Global Leadership Adventures (GLA) Reviews

This summer I went to China with a group of 24 students. Originally when searching for programs I found that none of them were even close to my price range as they were all too expensive. At first, I selected Global Leadership Adventures because of its affordable price and its service component. But it turned out to be so much more than that! GLA was an experience through which I learned to be more independent and confident. When out in the streets with other students we had to use our language skills to communicate which took a lot of brain power but also a lot of confidence. Making friends while on the China program was not hard at all. All the kids on my program were ambitious and they cared about making a difference. Since I found kids similar to me on the program it was really easy to make friends. Even though it's been a while since this summer we still have our group chat going strong and I even regularly meet up with two of the kids who live close to me. I definitely recommend GLA for other students because it really was a life changing experience for me and I think everyone should experience this great adventure!

This past summer I had the amazing opportunity to participate in one of Global Leadership Adventures' (GLA) Thailand service trips! I went for two weeks to Chiang Man, in northern Thailand, and created lesson plans and later executed them to teach English in public primary schools. Being able to see thoughts and plans become a reality, while also helping expose children to a new language helped create a strong bond and an experience that can only be understood by doing it. There's a lot of service but it's balanced with fun and cultural immersion. We visit temples and markets, meets monks, eat delicious new food, and interact with people, and animals, that you've never met before! The program directors do a great job of prioritizing the service but making it fun also. Every part of the experience has helped me grow, from fundraising to traveling internationally alone to immersing myself across the world. I hope everyone who wants to can have this adventure!

My past summer service trip was an extraordinary adventure that I looked forward to for months on end before summer of 2017 came. Throughout the school year my mother would use the trip as a common incentive for me to keep up to date on my school work while motivating me to be the best that I can be because I knew that I had such a big reward coming my way. When the day came to get on the plane, I was nervous about not really knowing anyone and being so far from my family for so long. I was comforted by the Gla facebook pages that allowed me to at least know some names and faces prior to the trip. If it wasn't for the amazing staff and opportunity that the company gave me, I would not be the same person that I am today. My trip was filled with amazing food, one-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and experiences and friendships that will go on to last me a lifetime.

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.