Blog from Dani G. Hello all! Dani here, checking in from the small island paradise of Koh Tao in the south of Thailand. The last several weeks have flown by. It’s hard to believe it’s already the middle of March.
After traveling 7,771 miles in forty short hours, we finally made it to Koh Tao. After the warmest of welcomes by New Heaven we began to slowly settle in.
The… Read More
It’s hard to believe I’ve been in Costa Rica for over a month. In some ways, it feels like I just got here with everything I’m learning during my time as a volunteer, and in other ways I feel like I’ve lived in my town that is the size of two main streets for years. Over this last month I’ve been working with CIRENAS (Centro de Investigación de Recursos Naturales… Read More
“What am I getting myself in to,” I remember thinking to myself on a plane that I did not want to land, as I was afraid at what could be awaiting me on the other side. This was months ago, when all of my knowledge of Africa came from a Taylor Swift video and The Lion King. I had never gone into my gap year thinking I would do Latitudes,… Read More
Ladies and gentleman welcome to your anchor spot. Every morning here in the Great White Shark capital of the world, you are on board one of the two boats the Marine Dynamics associates its self with. One is Slashfin, named after a notorious White Shark whose dorsal fin was in fact slashed, the shark cage diving vessel or Dream Catcher which is part of Marine Dynamics sister company, Dyer Island… Read More
Hello from South Africa! I’ve been here for about 5 weeks volunteering with Marine Dynamics, which is a shark cage diving company located in Gansbaai in the Western Cape. So far, life has been pretty nice and chilled out. We usually begin the day by waking up and heading to the Great White House, which is the headquarters for Marine Dynamics and Dyer Island Cruises. All of the volunteers start… Read More
Hi there! I have been in Australia for about 6 weeks now and man time is sure flying by! I am volunteering at the Dolphin Discovery Centre and I am having an absolute blast. When I am spending my mornings at the Centre I am doing a variety of things. Looking out for dolphins, talking to tourists about them and teaching about conservation. I have also started to become an… Read More
Where has the time gone? I suppose it’s slipped right past me. Apart from the humidity and Mosquitoes I can confidently say life in Broome is near perfection. The apartment I am staying in is great for one. I was even given a bike, which I named eggman. I’m living a sort of Hannah-Montana lifestyle, getting the best of both worlds. The start of my week I’m in Broome, working… Read More
So much gratitude to our wonderful Latitudes Alumni Leaders, Erin & Colleen, for not only being phenomenal support for our students but also taking these great pictures! As we get word of safe arrivals to FVP sites around the world, enjoy the photos and we look forward to hearing more over the next few months.… Read More
Today is the day! Our 2016-2017 Latitudes cohort heads off into the world for their focused volunteer placements. Our orientation ended with shared wisdom, hugs, and laughter during our closing ceremony. As the Latitudes team, we couldn’t be more proud of this crew of students. Each of them inspires us with their courage, confidence, and passion. We’re so grateful to be a small part of their journeys.
Safe travels, everyone!… Read More
It’s hard to believe we’re on our final full day of Latitudes Orientation already. Each of the days has been full of laughter, reflection, and preparation for the adventures to come. From fireside yoga in the morning to storytelling workshops, from shared meals to shared wisdom from different regions of the world, the entire Latitudes Team has enjoyed every second with the 2016-2017 cohort here at Camp Angelos and we… Read More
Orientation began with lots of laughter, joyful reunions, and excitement here in beautiful Corbett, Oregon. The entire team is excited for a full few days setting our Latitudes 2016-2017 cohort up for success on their Focused Volunteer Placements.
This year’s cohort has students going as far flung as Madagascar, Japan, Belize, and everywhere in between for their volunteer placements. We’re looking forward to a full orientation of sharing stories, learning,… Read More
Blog from Alanna T Hello to everyone who is reading this latitudes blog post!
While most students have their group semester in the fall and their latitudes semester in the spring, I decided to have my group semester in India in the Spring and head of on my own in the fall. It took me a really long time to decide where to go and what organization to be with,… Read More
It nice to be home again after four months in South America. Now I have time to reflect on the the many things I have experienced during the Latitudes semester. My FVP was at the Third Millennium Alliance (TMA), a non-profit conservation and research focused organization located on a beautiful mountain range in coastal Ecuador’s Manabi province. As late as the early 1900s, the lowlands of coastal Ecuador were almost… Read More
“IN THE LIFE OF CARPE DIEM”
(UGANDA BLOG #10, WEEK 12)
Six months later and the mind is still eager to discover and learn more…
If you want to live a short life, live quickly. But, if you want to live a long life, live slowly.” —Señor Rony de Guatemala
“Timshel— thou mayest.” —John Steinbeck
“It’s all about perspective, and it is only you that has the power to either… Read More
During the process of completing my FVP, I think I have become the ultimate mother figure. Well…A mother figure to about fifteen to twenty (depending on the day), screaming, filthy birds. I spend most of my work days in a very small, hot room, and watch my children, catering to their every need and desire. Every one hour, I sit on my tiny stool, and force dog food, or fruit… Read More
This has been the fastest year of my life. I honestly can’t believe it’s coming to an end after I’ve been thinking about this year since my junior year of high school. I’m not ready for it to be over in some senses (traveling, adventure, different culture, my carpe friends and community) but in some ways I feel more prepared than ever to take on college and go forward in… Read More
Hello all! I’m checking in here from Koh Tao, a small island off the coast of Thailand where the sun is hot and the water is blue. I am here working as an intern with the New Heaven Reef Conservation Program which is actively trying to protect and restore the ocean ecosystem around Koh Tao. On an average day I’ll wake up and be at the dive school by 9am.… Read More
It’s crazy to think about where I was one year ago. I was in my second semester of my senior year, frustrated and worried about my future. I had applied to several universities, and was starting to hear back, rejection and acceptance letters, and began to feel like I was being led down a path that didn’t feel right for me. It was my mom who actually suggested that I… Read More
Living on the other side of the world… An idea I would never have seen coming a year ago as I put an end to my tenure in high school. To live day in and day out in a different part of the world generates so many positive experiences with so many different incredible people. The worst part of my days are when the majestic wild dolphins living in Koombana… Read More
Hot dirt brushes along steaming pavement, dogs pant, sweaty children play, the devious sun beats relentlessly down on anything brave enough not to seek shade. I hide out in the relative coolness of the office where the remnants of air conditioning still linger from an earlier meeting. The weeks here in Potrero, Costa Rica seem to have come and gone more quickly than my initial, fleeting hope that it might… Read More
