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
Work at G22.Group shot inside the new family home.Mangrove Tour in El Paredon.Acatenango hikers at the trailhead.Turtle releasing on the beach in El Paredon.… Read More
By Audrey We have been very busy this week. For our final night in Banos, a bunch of us went to karaoke. However, we didn’t stay out too late because we had to catch our bus to Otavalo at 4am.
Otavalo is known for the huge market with lots of crafty goods including alpaca ponchos and sweaters (which most of the group took advantage of while using our bargaining skills).… Read More
By Nate Crystal The Rayah group left Spain and crossed the heavily guarded border of Spain and Morocco. Journeying over the border was an interesting experience for the group. When crossing the border, the group saw a vast line of people that were waiting to hear if they were allowed to enter Spain, or have to stay in Morocco. It was there that the Jamal of the week, Ady, had… Read More
By Overseas Educators Mandy & AdamBreathaking views.Learning how to garden and compost with our friend Tawwai.View from the hike of Te Toto Gorge.Going to the waterfall.New Zealand Gothic.View from Manu Wairu (where we had our sweat lodge).… Read More
By Overseas Educators Mandy & AdamSunset silhouettes.Cow toe (Ko to).Selfie for the Moms (Mana Kahine).Happy Birthday Veda!Taikae and Tawhai (Our Maori Guides).Bridal Veil Falls!… Read More
By Emily Bates Yesterday, after Arabic studies, we went on a guided tour of the Medina of Tetouan, a labyrinth of residences, markets, and religious sites situated within the old city walls. The architecture of the medina has strong Andalusian influence, as it was built by refugees from the Reconquista.A shop in the medina.After walking through the portion of the medina where sheep skin is cured and dyed, … Read More
By Avery Greetings family and friends! We have had a busy week in India.
We started with a couple days in Jhadol, a rural village near Udaipur where an NGO started a school that gives opportunities to young girls in villages that would not otherwise have access to education. During our time in Jhadol, we stayed at a homestay with a family. Our homestay involved sleeping on the porch near… Read More
By Wordmasters Daisy and Luke A sweat lodge is a hut, typically dome-shaped and made with natural materials, used by indigenous peoples for ritual steam baths as a means of purification. The sweat is intended as a religious ceremony—it is for prayer and healing, and the ceremony is only to be led by elders who know the associated language, songs, traditions, and safety protocols. “The inside of a tea kettle. … Read More
By Katie Delaney We spent this past week exploring Varanasi, known as one of the oldest living cities in the world. Each of us has had a chance to explore some of our passions by taking classes including jewelry design, painting, music, and even fire dancing.
We also had the chance to wake up at 5:30 one morning and take a boat out on the Ganges river and watch the… Read More
By Eve and Hanya Hey Everyone!
It’s currently our third day in Kigali, Rwanda. After an eventful and challenging week trekking the beautiful rolling hills of Lake Bunyonyi, it’s nice to be back in the city. In fact, we’re currently on the 13th floor of a plaza overlooking the hills of Kigali munching on some yummy Chinese food. Eve took the photo, picturing Hanya, Ben, and Ellie G. Our trek… Read More
By Justin Wade Hello, again viewers!
Yesterday after a long train ride, we made it to Newcastle. We are staying in a really really nice dorm with a TV, beach, and a bunch of other stuff to keep us entertained. It isn’t just fun and games, though, as for this week we have to help out with a conservation group by doing some manual labor. Today we ended up planting… 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
By Peter Kelsh Good morning, afternoon, or evening, readers. After a couple of fun days in the Hamptons-esque town of Noosa, Australia, we boarded a train for Chenrezig, a Buddhist monastery in the hills of Eudlo.
Chenrezig had beautiful prayer flags draping the mountain and a large Stupa that had to be circumambulated clockwise. However, it was much easier for some of the group members to enjoy the scenery than… Read More
By Eliza Sharland Hola!
After a week practicing our coffee picking skills at finca mono verde we hopped on our 8-hour bus ride to Banos. we were all sad to leave the hammocks and the constant healthy competition for them but when we got to Banos we were all peering out of the bus in awe. The landscape here is mountains covered in jungle that drops to rivers.
On arrival,… Read More
By Leighton Katz Rayah’s third week in Spain has come to a close, and the group has opted for a well-deserved rest day in Córdoba. We’ve all been reflecting on our experiences, namely the ones we’ve had over the past week. Our short time in Granada came to a reluctant close on Friday. Starting with a crack of dawn wake up, we embarked on our journey on El Camino Mozarabe… Read More
By Veda and Adam After adopting Bula into our everyday vernacular, it became easier to add other Fijian words as well. One of our of guides, a Fiji native named Villi, gave us a crash course on many other everyday words and phrases. We did this before we left for our Fijian homestay, so when we did arrive in the village, we would be comfortable and confident in our use… Read More
By Adam & Veda What’s one word that will make everyone smile, enable conversation with strangers, and light up any face? Here in Fiji today, we found just the right word…Bula. It means Hello by translation but carries much more than a greeting. It’s a way to instantly connect with anyone. It’s greatest use is to open the door, inviting conversation and questions. Thinking about our own culture back home,… Read More
