Program Reviews

My three weeks in Andahuaylillas (a little town about an hour south of Cusco) were easily among the most magical times of my life and is something that I will never forget as long as I live. Being in the Andes surrounded by all the culture and history of the land and people was extremely enlightening, it helped put more of a perspective on the size of the world. The massive mountains around you all the time and the best view of the night sky I have ever experienced in my life are extremely high up on my list of favorite things about going on this trip. The only thing that surpasses that is the people who went through it all with me. I met thirty-something of the most amazing people i could have ever hoped to meet, I consider these people to be some of my best and closest friends on the planet. One of the funniest times of my whole life was the series of days that we travelled to Machu Picchu. Each day was super awesome in a different way, from a multiple hour bus ride with a soak in some sweet hot springs at the end, to a scenic walk along railroad tracks next to the beautiful Urubamba river on our way to Aguas Calientes. I remember everyone walking around laughing and having a great time while we looked around all the markets that had things that you don't generally see in the USA. This trip was absolutely incredible and life changing in so many ways. I loved every second of my time in Peru and I would recommend this to everyone!

It's hard to put into words, or even cohesive thoughts, everything that I have gained from this experience, but I will do my best, as this is a review. Overall, the trip was an INCREDIBLE experience that I wouldn't have traded for anything else. It is hands down one of the best (if not the single best) things I have done in my life thus far, as it has opened my eyes to so many new cultures and perspectives. My trip began with a view of the most amazing sunset as we flew into Kilimanjaro airport, shortly followed by a delicious home-cooked meal (by candlelight) prepared by the wonderful Mamas! From there, my amazing experiences quickly multiplied, including shopping for fabric at a local market, dancing with a group of grandmothers on a coffee plantation, and hiking through the backyards of members of the Chaga tribe on Mount Kilimanjaro! However, my favorite excursion by far was the Safari Weekend. I have decided that Ngorongoro Crater is my new favorite place in the world--it is so serene and peaceful because the only people there are safari tourists and Maasai. The roof of the safari car raises up so we spent most of the ride standing on our seats, and when you're down there, all you can see is the open sky, rolling plains, and mountains on all sides. We saw zebras, elephants, lions, hippos, impala, and giraffes (to name a few)--some cars saw a lion cross the road right in front of them! Aside from the safari, I think my favorite part of the trip was getting to interact with all of the people I met. One of my favorite moments was when a student looked me in the eye and told me "I write better because of you", to which I replied "I am happier because of you"--I know, SUPER corny, but it's true! Another moment I loved was seeing the excitement on Mama Lucy's face when I told her that her daughter Glari had exceptional English for a six-year old (Glari had spent the evening sitting on my lap helping me play UNO). One of the absolute best moments from my trip was seeing how grateful Mama Hephzibah was when I gave her my sneakers on the last day (it's AMAZING what a single pair of shoes can do!). I was also blown away by how easily our host families accepted us into their homes, and I loved being able to sit in their living rooms and talk for hours about our cultures, dreams and aspirations. The first day I met him my host brother Patric was wearing a shirt with nearly every American logo patched on that you could imagine--he wants to come to America and be a DJ someday! In addition to the native people, I learned so much from my wonderful group members and mentors! It was amazing to hear everybody's stories, people came from all over the place! To name a few, there were six students from China, two Mormons from Utah, a girl from a Native American community in Minnesota, a nationally-ranked pageant-winner from Ohio and one of our mentors was an ex-opera singer on her fifth trip to Tanzania! Although I have tried, I cannot possibly fit everything I want to say into this review, so I will end it by saying that my parents originally said no when I asked to go on the trip (their concerns were cost and safety, neither of which ended up being a problem), but the other day my mom turned to me and said, "I am so glad that you convinced your father and I to let you go on this trip", and I can say with 100% certainty that I'll be forever grateful that I convinced them too!

I absolutely love this trip to India; it made this summer the best summer ever. The whole schedule was really well developed. It was very packed everyday but it didn't make me feel overwhelmed. The idea of leadership was being carried out all the time.

Every morning, we would go to our placement. I was worrying about whether there would be too many people doing one single thing; however, the mentors kept each placement under six people. I chose to be a sports camp, and my team had only six people. Everyone had to contribute something; no one could sit there and do nothing. Every night, our mentor would discuss about the lesson plan with us. The first few days, my team was a little bit unorganized, but we put a tons of effort into collaborating with each other. I learnt so much about team work through out this experience.

Lunch and dinner were always my favorite part of the day. Our mentor Elise put so much effort into the meals. Everyday, we would have one western meal and one Hindu meal. We built a strong connection between the kitchen guys; they really cared about what we eat and our favor. In free time, me and my dorm mates loved to visit them and watch them cook. They would teach us about different spices and how to make good chai.

In the afternoon, we would go explore Dharmasala. The local mentors dig deep into this town and let us experience the culture in numerous ways. We visited a philosopher, who mind-blowed me and is still in contact with me, Dalai Lama's temple, a local feminist, a animal shelter, a fair-trade business, a Tibet medicine factory. I would never have chances to go to these exotic places and meet those amazing people on a normal trip.

Overall, this trip is definitely a five-star trip. I definitely want to go back.

I truly wish there were words to adequately describe just how incredible my 3 week trip to Ghana was. It was without a doubt the best 21 days of my life. The experience will change students more than they could ever imagine and they will without a doubt never be the same.

My expectations going into the trip were extremely high, but they were more than surpassed. Everything about it was seemingly perfect - the service (teaching & building bricks), cultural activities, housing, food, and workshops. The relationships built are lifelong relationships- the mentors were insightful and more personable than I can describe and the bonds formed with them and especially with the other students are unique in the best way possible. Our group became a family very quickly and to this day they are still some of my greatest friends.

I cannot emphasize enough how highly I would recommend a GLA trip. The growth that takes place inside of every single person is unimaginable until one actually experiences it. Every high school student NEEDS this experience (although they might not realize it beforehand).

I went on this trip not having any clue as to what to expect. It was the first time this program (Spanish & Service in the Osa) had ever been done before. How could I have possibly known I was about to have the most incredible experience of my life? Everyone on the trip was lively on friendly, including the mentors. Their role may have been mentors but we were all enjoying the new and exciting scenery and adventures equally; as it was their first time seeing all of the things as well. The people in the town welcomed us with open arms and were very understanding of our developing spanish skills. Enjoying the culture of Rancho Quemado and eating the local cuisine was one of my favorite parts. Our time doing community service made me feel helpful and put me in touch with some of the needs of smaller communities. In addition to our everyday community service and tours to parts of the area, we took a weekend excursion that was amazing! We kayaked up a river, swam to our hike, hiked to multiple waterfalls, and then it began to rain making the experience a thousand times better. Being in the rainforest in Costa Rica, standing next to a waterfall while water pours down is what I consider a perfect moment.

GLA allowed me to have a rare life changing experience; the two weeks I spent in Costa Rica were the most amazing and genuinely unforgettable weeks I have ever had. My eyes were opened to another country and I was totally immersed in its culture and language. We actually got to know the locals as we helped rebuild their schools and reforest their land, forming real relationships with them. The service projects we participated in had remarkable effects on the community and feels so good to know that we had a positive impact. At the end of my program, one man spoke to a group of us and generously thanked us for everything we did; it was a heartwarming experience I will remember forever. I also formed strong friendships with all of the other teens who were in Costa Rica with me. In fact, we still talk almost every day. Within only a few days, it felt as if all of us had known each other for weeks. Without GLA, I never would have met such strong leaders who helped challenge me to develop my own leadership skills. Our mentors were also one of the highlights of the trip. We talked daily about how this experience affected our previous beliefs and we were given a great amount of instruction, advice, and guidance from our mentors.
From playing on the beaches to zip lining upside down through the rainforest to planting hundreds of trees, I learned myself as well as our planet while in Costa Rica and these experiences have affected my life in more ways than I ever though they could. I am so grateful I had this opportunity and wish I could relive the entire experience!

After going on three adventures with GLA (Guatemala, Galapagos and Costa Rica), I can say that if you’re looking for a physically challenging, rewarding and purposeful program, the Galapagos adventure is the one for you.

Galapagos was the most culturally immersive program and I got so much out of it. The local guide was very knowledgable, and I not only learned about the Galapagos Islands and their history, but also that of Ecuador as well.

At the home bases, I truly felt welcomed. Everyone always had a smile on his/her face, and it was a great start to every day. The food was amazing everywhere! We snorkeled at some pristine locations where nothing could’ve made my experience better; we were lucky enough to even see a sea turtle lay her eggs!

The service on this program was pretty tiring, yet so enjoyable that I was always motivated to keep going further than our goal. The best thing about the service was when the locals would join us and help out, demonstrating just how close a community these small islands are. When leaving the islands, I felt like I just came out of a dream. I couldn’t believe I was able to bike, kayak, hike and swim next to all of these exotic animals and gorgeous landscapes.

After the program, I definitely felt changed and more confident about myself. Many times I thought that I couldn’t handle something, but I was able to overcome my fears. I made many strong friendships with people around the world from this program, including the mentors, directors and locals, who were a big part of my experience and truly made it the adventure of a lifetime for me.

It is very hard to summarized 3 weeks in to a paragraph, it is hard to believe but this trip has made a huge impact on how i viewed the world. I was very nervous and anxious before the trip because it was my first time ever leave the country alone. I was hoping that a member of GLA would somehow purchased the same flight I had but it did not happen. However, I was glad that I was by myself on my flight to Peru because it made me more confident and I even made friends with people. One thing I wish I knew was that I need to pick up my luggage when I arrived in Lima airport; when I landed in Cuzco, I found out that my suitcase was stuck in Lima and it would take 2 to 3 days before I could get it.

Flash forward to my arrival, I was the first student in my group to arrived. I was greeted by my mentors who made me felt right at home. When my fellow student arrived, they were so nice and sweet that I fit right in. The view I had of Peru when I got there was already amazing, but with the people whom I spend 3 weeks, I will never forget it.

The mentors were so friendly and sweet that our group eventually call them our dad, mom, and bigger sister. The locals were so sweet and amazing. The people i volunteer for treated us with respect and teaches us new skill;, they never made us feel uncomfortable at all and trusted us with all their heart. Even though the local live in poverty, you can never find them without a smile on their face. I have learn to be grateful for the privileges I have because the people in Peru always enjoy the little things in life even when things were rough.

The most unforgettable event that I will always treasure is when I learn how to knit with the women. It was the second to last week of my short trip and I promised my self I would learn how to knit, so I went to a workshop at the place I volunteered at and asked the women to teach me how to knit. Between my limited knowledge of Spanish and the women who couldn't speak English, they agreed to teach me. I spend an entire day learning how to knit in different patterns. The women were very gentle, they showed me the right ways when I was wrong, then eventually they allowed me to knit my first beanie. Leaving the women there was the hardest; they cried when I said goodbye. Even though I only knew them for a short period of time, tears didn't stop flowing out of one of the women's cheek. I promised her and myself that I would study hard and one day I will return and visit here and the people there.

Where do I even start? How do I explain the most amazing three weeks of my life? On the last day I was definitely not ready to go home. I could live there forever in all honesty. Our GLA group truly became a family. One student I became very close with through working with her separately and she, too, became a sister to me. The students are all so adorable. All of the people there are so friendly and loving--even if you've just met them. I daily miss being called "mzungu"(white person) walking down the road and random children running up to us to hold our hand. Beside the family, friends, and home I gained, we hiked to some gorgeous waterfalls, spent a day with some incredible Maasai in their boma, and got to see elephants, lions, and other safari animals in their beautiful homes which we call Tarangire National Park and Ngorogoro Crater. It really was an unforgettable trip. The truth is, I can't explain those three weeks there. I can't explain my love for the people, school, and even the town itself. I can try my best, but the only way anyone could understand is by experiencing it for themself. Don't miss out!!! You have all of this and more to look forward to.

This summer, I visited Ecuador and the Galapagos for 2 weeks with GLA. It was a truly rewarding experience- I met so many amazing people that I bonded with, and I did a lot of things (such as volunteer in a giant tortoise preserve) that I could not have done anywhere else in the world.
A highlight of my trip was swimming with sea lions. In the Galapagos, wild sea lions would approach us and swim circles around us while we were snorkeling. Even though it happened pretty frequently during our snorkeling expeditions, playing with wild sea lions never stopped being amazing.
Going through this program is a great experience, and I would recommend it to everyone. The Galapagos is beautiful and wild and completely unparalleled, and this program allows us to experience it to the fullest.