Global Glimpse

Global Glimpse is truly a fantastic nonprofit. The programming they have in place for students is unlike any other nonprofit I've worked with, and they truly focus on how to create the deepest level of impact for students and the communities they work with. Students walk away from their trips with substantial leadership skills, interpersonal skills, new friends, new sense of community and an expanded view of the world. It's a positive experience for everyone involved and I highly recommend looking for ways to get involved or donate!

Global Glimpse (GG) is a non-profit that truly makes a difference in the lives of students. GG absolutely helped shape the trajectory of my life. When I got nominated for my GG trip, I was a recent immigrant to the U.S. from a working-class family who dreamt of world travel. GG opened up the world to me - I didn't just get to travel, I learned how to meaningfully engage with the world.
I have since graduated from UC Berkeley, worked at some of the most coveted firms, and now run a non-profit of my own and I can confidently say that my life would not look the same had it not been for GG.
Throughout these years, I have engaged with GG in various roles and it has been a privilege to continue to get to know the team of deeply passionate, authentic, and dedicated people who work at GG. They continue to make a difference in thousands of lives like mine!

Global Glimpse is an exceptional non-profit organization that inspires and empowers high school students through transformative travel experiences. Their dedication to fostering global understanding and leadership skills is commendable. By offering immersive cultural exchanges, Global Glimpse helps young people gain a broader perspective on the world and develop a deep sense of empathy and responsibility.

Reflecting on my own high school days, I can't help but wish Global Glimpse had been available to me. My love for travel, which has profoundly shaped the person I am today, could have been nurtured early on. Travel means everything to me; it opens my mind to new cultures, ideas, and ways of life. It has taught me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of seeing the world through different lenses. These experiences have significantly influenced my personal growth and worldview.

Global Glimpse's mission resonates deeply with me. By providing students with the opportunity to explore and learn from diverse cultures, they are not just shaping future leaders but also creating compassionate global citizens. I wholeheartedly support their efforts and believe that every student should have the chance to embark on such a life-changing journey.

The coronavirus obviously has affected many summer programs for students this year. But most programs are offering a refund. GG is not, and it is not an option unless you have an income of less than $60,000 and apply for an Undue Burden Relief Assistance. Given how this pandemic has hit so many people in so many ways, it is surprising that GG is insisting that families continue with their plans in summer 2021. Many families with income over $60,000 are stressed as well. Who knows what everyone's situation will be in 2021? Other people are filing lawsuits for concert tickets that are not being refunded. Money invested here is certainly more than a concert ticket.

I don’t recommend this program for students. They are mainly concerned about looking marketable and gaining from hidden fees ( someone else put this in their review).

A few of my friends were looking to apply while I was in high school. While inquiring about the program the representatives were rude, short-tempered and not willing to answer questions.

Their scholarships for students who want to join for the experience are not need-based, which is very contradictory to their whole mission of helping those who don’t have access to better experiences and education.

I didn’t end up going because of it. They say they help students less fortunate raise money, but that really just means get a part-time job. I had extenuating circumstances where I could not, so I didn’t go.

Great non-profit committed to diversity; well-run and poised for growth

As a senior in high school, I traveled to Nicaragua with Global Glimpse. The trip was unlike anything I had done before. I made more connections with the local community than I had on any other international trip. From Culture Day to our Community Action Project, we learned about the country and about ourselves in new, eye-opening ways. The diverse group of students that I traveled with made my trip even more incredible. I was able to meet students who I normally would not have socialized with in high school.

I continued my journey with Global Glimpse when I returned home as an Alumni Ambassador. This program allows former Glimpsers to recruit and prepare new Glimpsers for the following year. Global Glimpse has Alumni Ambassador “Summits” where these GG Alumni get networking experience, career development, and college preparation.

I recommend any high schooler to be a part of this program. There is no other youth travel program like it!

I took the opportunity of a lifetime to travel with Global Glimpse to Nicaragua in 2011. As a junior in high school I was primarily interested in traveling internationally and making new friends - both of these expectations were met, but this experience was so much more!

We studied the coffee business (from bean to cup), learned about Nicaragua's rich history, and connected with a diverse group of Nicaraguans. Within these big activities were many quiet moments that are hard to explain in words - simply the trip challenged me to think differently about myself, purpose, and the world. I learned about leadership - the humble, giving kind - and that I am capable of developing this. I learned that purpose goes beyond just going to a good college and getting a good job - it ties directly into working with others to bring about positive change for people and our world.

A lot has happened since this trip - I often refer back to these memories and lessons. I am thankful for the perspective I gained because of the opportunity Global Glimpse gave me. It is exciting to know that Global Glimpse as an organization and the people that make up this team continue to build impactful experiences for so many other students and teachers.

I highly recommend getting involved. And if you are a high school student take this opportunity to travel internationally, make new friends... and of course so much more!

I traveled with GG in 2010 to Nicaragua and it completely changed my life! My experience ended up inspiring me to be the first in my family to go to college and I still use everything I learned in Global Glimpse as I navigate my career today. Anyone thinking about this program, I highly recommend you do it! You won't regret it and the friends you make will be close friends for a lifetime!

I've been with Global Glimpse now since 2017. I met the team through an in-kind donation for a fundraising event, and immediately fell in love with the mission... so much so that I've become part of their Regional Advisory Board. Global Glimpse is a rare combination of transparent in practice and visionary in their growth. Its mission to serve and inspire students from every background drives everything they do. Global Glimpse is an amazing organization of amazing people!

Global Glimpse is an organization that is very near and dear to my heart. I participated in the Global Glimpse program when I was in high school: I traveled to Leon, Nicaragua with 20 other students from very different backgrounds and different parts of the Bay Area. It was the most eye-opening, transformative, and empowering program I'd ever participated in. The experiences I had on the trip, the locals I met, and the fellow Glimpsers on my program all had such a deep impact on me and changed the trajectory of my life. The program touched on themes of globalization, international aid and development, US foreign policy, poverty, education, and so much more, which ultimately inspired me to study international affairs, focusing on Latin America. I became passionate about international issues and the US' influence in the region, studied abroad in Chile, and went on to pursue a career in the nonprofit space, all because of my experience in Nicaragua with Global Glimpse.

This is not a study abroad program. This is not some kind of community service trip that does more harm than good to the community. Global Glimpse has built strong relationships with every community to which they travel, and is committed to being responsible, sustainable, and respectful of the spaces and people that students interact with. It is the best leadership program a high school student can participate in to open their eyes to the world and their own place in it, period. Not to mention how professional, passionate, and incredible the staff is, both in the US and internationally. This is truly an excellent nonprofit with an incredible program that doesn't compare to anything else in the space.

I had the opportunity to participate in the Global Glimpse program in the summer of 2015 where I traveled to Riobamba, Ecuador. It was an eye-opening experience to immerse myself in local life and culture along with learning about indigenous cultures, environmental preservation, and development. Moreover, I was able to develop my leadership skills and learn about my role as a global citizen. I also got to meet the mayor of Riobamba and the former President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa. Being apart of Global Glimpse was a transformative experience and left such a profound impact on me that I returned as an intern in the summer of 2017.

I travelled with Global Glimpse to Nicaragua in the summer of 2012. I found Global Glimpse to be an incredible experience that was filled with travel, cultural immersion and educational components. Being immersed in Nicaraguan culture for 2.5 weeks with a diverse group of individuals was very eye opening and inspiring. The trip challenged me to be more culturally and globally aware and helped me develop my leadership skills. I am grateful for my experience with Global Glimpse as it inspired me to study International Development and Global Affairs in university and to travel as much as possible to continue to immerse myself in new cultures and communities. I would highly recommend Global Glimpse to anyone who is looking to broaden their perspectives, see the world, expose themselves to new environments and have a trip of a lifetime!

My Global Glimpse trip was back in 2015. In Nicaragua, I was challenged and pushed in many ways - whether it was teaching English to the Spanish-speaking locals, becoming friends with people I didn't even know in the beginning, or even leading a group of people with having little confidence in my public speaking. I'm grateful to have had a supporting group of people who I grew alongside in leadership skills, global awareness, and empathy through the different projects and experiences we had. After being a Global Glimpse Ambassador and now almost ending my undergraduate college degree, I'm thankful for the challenges and joys I experienced in my Global Glimpse trip, even today, and the friends that I still have from the program! I've become more confident about speaking up and am willing to go out of my comfort zone to experience new things to keep learning. I would recommend this program to high schoolers who want to challenge themselves in their leadership abilities, want to learn about the world outside of textbooks and the comforts of home, and are interested in global matters.

As a professional working within CSR, it takes a lot to confidentally say that a non-profit is polished, professional, financially smart, strategic while looking to grow, and making a real and measurable impact. Global Glimpse has all this and more. In addition to the work they do in schools with leadership focused learnings, the lessons learned while student's are in-country will follow them throughout their entire lives. It changes the mindset with which the students approach their family, friends, and their own identities. It also makes them realize that while you may have limited power, you always have the power to do the right thing. I always say Global Glimpse creates better global citizens, and I fully believe it.

I attended a global glimpse trip back 4 years ago and I loved the locals and the workers at our hostel, but the experience with the group I was with was not so good. I was a shy kid who just wanted to get leadership experience but I felt like i wasn't helped at all. Instead I was ignored by the majority of the other kids on the trip and I was outcasted. When it was my turn to lead, I was given no help from the trip leaders when I was messing up. During the trip one of the girls bossed me around and talked behind my back. There was a lot of cattiness and high school drama that was brought there on the trip. I give it two stars because of the amazing adventurers and learning opportunities I experienced on the trip. I was grateful to learn about the extreme poverty that was there and the history behind the country of Nicaragua. Many of the Nicaraguans were humble and friendly and I loved learning about the culture of the country and the adults who were in charge were caring for the most part.
On the other hand, the group of students that I was traveling with (which was made up of mostly girls) were very empathetic, catty and fake the other people were passive and never talked to me and someone of them were nice. I never seen any other review of this company saying there bad experience I don't know why but this was pretty much mine without including all the details. My advise would be that if you are shy and timid please do not go on one of these trips! If you do, make sure it is with a friend because you will be ostracize. This trip is supposed to help with leadership abilities, it does but do not expect the people there to hold your hand and treat you with kindness. The adult are very passive and the students are very high school cliquish and will be very hard on you. If you do not like high school and your a young sensitive person, again, make sure you bring someone that you know with you or do not go at all! Another thing is, if your a black student that is quiet and shy/not very social, this makes it worse because there, you are expected to be very outgoing for some reason and since you are not they will ignore you and they will treat you very poorly. Before I went to this trip, I research and found all positive experience so I expected mine to be the same. When I came home and realized what actually happened, at first was in disbelief, but when I went to therapy, I was validated about my experience. If you experienced something similar know that you are not alone. This is a warning for anybody who want to go on these trips.

Global Glimpse just came to Chicago about a year ago, but they've already sent about 100 students from Chicago abroad on life-changing trips this summer. It's incredible how quickly they set up and started making a difference. I work at a school district where two of our schools were able to partner with Global Glimpse in the fall, and the students and teacher-leaders absolutely love it. All of the training and planning was well-coordinated and everything about the year-long Global Glimpse experience was clearly laid out for students and their families right from the very beginning. Our schools serve a predominantly low-income and minority population, students who traditionally would not have access to the same types of enrichment programs as their peers in wealthier schools or suburbs. So in this case, Global Glimpse is a complete game changer. Our kids aren't held back by where they live anymore - they can travel the world, get a true global perspective, and become more capable citizens, all through what Global Glimpse offers.

I joined the San Francisco Bay Area Global Glimpse advisory board in early 2014 and can attest to this non-profit being a phenomenal organization that truly cares about its mission. The full time staff, both here in the US and across Latin America, are dedicated, hard working, and are the change we need in this world, which is empowering youth to grow up and become caring and thoughtful leaders of tomorrow.

I have met several students that have gone on the Global Glimpse trips after the gala event and noticed that they took a considerable amount of learning experience and knowledge away from this opportunity. I think this nonprofit is a fantastic organization that seeks to fundraise for students to have the ability and means to go on these trips. To make this place a better world, today's children (and future generation) need to have a more global understanding...now more than ever. Global Glimpse is a significant contributor to ensuring this mission happens.

This organization is amazing. It goes above and beyond to share global knowledge with high school students and give them they experience of the world beyond where they come from. The feedback from the students is that the trips are life changing, and it inspires them to go forth and make real differences in their lives and the lives of others. I am very proud to be a part of it!

Global Glimpse's mission is amazing. International travel is one of the best ways to open one's mind, face fears, make new friends, increase empathy and understanding, and to encourage finding solutions that cross boarders. The fact that Global Glimpse is bringing this opportunity to youth, and to many youth who otherwise would not have access to it, is an inspiration. In all my interactions with staff, volunteers, board members, and participants, I am continually encouraged for the future of our world!

I've been following Global Glimpse for a while now, and am impressed at the role they play in shaping youth perspective on leadership, community, and empathy. My favorite part is that they educate students in a variety of ways, including understanding how people in developing countries live to building empathy for peers from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

I travelled with Global Glimpse to Nicaragua in the summer of2012. Global Glimpse was an incredible experience that was filled with travel, cultural immersion and educational components. Being immersed in Nicaraguan culture for 2.5 weeks with such a diverse group of individuals my age opened my eyes to new perspectives and opportunities. My experience with Global Glimpse inspired me to study International Development in university and to travel as much as possible to continue to experience new cultures and communities. I would highly recommend Global Glimpse to any high school student who is looking to learn outside the classroom, expose themselves to new environments and have a trip of a lifetime!

Global Glimpse is truly one of a kind. I have never encountered a more dedicated, passionate team and their mission is unique and high impact. There is no other organization committed to serving low income students in the youth travel arena that has scaled and they have so much potential to grow and change more young people's lives!

I have worked with Global Glimpse as a member of its advisory board and am blown away by what the organization has achieved. It has great staff that are dedicated to providing students with the opportunity to travel and the impact one trip can have is quite transformative!

Global Glimpse is what I wish I had as a high school student! The program is literally making the world a better place as young adults explore what it means to live in a connected and just world. Students return from the summer trips with a hugely expanded sense of the impact they can have on their world, and carry the experience with them for the rest of their lives.

Global Glimpse continues to surprise me in the positive impact it has on young people's lives.

I am a teacher who took a delegation of students on Global Glimpse trips in the summer, and I love hearing from the alumni about what they are doing now and how it all started with this trip! It's only 3 weeks, but it changes peoples lives.

On practically a shoestring budget, Global Glimpse takes teens interested in leadership, global issues, and helping others on a cultural immersion trip to Nicaragua or the Dominican Republic for three weeks the summer before their senior year. They provide intensive pre-trip workshops, in-country meetings and field trips to various organizations where students meet locals who build community organizations to meet growing needs and changes in their own community, and then students plan and execute various service learning projects along side this. Ongoing reflection and leadership development is a large part of why this program is so successful. They also have very intelligent in-country coordinators.

Global Glimpse provides many need-based scholarships so that wealth does not have to be a barrier to students. In fact, most students who attend are on scholarship. It is rare to see study abroad programs so committed to making their program affordable for the public.

I would highly recommend this organization to any student (or parent of students) , teachers, social workers, etc looking for an incredible and life changing experience. I had traveled fairly extensively in Latin America before, but was astounded at how much more I learned, saw many shades of complex issues, and grew from these trips. It's changed the way I look at a lot of things, and how I teach back home.