Hey and welcome back to the blog of the Walkabout Crew! We have been a busy bunch these past 9 days. We started in Wellington where we got to be in a big city for the first time while being in New Zealand. We got to have time to explore, eat great food and be independent. We had a few options of some things that we got to choose to… Read More

Kia Ora loved ones! This past week we have all taken a step into the indigenous culture of New Zealand to learn the history of the people, the language they speak and most importantly, what it means to be Maori. Throughout the week, we were led on a journey of cultural immersion by a Maori native named Tiaki. Tiaki speaks with a gentle eagerness to share his knowledge and… Read More

Greetings from New Zealand, So far our trip has been amazing! We have all been having a great time exploring the country, getting to know each other, and learning the ins and outs of the Kiwis. Orientation was jam-packed and we were able to learn a lot about each other and establish a baseline for the coming trip. Being based in Raglan gave us a lot of opportunities to explore… Read More

Hello family and loved ones! This is Mikhaila and Noah filling you all in on the highlights of our trip so far. Our first 4 days were spent in Raglan taking part in orientation where we really got to know everyone in this walkabout group. On the final full day in Raglan, Dan and Natalie gave us the opportunity and freedom to walk around downtown Ragland and the surrounding area… Read More

Hello! Natalie and Dan here reporting from Portland, Oregon! We just wanted to introduce ourselves and touch base before meeting you all very soon! We have been hard at work preparing for our upcoming time together this semester! From taking specific training courses, to working with the office crew, to meeting all of the other Overseas Educators, we have fully enjoyed the last week here in Portland. Specifically, we have… Read More

By Diana Ascarrunz Hello everyone, this week on the program we explored Maori culture. We were welcomed by Tiaki our Maori guide for the week. For the first three nights, we stayed at the community center near Rob and Rangimaries home. On the first full day, we took a walk around their beautiful property and reflected on the things we wanted to let go of in life. The next day… Read More

By David Chase Dear family and friends of the 2018-Carpe-Diem-South-Pacific-Walkabout-group, As you may or may not know this program assigns a role to every member each week; group leader, chef, logistics, etc. During this particular week, I have been tasked with updating the group’s blog with the goings on of the past few days. My specific title (as stated in our official Carpe Diem packet) is “Bilbo Bloggins,” and just… Read More

By Duncan Nofsinger This past week, we got to spend our time at homestays in the Fijian village of Nakuku, and it’s safe to say that it was everyone’s favorite part of the trip so far. During a few hours of each day, we got to build a footpath through the village. We worked hard on it, and it paid off just in time for rainy season. For the rest… Read More

A photo series of She Oak Ridge, where students learn about sustainability and animal rehabilitation.… Read More

By Elsa Simonton Hello Everyone, This week Walkabout spent a week at Sheoak Nature Reserve. Throughout the week, we helped out around the grounds. Some examples are building a trail to the swimming lagoon, making a small dam to store water in the rainy season, and digging holes for posts for new buildings. The group also learned new information during presentation and workshops. Marcus and Claire, the owners of Sheoak,… Read More

Jacob Monkarsh What’s good peoples?! We’re out here at the Prema Shanti yoga and meditation retreat having a really good time. For the past five mornings, we have been waking up at 7am for 30 minutes of meditation before breakfast. We then have free time until 11am, when we participate in Seva (selfless-service for the retreat center) followed by enjoying some deliciously cooked lunches. We then head out for a… Read More

Taking a break from orientation and taking in some views from the Blue Mountains. Walking the dingos at the Dingo Den! More views on our hike to a waterfall in the Blue Mountains, Katoomba, New South Wales. Bondi Beach, Sydney. Kathleen and Diana taking in the ocean views.… Read More

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By Kobbe Hey family and friends! After two amazing days in Sydney, the time had finally come for our six-day adventure in the Australian Outback. We arrived in Uluru after a three hour flight and met our GUYde who is a really cool guy named…Guy. He immediately took us into the wilderness and showed us around. Collecting firewood, singing songs around the bonfire, hiking under the Australian sun, stargazing, driving,… Read More

By Kathleen Hi everyone! Our week started out on our last day at our hostel in Katoomba. Our time in Katoomba was spent doing orientation activities while also going on hikes and exploring our surroundings. After Katoomba, we went a few towns over to Penrith to settle in before starting our volunteer work at a dingo sanctuary the next day. We showed up to the dingo sanctuary the very next… Read More

By Jacob We are having the best time here in the amazing mountain town of Katoomba. We went and explored the Blue Mountains yesterday and they were so incredibly beautiful and awe-inspiring. I’m having a ton of fun getting to know the group and our awesome leaders, Peter and Anya. I only have 10 minutes at this local library computer so gotta go for now but more to come later.… Read More

By Diana Carpe Diem’s South Pacific program is becoming a trip I will never forget. During the few days we have been in Australia there have been so many highlights. Our Overseas Educators have been extremely helpful and supportive. They have encouraged us to step out of our comfort zone and try new things. Just yesterday we went on hike and decided to keep going despite the fact that we… Read More

By Shelby, Emma, and Kobbe Hi family and friends! After two long days of travel, we’ve made it to Katoomba, Australia. So far, Katoomba has looked very similar to the U.S. We’re staying at the YHA Katoomba Hostel which is much nicer than we expected. We’re trying not to get used to the luxury of the hostel because we don’t know what our other living situations will be like. Yesterday,… Read More

By Kathleen, Max, and Boy Alex Hello! Today is our third day in Australia, and it has been a blast so far. After many hours of travel, we made it to the town of Katoomba, where we’re staying in a hostel and getting the chance to explore the town and surrounding areas. On our first day, we went to a local park, played some bonding games and had an encounter… Read More

By Program Director James Simmons The Walkabout crew is all here and getting checked in! They channeled the theme of “awkward family photo” to kick off the semester (haha). The group is missing one international student, who will meet them in Australia!… Read More