PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program! In 2024, this program was offered through our sister provider, Teen Travel Network, however it has now moved to Global Leadership Adventures for the 2025 season and beyond.
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 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.
- Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
- 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 22
Greetings family and friends from beautiful and bouncing Barcelona!
We are so happy to have our group of travelers arrive safely and happily (if a bit jet-lagged) from all over the USA. We kicked off our first day after arrival and a little orientation at the Generator (a funky youth hostel in Gràcia) with an authentic paella making class from a local expert! It took a while, but just like with our flights, great things are worth the wait. Chef Carlos was the best! We head off on bike tomorrow to explore the sights, do a scavenger hunt in the Gothic Quarter that inspired so many amazing artists, and most importantly, keep eating the amazing Spanish cuisine!
Buenos Tardes y hasta pronto,
Diana Gonzalez (International Director) and Ester Fraschia (Local Director)
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23
They say that activity is a great way to fight jet lag, so we made sure to cover some ground today! Between biking through Barcelona and seeing iconic locations (such as the Sagrada Familia, the Arc de Triomf, and more original Gaudi architecture like the Casa Batllo) and working on completing a team scavenger hunt around the Gothic Quarter, we had an interactive and action packed day! Of course, had to have our first gelato stop, too!
There is a festival going on called the Feast of Sant Joan and it takes place starting on the 23rd. There are a LOT of fireworks! We could hear them beginning while we had our own feast on pizza while learning about Italian and Spanish culture, specifically in regard to food, from our local director Ester.
Tomorrow we explore Park Guel, enter the Sagrada Familia, and see a flamenco show! Then we close it all out with a fancy Spanish dinner and say adios to our favorite new country as we travel onwards to Paris!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24
Today was all about saying howdy to Gaudí!
We started at the beautiful Park Guell. We learned about how the park was initially created to be a private, high-end, residential neighborhood but between expenses and availability, the creators thought it was better fit for public enjoyment. Some of the houses are still there!
Gaudi was influenced by nature and religion, which is reflected in his work. While in the park, we did a personal reflection activity in which we discussed which morals have laid the foundation for our future success (ex: compassion), what action steps we can take to reach our goals, and what our protective / resiliency factors are. Plus, we shared what our “power animals” or the “gargoyles of our life” are (some favs were octopus, cats, dogs, and more!)
We then had lunch on a lovely terrace on the restaurant Picasso, where we had some authentic local cuisine while listening to street artists playing accordion, ate paella, and looked at the majestic Sagrada Familia where we later toured. Our tour guide was full of info as we toured the inside of this magnificent church and learned about the multiple artists and the all of the time and effort that went into this church that started in the 1920’s and won’t reach completion until around 2030!
We completed our time in Barcelona with a little more shopping, gelato (always!), and a flamenco show! Finishing our night, we learned about the history of flamenco over more great food (hummus was a hit!)
¡Olè! 💃🏻
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26
Bonjour, Paris!
We’ve made it to our second country! We had a perfectly Parisian day. 🇫🇷
We got to see the Eiffel Tower all decked out for the Olympics! We lounged while on a beautiful boat tour from the Seine River, where we passed under over 20 bridges and saw famous monuments such as the Norte Dame!
We then practiced navigating the Metro to get to the famous world-class Louvre museum where we got to see the Mona Lisa up close and personal! We’re still not sure if she is smiling or frowning, but there sure were a lot of people excited to see her in her tiny frame.
From there we did a little retail therapy and strolled the streets of Paris looking for an original fit with some flare. Some of us went to book stores, others vintage shops, and all came home tired and hot!
We had an easy and early night in order to get some rest before our big bike tour tomorrow where we’ll check out some street art, see the pantheon, and MAYBE eat some escargot 🐌 if we are feeling très Parisian!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27
Paris, je t’aime!
Another amazing day spent exploring the great city of Paris!
First we went to the Pantheon, where locals recommend going for the staggering, 360 degree, view of Paris. You can see so much from the top! We also then descended down, down, and more down into the crypts. There we paid our respects to famous dwellers such as Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, and Josephine Baker.
We also got to taste some French cuisine and by that we mean snails and fancy cheese! The overall agreement was that the escargot was garlicky and tasted ok but the texture was… different.
From there we hopped on our bikes for a guided tour of street art around Paris. We got to exercise both our bodies and our knowledge of art! Most importantly we stopped for macarons for a much needed sugar boost!
Tomorrow we plan to participate in a facilitated debate about the Paris Olympics. There are important questions to explore, like “what are the ethics and impacts of big events such as this on large cities and their inhabitants?” And more! Then onwards to tour the Palace of Versailles and enjoy some last time in this beautiful city.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28
Crêpes, palaces, and towers: oh my!
We traveled to Versailles today to have another fabulously French day.
We started with the best crepes we’ve ever had! We were able to sample two: one savory and one sweet. It was tres Fantastique!
From there we explored the decadent decorations at the Palace of Versailles. Macarons, velvet, and gold were everywhere!
We closed out the day with a hike to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower where got some some amazing sunset photos.
Tomorrow will be even more olfactory and culinary adventures!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 1
Buongiorno principess!
After working very hard to journey out of France, we made it to Venice, Italy!
We spent our first full day in Italy properly. Eating pizza, drinking arronciata, zipping around on private boats, and island hopping from Murano (where they are famous for their glass blowing. We got to see custom glass pieces blown right in front of us) and colorful Burano (known for their artisienal lace art). We closed out our day with a taking a gondola ride through the canals of Venice!
Made sure to have an early night because tomorrow is our last action packed day, complete with more boats, Venetian mask-making, palace-visits, and beaches!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 2
What an amazing Italian day!
We walked to the train station, where we met Ester who had our train tickets. We traveled to the docks where we took our private boat taxi to San Marco. From there we met with Nicoletta, our private tour guide, who showed us around the windy roads of this medieval city. We even did a Virtual Reality tour (IRL!) that showed us what this city looked like about 400+ years ago.
We had a pasta-tastic last lunch together and then took ANOTHER private boat taxi to our Venetian mask making class. Everyone made their own personalized mask which, despite masking our faces, allowed us to show our inner selves! We then got some much needed beach time at Lido Beach.
We went straight to dinner, took the train home (Club TTN got their own private carriage where we bumped some jams and had a dance party), and then walked/skipped/frolicked back to the hotel where we shed some tears over our closing activity where we shared our appreciation for each team member that made this trip so impactful.
With memories to last a lifetime, we head out tomorrow to the airport to return to our regular lives. As we know at Teen Travel Network, “travel changes everything”. We return more experienced, full of laughter filled memories, and maybe a little bit sunburnt.
Ciao for now and enjoy the rest of your summer!
