Hi parents and friends and friends of parents:
We are outside of internet access at a sustainable farm, on the lovely little island of Ometepe, called Bona Fide. You can look us up on the internet! We’ll set the scene for you: We are directly above a lake, there are rolling hills around us, and (when it’s not raining) there are two stunning volcanos staring at us from across the… Read More
Hola everyone!
Our group has safely arrived in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. We started at Colibrí Spanish School on Monday, taking classes everyday. Our homestays have been great, as everyone is in their own house and gets their own experience. Our activities this week included exploring the market, talking with college students who spoke English, taking a dance class, playing a fun group game, and watching a movie about the history of… Read More
After our flight from Guatemala City to Managua, Nicaragua got delayed, we immediately jumped into a bus guided by three new, but friendly faces. We were then introduced to the Nicaraguan currency, cordobas! First thing after arriving at our new home for the next week, El Piscacho, our Carpe group was introduced to a two and a half hour lesson of Nicaragua´s intense and dramatic history. The next day we… Read More
Hello all! Today is our last full day in Guatemala– we’re heading out early tomorrow (like 3am early) to get on a plane for Nicaragua! I know that I speak for the whole group when I say that these weeks in Guatemala have been absolutely amazing. We’ve seen amazing sights, learned things we could never learn anywhere else, and met incredible people. We’ve had our ups and downs like any… Read More
Hello everyone! Maddie here from an internet cafe in Xela, Guatemala. Why am I here do you ask? Well, I had a minor setback while on the trek. Heres how the story goes…
After waking up in the wee hours of early morning( 4 am), we got all our stuff and got ready to set out on our trekk. We all took a van out to the area where we… Read More
Hello everyone! Our group has spent the last week here in Xela, Guatemala. We were all placed in homestays and have attended Spanish school Monday through Friday. It has really been an amazing trip so far. I love our group and our leaders more and more as we get to know eachother better. This week we have walked all around the markets of Xela and also visted the “fiesta” in… Read More
Hi everyone! We are in Antigua doing a scavenger hunt around the town. Running around town, being sophisticated travelers, speaking fluently with ease, and having no troubles at all! LOL, actually, to be completely honest, we are having a wonderful time. Working our best to speak the language and communicate (some of us better than others), being smart, and trying to find some local authentic food that wont make us… Read More
Both Maya and Quetzal groups have landed safely in country and are settled into their orientation sites. We are so excited for them to begin their adventures! Stay tuned as the group will begin to post blogs about their experience soon. Much gratitude to all of the friends and family who have helped the students arrive at this moment.… Read More
Good evening friends and family!
The Maya crew have all gathered together and after posing for this beautiful pyramid, will be proceeding through security and headed off on their adventure.
We wish them all the best as they traverse new internal and external landscapes over the next 3 months.
Que les vaya bien Maya!… Read More
Amigos! We are writing this from beautiful, community-filled, Outdoor-Educator-Learning-Heaven (aka Portland)! We are eagerly awaiting our chance to meet you all and see your bright shining faces at the airport in just seven short days. We have been in Portland training for about a week, and have been so excitedly focused on gearing up for our trip! We will continue to be in Portland for another week until we… Read More
Flight #AV0483 is on-time and awaits an open runway for takeoff. Nine (eleven in spirit) anticipating explorers sit in his or her own reflection, heart-ache, longing, contentment, excitement, appreciation, sadness, and love… Each, a vessel having once been overwhelmed by fiery rain, slowly floats toward Oceans’ surface to meet a new day.
There was a time when we stood back, observing from Shores’ safe sands, in awe of Oceans’ expressive… Read More
When I am a grandma sitting on my back stairs drinking horse-bark rootbeer, I’ll think back fondly to this time and all of the wonderful moments shared. Warmest thank you to all those who made it possible especially my family and close friends. To my always supportive mom and pops, that you for teaching me to live life to its fullest. Thank you for instilling in me a love of… Read More
Putting into words how grateful I am for these past three months is a nearly impossible task. There are so many people I would like to thank for my time spent here in Central America.
It seems fitting to start with Jason Sarouhan, my gap year counselor at The Center for Interim Programs. I remember calling you between classes last semester, feeling so lost about what I wanted to do… Read More
Packing the big orange backback I was to live out of for the next three months, I had no idea what was in store for me. I had no idea that the ten people I was about to meet at the airport were soon to become my family, that we would learn so much from each other, that the adventures we were about to embark on would be some of… Read More
Wow! The past three months have gone by in a flash. Four different countries, multiple cities, four plane rides, eleven amazing beautiful faces, and about fivty two gallo pintos later, we have finally reached the end. It is a bitter sweet day here on the stunning island of Roatan, Honduras. I owe so much of this amazing experience to my amazing group. Over the past few months you all have… Read More
This past semester has been nothing short of amazing. Everything from our arrival in Nicaragua where the group began to know one another, to working with the turtles in Costa Rica, exploring and trekking through Guatemala, and scuba in Roatan were every thing I expected and plenty more with a family that has grown so close together. I want to take this time to thank some magnificent people who made… Read More
This entire trip has been filled with fun and exciting memories that I will forever carry throughout my life and of course, this wouldn’t have been possible if it were not for the people in my life that helped me get here. I would like to take the time to give thanks and show appreciation to everyone who has helped me get to where I am today. For starters, I… Read More
As I have embarked on this journey for the last 3 months, I think about the people who have got me to where I am right now.
I want to thank the Carpe Mundi program director Hansell Bourden, and the whole Carpe headquarters for adding me as part of the Carpe Diem family. I want to personally say thank you to Hansell for being such a huge support.… Read More
When I first was leaving for Carpe, I was kind of numb. I couldn’t comprehend what I was about to do, or the impact it would have on me. Once I got on the trip, it hit me how enormous it would be, but even then, I couldn’t imagine. I’ve made new friendships, seen whole new worlds and ideas, and reforged myself. It’s been such an amazing opportunity to have… Read More
