As I sit in an internet cafe near the Plaza de Armas in Cusco, I reflect on all I and the INTI group have experienced in these last three months.
In Quito, we spent time acclimating to the culture shock of being in Ecuador and South America. We played games and did activities to both learn about and strengthen the bond between one another. We left the city with a… Read More
For everyone wondering, scuba diving was fantastic. I just wanted to share a little bit for everyone wondering how our week went, becuase this week has really ment alot to me.
Our first few minutes underwater was an experience I’ll never forget. breathing underwater is a sensation that is foreign to many of us, and you cant help but feel like your defying some kind of rule of nature. Its… Read More
Shiva group Fall 2014 has safely made it to the airport and are boarding their plane. After some time travel and many miles they will be back home. It’s hard to believe that 12 weeks have past already, it feels like yesterday we were all meeting and playing games and naming our pinkies at SFO.
We spent our last day together relaxing in Delhi and all enjoyed one last Bollywood… Read More
There is no way I will ever be able to use words to accurately describe what India was like for me, so I wont even try to give you the whole picture, so instead, I’ll just leave you with a few snapshots that India has left for me. Most of these snapshots could be described as exotic, filthy, ancient, spontaneous, bizarre and sometimes comical, from taking a different route back… Read More
Hello my dear family and friends!
I’m sad to say that our trip has come to a close but what better way to end it than a week on Zanzibar?! We spent the first 4 nights at a lovely hotel in Stone Town called The Haven House where we got our own floor. After settling in on Nov 30th, we had some free time to explore. It’s safe to say… Read More
About six months ago (wow) I found out that I would not be able to return to my school, the University of Rochester, for the fall semester. At first I was completely crushed. I was just winding down the hardest period of my life so far so I tried to be brave for my family and friends who were all worried about me, but I was heart-broken. However, this final… Read More
To all the avid readers of the Hongi group blog, I am sad to report that this is the final post. We have spent the past week immersed in the Daintree Rainforest passing the time practicing yoga, meditation, and inner reflection. It’s safe to say that the heaviest thought on everyone’s mind is our impending goodbye. There is the constant chatter of what people’s flight details, what our first meal… Read More
Greetings, friends and family of the Carpe Diem Hongi group! The last two weeks of our adventure were spent in the Daintree rainforest. The first week, we stayed at the Bat House in little cabins cutting vines, stomping grass,and being eaten alive by the millions of biting green ants that inhabit them. Each sweaty, exhausting day was filled with the sound of cutting wood and the more than occasional shriek… Read More
Hi everyone!
I am sad to say this is my final blog post for the trip. I didn’t believe three months would ever end, and here I am, finally having to face reality. Looking back three months ago, I would have told you that three months was plenty of time. But now that I have to say goodbye to everyone I consider my family, I am desperate for three months… Read More
FIRST HAPPY BIRTHDAY JORDAN WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!! <333 #champagneformyrealfriendsrealpainformyshamfriends
Namaste friends and family! It is with a heavy heart that I write the final weekly blog post of Carpe Diem Shiva fall 2014. I’m currently on a sleeper train somewhere between Jaisalmer and Delhi. Quickly, I would like to contrast this scene with the scene of us on a train leaving Delhi about 12 weeks ago.
12 weeks… Read More
Dear Friends and Family,
I’m not going to lie to y’all, I am ready to go home. These past three months have been more amazing, eye-opening, and life-altering than I could have asked for. I am so happy that I had the opportunity to come on this trip. But, it’s time to go back to the States. It’s time to see my mom and my sisters who have already bought… Read More
It is slightly unbelievable that I am sitting writing this last blog post a day before I am off to the airport to head home. These past three months have been filled with extremes. Extreme frustration and joy, chaos and understanding. I can’t believe how grateful I am to have this experience in the magical and complex country of India. Thank you Mom and Dad for allowing your baby girl… Read More
In honor of our last days together, I (Madeleine) wanted to share some of Inti´s most quotable moments. You probably will not get most of them, but when we read them outloud at our group meetings, we cannot stop laughing. We have made so many amazing memories together.
¨I am a firm believer in creaming your own bagel.¨-Connor
¨One thing I learned is don´t give map to Yael.¨-Ann
¨I am… Read More
The trek to Machu Picchu began at 5:30 in the morning when we were picked up in busses to go to the start of our trek. We soon learned that not only would we NOT be carrying our large backpacks, something we had all panicked about the first time we carried them on our backs in the LA airport, but a portable kitchen, tents and food for the week would… Read More
As we sat down and stuffed our faces our first night back in Cusco none of us could believe we had already finished our five day Machhu Picchu trek.
Day one:
We were picked up at our hostel at five thirty am by our guides Rolando and Gerson (who soon became known as Rolo and Juicy G) and drove to our trail head. We hiked about three hours in the… Read More
Hello friends and family!
As many of you know, for the past few days we have been in Zanzibar! We spent the first few days at a beach side hotel in Paje beach on the south east part of the island. Our time there was amazing and very relaxing. We spent most of the days there lounging on the beach, swimming in the beautiful turquoise water, and eating delicious food.… Read More
Hey everyone! Maddie here at West Bay Bed and Breakfast in Roatan, Honduras. Its been a long, sleepy, eventful week! We were all a little sad to leave our new home in Leon, where we had many many wonderful meals. A lot of us fell in love with that little city. Leaving day was fun, taking a taxi from the hostel at six thirty am to go to the bus… Read More
As many of you may have realized, us gappers will be returning to your homes in about one week. While we are all extremely excited to see each and every one of your beautiful faces, we are also a bit unsure of how we are going to deal with the counter-culture shock. After nearly three months of cold showers, outdoor “bathrooms” and gallo pinto, the North American lifestyle will simply… Read More
Carpe Diem Quetzal would like to extend its deepest apologies for being terribly remiss in the posting of blogs recently. Computers have been rare and electricity to power them even more rare. Now with a return to modernity and a hostel with free computer usage we can all catch up like the good friends we are.
So lets start where the last blog left off. We left the island of… Read More
