Program Reviews

In June 2015, I went on the GLA Heart & Soul of Africa trip in Arusha, Tanzania. These two weeks were honestly the best and most rewarding weeks of my life. I learned and personally got to experience Tanzania culture - from eating food to speaking in Swahili to the locals, I gained so much valuable insight and knowledge into not just a different culture but a different world as well. In two weeks, I experienced so many things - painting traditional African batik paintings, hiking the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro, cooking plantain soup, teaching primary school kids, exploring the wild outdoors through the safari weekend at Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire National Park, and so much more. To parents who are interested in sending their kids to a volunteer program or students who are interested in going, I highly recommend not just Global Leadership Adventures but the Heart & Soul of Africa trip as well, as they make sure you are comfortable and safe during the whole trip while also providing you with the culture and experience of that country you are visiting. A helpful tip to anyone going on a trip like this: keep an open mind! Don't shy away from any activities! You are probably already outside your comfort zone just by flying to another country, but try to have an open mind to make sure that you make the most of the trip and your time in Tanzania!

This was my fourth and final trip with Global Leadership Adventures. After traveling to Costa Rica, the Galapagos and the Dominican Republic with GLA, I was thrilled to finally be going to Thailand. The local staff was amazing and I learned so much about Thai culture. Working with elephants every day was an experience rivaled by none. After spending a few days in the city of Chiang Mai, we finally headed off to the village where the Elephant Conservation center was. We woke up very early every day to clean up after the elephants and bathe them, a surprisingly enjoyable task. We also participated in other service activities such as planting trees, teaching english in schools, and cutting and planting grass (the food for the elephants). I really was not sure what to expect as this was my first time traveling to Asia. But now that I have spent two weeks there and met so many wonderful people, all I can think about is going back. I was in the first group of the program so we acted sort of as the guinea pigs for what service work activities would work the best. We also were given the chance to help cook at the conservation center. We were assigned a day to cook dinner and we learned how to prepare an official Thai dish. I have a million wonderful things to say about this program, and I couldn't be happier with my experience. I was really able to discover my love for learning about other cultures, and my love for preserving species. We engaged in meaningful discussions about animal rights, and how one person can make a change (a discussion started by our mentor Ash Hastings). I cannot recommend Global Leadership Adventures enough, it is such a wonderful program.

last summer I volunteered abroad global leadership adventures protecting the pacific program in costa rica and I'd have to say it was one if not the best experience I've ever had, I learned so much and met so many incredible people I will never forget, Costa Rica is absolutely beautiful and the people are extremely nice, it really was the best summer. I'm looking forward to volunteering abroad Global Leadership Adventures agin soon.

Traveling to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands with Global Leadership Adventures was a truly awesome experience. The stories and memories I have from this trip are ones I will appreciate forever. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone considering volunteering abroad. I met so many great people and I learned a lot about myself. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to volunteer with GLA because it helped me learn what it is like to travel overseas and abroad for a couple of weeks, and I always felt safe.

One of the most meaningful experiences for me, although it might seem like a simple act of kindness, was when one of my mentors on the trip decided to help me find all the ingredients needed to make Chai. I had mentioned to him in the second week of the trip that I really wanted to get all the ingredients to make Chai before I returned home, and I hadn't mentioned it again. Then came the last week of the trip and we went to the markets to get our last minute gifts. I had believed that he had completely forgotten about my favor, but instead he found me in the marketplace and went to each of the little shops making sure that I got everything and making sure that I wasn't being ripped off. While this seems small it meant a lot to me and it definitely exemplifies how dedicated the mentors are to their students.

My service trip to Costa Rica through Global Leadership Adventures was for ocean conservation. One of our days was spent doing half a day of beach service and then the other half learning how to surf. After cleaning up the beach and working to prevent erosion, which was much fun and informative in itself, we got to try an exciting activity that was new for most of us: surfing. Being able to be in the Pacific and surf was an indescribable experience and the surfing instructors were passionate and excited about their jobs, which made the experience that much more fun for us. I think that dual-day of service and fun really describes Global Leadership Adventures; it's a program that is all about being passionate about service, but also about experiencing cultures of different countries. Any trip with GLA is one of a lifetime that will leave you with lasting phenomenal memories.

What sets GLA apart is not only the amazing cultural immersion and the knowledge that you're actually contributing to the local community, but the incredibly open minded and thought provoking environment. Every night by kerosine lamp light, amazing mentors (shoutout to Swiff Amy Paulina and Sara!) would inspire profound conversation about our personal lives, Tanzania, and world/societal issues that would leave everyone reluctant to go to bed. I found myself spending a morning discussing philosophy in a safari car with people I'd just met, then spending that afternoon whooping with the roof down and wind blowing as we drove alongside wildebeest herds. Every single day we would learn more about Tanzanian culture (I bought WAY too much art at the markets) and fall more in love with how beautiful the country is, and our local staff were family to us. We would even call them kaka (brother), dada (sister), and mama! On top of that, the friends you make on a GLA trip will not only be some of the most amazing genuine and thoughtful people you'll ever meet, but they'll also inspire you to be open minded everyday henceforth. Out of all 40 people who went to Tanzania with me, not one of them felt as though their life was not changed afterwards. There is just something about walking home hand in hand with little Zainabu singing Waka Waka as the sun sets that makes you love life more. There was never a single moment not filled with discovery of both self and surroundings, and because of GLA I have become a wiser, more passionate, and more compassionate person. I am thankful for my experience everyday.

Traveling with GLA this past summer was honestly one of the most amazing things I could have done with my time. The two weeks I spent in Ghana were absolutely life changing. I made some amazing friends and experienced something that can't fully be explained by words. The food was amazing, the people were amazing, and never in a million years did I think I would fall so hard in love with Africa. I highly recommend this program to any teenager looking to make an impact and see what life is like outside of the US.

I took this trip after my Freshman year in college. Now I am a graduating senior and I look back to think about how much this trip has truly changed my life. You learn so much from the families you come in contact with and it has shaped where I see my career going in the future. I would go back in a heart beat!

Hi all! I am a Global Leadership Adventures Alumni and I had an amazing time in Peru, this past summer! I really recommend GLA! The housing experience was great! GLA Peru rented out a hotel in Cusco, for both the 2 week and the 3 week groups. I felt very safe there! I had never been to Peru, so I felt that by being there I grew, a lot! I understood much of their culture and what their lifestyles are like. The program staff were very supportive! I felt that I was able to talk to them about whatever I needed, or if I was frustrated with other students! Overall I recommend GLA to all High School age students.