PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!
Here are a few things to know and expect:
- Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
- We typically receive 2-3 blog 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 JULY 14
¡Hola families and friends!
Today our students arrived in Santo Domingo, and we are very excited to start this amazing adventure with them!
Elena was the first to arrive yesterday, and this morning Felix landed as well. They enjoyed a good rest and later went out with our staff for a delicious lunch and a walk around the area.
In the meantime eleven of our students landed in Santo Domingo, Valentina, Tatum, Marisa, Alyson, Cooper, Cole, Rachel, Nani, Julian, Rachel and Diego.
We all had dinner together at our hotel, where we got the chance to start getting to know each other. Afterwards, we went for a walk to explore the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo. Later Grace and Annalise joined us, and finally the group was complete.
This program is going to include a lot of fun activities and a unique immersion in Dominican Republic culture, so keep on following the blog to learn all about our Leaders’ adventures!
Your Dominican Republic GLA Team,
George, Maggie and Erin
BLOG POST FOR JULY 15
Dear GLA families,
Day two was a success! We woke up this morning and had breakfast at our hotel in Santo Domingo before making our way to the home base. We drove four hours across the island to our new home in Las Galeras. Once we arrived, we had a traditional Dominican lunch and then got right into orientation. After learning all about our program, we moved into our rooms and then had some free time before dinner. After we ate, we all hung out in the yard, playing soccer and getting to know each other better. Everyone is in high spirits and excited to see what’s to come!
Best,
Erin, Maggie, and George
BLOG POST FOR JULY 16
Hello GLA families!
We started off the day at 7, ate at 7:30, then went on a 40 min bus ride to a Ballena (whale) museum in CEBSE. We then did a orientiation learning about Humpback whales, coral reefs, and mangrove forests. They then let us make cement cookies for coral, then we took a break to stop and eat lunch a a nice local restaurant then proceded to take a educated walk along a Napolean bridge. After that we took a quiz on identifying whale tails, and a winner was picked who was rewarded a shirt. We then stopped to get fresh coconuts at a local vendor spot after a hot and exhausting walk to get more refreshed.
We said our goodbyes to CEBSE and took another 40 min drive to the place we all waited for all day, The Beach! When we got there we all swam in the warm carribean waters, some played soccer, some made sand thrones, and others soaked up the warm sun. After our long day we walked back to our homebase and had our regular shout out circle but with a twist and had it in the warm fresh water pool located in our homebase. When we were done having pool time we then enjoyed a delicious dinner with some new flavors and mixes. Our local director then taught us some interesting Dominican Republic facts as we watched the sunset behind us. After our very eventful day full of warm sun and waters we ended our day with a little hangout on a cute little patio our homebase provides as a group bonding.
Goodbye families,
Nani and Cole
BLOG POST FOR JULY 17
Hey GLA fam!
Today we woke up bright and early at 6:30 and for breakfast we had fresh fruit, toast, and eggs. Then at 7:30 we headed to CEBSE to pick up our guide and headed to the national park in Las Terrenas where we split into 3 groups where we then rotated, pulled weeds, planted new plants, and filled pots with soil all while staying very hydrated. After that we went to lunch in an old victorian house and had chicken, beans, rice, salad, yuka, plantain and for dessert we had jello (grapes the best).
We then headed to the next national park called Bajo Yuna where we walked a wooden trail and got to see all the mangroves in all their glory. On our way back to our home base we dropped off our guides and made a quick pit stop in the supermarket for snacks. Once we returned to home base we played marco polo in the pool. After pool fun we had dinner and we ate the best chicken burritos, then after dinner we split into our mentor groups and wrote smart goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely goals) in our journals then we played a quick couple rounds of the newly weds game where we got to know each other better. Then it was time for bed after a day full of service and fun!
~Presley & Cooper
BLOG POST FOR JULY 18
Dear families,
Today we had a really hard working day filled with lots of service and perseverance. We started off the day with a delicious pancake breakfast at 8:00 and left at 8:30 for our service. When we arrived at the site, Maggie had the idea to do a random act of kindness game where you show a person an act of kindness secretly. Then we took a short tour through the garden, which consisted of many different types of trees that bare fruit. Then we headed over to the house on the property and listened to a presentation about permaculture and sustainability presented by our host, Orquidea.
We then had lunch at 11:30 and had a lot of freetime to interact with each other in the house. After that we started the service and learned about how the buildings on the property are constructed and continued to help build. The walls are made of three components; mud, sand, and straw and we mixed together all of those materials. Then we split up into groups and had different people working in different stations. While some groups cut straw with a machete, other groups sifted sand and dirt. In the end, everyone had the opportunity to apply the mixture to the walls of the buildings. It was very dirty work but everyone kept a very positive attitude throughout the whole day.
When we finished working, we helped Orquidea clean up and decided as a group to cool off at the beach. We took the bus over there, had a refreshing swim, got drinks (lots of piña coldadas were ordered), and walked back to our homebase. Everyone took showers when we arrived, and we revealed who everyone had for their secret friend. For dinner we had pork chops, vegetables, and sweet potato for dinner, and after that we started our evening activity called social sync. Now we’re getting ready for bed to get rested for a very exciting day tomorrow!
~Felix and Valentina
BLOG POST FOR JULY 19
Hi families,
Our day started at 8:00 am. We ate mangos, pineapple, cheerios and cheesy bread. After we packed our bags and left for El Valle; it was a 45 minute car ride. We got harnessed up and walked up a steep slick hill. We did 12 thrilling zipline rides across El Valle. Some people went with friends and many went alone. Our favorite duo was Nani and Elena. Then ended our ziplining journey with delicious virgin piña colada.
Which was followed by a relaxing afternoon at the beach Playa Rincón. During our time at the beach we stumbled across a local Market where we bought jewelry and clothing. Some of us bought coco hats (hats made out of coco leaves).
We then had dinner which was spaghetti and plantains, ending our day in a debate about tourism and building a hotel, many said yes. It is now bedtime and we are all very exhausted from our long day.
From Rachel and Julian
BLOG POST FOR JULY 20
Greetings Families,
Our day started bright and early at 8 am. We had a beautiful breakfast consisting of eggs, toast, papaya, and cantaloupe. However, whilst eating breakfast there was a sudden change in the weather and heavy clouds brought heavy rain which caused a shift in our plans for the day. Whilst originally one group were set to go snorkeling and another had a glass fusion session in a local neighbors home, the snorkel group had a change of plans and instead we learnt about mangrove restoration and watched an inspiring documentary about Marine wildlife protection.
After a delicious home cooked meal, both groups switched their activities round and during these afternoon sessions the weather miraculously dissipated and we thankfully got a chance to go to the beach and follow through with the original snorkel plan. When we got to the beach we were introduced to a local snorkel guide who was friendly and inviting, he sorted out all of our equipment and we were then ready for what was heavily anticipated – the ocean. Although the water was a bit cloudy and visuals didn’t exceed expectations, we had a very good time and we saw some interesting wildlife such as sea urchins and sea grass.
After that we returned to home base where we indulged in another amazing meal. Hamburgers were exactly what everyone needed and satisfied us all immensely. Because the activities ran quite late due to the weather, we didn’t get a chance to participate in our evening activities. But as we were all quite shattered and ready for bed, none of us minded and we didn’t feel like a part of the day had been cut out. Now we’re ready for bed and ready for the next day.
~Elena and Diego
BLOG POST FOR JULY 21
Dear families,
Today was the first day of our second week of camp! Looking over the past, we helped the ecosystems around us, met incredible, hardworking people, and had times of fun!
We started our new week with a breakfast of mixed fruit, bread, and oatmeal. We then listened to an intriguing presentation about CMS, which stands for corals, mangroves, and seagrass. We learned about how the three are interconnected and how this connection shelters, feeds, and fosters all kinds of animals, whether are from sea, air of land.
We then walked down to our local beach, La Playita to work with experts on coral restoration. To do this, we suited up and snorkeled through the coral reef, collecting broken off pieces of coral that would have been doomed to die. After spending nearly an hour in the water, we came back to shore to complete the second part of the restoration: creating a surface for the corals to anchor to with a cement/beach sand mix so that they could continue to grow once placed back in the water.
We then made our way back to homebase for a late lunch, some fun the pool, and to give everyone a chance to take a short break. Once everyone was ready, we headed to Samaná to visit a museum on the history of the towns residents. Our awesome tour guides family came to Samaná in the 18th century! Before leaving Samaná we made a quick pit stop for a snack run at the local grocery store.
After a long day, we had a delicious dinner. Our counselors surprised with a trip back to La Playita for sunset watching and taking lots of fun pictures. Overall, the day was wonderful and we hope to continue our streak in having fun.
Gracie & Tatum
BLOG POST FOR JULY 22
Today we woke up in anticipation as to where the day would take us due to the constant changing of tropical weather. Luckily for the most part of the day we had sunny skies for our hike through the seven beaches that each held turquoise warm water and White sand beaches. On the way to the first beach we passed through an ancient cave system and learned about the history and culture behind it. After that we continued on through the beaches until the third where ate a delicious lunch of chicken and rice, Again! with refreshing lemonade as well.
After our lunch we went on with our journey by boat to see the rest of the 4 beaches. We got to the 7th beach and got to dive into a clear, much cooler freshwater lake on the beach. On the ride back on the boats we experienced a switch in weather to a bit of rain and choppy water that almost sent some people flying off… Just kidding. After our safe return to La Playita we had downtime to recover from the sun and shower. We then enjoyed pasta which everyone was super excited about. To finish off the night we had a group activity where we looked deeper into our values and learned more about each other.
Adios familias!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 23
Written by: Felix and Annalise
Today we woke up and ate breakfast at 8:00. After eating we walked a long way to a local school. First we met the kids, did introductions, then got paired with a student. We did an icebreaker where we had to put our partners in funny poses. After the icebreaker we read a book with the students about the ecosystems and marine life of manatees. We then got with our partners and painted a canvas and what we thought an ocean ecosystem would look like. We ate lunch while we waited for our masterpieces to dry. Then everyone got their hair braided by the students and we all connected over hair while others were playing ball.
After some bonding we got into groups and each made a play about saving marine ecosystems. After performing our plays we had a dance circle and got down.
Then it was time for the kids to go home, and we had a special guest come: Lenny King, a brave fisherman integrated in balance for the people and ecosystem, he talked about his fishing journey and hardships. We then went back to the base, chilled, then ate dinner. We prepared to pack for a boat ride tomorrow across Samana to a new hotel.
BLOG POST FOR JULY 24
Written by: Presley & Diego
Hey GLA families:)
Today we woke up and had breakfast at 8:45. After packing up all our stuff we hopped on a bus that took us to Samana where we then got on a boat. It was around a 40 minute boat ride until we arrived at our destination, then about a 10 minute bus ride to Rancho Don Rey.
Right as we arrived there was a nice lunch prepared for us before we spent a couple hours having pool fun. We played volleyball in the water and we did some chicken fights. After that we got ready for dinner and headed down for pizza and salad. Then we took some pictures of the sunset before going to see the horses (they were so cute!). We then had quick mentor group sessions before having some free time to relax.
BLOG POST FOR JULY 25
Hi families,
We are nearing the end of our trip, day 12! We started our morning bright and early at 8 am with a delicious breakfast. Soon after we set off and got the awesome opportunity to visit Los Haitises Park with Jose, as a fantastic guide.
We got to explore the park by boat, getting to see two caves with an abundance of pictographs, where we were taught about the old Dominican culture and the Tahino (native peoples) way of life. After getting the opportunity to explore the park, we went to an island and collectively filled 14 trash bags of built up plastic waste. This island is a location that collects the majority of the sea trash from the Samana peninsula.
We returned to the Ranch for lunch, after spending the morning at the park, having the rest of the day to hangout at the pool and horse stalls. Later that evening, before dinner we set a group goal and expectations based off takeaways from the trip. After the activity, we had a great group dinner! Our final GLA activity was bonfire bonding where we could all express our appreciation for one another. Before heading to bed, we did some final group bonding and toasted up some marshmallows.
That’s all for today!
– Tatum and Cole
BLOG POST FOR JULY 26
Hi GLA families,
We just wrapped up day 13! Today, we woke up and spent the morning at the beautiful Rancho Don Rey. Then we boarded our bus to Santo Domingo. We stopped along the way to get pizza for lunch. Once we arrived to our hotel, some students did some last minute souvenir shopping around the Colonial Zone. Then, everyone enjoyed a farewell dinner and spent our last night together hanging out in the hotel lobby. We cannot believe this session is coming to an end so soon!
Best
Erin, Maggie, and George
BLOG POST FOR JULY 27
Hello families and friends,
Today we sadly said goodbye to our students. Departures started bright and early at 2.30am with Marisa, Presley and Diego.
Later in the morning, Gracie, Annalise, Felix, Alyson, Valentina and Nani had their flights. The remaining students didn’t have to leave as early, so they got breakfast at the hotel, one last chance to eat the delicious Dominican food.
Afterwards, we said goodbye to Tatum, Juju, Rachel, Cole and Cooper.
Elena enjoyed her last lunch in the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo, followed by a walk around this area. She left later in the afternoon, and that was the end of this amazing program!
We wish our students safe travels and all of the best in their future endeavours!
~ George, Maggie and Erin
