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 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
Click here to jump down to the most recent post!
JULY 6
We arrived safe and sound in Cuzco this afternoon and had a delicious lunch before setting out for our homebase in Ollantaytambo. The drive took us out of the city and through the hills of Peru before we arrived in the Sacred Valley. After arriving, we had a tour of the homebase and completed our health checks before heading into town for dinner at a local restaurant called Uchucuta. For dinner we had asparagus soup, trout with rice and vegetables, and some pancakes for dessert. After dinner we headed back to the homebase and had some free time before going to bed. We are excited for tomorrow and what is to come!
JULY 7
What a wonderful way to start off Peru! After breakfast we all headed to the common room for orientation. Although it was long, it culminated in a friendly but competitive jeopardy game on our newly learned code of conduct. Then it was off to lunch at Uchuchata, our local restaurant. We stayed in town to exchange money, then split into 3 groups to explore the stores and stalls. One group even walked the ruins! After shopping we all regrouped back at home base to play social sync, a game about our opinions on social media, a GLA tradition. After some free time, we did the sunset circle then went back into town for dinner. We finished off the day with a campfire and cake for Liya’s birthday.
-Hana and Liya
JULY 8
Day 3 at GLA’s Peru program was another packed and productive day. We began the day with a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast, followed by a “long and winding road” all the way to our work site, a rural Peruvian town which welcomed us in the traditional way for their culture. GLA students received ponchos, hats, flower necklaces, and were taught a ritual dance by the locals before being assigned daily tasks. Groups spent several hours completing important work such as harvesting straw, Poking holes in buildings, carrying stones and breaking up the earth to level out the ground. Each group worked hard at their jobs and GLA made significant progress for the first day, while listening to elite music such as Britney Spears and Katy Perry.
After a hard days work we gathered in the dining room for a delicious meal consisting entirely of homegrown vegetables and chicken. Before leaving town, we had the honor of witnessing and taking part in the “Mother Earth ceremony”, an elaborate ritual blending spiritual and catholic religion which encouraged the group to be grateful, and left everybody feeling grounded, present, and more connected to this beautiful earth we call home. The ride home went well and left us with plenty of free time before dinner, which was a surprise performance by a local Peruvian duo who were truly incredibly talented! The group also enjoyed spaghetti and a great dessert before heading back to base camp for mentor sessions. Students wrote letters to themselves detailing goals and aspirations for camp, further encouraging leadership and accountability.
Love
Jay and Alex
JULY 9
Today we woke up bright and early at 6:45 to get a head start on a device filled day. After the hour long bus ride to Patacancha we continued our protect of moving materials, heavy lifting, and mud dancing 😂. We finished the day off with some needed free time, sunset circle, and a delicious dinner. Lastly we got to know each other by a speed friending group activity. We can’t wait for future adventures!!!
Sincerely,
Jo and Suhani
BLOG POST FOR JULY 10
What a whirlwind today was! We began our morning with a classic Ollantaytambo breakfast, wishing the town goodbye, and boarding the bus en route to the Maras salt mines. On the way, we made a pit stop to pick up some warm coats for extra insulation during the highly anticipated Lares Trek. There, we met our skilled tour guide Smith who gave us the inside scoop on the salt mines. Some of us bought some souvenirs, and then we boarded the bus once again, resuming our journey to downtown Cusco. Our first Cusco excursion was lunch, where many of us tried alpaca for the first time while being serenaded by some excellent live music with traditional Peruvian instruments.
Next, after dropping off our bags at our hotel, we began a walking tour of Cusco led by Smith. He taught us the history of the city, taking us all around the main square. We ended off the day with a scavenger hunt and shopping spree in San Pedro market before a dinner fit for royalty. Everyone was very enthusiastic about their meals, to say the least. Finally, we returned to the hotel, had an impromptu sunset circle, and wound down, stomachs full of Peruvian chocolate, heads full of Cusco’s history, and hearts full of love for our fellow travelers turned dear friends.
BLOG POST FOR JULY 11
Dear GLA family and friends , niños y niñas. Today we had quite the adventure. The day started with an exquisite breakfast in Cusco. After that, we hit the road! After a well worth it hour and half drive, we had a wackily wonderful adventure! We went white water rafting, some went in the sauna and we ended the adventure of a lifetime with unbelievably intense zip-lining! From our extreme adventure we drove back to base camp where we stopped at Pisac market along the way. After three hours of a magical bus experience, we ended the day eating pie around the fire while listening to music.
Love
Adam and Holden
BLOG POST FOR JULY 12
Today was such a fun and busy day! We did a bunch of community service in the morning, which was really cool because we got to help out and feel like we made a difference. After that, we had a super fun dance class where we learned five different Peruvian dances—some of the moves were hard, but we laughed a lot and had the best time. The music was so good, and it was fun trying something new with everyone. Plus, like always, we had three amazing meals that were soooo yummy!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 13
Hello, everyone! Today was a very exciting day. It opened with a delicious but later breakfast and then we went straight to community service. At service, people used pickaxes, chisels, and threw mud, nearly completing our mission for this trip. After service, we had a wonderful trout, and a bumpy ride back to home base. We relaxed a bit and then had our GLA debate. The hypothetical debate was over whether or not a road should be installed for the Lares Trek. In the end, our mentors decided the road should be built. Afterwards, we had a lasagna and cake pop dinner. The day closed with a fun group activity in our mentor groups.
Love
Judson and Matteo
BLOG POST FOR JULY 14
Once again we started the day with scrumptious breakfast accompanied with a briefing for the Lares Trek adventure. Next we headed off to our final day of community service at Patacancha. After finishing up some bamboo shucking we indulged in a Peruvian weaving lesson. We had a special farewell feast and our hearts were heavy as we departed saying our goodbyes to the local kids. Upon our arrival at homebase, the group split into different activities: a soccer game on the local pitch, a market visitation and some who wanted to stay at basecamp. After 2 intense games of soccer we grouped up at basecamp for our 8th sunset circle. We finished up the day with a delicious dinner and packing up for the Lares Trek.
Hayden and Tristan
BLOG POST FOR JULY 15
Today started with a filling breakfast to prepare us for the Lares Trek. We set out in the morning and hiked for a few hours through scenic valleys and mountains. Around midday we reached a small town where we stopped to enjoy a deserved lunch.
Fueled up, we continued our hike, climbing higher into the mountains. The views were stunning, and though the hike was tough, the scenery made it worth it. By evening we arrived at our campsite located in a beautiful mountain range. We set up our tents, took in the beautiful surroundings, and warmed up with some hot chocolate. Dinner was delicious and satisfying after a long day on our feet. We enjoyed the starry night sky, crawled into our tents, and got a good nights rest.
BLOG POST FOR JULY 16
Today was quite the eventful day! We had an early start, waking up in our tents at 6 am! Upon exiting our tents, the sight of the sun peaking over the beautiful Andes mountains was breathtaking. We enjoyed a hearty breakfast of oatmeal, pancakes and eggs, ready for another long day of hiking. Despite the effects of the high altitude, by 8am our hiking boots were tied, water bottles filled, and we were on our way. The start of the hike was strenuous, featuring a steep incline that never seemed to level out! Eventually, however, we all overcame the challenge and summited! The views from the peak were panoramic what with the striking mountains surrounding us. After a nice snack and hydration break, we continued on our way. Thankfully, the rest of the hike was downhill. Coming down the range, we passed hundreds of llamas and alpacas, encountered some wild horses, and saw some lively mountain dogs. Finally, we made it to Patacancha, finishing our trek. There, we were served Lomo Saltado, a traditional Peruvian dish, for lunch. Once finished with our meal, we boarded buses and drove back home, where we all crashed in our beds until dinner, feeling exhausted but proud of this wonderful accomplishment.
-Ella Hamel
BLOG POST FOR JULY 18
Dear Family and friends,
Today was a super fun day! We woke up for a late breakfast before a day of adventure. Our guides arrived and we left for the train station for Machu Picchu. After a long bus ride we arrived in Aguas Calientes! We walked through a gorgeous artisan market to make it to our amazing lunch spot. After a fulfilling meal, we boarded to bus to Machu Picchu. We were able to walk around and take many pictures of the wonderful Machu Picchu peak.
After learning lots of history about the mountain we headed on the bus back to town. We had some time to shop in the markets filled with many souvenirs. We got on our train ride back to Ollataytambo. Then we walked to our usual restaurant and had burgers with french fries for dinner! Overall, we had such a fun and educational day.
