Blog

Patacancha and Student-Directed Travel

Inti Overseas Educators South America- INTI
By Lauren This week we started in the small town of Patacancha located outside of Ollantaytambo. There we learned more about the organization Awamaki, which is a nonprofit that helps women in the area sell their textile work to a larger market. We got to work with the women and see the work that goes into making these crafts; starting from the dyeing of the wool to the finished product.… Read More

Learning Much More Than I Taught

carpediem Latitudes Year
By Hadley Olivia, Latitudes ’18 Uganda When I found out that I would be spending three months in southern Uganda teaching at a special needs school, I was equal parts excited and terrified. I had the opportunity to visit my placement during my East Africa group semester, so I had a vague idea of what I was getting myself into… but in the end, I truly had no idea what… Read More

How to Walk a Jaguar

carpediem Latitudes Year
By Finn, Latitudes ’18 Bolivia I’ve spent the past three months in the middle of the Amazon working with—and walking—Bolivia’s rescued wildlife and jungle cats. Only seven hours from the closest big city, Parque Ambue Ari is found in the depths of the wild. Given its remoteness, the park comes with all the fine amenities you’d expect: little to no electricity or cell service, the coldest showers you’ll ever take,… Read More

Casa de Tortugas

Maya Overseas Educators Central America- MAYA
On Friday, we were given the opportunity to harvest, process, cook and eat farm fresh fruits — the most memorable of which was the jackfruit. After our field team harvested the fruit (which really consisted of catching a 20-pound spike ball that one of the farm workers, Levis, climbed a tree to drop on us), Siobhan spearheaded the processing, which consisted of tearing open the jackfruit and collecting the seeds… Read More

On to Machu Picchu

Inti Overseas Educators South America- INTI
This week we are located in a small town tucked in the Andes called Patacancha. It has around 400 residents and the main source of income is selling textiles made of Alpaca and sheep wool. However, this is a story for somebody else to tell. My job is to inform you of what we did last week in a town that I still cannot pronounce. We enjoyed our last week… Read More

Reporting from Cairns, Australia

Hongi Overseas Educators South Pacific- HONGI
By Rachel Valencia Hi everyone! Rachel here, reporting from Cairns, Australia. After spending six incredible days in the Red Center, we traveled to tropical Queensland. The transition from a dry desert to the humid tropics was quite shocking, but we quickly acclimated to the warm breezes, clear waters, and the loud sounds of parrots and bats. Our hostel was located in downtown Cairns, near the lagoon, Night Market, and dive… Read More

Lions, Mambas, and Illness, Oh My!

Nkula Overseas Educators East Africa- NKULA
By Mary Dudley Berry Hello to all of our fans out there! As our time at Ohana Amani came to an end, the group experienced a few changes in our dynamic. We sadly said goodbye to one of our members, and happily welcomed a new temporary member. Jenny, the Executive Director of Carpe Diem, joined our group to experience the day-to-day adventures and challenges of a group semester. It seems… Read More

Attack of the Flies

Hongi Overseas Educators South Pacific- HONGI
By Jamie Vischer Hey Moms and Dads, We just arrived in Cairn after a sweaty and bug-infested safari through the northern territory. We started off with a long bumpy car ride to the campsite that we made home for the next two days. We slept under the stars as a group in “swags,” which are basically canvas pods with your head exposed. Disregarding some encounters with ants at night, sleeping… Read More

Bona Fide-Bound!

Maya Overseas Educators Central America- MAYA
By Chloe Steffes Hola todos! In the final weeks of our Nicaraguan journey, the Carpe group has really been both absorbing and adapting to nature all around us. We have even taken it so far as to live a more “rustic” lifestyle as we approach the end of our trip. Our week began with a well thought out hike planned by Annie on Mombacho. After bussing up the majority of… Read More

A Cultural Exchange with Tan Tao University!

Sabai Overseas Educators Southeast Asia- SABAI
Coming from our relaxing week at the yoga retreat. We headed to Ha Tien to spend a week with students from Tan Tao University in their first cultural exchange. The week was spent in homestays with the locals of Ha Tien as well with the students. We were welcomed into Ha Tien by the local government with open arms. We volunteered by cleaning up the streets of Ha Tien, taught… Read More

Yoga Retreat Week

Sabai Overseas Educators Southeast Asia- SABAI
By Ashley Gonzalez-Lopez This week our group went on a yoga retreat. The main focus was to try to reflect on what we have done on this trip, the obstacles we have overcome, and the people we have met. Every day we woke up to silent time and went straight into yoga practice at 7:00 am. Breakfast was from 8:30 to 9:45. At 9:45, the whole temple got together for… Read More

Stop. Drop. Travel.

Maya Overseas Educators Central America- MAYA
By Kaitlin Emmett Recharged from early bedtimes and delicious food cooked by our homestay mothers, we finished the week out strong installing a composting septic tank at Chloe’s homestay. We also played more soccer with local players who significantly surpassed our skill level. While Talia, Hannah, and a few others were able to hold their own, the rest of us supported them from the sidelines and Paige snapped some killer… Read More

Peace Between Those Who Breathe Together

Nkula Overseas Educators East Africa- NKULA
By Morgan Kromer Peace between those who breathe together, Ohana Amani, Peace within, Peace throughout. We helped to make a class in trees, Chainsaws rolling, Branches falling, Learninng center, Welcome space. Others helped out in the garden, Pulling weeds, Turning compost, Raspberries snacked, Orchards tended. Afternoons were filled with growth, Quiet moments, Laughter present, Some reflection, Our stories. Our day of silence was a struggle, Not for most, But for… Read More

Swimming In Stars

carpediem Latitudes Year
At 1:30 am Rachana shook me awake. In the dark, my head still thick with sleep, I assumed it was one of my roommates waking me for my 6 am dolphin survey. This was not the case, I quickly realized, checking my watch and recognizing the culprit responsible for disturbing my sleep. “Come on! I have something to show you!” Now, I am not a person who likes to be… Read More

Peace Farm, Australia

carpediem Latitudes Year
By Ella Gambell, Latitudes Australia I’m not going to lie, the first couple weeks of this semester were pretty tough for me. At Latitudes orientation right before I came here, I heard about all of the amazing things all of the other Carpe kids are doing and I wondered if I could be doing something better or more adventurous than working on a farm. I would be weeding in the… Read More

Saludos de Peru!

Inti Overseas Educators South America- INTI
By Isabella Spivey Saludos de Peru! Isabella here, to update you on our adventure from the past week. Our second to last day in Ecuador, we said a bittersweet farewell to Sarah Beth, and joined her and her family for dinner and shared our gratitude for having her as part of our Inti Family. As sad as it is that she will be leaving us, we are all holding out… Read More

To All the Little Moments….

carpediem Latitudes Year
I’ve thought about leaving many times; some days I was excited to move on and other days I dreaded the day I would have to say goodbye. And now that time where I have to say goodbye and move on is not in the far-off future anymore – tomorrow I must say goodbye. And, now that the time to leave is finally here I find it hard to accept the… Read More

“I never thought digging holes could be this fun!”

Maya Overseas Educators Central America- MAYA
By Annie Our week and a half at Colibri Spanish School came to a close with some final juegos and all of us attempting to absorb our last formal Spanish lessons of the trip. We said goodbyes and thank yous to the amazing teachers, excited for one last weekend in Matagalpa. As it is Good Friday, the main cathedral off of Morazan Park was hosting a special annual service and… Read More

Spider Monkeys on a Hot Tin Roof

carpediem Latitudes Year
By Eli Karsh-Lombardo, Latitudes Ecuador ’18 The days start at 6:30 AM with the crazy urge to pee after the three-Nalgene-a-day-from-sweat kicks in. Real alarm clock is when the family of seven Spiderman and 200 square monkeys decide to jump play and fight on the thin loud metal roof of the volunteer house. After that, depending on the schedule of the day, we either head straight to the bodega for… Read More