blair & Gia Mullin

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22

Hi everyone!!

Today was another great day on the island where we had the chance to hike, snorkel, and swim! We were split up into two groups today in order to have enough room on the boat. Both groups did the same activities just at different times of the day.

The activities included a short boat ride over to Isla Lobos. We were also lucky enough to see tons of dolphins swimming and jumping around!!

When we arrived at the Island, we hiked along the trail and got to experience the beauty of the island through seeing the wonderful birds of the island such as the blue footed boobie birds and their chicks, sea lions, and frigate birds. We got back on the boat and we got ready to snorkel. While snorkeling we swam with sea lions, sand dollars, sea urchins, turtles, stingrays, and all other sorts of marine animals. After snorkeling, we enjoyed some fresh fruit and juice on the boat. Our last stop was to the local beach where we saw many sea lions basking in the sun and had a chance to play in the ocean, look at shells, and explore the beach.

Each group had some down time while the other group was at the activities. During this down time, we played soccer and danced with local people. We also enjoyed going through the town and going on a shopping spree.

For dinner tonight we got hotdogs and fries. Finally we took a walk into town where we listened to live music and ate ice cream!

Another day in the Galapágos down and it did not disappoint! Wait until tomorrow when we participate in our last service activity!!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23

We started our morning with a delicious breakfast consisting of cheese empanadas, bananas, and eggs and fresh juice. We then took a short walk to the Centro de Interpretación de San Cristóbal. We learned about the currents of the oceans surrounding the Galápagos Islands, as well as its history and colonization. After the museum we walked a long pretty path through lava rocks and cacti to Tijeretas Beach and went snorkeling. We encountered sea lions, marine iguanas, and sea turtles. Since we were in the water we don’t have photos but we will try to put some from a waterproof camera on a later post.

We then went to drop off our rented snorkeling equipment and stopped for ice cream along the way. For lunch we had delectable butternut squash soup and fish fingers with a side of rice and lentils. We played a game called Helium Pole to exercise our leadership skills and teamwork capabilities. After that we went to the Blue Kraft workshop to make painted cups out of recycled glass bottles. We had chow circle right after to discuss the group debate for our leadership activity. We separated into 5 groups with different numbers of people. Each group represented different interests about protecting the wildlife in the Galápagos. Then we had a burger for dinner. Afterwards we had a debate about the invasive feral cats on the Galápagos Islands where each group had a role to play.

Kenna Schwartz & Owen Power

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25 & 26

After the debate we woke the next day and after breakfast did a salsa class. After a lot of dancing we then made our own empanadas – with either local mozzarella or with bananas and Nutella. They came out really good! We made a lot so spent a lot of time cooking them all. Later we had lunch and then went through town along the water to Playa Man, to spend a last afternoon with the sea lions, swimming and playing games on the beach. Watching the behavior of the sea lion is really interesting, they are really funny with each other. Four baby ones played around some of us a lot.

We also had to get ready to fly back to Quito the next day. Before flying we spent some time in town and then walked to the small airport on San Cristoóbal, and then flew to Quito and got checked into a really cool hotel in the countryside near the airport.

We had a nice dinner, a reflective appreciation circle and group discussion, and had our last night together to play some games and talk. The next morning some started leaving for the airport, but eight students had late flights so we all went to some hot springs high in the Andes for the evening, then dinner in the mountains by a mountain lake and then off to the airport.

by

Dominican Republic: Island Service Adventure (July 23 – August 1, 2024)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by Diego & the Dominican Republic Team

Hello happy clappers!
We can’t believe it has been a while since we were all together in the beautiful country of Dominican republic! It feels like we just dropped you off at the airport hours ago, but time flies when you are having fun, it’s quite been an adventure.

After summer sessions, Ingrid has returned to US and was prepared to live new experiences working with teenagers again in the beautiful countries of Central America. Diego stayed doing solo travel and explored el Salvador, then went down south to Brasil. He has many stories to share. Gipsy is organizing art events for local young artists to showcase their work and connect with the community. She believes that art has the power to bring people together, spark important conversations, and foster a sense of unity and understanding among everyone, as for Nino, they continued exploring other remote places of the island, gathering ideas, materials and construction techniques to keep working as an architect with sustainable designs.

Do you remember the first days going to Dominicus park and Padre nuestro to meet Lidia inside of Cotubanamá National Park, how about our strenuous hikes under the sun where we picked up trash and painted signs for the path with moments of togetherness and surrounded by beautiful nature that showed us how much it was worth doing it over and over again?! What about Isaac, lidia’s grandson who gave us sugar cane, fresh mangoes and limoncillos as an act of hospitality and generosity?

We still remember when Emma G, Presley and Maeve sang their hearts out during our car rides. Rafe with his original playlist who showed how to share one genuine part of ourselves. What about Lucas and his contagious passion during the debate, demonstrating how to take an action? Also Emma I. who always showed great energy and a beautiful attitude in all the moments when we were outside of our comfort zone.

What about our great service at the kids camp in Benerito? Singing, dancing and teaching with them was amazing. I hope you realize how much the litle kids enjoyed their time with you. They loved your games and you taught them so much.

Do you remember our first volleyball game all of us together in Saona? How beautiful was played with locals too…when actions means more than words and can cross barriers. Seeing everyone play soccer with such talent and enthusiasm was incredible. It was amazing to watch how effortlessly they passed and dribbled the ball as they moved across the sand. From the sidelines, we couldn’t help but experience a rush of enthusiasm and adrenaline . Everyone’s sense of friendship and collaboration was admirable.

What about Darling? That island boy, with whom played, swam and shared meals. That’s the wonder of travel guys, meeting other people and learning from other points of view. Those are experiences they should replicate at home when they return.

Remember our turtle walk, everyone made an effort that early morning, the island rewarded us with a beautiful sunrise at the end as we headed back on our boat ride. Although we didn’t get to see turtles, we were able to understand and discuss the impact of our actions as humans on the environment.

For all of the above, please never forget about our meaningful goal about how to reduce waste, with small/meaningful actions and being consistent we can create an a impact in our homes, picking up trash, sorting our recycling, inspire and connect with others we can be part of the change. When in doubt, think about all your experiences as a team, how you were able to come together and learn from each other.

As staff, we gave you the tools and guided you through a leadership curriculum to inspire you. This experience together was incredibly rewarding, thank you for bringing your unique personalities and leadership skills to the trip and making it so special for all of us! We miss you and wish you the best of luck in your future adventures.

– Ingrid, Gipsy, Diego, Nino.

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

P.S. Are you interested in supporting the Global Leadership Adventures International Foundation? We invite you to learn more about GLAIF and consider donating here.

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

Written by: GLA Staff

Hola familia y amigos, bienvenidos a República Dominicana!

We welcomed our young leaders willing to take on the challenge of new experiences that demonstrate what true leadership is. During the arrival day we picked up the students at the Las Américas airport in Santo Domingo. They showed very excited and curious for this new experience making questions during our ride to the Novus hotel.

We had a first group that had lunch near to the hotel and walked through the colonial zone. A second group arrived during the afternoon directly to settled at the hotel and they were all able to had dinner together. They enjoyed the food, had time to know each other, rest and recover from their flights.

We are waiting for Ryan M. who will join us at our home base in Bayahibe, due a delay on her flight she couldn’t be with us. But don’t worry, she is fine and we are ready to give her a warm welcome.

We have an amazing group filled with lots of good vibes. Excited to begin, tomorrow our first stop will be the Los Tres Ojos National Park and then head to our home base. Where we can talk about the basic details and rules of our new home. So, dear family and friends, please continue to support our leaders on this journey by checking out our daily blogs and showing your love by commenting below.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

Buenos días!

We woke up this morning after a goodnight’s sleep, we were greeted with a scrumptious breakfast buffet composed of scrambled eggs, local fruits and more. From there we began our journey to our home base with a stop at las tres ojos national park, where we saw everything from freshwater cave lakes to spiders and bats. After some group photos we continued on to home base, but not without a quick stop at the market.

During the afternoon, we arrived at home base in the beachside town of Bayahibe where we were greeted by kind and welcoming people. We all got unpacked and enjoyed the scenery surrounding us. After a delicious lunch, we sat for orientation and later played a game of jeopardy, we’re we talked about code of conduct and basic rules for the next days in our new home. Once we finished with that, we had swim tests & then took the time to get settled.

At the beginning of the evening we all gathered for a sunset circle to discuss the highlights, takeaways, and shoutouts of our day. We do this to bring all of the students together and create a tighter community. For example, the highlight of the day was visiting the beautiful national park and riding on the Dominican titanic. We then ate a magnificent dinner and went on to listen to a culture presentation by our local director, Gipsy,introducing us to the wonders of Dominican culture including dancing and Dominican catch phrases. Finally, we all were knocked out asleep after a long day.

– Jadon, Maya, Georgia-May

BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

Hi family!

We started the morning by eating a great breakfast, then headed to Dominicus beach to help clean up garbage for the locals in the areas, there we met Lidia who was our guide during the service. After all that hard work, we got to enjoy the ocean. Swimming in the clear, blue water was so much fun! We laughed, splashed around, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. It was a perfect way to relax and appreciate the beauty around us. It also reminded us why it’s important to keep places like this clean. We also met Juan who gave us coconuts for the whole group.

The best part of the day was playing baseball with the local kids. Baseball is a big deal in the Dominican Republic, and the kids were really good at it. We all had a blast running, hitting, and cheering each other on. Even though we didn’t speak the same language, we connected through the game. It showed us how sports can bring people together and create awesome memories. After that we went back to home base, We had a moment to relax, play volleyball in the pool and of course bond as a team and get to know each other. Then finished the day having a sunset circle, some great Sancocho with rice for dinner. And by the end of the day met with are mentor groups. And at the end of the day we meet with our mentor groups. We share what we learned today and talk about the goals we want to achieve in the following days of the program. Finally, lights out at 10 pm to rest and recover energy for another day of service.

Hasta mañana!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 26

¡Que lo que!

Today we got up early again at 7:30 for breakfast. After breakfast, we walked over to Padre Nuestro which means “Our Father”. This was a beautiful path inside Cotubanamá natural park We were greeted by Lydia, who manages the Park and Isaac, Lydia’s 9 year old grandson. Though he doesn’t speak English, he quickly became a beloved star among the GLA students for his enthusiasm. We ate mangos straight from Lydia’s garden along with limomcillos which Isaac picked from the top branches of a tree just for us. We talked some about our debate later and each group wrote our opening statements Then, we got into the service which consisted of painting signs for the park. We were all appreciative of the shade that the limoncillo trees provided which was much preferred to the relentless heat of yesterday’s service.

After we finished up painting, we followed Isaac, who led us to the much anticipated underwater cave. We hiked for 20 minutes until we finally descended the steps into Chicho Cave. The water was really clear but the cave itself was very dark. Nonetheless, the cave was definitely a favorite of the day and will definitely be something we will all remember. We stayed for an hour, swimming, exploring, and getting some much needed rest in the shade. We said goodbye to Lydia and Isaac, left Padre Nuestro, and walked back to home base, but not without making some friends along the way.

In our home base we took the opportunity to dip into the pool. This break from the heat was well deserved and well appreciated. Moments like these allow us to bond closer and be more comfortable around each other.

Following, we started the second half of the debate, our leadership activity, and taught us that in important situations, it can be complicated to come to an agreement, especially with a lot on the line, but talking it out respectfully and intelligently can help reach effective middle ground.

Wrapping up our long and passionate debate, we met for sunset circle and reflected on what went well, who we wanted to shout out, and what we wanted to take away from our experience today. Sunset Circle is always a great opportunity to appreciate highs and lows, but also who helped us throughout the day.

After sunset circle, we were able to enjoy a delicious rice and plantain dinner. Dinner is another great time for bonding, sharing different parts of ourselves and being vulnerable.

By the end we had our mentor groups, we engaged in a passionate, heartfelt conversation about our values. We started with our ten most representative values of ourselves, then narrowing it down to five that we think we can improve at GLA. Then we narrowed it down again to 2 major values that we feel that we need to develop in our lives. This activity allowed us to share parts of ourselves and experiences that helped us understand our different ways of thinking and personalities.

Finally, we did our health checks and got ready for bed!

– Parker and Rafe

BLOG POST FOR JULY 27

Buenos días familia!

The day started by knocking on everyone’s door to wake them up. We were

all eating a delicious spread of eggs bread and fresh fruit. Before the bus arrived we had time to bond as our new playlist bumped on background. After a quick ride we arrived at Benerito, a town next to Bayahíbe, at the Kids Camp consisting of young children ranging from ages 3 to 11 years, was an incredible experience.

After introductions and smiles, we started with our first activity which consisted of teaching them numbers and colors in english. after hard efforts and giggles, we moved on to something a little more fun. We showed them our favorite music genres and they played us authentic Dominican music. We danced and sang until we dropped. By 12:30 lunch was generously prepared by those who led the camp. We feasted on deliciously seasoned rice and salami served with a tasty side salad.

After lunch, we continue to play with the children and learn and dance with them while expressing ourselves with our music and outgoing personalities, we got the opportunity to make bracelets with the kids, and we also got led by the local jewelers who had their shop right downstairs. This time of the day was very great and helped us bond with the kids even more on a different level with patience, and attention to detail when making our bracelets.

Before at our return we were able to stop back at the store for any essentials or snacks that we needed or wanted for the rest of our trip here because we are halfway through our program. At the home base we got time to relax, and then we had a leadership activity called social sync and was a series of questions where we got into groups depending on if we agreed or disagreed with the statement about social media.

After we headed downstairs until time for Sunset Circle where we were able to reflect upon our day and talk about our highs for the day our shoutouts to other students and our takeaways for our daily adventure. With the day almost over we headed down to had an a delicious dinner that consisted of chicken rice and potato salad.

The last activity it was pulse check, were we was able to share anonymously our experience about the whole program and lights out.

The last activity was pulse check, where we were able to anonymously share our experience of the entire program, as we are halfway through (time flies!). And finally lights out, ready to rest for our next day.

Hasta mañana!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 28

Good morning family and friends!

We started our day eating breakfast and our plan was to visited a lake called “Hoyo Claro”. After a bus ride of about 45 Minutes we arrived and after just 5 Minutes of walking found ourselves in the middle of a forest, we walked around 25 minutes to arrived and a lovely clear waterhole that is about 25 feet deep was waiting for us, there was a big tree spanning from one side of the lake to the other, water was filled with little fish that were nibbling on your feet.

It was a great experience and we ate some Sandwiches afterwards. After visiting the Lagoon, we returned to Bayahíbe and went to Magallanes beach, got a view of how the locals enjoy the beach themselves. While at the beach we ran into some of the kids we played baseball with and reconnected with them.

We went back to home base to do some leadership activities to try and find out what kind of leaders we might be. Everyone found the server very enlightening because it forced us to think about what we are genuinely like as a leader.

After leadership activities, we had dinner which was a little bit different today, Chicken and Fries. It was refreshing to have a little bit of a more American taste since being here.

We ended the day with our mentor groups were we learned about the different aspects of culture, some hidden and some visible. Visible values are what we see as a culture like clothing or art, but the hidden ones we can’t know until we dig a little deeper and venture into local community. For the first time we get to sleep in until 8:00 so everyone is very excited for that, enough time to pack and rest for our next adventure!

Tomorrow we go to Saona which is the Island so wait to hear more about that tomorrow family!

Eli and Lucas

BLOG POST FOR JULY 29

Buenos días!

We started our day sleeping in and then traveling by boat to the island of Saona. While on our boat ride, we stopped to swim in the ocean and enjoy the turtles within the mangroves.

After we arrived on the island, we played beach volleyball and ate an amazing lunch. This included marinated chicken, rice, eggplant, and a cabbage salad. We then took a walk to visit Negro who taught us all about sea turtle endangerment. Since 2003, Negro has dedicated his life to sea turtle rescue and is his passion, also he will be our guide for Tuesday morning’s turtle walk.

On our way back to the house, we took a detour through the community and saw the solar panels which act as the island’s main energy source. When we finished our walk, many of us jumped off of the pier to cool down. We spent the rest of the afternoon with the locals playing beach volleyball, soccer, and swimming in the ocean. We learned that the language barrier doesn’t play a role in how we interact with others and people from different cultures.

Between activities, we had an a “merienda” consisting in fresh fruit, cake and some chips. For the evening, we did our usual sunset circle discussion and then ate dinner. We ended the night a little sooner today to prepare for our very early turtle walk tomorrow morning.

– Leah, Maeve and Claire

BLOG POST FOR JULY 30

Que lo qué!

Today we started our morning bright and early at 4:45 ready to head out on an hour walk! our guide, negro, and local islander Darling, lead us to all the spots around the island where negro found baby turtle nests. The reason why he goes is to check up on the turtle nests and protect them from dangerous environments and human poachers. We walked through the jungle, sand, and a bunch of rocky ground but our energy stayed high as the sun began to rise. After our walk we got picked up in sailboats and were dropped off back home to take some well deserved naps. Our breakfast of fruit, eggs, and bread started at 8:30 and our downtime, which included swimming and volleyball, lasted til 12. we got back on board and sailed back to the main land!

Lunch was at a main land restaurant El Patio, which consisted of rice, chicken, and yummy burgers.

After we headed to get some delicious gelato. It was an amazing way to cool off after a long afternoon in the sun. Once we got back we had some free time which we spend packing our bags as we descend back to Santo Domingo tomorrow morning. The rest of the evening was spent as a group doing our mentor group session which we discussed our final goal as a group and how we can put in practice at home. This goal of our was made based on what we had learned during our community service which was the reduction of waste as it can help community’s in many ways. We also had are last leadership activity where we recognized each other’s strengths and accomplishments during our time together.

Our last night in Bayahibe finished up with lots of music, singing, dancing, laughter, and memories that will last a lifetime.

Hasta mañana familia.
– Emma I. and Danielle

BLOG POST FOR JULY 31

Hi family!

On the last full day for the GLA program, we woke up around 8:20 to go and get ready for breakfast. Soon after, we had to finish packing for our long trip to Santo Domingo. As we started our departure, we listened to music and bonded one last time before leaving. We officially left around 10:30, as time went on, we sung karaoke, played car games, etc. As we arrived, we grabbed our luggage and found our rooms. Around 2, we went around the colonial zone. We walked with our guide named Tony who showed us different monuments around the town, while exploring the streets of Santo Domingo, we encountered a couple of tourist shops and some of the crew purchased a few accessories. After that, we got ice cream at a shop in town. We got home around 5, and were in our rooms for an hour until 6 when we filled out a survey about our trip.

At 6:30, we left for the restaurant, el conuco. We shared our highlights, shoutouts, and takeaways of the trip, before eating. The food was really good, we ate different and tasty local dishes. At the end, music turned on and everyone danced and have fun.

In general this GLA trip has been a whirlwind of learning, experiencing, and connecting with other people of different backgrounds and, of course, how to be the change when returning to our homes.

We got home around 9:00. At 10:00, we went to sleep, ready for rest and prepare for tomorrow at the airport and our returns.

Adios!

– Ryan and Caiden

by

Dominican Republic: Island Service Adventure (July 10 – July 19, 2024)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by Diego & the Dominican Republic Team

Hola pequeña familia!

We can’t believe it has been a while since we were all together in the beautiful country of Dominican republic! It feels like we just dropped you off at the airport hours ago, but time flies when you are having fun, it’s quite been an adventure.

Do you remember the first days going to Padre nuestro to meet Lidia in Cotubanamá National Park, how about our strenuous hikes under the sun where we picked up trash and marked the paths with moments of togetherness and surrounded by beautiful nature that showed us how much it was worth doing it over and over again?! what about Bienvenido, who invited us to his house inside the park, taught us how to peel sugar cane and gave us fresh mangoes directly from a tree in his backyard, as an act of hospitality and generosity?

We still remember when Alex and Lillia sang their hearts out during our car rides. and Raf enjoyed when the little fishes approached him in Hoyo Claro or Elena swimming under that log, exploring with a pair of goggles that a family kindly lent them (the power of connecting with others).

What about our great service at the kids camp in Benerito? Singing, dancing and teaching with them was amazing. I hope you realize how much the little kids enjoyed their time with you. They loved your games and you taught them so much.

Remember our turtle walk, everyone made an effort that early morning, the island rewarded us with a beautiful starry night and we could finish with a dip in those clear and warm waters with the sun’s first rays. With Carson and shamus trying to bodyboard on the shore, the whole team enjoyed that moment. Although we didn’t get to see turtles, they were able to understand and discuss the impact of our actions as humans on the environment. What about Darling? That island boy, with whom they played volleyball, swam and shared meals. That’s the wonder of travel guys, meeting other people and learning from other points of view. Those are experiences they should replicate at home when they return.

For all of the above, please never forget about our meaningful goal of being open minded to be able to understand different perspectives, being grateful and advocate for what’s right , taking an action to acknowledge others views that surround and affect you. When in doubt, think about all your experiences as a team, how you were able to come together and learn from each other.

As staff, we gave you the tools and guided you through a leadership curriculum to inspire you. This experience together was incredibly rewarding, thank you for bringing your unique personalities and leadership skills to the trip and making it so special for all of us! We miss you and wish you the best of luck in your future adventures.

– Ingrid, Gipsy, Diego.

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

P.S. Are you interested in supporting the Global Leadership Adventures International Foundation? We invite you to learn more about GLAIF and consider donating here.

Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Bienvenidos a República Dominicana! This will be your opportunity as parents and loved ones to keep tabs on our whereabouts as we continue on our adventure of service, learning and leadership here in this beautiful country.

All the students arrived here safely and called home. During our first day in Santo Domingo we waited for their arrival at the Las Américas international airport, they had lunch near the hotel and walked through the colonial zone.

We are happy to say that the last four of our new team members have arrived and are settled at he hotel. Due the delays in their flights, they arrived by night. But don’t worry, they are safe and sound. While tired, the students seemed excited for the adventure that lays ahead and the memories to be made.

Throughout the day we gave the students a chance to rest and recover from their travels while the last of the group arrived. In the afternoon dinner was served, allowing them to try Dominican empanadas.

We have an amazing group filled with lots of good vibes and curious about this incredible culture. Excited to begin, tomorrow our first stop will be the Los Tres Ojos National Park and then head to our home base in Bayahibe. Where we can talk about the basic details and rules of our new home. So, dear family and friends make sure to check back here for more details throughout our next days.

The staff

BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Hi family and friends!

Day 2 started with an early morning wake up and breakfast down at the hotel restaurant in Santo Domingo. Before Tres Ojos National Park we had some time to learn and bond with each other and also go to a local supermarket to stock up on local food and snacks for our home base. We purchased exotic fruits and Dominican foods. We finally returned to the hotel and the shuttle picked us up. It was a short 30 minute ride to the park. We got introduced to our tour guide Domingo and he brought us down into an expansive underground cave system. We took a little boat that the ferryman nicknamed “The Dominican Titanic” across into a lagoon. It is called the Tres Ojos because inside the caves there are three bodies of crystalline water that descends into the caves due to the rain.

Once we finished the tour boarded onto the bus again for a ride into Bayahibe. We got introduced to our rooms at the home base also known as Altea Lodge. Then we had lunch and a orientation about all the necessary information, the rules and what we will be doing the next days.

For dinner we had a local Dominican dinner of chicken, rice, and beans. Finally we got a cultural night were learned about this beautiful country and how to dance to bachata and merengue!

We finished off our day by taking a quick dip in the pool and relaxing to music.

We are very excited about what awaits us tomorrow on our first day of service and what we can learn with our team.

Thanks for being with us.
-Carson and Breydan

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Buenos días a todos!

Today we woke up on a humid and sunny day before heading to breakfast consisting of fresh pineapple, papaya, and mango along with eggs, avocado, toast and chocolate cake. We then got ready for our first day of service and promptly left at 8:45 Padre Nuestro, a place inside of the huge Cotubanamá national park.

First we met Lidia and Mariely, a local tour guides who takes care of the park, who welcomed us and told us about the history of the place.

As a first part of the service we started picking up trash along the road, during that moment we stumbled upon limoncillo, a citrusy and sweet fruit, we bit the green skin to reveal the lychee-like fruit and suprised with a burst of sweet and sour, it was a fruit like any other.

Our second stop was Bienvenido’s house a local with a big heart and gifts to share. He gave us fresh mangos from his backyard and showed how to peeled surgarcane. It’s interesting to connect with those simple things and learn to be aware that simple acts can make a big difference.

As a second part of our service, we worked with Lydia to separate plastics from metals to help locals recycle and measure from the entrance to Chicho Cave, so we measured every 50 meters and placed signs that directed visitors to that cave. We discovered that all the water that feeds the town of Bayahibe comes from there!

After doing this we embarked on our journey back to home base. We then immediately changed into our swim attire and proceeded to walk to Magallanes beach where we were gifted with a beautiful sight of clear blue water.

We headed back to home base and participated in a debate called social sync regarding social media. This experience opened our eyes to the realities of social media and the impact of our cellphones.

For dinner we had a deliciouso rice with pork, plantains, and salad. By the end of the day we had our first mentor groups where we discussed our smart goals for the 10 day trip, thinking about what we want to achieve personally and as a team.

Although it was a little tiring and we are getting used to this tropical climate, it was an incredible day full of learning and new experiences.

Hasta la próxima!

– Lillia

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Day 3 we woke up on a sunny day we headed to breakfast and had eggs, toast, avocado, and fruit. We then got ready for our second day of service at Padre Nuestro.

Once we arrived at national park we found a nice shaded spot and all sat down to prepare for afternoon’s debate. We were all assigned groups and a stance for about the environment, knowledge and management of the national park.

After that, we started our service by walking up the trail to the underwater cave. We tied the signs to the cave to trees, helped by touching up the paint on the signs, we were able to clean and delimit the path.

Once the morning of service was over our service we went into the underwater chicho cave. Surrounded by silence, we went down and were able to swim in one of the most beautiful and clear waters. Becoming aware of and connecting with elements of nature as important as the water that sustains all of Bayahibe is undoubtedly an experience to appreciate and be grateful for.

We then went back to home base where we all changed and then surprised Elena with a cake for her birthday! We were also able to try some of the fresh squeezed mango juice, that Christian made with the mangos we got from Bienvenido’s

After that, we began our discussion about the Cotubanamá national park. It was a difficult session because everyone had their own valid points, demonstrated commitment and passion with their participation. The resolution of our debate ended up being the option that Elena and Shamus proposed to us. about the importance of collaborative work among stakeholders and how to be aware of our environment in the short and long term.

We continued with a pizza night and ended the day with our mentor groups, where we had an activity in which we talked about the transversal features that make up the culture and we were able to discuss ours and that of the Dominican Republic.

Excited about tomorrow and our service, we went to sleep and regain energy.

– Mira

BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

Hola familias!

We started off our morning with a delicious breakfast consisting eggs, toast, avocado, and fruit. We then went and got ready for service and headed for the bus at around 8:30. We arrived at kids camp located in Benerito, a town next to Bayahíbe, and were greeted by such exciting and joyful children. We played games with them, taught them popular American dances, played musical chairs and many other activities. We also help them improve their English by teaching them numbers, animals and colors. We made many bonds with the children that left them with smiles on their faces.

After the children left, we made bracelets which we all added a meaning to. These activities taught us how there are no barriers to friendship and how we can make an impact on people’s lives. We then headed to the local jewelry shop and viewed the wonderful Dominican jewelry.

At around 3, we left and headed back to home base. We had some free time to relax and then proceeded with a leadership activity where we all took a step forward if we agreed with certain scenario’s and aspects in life. Then, some of us walked to the beach while some other’s played basketball with the locals. The sunset was mesmerizing and as well was the water. We then headed back and ate dinner. The last activity was Pulse Check where we anonymously shared how we were feeling personally and as a team, and gave our opinion on this program since it is the halfway point of this experience. It’s interesting because with this, we help our guides understand and improve our group dynamics for our next leadership adventures.

After we finished, we hung out in the pool and played some games such as catch. Then at 10, it was lights out.

Adiós!

– Alex

BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Buenos días!

Our day started with breakfast at 7:30 were ate eggs, sausage, mash potatoes and fruits. Then we left for Hoyo Claro, we got to the trail we had to walk around 30 minutes and to use team work such carrying the cooler which had the food for our group. Once we got to the lagoon we jumped in and started swimming, it was quite calm because we were the first to arrive there. After a while, people started showing up, and guess what! A family lent us their goggles and we enjoyed ourselves and had fun. It was nice to connect with other people and have them trust us. Then we ate our packed lunch and swam for the remaining minutes before heading back.

Once we returned to the home base we prepared to head to Magallanes beach and there we enjoyed the clear water and the sun, we were also able to walk around town and go to a local market to get what we needed for the next few days.

Before dinner, as always, we got ready for sunset circle where we shared our great memories towards this day and learned that team work makes the dream work. Then we ate burritos, rice and chicken.

By the end of the day we got into our mentor groups and talked about values of life and how important it’s to live your values ​​as a leader, this is where the process of taking action and generating change comes from. This activity allows us to learn new perspectives about others, be open and strengthen the bonds we have built.

For tomorrow we expect to learn new things and exploring the beautiful Saona island we are all exited about.

Hasta mañana!

– Rafael

BLOG POST FOR JULY 16

Buenos días a todos!

The group started off with a portion of us doing a rooftop yoga session due to a delayed breakfast. We then all convened for a breakfast of fruits, eggs, and bread; a breakfast we know and love. After, everyone finished eating and conversing we prepared for a journey to Saona island. We walked our usual path down to the beach but instead of playing in the water we loaded onto a boat for an exciting ride through the most blue water we collectively have ever seen. We took a pitstop to indulge in some snorkelling in the marvellous water. Then we finished our boat journey gliding into a stretch of beach we now know and love as our home base away from home base in a place called Mano Juan. We took to the sand courts and played volleyball with some locals. After the sun got too hot we reunited with the blue waters for a refreshing swim. From there we had lunch on the beach and returned to swimming after. The constant activities made everyone hungry yet again and we returned to eat a snack of fruits on the beach. After our snack we walked to our turtle walk orientation learning the ins and outs of our early morning task. When that came to an end we took an eye opening walk around the island village learning about the local culture. Following that we returned to our beloved swimming spot and even had our sunset circle in the water. We wrapped up the day with the most delicious dinner of the trip(in my opinion) and our appreciation circle where we spread the love between our little familia. Even though we had an early morning, the group took to a bonfire and ended the day with bonding conversation, excited for the adventures we were to face in the morning.

-Shamus

BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

We awoke on a warm starry night at 4:15 am and set out on our journey along the beach. the sun began to peak through the palm trees as we kept our eyes peeled for sea turtle nests buried beneath the sand. Our guide, Negro, taught us how to ensure the nests were safe from poachers and predators. We were pleased to see that all of the nests were intact and protected from a compromising position. we continued our journey through a small path of mangroves and palm trees which revealed a beautiful clear beach- an oasis after our sweaty hike. the warm white sand met with the pristine water to create a majestic scene too irresistible to not jump in. a 6:30 am swim in the gentle waves set our day on the right foot. we hopped in a boat and headed back to our temporary home base where some of us decided to head to the local beach while the rest of us caught up on some much needed sleep after our early awakening. we ate breakfast along the beach- fried eggs, fresh fruit, bread and jam before we got our last minute beach time in. we packed up and waved goodbye to the friends we made playing volleyball the day before. The beautiful boat ride came to an end and we had a lunch of fish, chicken, salad, and rice along the pier.

We came back to home base and caught up on some sleep before we had our final sunset circle on the roof. Sancocho with rice was our concluding dinner- a traditional Dominican dish. Finally, we had our last mentor group meeting where we revisited why we came on this trip and the things we learned together and about ourselves. As a team, we wrote down our one meaningful goal that encompassed our values and take aways from our experiences this trip, so we could apply it when we return to our communities. After we finished, we began to pack up and prepare for our day of travel tomorrow to Santo Domingo, our final day together.

-Elena

BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Buenos días!

We woke up on the very last day well rested from the night before. We had a great sleep and we were all anxious to discover what our last day would entail. After a solid breakfast courtesy of the Altea Lodge staff and a morning of packing, we embarked on the long journey back to our original hotel in Santo Domingo. On the way, we discussed our adventures and how much we grew and bonded with each other in such a short period of time. We talked about our experience in the caves of Tres Ojos and we all laughed when talked about our time in Isle Saona. After getting to the hotel, we quickly set up our luggage for the night and then headed out to our last adventure of the trip: A Colonial Tour of the City by a Mr. Tony.

While exploring the streets of Santo Domingo, we encountered a couple of tourist shops and some of the crew purchased a few accessories. While on the tour we stopped at several national monuments such as the House of Christopher Columbus, the Pantheon of the Fatherland, the Reloj de Sol (Sun Clock), the ruins of the Hospital of Saint Nicholas of Bari, and Independence Park. After the hike through the different places we ended up back in the hotel and stayed there up until our “cena” at El Conuco restaurant! During our dinner we recounted the day travels and had our very last sunset circle. We discussed our highlights of trip and the day, we shouted out those who we thought made the trip better, and we acknowledged what we learned during our 10 day trip. With that settled, we finished up our meals tearfully and returned back to home base for the last time. This GLA trip has been a whirlwind of learning, experiencing, and connecting with other people of different backgrounds and, of course, how to be the change when returning to our homes. GLA It can only be described as an “unique experience.”

– Christian

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Dominican Republic: Island Service Adventure (June 27 – July 6, 2024)

PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
TIME CAPSULE LETTER

Written by AC & the Dominican Republic Team

Hola Chicas y Chicos!

Can you believe how long it’s been since we were all together, eating delicious food and swimming in crystal clear water in the Dominican Republic? We hope you guys enjoyed the rest of your summers and have started off the new school year strong (and as leaders!)

We wanted to reminisce with you all about our incredible 10 days together. We learned, laughed, danced, sang, and hand-shaked our way into so many new friendships (shake and bake shout out!). From Santo Domingo to Bayahibe to Saona to Benerito to Hoyo Claro and all the way back, we got to see such unique and special places of the DR while learning about its culture and people.

You guys also worked so hard picking up bags on bags on bags of trash, painting signs to direct people to Chicho Cave, hanging them up, teaching English words to the kids at camp, and just showing them love with your energy and attention. It’s amazing to think about the fact that the signs you painted, measured the distances for, and hung up will remain in the Cotubanamá national park for years to come! Never forget how grateful Lidia and those kids were for your hard work and great attitudes.

We also got to learn so much about Dominican culture by eating so many dishes, like rice and beans, fresh tropical fruits, plaintains, and even coconuts. We learned about the Padre Nuestro community, and don’t forget how Pinto welcomed you to his house and shared his mango and sugar cane with us all! You guys danced Bachata and Merengue with Gipsy, played beach volleyball and baseball with locals, and got to experience the liveliness, kindness, and beauty of so many Dominican people.

There were so many highlights of this program that it’s hard to even start listing them out! Saona’s food and beach were absolutely stunning; we even got to see dolphins and a few sea turtles on the way there! You guys all came together as a big group for one of the first bonding times when there was a huge circle of beach volleyball going on, and it was so special to see.

Then we have Cave Chicho, which I think we can all agree was such a unique experience! Swimming in that clear cold water after such a hot hike was so refreshing, and then add in that we were swimming by flashlight and it’s just an incredible memory. Hoyo Claro was so much fun too, even if the fish felt so weird on our feet! We were so lucky to be able to swim in such beautiful places.

We think it’s safe to say we also made great memories at the homebase! We shared so many meals together there, making new friends and having great conversations. We drank hot cocoa on our rainy day, got super into the chaotic scavenger hunt, swam, shouted each other out, tried to take each other’s shoes (Go Sienna!), sang and danced to karaoke, and so much more. Altea Lodge really did become our home away from home, and we were so happy to share it with you all.

And who can forget the ways that we adjusted and adapted due to the hurricane?! You all truly showed such open-mindedness with your positive attitudes and flexibility as our schedule changed several times. We were so impressed with the way that you all handled those situations with kindness and no complaints. Even when we got rained out, like at the beach and the baseball game, you guys were all smiles!

We were also proud of the ways that you stretched your leadership skills during mentor groups, as Leaders of the Day, with sunset circles and appreciation circle, the Social Sync, our Padre Nuestro debate, “Culture is like an iceberg,” and of course our OMG. Each of you stepped up to be a leader in some way, and we hope that you continue to grow as leaders and life-long learners. Don’t forget our OMG: being more open-minded by learning about new perspectives, connecting with new people, and trying new things. We hope that each of you have taken things that you learned during this experience home with you to grow yourselves, better your communities, and help our world.

We miss eating delicious food with you, playing games as a big group, singing karaoke together, and helping create an even more beautiful world together!

When you look at your bracelets, we hope you always remember how special each and everyone one of you is, and that life is beautiful.

Ingrid, Gipsy, Diego, Nathaly, and AC

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

Here are a few things to know and expect:

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

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

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

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

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Click here to jump down to the most recent post!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27

¡Bienvenidos a República Dominicana!

We were glad to have our young leaders join us, excited to learn from new perspectives and demonstrate what real leadership is all like. We spent the entire day picking up our group of students from the Las Américas airport. Our first student, Sydney L., arrived earlier, excited and happy to join us for live this inmersive experience. By the middle of the day the first big group arrived, so they were able to go to the hotel, meet with Sydney, eat dinner and explore the area before going in for a restful night. We had a second group who came by the end of the evening, they had some food and went to the bed for recover energy. Everyone arrived excited, curious and full of expectations for the next ten amazing days.
We will meet with the last tree students, Josephine W., Riley U. and Amarachi U., during our second day. They were unable to make it due to adverse conditions and delayed flights from their boarding port, but rest easy knowing they are well. Without a doubt we will be waiting to give them a warm welcome to make them feel at home.
Tomorrow awaits us a day full of nature, culture and new friendships that will bring us together as a group. So pay attention to what’s coming!

Dear family and friends, please check out our daily blogs and leave a comment below to show your love for our great group as they start on this journey.

– GLA staff

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28

Written by Zoe C., Naveen A. and Fiona M.

Buenos días familia. We started off our day breakfast at the hotel. We got to know some of the new people who arrived later the night before. Then we boarded the bus to tres ojos national park. We learned the back round behind the name. The name mean three eyes it is called this because they refer to underground lakes as eyes and there are three lakes in the national park. The views were really pretty with the clear blue water while bats were flying past us. We got back on the bus to head to super market called Jumbo. There were stocked up necessities and snacks. It was so interesting foods that we don’t have back home. Then finally made it to home base and explored our new rooms in Bayahibe!. There were ate a local lunch that was made up off beef, rice and beans that were all home made. After we played bonding game to get to know everyone’s names. Then we did orientation where learned about the staff, leadership, codes of conduct and dominican culture.

Plus, the entire group is finally complete! Josephine W, Amarachi U and Riley U. joined us and we gave them a great welcome.

After some free we had sun rise circle and shared our take aways, hilights, and shout outs. After dinner we had a cultural immersion activitie where we learned more about Dominican culture and how to dance merengue. We are so excited for our service tomorrow.

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29

Written by Carlos, Josephine and Riley

Bienvenidos!

Today we started off with service at padre nuestro helping to clean the Cotubanamá national park picking up trash. There we met Lidia and Mariely, they gave us an orientation about the history of the park, the importance of being able to manage and maintain it. During the morning of our service we met Pinto, a local to the area who lives inside the park and works in its maintenance as well, he gave us freshly peeled sugar cane and guess what, he invited us to see what the surroundings of his home were like! There, surrounded by fruit trees and nature, he gave us mangoes and more cane sugar. We feel grateful to have that experience of being able to provide help and connect with people who show us a new perspective on life.

By the middle of the day we ate lunch in the forest and painted signs to indicate the path to the Chicho cave, an a really important place that provides water to the locals and nearby hotels in Bayahíbe. After we returned home and spent time playing volleyball. following this we did a leadership activity called “social sync” to provide perspective on technology use and being disconnected for our trip. For dinner we ate more traditional dominican food including plantains!

Finally, we had our first mentor group where we were able to reflect on our experiences of the day, our personal and team growth, as well as think about what we want to achieve from this program here at DR.

We are very excited for the next few days, visit our blog to learn more about our adventures and challenges.

Buenas noches!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30

Hi family and friends!

This morning, we woke up bright and early with the sun and as leaders of the day, we woke everyone up! We went up and down the stairs knocking on doors wishing everyone a great day with laughter and sleepy eyes. Once 7:30 came, we ate breakfast: scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, bread, cheese, ham, marble cake, and some cereal! After we finished up breakfast we all collectively got ready for service!

Today’s service was supposed to be back at Padre Neustro. We were all ready for another great day of service which included the installation of the markers we painted yesterday for indications of distances to the Chicho Cave. As we were walking into the service site, we took a water break only to find out that Hurricane Beryl would be changing our plans for the day. Previously we had shifted around our itinerary to change the day of our adventure to Saona Island and be able to spend the night and do the turtle night walk. but because of the storm approaching we had to adjust the length of our stay. Thanks to Ingrid, we were still luckily able to adventure out there safely as well as return home safely within the same day, still receiving so much joy and fun as if we were there for longer— precisely the perfect amount of time!

We walked to the beach and loaded onto 2 separate boats, going out and about along the coast of the Dominican Republic and down to Saona Island. Along the way we saw the most beautiful dolphins, turtles, and sting rays! Soon after seeing the sea life, we docked the boat and swam in the water. There was the option to snorkel if wanted or to just simply swim around having a great time with friends and staff. Everyone had so much fun with this activity and we all were thankful to have been able to do it.

We then got back on the boats and headed to Saona Island with bumpy waves! We arrived safely and had some lunch, consisting of delicious chicken, rice + beans, lots of veggies, fruits, a coleslaw bar, and fresh pineapple juice. After lunch we went straight to a demonstration by a man named Negro, who is a turtle conservationist. We learned so much about sea turtles, conservation of turtles, and how his shop contributed to his funding. He was super passionate and heartfelt about his work, and in the shop, we looked at the jewelry and knick knacks of hand crafted artistry, and had the opportunity to purchase something knowing we were supporting a good cause.

Then, we went into the water at the beach on Saona Island and had fantastic bonding time and just shared a unison group connection for a couple of hours! We played volleyball in water, on the court, swam around, and even did some cheer stunting.

We then took a bouncy boat ride back to the mainland and walked to home base to shower and change, hearing local music in the town along the way. Once ready, we headed out for dinner at a local restaurant, where we enjoyed a waterfront view. After dinner, Ingrid announced that we would be getting gelato as a thank you for being so flexible and understanding of schedule changes.

No matter what tomorrow’s schedule and the weather brings, nothing can bring us down; we’re learning that we’re stronger together!

Kyle, Lucca, Sawyer, and Zara

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Hola Familia,

We started our day with a breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast, fruit, pound cake, and cereal. Afterwards, we were split into groups and had a debate about the people of Padre Nuestro and the national park. We had a very insightful discussion and got to gain a better understanding and see the issue from different perspectives. We as the leaders of the day were the moderators who then chose the best resolution to the overall issue. Due to the debate being so successful, we took a trip down into town to restock our favorite snacks at the local grocery store.

After lunch at our homebase, we took a walk back to the local national park, Cotubanamá, where we got to measure the distance between the signs that we previously painted, and then we hung them up to direct future visitors to Chicho Cave.

Then we hiked down to the cave ourselves where we were able to swim in the refreshing water. We all used flashlights inside the cave due to its darkness which was such a unique experience! We all loved it and had a blast. The water was the clearest we’ve ever seen and it cooled us all off after our hot hike.

Then we hiked back to the front of the national park where Lidia, a member of Padre Nuestro and our guide during these service projects, thanked us so kindly and sincerely for our help and hard work. Then we walked back to homebase where we had some free time to shower and relax before dinner. After dinner we had our mid-program Pulse Checks, where we were able to anonymously give feedback about our experience so far. Now we are about to enjoy some more free time where we can chat and hang out before bed time— an amazing day!

Benny, Natasha, Sydney, and Tatum-Rose

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Good morning!!

Today we got to sleep in a little later and have breakfast at 8:00, and then we went on a short walk to a small nearby beach!Unfortunately, after a few minutes there, it started to rain so we weren’t able to enjoy it for long. We walked back to our homebase while vibing to music, where we were able to relax and hang out for a little while before having lunch. Today, we had some pasta, salad, pork chops, yuca and hot chocolate. The rain cooled us all off so much that we were actually wanting the warm hot chocolate!

After that we did some fun leadership and bonding activities (“culture is like an iceberg,” and an activity about our group’s differences and similarities, etc.) where we got to know each other more. Then we went into small groups to do a scavenger hunt around the whole homebase. Later we did more entire group activities for group bonding like mafia, poison dart frog and ‘who can grab the shoe first’!

After the afternoon and evening activities we went to gather around on the roof for “Sunset Circle.” We had highlights of the day, shoutouts of people from the group, and takeaways. Then we gathered around for some FIRE pepperoni and margarita pizza for dinner. We then completed our health checks for the day while we hung around together. Despite the weather, we have all bonded together, adapted to the situation, and have found a way to have so much fun. We know that whatever we do tomorrow will be rewarding too!

Amarachi, Catrina, Reid, and TJ

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Buenos dias family and friends!

This morning we started our day with a breakfast of scrambled eggs, avocado spread with bread, banana bread, fruit, cereal and juice. After breakfast we took a bus to a local kids camp where we did activities such as teaching them basic english words, musical chairs and other camp games. This was definitely a main highlight of the trip for most of the group!

For lunch, the school aunties prepared lunch for us, which consisted of white rice with scrambled eggs, a different rice with sausage, and a cabbage and onion slaw. We had to encourage the kids to eat because they had wanted to continue playing with us!

After lunch the kids went home and we then had the chance to make bracelets with the women at the school. After we had each made a bracelet, we did an activity called “I Hope You Remember” where we gave meaning to each other’s bracelets while putting them on each other, saying something like “I hope you remember that you’re amazing” or “I hope you remember to never give up and to always keep going.” The women are very talented jewelry makers, so we then had the opportunity to visit their store under the school where we were able to purchase some of their jewelry.

After such a fun morning and early afternoon with the kids, those of us who wanted to had the chance to go the beach again (without the rain this time!) We swam for a bit and then played beach volleyball with a local guy who joined in.

After dinner tonight, we participated in a whole group activity called “Appreciation Circle” where we sat in a circle facing away from each other. As one of the staff members read statements such as “tap someone you admire” and “tap someone who made a difference this week,” we took turns in groups of four, tapping the shoulders of each person that we thought the statement applied to. This was a really fun and sweet activity. It helped us to realize how close we have grown as a group.

Now we are enjoying some free time before getting a good night’s rest so we can make the best of our last full day in Bayahibe tomorrow!

Jadyn, Kayla, and Maya

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Hey Friends and Family!

We started the day off with breakfast at 7:30. It consisted of scrambled eggs, bacon, bread, fresh avocado and tomatoes, cereal, and fruit.

After breakfast we departed to Hoyo Claro (meaning “clear hole”), a lagoon almost to Punta Cana. On our hike to the lagoon, we also picked up trash throughout the path. The lagoon was very refreshing after our hot hike, and the water was crystal clear. There was a sunken tree trunk that we could stand on and little fish came up to eat the dead skin off of our feet and legs. We spent around 3 hours there and ate lunch there as well.

After the hike and bus ride back, we got changed for our upcoming baseball game with the local team. We left home base and walked to a nearby baseball field, but we only were able to play for about 30 minutes before a big rain storm ended the game early. After getting drenched on our walk back, we arrived to home base with coconuts awaiting our arrival. Some of us hopped in the pool to play volleyball while others showered and got ready for the evening activities.

Following that, we met with our mentor groups for the final time for a leadership activity that involved debriefing the trip. We talked about what we learned from our time here, what goals we achieved, and how we’ve grown. All 3 mentor groups then combined to talk about our O. M. G., or One Meaningful Goal. For dinner we had an American-style barbecue to celebrate 4th of July and topped it off with a cake of the American Flag!

Finally, we ended the night with an hour and a half of karaoke. Our DJ, Asher G, ate and left no crumbs (aka: he killed it) and so did everyone else on the dance floor.

We can’t wait to head back to Santo Domingo and enjoy our last day together tomorrow!

Asher, Ellie, and Rina

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Buenos días!

Today was our last full day of the Island Service Adventure. After sleeping in a bit and eating breakfast together around 8:30, we all finished packing and then loaded up into the buses to make the trip back to Santo Domingo.

There, we ate a yummy pizza lunch, and then were taken on a tour of the Colonial Zone of the city. Our hotel is right in the middle of it, so we were able to walk around and learn about some of the history of the city. We were also able to get our last little bit of shopping in with a few more stores!

After the tour and shopping, we checked into our hotel and were able to change and get ready for our farewell dinner. We drove for about 10 minutes to a restaurant called El Conuco where we had a private room and a buffet of porch chops, pasta, vegetable soup and sancocho, salad and fruit, fish, and so much more. After we ate, some live dancers came and performed in the main dining room, and after we watched for a while, they brought our whole group out on the dance floor to dance with them— we think it was a big highlight of the day!

Our leaders of the day today, Caitlin, Paige, Sienna, and Talia did any amazing job making sure everyone was ready all day and leading our very last sunset circle at the restaurant too.

At dinner, we passed around cards with each person’s name to write notes to each other, and we kept doing that even at the hotel when we got back. Everyone’s been so sad as we’ve been saying goodbye! We’ve all made good friends and connected with so many people.

We’re wishing all of our new friends safe travels tomorrow!

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