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
Click here to jump down to the most recent post!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 13
Yassas!
Today we welcomed our 29 young leaders as they arrived in Athens—ready to embrace a new environment, a new culture, and to show us what true leadership looks like.
We picked up students throughout the day at the Athens International Airport, greeting each arrival with excitement, big smiles, and plenty of anticipation for the next 12 days. A few of our students were dropped off by their very supportive family members.
Before dinner, everyone gathered for our little get-to-know activities and orientation. Dinner was a delicious introduction to Greek cuisine. After eating, we returned to the “mezzanine” for our first chow circle sharing our highlights, takeaways and shoutouts for today. Couple hours later, Margherita and Isaac arrived at homebase after their delayed flights.
We cannot wait to see these leaders in action as they explore Greece, learn from local partners, and grow together as a community.
So dear parents, family, and friends—please continue supporting our leaders by checking our daily blogs and sharing your love in the comments below. Your encouragement means the world to them.
Efcharistó!
GLA Team
BLOG POST FOR JULY 14
Hello from Greece!
We had a great day today! We started with an interactive orientation and got to know each other a little more with some fun games! After that, we took a quick break for health checks, the final swim tests, and some rest time before heading out into the big city of Athens! We walked through Omonia to get to Monastiraki Square, which was the beginning of our food tour. We split into groups and explored new parts of the city while tasting some amazing Greek specialities like tzatziki, gyros, spinach pie, and loukoumades. Once we were full to the brim with delicious cuisine, we wandered over to the commercial area of Athens, Ermou Street! There, we shopped for new swimsuits, items we may have left behind, and also some fun jewelry! We even donated our extra food to people in need!
After shopping our little hearts out, we walked through the gorgeous historical area of the city called Plaka. It was so pretty, and made us even more excited to shop on Kefalonia. Then, the Acropolis came into view, and we started our ascent to the ancient sacred temple. On the way, we rested in the shade of olive trees while listening to the incredible history of the Parthenon and the people of Greece. The history was fascinating and made the view at the top ever more memorable. Big thank you to our Local Director and guide, Evi! Following a brief time to wander and take photos, we made our way down the hill and back to the hotel. On the way, we passed some of the other historical sites such as the Parliament, the Athenian Academy, and even got to witness the changing of the guards.
We ended our day with dinner and our second chow circle, where we nominated our first leaders of the day for tomorrow!
We can’t wait to wake up and make our way to Kefalonia tomorrow!
Sincerely,
GLA Staff
BLOG POST FOR JULY 15
We started our day bright and early with all of our bags packed and ready to go. After heading downstairs for breakfast, we got onto the bus for a four hour ride. We got to sit next to our friends which made the ride really relaxing and enjoyable. The bus was also super nice and comfortable. Along the way, we stopped at a turtle hospital. We started with a lecture where we learned so many interesting facts about sea turtles. We then got to tour the hospital and see the turtles in their tanks. We even saw one that was recovering after being injured by a speedboat. It was really cool to see the turtles up close and learn more about how they are cared for during their recovery. After the turtle hospital, we got back on the bus and continued driving before stopping for lunch. We had a delicious and quick meal with kebabs and french fries along with bread and sodas. There was also a small supermarket where we got to buy and try some local candies. After lunch, we continued our journey to the ferry. Once we arrived at the port, we unloaded our bags and waited for the ferry while our mentors surprised us with delicious chocolate covered ice cream bars. When the ferry finally arrived, we were so excited to get on. It was huge and really nice. We spent the next few hours enjoying the ride before finally seeing the beautiful island of Kefalonia in the distance.
Once we arrived in Kefalonia, we headed to our hotel and then went straight to a beautiful waterfront dinner. The view was stunning. We enjoyed a meal of meat and rice followed by watermelon for dessert. It was the perfect way to end such a long and exciting travel day. After dinner, we finished the night with a chow circle before heading back to the hotel to get a good night’s sleep. Overall, it was an amazing day filled with new experiences and beautiful views. We also had so many fun moments with friends. We especially loved getting to visit the turtle hospital and arriving in Kefalonia by ferry. It was such a memorable day. We were so excited to finally be on the island and see what the rest of our adventure would bring.
By Rayna, Chloe, Sienna
BLOG POST FOR JULY 16
We got up bright and early to leave our hotel at 5:30 am. On the bus we were split into two groups to do the morning survey of the beaches. One group got off on the first stop, and the second group had to travel a little further down the beach so the two groups could meet at the middle. One of the groups found two non-attempts at a nest, where the turtle came onto land to try and nest, but something happened, and they went back into the sea without trying to nest. After walking farther along the Lourdos beach, they found a turtle nest and dug it up and discovered 74 eggs. They relocated the eggs to a safer hatchery on the next beach. Both groups met up at Kalani beach, learned the process of relocation and had a digging contest. Katy, one of our leaders of the day, won with a perfect nest that was 40 centimeters deep, and 20 centimeters wide. Second place was another leader of the day, Abby, with a hole dug 42 centimeters deep, and 19 centimeters wide. Finally, third place went to Theo, who dug a hole 44 centimeters deep, and 20 centimeters wide.
After the digging contest, we enjoyed the beautiful beach we were at. Some held chicken fights, some finished swim tests, some played with rocks, some took pictures, and some simply relaxed on the beach. We hiked along the coast to our lunch spot. After a tiring day at the beach, we went back to the hotel for siesta, or a mid day nap. Everyone was up and dressed up for our turtle seminar. Wildlife Sense came and not only told us everything we should know about turtles, and what we will be doing to protect them moving forward. After we finished the amazing seminar, we got to walk from our hotel to dinner, and had some great food, before doing our daily chow circle, and going back to the hotel to rest up for another exciting day.
By Katy, Abby, Rowan
