Central America

Central America is a land of immense environmental and cultural diversity. Lush tropical rainforests, towering volcanoes, steep-sided mountains, and extended coastlines inspire unique cultural expression. The many different Indigenous Mayan communities, the people of mixed European ancestry, the local ticos and chapines, and the expats who have made these countries their home, all invoke an atmosphere of social activism and political engagement.

From the Sierra Madre mountains of interior Guatemala to the tranquility and splendor of Lago Atitlan and her surrounding volcanoes, to the breathtaking coral reefs offshore, Carpe Diem Education takes you to a region that is merging the complexities of socio-political realities with the hope of a more sustainable future.

A land of social, cultural, and economic intricacies, Central America provides a rich environment for in-depth exploration of how communities are engaged in common efforts to live in a more sustainable way.

Beginning in Guatemala, we’ll explore the highland regions near Antigua before diving right in to our study of sustainability.  We’ll partner with an NGO focused on green building.  We’ll learn about building sustainably and then dive in to hands on work, with full days supporting building projects.  

Next we’ll head to Quetzaltenango, to start our study of Spanish. Immersing ourselves in the local culture, we keep our activities varied through discussions with a local Mayan healer, soccer games with our Spanish teachers and locals, discussing regional history, and learning the basics of Guatemalan cooking. We connect with the land through hiking local trails and relaxing in some beautiful hot springs.

More confident in our Spanish, we now trek through rural villages, pastoral countryside, and coffee plantations, talking with locals along the way, and witnessing the agricultural practices of Mayan communities. Eventually, we descend to the crater lake of Lago Atitlan, surrounded by soaring volcanoes and home to multiple indigenous communities. Working alongside Mayan farmers, we learn about planting and harvesting coffee and participate in efforts to restore local ecosystems. How can agricultural practices coexist with, and even benefit, local ecosystems and native flora and fauna?

Wrapping up our week on the farm, we boat across the lake to a small artisan community on Lake Atitlan. Once again living with homestay families, and immersing ourselves in Spanish classes, we will be improving our ability to listen to the stories of others, and to share our own. We continue with morning Spanish classes with local teachers and in the afternoon dive into learning about the arts for while this community is known. There are opportunities to learn about painting, weaving, natural dyes, and music. You'll also take some group excursions to learn about local honey and coffee production, and visit other communities around the lake.

We celebrate our last week in Guatemala with Student Directed Travel! This is an opportunity for students to practice their new skills in navigating new places, languages and cultures. Working together as a group, with guidance from Overseas Educators, students decide where to go, how to get there, where to stay, what activities they want to do, and how to manage a budget for their plans. This is a great week for students to build leadership skills, confidence, and take more responsibility for their own experience.

As we move on to Costa Rica, we immediately notice the emphasis on environmental conservation and sustainability reflected in the landscapes we see. Over one-quarter of this nation’s land is set aside as protected habitat. We start our time in Costa Rica living on a small family farm. We help with farm work in the mornings and take time in the afternoon to enjoy the beauty of the natural environment through rainforest walks and waterfall hikes. We dive into local culture through language exchange, soccer games, and cooking classes.