Home-Base
It´s after dinner and you´re feeling like eating something sweet. Your roomate tells you that they saw a bakery down the block- so you both decide to walk there. It´s 5 minutes away.
No Deal! Due to safety reasons, leaving the GLA Home Base without permission or supervision is grounds for expulsion.
You´re at the project site and there is a celebration going on. This is a wonderful cultural immersion opportunity, so your mentor tells you that it is ok to mingle and talk to others in the community. A local offers your food and drinks.
DEAL. As long as you always ask your mentor or director first.
You´re at the beach and you stop at a cool souvenir shop. You see a cool lighter that your sister would love. She collects lighters from all around the world. You decide to buy it.
DEAL: As long as you get you get parental consent and give it to your mentor/director to keep until the program concludes.
You have been getting along with one of your peers. You´ve developed a great connection and feelings for this person and would like to keep in touch after you get back home.
DEAL: Romantic relationships between peers is not allowed on GLA programs but you are definitely encouraged to continue your friendships beyond the program!
You and your roommate really like the couch on the balcony. It´s super comfortable and you have been going up there everyday after lunch. Now you´ve made it your exclusive space to hangout
NO DEAL: No space in the house is exclusive to anyone. Everyone has the right to enjoy every space of the house. Be considerate that others might also want to use the space.
It´s free time, you saw a deck of cards downstairs, you tell members of your mentor group that it would be fun to play a game in the ´Spanish class´area.
Deal! As long as your not in Spanish class. You can use all the areas in the home base for activities during free time. Try to be inclusive (ask other peers, not just your mentor group!) and make sure to put things away.
It´s your last day at the project site and a local gives you a gift as a token of appreciation. It´s a traditional machete. You´re super grateful because it´s really cool and your dad loves these tools. So you bring it back to the home base and put it in your suitcase to keep it safe.
NO DEAL: knives, slingshots, machetes, and other items(lighters) that can be utilized as weapons are not allowed on GLA programs.
You´re at the beach you see a cool piercing and tattoo place. The owner is very artistic. You´ve always wanted to get a second piercing, so this is a great opportunity.
NO DEAL: No body alterations, including tattoos or piercings are to be obtained while on a GLA program, even with parental consent.
You haven´t been feeling well (headaches and stomach aches)- but you guess the change in diet and temperature must be the reason. So you just keep pushing through the day.
NO DEAL. YOU are responsible for your own safety and wellbeing! This includes taking prescribed medications, putting on sunscreen/insect repellent and discussing any concerns (health or otherwise) and/or needs directly with your mentor/ director.
You find people that you really connect and have a lot in common with. You think the trip is too short so you want to take advantage of it and spend most of your time with them.
NO DEAL: Remember this is an opportunity to step out of your confort zone. This means hanging out with people you wouldn´t normally hang out with. You would be surprised how much you can learn from people that come from different backgrounds.
It´s reflection time and your mentor has asked you to journal about an activity you did in the community today. One of your peers (that is not your roommate) has suggested doing the reflection in their room. It is quiet and has great lighting.
NO DEAL! It is prohibited to enter other people´s rooms reguardless of gender.
It super hot today and you´re going to the project site. You want to wear shorts, a short sleeve shirt and boots/sneakers
DEAL: As long as you don´t wear very short shorts or spaghetti straps. Sandals or open toe shoes are not allowed.
After a long hike you are back at the hotel. It has a big pool and you have free time- so why not go for a swim.
DEAL: As long as you ask a mentor or the director first. Students are only allowed to swim under adult supervision.
You´re not feeling well this morning. You have a bit of a migraine, so you´re going to skip ¨project time¨ and try to sleep it off.
NO DEAL: If you´re not feeling well and can´t join an activity- you need to discuss this with a staff member first!
You´re playing a game and you´ve lost, so you yell that it´s not fair and that someone cheated.
NO DEAL: Culturally, disruptive behaviour (such as yelling, cursing) is not appropriate. If you are dissapointed about anything be aware of how you project yourself.
It´s lights- out but you´re not really sleepy. You remember that you have a book that you brought with you on the trip. You don´t want to make noise and wake your roomates up so you decide to go to the living area to read a bit.
NO DEAL: Lights out is for sleeping. Remember you need to be rested to participate in next days activities. After lights-out nobody should be leaving their rooms.
You´re in the community and a local peer has asked you to buy him cigarettes for his brother.
NO DEAL. The possesion, consumption, attempted sale or purchase of alcoholic beverages, tobacco or drugs is strictly prohibited during the program and it´s a cause of dimissal.
You´re at the beach and see that there´s a cool trail that lasts only 15 minutes- you ask your roomate to come with you.
NO DEAL: Don´t leave the group when at the service site or out in public. Anyone who leaves the group without permission from staff will be asked to leave the program for safety reasons. ALWAYS remain in the the group/with staff when in public.
You and your roommate have been bonding and feel very comfortable telling each other what you think openly. So during mentor groups you tell your roomate that her/his answer to a specific question is dumb.
NO DEAL: Bullying is not allowed and we need to respect each other and encourage respectful language.
You´ve just arrived back from a hike where you were given your cellphone to take pictures. You leave your phone on the table next to the safe.
DEAL: It´s important that your respect the cellphone use policy. IF you use your phone outside of authorized time. This is a code of conduct violation.
It´s lights- out but you´re not really sleepy. You remember that you have a book that you brought with you on the trip. You quitely turn on your head lamp and read for a bit until you feel tired.
DEAL: You don´t HAVE TO fall asleep right away. Light´s out means it time to get the rest you need in your room.
You´re in the community and there is a celebration going on. This is a wonderful cultural immersion opportunity, so your mentor tells you that it is ok to mingle and talk to others in the community. A local tells you to drink a special drink that is usually consumed during festivities. He tells you it´s a tradition- everyone in the community usually drinks it and it only has a bit of alcohol so it won´t have any real effect on you.
NO DEAL. The possesion, consumption, attempted sale or purchase of alcoholic beverages, tobacco or drugs is strictly prohibited during the program and it´s a cause of dimissal.
You swim a lot back at home and have a life guard certification. So when we´re at the beach you want to take advantage of the awesome waves and so you swim further from the limits set by GLA staff. It´s no biggie because you´re super experienced.
NO DEAL: Even if you have experience you need to respect the intructions given by GLA staff and local guides.
You went on a cool adventure activity this morning but now you´re back at the home-base. You´re feeling tired and not interested in the leadership activity of the day. You decide that you´d like reflect on your own and stay in your room.
NO DEAL: You should try and be committed to the program; this means you will approach all program activities with an open mind and will participate in all aspects of the program.
You´re running out of clean clothes, so you ask your roommate to lend you a shirt.
DEAL BUT: If you have any issues with anything, please let us know.