Program Reviews

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 program is perfect for any high schoolers who have a passion for travel and medicine. I highly recommend taking this trip if you are interested in medicine because Global Leadership Adventures allows you to work with nurses and doctors, as well as take vitals and provide pharmaceutical assistance to the patients. The program gives you an immersive experience that teaches students what medicine is like outside of the United States. The program will also allow you to realize whether or not medicine and public health are the right career paths for you. Outside of service, the lectures taught by GLA staff are phenomenal. You will learn about the economic, political and social cultures of the country, including the state of the country's public health system. As for home base life, the hotel that I stayed in was gorgeous and the food was delicious. GLA staff did a marvelous job of insuring that students feel safe and included in the group at all times. 11/10!

This summer I spent two weeks with amazing staff, students, and guides on the beautiful islands that are the Galapagos. This experience was my first time traveling alone, and i have to say it couldn't have been better. Everyday we would do community service work, with purpose and pride, just like the staff had taught us. We also got to experience the culture and beautify of these islands though many fun activities like hiking, snorkeling, beach walks, spending time in the town, and more. The staff had extensive knowledge and were more than willing to answer questions, goof around, and participate with students. Future participants be aware, you will come back changed. Seeing one of the last places on earth that is virtually untouched will change you, it changed me. To see how elegant nature is without human interaction has made me want to fight even more to protect it. I cam home wondering what more I could do, and swear of the impact my everyday actions have. This trip will change you, and 100% of that is for the better.

My daughter, Maisy had a wonderful experience with her trip with GLA. She has an anxious personality, and this trip brought her out of her comfort zone and she learned the value of independence and travel. Maisy went to Parrita, Costa Rica and was able to help build a playground immerse herself in the culture of Parrit. GLA staff was always so helpful and answered all and any questions we had, making us feel welcome and comfortable. I would highly recommend GLA trips for teens to any parent. Enjoy your trip!!

My daughter went to Tanzania last summer, and you should have seen my face when she first asked me what I thought about her travelling half way across the world with an organization I had never heard of before! I was nervous, but Global Leadership Adventures was so quick to answer all of the questions I had for them, and in so much detail. The organization made me feel comfortable and I was very confident my daughter was in good hands. I recommend Global Leadership Adventures to anyone with an adventurous child. We heard about the Tanzania for months after my daughter returning home, but we don't mind, it really did change her life!

My daughter went to Tanzania this past summer. In preparation for the trip, I was impressed with the organization; nothing was overlooked! The trip was well run and left her with a feeling of accomplishment and a desire for helping more. I highly recommend this trip for any teenager since it will increased their awareness of the world while this organization keeps them safe in their pursuit. They also have fun activities planned in addition to the volunteering.

This past summer my daughter Ava travelled to Belize for two weeks with Global Leadership Adventures. At first I was a bit hesistant to let her go on the trip, but I had never seen her so impassioned by a cause. Also, after extensive research on several websites, I found out GLA has few to no bad reviews and about a million amazing ones. The assurance from other parents about the trip’s safety and impact on their child’s life are what finally convinced me to let her go. And it was so worth it!! Ava had THE time of her life and found a new sense of purpose as well as many new friends. The in-country staff was always there if I ever needed to place a call in case of emergency but if I had questions I’d just email GLA and they got back to me quickly. My personal favorite part of this organization are the blogs that the students post online every few days. They gave me a great idea of what Ava was doing each day and I loved the pictures attached! Couldn’t recommend this organization more!!

I recently went on the 14 day Service in the Sacred Valley trip with Global Leadership Adventures. From the minute I arrived at the airport, I was welcomed by the GLA staff. Over the next two weeks, I grew as a person, had life-changing experiences, and met a great group of people.

This program is excellent for anyone that wants to challenge themselves and learn about a different culture. In the 14 days, I was in Peru; I challenged myself both physically and mentally. It was a very intense program as the work was hard and the altitude did not help. Our determination to serve was so overwhelming that we did our best to help out as much as we could. At the end of our hard work, we were able to see the finished product: a cuy (guinea pig) farm that would help the family financially and would be a source of food. The family was so overwhelmed with gratitude that they even go us a thank you gift. One of the best moments of my trip, better than Machu Picchu or getting spit on by llamas, was helping out that one family and hearing them thank us, even if it was in a different language.

Overall the trip is fantastic! You bond with the people around you, both peers and mentors, and you get to do incredible things while exploring a different country. If anyone is considering the program, I genuinely recommend GLA.

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.

This was the most incredible 2 weeks of my life. I was terrified as I was 16 and going totally by myself but it was so incredible. I soon realized that almost everyone that goes on trips with Global Leadership Adventures goes without friends or siblings and I felt so much better. I felt 100% safe at all times while on my trip. All of the work we did was incredible and I felt like I bonded with the kids so much although I felt like 2 weeks was not enough at all and wished I had chosen the 3 week trip. I met 6 incredible girls that I now consider to be my best friends and I will be flying across the country to visit them in just a few months; that's how strong the friendships you make with Global Leadership Adventures can be. I still have cards and pictures given to me by the kids I taught in Costa Rica. I will be going on another trip with Global Leadership Adventures this summer for even longer because of how much I loved the Initiative for Children!