Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!
Here are a few things to know and expect:
- Blog posts are written by onsite program staff and/or students and sent to our Headquarters team who will post the blog on this page.
- We typically receive 2-3 blog updates per week from each program, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post every day – that’s totally normal.
- Blog updates received late in the evening or overnight will be posted the following day.
- Blog updates received on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
- Due to many factors such as internet accessibility, program staff aren’t always able to send photos, so some blog posts may contain text only.
Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.
For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.
-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team
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BLOG POST FOR JUNE 15
Kalós írthate!
Today, we welcomed our 24 amazing young leaders to the beautiful country of Greece! Batches of students flew into the Athens airport at different times throughout the day.
They headed straight to the homebase, where they checked in, completed health checks and the swim test, and got to know one another during our initial orientation. We wrapped up the day with a delicious buffet dinner and the GLA‑fave Chow Circle, plus a stunning sunset from our accommodation’s rooftop!
We’re looking forward to tomorrow’s exciting and historical activities, as well as learning more about the service project we’ll be participating in.
Dear parents, family, and friends — please continue supporting our leaders’ journey here in Greece by following our blog and commenting below. Thank you so much!
The GLA Team
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 16
Our first day was a huge success in Athens. We woke up at 8 and enjoyed a breakfast of authentic Greek yogurt, eggs, bacon and other delicious foods at our hotel buffet.
From there, we had to complete the last part of our orientation; we learned about what we are doing on the program, reviewed the code of conduct with an activity and were assigned mentor groups for the program.
Our local director, Evi took us on a bus tour of Athens. We stopped at the first Olympic stadium, which was incredible! We went to the Parthenon where we learned about ancient Greek history, fueds among the ancient gods and the deep rooted history of culture in Athens. We also saw the ancient theater at the Acropolis and took time to walk around.
After this, we took a trip to a traditional Greek restaurant for lunch, where we ate Moussaka and other delicious food. Post lunch, we took a little while to walk around and browse at shops near the restaurant.
The bus then picked us back up again and we went to Monastriaki Square to begin our first service project of the trip. We prepared food – cutting up vegetables, making lentils, slicing bread – for the homeless and less fortunate people of Greece. We boxed and distributed the food we made. It taught us that even making the difference in one persons day can make a bigger and profound impact than we thought.
We headed back to the hotel for dinner and finished off the day with chow circle and new leaders of the day!
We’re loving our trip and can’t wait for another fun filled day in Greece!
By Ryann and Logan
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 17
Written by Gavin Pettit, Elle Thelen, and Sophie Heyman
Hello friends and family! We have just finished our third day here in Greece and as leaders of the day would like to report back to you how things went. This day was quite delicious…
The day began with another amazing hotel breakfast. We met together at about eight o’clock in the restaurant area and filled our plates with the tiniest amounts of Greek breakfast foods, saving room for what was to come. After sharing conversation and laughs we proceeded to our morning meeting where we discussed the plan for the day – everyone was salivating.
Then we began the “Food Tour of Athens” led by local tourist guides who had personal relationships with several restaurants and pastry shops. The tour was divided into two separate groups, and the order in which they tried the food was varied. The group from which the writers of this blog belonged to began by trying three traditional Greek pies: a Spinach pie, a cheese and honey pie, and a custard and powdered sugar pie. Each pie was like a party on the tongue, however, the custard and powdered sugar pie were unanimously considered the favorite flavor – one could call it the king of the pies.
The next stop on our food tour was in beautiful old-school urban diner that was once a pharmacy in the 1850s. We were served a traditional Greek pastry that was similar to a thin doughnut; one version drizzled with honey and one covered in Nutella. These sweet pastries lit fireworks on our pallets as the warm outer shells melted in our mouths, calming any uncertainty towards our choices to be here.
After the pastries it was time for the climax of the food tour: the familial meal. Gathered around a table, individual plates of a single kind of food were placed before us to be passed around: traditional sausage drenched in lime, zucchini balls, calamari, fried cheese, and gsaganakai. Because of this intimate way of sharing food, each student was able to form new bonds with one another and rejoice in the warmth of each other’s company. These moments were the ones that each of us so desperately needed, serving as a break from the hectic world of being a teenager. Each of us recognized that memories like this are few in numbers and will be cherished for the rest of our lives.
The last stop was picking up the Gyros which were to be eaten at the beach later on.
With full bellies and soft hearts it was time to go to the beach. We arrived at Glyfada, a beautiful private beach with servers and music as well as beach chairs and shade. Upon arrival it started to rain. At first this seemed like an impediment on our fun, but we quickly realized that it was just another opportunity to spend more time together while we prepared ourselves for the rain to stop and the swimming to begin.
The rain stopped and we began swimming. The sounds of laughter and splashing filled the air. We passed volleyballs and dived for sand, basking in the beauty of the Mediterranean.
With swimming complete and a ferry to catch, we departed for the port. We boarded the ferry – which was an experience in itself – and proceeded to eat dinner in the buffet which included a neat meal of chicken and a variety of choices to go with it.
We finished the night on the rooftop of the ship. We reflected about our amazing experiences, expressed gratitude for one another, and shared what we learned that day. Before we went to bed we gazed at the city of Athens, the epitome of antiquity. Afterwards we retreated to our tight rooms anticipating our arrival at the beautiful island of Crete.
Day three was a good day.
Thank you to everyone who has gave us this opportunity – we cannot express it enough.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 18
After an overnight ferry ride, we woke up to the beautiful sight of Crete coming into view. Once we arrived in Chania, we enjoyed breakfast and explored the nearby town, where we learned about the protective walls built to defend against pirates and the maze-like alleys that helped keep residents safe. We also had time to shop and experience the local culture.
Later, we took a two-hour bus ride into the mountains to visit Margarites Village, known for its pottery traditions. There, we learned about the year-long process of preparing clay and had the opportunity to create our own pottery pieces. After a delicious lunch and great conversations, we toured a local pottery workshop and discovered unique creations, including traditional bird whistles and other historic pottery designs.
To end the day, we settled into our home base in Rethymno before heading into town for dinner. The evening was filled with good food, gelato, and a little shopping, making for a memorable end to a day full of learning, creativity, and cultural experiences
By Izzy and Kobi
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 19
Friends and family,
Today was super fun and jam-packed – the best kind of day! We began the morning with breakfast at the hotel, a buffet of the custard-filled pies we loved from a few days ago, pastries, eggs, Greek yogurt, and more traditional food. Then we quickly stored our luggage at the hotel, as we were off to a bike tour around the beautiful village of Rethymno!
We split into our two mentor groups for the tour, which was led by local guides. Along the ride, we stopped at a few points to learn about the innerworkings of the town, such as the university, sea turtle conservation efforts, carnival, and vibrant nightlife. Getting an inside look at the history, culture, and traditions was such a privilege! Stops included the marina, quaint residential streets, notable buildings, and more, which were all so interesting and charming.
Once our tour ended, we got a special treat for lunch: burgers! It was nice to have a little slice of home, but we were definitely excited to get back to enjoying the fresh and delicious Greek food. After lunch, we took a bus ride with stunning views up to Zaros in the mountains of Crete. We got some much-appreciated pool and chill time once settled, then had our first true mentor group session. We wrote our “Letter to Self”, reflecting on the trip so far, our relationships, our goals for the rest of the trip, and how we want to improve. It was a meaningful opportunity to pause, look inward, and think intentionally about the people we want to be when we go home. Then, we did a whole group activity where we were blindfolded and had to get to the front of the hotel all together, starting at the back. The experience taught us so much about trusting one another and communication, which is truly essential on a trip like this.
We went to the hotel tavern for a traditional Greek dinner, with traditional Greek singing and dancing. After a few amazing performances, the dancers invited us to join them! Dancing all together brought our GLA family closer and connected us deeply to Greek culture.
Overall, today was a great mix of learning, relaxing, and having fun. We can’t wait for the rest of the trip!
By Sophie K. and Harrison
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 20
On the morning of day 6, we woke up at the beautiful LDI Hotel to a breathtaking view of the mountains and the stunning landscape surrounding the city of Zaros. We enjoyed a wonderful continental breakfast hosted by the kind and welcoming staff at the hotel. The meal was a great way to start the day and gave us time to take in the scenery one last time before heading out. After breakfast, we returned to our room to get packed and ready for the day’s activities, excited for the experiences and adventures that were ahead of us.
In the afternoon, we went to visit Mr. Mike’s farm, where we were treated like family. We were able to knead our own bread, and while it was baking, Mr. Mike took us on a tour of his beautiful hillside farm. He taught us about all of his different animals, how he cared for them, and what they provided not only for his family but also for the community.
We had the chance to feed and pet the goats and even milk one of them. We collected fresh eggs from the chickens and fed the pigs. Once our bread was finished baking, we washed up and headed back to get ready for lunch.
For lunch, we enjoyed traditional meals such as Greek salad, chicken, eggs, and pasta, all made with ingredients from the farm. It was delicious. After lunch, we danced with Mr. Mike and his family before thanking them and saying our goodbyes.
After the farm, we went for a hike to the natural spring that supplies the town with their drinking water. Then, we walked to the hotel where we enjoyed some free time which was spent by the pool.
After free time, we did the GLA Olympics. The Olympics consisted of four events, each testing our teamwork and trust. The first event was leap frog, then we had to guide out group through a “minefield” avoiding obstacles while blindfolded, then we played trivia, and we ended with a performance to describe the trip up to that point. After the Olympics, we went to dinner with the people on our Olympic groups and learned who won the games.
Overall, today was a great day about learning how the farmers of Crete live and enjoyed free time and activities with the group.
By Kai and Tyson
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 21
We woke up for the last time in Zaros, enjoying the beautiful view of the mountains one last time. We then ate breakfast and packed up and got ready.
We then took a ride to the beach near Heraklion, where we ordered our food, got ready, and then hung out at the beach, doing things like wave hopping and relaxing by the beach. We took a break to eat the great food we ordered, and then hopped back out in the beach. Finally, we all dried up and got ready to go to our hotel in Heraklion.
In the hotel, we had some free time where we winded down, and got ready for dinner. Before dinner we were able to walk around the town to buy many souvenirs. At dinner, we went into Heraklion where we had some amazing food, the flavours were spectacular. We talked over dinner like Greeks do, we also met Evie’s family, which was nice as well. Overall, the day was amazing and relaxing.
By Azlan and Matthew
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22
On day 8, we started the day with a very early breakfast followed by a short ride to the port. We boarded the boat to Santorini and arrived at the island about two hours later. We took a bus to the hotel to drop off our luggage and then headed to the black beach. We had great food and drinks on our sunbeds before getting in the sea. We enjoyed the water and sand for around four hours and then went back to the hotel for a couple hours of free time.
Then we took a bus on an island tour, where we went around the island exploring different sites. We saw some old buildings and an old underground cave house, along with many cats. After that we took the bus to Oia to explore the picturesque sights of northern Santorini. After some time taking photos of the views, we had a big dinner overlooking the sunset.
After watching the sun disappear behind the horizon, we enjoyed some frozen yogurt and gelato, then took the bus back to the hotel to end the night.
By Aiden and Carter
