By Maggie Seida
Seeing my first glance of Koh Tao from the boat, I was already hooked—the little island is dotted with bungalows, dogs running on the beaches, and boat captains calling to each other from the bay.
To get from the main pier to the dive school is an overpriced, five-minute taxi ride (be prepared: that taxi means the back of a motorbike or the bed of a pickup).… 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
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
Well folks, my time in Australia is coming to a close this week.
I have had some really amazing highs and I have also had some lows. This gap year that I have taken was the best decision I could have made for myself. The things I have learned out here are true life experiences and I am so grateful for this opportunity.
With it being my last week I… Read More
Why do I have the deepest connections with strangers? Maybe because you are allowed to be 100% vulnerable, nothing really matters when you only meet someone one time.
I wonder if animals lie to eachother? Or when they first meet eachother are they 100% vulnerable? or do they mask their true selves behind fear of being found out?
People say “Stranger danger” but I think thats why the world is… Read More
Blog by Paiton Marshall
I was sitting in a circle with eleven strangers on the spiky grass outside a hostel that was a deeper hue of orange than the dusty sidewalks of Entebbe. One of our overseas educators, Adam, was speaking. “Okay, we’re going to do a quick check in with everybody about how you’re feeling about being here on a scale from one to five. One finger means you’re… Read More
I wake up to these sounds that I am only able to recognize as the animals of the forest because I have heard them every day for the past 2 months. I hear the wind brushing through the canopy of trees that surround me and slowly feel the heat creeping up against my skin as I start to open my eyes. I consciously know that I am in Costa Rica… Read More
Greetings from the bustling city of Marrakesh, Morocco which is the amazing city that I have been able to call home over the past two months, and will continue to live in for several more. It is hard for me to think that I have only been here in Morocco for two and a half months, as I feel like I have been here for much, much longer than that.… Read More
Blog and photos from Matthew C
Hello from Ometepe, Nicaragua!
I’ve spent the last 2 months or so here on Ometepe island in Lake Nicaragua volunteering at Project Bona Fide, a permaculture farm based in the small community of Balgue. Each day starts at 6:45 here on the farm, when all the volunteers meet in the communal kitchen areas and break off into different groups going to work in different… Read More
Blog and photos from Jada Smith
Greetings from Yogendra!
If someone told me a year ago I’d be living at a yoga ashram in the middle of Colombia at this time in my life, I’d probably brush them off as insane. Upon finishing my senior year of high school, I was committed to what I thought was the university of my dreams, despite having never visited it. It was a… Read More
How many people do you know have been to Madagascar? Me, I’ve only ever met one person, a well traveled man whom i greatly respect and admire.
“What do you think of me going to Madagascar for my Latitudes program?” I asked.
“You’ll love it.”
A 14 hour international flight to Tananarivo, the capital, an hour and a half local flight to Fort dauphin, Madagascar’s most southern city, a three… Read More
The first thing that hit me as I stepped outside the airport in Accra, Ghana was the intense heat that is West Africa. Within minutes my clothes were soaked with sweat as the humidity clung to every inch of my skin. I was welcomed by my contact and his wife, and after a restless nights sleep in a dingy hotel, we made the six hour drive to Kumasi where I… Read More
Blog from Tyler C
Writing this hiding from the heat that’s only getting warmer as the days go on. The rainy season on Koh Tao is over and the dry season is approaching with only my fan to keep me cool. But don’t worry many cold showers are being taken to try to stay cool.
I arrived on this island kind of lost and with very little idea of where… Read More
I couldn’t have made a better choice than to come to New Zealand for the second semester of my latitudes year. The past seven weeks here in the Tasman Region on the South Island have exceeded expectations, and I’ve had a blast at my FVP.
Interning at Whenua Iti Outdoors, an experiential education organization that brings in school groups for multi-day expeditions and camp programs, I’ve been documenting activities and… Read More
Blog and photos from Anna Rapson
7 weeks ago, I arrived in Yarra Junction, a little bit confused and extremely exhausted. My host was nowhere to be seen, and after three hours of traveling to get to the valley, I was upset and already in a bad mood. After about an hour, my host Travis picked me up on the side of the road. I discovered that that day was… Read More
Ashram life is breathtaking, unusual and full of energy! Cali, Colombia is a beautiful city with lots to do so you will never get bored here. I arrived at Yogendra EcoAshram at the end of January with about a week to rest, explore and try to make this place feel like home for three months. It was difficult for me at the beginning trying to figure out how I fit… Read More
7 marzo, 2017
I write this sitting in a friend’s living room, listening to the rain beat some ancient rhythm outside as it has been for the past few days. Jack and I are staying here at Kike’s tonight because the room we’re living in has leaks in the roof and we’d prefer not to wake up again to a floor that resembles one of the surf spots here, Piscinas.… Read More
When you hear about other people’s travels, it usually only includes the glamorous, exciting sides. A lot of people like to leave out the parts that are immensely challenging and test you to your limits. I remember being so ecstatic to finally be going off completely on my own. Heading to a foreign country not knowing anyone. Not knowing the language. It all seemed like a fun challenge that I… Read More
