Happy Duwali!!

Archive India- SHIVA
Hey Everyone! The group is having a great time here in Varanasi! Today is one of the biggest festivals in the Hindu culture, Duwali (the festival of lights). We will all be celebrating by going on a boat ride on the Ganga. Right now, most of the houses are covered in lights and several Duwali enthusiasts are setting off firecrackers. For the past few days, we have all been lucky… Read More

Photos Are INDIAtastic!

Archive India- SHIVA
Yumm! Delicious food in India. T and Stephanie enjoying a great meal on the street. Here we are at the Red Fort where we were bombarded by school children Nate and Coby striking their model poses at the Red Fort Hayley and Jessica at the Taj Mahal! Stephanie, Hayley, John,T, and Ellen at the Taj…we started to get artistic with our poses. Fire Dancing on the rooftop! Melting metal for… Read More

Reflections on Rwanda

Archive East Africa- KIFARU
So many lessons have been learned on this trip so far. There have been the basic travel lessons we can take with us through the rest of our traveling lives: be flexible, try not to act like a tourist, avoid bus stations at night, bargain, etc. But there have also been the deeper lessons that remind us of the significance of all life and the importance of “walking the circle”… Read More

Livin’ the Kiwi dream

Archive South Pacific- WALKABOUT
Sadie and Liz reporting to you from the land of Mordor. We come bearing news of ventures of all kinds. Since arriving at the Blue Mountain Adventure Center Saturday morning we have endured an array of team and self building exercises. Our adventures began with the high ropes courses where we were harnessed and encouraged to walk acoross a log which stood 30ft in the air as we met our… Read More

A week of Adventure

Archive South Pacific- HONGI
We arrived at Blue Mountain Adventure Centre on October 16, for a jam packed week of fun. Our week started off with spelunking into the deep depths of a not so spacious cave. We got to explore the cracks and crevices of the underground world and fell in love with the experience. The following day was spent trekking up to a one hundred foot waterfall, and as if that wasn’t… Read More

VARANASI!

Archive India- SHIVA
We have finally made our way to Varanasi, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world! It was quite an adventure getting here.  From Amritsar, we took an overnight 16-hour train ride to Agra, where we visited the Taj Mahal the next morning. Words cannot describe what it was like being there – it was so picturesque that we almost could not believe it was real. We hung… Read More

Chilling in Quito!!

Archive South America- INTI
So there has been a lot of stuff happening in Quito.. From 4 hours of spanish school to visiting the ecuador to exploring the city.. They certainly have us busy.. Today though was different.. We all got up and went to the hot springs 2 hrs out of Quito.. and just chilled in the nice hot pools for at least 3 hrs if not more.. so that was very relaxing.… Read More

The Bus Rides from Hell

Archive East Africa- KIFARU
*After the UAACC and before the stay with Jenny and Geoff.. After a much needed retreat, we said goodbye to Mze Pete and Mama C. At 5:15am we departed the compound to go to the bus stop. We caught the Dar Express, which was luxurious in terms of Tanzanian transportation. After a few pit stops and ten hours later, we arrived in Dar es Salaam. To put it mildly, the… Read More

Thailand Mai Men!!!!!!

Archive Southeast Asia- SABAI
Hello everyone of the carpe community, We are in Chiang Mai about to depart to Chiang Rai for our meditation retreat. We have been in Pun Pun, an organic farm, for the past week learning alot about earthen building, organic farming, and sustainableliving. It was an amazing experience, but meow we are off to see more of Thailand but the problem is there has been a whole lot of flooding… Read More

Teach, Travel, Trek!

Archive India- SHANTI
We began our volunteer work Tues at Gaucharan, Govt. Jr. High. It’s a bumpy uphill hour and a half jeep ride away, accross small waterfalls and views overlooking green hills, valleys and rice fields. We arrived to school around (:30 and were assigned a class to observe. I walked into class and asked “wheres the teacher?” they told me “you’re the teacher!” I laughed “No really, where is he?” they… Read More

Maori Village

Archive South Pacific- WALKABOUT
Frances and Hayden on Blog duty this week!!! We just left the Maori village and had a great time! We stayed with Paora and Aramanu on their small faremette just outside the actual village of Porongahou (sp?). They had a few cows and a few sheep and a small garden, and two cats. About half the group slept inside but the rest of had to rough it in tents outside.… Read More

Semuc Champey

Archive Central America- MAYA
So we got an early start on our trip to semuc champey. We had to catch the bus around 8 am and would have almost missed it if it werent for the help of our friendly local Tigo Van. After a couple blocks crammed in the back of the van and enjoying some bumping music, we made it to the bus station to head off for another adventure. After just… Read More

Minga and Quito

Archive South America- INTI
Hola para el todo mundo. Chloe’s right she did write alot but we did do a lot in Agualongo de Quinche. On Friday as Chloe told you we went up to a set of lakes. while she went for then more intense hike I went for a milder one with Cecila and both of the Megans. the below  image is of the main lake, the weather was beautiful, not to… Read More

Unpredictable

Archive Central America- MAYA
We just finished up a week at San Marcos filled with some awesome learning activities and for many a spiritual self discovery. However our final days in San Marcos saw endless tropical rains that prolonged our stay and probably drove a few of us over the edge with cabin fever. The rains caused numerous landslides on some major roads that prevented us from finding a reliable way out and leaving… Read More

WWOOFING

Archive South Pacific- HONGI
For the week following our time in Auckland, we stayed on a dairy farm seemingly equidistant from the small town of Otorohanga and the black sand beaches of Marokopa.  On this farm, we milked the cows, grubbed the fields, cooked the meals, cleaned the homes, and fed the calves.  In the evening we hung out with the owners, David and Claire Carey, and their son, Mike.  Dan, Greta, Casey, Katie,… Read More

One Crazy Week in Agualongo!

Archive South America- INTI
Hey everyone! It’s Chloe here reporting on our fantastic week in Agualongo. After our shopping spree in Otavalo, we headed back out into the country to Agualongo, a small community ofless than 200 people. We were again with homestay families, this time all of us were on our own with separate families. I was with Angelita Torres (the town healer – thoughwhen I showed her my insect-bite induced rashes she… Read More

Marvelous Mufindi!

Archive East Africa- KIFARU
As our bus neared our final destination, we were struck with awe by the sight of hills of luscious green tea leaves and blossoming trees.. all topped off by the sun shining down on the whole of the highlands! We were greeted by our translators Yusto, Leod, and Teetus and our wonderful hosts Jenny and Geoff. After a scenic walk downhill, we arrived at the children’s village, which would soon… Read More

Sikhing Refuge!

Archive India- SHIVA
Hello there, friends! So after an intense 8 days at the Deer Park Institute in Bir, the group arrived safe and sound to Amritsar 2 nights ago! Bir is a scenic little town that’s about a 4 hour bus ride from McLeod Ganj, with only one main road. Like McLeod Ganj, it too is occupied by Indians and Tibetans alike. Our days at the Deer Park campus were spent meditating… Read More