Welcome to the Fall 2015 Shiva Blog. We look forward to sharing our thoughts, pictures and experiences with you as our India journey unfolds in the days to come. We have been busy planning our itinerary, connecting with our in country contacts and dreaming of the journey we are about to embark on. All of the overseas educators just returned from a training adventure. We camped by Trillium Lake near… Read More
By Sarah Pike
You’ve probably dreamt of taking a gap year for many years and now that it’s about to be your reality, it’s important that you focus on getting the most out of the experience.
The first thought that might cross your mind is how awesome your Facebook page or Instagram account will be with all the updates and photos from your once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
But before you consider uploading… Read More
Thank you to everyone who participated in our Spring 2015 photo contest! Sharing photos can be an incredible way to tell stories and deepen your experience. We are in awe of the talent of our students and Overseas Educators and excited to share our top photos with you!
To see all of the photos from this past Spring semester, search for the hashtag #Cdephotos2015.
…And now, read on… Read More
“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
I spent the last three months living and volunteering in Guatemala; the country that has turned into one of my favorite places on this earth. Before that, I spent months researching volunteer programs, searching for the one that would be the best fit for me on… Read More
By Sarah Pike
The more you’re looking forward to your long-awaited gap year experience, the less you want to wait, especially if you’re stuck in the middle of seemingly endless classes, dreaded exams, or just the drudgery of everyday work.
But if you can change your thinking and take a few steps in the right direction, you can make the time spent waiting more productive and enjoyable. Here’s how to… Read More
Storytelling Through Travel Photography
I felt like a caged zoo animal.
Traveling through India, I tried to blend into the environment by wearing traditional Indian clothing, a scarf to cover my curly hair, and a bindi between my eyebrows. I still stood out.
I was stared at, pointed at and my photo was taken by countless strangers. All this left me feeling exploited.
As a long-time photographer who has shot… Read More
Calling all alumni! Ready to make every day a #TBT? Post your favorite photos from your Carpe Diem Education semester, and enter to win $50 gift card(s) to your store of choice!
ELIGIBILITY
We love our alums! The 2015 Carpe Diem Education photo contest is open to ALL past Carpe Diem Education alumni.
CONTEST ENTRY PERIOD
The contest will run on a rolling basis from May 18 – June 19, totaling… Read More
I arrived in Bolivia almost three months ago and the time has flown by as this coming week will be my last week at my NGO Proyecto Horizonte. Proyecto Horizonte is an organization outside Cochabamba in a very rural area called Ushpa-Ushpa, they have many different running projects from a health center to after school programs. Before I came to Bolivia I had no interest in volunteering with kids but… Read More
As we've said throughout the semester…
Life is like a carton of caramels, you just have to guess which ones you will find inside.
We want to thank everyone for such an unforgettable journey through the mountains of New Zealand, across the beaches of Fiji, and from desert to rainforest in Australia. Thank you to all the people that opened up their homes to us, fed us, and… Read More
In Spanish there is not really a way to say goodbye. Nos vamos, hasta luego, hasta pronto, adios…all imply that we will see each other again. The alchemist says that if something happens twice it is bound to happen a third time. In order to ensure this let us set intention to make that second encounter happen.
Although this particular adventure has come to an end, view this opportunity to… Read More
Walking through the San Francisco airport this morning, I was more alone than I had been in three months.
In a timezone that didn't feel like mine, I walked feeling as though I had discovered something.
I feel such profound gratitude for all the small pieces which brought me to India, which brought me through India, and which brought me home to where I am now. Looking around this place… Read More
They have arrived safe and sound in LA. Thank you to everyone for an amazing semester filled with adventures, connections, and incredibly valuable work both inside and out. Best of luck to all of the students in their onward journeys. So much gratitude from the Carpe office for being a part of this journey! … Read More
Dearest students who smell really great, and families who have the privilege of receiving said delightful-smelling young adults,
We have already gambled away all the money we saved by not having to pay your Honduran departure fees, and now we are writing for help. Who knew we would so quickly lose our way without you here? Please send care packages of Chickys ASAP, as we are entering withdrawal. It also… Read More
They have arrived safe and sound in LA. Thank you to everyone for an amazing semester filled with adventures, connections, and incredibly valuable work both inside and out. Best of luck to all of the students in their onward journeys. So much gratitude from the Carpe office for being a part of this journey!
… Read More
Greetings from the Great White Shark Capitol of the world. Gaansbaai, South Africa. Being about 3 feet away from these massive creatures it is so breathtaking when you see an 18 foot shark breach out of the water. It only takes two powerful strokes of their tails and they are at full speed.
On the boat one of my favorite things to do is make fish head necklaces for the… Read More
Some final words from your OE team ol'greg and Audrezzy
Dear Sabai, it's Audrezzy here!
Your capacity to push yourself, to learn, to grow, to love, to accept each other, and your crazy OE team has inspired me beyond words. How can I possibly tell you how much I adore you all!?
I am so thankful that each and everyone of you heard the call and signed up for this… Read More
From Megan and David:
Madeline & Cass did a better job at writing the final blog post than we could ever hope. We could hardly hope to improve upon it, but we can offer a few small, but incredibly powerful and wise words.
Thank you. Each of you. Madeline, Marley, Monica, Meredith, Mamie, Mevin, Madrienne, Mat, & Mass. It has been an honor and a privilege to be apart of… Read More
"Hey y'all!
Well, here we are! The trip is coming to an end. We've spent the last week in the rainforest at Prema Shanti. We've been training and studying our minds with the power of meditation, and are becoming little Yogi masters! In our free time we've been swimming in the Blue Hole (literally the bluest water you could ever imagine), reminiscing with each other about the trip, and… Read More
We are 81 days into our journey and we are preparing to say our goodbyes. We have spent the last five days in the Australian outback sleeping under the stars, hiking our way through the unreal beauty and watching our small family of fourteen get weirder by the day. On the first day we were picked up in Alice Springs by our hilarious guide Dan. He took us on small… Read More
It's hard to believe that our 3 month journey is coming to a end. We have made countless memories and life long friendships. We will never forget our 3 months in the South Pacific. We started our voyage in Wellington NZ and quickly bonded with each other as our excitement grew for the adventures ahead. Our first stop was the Blue Mountain Adventure Center where we grew as a group… Read More
