Thailand: Elephant & Education Initiative Program for Teens

This summer I was lucky enough to spend two weeks in the most amazing country with the most amazing program, Global Leadership Adventures. This program offered so much and gave me the experience of a lifetime to give back and also gain cultural insight on the beautiful Chiang Mai Thailand in Asia. What was unique about my experience was the culture shock. When I had arrived in Thailand I didn't know how to piece my emotions of happiness towards this beautiful country I was lucky enough to be in. For anyone debating on participating in this program I say do it, it gave me the culture bug where all I want to do now is go back, it made the leave so hard because the experience was so amazing. I have absolutely no regrets with this program or this trip. This had a MAJOR impact on my life post-trip, it changed my path. I know now I need to help people, I need to give back. The peace corps was something I had never looked into until now, or even global teaching for english. This trip made me look at life in a new light with a new perspective. My favorite memory on this trip was while I was teaching, I was in the back of the classroom with a student because she was ahead of the class and wanted to learn a little more advanced english. Teaching to a country that does not speak your language was extremely difficult but this student made it easy, her name was Nuan. On the last day tears filled my eyes and this student who I had made a connection with and who had touched my heart came up to me and repeated a long sentence in english, ending in "I will miss you and I love you". Hearing English words you taught come out of the student will be a memory I hold onto forever. Alongside that, every part was honestly my favorite and I genuinely recommend this program to anyone who is interested in making a change that will make yourself be the change.

When my 15 year old approached me about volunteering abroad, I must say I was apprehensive. The world is changing everyday in so many unpredictable ways. However, I wasn’t raised to fear the world. I was taught to be bold and to work towards my dreams with passion. Despite the craziness we’ve seen worldwide, I don’t want any of my children to be afraid to explore the world. There’s so much more than the boxes we live in and we only get one chance to make the most of our time here. That said, I can’t just send them out into the world with reckless abandon either....so I researched...ALOT....trying to find a program which I thought would help my teen develop an appreciation for other cultures. One that would help guide, without stifling creativity and would encourage growth and independence. I went through countless reviews by parents and participants of many programs. Global Leadership Adventures seemed to be a perfect fit for my young, new to be, world traveler. A great balance of service, culture, and adventure. From day one, a GLA representative was available to answer any questions, to help guide us through the process. We were well informed as to what would be required, timelines, deadlines....any and all of the behind the scenes stuff to make this trip a reality. I can’t say enough about the staff who help me along the way! My teen had never even flown stateside alone...so I was rather concerned about an international flight...especially with layovers and connecting flights. However, our GLA reps had completely prepared us for how things would go, right down to filling out the customs form. Thank you Jenica!! You were a huge help and comfort to me! I’m pretty sure Max appreciated all of the preflight info too! 🙂 After much fundraising, some gracious family members, and some very gracious scholarships from GLA, and a foundation who believes wholeheartedly in the importance of what GLA provides to teens ... the Live Like Ally Foundation, 3 weeks in Thailand would become a reality! It has inspired Max to want to do more. It has provided a solid foundation to encourage growth for a different future. One where boundaries become blurred and opportunities are more than just dreams. Where teens who have been “privileged” can appreciate the little things. I don’t mean privileged as in rich, but in the sense of not worrying about where their next meal is coming from, or being able to attend school instead of working as a child or teen to help support the family. There is so much to learn in this world, but many are too afraid to learn. Too afraid to promote change. Changes don’t have to be global. The children, the families, the communities our GLA teens are supporting....it doesn’t take much to inspire 1, who could then inspire 1 more. Before long, that 1, turns into countless numbers of people who have been inspired in different ways to accomplish different things. I am grateful my teen has the desire to want to do more. To help others. To take a chance on the world and believe that it can be better. GLA as been an amazing group for my teen. I hope others will see the importance of stepping outside of the box...outside of their comfort zone, and be the change.

This summer, I went on the 21 day flagship program to Thailand with Global Leadership Adventures, and it was the best experience of my life. I grew so much as a person from group discussions and seeing all different walks of life in another culture. I never once felt unsafe, which was very nice. It was definitely clear that safety was the number one priority. The support we received from our mentors was amazing; they were always there for us to talk about missing family, to being scared of an activity, to personal struggles affecting you on the trip. The mentors really help to make you feel welcomed. We got to see every aspect of Thailand, from the nightlife of the markets to the daily lives of rice paddy farmers. The activities were all so much fun and had something to learn from them. The mentors are always making sure we're aware of what's going on. My favorite part about the trip, besides teaching Thai children, would be the last night of the program when we all laid out on the floor to write our bag notes and stayed up late to finish them after our final dinner. We had all grown so close throughout our 21 days and we just talked about our favorite parts of the trip and it felt like everything came full circle.

My daughter went on this trip this past summer and she didn't have any desire to come. She made amazing friends that she still contacts today. They are amazing resources as she is planning on visiting some soon. More traveling for her! The pictures I saw we absolutely beautiful. Elephants highlighted each one! I must say that I'm glad she got to experience Thai culture as well. Seeing her cook a Thai dish excited me as I know she will be making dinner for a few days when she comes home. An amazing experience for her and I recommend for any student looking to pursue a passion.

What an amazing experience I had in Thailand! Every day we woke up to the trumpeting of elephants outside our door. Prior to signing up, I must say that I was very nervous about traveling to another country. However, within 5 seconds of arriving at the airport, I had already seen 3 others with the same GLA shirt. Not once on this trip did I ever find myself alone, nervous, and scared. It was an amazing environment and I was so excited to meet new friends. My entire experience was absolutely amazing as I was able to interact with elephants first hand. We washed them in the river, rode them through the forest and rewarded them with yummy snacks like bananas, sugarcane, etc. Thai culture was also an important aspect of my trip. We traveled too and from different temples and met Thai children at a local school. It was a blast! Get ready to head to Thailand if you are looking for an amazing experience.

My daughter went to Thailand with Global Leadership Adventures and loved it! We were hesitant to let her travel alone, but she proved to be capable, and the support GLA provided was fantastic. We felt comfortable with her safety and wellbeing, and she came home with new stories and a new excitement about the world! Great experience for her, and we felt comfortable. Her service was something she was passionate about and will value for a long time.

I went to Thailand this last summer with Global Leadership Adventures, and I'm in love. Not just with Thailand, but with the program! GLA has amazing staff, and they're so supportive and caring throughout your trip and after. I always felt safe and secure, which I'm sure was not easy in the areas we sometimes went, but I never questioned it for a second. I had an amazing time, and I think that any opportunity I get to swim with elephants is an automatic favorite memory.

I had such an amazing experience through Global Leadership Adventures! I traveled to Thailand not knowing anyone, yet I felt at home. Each student was so welcoming and eager to make new friends. My favorite part of the two weeks was definitely teaching English to the children. They were so engaged in the lessons and tried to understand, although the language barrier was a challenge. The kids were so thankful that we taught at their school and crying as they said goodbye. I also loved immersing myself in Thai culture visiting many different temples, and also volunteering at an elephant conservation. We also had a Thai cooking lesson. It was so much fun learning about new foods that are different than ones I usually eat. Besides the many different activities, the Global Leadership Adventure mentors were always so nice and helpful. They were always there for us and were willing to talk about anything. This was an unforgettable experience that I would love to repeat hopefully next summer!