We’ve heard from the Sabai Crew and all is well in San Francisco. 11 of the 12 group members gathered smoothly (and the 12th will be flying from Dubai to meet the group in Thailand).
Thanks so much for all of your support in getting the students to this step. We can’t wait to hear about their adventures as they journey through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam over the coming months.… Read More
We’ve received word that the whole Shanti Fall ’17 crew has gathered in San Francisco! Though they have 20+ hours of transit before arriving in Delhi, spirits are high and the entire crew is looking forward to what’s ahead.
Thanks to each of you for supporting the students in getting to this step. We’re wishing the mighty Shanti Crew the best of luck in this upcoming semester and can’t wait… Read More
We’ve received word that the entire Shiva crew has gathered safe and sound in the San Francisco airport. Spirits are high and everyone is excited to begin the journey!
Thanks to everyone back home for all of your support in getting our students to this first courageous step. We can’t wait to follow along on their adventure and will be wishing the crew the best of luck.
Next stop… Hong… Read More
Good Morning, Sabai!
Greetings from Portland where the air is as dry as our humor, and if our Boddhisatva instincts are correct, the ashes falling from the sky can only mean one thing: there’s a forest fire nearby. And that we should go soon.
Enough of this planning and packing, what we don’t have we don’t need. We’ll forge new friendships, build our own support system, and take deep dives… Read More
Hey everyone! Jon and Suzannah here, writing to you from Carpe Diem HQ in Portland. Wow, it is hard to believe we’ll finally be meeting you all on September 13th. We hope you’ve had plenty of time to prep, see loved ones, and get yourselves in the mindset to travel the next 3 months with us. We have been training here and in the wilderness of Oregon for the past… Read More
Kia Ora from staff training in Portland! A big welcome to the friends and families that will be following our journey over the coming months. We are brimming with anticipation to begin our journey around the South Pacific with you all in just a few short days! We have been getting excited over the course of reviewing itineraries, exploring maps, and connecting with local contacts in New Zealand, Fiji and… Read More
Karibuni, Sitting in a Portland coffee shop this morning, a young boy in bright blue trousers approached us. He wore a smile that was both hesitant and inviting. He extended his small arm and offered us a page from the book he grasped. The verse read: The blue rhinoceros.
So blue was she.
The wind in her hair.
The world at her feet. The vibrant blues danced off the page,… Read More
Mambo Kifaru Crew!
Greetings from Ellen & Mike. We have spent the last week here in Portland eagerly preparing for our upcoming trip to East Africa. We are excited to meet all of you soon, and look forward to traveling, playing, learning and growing together over the next three months. We hope you are as pumped about our amazing itinerary as we are. Be on the look out for a… Read More
Just over a week ago we met face to face for the first time. Much like what our students will face, the moment was filled with excitement and anticipation. Will this person like me? Am I good enough to be here?
The doubts and worries soon faded as we embarked on a variety of workshops and sessions, acquiring the knowledge and resources needed to empower and lead our students through… Read More
Greetings from beautiful Portland, Oregon, the home base for Carpe Diem. Liz and I hope you are as excited to meet us as we are to meet you. During our Overseas Educators Orientation we obtained some great information and fun stuff to transition into Cuba. The first 4 days we camped in the beautiful Milo McIver Park with 22 other Overseas Educators. It was great to swap stories and hear… Read More
Saludos, Team Inti and loved ones!
Greetings from Portland, Oregon, where the entire Carpe Diem Education Headquarters is buzzing with excitement in preparation for our adventurous fall semester in Ecuador and Peru! In a short week from now we will be settling in to our new home in the land of Inti, the Incan Sun God. Soon enough we will all be caring for banana trees on the Ecuadorian coast,… Read More
Hey Shiva Team!
We hope everyone has their excited pants on and you all are ready and rearing to go on an incredible adventure! We are so excited to embark on this enlightening journey together with all of you amazing people.
We’ve both spent the past two weeks in Portland, including a camping trip out at McIver campground, surrounded by the love and community of Carpe Diem. We have filled… Read More
Namaste from the Shanti Fall 2017 leader duo, Bria and Pete. We are beyond excited to meet our team of stellar students in just five days!
The next three months will be full of learning, adventure, and community. We will be spending the first half of our journey exploring several historic cities and sites– from Delhi to Jaipur to Varanasi to Kolkata. We will also have an opportunity to be… Read More
Hola Team Quetzal Students, Families and Friends!!
It has been wonderful getting to chat with all of you over the past few weeks, our excitement for the upcoming semester is through the roof! From our brief conversations, it seems we have a really strong group, with all of you ready to bring your own passions and strengths to our new community. We are in the midst of staff training in… Read More
Blog from Harvey G My advice to anyone considering a gap year would be: Do Carpe Diem. There are so many reasons, but here are a few ones that come to mind:
I feel more prepared to go into college now that I’ve completed my year abroad. I’ve had a big range of experiences from surfing on the coast of Peru to hiking to 17,000 feet altitude. I made some… Read More
Post by Hollyn H Wildtraks, in Sarteneja, Belize, was the perfect placement for me. I can’t believe that it’s almost over but I guess time flies when you’re having fun. Wildtraks is a rehabilitation center for primates and manatees. They have spider and howler monkeys of all ages but my job is to care for several baby howler monkeys in the nursery. When I first got here, i was only… Read More
Just as the 40-minute flight was too short of a transition away from Cuba, so were the quick goodbyes at the Miami airport. We (David and Amanda) just missed our connecting flight out of Philly, so we’re in limbo before the next one down to VA, which perhaps is a good reflection of the internal limbo we feel… not quite ready to depart from the unique sensación de Cuba. We… Read More
Emerging from the underground of the metro train station and into the heart of Sydney, a feeling of I’m sooo confused! washed over us all. The looming buildings that blocked the view of the night sky and bustling streets swarming with hurried people all seemed out of place. The weeks that proceeded this moment were ones of magic. We had spent twelve beautiful weeks learning and growing across the rustic… Read More
Blog from Matt and Rachel “We embark on trips to discover and remember what we hold most dear, the experiences and people we cherish and love. And then – our greatest challenge – we return home seeking to enact the wisdom as best we can in our daily lives.”
-William Cronan
We, as leaders, feel proud and fortunate to sit in the afterglow of a superb semester together. Now as… Read More
I tossed my backpacking backpack in the back of a large van filled with people from around the world. I hopped in and greeted everyone before the four hour journey to Lake Atitlan. Lake Atitlan is one of the most popular tourist sites for those traveling through Guatemala, it is known for its beautiful views of the lake surrounded by volcanoes. During the ride I spoke to a man from… Read More
