Written By Josh, Latitudes ’19 South Africa The past 3 months in South Africa have been some of the quickest but most memorable days of my life. I spent my time there doing amazing work with a program called Dreamcatchers, that has been working tirelessly to improve the community of Melkhoutfountein in any way that they can. Every day I was doing something different, some of it was hard but… Read More
Written By Madeleine, Latitudes ’19 South Africa A life changing volunteer experience in a place where everybody knows your name is what the two-and-a-half months I spent in Gansbaai was.
There is no “typical” day working for Marine Dynamics. You can expect anything from having to leave a lecture early to collect dead sharks off the beach then having to ride on top of them in the back of a… Read More
Written By Reid, Latitudes ’19 Belize My time at Wildtracks Belize has been amazing. It has been everything I thought it was. I wake up every morning at 6 AM, change into my wet clothes, and prepare to feed our seven manatees. I begin with making the formula they drink every day, which is pretty much a banana smoothie. Then we have the frames we put sea grass in that… Read More
Written By Lexie, Latitudes ’19 Costa Rica Greetings from the Rich Coast! These past 3 months I’ve had the privilege of being a wildlife sanctuary intern at Kids Saving the Rainforest! Kids Saving the Rainforest is an organization founded in 1999 to plant trees in depleted areas of the country, and to rescue, rehabilitate and, when possible, release the animals who live in the rainforest.
My day to day life… Read More
Written By Patrick, Latitudes ’19 Galapagos I spent 8 weeks on a sustainable organic farm in the Galapagos called Huerta Luna or The Bamboo House as the locals would say. The whole land is about the size of a football field and is located on the island of Santa Cruz. This includes a small farm surrounded by a natural forest, as well as the house I lived in and my… Read More
Written By Veda, Latitudes ’19 Peru Peru called me, that’s why I’m here. Peru called you, there’s a reason you’re here. That’s what I reminded myself through the hardest moments of my placement at the Eco Yoga Ashram in the sacred valley. And the hard times were some of the most difficult I’ve ever had to go through.
But it’s true, and so incredibly hard to deny—Peru wanted me here… Read More
Written By Isabel, Latitudes ’19 Costa Rica Hola Chicitos! Hace 2 meses que estoy aquí en Costa Rica… Que loco!
Time flies, let me tell you. I am located on a peninsula on the Pacific cost of the small, but beautiful country of Costa Rica. Approximately 5 hours from San Jose. Secluded from normal civilization, I am at an organization called CIRENAS. A 3 hour walk to Santa Teresa, a… Read More
Written By Kaylee, Latitudes ’19 Cambodia Throughout my effervescent bunch of weeks living in Kep, Cambodia, I have truly learned more about myself in these last three months than I have in my whole 19 years of living. My volunteer opportunities consist of me teaching English, spending time with a local family, and introducing/teaching some fun artsy craft workshops into the Vagabond Temple community.
I feel honored to be able… Read More
Written By Owen, Latitudes ’19 Thailand A typical day here on Koh Phangan starts with a scramble for a cup of coffee when I wake up at 8:50 for a 9ish morning dive briefing. The briefing usually lasts 20-25 minutes, and from there we head to the backyard to set up our gear for the dive, and finish any small group/buddy team preparations for the dive, things like setting up… Read More
Written By Charlotte, Latitudes ’19 South Africa People can tell you over and over that working with animals is more grueling than glamorous but you’ll never really understand until you try it yourself. The past 2 months have been filled with adventures, beautiful beaches, friendship, sweat, tears, and most importantly: monkey poo. I’m so happy that I’ve chosen to volunteer for C.R.O.W. here in South Africa. The days are long… Read More
Written By Emily, Latitudes ’19 Peru How do I sum up my time in Peru so far? I would use the words: challenging, friendly, beautiful, exciting, adventurous, hard, relaxed, and unexpected. I have been volunteering with Amamaki, a non-profit based in Ollantaytambo, Peru for about two months now. Their purpose is to help empower indigenous Andean women and lift them out of poverty by helping them gain financial independence using… Read More
Written By Asia, Latitudes ’19 Belize Since I’ve arrived at Wildtracks in Sarteneja, Belize my life has changed so much from my usual everyday. I used to refute change, thinking my routine and things around me needed to be a constant, but as my journey continues, I have learned that change can lead to possibilities I never knew I had. I’ve learned to go after what I want despite any… Read More
Written By Marin, Latitudes ’19 Thailand During my first semester of Carpe Diem, I learned that first impressions are invaluable…that is if you can remember them after you have formed a relationship with a person or a place. I try to keep track of my first impressions of places and people so that I can look back and see how far I have come or just laugh at my first… Read More
Written By Latrell, Latitudes ’19 South Africa For the past month and a half Josh and I have been immersed into the South African culture. Our Journey began in Johannesburg by exploring many of the museums and learning about the rich history of this storied country. We visited Constitution Hill, where Nelson Mandela and many of the main people who tore down the apartheid system were arrested. If I had… Read More
Written By Leighton, Latitudes ’19 Peru Hello parents, fellow students, prospective students, and whoever else may have stumbled upon this blog! For the past five weeks, I have been living in the small tourist town of Ollantaytambo, Peru. I’m working for an NGO in town that partners with women in local indigenous villages to empower them and connect them to the world market.
On a typical work day, I walk… Read More
Written By Duncan, Latitudes ’19 Thailand Adjustment is an understatement when it comes to my life here. Coming from the city of Charlotte, NC and diving right into farming in rural Thailand, I had to deal with the culture-shock and the solitude, all while maintaining a strong work ethic. I’m not gonna lie, it took some time for me to get settled, but once I finally found my place here… Read More
Written By Katie, Latitudes ’19 Thailand When I first arrived on Koh Tao I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. The water was a beautiful light blue, I couldn’t believe I would be spending the next 3 months here. For the first week I got my diving courses done, going to a max of 30 meters and looking at the giant old war ship they have, and even getting to… Read More
Written By Jacob, Latitudes ’19 Guatemala Hola and buenos dias amigos! Jacob here checking in from El Paredon, Escuintla, Guatemala. For my latitudes semester I’m working with an amazing NGO (an org that doesn’t make any money itself but reinvests all its profits into the community) called La Choza Chula or “The cool hut.” In the past 5 years the organization has built a library, computer lab, organic garden, and… Read More
Written By Sailor, Latitudes ’19 Thailand A life on Koh Tao, where do I start.
Well to start off my journey I will take you to week one, arriving on the small little island of Koh Tao the name meaning ‘Turtle Island’, and living up to its name this island seemed magical from my very first steps on it. The very first week Katie, Rachel and I settled into the… Read More
Written By Rachel, Latitudes ’19 Thailand Upon arrival to the island of Koh Tao I was absolutely exhausted. It took about two days to get here, and by the time I got settled in at the New Heaven dorms I laid down and slept for a solid fourteen hours. When I woke, I couldn’t believe this was where I would be for the next two months. The island is so… Read More
