Blog

Final Blog!

Hongi Overseas Educators South Pacific- HONGI
By Wes In both sad and happy news, it’s Wes here to bring you the final blog of our Hongi Spring 2018 trip to the South Pacific. We have been traveling for three months, have endured ant armies in sleeping bags, multiple staph infections, people going into silence for two days, 10 billion flies on our mouths, ramen and hot dogs for 12 straight days, multiple unexpected hikes, ear infections,… Read More

Namaste! From the Yoga Retreat

Inti Overseas Educators South America- INTI
Namaste from the yoga retreat and our second-to-last week here on this incredible journey. This week we journeyed back towards Ollantaytambo and deep into the Sacred Valley, where we pulled up to our gorgeous yoga spot and our home for the next five days. After getting off the bus and organizing into rooms, we had a vegetarian lunch and were given our schedule for the week. Next, we gathered outside… Read More

Sawadi-Susa-Chao!

Sabai Overseas Educators Southeast Asia- SABAI
Our last day of Student-Directed Travel (or Somewhat Determined Travel…) has finally come to a close, resolving in time for ceremony, reflection, and a really freaking good dinner! Our group-led travel has been a bit unpredictable, but we managed to get through with wonderful strokes of luck and spur-of-the-moment planning. Picking up where we left off at last post, our trip to Marble Mountain was a success with beautiful climbs… Read More

Pura Patrolling

Maya Overseas Educators Central America- MAYA
By Siobhan Herr We arrived at Playa Nombre de Jesus excited and antsy after our long travel day. With the ocean in mind, we quickly put on our bathing suits to swim in the turquoise water. Hanna, Maddie, Annie, and Paige found and explored a cave, while myself, Kaitlin, Juliette, and Talia worked on evening out some farmer’s tan lines. Each night we assisted the Kuemar staff in patrolling two… Read More

SDT (Somewhat Determined Travel)

Sabai Overseas Educators Southeast Asia- SABAI
By Jeremy Bass I believe I can speak for everyone when I say that traveling is an activity that can bring about the best and worst of surprises. From our departure in February, we have experienced unexpected acts of generosity, crazy early bus arrivals, surprisingly friendly chickens and cows, crazy late and unresponsive buses, spectacularly hidden food stands, mass food sickness out of nowhere, and, among tons of other occurrences,… Read More

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