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 21
Greetings from Spain!
We had a wonderful, full day of activities after an early arrival! We explored a park near the beach in Málaga to get to know each other and play some ice breakers. After a great lunch we checked into our lovely boutique hotel and then had a much deserved “siesta”.
This afternoon we explored more of the city via a fun, competitive scavenger hunt, ending at the hilltop Castillo de Gibralfaro, which offered amazing views of the city and the coast. We finished the day with a dinner of traditional Spanish “tapas” to taste and share some local delicacies.
Back at the hotel we relaxed and then tucked in early for some much needed rest after a full day on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year!
Hasta luego,
The GLA staff team!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22
Bienvenidos a España!!
Today we ate breakfast at the hotel and had a break before going to our cooking lesson. We all worked together to make three Spanish dishes—sopa de ajo blanco, ensalada Malagueña, and paella—and ate them for our comida (lunch)! After walking back to the hotel we had our siesta and rested.
After the siesta we packed our bags and headed to the beach for some fun under the sun. We did our swim test, played some volleyball, and of course soaked in some sun! We ended the day with a sunset dinner by the marina drinking mocktails and enjoying some food from around the world!
Hasta mañana,
Lily and Braden
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23
Hola!
Our morning activity was a short trip to the Picasso Museum. It isn’t a huge museum, so we had a scavenger hunt challenge while walking around. Everyone had a list of works to find and needed to take pictures of those that they found. It was a super interesting museum and a great, chill way to spend the morning!
On the way back home we stopped at a local restaurant, La Pechá, for more tapas and mini sandwiches that are unique to Málaga.
For our afternoon activity we went to San Andrés beach for a surfing lesson. Itor and Antonio, our instructors, walked us through the steps of successfully surfing a wave. After our lesson we chad the chance to play on boogie boards and later have some more beach time before coming back to the hotel to do a leadership activity with Fernanda, our mentor.
Tonight we went to a local Italian restaurant for some delicious pizza, pasta, and salad!
We ended the night by doing a local tradition in Málaga to celebrate “Día de San Juán” where the staff lit small branches of rosemary for each of us and we made a wish before dipping it into a fountain, a beautiful way to end our final day in Málaga!
Hasta mañana,
Neil and Henry
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24
Hola!
Today was day four of our Coast to Coast Adventure. This morning, we took a train to Madrid, beginning the second leg of our journey.
Later in the afternoon we walked through the city to a flamenco class. There, we learned a variety of dance steps and practiced a routine first as a whole group, then in groups of three, and finally in pairs.
After a short break at a nearby mall, we returned to the flamenco studio for a beautiful performance. We saw all the essentials of flamenco: the singer, guitarist, and two dancers, one of whom was our previous teacher. We were stunned to learn the entire performance was improvised.
For dinner, we went to a buffet in Madrid, where everyone tried a variety of foods. They even had a soft serve ice cream machine, much to everyone’s delight! Tomorrow, we look forward to adventures in Toledo. ¡Hasta luego!
Ella and Zariah
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25
Bienvenidos!
We’re pleased to tell you that the group had an awesome day in Toledo! We left bright and early to hop on the bus to Toledo after breakfast at the hostel.
We met with the Red Cross to help clean up a beautiful trail along the banks of the Tajo River. We were able to pick up just over 100 pounds of trash in around two hours! We then went to lunch, after that we went zip lining over the Tajo River. It was so much fun, a lot of us went twice! We then walked through old Toledo and the historic center.
We later headed back to Madrid and had an amazing dinner at a buffet. We finished the night playing games on the rooftop terrace. It was an amazing day!
Levi and Ely
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26
Hola from Madrid, España!!!
Today we had an action-packed day with lots of fun activities. First we ate a great breakfast and headed on a “tapas” tour!! Our tour guide, Sara, took us throughout the Madrid area allowing us to see beautiful churches and a museum showcasing Madrid’s rich history. So much fun!!! Afterwards of course we headed to two tapa locations where we had various delicious “croquettes,” “pardón” peppers, “patatas bravas,” and many more!!!! Along the way our tour guide told us various fun facts about the city such as the Royal Palace of Madrid’s fascinating history. After this we had a nice siesta to get ready for our next part of the day!
In the afternoon, we played Park Olympics at El Retiro Park. The group was split up into three groups of three, and spread out between a few stations. At each station, the groups faced a different challenge that they were competing to win. Some of them included charades, trivia, and keeping up a volleyball. In the end, group two took home the win (and a free ice cream for the victory) by a slim 1-point margin.
For dinner, we visited an Asian food market where they had many small restaurants with food ranging from sushi and ramen to mango sticky rice!
The evening that followed was chill, and we all played some games on the rooftop of our hostel to end our last night in Madrid!
Neil and Joey
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27
Hola!!
This morning after breakfast we left Madrid on a train to Barcelona, the last stop on our journey (it’s already day seven!). After a healthy lunch and a Leadership Activity on the rooftop terrace, we went to Park Guell, a famous area designed by Antoni Gaudi. It showcases his unique technique using nature and mosaics.
Although the walk was long and hot, the views from the park were amazing. The entire city was visible, creating an incredible atmosphere!
We then took the metro for a nice, healthy dinner near Plaza de Catluyna. The weather was cooler after dinner, and we walked back to the hostel, stopping for churros for a sweet treat to end our long day.
Adios!
Zariah and Ely
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28
¡Hola chicos from Barcelona!
Today we woke up and had some yummy hotel breakfast before meeting in the lobby with our amazing tour guide Clara!
We walked through the city, seeing historical buildings on the way to the famous “La Sagrada Familia” basilica. The architecture was beautiful and we learned a lot about Gaudi, his life, and his purpose through art. He admired nature and many of the things inside of “La Sagrada Família” have hidden meaning connected to nature.
For our mentor Fernanda’s birthday we went to Porxos for lunch! We had a special cake and sang to her, and had a goated waiter named Sergi. After our lunch, we headed toward the shops to go to Brandy Melville, Sephora, and Mango! Everyone found some fun clothes and cologne to buy.
After a bit of chilling at the hostel, we went to the most amazing beach yet and played volleyball and swam in the refreshing water. After swimming we went to a buffet for dinner and got some great food and soft serve ice cream.
We ended the day with some rooftop terrace time and our chow circle.
See ya tomorrow for our last day!
Lily + Ella🏄🏼♀️💝🌊
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29
Hola!
Today was our last full day in Spain. We woke up and said goodbye to Ely, who was leaving early to go on another GLA trip to Greece! We then went on a bike tour around Barcelona with our guide, Sophie, visiting different areas along the waterfront, Poble Nou, and the Gothic Quarter. She gave us a great tour in detail about the history and geography of the city.
We next cooled down at an Asian fusion restaurant for lunch. Afterwards we walked around the Gothic Quarter to buy some souvenirs before heading back to the hostel for a short siesta.
This afternoon we held our closing activity on the rooftop terrace showing everyone how impactful they were to the whole group throughout this trip.
We had some free time in the common areas before saying farewell to Braden who left with his family to continue his summer holiday. We later headed to our final dinner. Dinner was amazing!
We would like to thank you parents for sending us on this trip. We think we speak for everyone that this trip will never be forgotten.
Levi and Henry
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30
¡Saludos desde España!
How quickly time flies! Just a few days ago we were surfing in Málaga and later dancing flamenco in Madrid! And just like that arrival day arrived before we knew it!
We all woke up to enjoy one final breakfast together, sharing some fun stories and handing out the letter we wrote to ourselves to be opened up six months down the road.
A short time later, the first couple of students departed for the airport. With some final hugs and photos together, the first group left with I.D. James. Those who stayed back went for brunch at the popular, delicious, and healthy restaurant, “Honest Greens”. The final group left after brunch with Mentor Fernanda and L.D. Teresa. The group bonded over a short time and became a family of friends, everyone grateful for the friendships made, the laughs, and the unique experiences from coast to coast!
May this journey live in your hearts and inspire you to continue traveling, growing, and learning.
All of the best y hasta pronto!
The GLA CCA Staff Team!
