Students and parents often wonder what it’s like to come to one of our programs on their own. It’s a question we hear all the time, and here’s the deal: almost all of our students start their GLA journey solo!

While traveling with friends and siblings can be a wonderful experience for different reasons, setting off by yourself is also its own unique opportunity for self-discovery.

There’s always a bit of those “first day jitters,” as there is with any new social situation, but thanks to our skilled leaders, some fun orientation activities, and the magic of travel, it doesn’t take long for everyone to warm up. By the end of the program, it’s hard to say goodbye without a few tears!

Starting out alone might seem a bit intimidating, but it’s the perfect setup for some amazing friendships. Here’s why traveling solo to our programs always turns into something super special:

You Become Your True Self

There’s something freeing about being miles away from school, friends, family, and your home country. You leave behind not just a physical place but the role you play within it. This blank slate is the beauty of traveling solo on our programs. You get to decide who you are and how you present yourself, free from any preconceived notions or expectations on who you are.

We’ve seen many students surprised to tell us they discovered they weren’t the introvert they thought they were, or the class clown they thought they needed to be. Many students find themselves, perhaps for the first time, in an environment where they’re truly seen for who they are.

You Make Friends Faster, and Stronger Than Ever

Shared experiences, collective firsts, and collaboration are some of the best ingredients we know of to quickly bring people together. Whether you’re working together on a community infrastructure project in Costa Rica or walking alongside elephants in Thailand, there’s a special kind of joy and understanding that comes from experiencing something new with someone else or working together on a shared goal that turns strangers into lifelong friends.

Our students come from everywhere and for every reason. Some are most excited to help on a service project or practice a new language, others are eager to learn about wildlife or environmental conservation. But they all arrive with a common thread of curiosity and an adventurous spirit. It’s these shared interests that turn a group of strangers into a tight-knit crew, ready to take on whatever comes their way.

Consider Your Comfort Zone Expanded!

Travel naturally pushes the boundaries of comfort with new cultures, languages, foods and places. At GLA, we know that stepping out of your comfort zone is the best kind of adventure, and it becomes easier with each new experience. Heading into the unknown alone is a life skill more valuable than most give it credit for. It’s a skill that makes college, jobs and future adventures all the more exciting and comfortable to venture into.

While the first step in most big life decisions is done solo, the real spoiler alert is that the second you meet someone else doing it alone, you’re already on the path to doing something together. The support and camaraderie found in tackling challenges together make forming friendships one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.

The magic of our programs isn’t just in the places you’ll go or the things you’ll see—it’s in the friendships you’ll make. These connections go beyond just having fun together; they’re about understanding, growing and learning how to connect with anyone, from anywhere. And that’s something you’ll carry with you long after you’re back home.

Pro Tip: We share flight rosters ahead of the start of your summer session, so even if you (or the teen in your family) is going on a GLA program solo and looking forward to meeting new friends during the experience, you can start the shared journey together a little earlier if you so desire by potentially booking the same flights as other students attending the program.

James Townsend
Writer
Global Leadership Adventures