PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
TIME CAPSULE LETTER
Written by Isadora & the Bali Team
Do you remember all that we’ve gone through? We spent just two weeks in Bali and we’ve all grown so much. Do you remember all that we experienced together? We spent time learning a new culture, enjoying beach life, connecting with new friends and of course, becoming better leaders.
We are wondering how you are all doing. Months have passed by and we came here to remind you of the huge positive impact you’ve had in Bali’s community. We were able to contribute to PKP and its amazing mission. And of course integrating into our lives the 3E’S.
We played with maggots, cooked and distributed food for people in need, and helped the biosphere from the ridge to the reef! And also we can’t forget about the kids, what an incredible time we had sharing our culture and knowledge and bringing so much joy! Thanks to all of you we were also able to contribute and donate to support and improve Bali Education! G..L..A…GLA BALI!
We bet you all miss playing with maggots, doing some adventurous trekking and eating a bowl full of rice! Hahaha, we know many of you don’t miss that part, but we all for sure learned how brave we are for stepping out of our comfort zones so many times and learning to find joy in the simplest things. But for real, what a great time we shared learning the balinese dance, playing futsal, scuba diving, singing our souls out in karaoke and of course catching some good waves and understanding how much we love the ocean. And along with that, how important it is to protect, take care and regenerate this environment. We were able to witness and also financially contribute to BIOSPHERE and the incredible work they are doing in Permuteram.
We all had time to reflect on ourselves while spending two weeks in a country very far from home. shared rooms and daily responsibilities with a whole new group of people. We learned to work with people with all different types of personalities while also exploring a new culture. This provided an incredible opportunity for growth and self development.
With our breathwork session and sharing circle we were able to reminisce on all of the highlights and equally reflect on the lowlights of our trip. We were able to recount all of our takeaways and the stories we wanted to bring home with us in our luggage. We all hoped that through this journey together we would find a better version of ourselves, and we all certainly believe that you did.
One big lesson Bali has taught us is to be GRATEFUL!
We learned to be more present and to accept and appreciate what we have now. We learned to be more kind and patient to ourselves and learn to be resilient and supportive in challenging situations. We also learned the importance and the potential we have to make a difference, which can even start on our plates.
Experiencing this program together as a community showed us the importance of being more OPEN to new opportunities, new experiences, and especially new friendships. We learned to not shut ourselves into our own bubbles, but instead, to be brave and to get out of our comfort zones and explore. This same bravery that brought you all here to live this unforgettable experience together will take you on even more beautiful paths in life if you are open to it. Don’t ever forget that! Thanks for being more than great students, but amazing friends. We miss you all!
Suksama, oh we truly hope you all keep shining and singing Bruno Mars with all that passion!
Sending a hug to you all from:
Isa, Sam, Kimi, Yudha, Aura and Ikki
Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!
Here are a few things to know and expect:
- Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
- We typically receive 2-3 blog 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.
- Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
- Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.
For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.
-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team
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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24
Hello friends and family,
After our long travels we made it to Bali and we had an exciting first day!
We were able to connect with new people, understand Gla program and rules and create our BANJAR community! Our banjar is called Piggy in honor of our cute dog that lives in our home stay!
We definitely bonded as a group and had the chance to get to know each other a little better with ice break activities and mentor groups!
Also we did a scavenger hunt activity where we were able to walk around neighborhood and learn more about the culture with the locals. It was so fun!
Oh and we are loving the food! We were surprised by a beautiful legong dance presentation by local Balinese woman! It was amazing and we are excited for tomorrow because we heard we will learn some dance moves as well as how to make an offering!
We will keep you updated!
With love,
Banhar piggy
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25
Dear Families,
We started off the day with eggs, toast, and fresh fruit. At 8:45, we left Homebase for the local Banjar. Throughout the morning, we participated in legong dance, making offerings, wood carving, and traditional Balinese music.
After the Banjar Workshop, we returned to Homebase for a traditional Balinese lunch. At 1, we had a GLA session. Which consisted of listening to a Ted talk about the power of perspective and assumptions.
After, we drove to PKP, a women’s community center an hour away from the homebase. At the center, Ibu Sari spoke to us on the problems that women/divorced women face in Balinese culture. She explained how this center is a place of refuge and healing for women and men who have trauma they need to recover from.
We then did an hour of healing rejuvenating yoga, and had a delicious dinner at the center. We sang and danced with the women and girls at the center and it was so fun!
-Grayson and Brandon
BLOG POST FOR JULY 27
Hi Parents!
We had an awesome and busy day today, starting with an herbal specifically in herbs like turmeric and lemongrass. The greenery and surrounding subak rice irrigation system was beautiful!
After the herbal walk, we made our way to the temple in Ubud. We had the opportunity to pray and connect with our spiritual side, as well as give offerings. We then made our way to lunch in front of a beautiful view of mountains and water!
After lunch, we took a bus to a coffee plantation where we learned about different plants and the process used to make coffee. We got to try exotic teas and coffees afterward!
Finally, we had an amazing time meeting the princess of Bali and exploring her beautiful palace. We had the pleasure to eat dinner with her and ask her questions about her life as a teenage princess. We had the best time!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 28
Hi GLA Families!
From Alex:
Today we visited a maggot farm where we learned about environmental sustainability through BSF (black solider fly’s). Which are vital for the environment because they naturally compose organic waste lowering methane gas and providing fertilizer. It was very interesting to find out about the environmental issues in Bali and the ingenious ways they’re able to naturally resolve them.
Then we prepared lunch for the people who lived in the landfill. We found the experience very heartwarming and we all felt humbled when giving the food to the people in the landfill. Seeing this brought us all back down to earth and humbled us.
After that we drove back to the Homebase and we met back up with the second group that went to the PKP Community Center. We had free time until 4:30 where we then started a GLA Session. In that GLA Session we debated if Indonesia should focus on other sectors such as education, heritage and nature instead of tourism.
Finally to conclude the day the staff prepared for us a little surprise activity which was soccer. It was really fun and a nice friendly competition. At the end of it we were all super sweaty and we drove home. By the time we got home it was already lights out.
From Moani:
Today we started off with an amazing breakfast consisting of eggs, toast, and bananas. Group 1 left at around 8am, and group 2 left at 9.
Group 2 went on to do lots of volunteer work with PKP, an organization that supports women and men who need to process trauma they have to improve their lives. With PKP, we planted marigold flowers and we volunteered with kids! We also had an amazing lunch and then we headed back to home base. When we got to home base, we did a GLA session and we debated on different things in a Balinese perspective.
After all of these amazing activities, we ended the day with a Balinese meatball soup and then we went to play soccer for a leisure activity. We’ll check in with you guys tomorrow!!
-Moani and Alex
BLOG POST FOR JULY 29
Hi Families!
Just like yesterday, we were in 2 groups, one to go to the Magi Farm, which is an organization to help reduce food waste, and the other to PKP, a shelter to support women and children. However, we switched so each group got to do what the other group did the day before.
We started the day with a wonderful homemade breakfast at homebase, consisting of sandwiches, fruit, and delicious tea and coffee. While group 2 left at 8am to Magi Farm, group 1 stayed to prepare English lessons for the day we will be teaching. We worked hard completing a plan with games, activities, and learning.
After Group 1’s preparation, we went to PKP, completing day 1 of our service in gardening and cleaning. After that, we connected with Balinese children, teaching them English while learning about their cultural activities. We made bracelets, played games, learned each other’s school chants, and danced as a group, all while learning more about PKP center. We ended with dinner, eating a wonderful variety of such delicious food.
Group 2 went to the Magi farm and learned about the problems that Bali is facing due to food waste and what Magi Farm is doing to counteract the problem. We learned about maggots and their role in clearing food waste. We also learned about their life stages and visited the maggot farm. After that, we made food for the people living in the affected area of the landfill and then returned to home base for dinner.
Jackson and Marielle
BLOG POST FOR JULY 30
Hey families!
Today, we woke up bright and early. We loaded our stuff into the vans and hopped in. We drove for an hour to the Pura Ulun Danu temple in central Bali.
At the temple, we split into groups of three. We walked around the temple and took photos at the statues and at the lakefront. After an hour of touring the temple, we walked to a nearby group of gift shops and spent half an hour there.
After this, we then walked over to a lakeside restaurant for lunch, where we had fried rice and stir-fried noodles.
After lunch, we arrived at the new homestay beside the beach. After taking a short break, everyone went to the beach for swim tests, including 30 meter swimming, floating, and so on. After the test, everyone started playing in the sea, whether on shore or in the water, they were all very happy. The swimming experience is very good, everyone had fun here.
We returned to our homebase in the evening and had a mentor group activity after dinner to get to know each other’s first impressions of ourselves and others, which also made our relationship closer.
We are looking forward to the activities we will have tomorrow.
Best,
Sophie and Jaq
BLOG POST FOR JULY 31
Hey Families,
We started out our day by waking up at 6:45 and eating breakfast at the Biosphere center! After that, we started our day off with a hike where we picked up trash and learned about environmental conservation.
Following the hike, we broke up into two groups, cutting the grass and shoveling cow manure to compost it into fertilizer. In the afternoon, we took a much-needed break for group bonding.
After that, we explored the mangrove forest where we learned about its nature as a keystone species. Without it, the ecosystem, both on land and in water, wouldn’t be able to thrive. On the way back, we passed a salt and shrimp farm, where there was a manmade barrier to built by industrial farmers that is killing the mangroves there.
As the sun set, we enjoyed a delicious dinner then watched a riveting documentary about the origin of the Biosphere and its importance to Bali.
Zack, Abigail and Neeva
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 1
Today we started off the day at 7:15 am by going to the diving fitting in order to ensure that the diving equipment for the following day would fit.
After that we had breakfast on the beach near the Turtle Hatchery. Our traditional Indonesian breakfast was a fried egg over fried rice. Many people decided to order additional food such as fries and sandwiches.
The Turtle Hatchery itself was very cute and heartwarming. We had the opportunity to see many turtles in different shapes and sizes ranging from a newly born turtle to a 20 year old turtle. It was very interesting to see how much a turtle changes throughout its lifespan.
We finished the Turtle Hatchery at around 10:30 am and then headed back to the home-base where we had some teaching prep for our service day at the school. During the teaching prep one could tell that we were all feeling quite excited. However, at the same time some of us were frightened due to the fact that we were actually going to teach kids for a lot of the first time in our lives.
Arriving at the school at around 1:30, we were met with kids running to greet us with hugs and high-fives. Speaking for most of us this gave us a sense of belonging and comfort around the kids. The teaching went surprisingly well the more it went on. By the end, we formed a really good bond with a lot of the kids. At the end of the teaching with the kids, we danced the “Waka Waka” song from Shakira with them as a goodbye. This was most definitely a core memory.
Shortly after the teaching it was roughly 5pm where we went to the beach for 20 minutes and had a lot of fun swimming. A lot of us were playing with a volleyball while others were just enjoying the water. Sadly, this had to come to an end since the sun was setting and we had to head back in order to eat dinner.
After the dinner we had a quick Mentor Group session where we took an online test talking about the 5 Love Languages. Then we talked about why it was important to find out which one you were and how does this effect you. After that we were also assigned to write a letter to every person at the camp just saying a few nice things about them or anything one wanted to say. Then it was time to go to our rooms and lights off. Goodnight!
Taymour and Reese
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 3
Hey Families,
Josh and Claudia here!!! Today was definitely a highlight. We started the day off at 8am when we headed to the diving school to learn about scuba safety. We learned hand signals for communication and how to achieve neutral buoyancy when diving.
Following this, we split into 2 groups, while one group ate lunch the other headed to the beach. We hopped on a boat and headed to the diving site. After preparing equipment, we met with our diving instructors and began our scuba discovery. We saw some truly incredible sights; from lion fish to vibrant corals, we were astounded by the beauty of the ocean. While the second group dove, the first group enjoyed a delicious home meal.
Once both groups reunited, we headed to the beach to relax, tan and swim. We spent a few hours there before returning to home base to prepare for a fancy dinner the team had organized.
We ate delicious balinese food while watching the gorgeous sunset and then enjoyed some ice cream. When we returned home, we were exhausted yet super satisfied with the new endeavors we had experienced!
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 4
Hello Families,
We started our final morning with toast, eggs, and a banana. Then, we quickly started our first GLA activity of the day. In this activity we proposed ideas for social ideas for change in Indonesia by using a hashtag. We came up with several ideas on how we will help improve Bali and our communities back home. Some of these ideas include education, women empowerment, and coral restoration.
Then we started our long drive to the beach. We ate lunch, and hung out with each other soaking up the sun. We then started surfing lessons which was the highlight of the day and the highlight of the trip for some. We all caught a few waves and swallowed some salt water. We then relaxed more on the beach with many milkshakes, smoothies, and food.
Finally we drove back to home base and showered getting ready for dinner. Our lovely staff suprised us with pizza, fries, and Dunkin’ Donuts. Safe to say all of the food was eaten within 10 minutes. We ended the night with some reflection activities reminiscing on the last 2 weeks together. Tears were shed, hugs were had, and many lifelong friendships were made. We all are getting ready to depart tomorrow with lots of new experiences, memories, and friends made. We all had an incredible 2 weeks in Bali and couldn’t have been more grateful for this opportunity, so a big thank you to all of the staff, parents, and every student that made it happen.
Love,
Kate and Abby
