Inside Malia Obama’s Post White House Jet Setting Adventures

Notably, Malia Obama’s parents kept her trip firmly under wraps. When The New York Times interviewed the guides who led the expedition, they confirmed that they were only told that a prominent American figure would join them on their journey. So they mistook a blonde woman to be the guest of honor and only learned it was the former first daughter after the trip concluded. They ended up treating Malia like everybody else and entrusted her with chores and cooking duties as normal. 

Gregorio Mamani, one of the guides, shared his overall impression of Malia with the outlet. “She was very humble, chatty, spoke Spanish very well,” he recalled. “She was mesmerized by the Bolivian landscape.” Malia went on the trip through a gap-year program with the educational touring company Where There Be Dragons. According to their website, the immersive trek through the Andes aimed to help students learn about the communities who resided in the area, better grasp their language through a local tutor, and understand the dire need for environmental conservation. The awesome experience came with a hefty price tag of around $17,000.

Although Former President Barack Obama wanted his daughters to explore the globe and experience different cultures, he had reservations about the trip due to safety concerns. Fortunately, as Bolivia expert Kathryn Ledebur informed The Times, “In spite of significant political differences with the Obama administration, he accepted the visit, understood the significance of the learning experience, and respected Malia’s privacy.” Since then, Barack has also supported Malia’s budding Hollywood career.