Heading home…
The QUETZAL group is on the way home! Photos from their last day of SCUBA classes and in the airport this morning:… Read More
OOOOOMMMystical Yoga Farm
A belated post from the yoga farm:
!Buenos Dias familia y amigos!
It’s been another amazing week here in Guatemala. This last Saturday (11/21), we arrived at the Mystical Yoga Farm for a week of reflection, relaxation, and what we like to call, “hippie training”. At a location only accessible by small boat, or “lancha”, this farm settled on the shore of Lago Atitlan can be described as nothing if… Read More
Heading home
The South America group about to board the plane in Cusco. ¡Hasta la proxima, Peru!… Read More
Machu Picchu and final farewells
Inti´s South America semester´s days have come to a rich end. After all the learning, growing, and experiencing that we´ve done, a hike to Machu Picchu was poised as the cap to our 3 months. After all, the site is a wonder of the world.
We began our 5 day trek at the trailhead of the Salkantay path. While most tourists head through the famous Incan Trail, we followed the… Read More
Trekking
This week we started out on a treacherous trek through cloud forest about an hour outside of Xela. After about 10 minutes of walking the wind picked up and the mist begin. The trails became very slick as we began to climb the steep hills ahead of us. Even though we were assured that the trail was flat by our guide, we quickly figured out that wasn’t what we should… Read More
Quetzaltenango
!Hola muchachos! This week the Quetzal Queens and Kevin nested in Quetzaltenango; we finally made it home! Well, maybe not, but the time is flying by.
Our homestay families here were awesome. Everyone enjoyed some thrilling nights with their fams watching classic movies dubbed into Spanish with fun new names like, “Que Paso Ayer?”, “Los x hombres”, “Alecia en el lugar de los Maravillosas”, etc. Pop those into a translator… Read More
LAS NIÑAS DE LA MONTAÑA!
Wow! Week 7 already??!!
This week we stayed in a small rural community near Xela, Guatemala. We stayed at the school called Escuela de la Montaña! Though we lived at the school, we ate our meals with families in the community. Most of the meals included lots of tortillas, beans, vegetables, and sometimes pasta. I think everyone avaraged about 15 tortillas per day at least! All the families made them… Read More
Guatemala!
Hola familias y amigos!
WOW what a week it’s been! We arrived safely in Guatemala City on Tuesday and were greeted at the airport by our two new hosts, Alfredo and Ricard, who picked us up in their incredible yellow VW van. They took us to a three-story building in the heart of the city, the home of their organization G-22. The first floor was the hostel area, where we… Read More
Quetzal Queens take Costa Rica
Hola, loved ones! After our brief return to civilization in San Juan Del Sur, we jumped off the grid again on the beautifully untouched coast of Costa Rica, where we spent a week at a sea turtle conservation and research center. When we arrived, we stood in silence as our jaws dropped at a nearly 360 degree view of untouched coastal wilderness. Palm trees sagging with coconuts scattered the beaches… Read More
SAN JUAN DEL SURF
The ocean.. what a treat she was to us. After making a trip on a ferry midst a thunderstorm from Ometepe to hopping on a bus to San Juan del Sur, Nica, the gentle waves of the Pacific were beaconing us. We arrived at Casa del Oro, a sweet set up of a hostal, Mitch (from Bona Fide) from Bona Fide manages. Settling in, our tummy growls navigated us to… Read More
Bona Fide Balgue Babes
Una semana luego… (in Spongebob tone)
Talk about the great outdoors this week! And when I say “great,” I MEAN it. This island and everything on it is truly MAGICAL. Not only are all of our meals completely fresh and natural, but literally the whole system of the Bona Fide farm and our way of living is all natural. First off (well, there really is no “first” because it’s a… Read More
Matagalpa
!Hola familias y amigos!
On Sunday, we arrived by bus to the beautiful city of Matagalpa, Nicaragua. It was a change of scene moving from the rural town of Concepcion to a more fast paced larger city. We learned quickly why people say that Matagalpa is the Portland of Nicaragua, with all the trendy shops and cafes on every corner. We immediately fell in love with our new home.
This… Read More
Safe arrival!
After a smooth, safe flight, the QUETZAL group has made it to Nicaragua. They are settling in to their guest house in Masaya, and Kevin and Bria have informed me that “the students are happy and awesome!”. They will have the opportunity to post to the blog in the coming days to share more about their orientation, and will continue to post updates here over the next three months. Follow… Read More
On their way!
Dear family and friends,
The Central America QUETZAL group has all arrived safely to LAX and they are about to proceed through security and begin their adventure together. We wish them all the best as they traverse new internal and external landscapes over the next 3 months.
Buen viaje, QUETZAL!
Stay tuned to the blog for an update when they land safely, and then to hear snippets from the journey… Read More
Safe and Sound
The South America group has arrived in Quito! After a night of travel, they have arrived safe and sound, with all their luggage, to the Hostel in Quito where they will spend the next few days orienting. In the coming days, all the students will also have the opportunity to post to this blog, so check back to hear more about their adventures in their own words. They will continue… Read More
In Guatemala!
The MAYA group has landed in Guatemala! After a smooth flight, Kelsey and Angie have let me know that they group is now en route to Quetzaltenango to settle in, have some lunch (and probably a nap after their overnight flight) and get started with their orientation activities. They will be posting to this blog in the coming days to update you on their orientation – as well as throughout… Read More
On their way!
Good evening family and friends,
The Central America MAYA group has all arrived safely to LAX and they are about to proceed through security and begin their adventure together.
We wish them all the best as they traverse new internal and external landscapes over the next 3 months. Based on the fortuitous sign they found, we are feeling pretty good about this crew 🙂
Buen viaje, MAYA!… Read More
On their way!
Dear family and friends,
The South America semester is off to a smashing start. All eleven male students made it and the group is already joking, laughing, and practicing Spanish. Oversees Educators Topher and Lindsay are excited to finally have faces to this rambunctious group and they are all safely through security at LAX.
Stay tuned and we will post a second blog as soon as we hear that they… Read More
Sustainable Gap Years
What’s travel’s environmental impact? And how can you be a sustainable traveler?
Congratulations! You’ve decided to travel internationally during your gap year. You’re thinking about all the new people you’ll meet, the adventures you’ll have, the places you’ll go – but have you considered the environmental impact you’ll have?
“Impact?” you ask. “But I’ll be living out a backpack, maybe taking fewer showers, not driving a car….”
While that can… Read More
More photos from Ecuador
One is a picture from the Equator where the group was sprayed by foam as part of the Carnival celebrations a few weeks ago. Other pictures are of the group and their Spanish teachers, students and the kids they taught English to, and a picture of the group performing songs for our Spanish teachers. … Read More