After spanish classes for three days, we´re all beginning to sound a little more like South America. Yesterday, we had the chance to walk through the huge market with our spanish teachers. Though only around ten in the morning, the smells of delicious Ecuadorian food made us all a bit hungry. It was hard to concentrate on the names of all the fruits and vegetables that were stacked together. Piles… Read More
hola familia y amigos!
Last night we arrived in Quito! After a bus ride in the rain, watching Samuel L. Jackson movies in spanish, we came into the city, passing the equator monument, to get into taxis to go to our new homes. Excited and nervous, we arrived to meet Rosa, the director of the language school, and mom to Tessa and Amanda. Tired, we were grateful for generous meals,… Read More
hello everyone,sorry for the tardy post, but rest assure everyone is more than happy and healthy. We are currently in varanasi, the city lights, and kicking off our internships and hindi classes. Hindi is definitely a challenge, but we’re getting the hang of it slowly… ie practicing on the roof top with the monks across the street. The internships include fire dancing (nina, bridey, ben and desmond, classical indian singing… Read More
Today we went whitewater rafting on the Nile and let’s just start by saying it was INTENSE. Jinja is famous for the grade 5 rapids pretty much all the way down the strip of river we rafted. The 7 of us girls were in one boat and Marshall went in another boat full of guys. We are VERY proud to say that the girls boat flipped only one time! We… Read More
Hello friend and family and welcome to our blog!It all began in the San Francisco airport. One by one we found our way to the TACA counter of the international terminal where Nick and Amanda (our incredible, fearless leaders) told us to meet. Once we’d all arrived we said goodbye to Ethan and a few parents who came for the send off, and made our way to the gate to… Read More
After a previously failed blog attempt, onyx and I (karen)are out to actually post our regards to all the fam an friends back home. we have come to realize that our espanol es horible y nosotros necesitamos practicar mucho, mucho, mucho mas! all is well in the world and Mino is a completely lovely place. Onyx is fellin swell and says hola partir de Ecuador y yo entrigo mi miros.… Read More
Hey all, Amanda and Tessa here reporting in from Mindo, Ecuador.. in the cloud forest! It´s been amazing so far. Yesterday, after some group dicussions and activities, the group hiked up to a zip line company near the hostel and we spent a few hours enjoying 13 different zip lines, letting us fly over and through the amazingly gorgeous canopy of the cloud forest. Later we got to enjoy time… Read More
Nuestro grupo en Mindo! Enjoying life (and sunshine) in the cloud forest. Off to Quito mañana. Hasta pronto.Con cariño,Heather, Adam, Jenn, Paul, Tessa, Amanda, Onyx, and Karen… Read More
Hey guys, this is Paul and Jenn. Its our first day in Mindo, we are currently doing a scavenger hunt around town for some fun. It has been raining alot but it still very warm. It is a beautiful day today partly cloudy with some sun. Yeserday the group ziplined through the cloud forest, on 13 different zip line courses. It was beautiful veiw from that high up, it rained… Read More
OLYOTYA!
Greetings from Kampala!Uganda is da bomb– since everyone else explained today’s scavenger hunt, we’ll fill you in a little about what life’s been like the past couple days.Our hostel is sweet, one of the rooms is open-air with bunkbeds and moaquito nets. last night was our first african rainstorm, that was an experience. lets just say no one was kidding when they said it rains hard in Africa! it… Read More
Whats up?! Its Miriam and Emily and we are posting from Kool city internet cafe in Kampala, Uganda. Besides checking this off our list, we want to shout out to the carpe diem office as well as friends and family for all their help and support.
Kampala is nuts- in a good way. People are all over the place selling things, calling us mzungos, helping me (Emily) when I almost… Read More
We arrived in Uganda two days ago..we think. It has been very warm and quite the cultural shock. The streets are bustling with thousands of people, jammed pack in cars and vendors lining the streets. Yesterday we got our first taste of Kampala, gathering our barrings. We are staying at Kampala’s Backpackers, where the natives are much more patient with the many white guests. We have been able to enjoy… Read More
We’ve just received a call from Heather letting us know that they’ve all safely arrived in Mindo (outside of Quito) after a couple hours’ ride in a minibus. Everyone is healthy, happy, and ready for adventure. (They will not have internet access for another 2-3 days at best, so they wondered if we would post for them so you all can know that all is well and they send their… Read More
Well, it is indeed official. Another South America Carpe Diem group has come together to find themselves embarking on their journey. The entire group is together in South America and they’ll be boarding a plane South to Ecuador “prontisimo.” We’re sending them off with great wishes and blessings aplenty for a phenomenal semester!… Read More
The Africa group has landed in Uganda, safe & sound!
The internet in the internet cafe where they are staying is down….again….(one of the many challenges of traveling in the developing world); but our leaders managed to borrow someone else’s laptop connection long enough to touch base with HQ.
As I write this, they have been in Kampala approximately 10 hours, and no doubt hitting the wall of jetlag. They… Read More
It’s official! The Central America group is together, and Nick and Amanda have confirmed that all are accounted for! Sit down and hold on, because our next stop is Guatemala!
From here on out, the group will be sending all of you love and updates from this blog site, so check back and follow them through their travels. (You might want to give them a good 24-36 hours, though. Long… Read More
All India students are present and accounted for at SFO, greeted by an enthusiastic co-leader team. In just about 3 hours they will be in the air bound for Hong Kong, then Delhi.
After they get settled in Delhi, they’ll take over this blog for the next 3 months-so stay tuned! (Give them at least 36-48 hours).
From Carpe HQ, this is Nannette and Amy saying “Shanti bahar!”… Read More
After an exasperating time not locating the final four Africa groupmates in Heathrow (until 15 minutes prior to boarding), it is with a collective and deep sigh of relief I can announce the completion of the group. All 7 students and both leaders (albeit with a few years shaved from their lives, no doubt) are boarding their fight to Entebbe as I type this. Whew!
You’ll next hear from them… Read More
It’s official: the SFO contingent of the Africa team is all together, accounted for, and ready to board their flight to London in about an hour! They’ll meet the rest of their group in Heathrow tomorrow morning our time back here-so stay tuned!
For now, this is Nannette at Carpe HQ wishing all a good night…… Read More
“May today there be peace within you. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use the gifts that you have received and pass on the Love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your… Read More
