Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do you assess the safety of your destinations, and what happens if there is an incident that compromises the student’s safety?
A: In addition to regular reports that we get from the US, Canadian and British Departments of State, we liaise with consular offices in the countries to which we travel. We also rely on our own in-country contacts: the people with whom we set up our programs, the current international and local staff with whom we work to determine the safety of a particular country. If we ever determine a country or region to be unsafe, we will close the program and allow them to transfer to a different program.
Q: What happens if a student gets sick or injured?
A: We work with emergency response service providers, and we have carefully researched in-country medical facilities with English-speaking doctors at our disposal. GLA purchases secondary emergency medical and evacuation insurance for all students while they are on our program. If a student becomes ill, we respond effectively and immediately to ensure appropriate medical care. If it is determined that a higher level of care is necessary than can be provided in the country, the student will be air lifted to receive proper treatment.
Getting Ready
Q: Is a visa required to travel on a GLA program?
A: A visa is not required to travel to most of our destinations from the USA; for non US passport holders please consult your local embassy to check your visa requirements for travel and transit. A visa is required for those traveling to Ghana.
Q: Does GLA provide travel insurance?
A: GLA tuition includes secondary medical and evacuation insurance. To help protect against cancellation, delayed flights, lost baggage, etc, we recommend purchasing additional travel insurance.
Q: How much money should my student bring and in what currency?
A: Students will have the opportunity to purchase gifts or snacks during the program, and should bring enough money to meet their shopping needs. With staff assistance, students can exchange their money into the local currency upon arrival to the country (if applicable). GLA recommends bringing an additional $200-$300 USD (in the form of cash OR a card) for use in emergencies only.
Q. I'm fundraising! Do I need to pay all at once?
A. No! We're happy to set you up on a payment plan. The only stipulation is that the full balance must be received no later than 60 days prior to your departure. (Students who enroll closer than 60 days to their program are on a different payment schedule--you can view those details here.) Please communicate your needs to to, and we can get you all set up!
Q. How do flights work? When do I book?
A. Great question! There are a few ways to go about booking your flights; the "Flight Info" link in the Portal is a great place to start. You can view the arrival/departure windows, information for our recommended travel agency StudentUniverse, and other students' flights if you wish to coordinate to fly together. If the flight piece is overwhelming, StudentUniverse can be very helpful. If you want to use Frequent Flyer miles or would like to book flights on your own, be sure to adhere to the approved arrival/departure windows! Once you submit your official itinerary to us, we will add it to the flight spreadsheet so that other families can use it as a guide.
If you enroll prior to February, please wait to purchase flights until you have been given the OK by us! Programs must meet a minimum enrollment before they are guaranteed to run. You will see whether or not a particular session is guaranteed to run in your Welcome Email. If you have any doubts, please contact us prior to purchasing.
Q. The packing list is overwhelming! Do I really need all this stuff?
A. You do! The GLA Packing List has been specially crafted based on the experiences of students and staff over the years. It is designed to be as concise as possible while helping students to be fully prepared for the program.
Student Body & Staff
Q: Who are GLA students?
A: GLA students come from around the world and every walk of life. Students come from private and public schools ranging from the US, Europe, Africa, Asia and other areas in between. We are open to students ranging from incoming freshmen to outgoing seniors. Although most students are 15 - 17, we welcome all students between the ages of 14 and 18. We also partner with scholarship organizations such as Summer Search in order to open up this life-changing experience to those from a variety of economic backgrounds. GLA students are passionate about volunteering, engaged in the world around them, and innately curious.
Q: Who are the "leaders"? Who will be supervising my child?
A: Our program staff are amazing people who truly make the GLA experience what it is. Each program has a combination of international staff (typically from the US, Canada, or UK) and local staff (native to the program country). Our international staff are teachers, educators, and professional individuals who have lots of experience with teens and have earned a BA at the very least. They often have experience in the country in which the program runs, having studied abroad there, done a stint in the Peace Corps, or traveled there extensively. Local staff will teach student about local customs, lead language courses, and translate when necessary. All of our staff is heavily vetted through a rigorous interview process, including background checks, reference checks, and trainings. Many of our summer staff return year after year!
Q: How does your organization respond to issues of race, sexual orientation or other problems?
A: We practice zero tolerance of discrimination or prejudice of any form.
Q: How can I contact other students on the program?
A: First, you need to log into your GLA Dashboard. On the left side panel click on your session date under “Flight Details & Roster” for a list of all student names, email addresses, and flight itineraries once they have been submitted. (Please note this link is not accessible on mobile devices.) Feel free to reach out via email to coordinate to fly together, or just to say "hello"! The GLA Costa Rica Facebook page is also a great resource for connecting and starting a dialogue prior to meeting on the program.
Accommodations & Communication
Q: What kind of meals will be served on the program?
A: Tuition includes three hearty meals during the day and occasional snacks. Our food is safely prepared by local chefs who will cook both authentic dishes and western dishes for our students. Food is served buffet-style so that students can pick and choose what appeals to them. Although some snacks will be provided, we recommend that students pack with them any specific snacks they may crave during the program, such as granola bars or power bars. All GLA programs can accommodate vegetarians; we can also accommodate a gluten-free diet in Costa Rica. Please let us know of any dietary restrictions or allergies at least 60 days prior to departure!
Q: What are the lodging accommodations like?
A: The GLA Home Base is safe and secure. Students live in gender-segregated rooms with attached western-style bathrooms, typically sharing with 1 - 4 roommates. There are common areas for leadership activities, sharing meals, and hanging out. During excursions or nights when the group is traveling away from the Home Base, the group stays together in a safe, simple, clean hotel that may be open to the public. Students are always supervised, and staff members are always accessible if assistance is needed.
Q: Can my student attend or observe their religious practices during the program?
A: Yes, students can observe and follow their particular religious or spiritual beliefs; we will accommodate a student with an area of solitude for prayer or observance when available. Because we are a secular organization with no religious or political affiliation, we cannot accommodate or enable students' attendance at places of worship. We cannot transport students to/from religious services. Usually the weekends are excursion days and planned for all students. If a student observes a particular religious requirement which does not allow them to travel on those days, we cannot provide supervision or alternative options.
Q: How does parent/student communication work on the program? Will we have WIFI access?
A: After your student's initial call home, regular communication is somewhat sparse. Cell phone access will be limited to about an hour a day during the program, varying in times as it fits into the schedule. When not in use, cell phones will be formally collected by staff members and safely stored until the next 'cell phone' designated time. We urge students to disconnect from technology and be fully present during their time on the program. It is also worth noting that many students who are prone to homesickness find that constant contact with their families back home can actually make their homesickness more acute. The GLA Blog is a great way to keep up-to-date on what your student is up to on the program. This will be updated 1 - 3 times per week, with photos and narrative by the students.
General/Technical Difficulties
Q: I can't log in to my online account!
A: First, confirm that you are logging in with the email address that the student used upon application; the student and parent will share the same login information. If you cannot remember the password, click "Reset Your Password" and follow the prompts.
If you log in successfully but receive an error message, please contact us for assistance at (858) 771-0645 X2.
Q: How does the electronic waiver work?
A: We use Dropbox Sign electronic signing system for our waiver, which is required for all students traveling with GLA. The waiver is first sent to the parent via email, from Dropbox Sign. Once the parent opens the document and clicks through to sign where indicated, the waiver will be automatically forwarded to the student's email. The student MUST access the waiver from his/her own inbox. The student will then repeat the process. Once the document has both sets of signatures, it will return to us automatically. It can sometimes take a few days for us to review the document and send an email confirmation. If you are having trouble with Dropbox Sign, you can download a printable version here.
Q: I haven't heard from GLA in a while and don't think I'm receiving their emails...what should I do?
A: First, be sure that GLA has your current email address. We use the address supplied upon enrollment. You will also want to add travel@experiencegla.com as a contact, to help guard against our emails going to your spam folder. It is our policy to always copy the parent on all correspondence, so be sure to alert us if communications aren't coming through! We send many important updates via email, so it is imperative that we are able to reach you.