Global Leadership Adventures (GLA) Reviews

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.

I went on Global Leadership Adventures Initiative for Children, in Costa Rica and it change my perspective on everything. It broaden my perspective on how others in the world. I was able to see first hand how volunteering helped people. I gained a new respect for nature and the country of Costa Rica. Because of this amazing program I take the "Pura Vida" lifestyle everywhere I go. I have gained amazing friendships with people from all over. I have done things I never would have imagined from hiking to a beautiful waterfall, zip lining over tree tops, to surfing on the gorgeous Costa Rican coast. GLA is an amazing opportunity, I encourage everyone to seize it.

The name of the program has to be 100% true. Last summer, I chose to go to Thailand with Global Leadership Adventures instead of having a Sweet Sixteen and I could not be any happier. I learned so much about the Thai culture and absolutely loved the program. I learned about the food that they ate, even making my own, how to pray like a Buddhist monk, and about the country as a whole. I made so many friends, who I still keep in touch with and would love to go back. There was certainly the element of "Adventure" while I was there. We went zip lining, biking, kayaking, hiking, and so much more. We met a local hill tribe and even went to a Thai high school where we met some students. We also had the option to shop at markets. It was an immersive opportunity and I will never forget it. The volunteering itself was wonderful as well. We went to an orphanage and a home for women. The children at the orphanage were extremely happy and appreciative of us coming, which was always a pleasant experience. At the home for women, we helped build some bamboo fences and prepare the home for the rainy season which was approaching rapidly. They were very appreciative as well. Overall, I loved this program so much that I decided to go on another program the following year in Ghana. I believe Global Leadership Adventures is worth every penny and is truly a life-changing experience that everyone should consider.

This summer, I went to Krobo in Ghana with Global Leadership Adventures and it was absolutely amazing. We spent most of our time with the children, whether we were building bricks, teaching, or playing with them. We immersed ourselves into the culture right away. We were able to try all of the traditional foods, dances, and even the local language Krobo. They took us to the market where we were able to shop for our own fabrics that we had tailored into clothes. I learned so much on the trip. In the afternoons, after teaching in the morning and before we went to play with the children, we would learn about Ghana and how we could continue our service. We participated in leadership activities about privilege and how we could better the world. At the park, where we played with the children, we always seemed to have the best of times. We would play and laugh with the kids. They would all come meet us at HomeBase and walk with us to the Park. We brought fun toys and games like bubbles, soccer balls, and other things. When we taught in the mornings, the children were eager to learn, and our mentors helped prepare for our days in the classroom. We also had a chance to eave the community and go explore Ghana. We went hiking and to a beach club which was really cool. I honestly loved volunteering in Ghana so much and would go back in a heartbeat. I recommend this program to anyone who is interested, and those who are not should reconsider it because it changed my perspective on the world.