Bodhgaya

Archive India- SHIVA
We got off the sixteen (but what felt like longer) hour train ride in a sleepy daze. The sun hit us hard as we stepped off of our sleepers and into the plains of India. We realize winter here means the hottest day in summer where most of us come from. We smoothly found rickshaws and easily bargained our prices to get from Gaya to Shechen Monastery in Bodhgaya. We… Read More

PHOTOS!

Archive Central America- MAYA
compliments of Bridget! The Rural Village hike to waterfalls in the rural village Birthday Boy with his homestay dad A Fishy dinner Bridget with her brother and sisters Sarah´s Birthday Xela Hannah and Xela Mary! The  Market A toast to Grupo Maya Grupo Maya at dinner last night… Read More
Archive Central America- MAYA
Hola family and friends Bridget and Sarah here :)We arrived in Rocja Pomtila way past our bedtimes of 7pm to an amazingly welcoming village. We were all escorted to our new bungalows with our assigned roommates. (Me and Bridget were together! How cute!) The walk was pitch black and treacherous. This village has no electricity to light our ways, so we had to rely on a single flashlight. The new… Read More

“The most happening festival of the Bengalis”

Archive India- SHIVA
Hello everyone, its Christmas, or so it appears in rickety old Kolkata now that Durga Puja is in full swing. The town has been taken over by lights and shoppers, eager to be ready in time for the festival. The actual festivities involve walking around “trick or treat” style to visit the many temporarily erected shrines to the Goddess Durga who slayed “Asura” to reestablish peace and sanctity for all.… Read More

Mazol Tov from Marama

Archive South Pacific- WALKABOUT
Hello Stalkers! Samira and Tate here reporting from Marama Farms! The group had mixed experiences in the city of Auckland. For most the time was spent exploring the city and even taking time to have a ride on a dolphin at the world famous Sky Tower. We learned lots of things like: Where to find delicious gelato, kebabs, and burgers. We learned that nothing good happens in a hostel bathroom… Read More

Thanks for Everything Agualongo!

Archive South America- INTI
Hi Everybody, Greetings from your new bloggers, Mia and Anna. Be prepared for the best blogs ever. Our second week in Agualongo was easier and went by so quickly. We all became more comfortable with our families and grew to love the community. The groups switched and everybody had new roles in the clinic and spanish classes.Our weekend in Agualongo was very interesting. There was a wedding in the… Read More

Fort Portal

Archive East Africa- KIFARU
Last Tuesday we arrived in Fort Portal after 13 hours of traveling. We have been staying at a hostel run by Youth Encouragement Services. YES was founded 15 years ago by Carol Adams, an American. Her organization now takes care of over 300 kids who came from elderly-led families, child-led families, or orphanhood. Throughout the week we have been working at the Manna Rescue Home where 30 kids with HIV… Read More

Glow Worms Don’t Have Stomachs!

Archive South Pacific- HONGI
Kiaora from our new location– Taupo, New Zealand. Here is a poem to let all you mates know what we have been up to: We started this week on a Morai, where we picked thistles, painted fences, oh how time flew by. We went on a hike with tons of sheep and beautiful hills, and some of our group members learned how to catch eels.  For fun we played frisbee… Read More

Trekkin and Relaxin!

Archive Central America- QUETZAL
Hola familias! Debbie here, writing from the super zen, super hippie town of San Marcos. So, last time we checked in was in during our lovely 2 weeks in Xela homestays! Where we are now, is quite different, not in a bad way though, in fact most of us love it here more than Xela! San Marcos is a tiny town located on Lago Atitlan (one of the most beautiful… Read More

The Real Bpra-Te:t Thai

Archive Southeast Asia- SABAI
Hello family and friends! If you read the title, you just learned the Thai word for Thailand! But before you lucky readers learn more Thai, let’s go back a couple weeks. Bangkok was a great way to release the angst of the Mokken Village. Great shopping, (bargaining is the name of the game) and hot showers (OH MY GOD!) We even spent one night at the Lava Club night club… Read More

Calcutta, cal cut ya

Archive India- SHIVA
Hello world, its been far too long since our last blog. Happy to report that we are all still alive and kicking. This addition to the blog is being typed up by yours truly Nichlas Stephens. When you last left the group we were in the high mountain village of Darjeeling, known for its quality teas and fresh air, things have taken a drastic turn as we descended that towards… Read More

First Week in Agualongo

Archive South America- INTI
Hola Todos, We have been in a small Andean, rural community for the past week, each in our own homestay families. Living conditions have been intense but varied. We´ve all learned to appreciate comfort and convenience which we experience at home. However, it is an incredible experience regardless-there is no better way to learn about a language and culture than living with the families and in their reality.Our living conditions… Read More

Moce Fiji, Hello Auckland

Archive South Pacific- WALKABOUT
Greetings from Auckland,      We have just arrived in New Zealand after having a wonderful experience at our homestays in Togovere Village. We were wlecomed with a sevu sevu ceremony where we were offered kava and where we met our Nau’s (mothers) and the people of Togovere. The first night we got aquainted with our homestay families and went up the hill to watch an amazing sunset (which we did night… Read More

Kia ora from Aotearoa!

Archive South Pacific- HONGI
The morning we get ready to take off from Nananu theres a solemn feeling in the air. We all grew so close to our families, but we were looking forward to the next location on our adventure, and trying some new foods rather than we’ve been having every day in the village. All of us are going to miss the families that we stayed with, the little kids that we… Read More
Archive Central America- QUETZAL
           Saturday was our trip up to chi chi. Unlike our other trips this one was planned entirely by the students. The plan was to take a mini bus to Minerva where these guys ask you where your going and then try to drag you into their bus. Once we found one that was headed to chi chi we all hopped on. Keep in mind this was no New… Read More

Told you! Photos!

Archive Central America- MAYA
    The group at dinner in San Andres, group photo in Poptun (the school we volunteered at), Tikal group shot, Post-rain tikal pensive temple shot, Somee of us on the top of a temple in Tikal in the pouring rain, Temple of the Jaguar, TARANTUALA, Mary and Bridget fascinated with the TARANTUKA, Semuc Champey from the view point, us at the viewpoint, the pools!… Read More

Semuc Champey and Chilliness

Archive Central America- MAYA
Hey friends and family!So after departing our awesome hilly homestays and language school in San Andres which we all loved (especially since it included Flores, Tikal, ARCAS animal refuge, a bonfire and the occasional slice of pizza!) we took the bus to Coban. Our “cribs” member Whitney set us up in the awesome Hotel La Paz for two nights. Coban is old school, busy, pretty, and a little too cold… Read More

It’s a hard knock week

Archive Southeast Asia- SABAI
Ahh, sweet mysterious of the Mokken Village we have uncovered thee! Upon arriving to the Mokken bay tinted with broken red bull bottles and climbing inside the Village Cheif’s house, nothing more than a living room sized shack with open windows and harsh, unshaven bamboo branches, we quickly and abruptly came to a single conscious realization: We aren’t in America anymore. Different problems arose quickly for different people. What will… Read More
Archive East Africa- KIFARU
The crew just left JJ’s and is getting ready to spend a night in Mbale before heading off on a 9 hour bus ride to Fort Portal tomorrow. To recap, after leaving Jinja last week, we caught a ride into Mbale where we celebrated Zoe’s 18th birthday! We had a nice dinner at an Indian restaurant and enjoyed an East African supermarket cake. The next morning we met up with… Read More