Program Reviews

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.

I had such a wonderful experience volunteering in Guatemala through GLA. Not only did we volunteer at a local school clearing worksites, building walls and playing with insanely cute Guatemalan children, but we also got the chance to explore the rest of the Guatemala. We visited a chocolate shop, a traditional cemetery, hot springs up in the mountains, ancient archaeological ruins, Lake Atitlan, the largest indigenous craft market in the hemisphere in Chichicastenango, and various other exciting places. We also got the chance to speak to someone who fought for the rebels and someone who fought for the government in the Guatemalan Civil War. It was so interesting to hear both perspectives from opposing sides of the war. What I think most set apart GLA as a volunteer program for young people is their incorporation of leadership learning throughout the trip. Every night we participated in various activities focusing on how to work with others and how to lead productively. It was very insightful and sometimes even emotional. We all bonded very quickly and learned to let our guards down with one another. It was refreshing to hear stories about people you knew they hadn't shared with anyone else. It was exciting to learn about people from such different backgrounds. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my time abroad than with Global Leadership Adventures. I am so thankful for such insightful and fun mentors, the friendly staff, and the kids who went on the trip.

I first began my travel to Lima on a 7 hour flight alone from Miami, Florida. I thought at first when arriving in Cuzco I would for sure get lost, but it was great because before I had even left we were all given matching t-shirts. These shirts made it easy to identify if they were part of the GLA program. Later when we arrived at our hotel, we were all brought inside and shown our rooms. The service at the hotel was amazing. They provided our towels, food, and even washed our clothes. It was nice being at the hotel because the Global Leadership Adventures Program had rented out the hotel. This meant that no one else had access to the hotel except us. The staff for the program was also very welcoming and kind. They were very close and wanted to really get to know you. Making friends for me was tough at first because I am kinda shy, but the environment was very welcoming and allowed me to get over being shy and make lifelong friends. At the service site, which was making a greenhouse for a school, we would all help out and during our breaks get to play soccer with the children. This was truly an amazing experience and I encourage everyone to attend any of the Global Leadership Adventure Programs.

I participated in the Costa Rica Protecting the Pacific program in August of 2014. This experience not only allowed me to participate in meaningful humanitarian work, but also allowed me to immerse myself in the unique atmosphere of Costa Rica. The program was the correct combination of enriching volunteer work and exciting immersions into the Costa Rican community. We stayed at an eco-hotel (Canto de Ballenas) that was more than sufficient in meeting our needs. Although initial difficulties arose in adjusting to the absence of technology, we quickly embraced the idea of opening ourselves up to our surroundings.

The days consisted of 3-4 hours of volunteer work and 2-3 hours of activities. Our volunteer work consisted of building 2 filtration systems for for the Bahia Ballena National Park. We were assisted by dedicated community members who work tirelessly in order to improve the sustainability of their town. The work was physically demanding, but we were extremely satisfied when we saw the final product. While we weren't volunteering, we engaged in numerous activities that highlighted the beauty of the region. We went on a zip-lining tour through the canopies of the Osa peninsula, played soccer with the local school children, participated in a boat tour in which we saw animals such as turtles and dolphins, creatures that make up the backbone of Costa Rica's marine ecosystem.

The program coordinators were exceptional in dealing with any difficulties that arose during the program. They were understanding of difficulties and were effective in dissolving any issues that arose.

My experience with Global Leadership Adventures was nothing short of amazing, and I would not hesitate to recommend the program to anybody willing to participate in an enriching, worldly experience.

I went to Peru this summer with GLA and I can honestly say it changed my life. The trip had three aspects- language, service, and adventure. The service was very rewarding- we worked to build sidewalks and eco-refrigerators in a nearby village. I felt like the project was simple enough to be in my range of abilities, but still helpful to the village. I also learned a ton of spanish! We worked with spanish professors in small groups and also had opportunities to practice our spanish out and about in Cusco or our home base town Andahuaylillas. On the weekends we went on excursions to Cusco, Machu Picchu, and white water rafting! Overall the trip was great, I learned a lot and had the time of my life!