Program Reviews

My son had an amazing experience with GLA. The support was wonderful, the travel was easy, and the group was a perfect size for getting to know each other in a real way. Nice mix of fun and service. Highly recommend. The flagship program gave them an opportunity to interact with kids and teach in the elementary school, pour a sidewalk at a shelter, and spend time with monks at the temples. I would recommend booking travel with the suggested travel partner, and GLA posts a roster of people going and where they are coming from. The kids met at the hub airport (New York or LA) and went to Hong Kong and then Chang Mai. Well run program! The group still keeps in touch now and is planning to get together over the holidays.

Leading up to my daughter's departure, GLA was extremely supportive and helpful. I loved that you could book your own flights (as opposed to being forced to go to JFK or Ontario first) because I'm in a mileage program. Even then, they helped me book the flight that worked the best. During the trip, I waited each and every day to look at the program blog. It was so wonderful seeing my daughter step out of her comfort zone with a smile on her face. Right when she came back home she immediately told me about the millions of plans she had to return to South Africa or go on another GLA trip. I'm happy to say I'm planning to let her go on one again :) !

By far the greatest experience of my life! Global leadership Adventures made it so easy and enjoyable to go overseas and help serve a community. They immersed us in the culture and they weren’t afraid to push us to try new things. If you can, it’s a must go! It’s a once in a lifetime experience, and you’ll make great friends along the way! The only problem we experienced was sickness. A few people got sick, but it was nothing that the doctors and staff couldn’t handle! No one let that stop the amazing time we had on our trip

My daughter went on the Thailand Cultural Kaleidoscope trip this summer through Global Leadership Adventures. I have never seen her so happy upon her return. When she proposed this trip to me, I was very nervous because she would be in a new country without me or anyone she knew. However, I was reading the description of the trip and saw how much service she would be doing and eventually let her go. We spoke to each other every night and she kept telling me how amazing the trip was and that I shouldn’t worry because of how safe it was. They were very strict and secure at all times so there was nothing to worry about. To any parent skeptical of letting their child go away, you should know that my daughter did not feel unsafe at all on the trip and it is a once in a lifetime opportunity. She could not stop talking about her experience when she came back, and people are still telling her how amazing it is that she was able to volunteer abroad!

My experience in Costa Rica was absolutely amazing. I have changed so much as a person in that I am more open minded and open to trying new things. My experience was made phenomenal because I connected with so many wonderful people. Since GLA I have been more 'go with the flow' (Pura Vida) and certainly have a new perspective on the world around me. I understand that living simply can still yield happiness. My favorite memory was at a bread making class in which it started down pouring as it typically does in the rainforest. Instead of running for cover, Costa Rican children came outside and splashed around with us in the mud to Latin music. This moment was truly eye opening to what is truly important.

It was a big step for us to let our daughter go on her first big foreign trip on her own. However, we were re-assured by the extensive and well planned communication from GLA. We also noticed our daughter being very responsible in all her actions and in preparing for the trip. She really developed and grew as a result of the experience and came back clearly having had the best of times having met so many wonderful friends. She just can't stop talking about her experience abroad. It positively transformed her and I can highly recommend the experience to others. Despite my initial hesitations she had such an amazing time that she's going back this summer to Thailand.

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.

Last year, I went on the 14 day GLA program to Ghana. This program focused on cultural immersion and close interactions with the community in Krobo. We had the opportunity to teach english in a local primary school, build bricks for a school library, and learn about Ghana's beautiful culture. The GLA staff were eager to help us make the most of our short time there and ensured that there was never a dull moment! I would highly recommend this program to any high school student with an open mindset and a willingness to expand his or her horizons. GLA is an incredible chance for teens to experience the impact of service and learn about world issues in a very hands-on environment. Through this program, I made lasting bonds with people from all over the country as well as people on the other side of the world. If you go on this program, open yourself up to new people, try all the foods, learn the local dances, attempt to speak Krobo, ask questions, and most importantly, have fun!

My daughter, now 16, has traveled with GLA the past two summers. Her first trip was the Galapagos program, and she did Bali this past year. She does not have enough great things to say about her trips, and when she got home from the airport after her trips, she could not stop talking about them for hours. Even still she tries to bring her trips into conversation whenever possible. As a parent, I was originally worried about letting her go, even though we had done significant international travel as a family before. We went to an alumni open house event before her first trip, and that solidified my confidence in GLA. She was able to talk to a girl who had gone on trips before, and her parents were able to speak to me about their experience. While she was abroad, we got frequent updates on the program blog, and seeing her smiling face in pictures reassured me. In Bali particularly, she fell in love with the lifestyle and the new culture she experienced. She has never been the type to work with children, but after volunteering in the Balinese schools, she has completely changed. She is much more patient with others, and has a newfound appreciation for education. Cannot say enough great things about GLA and the amazing opportunities they offer. She has found a new passion for travel, and is currently signed up for a third summer with GLA.

This summer I spent 10 days in Parrita Costa Rica with Global Leadership Adventures on the Beachside Service Adventure and the experience was beyond words. I definitely left a piece of my heart in the community of Parrita in Costa Rica and they have taught me so much more than I could have ever imagined. Being able to challenge myself and gain skills through service, activities like ziplining and horseriding, the leadership curriculum and putting myself out of my comfort zone has been unforgettable and truly life changing as it has helped me grow as a person. For my service project I worked on painting a mural at a school called Sardinal Sur and sometimes it was challenging because we had to paint in the rain and a lot of our hard work got ruined however we all banded together to fix it and make it the best it could be. Originally it was mentioned that we may not be able to finish in 10 days however we outdid ourselves and got so much done, seeing the children's faces looking at our mural on the last day of service was so rewarding and made everything worth it. I would highly recommend this trip if you are considering going on it or any other GLA trip because the company is great and I never felt unsafe so dont be worried.