Goodbye Turtles, Hello San Jose

Archive Central America- MAYA
Our week at the turtle project is officially over after one turtle sighting and lots of sightings of other critters, including a scorpion in our dorm room last night. Our day in Samara was ideal, allowing all of us to enjoy swimming in some calm ocean water until the high tide chased us off of the sand. After visiting what is now our favorite chain smoothie joint, we headed back… Read More

Turtle Project

Archive Central America- MAYA
Sorry we´ve been off the map for a few days…we have been on a turtle conservation reserve on a relatively remote beach for the past week. Although our conditions have been a bit rustic, we´ve really been enjoying helping out the project. During the day, we do various work around the project- painting fences, tending to the volunteer center and garbage pickup. Then the fun starts at night! Each of… Read More
Archive South America- INTI
Hello from Cusco otra vez! We’ve survived the jungle! After returning to our hostel in Puerto Maldonado from Robin’s jungle abode, we all parted ways to drop off our pretty foul-smelling laundry and to find some food. We finally  reunited with Lizzy and Meghan (think  “chariots of fire”), who had prepared everybody some pretty bomb iced lemonade. That night we all went out to one last group dinner with Robin… Read More

In the Jungle, the Mighty Jungle

Archive South America- INTI
We have just returned from an amazing four night stay in the forest. Not just the forest—the Amazon Jungle. It was incredible. Everything is so much richer there: the air, the smells, the soil, the life. It truly was a sensory overload; and not everything we felt, heard and smelt was totally positive: the mosquitoes, bees and flies buzzing incessantly in our ears, the constant need to scratch our legs,… Read More

Bolivia – Land of bloqueos, illness and insanely beautiful landscapes

Archive Latitudes Year
((para ver mas fotos, scroll down!)) ¡Hola comunidad Carpe Diem! It´s Megan (SAM Fall 2011) blogging from Cochabamba, Bolivia, my home for the past casi dos meses y me voy a quedar para dos meses mas 🙂 I am volunteering through Sustainable Bolivia (http://www.sustainablebolivia.org/) with Centro de Apoyo Integral Carcelario y Comunitario (CAICC). According to SB´s website (http://www.sustainablebolivia.org/CAICC.html)… CAICC serves children and adolescents whose parents are… Read More

Monteverde

Archive Central America- MAYA
Hey everyone! Our stay in Monteverde has been quite fantastic. Yesterday we all went ziplining over the cloud forest, a total of 15 ziplines including one called SUPERMAN in which we sped high above the forest suspended in a superman-like position. It was the closest we will ever come to flying, or most of us anyway. The highlight was a 120 foot drop at the end, notoriously named the Tarzan… Read More

Understanding our Interconnectedness

Archive Indigenous America
Working with Carpe Diem over the years has been energizing and empowering for the multiple ways in which our programs facilitate reconnection and raise awareness.  For many of us born into a US lifestyle, we take for granted so many aspects of it—water coming out of our faucets, electricity at the flip of a switch, food consistently available at grocery stores.  But to what extent are we aware of… Read More

GROOVY GRAPE-outback

Archive South Pacific- HONGI
This week we explored the dryest state (central Australia) of the dryest continent. We began our journey and spent alot of the day in the van. The second day we went to a quirky art exhibit. Inside there were figurines and sculptures. The artist himself taught us the history of letters which dated back to the early creation stories. He taught us the meanings of letters that make up words… Read More

Kampala!

Archive East Africa- KIFARU
Talk about a crazy city! We spent our fist night in Kampala celebrating Kyles birthday at Club Monalisa dancing and getting laughed at by the locals. The next day we were sent though the city on an scavenger hunt. We explored HUGE markets that seemed like they would never end, finding some amazing sweater vests and hip shoes and all sorts of good stuff. Our last day was spent at… Read More

Lake Bunyonyi

Archive East Africa- KIFARU
Over the past few weeks, I have been consistantly reminded of how fortunate we are to be doing such incredible acts of service in such breath-taking locations. Lake Bunyonyi is no exception. Honestly, I wish I could accurately describe how beautiful this place is but my words would/cannot do it justice. Tucked away in the scaling hills of the isles are quaint villages, full of character and liveliness. The primary… Read More

Smile, It’s the Nile

Archive East Africa- KIFARU
As usual, life has been pretty crazy for us. When I say crazy I mean crazy in the best way possible. Our week started with spending Easter Day rafting the Nile. It was a great way to spend the day working together, paddling through class 5 rapids. Once again we were lucky enough to have our friend Drew come and enjoy the day with us. It was a full raft,… Read More

Update From Brisbane

Archive South Pacific- WALKABOUT
A quick update from your Walk About Bloggers.  Currently we have completed four days of conservation work about an hour outside of Brisbane near Tawoomba planting trees that are intended to reconnect Koala habitats that have been broken up by farmers.  Our work inlcuded taking mattics or palaskies and clearing out about 4 foot wide circles in the grass, then digging a foot deep hole and finally planting one of… Read More

Free Travel

Archive Central America- MAYA
We began the week traveling from Leon, Nicaragua to Playa Potrero, Costa Rica – beginning our day at the fabulous Pan y Paz Bakery in Nicaragua before crossing the border by foot into Costa Rica. This week we planned our volunteer project and activities without the assistance of the leaders. We have been volunteering with an organization called Abriendo Mentes, helping with the English classes in the afternoon with children… Read More

RooCrew CVA!

Archive South Pacific- HONGI
G’day Mates! Maddie coming at you with the weekly blog of the beuaoooooooooooooootiful week with the conservation of australia including Katie, Ori, Ben, and Simone. I would like to send a shoutout to the fam; Daddio (whats good), Tray, Beans, Auntie M, Bubba and Riley hope your all doing well! We started off the week with a stunning sunset ferry to the beautiful kangaroo island. Our time at Kangaroo Island… Read More

CVA!

Archive South Pacific- HONGI
Dear Spanky, Zambi, Lucy, Morgan, Biscuit…and friends and family!       This past week we broke up into two groups to work on two different conservation projects.  I was apart of the Erye Pennisula group which was led by Skyeler. This group also included Brian, Zack, Molly, Anna, and Morgan. Before the groups split we watched ” The Story of Stuff,” an informational youtube clip that talked about how we are harming… Read More

One Heart, One Destiny, One Love

Archive South America- INTI
Ayyo Ayyo what up what up once again! After finishing the last week of spanish school with a Samana Santa grub festival, mostly fish (almost traumatic), but also delicious ceviche with our spanish teachers. Teaching all of the group, teachers included the game el hombre lobo (werewolf?) or Mafia was definitely an experience. Each time i stay in a homestay or just sit down with someone new, different color of… Read More

G’Day Mates from Brisbane

Archive South Pacific- WALKABOUT
It’s your bloggers here with your daily scoop from the South Pacific.  After a memorable four days in Sydney we hopped on a plane to Brisbane this morning where we will be spending a week with the Conservation Volunteers of Australia.  Today we got to spend the day soaking in some sun and BBQ’ing at the South Bank Park and Lagoon/Pool, with some of Justin’s friends from when he lived… Read More

Oh my…Look at the Opera House!

Archive South Pacific- WALKABOUT
Hello all from way Down Under! We have spent the past few days exploring the (large) city of Sydney! Our group has had basically a second week of free travel as we all enter our final stretch with each other *sob*. Coming from up in the Blue Mountains, it has been nice to delve into the urban scene (and food) these past three days. Last night we saw a Macbeth… Read More