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Global Leadership Adventures offers globally-minded high school students journeys that have often been called life-changing. Programs are offered in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean that build awareness of other cultures & educate students on important issues. Find out more!..(more)
You may have heard of Global Leadership Adventures service-learning adventures...but how about our internships abroad? These short-term internships are designed for high school students ages 14-18 who want to take their learning experience to the next level. Work in partnership with GLA and a global nonprofit partner or social enterprise. Spend three weeks in one of seven countries, in the field learning about a subject area of interest--while earning college credit!..(more)
Live in Cartago, land of volcanoes, beautiful nature and friendly Costa Ricans, and learn to speak the language from locals. These experiences enhance your language immersion, making sure you get plenty of practice and return home a more confident Spanish speaker. Finally, if you opt to stay for our Homestay Extension, you will live with a local family in a Costa Rican community for an extra week of language skill building as well as cross-cultural immersion. Find out more!..(more)
Experience one of the most pristine natural environments in the world, where conservationist are working to protect this unique ecosystem. Volunteer alongside them to help preserve this UNESCO-designated heritage site. Besides volunteering, you’ll have the opportunity to see lava fields, snorkel with sea lions and see the world-famous Galapagos tortoises. Find out more!..(more)
On this program you will promote animal rights and gain pre-veterinary experience working alongside certified veterinarians and animal rescue experts. Not only will you do compassionate, hands-on work with lovable, furry friends at a dog rescue center, you’ll also learn about exotic wildlife species in a country known for its dedication to conservation. In your time off service, experience all the outdoor adventure and natural beauty Costa Rica has to offer. Find out more!..(more)
Are you ready to make a meaningful change this summer? Volunteer in elementary schools to help local children enhance their English skills. Contribute to each school's needs by participating in facility improvements. You'll split your time between teaching and campus refurbishment projects, while gaining valuable insights into education in Ghana. Plus, keep up with the kids as they invite you to play soccer and join in on schoolyard games after class!..(more)
This program provides an opportunity to explore public health as a fundamental human right while contributing to vital health campaigns in a culturally vibrant region. Work alongside local healthcare professionals to assist remote highland communities through traveling clinics. In addition to gaining practical experience, students will have the chance to discover Cusco, go rafting in the Andes, and visit the iconic citadel of Machu Picchu...(more)
Global Leadership Adventures hosts a variety of programs in Greece. Situated at the southern tip of the Balkans along the Mediterranean coast, Greece is known for its majestic mountains and proximity to the sea. It is often celebrated as the cradle of Western Civilization and has produced some of the greatest minds in history. By joining a Global Leadership Adventures program in Greece, you'll immerse yourself in its landscapes, culture, people, and history. ..(more)
Reexamine your ideas about health and community care. Discover the distinctions between public health and medicine, explore the seven essential components of human security, and grasp how healthcare influences development and community well-being. You'll gain practical experience by shadowing medical professionals in mobile clinics and hospitals and working on crucial infrastructure projects. ..(more)
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This past summer, I went to Costa Rica with Global Leadership Adventures. My program was called Beachside Service Adventure and consisted of 10 days in Parrita. There were about 60 people in my group (mostly girls only like 10 boys) and we were split up into mentor groups of like 8-10 ish.
M y group worked with a startup plant nursery which was amazing. We worked with two locals, Nicholas and Mau who's nursery it was, and spent our service time basically hardcore gardening in the rainforest. One day we were clearing the land for the nursery and we got to be super cool with machetes and hack through the jungle brush which was awesome. Other groups did stuff like paint a mural at a school, build a tire playground, plant trees at a farm, build a garden at a school, etc.
One of my favorite parts was our nightly mentor group talks. Since gla does focus a lot on leadership we did discussion groups about leadership in our lives and how we can be a leader in our community and we talked about globalization and the relationship between developed/developing countries and some economics so it was really cool to get kinda a crash course foreign policy and how it applies to us kinda thing. And we totally had to open our minds to new ideas which was cool
Honestly the best part was just being immersed in the culture like eating rice and beans and drinking pineapple juice we ate SO MUCH fruit it was amazing
I thought the GLA people were really cool like every program has to have a native who works as an advisor so we actually had two: one woman who has just finished up in the peace corps and one woman who was from Parrita. They were really organized like being at the airport was stressful at first but once you find the GLA people they take care of you the whole time which was great and my parents weren't stressed at all
I would recommend on program length so I did a 10 day but I would recommend the 14 day ones just cause I really started to form close bonds right as we left and didn't really get the chance to develop those friendships. If you have any interest in the peace corps or mission work it's so great cause a lot of the staff did the peace corps or at least extensive volunteering so you get tons of cool people to ask lots of questions.
If you're nervous about doing GLA I'd definitely recommend the programs in Latin America/Caribbean. I know my parents were a lot happier knowing I was in the same time zone and it was easy to call me and my flight wasn't too bad. Plus it's less of a culture shock than, say, Thailand. I would definitely say whatever program you do, find someone who did that one before because there were a lot of confusing things just cause they can only fit so much in a brochure.
One of the lasting effects of GLA on my life is I feel a lot more down to earth and focused on nature and being in the present and I worry way less about social media or texting or television now which is nice.
-Miranda Wilson, GLA Ambassador