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 2
Hola families! All of the students made it to Cusco by 2pm, with no major flight delays! Woo!! After some time to rest, we completed orientation, had dinner, and then took our first walk in our mentor groups to Plaza De Armas. This area is the heart of Cusco and only a short walk from our home base. We enjoyed seeing the mountains all lit up and taking time to get to know everyone. We have so many fun things to look forward to this week! Tomorrow we will go to our first market, and participate in the Pago a La Tierra ceremony that will be led by a local shaman. This week we will begin our service work with MEDLIFE mobile clinics and take time to explore the sacred valley. Our blog will be updated everyday with photos, stay tuned to see our adventures!
¡Hasta Pronto!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 3
Hola,
This morning we got to sleep in a little bit till around 8 am. After a great breakfast we walked down to the San Pedro Mercado (a market) as a group. It was so cool to interact with the locals there, and to practice our spanish. We saw people selling juice, jewelry, clothing, meat, cheese, fruit, and much more. We also spent a lot of time in Plaza de Armas taking group pictures, buying more souvenirs, and interacting with the locals.
Soon it was lunch. We enjoyed our meal together, then rode the bus up a hill where we participated in Pago a La Tierra ceremony which was led by a local shaman. We hiked down through the woods and came across this cute road called Siete Borreguitos (7 little lambs). Some students discovered a little ice cream shop, and decided to spend their soles on a scoop. Along the walk back, the group ran into some nice ladies with llamas. We all huddled around to pet them and take some pictures.
After we got back to our home base, we had chow circle. This is where the whole group gets together to reconnect, go over the day, and learn about the events for the next day. When dinner was over we participated in a group activity focusing on technology and how it affects our life. Lastly, we all got ready for bed and decided to talk out on the porch until lights out.
It was a great day today, and everyone is so excited for all of the adventures that will come tomorrow.
Adios!!
Written by: Toni, and Rebeca
BLOG POST FOR JULY 4
Today at GLA, we woke up at 6:45 and ate breakfast. After breakfast we went on the reality tour and we explored the various aspects of Cusco and how some people live in poverty and some people live more like we do in the US. Mateo and Nella from MEDLIFE gave us insight on how different various areas of Cusco are. Then we got the opportunity to visit one of the local schools and we played soccer with some of the students.
After, we were educated on how the students made it through covid and how the teachers did not have the proper equipment to educate the students. Because many people did not have access to a computer or internet, the country broadcasted lessons for students of all ages by T.V. and radio. Students as young at 2nd grade had to take radios to higher points in the mountains just to learn.
After that, we got to see one of the level 1 clinics and learned how that level does not have to technology or supplies that clinics in Lima and Cusco would. We learned that it was very hard to get access to a good clinic compared to how it would be for us living in the US. Then we got the opportunity to see a beautiful view of the sacred valley where we ate lunch. Then we got to the the entire view of Cusco at the statue of Christ the redeemer. One of the MEDLIFE staff members gave us an orientation about how the pop up clinics will work and what to expect for our next couple of week participating in them. Then we had dinner and went to bed, we are very excited for our service work in the clinic tomorrow.
Chloe and Abishek
BLOG POST FOR JULY 6
Hola!
Today we had an amazing time in Tupay, a community located a few hours (by bus) outside of Cusco. Upon reaching our destination, we all helped to set up the mobile clinic inside of a local school.
We were able to have the opportunity to learn how medication is prescribed, how cavities are filled, how pharmacies are organized, and much more! Helping the dentist and doctors was a fantastic experience.
At the education and toothbrushing stations, we were able to meet a lot of people and practice our Spanish! The kids were very enthusiastic learning about hygiene and how to brush their teeth. While waiting for parents to finish up inside the clinic, some of the medical gloves were blown up into balloons – making for some great “don’t let the balloon touch the ground” games! Additionally, there was a fun game of soccer going on.
After packing up the clinic and returning to the hotel, we had some dancers come to teach us about Peruvian dancing and culture. We did a total of four dances: one from along the coast, one from in the mountains, one from the jungle, and lastly some salsa!
We all had a fantastic dinner together at the hotel. It was an awesome day, and we’re all very happy to be able to learn more about Peru and the culture!
¡Ciao!
Grace and Micah
BLOG POST FOR JULY 8
¡Buenas Días!
Today was so much fun. We woke up this morning a little bit later than usual, and left our hotel around 9am. Our first stop was the Maras Salt mines which have been around since 700 BCE. It is crazy to think of people building something like it that long ago, and it is still here for us to see and still producing salt!
Afterwards,we went to Andean Colors which is a weaving co-op that was started by a single mother effected by domestic violence. They employ other single mothers now, and help sell their products. They made us lunch here and we got to try CUY or guinea pig!! It was a little weird, but some of us really enjoyed it. Either way we are glad we tried it. Marco from Andean colors told us about the significance of serving cuy. Peruvian people eat it for special events like birthdays or other celebrations. Usually the most respected person is given the head!
After we ate some people showed us how to make bracelets, dye alpaca wool, and weave ponchos and other items. They had alpacas (a really cute baby) and a guinea pig farm with hundreds of them!!
Next we drove to Ollantaytambo to have some pizza and catch our bus to Aguas Calientes which is where we will stay before going to Machu Picchu tomorrow!! We can’t wait.
Missing you!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 9
Machu Picchu day
Today we had a very early start at 5 am, we woke up bright and early so that we could catch the bus up to machu pichu, we were staying in the town of aguas calientes becuase it is closest to machu pichu, we then got on a bus and winded our way up the mountain. As we reached the top, the majestic ruins of Machu Picchu unfolded before us.
We then took a guided tour through Machu Picchu, our guide, an expert, brought the ancient city to life with fascinating stories about its history and culture. We learned about the different designs of the houses, the rock formations, and many other interesting facts that we would have never known.
After a morning exploring the ruins, we took the bus back to Aguas Calientes for a delicious lunch at a local restaurant. We enjoyed a nice reminder of home with some burgers and fries. Refreshed and energized, we boarded the train back to Cusco, a scenic journey that offered a different perspective of the Andes Mountains. The two-hour train ride was a relaxing way to look back on the day’s adventures. Back in Cusco, we hopped on a bus to our hotel, exhausted from the days adventure we all crashed and went to sleep.
-Harris
BLOG POST FOR JULY 11
Today we got to wake up a little later than usual, since today was our round table day with med life.
In the morning we had a cooking class. We made the traditional meal of Peru – Lomo Saltado and Peruvian doughnuts called piccarones. The food was really good, and we got to learn how to make it at a local culinary school.
Then we went to a round table event with Medlife
During the Round Table, we took a 1 hour bus ride to the town of Pisac, where we got to meet people who were part of med life’s follow-up program, which is a program provided my Med Life that allows people to get the medical help they need over extended periods of time, regardless of their ability to pay.
During the round table, we met with patients in the follow-up program, along with Med Life staff who explained to us how they were helping these people.
In my opinion, this was the most impactful day of the trip so far, and it showed us how much we were actually helping people in the mobile clinics.
Shylah
BLOG POST FOR JULY 12
Today was an unforgettable experience! We went on a fun journey that combined white water rafting with the views of Mountains.
The cold weather made it necessary to wear wetsuites. The mountains surrounding us were breathingtaking. After going through the river, we were treated to a sauna, a perfect way to warm up. A delicious warm lunch followed, preparing us for ziplining. Floating above the river we had just rafted down was a great experience, offering a unique perspective of the stunning landscape.
Back at the hotel we finished tne day watching “A Dog’s Purpose” and enjoying some friendly card games. Today was such a great experience.
Ann Marie and Tori
