Program Reviews

The time I spent in Peru might of well been the most amazing time i have ever experienced. When i found out I had the privilege to go on this trip I did not no what to expect. I had never gone on a trip like this, by myself, for such a long time (3 weeks). This trip included 3 main focus's, the service, the adventure, and the language. Each part was a key component to making this trip as spectacular as is was. Another part that made this trip was the wonderful staff we had on hand. They provided us with the care we needed throughout the whole trip. I was very grateful for them all. I made life changing experiences on this trip and my life will be forever impacted because of it. It opened my eyes to the possibilities of change i could make in this world. I highly recommend the Global Leadership Adventures Peru service trip. Its a trip like no other!

During the two weeks I was in Costa Rica I was able to experience an unique culture that has left me with so many positive memories. Our days were action packed with community service and adventures. My group finished up a biogarden at a school, beautified a town, added artwork to the beach, and much more! I had the time of my life during our adventure activities. Just some of these activities included snorkeling, surfing, waterfall jumping, kayaking, zipping, and hiking. I fell in love with the atmosphere of Costa Rica. Everyone I met during my trip was friendly. My mentors were amazing and made sure we were safe and reassured our parents of it by having us call as soon as we arrived at the airport. Where we stayed for the majority of the trip, Hotel Canto De Ballenas, was great. The staff was very friendly and we were served healthy and filling meals that were always ready for us when we woke up and after a long day of working. The rooms were clean and we were given fresh bedsheets and towels around every two to three days, the showers were only cold water but it wasn't as big of a deal as I had been worried about because it was very refreshing after a day of sweating. We also spent two nights in a hostel in San Jose which was a positive experience. We got to explore the city a bit the day we arrived and spend time in the lobby as a group which allowed us to get to know each other and say goodbye. My trip with Global Leadership Adventures was nothing but positive and all I ever talk about now. I hope to take another trip with GLA in the near future and highly recommend it to anyone interested in travel.

I was a part of the Children of Africa program in Ghana with GLA this past summer, and I can honestly say this program was exactly what I was looking for. Both the local and international staff made our well-being their top priority, and were incredibly caring to every student. We were broken up into personalized "mentor groups" to process our experience, undergoing many reflective leadership and teambuilding activities to supplement our service projects in primary schools and the local clinic. Mentors became our friends, our role models, and our educators, and their guidance through this eye opening experience is something I can't write enough praise about. This was not the typical "high school travel" program; everyone came with a purpose, and we were able to come together to work towards a beautiful goal as a family. We were able to live WITH the people in the middle of a community, rather than just being ambiguous American volunteers detached from the local people. I never once felt unsafe or worried while in Ghana; GLA made sure all of the students felt comfortable when embarking on this off the map experience in a developing country. I can't say enough about how much I fell in love with Ghana and our little community in Anloga. Going on this journey is something every teenager should do if they have the chance to. While these types of teen service experiences are offered by many programs, GLA Ghana shows excellence in responsible voluntourism for high schoolers, working with the community to make a difference in some small way by educating students in development work and Ghanaian culture. This program is incredible, and GLA helps you every step of the way. I could say so much more about the program and my unforgettable memories, but every single student will take away something different and indescribably special from this experience on their own. If anyone has any questions, check out the GLA Ghana Facebook page to get in touch with alumni like me and see all the wonderful resources GLA makes available. Thank you!

I volunteered with Global Leadership Adventures this past summer for two weeks in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. The two weeks I spent in Guatemala were the best two weeks of my summer.

Quetzaltenango is a rural town nestled between mountains and volcanoes. The hotel we stayed at provided modest yet comfortable accommodations. The rooms were gender segregated and there was anywhere from 3-5 people to a room. We all shared a few communal bathrooms and the showers had hot ans cold water. The only quirks were that we could not use the sink water to brush our teeth and we could not flush toilet paper in the toilets. The food at the hotel was great and they were very respectful and accommodating of dietary restrictions.

We volunteered at a school and helped by painting, repairing a moldy wall, and adding cement to waterproof an outside wall. We were allowed to play with the school kids for an hour each day during their recess. Even with a language barrier, we were able to connect and have fun with the kids by playing soccer, jump rope, and tag, or as they called it "tenta."

Each day was a new unique adventure. In the afternoons we took various cultural excursions. We learned about weaving, pottery, chocolate made from real cacao beans, and how to play the marimba. We saw ancient Mayan ruins, took a weekend trip and saw a lake surrounded by beautiful volcanoes, and hiked to see a volcanic crater lake. We took two trips to the mall and went to an internet cafe where we checked emails, Facebook, and used Skype or Face Time to talk with family and friends.

The GLA staff is amazing! Our in-country director was Maria and she used her connections to allow us to tour local homes. The GLA director was Meredith and our mentors were Rudy and Eileen. They especially helped me overcome my homesickness and were the best staff members I could have hoped for. I highly recommended this program and encourage anyone considering volunteering abroad to do so with Global Leadership Adventures!

I did a 10 day trip this summer and it was definitely one of, if not the, best experiences of my life. From the unbelievably important work we were doing to the crazy adventurous things we did, I had a great time. We helped build the biggest bottle school in the world, planted hundreds of trees, interacted with the local communities, went zip-lining and cliff jumping into gorgeous waters and so much more. I wouldn't change anything about my time down there except for making it longer. I think it's an essential experience for us young people to go out and experience other, less privileged lifestyles and get a real sense of what's going on in the world first-hand and I don't think there's a better way to do that than with Global Leadership Adventures. I'm attaching a picture of me on my trip when we went to an extremely poor village to establish relationships with the people there in order for future GLA groups to help them effectively.

Traveling to a foreign country by yourself can seem pretty terrifying, and in the beginning I had my fears, but by the very first day I knew it was worth it. Throughout our trip, we did so many amazing things like painting and concreting a local elementary school, interacting with the children during their lunch break, and even getting our own salsa dancing lesson! The mentors were absolutely amazing and I made many lifelong friendships in just the few short weeks. Going to Guatemala with Global Leadership Adventures not only showed me what I want to do with my life, but was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I never thought a trip could have such a lasting impact on me, but I truly came home a different person. Not a day goes by that I don't miss Guatemala and all the amazing people I met. It's truly a life changing experience and if you have any interest in going at all, my advice is to definitely go because you will not regret it.

I had so much fun on this program it was very enlightening and inspiring. I never once felt unsafe during this program. I would honestly recommend it to anyone. I felt independent doing this program. I felt like I really made a difference in the communities that we helped by building the bottle schools and picking up the trash at La Grua. It was an adventure packed trip that was still able to teach me a lot of lessons.

Em meu colégio fazemos estudos do meio e trabalho social todos os anos. Imaginei que o GLA, Global Leadership Adventures, me proporcionasse uma experiência semelhante, em outro país e em outra língua. Mas foi muito mais, foi uma experiência de vida incomparável.
Como único representante latino, achei que minha adaptação no fosse ser tão rápida, até porque meu colégio tem como segunda língua o francês e não inglês. Me senti acolhido desde o início, pelos tutores e pelos outros participantes.
Embora a história do Brasil e do Peru tenham origem semelhantes, nossa cultura indígena nem de perto chega a cultura Inca. Tivemos oportunidade de conviver com a população local em Cuzco, um povo muito acolhedor e solidário. A construção da estufa (greenhouse) foi um desafio diário que resultou não somente na estrutura física do prédio, mas no estreitamento do laço afetivo entre os participantes. O trabalho em equipe e a convivência nos tornou amigos para a vida.
Os passeios históricos e nossas caminhadas não poderiam ter tido cenário mais bonito. A vista de Machu Pichu é espetacular e ainda vi neve pela primeira vez...para surpresa dos meus novos amigos acostumados com o inverno americano.
Nosso headquarters em Cuzco é um hotel simples mas bem localizado, só para os participantes. A comida peruana é muito boa e gostosa para o paladar brasileiro. Tive ainda a oportunidade de na volta para o Brasil ficar em Lima e os restaurantes são de primeiro mundo. A cidade é muito interessante também, mais historia e cultura!
Recomendo a todos!!!
Gulherme Missaka

Over the course of my ten day trip in the Dominican Republic I met many new friends (both native and volunteers,) learned about sustainability, all while feeling completely safe and taken care of! I would recommend this program to anyone between ages of an incoming freshman to an outgoing senior. This program taught me all about how other people live and I am forever thankful to my parents for sending me on the trip and the staff members for creating such a great experience! Go to experiencegla.com to book your trip now!

Global Leadership Adventures is an amazing program! The 10 days of the Beachside Service Adventure trip were the best 10 days of my life! The service was humbling, the locals very welcoming, and the environment very safe. I loved getting to know the local schoolchildren while we were building the bottle schools, and getting to tour the villages! The staff was fantastic. I was a little nervous going in because I had never been away for so long before, but I felt secure and comfortable the entire time I was there. I met some of my best friends on this trip by bonding over the life changing experience! I recommend Global Leadership Adventures' programs to anyone who wants to make a difference in the world.