Program Reviews

Going into the Global Glimpse program I really didn’t think it would have such a huge effect on me as a person and my perspective on the world. I’m more of an introverted person but doing the program really pushed my personal limits in the best way possible. The first day at the airport no one knew each other but we all started talking to each other instantly. All of us tried to make conversation with everyone and included everyone in a conversation so no one felt left out. We all got to meet each other and our Global Glimpse Leaders who were really wonderful. Once we all arrived to the Dominican Republic we were greeted by our wonderful Global Glimpse Coordinators at the airport who were the ones in charge of making our itinerary and tried their best to make everything comfortable for all of us. During this trip we were not allowed to have our phone for the 2 weeks, so once we arrived to the Dominican Republic they took away out phones. Although it seems like it’s really hard it really helps you disconnect with social media and actually connect with people and nature itself. The very first days were sort of hard because as someone who is really close to her family, not being able to contact them for the first days was hard but with the help of all the students there and everyone else you really get distracted with everything going on. The place we stayed in was really nice and comfortable for our group. The people we met there were really nice and patient with all of us there. Not only was this trip really fun but it really brought to my attention many problems going on around the country. We not only got to hear about them from someone who personally goes through them but we also got the opportunity to talk to him and what his experience has been. This person was able to tell us about his own personal experience and others on immigration and racism which was a really sad but eye widening story to hear about. The fact that we got the opportunity to talk to people from the around the community and that they let us into their home which was really nice of them to do because your home can be a very personal space, was such a great experience. What I really enjoyed about this was like I said being able to talk to locals. Although not everyone spoke and/or understood Spanish we had the global glimpse coordinators and leaders as well as some of us (the students) who spoke Spanish translate for both sides which gave everyone the opportunity to learn. We also got to go to the community and place we would be doing our Community Action Project (CAP). During the last 3 days of our trip we worked on our CAP and we were lucky enough to finish in time although we did face some challenges with the weather. We were lucky enough as well to have some of the kids of the community come in and seeing their reactions to our work was really awesome and heartwarming. Although we did get to have great learning experiences and opportunities at the community we also had out fun days which got all of us to get closer with each other and make all of our bonds stronger. It was really nice because we would all play card games which brought all of us together all the time. Overall, it was such a fun and eye widening experience. Really made me be grateful for everything I have and made me want to do more in my community to help out. If I could do it again I totally would and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for an experience which will bring you out of your comfort zone.

On this trip to Panama it was very unique. It was not only an opportunity to visit a new country but also to learn and improve on myself as well. From start to end I had tons of fun while expanding my leadership skills, which could not have been possible without the support I received from my fellow peers and global glimpse leaders. It is an opportunity that I encourage anyone to take if presented the chance. Do not be discouraged by finance because there are many people that are willing to help you reach the financial help you may need.

This was a life-changing experience. It was a time of unforgettable memories and many firsts. This trip allowed me to make very strong relationships with those in my delegation - making friendship bracelets, playing card games like Egyptian War and Uno, and walking around the city to hang out during our free time. This trip also was my first time flying alone without my parents, let alone to another country. So, the freedom and independence this opportunity provided were truly impactful on my growth.

We arrived at the San Francisco airport at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 16th, getting ready to check in for our flight at 12:30 a.m. As more people settled in, we had our first Global Glimpse headcount. It was a point of realization that this experience abroad to Panama, what I've been looking forward to all year, had just started. I was nervous, but I was mainly excited. As we lined up in headcount order to check-in bags, one of the Global Glimpse leaders and the first seven Glimpsers, me included, unfortunately, had problems with our tickets. While the rest of the group continued with the check-in process, we were unaware of what happened to our tickets and were soon left behind.

We missed our flight and got another one scheduled five hours later! However, it was a blessing in disguise. While it was unexpected and not ideal, it was a mini ice-breaker that allowed us to bond and get to know each other a little better. We were getting a bit hungry/thirsty, but my parents, fortunately still waiting at the airport, got us food/drinks from McDonald's. Waiting the next three hours at the airport before we could check-in, we colored a coloring book, played Heads Up, and even played Uno. It truly made the time fly by and was a highlight of my trip. We eventually reunited with the rest of the group at the Panama City Airport, ready for our adventure.

Panama is such a beautiful place. Even with the humidity, heat, and mosquitoes, it was so pleasant to see all the greenery from the mountains and nature. Whether it was when we explored the city on our walks or traveled on the bus, it was really nice getting the chance to appreciate the scenic backgrounds without my phone. I was able to cherish the moments and events right in front of me.

We spent most of our nights at Hotel Esperanza, which was an accommodation beyond what I imagined. I remember dropping my jaw the first time I stepped into my room. Each room consisted of about two to four people, but we all had our own beds, AC, and a ton of space. There were times when we didn't have water in our rooms - it's not uncommon to run out of running water in the city - but we were lucky with our accommodation compared to the others. However, I think living in a hotel with the amount of space and AC made me feel more like a tourist than someone trying to experience the lifestyle in Panama.

We had a personal food provider named Angie, who owned her restaurant called La Bruja. She would provide us food every meal, serving us various delicious foods - tacos, chicken, pork, pancakes, and even chow mein - with our daily side of salad, plantains, and juice/oat milk to drink. Everyone loved her cooking and created a strong bond. The last day was emotional, as it was really hard to say goodbye.

During our time in Panama, we explored the city, learned about the biocultural diversity, learned about water testing, worked at a local farm (Finca Pamel), met families from the community, painted doors at this school (Escuela Paris de Parita) for our CAP Project, and saw the Panama Canal. I had fun throughout the trip, but I mostly enjoyed my time at Finca Pamel and Escuela Paris.

During our time at the farm, we learned various agricultural tasks done in the area. We learned how to shovel dirt/rocks, plant beans/cucumber seeds, clean goat pens, and even milk a cow. The animals were super cute, especially Tuki Tuki, a donkey they got in December named after a popular Christmas carol called "Mi Burrito Sabanero". A lot of us were sweating, covered in dirt, and exhausted from the day, but I truly loved the collaboration and hard work we put in as a group.

For our CAP Project, we collaborated with Escuela Paris to help Principle Erika create a better learning environment for the students. They are currently struggling to find more students and teachers, so we discussed ideas to take action. We had three tasks we wanted to finish - paint the classroom doors with different colors/designs, paint the columns with their school values, and paint the floors with games like hopscotch. We misjudged the amount of time we had, so we unfortunately could only finish the doors.

But, seeing the kids pass us by with smiles and the teachers with proud expressions made me feel accomplished. While there was a language barrier that hindered my opportunity to get to know the students/staff, I was happy I was making a difference for the people at the school.

To sum it up, I had such a great experience. Being exposed to a new environment, learning more about the Panamanian lifestyle, and meeting/bonding with amazing people from my delegation by playing cards, making friendship bracelets, and going out during our free time. I made so many memories I'll never forget.

I've grown a lot and enhanced my confidence in collaborating with other young leaders like me. I learned the importance of inclusiveness, the power of diverse perspectives, and the impact of collaboration. I will definitely use what I learned in the future on other team projects like these.

Seeing the differences in lifestyle and resources, I changed my perspective on appreciation and happiness as I compared their living with mine. As mentioned in one of our nightly meetings, we Americans tend to always want more, whether it's money, awards, or other needs (mentioned by one of the Glimpsers in my delegation). Listening and meeting our guest speakers, they all seemed happy and content which was truly impactful. While some have to grow their own food or wake up at 5 a.m. every morning to get to school, they all appreciate what they already have. It's made me more aware of my blessings and appreciative of what's right in front of me, rather than always longing for something I don't have.

These two weeks were truly unforgettable, getting the chance to learn more about myself and the life around me. Thank you to Global Glimpse, my parents, my chemistry teacher, my fellow Glimpsers, my GGLs, my PCs, my food/accommodation providers, and the many others I've met along the way who gave me this opportunity and helped me grow!

My experience was unique because it was my first time leaving the country and being on a plane. The GGLs did an amazing jobs ensuring everyone’s safety and well being in the airport, and for the entirety of the trip. Jarabacao was beautiful, the sights of the mountains, Caribbean Sea, and the rivers there were amazing. The culture of the land was amazing to experience, I learned of yuca, Meringue, bachata, and coffee. I was able to make meaningful connections and became less dependent of technology.

Global Glimpse is an outstanding program that has given me the privilege to get to know another country that has been on my bucket list for a while now. The friends that you get to make, the sights you get to see is a core memory that Global Glimpse makes you have. The opportunity to hear perspectives of locals working or living in Costa Rica has changed my perspective of life. Working on a project with a purpose of creating a better community helped me want to create a better community here at home.

My name is Diego and I'm a rising senior from the Bay Area and I recently returned from my trip to Constanza, Dominican Republic (C2A) through Global Glimpse. The opportunity to travel to a new country and learn about a new culture was something that I could not pass on and had to experience. Thankfully, Global Glimpse made the trip very affordable to my family which was incredible because I probably would not have gone on the trip without the help of them and all the donors who support the students who want to join the program. The trip was such an amazing experience and has left a great mark on my life that I will truly remember forever. During my trip, I was able to engage with the communities in the Dominican Republic and learn about their everyday lives, something that I will forever cherish because it was so much fun but very eye-opening at the same time. Getting to play with the kids made me feel like a kid again and being surrounded by the welcoming people of the community we visited made all of us feel right at home. I was also able to learn about the immigration crisis that is going on in the Dominican Republic with Haitian immigrants who face much oppression and prejudice in the DR which really was extremely heartbreaking. Getting to hear the stories and visiting the sugar cane plantations in which these immigrants have to work was something that truly changed my outlook on the world and made me realize how fortunate and privileged my life is. My trip to Constanza also provided me with many great friends who I was able to connect with, we all came as strangers at the beginning but left as best friends by the end of our journey together. The program coordinators and leaders were incredible and made the experience so fun and memorable. They always made sure we were safe and that all of us felt included and heard. The food and accommodations were also amazing and way much better than what I was anticipating, the food was delicious and the accommodation was really comfortable and cozy. The experience I had on my trip was unforgettable and if I could do it again I for sure would. Letting go of my family was hard at first but the people who you share your trip with really help ease any feelings of homesickness that you might have on your trip. I highly encourage any student who is open to new experiences to apply and just do it because it's truly such an awesome experience! It helps disconnect you from your everyday life with social media and truly connect with the world around you.

This summer I got the chance to travel to Turrialba, Costa Rica with 21 other Bay Area students through the Global Glimpse program. As someone who is not super outspoken and shy and had never been out of the country before, this trip changed my life. Not only was it my first time out of the country it also allowed me to make long lasting connections with 21 other incredible students. During my trip I got to involve myself in new things and learn about the country I was staying in. I got to go out of my comfort zone when we worked on our CAP (Community Action Project). I have never had to mix cement before or do work like that in any capacity. And being able to do it there in Costa Rica where it would benefit a school was completely worth it. I would step out of my comfort zone 100 times over again if it meant I got to do work that would benefit the people of the community I was able to stay in.

Some might be skeptical of how once you arrive within the country you are traveling to, your phone gets taken away. Having my phone get taken away was personally a good thing for me. It allowed me to live in the moment with all my peers and really take in all that was around me. Costa Rica is such a biodiverse country so I'm glad that I didn't have my phone or else I feel like I would've been buried in it. Also because my phone got taken away, I was able to connect with the people on my trip more. If we all had our phones I feel like none of us would have been as close to each other as we are. So I am grateful that on this trip it was a no phones environment so I was able to take in my surroundings and genuinely bond with all the people I was there with.

Some of my favorite moments while in Costa Rica was during the free time we had while at the house. It was so nice to be able to bond with everyone when we had free time. We would play games, do a little bit of drawing, or just talk. Being able to be so close with all the people on my trip and getting to call them all my friends was incredible. Towards the end of the trip, a couple days before we had to leave, some of us sat down and drew pictures of each other. This is something I will always remember because it was just so much fun to draw with everyone and goof around. After we did our drawings, we hung them up all around the kitchen and up on the fridge. This was one of my favorite bonding moments. Another one of my favorite moments was during Community Day, where we got to spend a day with a local family in the community. I was so grateful to be able to spend a day with a local family since I got to see how another family lived. They allowed us into their home for the day and treated us just like we were apart of their family. They took us on a hike and we got to see the nature that they live around everyday. After the hike we got to eat a meal that they made and then made tortillas with them.

Being able to travel through Global Glimpse to another country and then assist the local community was a life changing experience. I made lifelong friends and I gained experience that will stick with me forever. I was able to have a successful trip where I learned about Costa Rica, leadership, and myself because of the four Global Glimpse Leaders that accompanied us and made sure we were all safe, learning, and having fun.

Global glimpse is easily on of the best programs I've ever been apart of which makes sense since it is on of the few programs available that allows you an opportunity to leave the country, and In doing so, I was able to not only have the best two weeks of my life, but also developing a appreciation for a different culture, which was the most important takeaway for me. Trust me, on this trip you will meet amazing people that you will want to stay in touch with forever, and not only that, but get pretty close with them in such a short time while making amazing memories, which is what most people love about this program. But the experiences you will have meeting the local people is everything. This program will not just teach you everything but will instead show you everything which is so important to really learning about struggles diffrent cultures face and how You will be able to see the closeness people going through struggle have that you might not see back in your communities, teamwork and solidarity beetween people that you won't see, all because of a different environment and culture, which is beautiful. And focusing away from there struggles is also smth seen on the trip. It's not just the problems, it's also the positives, you will see beautiful architecture that local people are proud of, you will enjoy food that local people are proud of, and you will learn to support people so they can support themselves and other in return. You will get to enjoy a new and beautiful way of life, and get a passion to help support more people, the passion to lead. And a passion to learn outside of your comfort zone.

Hi!! i was given the opportunity to travel with Global Glimpse to the Dominican Republic this year and i’m so glad i went. it was such an amazing experience getting to know other people in my delegation, along with the leaders and program coordinators who were incredibly supportive and helpful. it was my first time being so far away from home and everyone i was around made me feel safe and welcome in a completely new environment, and i felt comfortable asking for help and advice. the trip was very well structured and the coordinators did a really great job of making sure we were on time for our activities and made sure we were able to build community with each other, and the locals we met. it was a really nice balance of being an educational trip and fun trip since at the accommodation we had free time between activities and a fun day towards the end of the first week, so we didn’t feel burnt out or stressed the entire time. this was such a valuable trip for me and really sparked my interest in travel and public service and i know it’ll do the same for future glimpsers!

This trip really helped me grow as an individual and learn more about the world around me. By working with peers of my age, I was able to learn more about the Dominican Republic and the people there. Through our excursions planned by Global Glimpse, we made strong bonds that helped us complete our project for the community. These activities made me realize who I am on my own and with others. While contact home was limited, Global Glimpse helped ease other worries such as financial problems by offering scholarships and installment opportunities. In essence, Global Glimpse provides high school students with a great way to see the world they live in and develop themselves.