Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!
Here are a few things you can expect:
- We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
- Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
- Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.
Cell Phone Policy: The GLA cell phone policy is currently in place this summer to help foster meaningful connections between students. This means your student’s phone will be collected every day and returned to them throughout the program during designated spaces of time we call ‘tech time’. Actual tech times and regularity will vary greatly by program location. During designated ‘tech time’, your student may use their phones as they wish. Please note that your student may not always choose to use this time to get a hold of their parents. If you are not hearing directly from your student each day, you can assume that no news is good news! We strongly recommend you follow the blog to follow your students’ experience without talking to them every day. If you are a parent and would like to get in touch with your student directly, you can call us at +1-619-758-3031 and we can set up a formal time for you to connect with your student.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.
For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.
-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team
Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24-26
¡Hola amigos!
We first landed in Santo Domingo where we stayed at a hotel, then we migrated to Samaná where we’re staying in local housing for the remainder of the trip. Today we went to the whale museum and learned all about the humpback whales in the Dominican Republic. As our new arrivals came, we had lunch at a local restaurant with an amazing view of the Samaná Bay. Then we went back to the museum to help identify the different patterns of whale flukes. We then came back to base where we had some free time and hung out on the terrace and enjoyed music while socializing with the group. We had a great dinner (those mashed potatoes smacked) which led into mentor groups where we talked about leadership skills and as our final duty as Leaders of the Day, we came back and wrote this for you, our devoted readers.
Hasta mañana,
Morgan and Liam signing off
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27
¡Hola amigos!
We started the day off with some delicious breakfasts from the lovely cooks; we had oatmeal, fresh mango and bananas, bread, and your beverage of choice. After breakfast, we headed out on the busses split into our new mentor groups, one bus with the whales and crabs, the other with the starfish and octopi. The busses took us to Sanchez to learn about the historic railroad which was used for imports and exports via boat. We hopped back on the busses to go to a mangrove restoration greenhouse which was part of a community service project called Bajo Yuna Area In Los Haitises National Park. After exploring the mangroves and participating in greenhouse responsibilities we finished it off by planting red mangroves in hopes of restoring them. On the busses back to las galaleras we enjoyed some tunes and lively conversation about today’s activities and what is to come. We returned to base and cleaned up for an exquisite meal consisting of sausage, rice, pasta, and fried plantains. Post dinner, we all had a
Fun time on the terrace, with all the best people, and the best music. To wrap the night up we joined together for a discussion of today’s events and an activity where we write inside of a circle what we desire for the trip, and wrote outside the circle for what we don’t want for the trip. We had a lovely day with amazing team members and mentors. We hope everything is well at home.
¡Hasta mañana y Buenas Noches!
Love, Mckenzie, Peter, and the rest of the team
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28
Hi Family and Friends,
Today for breakfast we had the privilege of eating homegrown fruit fresh from the garden. After breakfast, we took the bus down to el Valle (Samana) for a ziplining adventure. It consisted of 12 lines and over 7000 feet of cable. As we spiraled down towards the bottom of the rainforest we headed back to the bus to explore a local marketplace.
Many of us purchased local cookies and chips, we headed back on the bus to the beach to eat an extravagant meal of rice, beans, and fried fish (Head & eyes still attached!).
Once we had finished the meal we were able to enjoy the beauty and warm waters of Playa de Rincon. Many of us played frisbee, purchased jewelry from the local vendor, spent time in the water with friends, and tanned in the bright Dominican sun. After a long hot day at the beach, we headed back to the Homebase where we enjoyed a meal of pork chops, eggs, rice, and beans. We spent tech time together enjoying music and each other’s company, and we finished off the day with highs and lows from everybody. We`re all having a fantastic trip and we can`t wait to tell you all about it!
Today we were able to learn to appreciate each other’s company and we feel as if we are growing into one family.
Love to our loved ones,
Olivia, Roarke, and the rest of the group
