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 JULY 21
สวัสดี ทุกคน (hello everyone!)
Hello from Bangkok! We’re happy to report that all 20 of our students have safely arrived!
Over the next three weeks, students will rotate through various hospital departments, learning from skilled Thai doctors and nurses. Outside the hospitals, they’ll immerse themselves in the rich culture of Thailand. From exploring beautiful temples to wandering through colorful street markets, students will enjoy delicious Thai cuisine and discover unique local crafts.
We’ll keep you updated with regular blog posts from our Student Leaders of the Day, sharing their experiences and insights.
Rest assured, your children are in good hands, exploring and growing in the wonderful land of Thailand. Enjoy your summer!
ขอบคุณค่ะ/ครับ (Thank you!)
Alexa, Jose, Peggy, and Ryan
BLOG POST FOR JULY 22
สวัสดี (Hello) from Bangkok, Thailand!
This is our first daily blog written by Soph and Vinay. Today we are happy to announce that all 20 students have safely arrived!
Starting off the day we had a delicious breakfast at the hotel after breakfast we began our orientations. The first presentation was learning about the staff and program itinerary. Following was a three course which included a beet salad, pork, and fresh lychee served with coconut ice cream. Stuffed, we continued presentations about our hospital rotations and GLA’s rules and regulations.
To experience Bangkok for the first time we took the BTS( their version of the metro/subway) to a local market where we had refreshing thai iced tea and the opportunity to shop. Already hungry we headed back to the hotel where we got to eat authentic thai spring rolls with chicken and rice.
To end the night, we were introduced to our mentor groups and played a competitive game of “Who knows their mentor better.” We hope that you all enjoyed learning about our Day 1 experience! Stay tuned for future updates in Bangkok!!
ลาก่อน (Goodbye:)
Sophia Nuciforo and Vinay Verghis-Khan
BLOG POST FOR JULY 23
สวัสดี ทุกคน (Hello everyone!)
Today’s blog post is from Raina and Emma!
Everyone woke up bright and early (and everyone was on time too) for our first day at Thammasat Hospital. Our four departments today were orthopedics/ophthalmology, pharmacy, OB/GYN, and general anatomy. Everyone got to visit two departments, and will visit the other two in tomorrow’s visit. We all learned from today’s experience that Thai medicine can be both very similar to western medicine – and completely different – at the same time!
Before our second shift today, we all visited the hospital’s canteen to choose our own authentic Thai lunch😋! We had a large variety of options, but most chose delicious Thai noodle soup – and of course Thai iced tea!!
After our work was done and we refreshed back at the hotel, one of the local staff members (our good friend Wadd), taught us all about Thai culture and history. It was a brief intro, but it was certainly packed with info😉!
After, we were then taken out to eat at a family Thai restaurant which served delicious food too! And last but not least, Ryan gave a presentation on sustainable development goals, which taught us about the impending goals for the future of the world (Very cool, we know).
It’s lights out for us over here in Thailand now!…
Cheers!
Emma and Raina
BLOG POST FOR JULY 24
Today’s blog post is from Nate and Aliena!
We began today bright and early for our second and last day at Thammasat University Hospital! We rotated through the four departments (Orthopedics, Opthalmology, Anatomy, Pharmacy, and Ob/Gyn) , every student seeing observing a new department. We observed the inner workings of a hospital; everything from lasiks to cesarian sections.
Before our second shift, we visited the hospital’s canteen, where a large number of us opted to have Kentucky Fried Chicken on account of the complimentary bucket hats! For our last day at the canteemany students explored a variety of traditional Thai cuisine ranging from papaya salad to milk teas.
Another day conquered, and then it was time to relax. The amazing local mentors prepared a fruit party where we had the opportunity to taste a variety of unique flavors and textures.
Following the fruit party, we had a brief team building exercise hosted by Peggy and Jose, where we put our knowledge of our fellow interns to the test, before winding to start reflect on our individual styles of leadership, and prepared to start yet another existing day in the lively city of Bangkok.
– Aliens and Nate
BLOG POST FOR JULY 25
After eating breakfast at the hotel, we went to the Kasemarad Parchachuen Hospital in Bangkok. This is a private hospital that is a part of the BCH, Bangkok Chain Hospitals. In the morning, we toured the Chinese Medicine Department and learned more about treatments like acupuncture and cupping. We also toured the ER and the OPD area of the hospital to gain incite on how the hospital runs in a daily basis.
After eating lunch, we listened to a presentation given by UK medical student and former GLA student, Sola Kim before taking a CPR course and reviving our CPR certification. Sola spoke about the process of getting into and learning in a medical school and shared her advice.
After spending sometime back at the hotel and in the pool, we all went to dinner at Villa Market in Ari to end the day!
– Cammy and Anaïs
BLOG POST FOR JULY 26
Hey GLA family and friends, it’s Cece and Maddie!
Today we toured Ekachai Hospital. In the morning we saw a variety of clinics, including Chinese medicine where we got to extract cups from our wonderful staff in a traditional cupping demonstration. Afterwards we were able to meet with the hospital director, Dr. Amnaj. He gave insight into the medical field and how to advance and evolve into the profession. Back at the hotel, we had a pizza party to celebrate the end of our hospital visits in Bangkok. Excited for tomorrow for our Bangkok city tour!!
– Cece and Maddie
BLOG POST FOR JULY 27
Hey GLA families, it’s Bella and Luciano!
Today we started our day out with breakfast at 8:00 AM. Then we had our first city tour of Bangkok, we saw emerald Buddha at the grand palace and then we went to the temple of the reclining Buddha.
It was very hot outside and we had to wear long respectful clothing to respect the temples rules.
We went to a market for lunch and went shopping there as well. After lunch we went to the temple of dawn for 30 min and returned back to the hotel. We were going to go out to eat but the weather had different plans for us so the local staff brought the food to us and we ate at the hotel, as we got a lecture about the Thailand’s government given by one of the local staff.
Much love,
Bella and Luciano 🙂
BLOG POST FOR JULY 28
Hello from Thailand, it’s Shio and Atticus!
Today, we had a later breakfast at around 8:15, and we’re off to a local temple. We arrived at the temples dock, where it was teaming with local fish. We each received a loaf of bread which we fed to the many catfish that resided in the river. In thai culture, it is seen as good karma to do things such as feed the fish, and there were even markets with live animals people buy to free in the river! Then, we got a a water taxi, and we were off the culture center.
Upon arrival, we each got a sweet drink, and were set free to explore the art in the center. Then, we walked to the Siam mall, where we were let loose in the food court. We then relocated to Central mall, the largest mall in bangkok! After four hours of shopping in the endless corridors filled with clothes and delicious foods, we ended the busy day eating again in the malls food court. We then took the sky train back to the hotel, where we got right into the lesson, learning more about our project during the program. Now, we are relaxing by the pool, and Iselin and Camy are having desserts.
Goodnight!
Shio & Atticus!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 29
สวัสดี (Hello!) from Bangkok!
Today was a fantastic day filled with spirit and laughter! We started the morning off by going to Rajavadee Boy’s House for Disabled Children to play fun and exciting games with the boys. We played everything from red light/green light to musical chairs with lots of dancing involved. After a tasty lunch, we engaged in some community service work by pulling weeds and washing windows around the home. We ended our stay with a high speed, high stakes doodle-off, sending us off on a lively note.
Following a brief downtime, we quickly re-energized with a Scottish Cèilidh (traditional dance) lesson from our very own Scottish staff member, Ryan. We ended our break with some passionate karaoke and Just Dance before heading off to a scrumptious dinner at a local restaurant. Our evening closed off with a mouthwatering, classic Thai treat of mango sticky rice.
ขอบคุณ (Thank you!) for tuning in today to hear about our adventures in Thailand!
This is Iselin and James signing off 😎
BLOG POST FOR JULY 30
Hi everyone, it’s Ally and Kritika!
Today was our last day in Bangkok and our first in Koh Samet! Our day started out around 7:45am with breakfast. Soon after, we were out the door limping with our luggage looking forward to that 3 hour bus ride! 🥲
About an hour in, we made a quick pit stop to grab some snacks and stretch our legs.
After a lengthy bus ride, we arrived at the dock where a bumpy boat ride awaited us. For some, with each crash of a wave, the sea sprayed us. It left us drenched, but we laughed it off.
Upon arrival at our new hotel, we ate lunch, and went shopping and swimming at the beach until 6pm.
As dawn approached, we had dinner and relaxed for the rest of the night.
-Ally and Kritika
BLOG POST FOR JULY 31
Today’s blog post is from Kayla and Guillaume.
Our first full day at Koh Samet started off nice and late at 9:00am. We left the Koh Samet to go snorkeling at a new island. We stayed there for the majority of the day and saw some interesting fish such as clownfish, eels, jellyfish, and sea urchins. At lunch we had tasty teriyaki chicken with rice as well as pineapple and watermelon.
After our stomachs were, full we went on a small hike to a viewpoint. The groups split up with people going hiking and people relaxing at the beach. After a while, we returned to the island of Koh Samet with a very, very bumpy boat ride, it was great!
Upon arrival the group went back out to relax in the ocean and also played some volleyball on the beach. While the day was packed with fun, we all felt the strength of the sun making us turn red like lobsters. Finally we went to dinner and sang happy birthday to our lovely local staff member, Care; Happy Birthday Care!!!!!
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 1
สวัสดี (Hello) from Koh Samet, Thailand.
This is our fourth blog about our days in Koh Samet in written by Soph and Vinay.
We started off the day with a fantastic breakfast buffet at the hotel. After breakfast we went to the local medical clinic on the island.
Whilst at the clinic we learned about the local medical practices and issues they have been facing. The most pressing issue they faced was chikungunya, a type of disease carried by mosquitoes. They deal with this by spraying the houses with a medical grade insect repellent.
After the clinic hunger set in and we walked to a beachside restaurant. We had an array of traditional Thai seafood such as fried shrimp cakes, glass noodle salad, and papaya salad. Full from our meal we got the choice to either stay on the beach and relax or go back to the hotel for a quick nap.
Concluding the day we went for another quick swim at the beach in front of our hotel. Hungry from swimming and playing beach volley, we headed off to dinner which was right next door to the hotel. Even though it was a long day we all had a lot of fun and are forward to our time on Chang Mai.
Stay tuned for more updates from Chang Mai! ลาก่อน (Goodbye:)
Sophia Nuciforo and Vinay Verghis-Khan
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 2
สวัสดี ทุกคน (Hello everyone!) Today’s blog post is from Raina and Emma!
Today was a travel day for us. Some of us started our day with a group sunrise watching, but most of us chose the option of sleep…lol…7:00am was a quick breakfast and baggage drop off. After, we said goodbye to Koh Samed and took our ferry back to the mainland. We had a group 3 hour car ride with some good tunes and conversation to keep us occupied. We got to the airport way in advance (and with no issues), so we had lots of time to eat and relax.
Our domestic flight took about 1 hour (although it felt like only 10 minutes!). We arrived in Chiang Mai and went straight to eat. Dinner was spectacular – and desert was even better!!
Tomorrow we head for a city tour and cooking class – so stay tuned 😉
– Raina and Emma
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 3
Hey there, it’s Nate and Aliena with the daily blog!
This was our first full day in Chang Mai!
We began the day bright and early with breakfast at the hotel and then headed to a cooking class!
When we arrived at the Asian Scenic Thai Cooking Class, we were split into 2 groups, and had the opportunity to learn how to make some of our favorite Thai dishes! Each of us had the chance to make their stir fry, curry, and soup of choice, as well as deep fried spring rolls. It’s safe to say that lunch was amazing, with us even being sent home with mini cookbooks so we can recreate our delicious meal at home!
After our homemade lunch, we hopped in our vans and took a wonderful tour of Wat Chiang Man, the first Buddhist temple to be constructed in the city of Chang Mai. The temple displayed different positions of the Buddha based on the day of the week you were born. After Wat Chiang Man, our amazing local staff navigated us through the tunnels of the Wat Umong temple!
All in all, our first full day in the northern city of Chiang Mai was amazing, and we can speak for the rest of the group when we say that we’re all excited to see what’s up next!
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 4
Hey GLA friends and fam!
Today we had an enlightening discussion with a monk about Buddhism. Afterwards, we headed to the mountain where we hiked to the peak and got coffee and tea. On the way down, we visited a Hmong village and saw the local shops. We saw a mountain temple, wat prathat doi suthep; where some of us were lucky enough to get blessed by a monk and see our future fortunes. Then together we all went to see the lookout of the city of Chiang Mai.
In the evening we walked to a night market where we got to go souvenir shopping and get local food. During dinner it started pouring elephants (lol). We navigated the market in the rain like true locals!!
Cece and Maddie
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 5
Hey GLA family’s, it’s Bella and Luciano once again!!
We started off our day going to the maharha public hospital at 9 am. We shadowed many different fields, including surgery, pediatrics, general medicine, orthopedics, ETC. After our first rotation and lunch, we received a presentation by a telemedicine nurse Film who started off her career in customer service. After the presentation, we finished off with our second rotation.
After the hospital we went to a mui tai class for about an hour and had so much fun. We then went back to the hotel to shower and get ready for the beautiful riverside dinner. After dinner, we presented our projects on our STGs we chose at the beginning of the program. After the amazing presentations performed by all the beautiful students, we ended our day with a chow circle.
Thank you for reading Much love Yours truly, Bella and Luciano
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 6
Hey friends and families of GLA!
It’s Cammy and Anaïs 🙂 After eating a nice vegan breakfast at the hotel, we ventured out of the beautiful Chiang Mai and into the province of Lampang. We went to the Lampang Hospital and we immersed ourselves in many different topics of medicine including OB GYN (where we had the chance to watch a C Section birth), Pediatrics, Surgery, and General Medicine.
After our morning shift, we ate a delicious curry lunch at a beautiful garden. Next, we had our second shift at the hospital where we had the opportunity to switch topics for the afternoon.
Following this academic immersion, we left to pursue a more artistic achievement: painting. We each got to personalize either a fan, a mini umbrella, or a tote bag. This was extremely fun and next we hopped back on the road to go to a Michelin Star restaurant. Here, we ate various traditional northern Thailand dishes and a scrumptious coconut ice cream dessert! We are now on our way to bed to rest up for another great day tomorrow! ‘Till next time!!!
– Anaïs and Cammy 🥳
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 7
สวัสดี ทุกคน (Hello everyone!)
It’s Atticus and Shio!
Today we woke up early to go to our third hospital in Chiang Mai: Rajavej Private Hospital. We were split up into small groups and visited five departments: ER/labs, radiology, hemodialysis, dental, and physical therapy. Each department was very informative and we all learned a lot! After the morning shift, we went to a boutique hotel for lunch, where we all either had delicious pad Thai or Khao soi. Then, we rotated to another department within the five groups with the second shift. Thanks to Wadd, one of our local staff members, we were able to visit a cafe inside the hospital and buy some ice cold drinks!
Following the hospital visit, we went to a medical clinic for Chiang Mai locals. One of their staff gave us an excellent presentation on everything about the function of the clinic and how it is useful for Chiang Mai.
Then, to everyone’s excitement, we were able to go to a local Chiang Mai market where there was a variety of unique goods. Some of us purchased dried fruits, while others got traditional clothing.
After the market, we all went straight to a delicious restaurant for dinner. On the menu, there was crab fried rice, grilled salmon and rice, khao soi, and many more options. The restaurant was very relaxing, as some of us were able to sit in fluffy pink and orange chairs!
Finally, once we returned to the hotel, we all received the opportunity to listen to a presentation by a family medicine resident. She provided us with very valuable information and may have persuaded some of us to pursue a family medicine career. She also told us about her medical school experience and gave us tips for future aspirations.
It is now time to head to our rooms and get a good nights sleep! See you soon!
– Atticus and Shio
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 8
สวัสดี (Hello!) Again!
Welcome to our official second-to-last day! This morning we set off bright and early for our final day of hospital rotations! After our morning shift, we set off to lunch, where we had a special presentation from our national director, Todd, who spoke about the differences between healthcare in the United States and in Thailand. After our yummy lunch, we returned to Mae On hospital for our final round of rotations, a bittersweet moment.
Following our rotations, we ventured off to “Art in Paradise Chiang Mai,” a super cool 3D art museum. After walking through the museum and taking photos, we ended our visit with some tasty drinks from the museum’s 2D cafe. We had some spare time before dinner, so our staff briskly took us on a trip to a nearby mall, which was super nice and fun! Our evening came to a close with a lovely dinner at a “spunky” restaurant, followed by final reflections with our International Director, Alexa. Our amazing mentors, Jose and Peggy, surprised the group by taking us on a thrilling night market to buy some last-minute goodies!
ขอบคุณ (Thank you!) for checking in today to hear about our final few adventures!
This is your final goodbye from Iselin and James 😎
BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 9
Writing today’s blog is Guillaume and Kayla.
Today was an eventful day that started at 7:00am. It was an incredible day at the elephant sanctuary! We started off by giving the elephants some delicious watermelon, which they absolutely loved. It was amazing to see them munching away happily.
After that, we went on a hike with the elephants through the lush forest. Walking alongside these gentle giants was a truly unforgettable experience. Later in the day, we had the chance to bathe the elephants in the river. Splashing around with them and helping them cool off was so much fun, and it was clear they enjoyed it too.
To end the day we had a delicious meal on a boat where we celebrated several birthdays. Overall this was an amazing experience and everyone got along well.
Thank you GLA families.
