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
Sawasdee krub (Hello) from Chiang Mai, Thailand!
After a long day of travel, we’ve all arrived and began to settle in with our roommates, we began to learn about each other, Thailand and the program to come.
We’re looking forward to exploring Thailand, and learning about the nature of the medical field here and back home. We’ll immerse ourselves in the rich culture of Thailand, exploring ancient mountain temples, snorkeling among tropical fish, trying exotic foods and discover a different way of life.
We’re all so excited for tomorrow and the next three weeks together.
From Ben, and the whole team here in Thailand
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 22
SAWASDEE jao from the land of Lanna charm. Today began the first full day of programming for the GLA Med Program, officially kicking off in the serene city of Chiang Mai. As per GLA tradition, the morning started bright and early with orientation, where we covered how the program will run and what is expected of us as interns. We closed off with a fun and informative workshop on Thai culture and language, prepping us for our cultural activities which began soon after. It is here that we learnt Thailand’s historical name is the Lanna kingdom!
For lunch, we headed to a unique restaurant that puts a fine-dining twist on traditional Thai dishes. The most popular dish was Khao Soi, a Northern Thai dish with noodles and coconut curry. After some fun refreshments that included a whole coconut, we headed out on a city temple tour. We visited three of Chiang Mai’s temples, including the oldest temple in the city, and learnt more about Buddhist culture, the temple’s histories and mindful meditation.
The adventure then continued at a traditional Thai cooking class, where we learned to cook 5 different meals! To truly appreciate the local food, we visited the nearby market and garden and learnt about the different fresh ingredients used as a base for most of the dishes. We were all surprised to see the many ways food can be used! Of course, all the students loved mango sticky rice for dessert , a sure crowd favorite.
After a long day out in the city, we headed back to home base to close off with Chow circle, where we showed our appreciation for each other through shouts outs. We also had a first mentor groups, where we get to reflect on our experiences so far and have open conversations in smaller settings.
It is safe to say that day two was a success!
Ali and the GLA Thailand Med Group 2026.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 23
Sawadee ka from Chiang Mai!
Today the morning started early with hospital orientation, where we learned what hospitals we will be visiting and what departments everyone will be in each day. We planned questions to ask doctors, and how to behave in the different public, private, and district hospitals. We also received our lab coats and ate lots of Thai snacks!
For lunch, we ate a variety of dishes at an upscale resturant, including panang curry, seafood stir-fry, clear soup, and garlic chicken. After lunch we headed to everybody’s favorite activity … shopping! We started by spending a few minutes walking around One Nimman, an outdoor shopping mall, and then headed to the Maya Mall. We shopped for hospital-appropraite attire and other clothes. Afterwards, we all took a jaunt over to Waroros Market, Chiang Mai’s largest traditional market. We explored all the market had to offer: Authentic snacks, souvenirs and clothes. After bargaining to seek out the best deals, we admired the escalator – working for the first time in fifty years, not an exageration!
With bags in hand, we boarded to buses back to Home Base for a quick rest and recharge before dinner. We gave eachother some positive shoutouts before hopping into the vans and heading to a traditional, Michelin Star, Thai resturant. Here, we ate delicious authentic Thai dishes and watched traditional Thai dance.
After dinner, (and dessert of course), we headed back to Home Base for a lesson on Sustainable Development Goals, and how our program can support this endeavor. After a sucessful day of shopping, eating, and learning we headed to bed.
Tomorrow, hospital rotations begin!
Viola, and the GLA Med Program Team.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 24
Sawadee ka! Today our GLA team started their first day of hospital rotations! With our lab coats on, logbooks, and clipboards in hand, we began shadowing some of the best doctors Chiang Mai has to offer! Chiang Mai’s Maharaj hospital is the largest public and university teaching hospital in Northern Thailand, so we got to experience what it also may look like for a Thai medical student and a Thai doctor! From rotations of observing departments like surgery, internal medicine, OB/GYN, and specialties, we got to learn it all! After our first round of rotations we ate at the hospitals canteen where we had lots of choices of yummy food to choose from! Following our lunch we had time to journal what questions we might want to ask our doctors for our later rounds.
We also started getting ready for our professional medical photos being taken by one of the best Chiang Mai has to offer! These headshots are great additions to our future medical resumes! After our photos we began our second round of shadowing fantastic doctors. Everyone learned and shared their different experiences, Next we headed back to the hotel to do the dreaded swim test… but all so we could celebrate our friend Miya birthday with a pool party! For dinner we also were given an option of everything everyone loves; friend chicken, french fries, and fresh Thai mango. We ended our dinner with singing happy birthday and eating delicious cake. To finish our night we began planning activities for our health camp with the elementary school and our cultural exchange with the local high school.
We have much more to learn tomorrow when we indulge on even more exciting things in the hospital!
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 25
Hello again from Thailand Med Group 1!
Today, we got in our buses at 8:00 to head to Rajavej hospital, a privately-owned hospital for profit. This hospital is unique because it was originally built as a hotel, and then later turned into a hospital, so many of the rooms and hallways are similar to a hotel. After a brief overview of all the different departments, we started our morning rotations, consisting of 5 departments: dental, labor and delivery, emergency room, lab and pt, and x-ray. Students in labor and delivery got to see healthy newborn babies in the NICU, while students in dental got to view a cavity being filled. The emergency room rotation was also able to watch a case needing stitches.
After the morning rotations, the group headed to Aruntara Hotel for lunch and a beautiful view of the river (and coloring sheets!). We then headed back to the hospital for our second rotations in which the groups switched to different departments. We then went to Nong Hoi Health Promoting Hospital, where we met Dr. Chayanisa Pongjai, a public health specialist, who gave us a presentation about how her hospital interacts with the community to prevent disease. This hospital was unique because it has no overnight patients, and it interacts with the community very closely.
At the end of our hospital visit, we got to have a taste of some delicious tropical fruits: rambutan, jackfruit and mangosteen. On the way back to home base, we finally got our long-awaited 7/11 run!! Everyone stocked up on snacks and skincare, and tried new and unique foods like sushi flavored chips and spicy seaweed.
Following the shopping, we returned back to the home base and said goodbye to our wonderful bus two driver who we will miss. Then, we ate a wonderful catered dinner and finished up our planning for our teaching health camp at a local school and cultural exchange presentation on Friday. We worked on posters to present our States to Thai students our age, and practised the games we made to teach little kids about general health. After a couple run throughs, we finished up and headed to bed!
Stella, and the GLA Med Team.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 26
Sawadee ka, today we started off the morning strong with a nice breakfast at 7:45 and quickly departed to the Baan Tor School to give health care presentations to children grades 3rd – 6th. We did a variety of activities that incorporated health care topics, making the entire time engaging and entertaining. Spending time with the kids was incredibly enriching and saying our goodbyes was very bittersweet!
After saying our farewells and taking many memorable pictures we left for a delicious lunch at Caramellow where we also had a riveting photo shoot. Food was delicious and many of us experienced a little taste of home with a lunch order of macaroni and cheese! Following lunch we drove to Varee School for a cultural exchange with other students in our age group. The Thai students greeted us with a very warm welcome and showcased a traditional Thai dance which was then followed by our presentation of the key characteristics about the states we were all from.
After the cultural exchange we came back to home base where we enjoyed some free time and relaxation by the pool. Dinner was incredible as usual and we ended our meal with yet another photo shoot at the small park right outside of the restaurant where we dined.
We left at 7:00 and headed back to home base where we had a review of our strength finder test and mentor groups. After a very long day we were all incredibly exhausted but incredibly happy about the way the day unfolded! We are all looking forward to elephant day tomorrow and see what new experiences the day will bring.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 27
Hello again from the GLA Med Team!
Today, things were a little different as we spent the day at an elephant sanctuary, Elephant Jungle Sanctuary,located about an hour outside of central Chiang Mai. The drive was filled with fun activities such as karaoke, games, and a quick stop at 7/11!
Once we arrived, we had the opportunity to feed, pet, and walk with the elephants while learning more about their care and conservation. We learnt about their rescue and rehabilitation, and got to watch their day-to-day activities.
We also participated in hands-on activities, including making paper from elephant dung, decorating cloths with leaves and flowers, and preparing food for the elephants. After a long day at the Sanctuary, we headed back to home base where we had a catered dinner that including traditional Thai coconut soup with chicken, and delicious mangosteens for a healthy dessert.
In the evening, we started preparing hands-on activities for a service project we have in Bangkok. After, we began brainstorming for our internship presentations and closed off with our mentor groups.
Lucia, and the Thailand GLA Med Team.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28
Sawasdee ka from Thailand!
Today we kicked things off with an educational session led by Paul, a medical student with a background spanning both medicine and sports. It was really insightful to hear his perspective and learn from his diverse experiences in Thailand
and England.
Then, it was time for lunch, and we went to Charmm & Bistro and Gallery. The food was delicious, and right after lunch, everyone was all surprised and treated by Wad, our local director, with Dairy Queen! Afterwards, we headed straight for Muay Thai, and it was a blast! So much fun, and a great way to get moving. We learnt from Muay Thai instructors, learning both defensive and offensive moves. We also had a competitive game with our two winners: Stella and Marielle!
To cool down after our Muay Thai session, we grabbed some delicious fruit smoothies. Our exploration continued with a visit to the bustling Chiang Mai Sunday walking street, a vibrant sensory experience with so much to see and discover. We wrapped up this amazing day with our mentor groups, reflecting on everything and connecting with each other. Overall today was a day of new experiences and unique opportunities!
Miya, and the GLA Thailand Med Team.
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29
Sawadee Ka!
Today we woke up bright and early for breakfast before taking an hour-long drive to Lamphun Hospital, a general hospital with around 440 beds.
For our morning session, we completed two rotations. During the Surgical rotation, we visited the Outpatient Department and the Female Ward, and even had the opportunity to observe two surgeries. Our second rotation focused on Pediatrics, where we toured the pediatric ward and NICU and spent time interacting with some of the younger patients.
For lunch, we headed to Terracotta, where we enjoyed a delicious variety of dishes, from Thai favorites like green curry chicken to Caesar salad. One of the highlights was sampling the different beverages and flavored cakes while starting our first group game, Word Assassin! After our meal, we took a walk around the beautiful restaurant grounds, which featured its own temple and peaceful gardens.
In the afternoon, we returned to the hospital for two more rotations. The first was in the OB/GYN Department, where we learned about ultrasound equipment, toured the labor and delivery rooms, and wrapped up with a fun game of Kahoot for prizes. During our final rotation, we visited the male and female medical wards, the intensive care unit, the stroke department, and the medical laboratory. In the lab, we even conducted a hands-on experiment to determine our blood types.
After a full day at the hospital, we attended an informative presentation led by, Todd, who leads Friends for Asia, GLA’s local partner in Thailand. He shared insights into the similarities and differences between the healthcare systems in Thailand and the United States. Following another delicious dinner at our home base, we continued the conversation by working in groups to design our own fictional countries with the “perfect” healthcare system before reflecting on everything we had learned throughout the day.
To end the evening, we enjoyed some well-deserved free time together, playing UNO, doing each other’s nails, and having plenty of fun conversations. It was the perfect way to unwind after such an informative day.
We can’t wait to see what tomorrow has in store!
– Jaelyn and the GLA Team in Thailand (Med)
BLOG POST FOR JUNE 30
Sawadee ka!
Today we woke up bright and early for breakfast before driving to Saraphi Hospital, a district hospital with 3 branches— the main hospital, the intermediate care branch, and the traditional Thai medicine center. We also got to spend the day with some Thai high school students who were also interning at the hospital!
At the main hospital we got to see the ER, the inpatient department, and the non communicable disease unit. Next we got in our vans and headed to the intermediate care branch where we saw the physical and occupational therapy unit as well as acupuncture.
It was then time for lunch where we headed to the community mall and got to choose from a variety of options for lunch and even had time to stop for face masks!
After lunch, we headed to the traditional Thai medicine branch of the hospital where we got to observe traditional Thai massages and a traditional Thai fire foot massage (Yam Khang). We were then taught how to make Thai herbal compress bags which we got to keep!
It was then time to head back to home base and drop off our new friends on the way!
We came back and had a very educational presentation by Dr. Nit, a public health dr. before having a surprise pizza party which we all loved!!
We can’t wait for all that tomorrow will bring including our monk chats!
⁃ Millie and the Thailand GLA Med Team.
BLOG POST FOR JULY 1
Sawadee ka!
We’re officially halfway through our GLA Medicine and Public Health internship! Our group had an amazing day exploring Chiang Mai and learning more about Thai culture. We started at Doi Pui, where we enjoyed the beautiful mountain scenery before heading to Doi Suthep, a temple in the mountains. Climbing the famous 306 steps was definitely a workout, but the stunning temple and views of Chiang Mai at the top made it worth it.
After lunch at Salad Khun Nai, we split into small groups for Monk Chats where we had meaningful conversations and learned more about Buddhism and life as a monk in Thailand. Of course, we also made a quick stop at 7-Eleven for snacks and drinks.
Later, four of Todd’s students from Singapore International School gave fun presentations about Thai festivals, mixing interesting facts with plenty of jokes that kept everyone laughing. We ended the activity with karaoke, which was a great way to relax and have fun together.
To finish off the day, we had dinner at Wanlamun Rim Nam with our new friends from the presentations. It was the perfect ending to a day filled with beautiful views, cultural experiences, and unforgettable memories.
Brynn, and the GLA Med Group
BLOG POST FOR JULY 2
Hello again from the Thailand Med Team!
Today we woke up bright and early for our visit to Sankampaeng Hospital, our last hospital in Chiang Mai! . Many of us experienced new things such as Dentistry and the Mental Health Clinic, and got to try cool equipment in the PT department.
We had lunch at a much-appreciated western food restaurant, Karin and Shor’s, and rewarded ourselves with ice cream and milkshakes for completing our rotations in Chiang Mai!
After our afternoon rotations, we went back to Homebase to finish preparation for our internship presentations where we were worked on health-related problems in Thailand and globally, and how the UN SDGs interact with these, as well as brainstormed possible solutions using ideas we have learnt so far on the program. It was an insightful experience that allowed us to personalize our learning so far and gave us the chance to get creative with our ideas and our slide designs.
Once finished, we listened to our guest speaker, Dr. Angie, a family medicine doctor, speak about her experience in medicine in the UK and give advice to us upcoming doctors.
To end the day after dinner, we took a short walk to Tesco Lotus, a small convenient store similar to 7/11, to pick up some snacks. We then packed our bags as we are heading to Koh Samet for a fun beach adventure this weekend before completing our internship in Bangkok for the rest of our program!
Dara and the GLA Med Team.
BLOG POST FOR JULY 3
Sawadee ka!
Today we officially said goodbye to Chiang Mai and traded the mountains for the island life. It was a massive travel day, but we finally made it to paradise!
The journey kicked off with our flight out of Chiang Mai, landing us safely at Suvarnabhumi Airport. From there, we loaded onto our tour bus to start the road trip portion of the day.
After driving for a bit, we pulled over at a restaurant stop for a little taste of home. We fully indulged in some classic American fast food, including Taco Bell and McDonald’s!
Once we finished eating, we headed back to the bus and kept moving east. Two hours later, we arrived at the pier in Rayong, where we ditched the wheels and boarded a speedboat to take us straight across the water to Koh Samet.
We wrapped up our long day of travel by eating a delicious dinner together and ended the night with some quiet time right on the shore, just relaxing and admiring the beach.
We have so much more to look forward to, and tomorrow is yet another day to come!
– Pia and the GLA Med Group
BLOG POST FOR JULY 4
Sawadee ka from Koh Samet!!
We started our morning off slow with a buffet breakfast at 9AM. After breakfast we decided to go for a swim the ocean with Ben, our International Director, and then we all did a journaling exercise together.
With beach bags packed, we went to lunch at a traditional Thai restaurant on the coast where there was a variety of delectable foods to enjoy and a stunning view of the ocean. After lunch we spent the rest of the afternoon cooling off from the rainy day by playing mermaids, and then we had some fun going to the small market and another 7/11 where there were lots of amazing finds.
We finally got back to La Lune hotel in the late afternoon and all took much-deserved showers and got ready for dinner. Dinner was served and lots of pictures were taken, then we watched a mesmerizing fire show in front of the hotel before we headed back to our surprise 4th of July celebrations Thai style! (thank you so much to the incredible Thai staff for organizing this) We made s’mores, did sparklers, popped confetti and played American tunes. To end the day we had mentor groups and hung out till it was time to go to bed.
Overall an amazing re-set day, can’t wait for snorkeling tomorrow!!
We can’t believe we’re already 2 weeks in!! To our families, see you in a week!
Emily, co-leader Jersey, and the Thailand GLA Med team!!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 5
Sa wa Dee ka!!!
Today we started the morning with breakfast on the hotel. We then hopped on a boat and stopped by a couple islands. We spent the majority of our day on Koh Thalu, snorkeling, swimming, and relaxing on the beach. We saw beautiful coral reefs, and many species of fish, including sea urchins. We had a yummy lunch at the island as well.
After snorkeling and swimming we headed back to home base, took a much needed shower and started a career exploratory workshop by creating LinkedIn profiles.
On our walk to supper, we took cute photos to mourn our last night in Koh Samet. At supper, we enjoyed a live singer along with a fire show. We ended the night strong by dancing our hearts out. Looking forward to our last morning before heading off to Bangkok.
Jersey, her co leader Emily, and the GLA Med Team 💗🏝️🐠
BLOG POST FOR JULY 6
Sawadee ka from Bangkok!
Today, our GLA group had our last morning in Koh Samet! We are all very sad to be leaving the beach, but also grateful we got to go and excited for Bangkok!
We had an early and yummy breakfast today at Lalune hotel, followed by a visit to Samed health center. Samed health center is a small health center in Koh Samet with an Emergency Room, pharmacy, clinic for kids who need vaccinations, and rooms for consults for pregnant women. We learned about the health center from a medical officer, including the services they offer, common diseases they treat, the population in Koh Samet, which is 999 (not including tourists and temporary workers), and the process when transferring a patient to bigger hospitals. After this wonderful information session, we toured around the center, looking at different machines used in the ER, as well as different rooms used for special consults.
We made our way back to Laluna, we packed up our bags, said goodbye to Koh Samet, and traveled via speed boat back to the mainland. Of course we had to stop at 7/11 for the 100th time because we are very hungry kids, (and thank you staff for letting us go)! Then, we gathered our luggage and continued on our journey to Bangkok!
Three hours later, (and 3 episodes of love island later), we stopped for lunch! Our choices ranged from McDonald’s and Starbucks to Thai choice, good choice! If you were lucky, (like I was), you could go to 7/11 once again! We hopped on our bus after lunch, and one hour later we arrived in Bangkok!
In Bangkok we checked into our luxury hotel, (which has a pool with an underwater gym), and headed to our rooms for a quick 30 minute break! At 6pm, we went to dinner at Villa Market via subway (known as the BTS, not the boyband), which had a variety of restaurants, including Thai, Japanese, and Italian cuisines!
To finish off, we worked together in our groups to prepare for the boys home, which you will be informed of tomorrow!
We hope you enjoyed and we can’t wait to show you the rest of our experiences!!
Marielle and the GLA Med team!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 7
Sawadeeka!!
Today was our first full day in Bangkok! We started the morning with an early breakfast before discussing our activities for the boys home with the local staff to make sure we were prepared.
After breakfast, we headed to Rajavadee’s Boy’s House for the Disabled, where we did activities like sponge painting, making slime, creating oobleck, and exploring different textures. We had so much fun doing the activities with them! We also helped make lunch boxes for them and got to visit their workshop, where the boys make crafts and other handmade projects. We even had the chance to buy some of the crafts and snacks from the workshop café. Before we left, we enjoyed a lunch of rice and fried chicken.
After visiting the boys’ home, we went to Chatuchak Market, the biggest outdoor market in Southeast Asia!
Next, we spent the afternoon at CentralWorld, the biggest shopping mall in Bangkok! It has seven floors filled with all kinds of shops and restaurants. Some of us even got our nails done, watched a movie, or went ice skating!
After the mall, we returned to the hotel and finished the day with GLA activities and mentor groups!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 8
Sawatdee ka!
Today we had an eventful morning visiting the Grand Palace and multiple temples! To start our morning off, we went to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and took many photos. We then walked, persevering through some heat, to the Grand Palace where we learned about the Royal Family!
We then took a short bus ride to Wat Pho, or the Temple of the Reclining Buddha! The statue was 46 meters long and gold! After that, we went to lunch and our 50th 7/11 run. Then, we went to our final temple: the Temple of Dawn- which has a looping staircase on the tower, making it possible to watch the sun rise and set. We saw many tourists in thai traditional clothing for photos and went souvenir shopping.
Our evening was much more laid-back! We had free time full of swimming, and some people read and did sat prep by the pool, and some went to the gym! Before dinner we played a game of mafia which was a blast, Viola was our mafia who was fortunately brought to justice! We prepared for tomorrow’s hospital visits and group letters. After that, we enjoyed pizza and wings in the staff room and watched the Greatest Showman! Overall we had a nice relaxing day to prepare for the excitement of these next last two days!
– Persie Huber and the Med team
