Greetings to my family, friends, fellow gap year goers, and future latitudes students who are stalking blogs to decide where they will eventually end up…
To be completely transparent, I have been in Cusco, Peru for five and a half weeks, and I am just now starting to truly enjoy my time here. It is an absolutely beautiful city with a tremendous amount of history and has loads to offer,… Read More
Sawatdeeka, a few short days ago, we left the hustle and bustle of Chiang Mai and ventured out further north towards the hill tribes. Our 3 day trek entailed hiking for 15km, staying with both Koren and a Lahoo hill tribes and spending our final day bamboo rafting. But that doesn't even begin to explain the things we saw and experiences we shared on this leg of our journey.
As… Read More
The hustle and bustle of Old Chiang Mai has become a familiar homestead for me. It's the constant place we come back to after new experiences with home-stays, farms, long treks and elephants. Void of my family it has me feeling a bit homesick. Dodging the cars, motorcycles and tuk tuks has become second nature to me, and I surely am going to miss this city. The long alleyways that… Read More
After having witnessed the world famous beauty of the Taj Mahal, or the "monument of love" according to Samuel Kessler, the group set off to Varanasi, the city of lights. Straight upon arrival with the overnight train on fell in love with Varanasi, being the oldest city in the world. Straight away one felt at ease with the relaxing and spiritual vibe of the city.
You want to know what… Read More
In a few short days I will have officially been in Ollantaytambo for two months. The time has flown by, yet I feel like I’ve done too much to have only been here for that long. Here in the Sacred Valley of Peru, Ollanta is a small pass through town for the millions of tourists that go to Macchu Picchu each year. It is an interesting mixture of rural and… Read More
We have just arrived in Tena after a short, but adventure-filled week in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
On Monday, we were welcomed by Eduardo (the owner of the land we stayed on), and Lorena and company (the family that had been traveling with us the previous two weeks) as we settled into our cabins and accustomed ourselves to the abnormally sized insects. We spent our day exploring the jungle with Eduardo… Read More
HEY all! Sorry this might be a little late it´s been very busy for us all.
Kesia of the Carpe Diem group wishing everyone´s friends and families and loved ones nothing but the best.
Things have been crazy, wonderful and beautiful!
It all started with some heavy duty spanish classes back in the amazing and busy city of Xela. Our spanish classes were 5 hours each with private tutors- so… Read More
Hiya!
Rachel here. I've officially been in Tasmania a little over a month and what a month it's been. I am staying at Pindari Herb Farm, a family owned and operated herbal farm and dispensary just outside of Launceston Tas. It is absolutely beautiful here. I wake up each morning and head to the kitchen located in the main house just a minute walk away from my cottage. There I… Read More
Namaste! It is currently 3 AM and I am writing to you from the Mountain View Eco Farm in Begnas, Nepal. My sleep for tonight has been compromised by huge hailstones on a tin roof (courtesy of monsoon season), but it’s okay because I know this storm will make for a clear sky and superb views in the morning. Every few days you can look out past the farm and… Read More
For the past week the group has joined up with Awhi Farm to test our WOOFING skills. We have been a part of a variety of different tasks regarding permaculture and sustainable living. Every day, we help plant, harvest, nurture, and weed the different fruits, veggies, and herbs that are used to feed different Maraes and the Maori community. We also participate in other daily tasks such as gathering eggs… Read More
After our action packed week of adventure it was time to dive into the cultural side of New Zealand. We arrived at the Korohe Marae on a sunny Monday, ready to live communally within the Marae. The Maori people who live on the marae welcomed us with open arms and a traditional Maori ceremony. The whole group didn't understand what was being said but we are sure it wasn't… Read More
Hidden in the Thailand fields far away is a community farm, home to peaceful self-reliant leaders, as well as divine food and sustainable harvests. The journey to Pun Pun community farm was a transformation in landscapes, from the chaos and the noise of busy towns, to the serene hum of birds and insects living in harmony with nature. Our visit to Pun Pun was bittersweet, we spent the few days… Read More
What an incredible week we have had! Our exciting Sunday, Feb. 22nd was spent rafting through rapids on the white nile! We also got to swim in the vast calm areas of the river. Our lunch spot had such a majestic view. Our group and our guides were definitely elated to have such a great river trip. Monday morning, a few of us took a thrilling swing into the bay… Read More
“I believe everyone should have a broad picture of how the universe operates and our place in it. It is a basic human desire. And it also puts our worries in perspective.” -Stephen Hawking
For many years we have proudly hosted student blogs on our website, giving our students a platform to process and share their share their travel experiences with their friends and family back home. Since our first … Read More
Hello all, Through Carpe Diem is the first time I have been out of the United States, and it has substantially been the fastest I have seen my life go by. In a good way… I now reside in Merida, Mexico, the capital of Yucatan, which is a beautiful Peninsula filled with much history and rich culture. If many of you don't know where Merida is, Google it.. Or it's… Read More
Howdy Y'all,
Hope everyone is doing great back in the States. Here in New Zealand we have been working hard on the Hart Family Farm. So far we have learned all about sustainable farming and how to appreciate where our food comes from. All of the meals that the students have prepared have featured food that came directly from the farm, even the meat! One night we had the opportunity… Read More
Hola from the sweet city of Cusco! I can't believe that I've already been at the Healing House, a holistic living center, for almost one month. Time really does fly. 5 months ago I was at orientation feeling jittery with anticipation for my group semester and contemplating various options for my FVP. Now, my group semester is over (still kind of in denial) and I'm almost one month into my… Read More
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
What's up friends and family?! It's so crazy how I've already been here in South Africa for a month. Time has gone by unbelievably fast. This is probably due to how busy I've been down here! I jumped right into work right as I arrived here at C.R.O.W. (Center for Rehabilitation Of Wildlife). I met up with Gus Swanson, the other Carpe student here and we have become good friends:D… Read More
