Photography is the lens through which we see the world, even when we’re not there to witness it.
For these GLA students, photography was one way they brought back a piece of the countries they became immersed in during Summer 2015, and we’re thrilled to announce them as our 2015 GLA Photo Contest Winners.
Check out some of our winners’ photos below!
Nathan Genstein @FarLostPhotography
Peru: Service in the Sacred Valley
“At 15,000 feet something changes. You are no longer out of breath, and you don’t notice how thin the air is. My entire GLA experience was like this. My GLA experience made me a trailblazer, a leader, and a pioneer, on my GLA trip I had adventures I will never forget, and experiences that have changed my life. The experience of travelling across the world, to where the air is thinner, and luxuries are nonexistent is once in a lifetime. My GLA experience did not take my breath away, my GLA experience reminded me why it’s important to occasionally stop, look around, and take it all in, one breath at a time.”
Evan Parness @evanparness
Costa Rica: Beachside Service Adventure
“This photo represented my GLA experience because it captured not only the beauty of Costa Rica at sunset but the thrills and exhilaration of playing soccer in a totally different culture and setting. It was an incredible experience to play soccer with the locals, and added a very human and relatable aspect to Costa Rican culture that I connected with.”
Erin Hill @ehill_32
Galapagos: Preserving Nature’s Wonders
“For the GLA program in the Galapagos, we started out in Quito, Ecuador. That’s were we all met got to know each other and it was our first time going out as a group. Quito, Ecuador was also were we spent our last days together and was pretty nostalgic with it being the beginning and the end of the program and the new community we made together.”
Amanda Geballe @manderrzzz__
Guatemala: Children of the Maya
“This photo represents my trip to Guatemala because it shows the business and chaos but at the serenity of people living their daily lives. Throughout my trip, we were very busy and at some points chaotic, but in the end we were at peace with how we were living in the space around us.”
Jennah Landgraf @heyitsjennah
Tanzania: Heart and Soul of Africa
“This photo really captures the pure beauty of Africa that i witnessed while i was there. I had an absolutely phenomenal time on the Safari; it really opened up my eyes to the gorgeous animals that the country had to offer. I would do anything to go back on that trip and to see them in person just one more time; but the pictures i took are pretty wonderful too.”
Megan Bechtel @meganbechtel33
Peru: Service in the Sacred Valley
”One of the best parts of my GLA experience was getting to connect with so many amazing people- both the people on my trip and the people of Peru. Each day I looked forward to going to the work site so that I could interact with the kids, and speaking Spanish with them led me to gain much deeper appreciation of the language. I truly developed relationships with the kids after days of playing with them and interacting with them. The children of Peru brought me so much joy during the two weeks I was with them, and I will continue to remember the time I spent with them.”
Chloe Capodagli @chloecap98
Galapagos: Preserving Nature’s Wonders
“This photo represents my GLA experience because it shows the unique and unforgettable opportunity we had to interact and appreciate the endangered wildlife.”
Rebekah Burrows @rebekahjoya
Dominican Republic: Building a Sustainable World
“This photo was taken on one of our adventure days, when we were at Jarabacoa. In this picture, I look really carefree and happy, and that’s how this whole trip made me feel. We got to see so many different things and experience so much and it was the happiest, most content weeks of my summer. The caption also perfectly describes how we all felt after having to come home after our program ended.”
Allison Dong @allisondong
Galapagos: Preserving Nature’s Wonders
“The Galápagos Islands have always intrigued me. When I saw that GLA offered a program in the Galápagos, I knew immediately that it was the one I wanted to attend. During the program we snorkeled with sea lions, sea turtles, and penguins nearly every day in some of the world’s most unique beaches. There is nothing comparable to being on an island where the animals aren’t afraid of humans. This picture sums up my experience because it really illustrates just how close to wildlife you can get on the islands.”
Megan Williamson @planetmeg
Tanzania: Heart and Soul of Africa
“This picture represents my experience because I wish I could have my students back in my arms constantly. I loved how I could see that they were truly learning from me. My students inspired me to continue my part in being an agent of change and positivity in this world. My GLA experience has forever changed my life – I’m determined, I’m hopeful, I’m positive, and I’m confident. I could never thank my students at Patandi, Tanzania, and GLA enough for the impact on my life.”
