Follow the Journey

Matt and Rachel shared these great photos of the group from the last couple of weeks – we hope you enjoy them while we eagerly await the next blog post!… Read More

Blog from Mark Ahari Our time in Ecuador is almost up! What better way to spend it than riding the highest and longest zipline in South America! It was definitely a bit daunting at first sight, it was awesome to see everyone conquer it. We spent our final two days at a hostel in Otavalo. We had a lot of time to relax and get some good food before our… Read More

Saludos from Pucara, Ecuador! Our last week here in Ecuador has been filled with knowledge, adventure and inspiration as we traveled through the Intag region, learning from several communities and taking long hikes through bio-diverse forests. Arriving into Pucara, we were enthusiastically welcomed with a big celebration filled with games, music and dances. After the ceremony we were pushed further out of our comfort zones, once again, by being divided… Read More

This week took us from the Amazon to the Andes. We have spent the past 7 days in Peguche, a small indigenous town in northern Ecuador. Our group of 12 split into three smaller groups for homestays with local families. We have lived and eaten with our host families as well as had Spanish classes in their homes in the mornings. In the afternoons, the whole group got together to… Read More

On Sunday we arrived to the amazon and it was amazing. The water was flowing nice, the amazon house that is owned by Tom had one lounging room that had a dinner table that overlooks the river. Dinner was very special because there was no lights and so its candle-lit throughout the table along with buffet style food served to all 14 of us. Breakfast at 8, work from 9… Read More

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Last week we left Finca Mono Verde, a beautiful, lush permaculture farm on the Ecuadorian coast and we arrived in the bustling and breathtaking city of Baños surrounded by mountains and a large active volcano! This week was different for us because we were living in pairs with host families rather than all of us living in one place together. Living with people we never met before, in a city… Read More

Here we are: the end of Week Two. When I look back on the trip thus far, I see limitless memories made through experiences we have lived, and when I look forward to our time ahead, I see unlimited potential for more life from which to learn. Each person in this group is an incredibly unique individual with different goals, passions, and stories to tell, but I can try to… Read More

After lots of travel to get to Quito, we spent three days in a quaint hostel getting to know each other and doing lots of orientation activities. After orientation we came and to Las Delicias farm where we have spent the week. Chari and Juan Carlos’s family have been incredibly kind and welcoming. This was our first week of Spanish classes, so every morning we went to our various classes… Read More

4 teams, 11 tasks, and only 1 winner. Los Lobos (los mejores) set out to discover the coolest, funniest, and strangest aspects of Quito. In just the first hour of our adventure, we tried tamarind and coconut drinks, shot darts at candy, went canoeing, played volleyball with locals, got attacked and took revenge on a little boy with an oversized water gun, enjoyed a fellow explorer´s private concert in the… Read More

Hola! Hamdi, Owen and I (Maya) are sitting in an internet café in Quito, Ecuador! We have only been here for three days and it already feels like we have known each other forever and done so much! Today we all went to the big park and had some time to reflect and write a letter to ourselves for the end of the trip. It is super sunny today so… Read More

The South America group has arrived safely in Quito! We received word that they landed, were picked up from the airport, and are now settling into their hostel in Quito. They’ll be heading out shortly for lunch – their first Ecuadorian meal. They are looking forward the next few days of orientation. getting to know one another, learning about Ecuador, and preparing for the semester to come. Stay tuned for… Read More

The South America group is all together for the first time! They’ve all arrived safely to LAX, checked in for their flight to Quito and are heading through security. They are already enjoying getting to know one another and are looking forward to the journey ahead. We wish them safe and easy travels tonight and will post another blog here once we receive word that they have arrived in Quito… Read More

Hola, Amigos! Greetings from Carpe Diem Headquarters in Portland, Oregon. We are happily preparing for our upcoming semester together in South America. As we connect with our local contacts in the communities that we will be visiting, our enthusiasm for the upcoming semester only heightens. We will have the opportunity to become friends with amazing individuals while exploring vast geographic and cultural diversity. This being said, we are most excited… Read More

Dear our 12 incredible students, family and friends, It is Rebecca and Doug (otherwise known as Douglito y Rebequita). As we wrap up our final moments together here in South America, and prepare for our last emotional goodbyes, we wanted to write to say a heartfelt thank you to our amazing team Inti. Thank you for making this the most incredible 12 weeks, full of potatoes, mountain climbing, breathtaking views,… Read More

This past week, our group went on a yoga retreat just outside of Cusco at a place called Inbound Yoga. When we arrived, we were met by Chaitanya, our meditation and yoga instructor for the week. We were led to quaint volunteer stays made from only mud and straw. The retreat doubles as an ecofarm, with compost toilets and solar panels as the only source of electricity. The farm has… Read More

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After our beautiful stay in the small quechua community of Patacancha we started out our student directed travel in Lares with a relaxing day at the hot springs. Willy, Emi, Douglas, Rebecca, Sam and Harvey decided to head up early to the hot springs to get a full day at the “Spa” to be joined later that day by the rest of the group. Our hostess at the hostel thoughtfully… Read More

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