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
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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19
Hello families!
Today was our arrival day. After long flights and a layover in Lima, the group made it to Cuzco. From there, we drove to our Home Base in Pisac for one hour.
They settled into their rooms and ventured through the Home Base, a lovely Cafe and hotel just for us, for the next three weeks. They first tasted Peruvian food, some homemade pasta, papa a la huancaina, and chica morada, for lunch. We warmed up with some fun games and icebreakers, went over our orientation,
They worked together to create our community agreement, which they will all honor for the duration of our program. We finished the day with some nice tea and games.
We are ready for what tomorrow brings. Until next time!
Diego, Andre, Skylar & Urbano
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20
Hi GLA families!
Today was our first full day in Pisac! We started the day with a breakfast buffet, filled our water bottles, packed our daypacks with extra layers and set out to explore the beautiful town of Pisac. We split up into groups for a scavenger hunt around town, where the students (under supervision) freely got to explore and practice their Spanish with locals. We then exchanged money and got to try some smoothies with fresh fruit at the market.
In the afternoon, we participated in a welcome ceremony called Pago a La Tierra, where an Incan shaman orchestrated an offering ritual for Mother Earth as a way to ground us together in our new home and prepare us for our first day of service tomorrow. The group came up with a wish for the rest of our program: To have a safe and meaningful experience where we can help each other and make new friends.
After our ceremony, with our clothes and hair smelling of palo santo, we had a group dinner, did our first mentor groups and assigned our first student leaders of the day.
Congrats Reece and Maddy! You will hear from them tomorrow!
Skylar, Diego & André
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21
Hola!
Today we woke up bright and early to the ringing of bells, celebrating the Incan new year. Although rainy and quite cold, we started our day with a great breakfast, and a quick trek up to our service site. We learned about the “Kusi Kawsay” school, and how it means happy life. Later, we asked permission to Mother Earth, to work on her land. After the spiritual ceremony, we took a playground break and jumped ropes. We then sang songs and ate empanadas that were very delicious. We took a nice walk, learning about plants and their medicinal properties, which lead to eating many fun (and edible) flowers. After lunch we did an art workshop with ceramic clay, adding Incan symbols to create meaning. Once done with the clay, we did a music workshop! We listened to the many Incan spiritual sounds, connecting back to hundreds of years ago.
After a nice dinner, we journaled, rested, and had a great rest of the night!
Goodbye for now!
-Maddie and Reese
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22
Hello parents,
Today we started our day off strong by attending a fiesta of multiple indigenous groups from places such as Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico, the US, and Canada. Following our local director Urbano’s lead, we helped set up for the fiesta while Andre valiantly set up a tarp to provide shade for the performers. We passed around snacks and drinks and watched the incredible songs and dances. We made some new friends and had a ton of fun, shoutout to everyone for putting themselves out there. After lunch at home base, we walked to the Pisac artisan market and did some shopping. We worked on our bartering skills, so parents watch out. Hats were bought. Football and four square were played. Laughs were had. That’s all. Oh and ice cream — thanks again Urbano!
Sincerely,
The leaders of the day fighting for a better tomorrow (Rayna and Annabelle)
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23
Today was our first official day of service. We kicked things off with a game and a Quechua song. Later, we shoveled manure and dug holes to improve the dry soil at the Kusi Kawsay school. We planted our plants and named them—some standouts were Pollo, Eduardo, and El Baño.
We headed back to Home Base to rest a little and have lunch, and then we left for the Ancient Písac Ruins. After a short climb, we were rewarded with an insane view of the entire Sacred Valley. We took many pictures, especially with all the alpacas casually walking around. We spotted a skull in the mountains and found alpacas roaming around the terrace farm steps, and after a pretty eventful couple of hours, we began to head home.
We returned home to a dinner of pesto mashed potatoes, rice, veggies, and soup and joined our mentor groups to write poems (and rap in one case). Overall, today was an unforgettable experience.
-Neva and Donovan
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24
Despite a later start, we persevered as we journeyed on another incredible day in Peru. We began with a two hour drive to the ancient salt mines in Maras, where we learned about the trade and harvesting of salt. Next, we visited some agricultural terraces from the Incas. Both sites were located with a beautiful background and scenic view.
After some lunch, we celebrated another traditional ceremony to honor Pachamama (Mother Earth) deepening our connection to both the Peruvian culture and the land. Later, we learned about traditional weaving techniques and intricate textiles as well as played soccer with the locals.
After the bus ride home, we enjoyed a comforting dinner and ended the day with some card games and spy. Despite the early bumps in the road, the group continued to travel Peru and learned the surrounding culture.
-Solomon & Rylan
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25
Last day of our first week is here!
Today, as usual, we started our day with an early breakfast, accompanied by tea, coffee, and natural juices. Then, we headed off to our service work in Kusi Kawsay, where we worked on enriching the soil for new plants in the area. We measured essential nutrients, such as nitrogen, potassium, and others, that the plants will later utilize for their photosynthesis.
We worked in two teams: one team measured the land, while the other weighed the nutrients for it. Then, we prepared the land according to Teacher Nelba’s instructions. During our break, we tried some native fruits and played with the students.
After our service, we wandered around Pisac, buying snacks, smoothies, and treats as we started to get ready for our trek, just two days from now (excited!).. Back at home base, we played Mafia, and our Local Director, Urbano, gave us a briefing about our Lares Trek, what to expect, and what to pack so we could be mentally, emotionally, and physically ready for it!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26
Hi it’s Ava and Grace! We were the group leaders for our first day of our 2nd week!
Today, we woke up for our regular breakfast and then got ready to return to work at the Kasi Kawsay school —where we dug, fertilized, and mineralized soil to replenish the school’s garden. We took a break to play soccer and capture the flag with the kids at recess. Following the break, we got back to work and sang some songs thanks to Ava’s speaker and Skye’s aux.
We returned to another lovely lunch of squash soup, rice, chicken nuggets (a fan favorite), and veggies. Afterward, we enjoyed a much-needed rest hour, followed by an intense GLA debate. We were assigned different stances and argued whether or not a road should be built on the Lares Trek. Shout out to our GLA-appointed government officials, Neva and Solly. Once we settled on a compromise, we headed to the market to buy some last-minute things for our trip tomorrow.
Before dinner, we were briefed about our Lares Trek, which we will begin tomorrow morning! Machu Picchu here we come!
We had a relaxing night to pack and rest before our early morning.
We are so excited for our camping trip!
– Grace and Ava
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27
Hi friends and family,
We just came back from a two day trek in the Andes. We started our journey in the village of Lares mid morning Thursday. After some hiking we had a tent covered lunch in a small Quechua village. Then we hiked, and hiked, and hiked, uphill until we reached our campsite. We settled on the campground, taking in the most beautiful view of the mountains and sky. We ate a much appreciated dinner under the starry night. The group went to bed early to be ready to wake up at 6am the next morning.
After breakfast we ascended to the highest point of the Lares Trek. It was a great challenge, still we were all successful. Once the summit was reached, we went downhill to the village of Patacancha for lunch. We said our thank you’s and goodbyes to the cooks and guides who were there for us during the trek. Then after a little bus ride we arrived in Ollaytantambo where we basked in a cafe until we walked to dinner. People were very excited for their volcanic stone meat. Once dinner was done we went to take a couple hour train ride to the Machu Picchu village. We rested and chatted on the ride, happy to have a moment after a very long day. We arrived at our hotel and settled in before going to bed, feeling excited and anticipating the next day.
Talk later!!
-Zoé and Maddie
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29
Another day up bright and early with breakfast at 5:30 at the hotel. We arrived at machu pichu by 7 and were exploring the wonder of the world by 8. Truly was wonderful how sore we were from our hike. Regardless, once the fog cleared we took in amazing views. Our knowledgeable tour guides explained to us how the Incas were able to move such large rocks and create such an intricate city. After, we had lunch in town and celebrated Maja and Annabelle’s 17th birthdays with a delicious chocolate cake. Once full again, we had an intense soccer match on the local field while some explored the town. A train and bus ride later, we made it back to our home base for some long awaited burgers and chicken noodle soup.
Ana & Ava
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30
Hello family, friends, and readers,
After a tiresome yet rewarding three-day excursion to the Lares Trek and Machu Picchu, we have finally returned to our
in Pisac where we resumed our service. Today, we collected fallen seed pods that the school plans to sell. Interestingly, we learned that these seed pods are the ingredient used to make ice cream creamy. Our next task was sorting the potatoes and dried corn kernels, a job that requires a keen eye and patience to determine the right shapes and sizes. After completing service for the day, we returned to homebase for lunch.
Following our meal, a few students went on a short excursion to the farmers’ market where they purchased various fresh fruits. Upon returning from the market, Michael, one of the family members who owns Aroma Café, gave all of us a demonstration of how to make coffee and chocolate, as well as provided us with a history of his family’s business. In this demonstration, Michael showed the group how the coffee and cacao beans are harvested from the plant and how each bean is prepared for production. We even got to taste some coffee that we ground with a traditional mortar and pestle. Likewise, we also got to try some delicious hot chocolate to conclude the demonstration.
In the evening, we met with our mentor groups to reflect on the hiking excursion and Machu Picchu from the previous days. We then finished our day with an intense and competitive game of trivia.
BLOG POST FOR JULY 1
Today, we visited the city of Cuzco. We left at 8:30 for a one-hour bus ride with two stops along the way: one to see our hometown of Pisac from the mountains and another to see the statue of Cristo Blanco and an aerial view of Cuzco. We arrived in the city and had a short walk to the culinary school, where we prepared some Peruvian cuisine. We made Lomo saltado: a beef sauté, Aji de gallina: a chicken dish, and an año purée for desert.
After we ate the delicious lunch we had made, our local director, Urbano, gave us a tour of the city. Since he is a tour guide, he gave us interesting facts about Cuzco and its Incan history: did you know that, unlike European monarchies, Incan monarchs had to build their palaces instead of living in the ones that belonged to their families? After looking at the famous Plaza de Armas, we went to the San Pedro market to buy drinks, snacks, and souvenirs. We went back to Pisac and saw the sunset through the bus windows. Once back at home base, we ate some well-deserved fried wings (with vegetables and soup) and had some free time before our much-needed rest.
-Zoé and Sophie
BLOG POST FOR JULY 2
Hey y’all, the gang returned to service after a fun day in Cusco, with an omnipresent theme of multifaceted connection. Due to high temperatures, we stayed inside and practiced indigenous weaving with a newfound friend, Churro, little furball, full of energy, love, and amusement. To capitalize weaving with an inspirational quote, “if you are young, you should explore all the land has to offer” symbolic of the needle, exploring the hay.
After service, we returned back to the hotel for lunch and a bit of shopping. Many enjoyed traditional Peruvian coffee, as well as purchasing fresh fruit at the fruit market. Others decided to stay inside and eat at a local restaurant. Lastly, we joined together in solidarity for a music workshop. The group learned a new instrument, siku, or, panflute, a 6000-year-old instrument played all over the West Coast of South America. We had a blast at the music workshop, cap stoned by a group concert.
With integrity, Sam and Maddie
BLOG POST FOR JULY 3
¡Hola!
We had an easy morning with breakfast at 8:00 and left for Kusi Kawsay around 8:45. Once there, we learned about different art techniques, one of which we practiced with local students our age. Some of us finished up our baskets from yesterday, while others got to do some gardening with Nelba. It was pretty sick.
We headed down for lunch and card games but quickly returned to the school for a talk about the school’s history and human rights in Peru. This prompted a meaningful discussion back at Home Base about Pisac and Peru. We then played more card games, and our host’s 9-year-old nephew killed it at chess against some of us. We did our daily chow circle and had some friendly debates before dinner was served. After dinner, we split up into mentor groups to talk about the next couple of days regarding our homestay, Rainbow Mountain, and rafting/ziplining.
We’re looking forward to the next couple of days!
Yours truly,
Neva and Grace
BLOG POST FOR JULY 5
Hello!
For the past two days we’ve been moving a lot!
Yesterday we started the day really early to make it to our homestays. During the 3 hour drive we were mostly napping but we also stopped a few times on the way to see some beautiful sites. When we arrived, we were split up into four houses. Some groups took the time to rest and catch up while others played a few rounds of cards. After a delicious lunch prepared by our host parents, we walked to a scenic viewpoint of the town, visited the market, played soccer, and attended a pottery talk. After dinner back at our houses, we dressed up in traditional Inca attire and attended a ceremony. We wished on coca leaves and danced around the fire. Even though it was cold out, the outfits were surprisingly warm and we had a ton of fun taking pictures and laughing together around the fire. It was a great day and a great lead in to rainbow mountain.
Today we woke up bright and early at 5am to try and beat the crowds to the Rainbow Mountain. The high altitude made the hike more difficult than usual but we preserved and made it to the top. It was incredible seeing the different colors of the mountain and then turning around and seeing a giant glacier. Then we drove to our next home. A place by the river where we will raft tomorrow. We had lunch, had some downtime, played cards, and hung out around the fire.
Annabelle and Jonas
BLOG POST FOR JULY 7
Hi! We had a long day yesterday, so our leaders conglomerated yesterday and today…
We had a full day yesterday at the River lodge, complete with rafting and zip lining! Although the water was a bit brisk, we all put on our brave faces and had a ton of fun. Some of us even went for a swim! We were happy to be back at homebase for a warm shower, and excited to get back to service after three days away from home.
Today was our last day of service. We were split into four groups, each working on separate projects to help leave one last impact on Kusi Kawsay before we all headed home in a few days. Some of us built an oven while others worked hard in the sun to build a bamboo fence. After a long morning full of hard work we celebrated our last day of service by eating some potatoes and other vegetables that we baked in our oven! Some of us bought gifts and tote bags from the school and said our last goodbyes to Nelba and lladia.
After lunch, some of us went to the Sunday market to buy some fresh fruit like mango. We later had a group goal setting meeting and came up with one meaningful goal that we will all take home with us, to be grateful for what we have. Following the meeting, we had a Peruvian dance class where we were taught dances specific to each region of Peru. We incorporated different props like fruit baskets and scarves into some of the dances.
For dinner, we had takeout pizzas and garlic bread! Thank you to Micheal our chef for an amazing dinner. The rest of the night was left for some group bonding over cards and story sharing. See you tomorrow for our last day!
Your leaders of the day,
Ava, Solly, and Reese
BLOG POST FOR JULY 8
Today was riddled by remembrance of a great three weeks. As the trip comes to an end, we are reminiscent of our beloved new second home. All the great memories we shared between the mountains, as well as on top of them. We will all miss the great work we did and the great people we met.
Waking up late today was a great surprise as we all needed to well deserved rest. We enjoyed our last breakfast, and activities. After, we spent time packing up our clothes and memories, and walked around Pisaq one last time. Buying snacks, ice cream, and souvenirs, and talking about the great time we had, our last day was not being put to waste.
For our last activity, we gathered on the roof for an appreciation circle, finally being provided a chance to show our gratitude for one another. While sitting there we watched the sun set, symbolic of our time here. After enjoyed our last meal together. Pisaq, Peru, and everyone will be missed.
Goodbye,
Sam and Thomas
