Written by Julia Kate Thompson, 2024-25 Latitudes Student

Diving Into Conservation on Koh Tao

This semester abroad, I’ve been interning with a dive shop on the island of Koh Tao, working on their Reef Conservation Team. I’ve been a part of several projects such as environmental monitoring, shark snorkels, measuring key species, water testing, turtle rescues, artificial reef building, and client work.

My first month of the three was spent in classes with the program to prepare me for this work. Outside of diving, I’ve also taken part in social events like Songkran (Thai New Year), a whale shark fundraiser, and volunteering at the local school! It’s been an action-packed 12 weeks, and the support and team I’ve found here have truly changed my life and reshaped how I view adult workplaces.

Learning to Care for Myself Abroad

My biggest challenge abroad has been balancing health, work, and social life. As a teen who’s never lived alone before, setting my own rules around getting things done, establishing a healthy bedtime, and eating well has been a real struggle. I’ve learned the hard way that neglecting those things often means getting sick—and when that happens, I end up missing out on work and social activities. I’m learning that taking care of myself is essential to showing up fully in all areas of my life.

A Moment I’ll Never Forget

My top highlight has been seeing a whale shark at Shark Island. Just the fact that I got to swim next to such a beautiful creature crosses my mind at least once a day—it was truly unforgettable.

Skills I’m Taking Home

The improvement I’ve seen in my diving has been incredible. I never thought it was something I’d be good at or that I’d see such a noticeable change in. My buoyancy, air consumption, and overall comfort underwater have improved by miles—and I’m so proud of the work I’ve put in to get better.

Inspired by Julia’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post The Depths of Discovery: Julia’s Latitudes Year in Thailand appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Summer Sorensen, 2024-25 Latitudes Student

Diving into a New World: My Internship in Tenerife

There’s so much I could say about my experience so far! I was nervous about traveling to an unknown place on my own for the first time—especially to islands I hadn’t even heard of four months ago.

At the start of my FVP, I worked with See You Diving, got my open-water scuba certification, and completed a marine biology internship in Tenerife, Spain. My days in Tenerife typically looked like this: I’d get up around 8:30, depending on whether we were diving or having class that day.

If we were diving, we’d go out for two dives in the morning, with locations varying each day. On non-diving days, we’d have class—either entering previously collected data or giving presentations. Our internship and research focused on sampling seagrass and studying the importance of healthy seagrass growth. Seagrass is a strong indicator of how well the surrounding ecosystem is functioning.

We used underwater whiteboards to record measurements like height, length, metric coordinates, temperature, and more. We also learned about local marine life, collected plankton samples, and gave presentations on seawalls, algae, and other marine topics.

Additionally, I learned how to write manuscripts and worked in Google Excel and Word, gaining confidence in entering data—skills that will definitely help me in college.

Throughout the internship, Alice—who runs See You Diving with her husband, Beltran—shared her marine biology expertise with us both in and out of the water. She was always enthusiastic, approachable, and ready to answer any questions I had. Her passion for the ocean inspired me to further pursue marine biology, and she made sure I understood and felt confident in everything we were learning. I can’t wait to go back and visit one day!

Now, I’m living in Bilbao, Spain, attending a language school and staying in a shared apartment. My experience so far has been great!

Challenges Along the Way

I think the biggest challenge has been staying present. Time is flying by, and I often catch myself thinking ahead instead of fully soaking in the moment. In Tenerife, I was learning so much every day—it felt impossible to absorb it all! I wish I had recorded everything so I could revisit and reflect on it all later.

Another challenge has been the social aspect. While I love connecting with others, being “on” from morning until bedtime can be exhausting. The hostel was always buzzing with activity, and I didn’t realize how draining that could be. It’s been a valuable reminder to honor my limits and carve out time for myself when needed.

Unforgettable Highlights and Favorite Moments

Wow—so many highlights! One of the biggest was working with See You Diving. I saw a turtle, an angel shark, stingrays, and so many fascinating fish. Scuba diving introduced me to a new world—quiet, vast, and completely perspective-shifting. The experience of breathing underwater is surreal at first!

Another highlight was spending time at the hostel—singing karaoke, dancing, cooking, and forming connections with travelers from around the world. I’ve made lifelong friends I can’t wait to visit again.

I also loved exploring the beaches of Tenerife, visiting the incredible volcano, and taking long walks.

Finally, being in a city like Bilbao has been a joy. It’s the perfect size—not too big, not too small—and super clean, with tons to explore. The beaches and coastline in Northern Spain are absolutely stunning!

Personal Growth and Lessons Learned

When I started the program, I was really nervous about solo travel. I loved being part of a group in the fall, and I wasn’t sure how I’d do on my own. But I’ve gained a level of confidence I didn’t know I had.

I’ve always been most comfortable around familiar people, so this experience pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way. I’ve also embraced a “go with the flow” mindset—something that doesn’t come naturally to me since I love to plan. I’ve realized that stressing doesn’t help and that things usually work out in the end.

Moving across the world to live somewhere entirely new—with different people, a new culture, and unfamiliar surroundings—was a huge leap. But I’m incredibly glad I took the risk. I’ve grown so much because of it.

Inspired by Summer’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post Time Flies When You’re Learning to Be a World Traveler: Summer’s Latitudes Year in Tenerife & Bilbao, Spain appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Ava Mendler, 2024-25 Latitudes Student

Living and Volunteering in Saint-Louis

I can’t help but think back to my first day here—stepping out of the DSS airport after 20 minutes of sleep, carrying an (expensively) overweight suitcase, a backpack, and my guitar. I spotted a man holding a sign: “AVA MENDLER – Maison de la Gare,” hopped in the car, and began a four-hour journey to Saint-Louis, my home for the next two months.

Having never been anywhere in Africa before, I was completely captivated by the scenery—desert landscapes, animals of all kinds, Baobab trees (which I quickly learned the name of), and small villages that looked nothing like I had ever seen before.

My host family lives in a huge, bustling neighborhood called Darou. From the moment I walked through the door, I was greeted with hugs, handshakes, and choruses of “Bienvenue!” The family consists of Astelle, her husband Jules, and their kids: fun-loving Soraya (12), soccer- and basketball-obsessed Samba (8), and adorable little Ndaye Astou (4).

In Senegal, people speak Wolof and Pular, but French is the national language, taught in schools. I used French to communicate with my host family and with the staff at Maison de la Gare, as very few people speak English here.

Maison de la Gare is an NGO dedicated to supporting and educating Talibé children in Saint-Louis. In Senegal, it’s common for families to send their young sons to live in Daaras—Islamic schools to study the Quran. These boys sleep, eat, and study under the supervision of Marabouts, but living conditions in many Daaras are poor. Food insecurity and illness are widespread, showers are rare, and most kids wear the same clothes for months. As a result, skin conditions like scabies are rampant.

Marabouts often send boys into the streets to beg for money and may beat them if they fail to return with enough. Many children sleep on the streets out of fear. I had read about the Talibé situation before coming here, but seeing it every day—children in dirty clothes, barefoot, begging—was heartbreaking.

Maison de la Gare provides these children with free education (in French and math), snacks, showers, and even toothbrushes and toothpaste. They also offer afternoon English classes open to the wider community. There’s a yard where the boys can run and play, and what struck me most was the sense of family. Despite their struggles, these kids form strong bonds—and I’ve been so lucky to become part of that.

Monday through Friday, I work at the center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and again from 5 to 7 p.m. In the mornings, I help younger Talibés with French and basic Math. In the afternoons, I co-teach English with Khalidou, one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. He translates my lesson plans into native languages and is fluent in four languages himself! He used to be a Talibé and learned English at Maison de la Gare, and now he’s dedicating his life to giving back. The staff here are incredibly welcoming, and working alongside them has been an honor.

On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, I also joined visits to the Daaras to help provide medical care. This was completely new territory for me. I slowly learned to recognize medications (everything was labeled in French), and began helping treat scabies, wounds, and eye infections. I didn’t always know what I was doing, but I reminded myself that even imperfect help was better than none.

My experience living and working in Saint-Louis this semester was impactful and more meaningful than I ever could have imagined. Though it came with some challenges, (I will get to those shortly) I believe I’ve learned so much about myself and the way I view the world.

Challenges I Faced

I think being in any foreign country alone comes with its challenges, but there were a few things I really struggled with here. First and foremost, I felt really isolated, and especially at first, I struggled a lot with the language barrier. There were a few other volunteers who came in and out for a bit, who were all from France (shoutout Louna!). It was also extremely hard to see the young Talibé children on the streets every day, torn clothes, begging for food and money. That is just the nature of living here, and it was so sad to see right in front of my eyes.

For most of my time here, I think I was the only white person walking around the streets and in my neighborhood, which gave me a very unique perspective. Sometimes it attracted a lot of attention on the streets and never before had I felt this vulnerable and aware of my whiteness. A lot of people would shout « Toubab! » when I walked by, which is slang for foreigner. After a while, I got used to it, but it was still hard feeling like I stuck out and couldn’t walk anywhere without people talking to me asking to check out their shops. For the most part though, everyone is friendly but just trying to chat/were curious and wanting to know what I was doing here. I picked up some phrases in wolof while here, my favorite being « Sama Kharit » meaning « my friend ». Small phrases in Wolof helped me connect and feel closer to the community.

The Highlights

The highlights of my experience have been working one on one and seeing academic improvement in some of the Talibé children while I’ve been here. It’s rewarding to think I may have helped them learn useful skills. It’s been great feeling like part of the community. The kids call me « Awa », a common Senegalese name similar to Ava. When the Talibés see me out and about they always stop to shake my hand or fist bump. I have loved the working environment at Maison de la Gare, and there is always a chill and relaxed vibe at the center.

One of my favorite moments was playing in a soccer game for the first time with the staff at Maison (we won)! I have loved teaching English with Khalidou, and learning his story. He used to be a Talibé and learned English at Maison de la Gare. He is dedicated to helping these kids and I find his story very inspiring. In addition, never before have I seen students so eager about learning. I am truly inspired and grateful for all of it.

Reflections and Gratitude

Something that has really surprised me about living here is the huge population of Muslims. Muslims make up 97% of the population, and it was (while startling at first,) really cool to hear daily prayer calls. My second month here fell during the time of Ramadan, and I enjoyed learning and observing the traditions that take place here. Another culture shock here is that it is very common for men to have multiple wives, as is permitted in the Quran. It was cool to see how peoples lives are shaped by Islam and the Quran.

Since the beginning of my time here, I would say I’ve grown. I’ve become more aware of my privilege and more grateful for the opportunities I have at home—whether it’s access to education or the ability to afford travel. Most people here can’t afford to travel overseas, and the Talibé children are sometimes unqualified to attend university because they have only studied the Quran at Coranic school. I think I’ve become more independent, and my competence in speaking French has improved significantly… I hope!

I’m most looking forward to sharing stories from my experiences here and sharing the stories I’ve learned from the people I’ve met. I look forward to coming back to Saint-Louis in the future, as it now feels like another home to me—full of familiar faces, people I really want to see again, and will miss a lot.

I am incredibly grateful for the chance to experience Senegal on such a personal, authentic level—to improve my French, and most importantly, to meet people who have truly inspired me. Shoutout to Khalidou, Adama, Issa, Samba, other Samba, Momar, Eladgh, Américan, Madame Taida, and everyone else at Maison de la Gare. You made me feel like part of the family.

P.S. If you ever find yourself in Senegal, you must try the national dish, Thieboudienne. You will never be the same again.

Inspired by Ava’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post Assalam Aleykoum from Senegal! Ava’s Latitudes Year appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Nina Rafaela Shear Quitiguiña, 2024-25 Latitudes Student

Hello, my name is Nina I’ve been volunteering at a project called IMAP (Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute) in Guatemala for more than a month, and I’ve loved it.

One of my first impressions of Guatemala was how kind and welcoming people are. I arrived in Guatemala City on February 11th. From there, our trip to San Lucas Tolimán was about three hours. It was fascinating to watch the landscapes change as we descended into the Lake Atitlán basin. The next morning’s breakfast was delicious: fruit, beans, tortillas, fried plantains, cheese, eggs, and a wonderful tea. Everyone at IMAP was so welcoming and made sure I felt at home. On my first day, I was introduced to the director, Inés, who gave me a warm welcome and an overview of the project and its work ethic.

For my first three weeks, I stayed in IMAP’s volunteer housing. The rooms are spacious, with balconies—usually shared, but I had one to myself. The views are beautiful, and I felt very safe. IMAP has green spaces, a communal dining room, a kitchen volunteers can use anytime, composting toilets, and handwashing stations for laundry (though laundry service is also available). Everything at IMAP is very organized and carried out with care.

During my first week, we planted qa q’ani (amaranth), worked in the gardens, and began building relationships with the people and the land. On weekends, I relaxed at the lake’s dock and explored downtown San Lucas. The streets are full of color and culture—women selling huipiles, fruit, baskets, and bags.

San Lucas Tolimán is in the municipality of Sololá, located in the southwestern part of the country beside Lake Atitlán. The lake is surrounded by eleven beautiful towns that offer everything from zip-lining and volcano hikes to restaurants and artisan shops. Some of the most well-known towns include Panajachel, Santa Cruz, San Pedro, San Juan La Laguna, Santiago, Santa Catarina Palopó, San Marcos, and San Antonio Palopó. It’s easy and safe to get around the lake by boat (lancha).

As a permaculture center, IMAP provides a wide variety of volunteer work. I’ve helped with garden maintenance, transplanting, preparing planting soil, bagging compost, drying fruit in a solar dehydrator, assisting our neighbor Don Carlos in his garden, and—my favorite—caring for the amaranth plants.

Amaranth is an ancient Central American crop considered a “superfood” for its nutritional value. It’s been amazing to see the process unfold—from fertilizing to planting to watching it grow. Georgia (another volunteer) and I have been in charge of the amaranth. Even when the sun wore us out, we always rewarded ourselves with delicious chocolate-covered ice cream bars for just 5Q. Charlie, one of the team members, is always ready to offer you one!

Halfway through my stay, I decided to move from IMAP into town to live with a host family so I could immerse myself more fully in the culture. The Lec Agcot family welcomed me warmly. Mrs. Chona made me feel like one of her own from the start. We’ve shared meals, walks, and conversations. I’ve learned local recipes and family traditions—like Sunday lunches, when extended family gathers to eat together. We even went on a hike with her son and his family. There are beautiful trails nearby for small hikes and walks.

Helpful Tips I’ve Learned Here:

• Try the amaranto snacks at IMAP—they’re delicious and perfect for long workdays. I especially recommend the cacao amaranth cookies.
• Market days in San Lucas are Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday. These are the best times to experience the full vibrancy of the town.
• To explore nearby towns, you can take a lancha from San Lucas. To reach some destinations, you might first need to go to Panajachel (about 20 minutes away), then take a boat from there. Alternatively, you can take a pickup truck to Santiago and catch a boat from there.
• Always ask the prices before getting on a lancha or pickup to avoid being overcharged.

What has challenged me:

The first few weeks were full of new experiences—the people, the food, the land—everything felt exciting. But as I settled into a routine, I realized I wasn’t appreciating the moment as much as I wanted to. It was a challenge to stay present.

At times, I missed home and the people there. Field work can feel repetitive and requires patience. If you’re not used to it, the sun can also be intense. Still, these challenges taught me the value of being present and embracing every part of the experience.

Highlights so far:

There have been so many. Swimming or relaxing at the lake, laughing with the IMAP team during lunch, and exploring nearby towns have all been amazing. One day that stands out was Valentine’s Day—my first at IMAP. The whole team worked together in the garden, then shared chocolate-covered fruit under an avocado tree. At lunch, everyone shared food like a potluck, and afterward we enjoyed ice cream. I got to relax on my balcony and watch the sunset from my beautiful room. It was such a special day.

Looking Ahead

I’m now preparing for my next destination in Guatemala, where I’ll be learning about eco-construction and sustainable building. I’m excited to continue exploring people’s lives and Guatemala’s vibrant culture.

Inspired by Nina’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post Spending Time in a Beautiful Place Next to a Lake! Nina’s Latitudes Year in Guatemala appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Alexandra “Ally” R. Olejniczak, 2024-25 Latitudes Student

Before coming to Melkhoutfontein, I experienced a three-day orientation in Johannesburg where I visited multiple historical sites like Soweto, Nelson Mandela’s house, Prison Four, and Maropeng. I also visited the Apartheid Museum.

When I first got off the plane at George Airport, I was taken to the beach in Stillbaai where we sat at a restaurant, and I shared a sandwich with my Dreamcatcher mentor, Anthea. Watching the giant waves, I immediately decided I’d love it here.

When I got to the place I would be staying and met my host parents, Marie and Leonard, I immediately felt at home. All the same, coming here was a big change. Everything I took for granted became a privilege. It was a huge change in perspective as I was shown a completely different way to live.

The purpose of a dreamcatcher is to dispel bad dreams from your sleep; the object is a symbol of lighter times. It is hope that rises as new volunteers come into the village each week, month, and year. With that hope, the dreamcatcher can create a desired dream—a dream for hot water, a dream for education to grow up through, a dream for a roof over your head and food to eat, a new door, or a painted mural. That became my new goal as a volunteer: to give people hope. The purpose I chose for myself became much more fulfilling.

Challenges Along the Journey

There is a lot of work I have to balance during the week—from working on my research project on the history of Melkhoutfontein, lesson planning for the kids I work with on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and writing my theater production (also about the history of Melkhoutfontein), to building Green Johannas, painting murals, and other side tasks.

I love working with the kids and seeing their improvement in dancing and singing, but so much of it is new to me. During the summers I work at a camp close to my home, and there I teach the kids choreography for their theater productions, which inspired my work here.

What I’m doing with Dreamcatcher South Africa involves so much more, because I am also directing the show—not to mention creating it from scratch! It’s a lot to do, and sometimes it feels overwhelming if I’m not looking at a layout written or typed on a calendar of deadlines I’ve created for myself. Luckily, I love creating calendars and other time charts, and I consider myself to be good at time management too.

It took me a while to create a complete schedule, and sometimes things happen that I can’t control and things get pushed back or changed around—but I always get through it.

If I could give myself one piece of advice—or anyone reading this—I would say:

“Always be prepared to be flexible and overcome that obstacle with stride. Look at it like a playground.”

Most importantly—the world does not have a personal grudge against you. Things just go wrong, and you have to get back up two or three hundred times.

Memorable Highlights

There are so many things I love about Melkhoutfontein. The community has been so welcoming. It’s also a huge bonus that I got to escape the cold winter months in Wisconsin and the confused spring that follows.

Melkhoutfontein and Stilbaai (which is just next door) hold so much interesting history, including the Blombos caves—which are considered the birthplace of humans!

When I get home from my work, I usually play soccer or race with the girls. Melkhoutfontein has a giant rugby field, and I love to go with my new friends to watch them play. There’s also a court where the girls play netball, which is what we would call basketball. If we aren’t doing any of those activities, you can usually find me and the girls dancing in the yard.

My favorite place to go is the beach in Stilbaai. I love the soft sand and the clear water—the light shade of blue the waves create, and the beautiful shells that crowd along the sea line. I think the beach is so peaceful, and so far it hasn’t been crowded when I’ve gone.

One time I got to go with the Dreamcatcher kids—we had so much fun playing volleyball and waiting in the water for the waves to crash into us. Usually, my motive for going to the beach is quiet walks or peaceful naps, but I think that day was my all-time favorite beach day.

Unexpected Moments and Unforgettable Growth

I think the thing that surprised me the most is load-sharing. Load-sharing is a period of time where all electricity across South Africa is cut off. It causes a lot of problems like food spoilage, and people who are on life support need to pay lots of money for machines that don’t rely on electricity.

If America had a situation like this for even one day, I know people would act like the world was ending—but no one in my community blinked (or rolled) an eye at it.

The first time it happened while I was there, it occurred in three-hour periods, four different times, for two days in a row. It was weird, and almost creepy to me—but after the first occurrence, I barely noticed when or if it had happened anymore.

I’m actually excited for the day that it happens at night on a clear day so I can look up and see all the stars—something you usually wouldn’t be able to see.

I’m really looking forward to the performance of the production I’m putting on. Teaching music and dance—two of my biggest passions—makes me feel so honored to share with the kids. They’ve been learning so fast and having so much fun too!

So much has come out of my time in Melkhoutfontein, and I’m only halfway through my adventure here!

Inspired by Ally’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post Volunteering with Dreamcatcher South Africa: Ally’s Latitudes Year appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Nora Thomas, 2024-25 Latitudes Student

So far this semester, I’ve spent my time traveling about the whole of Namibia!! I started my time by flying into Windhoek to be transferred to the main volunteer site at Na/ankuse. I spent two weeks are the main camp and got to participate in Anti Poaching Unit sleep out, carnivore feeding, and baboon walks. During my time here, I was able to interact and meet a lot of the other volunteers.

After this, I transferred to the Coastal project, which I can say has been my favorite project so far. After that, I moved to the Kanaan and Neuras projects, where I got to experience the Namibian desert and the dead tree forest. It was mind-blowing to see such a barren landscape. I then moved to the Harnas Project, where I saw so many lions and encountered my first rhinos in Namibia. I am now gearing up to transfer to the Timbila project to close out my time in Namibia. In total, I’ve been able to experience the country completely by traveling to the west, south, and north while seeing so much wildlife.

Challenges Along the Journey

As is common with most solo travel, the challenges can seem endless. I found that I specifically struggled with relating to so many different people from around the world. The more people you meet, the more you learn about their perceptions of other parts of the world, and it can be a difficult challenge to navigate or challenge those perceptions.

Another challenge I faced was understanding the dynamics behind why some animals were kept in certain reserves. It can be hard to understand other people’s choices and decisions while still enjoying your experience, even when you disagree. This was a skill I had to work on and learned a lot from during my time here.

Memorable Highlights

My time in Namibia has been filled with countless unforgettable moments. As simple as it sounds, just seeing the African bush every day is amazing. Casually going on game drives and seeing loads of giraffes and zebras is mind-blowing—sometimes, they don’t even seem real! I’ve loved getting the chance to experience so many different aspects and environments of the country.

Looking Ahead with Gratitude

I am most looking forward to continuing my time volunteering in Africa. The continent has so much beauty, and I am excited to see even more. My next project is with the SAVE! Foundation, and I’m excited to switch it up a little by doing some humanitarian work.

I’m extremely grateful for the modern blessings I’ve had along the way.I’m grateful that I have been able to keep in touch with my family during my travels and also to be able to communicate with Doug over any worries, questions, or exciting things that have happened.

Overall, I’ve had an incredible start to my time in Africa!

Inspired by Nora’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post A Transformative Journey Through Namibia: Nora’s Latitudes Year appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Malcolm Reid, 2024-25 Latitudes Student

From beachside strolls to working hands-on with wildlife, my semester in Australia has been full of new experiences, challenges, and personal growth. Here’s a look at what this journey has meant to me so far.

Challenges Along the Journey

Adjusting to life in a new country comes with its fair share of challenges. For me, one of the trickiest parts was figuring out how to get to places from my house. Navigating public transportation and planning routes on my own took some trial and error, but over time, I learned to become more independent and resourceful. Learning how to budget my meals and manage my weekly expenses was also a new experience—one that taught me practical life skills I’ll carry with me well beyond this semester.

Memorable Highlights

Working with animals has hands-down been one of the most rewarding aspects of my time in Australia. I’ve had the chance to interact with birds, kangaroos, and even crocodiles—something I never imagined doing! After long days of work, there’s nothing like a walk on a sunny beach to clear my mind and take in the beauty around me. The atmosphere here is relaxed and friendly, and the people I’ve met have made me feel incredibly welcome.

Looking Ahead with Gratitude

This experience has helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect. I’ve become more confident navigating unfamiliar environments and taking care of myself day to day. I’m grateful for the warm community, the chance to work with amazing animals, and the little moments of joy that have come from embracing something completely new. I’m looking forward to what the rest of this journey holds—with even more learning, connection, and adventure to come.

Inspired by Malcolm’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post New Experiences, Challenges, and Personal Growth: Malcolm’s Latitudes Year in Australia appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by RJ Lichten – 2024 Carpe Vitam Community Award: Education, Spring 2023 South Pacific Alum

Finding your path is much more than following what you love; it is about aligning your passions with actions that make a difference. Once you find your passion, any action can have a significant impact. These small actions could be anything from volunteering your time to an organization you truly care about, to something as simple as reducing your plastic use.

Did you know that one single 500 mL bottle of water has a total carbon footprint of 82.8 grams? In fact, the average person in the U.S. above the age of two drinks around 1,000 mL of water a day. By taking the simple action of using a reusable water bottle, the average person in the U.S. can reduce their carbon footprint by 64,824 grams per year. To put that into perspective, that one simple action results in a reduction of your carbon footprint equal to driving 500 fewer kilometers per year.

During my time with Carpe Diem, I gained an understanding of the impact I have on the environment. Since my trip, I have worked on both small and large actions to better my impact, all while following my passions. One of my greatest passions in life is surfing. Over the past year, I have dedicated more of my free time to surfing and worked to align this passion with two simple actions: never driving to the beach to surf (only biking or walking) and bringing a bag to pick up trash on the beach.

Since returning from my Carpe Diem trip, I have surfed around 220 times. On average, I walk about 10 kilometers to the beach, which means I have driven 2,200 fewer kilometers this year. This simple action of walking to the beach has lowered my carbon emissions by 307,800 grams this year. Over the same period, I have picked up more than 1,500 pieces of garbage from the beach. By aligning these actions with something I am passionate about, I have made a difference. Even little actions can make a huge difference.

During the Carpe Diem program

Life post-program

The post Making Waves: How RJ Lichten, 2024 Carpe Vitam Community Award Winner, Turned Passion Into Purpose appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Macey Tayler, 2023-24 Latitudes Student

When I committed to going to a quaint little town, on the northern coast of Peru, I had no idea what to expect. Google Maps showed me pictures that could only be described as extraterrestrial; but for some reason, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Lobitos, Peru was where I needed to spend my individual placement with Carpe Diem. Now, eight weeks into my trip, I can say that not only does Google Maps not do an ounce of justice for Lobitos, but that there is nowhere else as amazing as Lobitos to spend my semester abroad. This semester has been packed with more laughs, smiles, happy tears, learning, growth, and pure happiness than I could have ever imagined.

Embracing the Waves

Volunteering for Waves, a surf therapy program here in Lobitios that offers surf classes, art classes, skateboarding, jujitsu, and English to the kids in town, has been the experience of a lifetime. It allowed me to have an instant family here in town. The directors, Henry and Luis were welcoming, kind, and quick to laugh and make jokes and it was so easy to tell how much the kids looked up to and respected them. I was introduced to the other volunteers and people associated with Waves as soon as I arrived, and immediately we were laughing and creating good connections.

Balancing Work and Play

With classes at Waves pretty much every day, there is a perfect balance of work and free time. Classes last about two hours and I look forward to everyone. The kids are amazing, and even though when I first got here there was definitely a language barrier, it wasn’t long before we were all joking and playing together.

Finding Home in Lobitos

I live in a beautiful house, on top of a hill, with an unreal view of the ocean and sunset. I ride my bike everywhere or walk along the beach. The dogs I live with have also started to follow me around when I leave, which is cute and sometimes a little annoying because then I have to keep track of them everywhere I go; and little Selva can be a troublemaker. I have improved my Spanish, caught my first waves surfing, and created lasting relationships with many people here. Every Sunday we play soccer, then go to lunch and it has become my favorite activity. Lobitos really has become a second home, and I can’t think of a better place for me to have spent these 11 weeks.

Overcoming Challenges

While I wouldn’t trade my time in Lobitos for anything, that does not mean there were no challenges. It is a very small town, and 90% of the local people here do not understand or speak English. I knew this coming here, and it was a challenge I was prepared to face. But it did prove to be a little more isolating than I was expecting. Especially considering where my ability to speak Spanish was when I first arrived. I felt tired and a little overwhelmed at the end of every day, pushing my mind to keep up with the conversations, and feeling a little discouraged when I couldn’t follow along, or respond how I wanted to. It made me very homesick for the first two weeks. I also got food poisoning, as almost every traveler does when visiting a South American country for the first time. It felt a little discouraging, but I was determined to improve my Spanish, and it gave me a lot of motivation to spend my free time watching videos and practicing with my roommate whenever I could. And eventually, my stomach got used to the food and water. Slowly I became less homesick, and I made lots of friends, and now I can’t imagine saying goodbye.

Highlights and Gratitude

There are too many highlights to document! But it is safe to say, that one of the huge things that makes Lobitos, Peru so special is the people here. There are so many travelers. I was not expecting there to be as many as there are! And the local people are so welcoming and kind. When I walk down the street I am bound to see at least 3 people I know, and I love it. The amount of people I have met with amazing stories and travel experiences is super inspiring. And for such a small town, you can always spot a new face, and then quickly become friends. If you meet someone at your morning surf session, chances are you will be friends and have dinner together that same evening.

A blessing that changed my whole trip has been my housemate Pauline, and another volunteer from Waves, Bea. They were friends before I arrived, and they immediately welcomed me in. I can’t even count the amount of times we stayed up late talking by the ocean with our ice cream, or had tears streaming down my face because of how hard we were laughing. Pauline, who also rents a room in the house I live in, became a fast friend, but more than that, someone I trust with everything, and who really helps me feel at home and safe here. She is always looking out for me and I have been so lucky to have her. And Bea, the other Waves volunteer, can make me laugh in seconds. I am beyond grateful for them.

Obviously, another highlight is the ocean. I feel so lucky to get to wake up and have my morning coffee watching and listening to the waves. I never ever take it for granted, and will miss it so so much when I return to the U.S.

Personal Growth and New Skills

I came to Lobitos having studied Spanish in high school, but when I got here, it was so different. People speak fast and don’t wait to start a new sentence until you’ve comprehended the previous one. It was very overwhelming at first, even discouraging at times. But with the help of a lot of people, especially my roommate, I have improved so much. My friends who are native to Peru and I can communicate fairly easily, all in Spanish, and I can follow along in group conversations with much less effort. I am not fluent by any means, but my improvements are noticed by others, and myself, and after so much work and practice, it feels really good!

Inspired by Macey’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post I ❤️ Lobitos : Macey’s Latitudes Year in Peru appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Asa Poole, 2023-24 Latitudes Student

Settling into Jungle Life

When I first stepped off the bus I was greeted by a friendly old man named Donnie. I loaded my bags into the back of his truck and jumped in. He started driving down a beautiful path through the jungle lined with giant ferns, and coconut trees. After a few amazing minutes we arrived at my new home, an awesome property with one central main house surrounded by several smaller cabanas right on the edge of the lagoon, where you can see a lot of fish, stingrays, and even manatees!

After settling in and meeting the amazing and hilarious people that I would be spending the next several months with I was given a tour of the animals, 3 manatees, 23 howler monkeys, 18 spider monkeys, 1 white-tailed deer, along with several small mammals including raccoons, coatis, a margay, and last but definitely not least, the one and only, Crumb the mouse! I was given several howler monkeys and the sanctuary capuchin to work with. I take care of Pachuco, Lupita, and Leah the sanctuary howler monkeys, Archie, Aneri, and Rosie the rehab howler monkeys, and Nikki the sanctuary capuchin.

Every monkey has its own challenges but Rosie is a special case. She’s a baby howler monkey which already means that she will need more attention than the adults but after roughly a month into my stay here she ended up getting VERY sick. We started doing nearly 24-hour sit-ins with her for just under 3 weeks. Her condition kept worsening to the point where we thought she was going to pass away, but because Paul, the owner of Wildtracks, was away for a very important meeting, we didn’t have a car available to drive her to the veterinarian. However, Jess, the amazing intern here, decided that we couldn’t wait any longer and paid for a 4-and-a-half-hour-long cab ride to take Rosie to the vet where we found out that she was suffering from a severe respiratory infection. This wasn’t Rosie’s first respiratory infection though, she’s had 4 before this one. Respiratory infections are fairly common in baby howler monkeys but because this was her 5th one, her immune system has been severely weakened over time. But once she was given antibiotics her health slowly started improving. Today, thankfully, Rosie has made a full recovery and is back to her playful goofy self.

Outside of direct care for the animals, I was also trained to collect brows (the plants that every monkey eats)for every monkey. Every morning I wake up at 5:30 to begin walking around the property collecting a plant that we call “Haloob“ along with a few other plants and set them out in piles specific to each monkey. While gathering the morning brows can be tough because of the early start, nothing beats standing at the edge of the lagoon and staring out at the water as the gorgeous sun starts to peak over the horizon showering the entire sky in a beautifully warm orange light.

I’ve enjoyed this specific job so much that I thought the perfect thing to not only remember but also celebrate my time here would be to get a tattoo of the Haloob plant. Luckily there happens to be an amazing tattoo artist here in the village so I went in and got a beautiful Haloob plant wrapping around my calf! It was my first tattoo and I love it!

Other than gathering plants in the morning and getting tattoos my days here a fairly chill. I feed the monkeys 4 times a day, gather brows 2-3 times throughout the day, and complete my daily bleaching schedule (this is essentially just cleaning different things for the monkeys/manatees or cleaning certain rooms). When I’m not working I’m usually chilling in the hammocks or hanging out in town singing karaoke with the group!

Challenges Along the Way

The most challenging thing about my time here has been the fact that the work is 7 days a week. There aren’t really days off which has been difficult to adjust to. After the first month here you get 4 days off, however when I was supposed to take my 4 days off the day before we ended up getting a new baby manatee that we were told had pneumonia. Due to this, we had to go on a full 24-hour watch for 3 and a half days. Meaning that there had to be at least 2 people with the manatee monitoring every breath he took and watching his behavior for every minute of those 3 and a half days. I completely understood why I wasn’t able to take the days off that I had scheduled but it did hurt going from the thought that I would have 4 days of doing nothing to knowing that I would essentially have 4 days off of doing the most intense work that I have done on the entire semester. I did eventually end up getting my days off a few weeks later. I spent my first 2 days off exploring a nearby town and my last 2 days I essentially laid in my hammock the entire time. It would be nice to have a few more days off but our work days here usually have several breaks and being able to work with animals is a dream come true so I don’t mind pushing myself a bit!

Highlights of the Journey

The most significant highlight from my time here in Belize was getting to spend 2 and a half weeks with the adorable baby howler Rosie! The circumstances that allowed me to be there with her were horrible but the experience of cuddling Rosie while she slept in my arms was something that I won’t forget for as long as I live.

Another major highlight was the first time we went to the cenote. A cenote is a body of groundwater that has been exposed by either a cave collapsing or a sinkhole opening. The cenote here is what’s known as an ancient cenote meaning that instead of having big walls or cliffs surrounding it, it is more like an oasis or lagoon tucked deep in the jungle. When I first walked to the edge, I was amazed by its beauty. It’s essentially a large lake with crystal clear water, surrounded on all sides by massive trees and jungle ferns! We all dove in swam out to the middle, and swam in silence for roughly 5 minutes as we watched hundreds of birds fly over us and land in what I can only assume to be their nesting tree. After this, we swam over to a large tree and climbed it to get an overview of the area as the sunset. The sun cast a golden light on the trees while the crystal clear water reflected the burnt orange sky in a moment that I consider to be the single most beautiful thing I’ve ever witnessed!

Growth and Learning

Since I’ve been in Belize I’ve learned many new things, but there are 2 that I think are the most representative of my time here. First is the skill to not only distinguish between but also collect the different types of trees and plants that the monkeys eat. I’ve learned how to use a tool called a brows pole to collect from trees that are absurdly tall, and I’ve learned the exact location and how to differentiate between 11 different species of tree/shrub. The second skill is the ability to harvest and open a coconut without the use of any tools. I was taught how to do this by a cameraman of the largest news channel in Belize. They were there doing a segment on Wildtracks and while he was gathering B-roll he saw me sitting on the ground, struggling to open a coconut. He walked over and showed me the exact spot to hit the coconut on the ground that would allow me to pry it open! Ever since then I’ve been collecting coconuts and practicing. All of the other volunteers love it because after I open a coconut for practice, I move on to the next and give them the delicious reward inside!

Inspired by Asa’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

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Written by William McCall Symms, 2023-24 Latitudes Student

Something that has challenged me throughout this experience is adapting to the customs of rural Sri Lanka. It is so different from my home environment and even other parts of the country, such as the cities. Understanding how to respond, behave, and even express gratitude has been something that I have been trying to figure out. Now that I’ve been here for some time, I believe I am much better adapted, but it took a while to learn and get used to these things.

One other thing I’ve found challenging is that I am the only one here staying for so long. I’ve met and said goodbye to so many people already; even staff have left in the time I’ve been here. While I find making so many friends very rewarding, it’s a bit challenging to say goodbye as quickly as I meet people.

Highlights of the Journey

Some highlights so far have been from my travels on the weekends. While I’m here volunteering, I get the weekends off to travel around and see more of Sri Lanka. I have explored most of the east and central parts of Sri Lanka and even had the opportunity to travel to the coast and stay at the beach.

One of my favorite parts of traveling around Sri Lanka has been visiting all of the temples I come across, with everything from cave temples carved into the side of mountains to the last remaining part of Buddha, his tooth. I have plans in the future to head to the south, where I’ve heard there are beautiful beaches and delicious food.

Overall, I think it has been a very important part of my trip to move around and see all the different parts that Sri Lanka has to offer.

Surprising Discovery

I think something that surprised me a lot has been how kind everyone is here. Not just the staff, but anyone you meet and talk to is always extremely kind and generous. This has really helped me, especially when asking for directions or suggestions. I also notice this is especially present when interacting with smaller villages; they seem to have so much trust in each other and everyone they meet.

Because I’ve been doing such hands-on research here, it has helped me learn so much about conservation and data collection. Talking and exchanging information with other people has also taught me so much. I believe many of the things I’ve learned here can help in any sustainable context I might come across in the future.

Inspired by William’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

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Written by Andres Huenneke, 2023-24 Latitudes Student

Over this semester I have been in Namibia in Southern Africa working with animal conservation for an organization called Naankuse. I have transitioned between some different projects around the country. Every project deals with a different aspect of animal conservation and rehabilitation. I have been to four different projects so far and next week I will go to my fifth. Some projects are animal sanctuaries where I have had the opportunity to feed and care for many different species of animals such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, baboons, and a variety of other species. The other projects are desert-oriented and deal more with wild desert species and working with identifying and tracking species such as oryx, springbok, ostrich, and others. I’ve come face to face with some of the coolest animals I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing. Going behind the scenes and working so closely with carnivores especially lions is a once in a lifetime experience and I’m really glad to have been able to do this.

Challenges Along the Way

The heat is definitely a challenge. Temperatures in Namibia regularly exceed 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. I’ve also experienced a couple of bouts of sickness, mostly stomach problems, but they’re just part of the experience! In Namibia, sunscreen and water are vitally important.

Highlights of the Journey

There have been countless highlights throughout this journey. I was able to climb one of the world’s tallest sand dunes (Big Daddy), which was incredible. Getting to know the other volunteers has been a highlight for sure. The Namibian landscape, combined with the wildlife, makes this place otherworldly. You also can’t beat the sunsets and the night skies that I have experienced here; they are absolutely breathtaking. Every day of this trip has had its own highlights.

Gratitude and Reflection

I’m most grateful for some of the local community I’ve met here who have had such an impact on me. The people in Namibia are some of the most kind-hearted and down-to-earth people I’ve met in my life. A highlight that I did not mention before was just sitting down and having conversations with people from Namibia. In nearly every conversation, I would end up laughing until tears were rolling down my face. They have amazing stories and really interesting traditions as well.

Inspired by Andres’ gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post Roaming with Wildlife : Andres’ Latitudes Year in Namibia appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Anantya Mazi, 2023-24 Latitudes Student

Settling In and Finding Community

La Hesperia is a forest reserve that rests above the small rural town of La Esperie. At the reserve, I was able to settle in quickly, especially with the help of the other volunteers working here, whom I now consider dear friends. On weekdays, Monday to Friday, we begin our days with breakfast at 7:30 am. Depending on the day, you are able to choose between different options of activities/work. We normally work in sections from 8:30 am to 12 pm and then from 2 pm to 4 pm.

At the reserve, I have been able to do a variety of activities. The work one can do here can vastly differ depending on whom you choose to work with. It may range; however, Nancy often focuses on working outside with agriculture (working in the garden, harvesting cacao and coffee, harvesting bananas, etc.), while Elsa focuses on cooking and baking-oriented projects (making coffee and chocolate sauce), and Charlie does a large range of projects that can include construction/renovation, clearing trails, and working with the animals (mainly sheep and goats). At times, some work options may even extend to helping interns with their projects. While your work is valued here, schedules can be a bit flexible, and everyone here is very considerate and understanding of individual needs.

Apart from, as well as alongside, working, I have been able to connect with many other volunteers here. Dynamics can shift, but we oftentimes spend time chatting and playing games together on our breaks. The weekends (sometimes including Friday, which we can have off) are completely open. When we stay at the reserve, we often venture all around. At La Hesperia, there are many beautiful areas and trails to explore. Some trails can be anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours. However, when I leave the reserve on the weekend, I get to explore Ecuador, usually alongside my friends/peers. Furthermore, when we leave the reserve, Alexandra and her family, who manage La Hesperia, are very supportive of these processes. They have helped to check in and assist with transportation needs and advice.

Challenges Along the Way

Learning to structure volunteer work, coursework, and my personal life is definitely a process. I think I have been able to adjust easily, especially with the support of my fellow peers and staff at La Hesperia. However, I am still learning how to get into a groove that works for me.

Another challenge is that, although I consider myself independent, it is truly a new experience to travel alone. Sometimes I can feel a little overwhelmed, but I am always reminded of what an enriching experience it can be. My time alone is very valuable to me as well, so learning this process has really changed the dynamics in my relationship with myself and how I navigate the world.

Sentimental challenges have also popped up as I have had to say goodbye to my friends who have completed their time at La Hesperia. I have loved meeting everyone and I am grateful for our experiences, which can make such goodbyes feel a bit hard.

Highlights of the Journey

Working alongside Nancy has been a remarkable experience. We usually harvest cacao and coffee according to the moon cycles. When we do it is a fun experience. After the work and process of harvesting everything, we sit on the ground together and begin preparing cacao. You are allowed to taste the sweet taste of cacao as you extract the seeds. This experience often feels very rewarding. Furthermore, it is fun to peel and roast coffee and cacao in the kitchen after the coffee and cacao have been properly prepped. With friends, the kitchen is filled with the scent of the chocolate sauce being made along with the music that I like to play when we work on this.

On one weekend that we all stayed at the reserve, I went with the other volunteers to hike up the grand trail we call “Camping 2” (because of the potential campsite that lay there). As we hiked for hours, old 80s hits played from my friend’s bags. The hike was hard but the views were so beautiful. As we continued to ascend the mountain, you could begin to see the clouds and even walk through them. When we finally reached the top it was cool with a thick fog. We shared a picnic together and enjoyed the scenery at the top. On our way back down we were able to snack on some fruits in the trees and say hi to all the cows.

The reserve is home to many animals, including young ones that require extra care. One such animal is Rafael, a baby goat who needed to be bottle-fed for a few months. Occasionally, I joined my friends in the early morning to feed him. Waking up early to prepare his baby bottle with milk formula was a heartwarming experience. Upon meeting him, Rafael would always come running, greeting us with his adorable voice. Though he has grown beyond the bottle, Rafael remains as healthy and sweet as ever.

Gratitude and Reflection

I am grateful for all the people I have met here. All the staff have been so kind and supportive and it has been a pleasure getting to know them. Furthermore, I have loved getting to meet and connect with all the other volunteers here. Making friends here has even given me more reason to continue traveling in the future.

Inspired by Anantya’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post Learning in La Hesperia : Anantya’s Latitudes Year in Ecuador appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Stella Kuramoto, 2023-24 Latitudes Student

Experiencing Independence and Wildlife Conservation

This semester I experienced true independence and one of the most beautiful places in the whole world with one of my best friends whom I’ve met through Carpe. I’m six weeks in volunteering at the wildlife habitat and life could not be cooler. I spend my days taking care of incredible animals and learning all about conservation and the effort it takes to respect and care for this region’s critters.

Challenges Along the Way

I’ve been challenged through my ability to take care of myself. Grocery shopping, getting up in the morning, transportation, and all the aspects of an independent and dedicated lifestyle have become a force of habit. At first, it seemed like a lot to handle and was very stressful, but over time it’s been so worth it and has taught me a lot about myself.

Highlights of the Journey

A highlight of mine has been working firsthand with a lot of the reptiles on site. They are absolutely incredible and through the hands-on work, I’ve been able to expand my knowledge regarding my favorite species of animal. As well as that, walking two minutes down the road to do yoga on the beach under the setting sun has definitely been a plus!

Gratitude and Reflection

I am most grateful for this opportunity and the people willing to teach us and take us under their wings to further our passion and education toward conversation and the protection of local wildlife. It brings me so much joy that I am able to be here, fully immersed in what this town has to offer. It truly is the opportunity of a lifetime and I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life right now. I was so wary of a non-traditional path after high school, but through things like this, I’ve come to realize that it’s exactly what I need and want to do.

Inspired by Stella’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post Hard Work Pays Off: Stella’s Latitudes Year in Australia appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Shloimy Goldberger, 2023-24 Latitudes Student

My Experience at Repzootic

I have spent this semester working at Repzootic, a small zoo in a town of about 300 in the rural southwest of Hungary, about an hour-long bus ride from the historical city of Pécs. I have spent much of my time in this town, as although there is surprisingly reliable public transport to Pécs, I’m only able to go on my Friday day off, as there are essentially no buses on Saturday.

So what have I been doing during my working hours (9-4/5)? Well, it’s a bit unsurprising since I’m working at an exotic animal rescue/zoo, but I’ve been mostly working with animals! While my first week involved a lot more zoo remodeling and random upkeep, due to the high amount of volunteers (11) we had at the time. Ever since then my tasks have almost always revolved around the day-to-day necessities of the animals. This includes cleaning the poop and leftover food from the animals’ enclosures, refilling their waters, preparing their food and feeding them.

All of this was done every single day, between 2-5 volunteers, for over 150 animals, as well as cleaning the food preparation area and doing the dishes afterward. While I’m making this out to be like it’s very intensive work, and to some degree it really is, it is an incredibly rewarding experience. I’ve come to know these animals better than I’ve ever known my neighbors back home. I’ve seen animals come and go, be born and die, and have come to love every single one intimately, to the point that I’m quite worried about how I’ll react when it comes time to say goodbye

Challenges Faced: Adapting to New Circumstances

My main challenge this semester has been quite similar to my last semester, and that is adapting to the circumstances here. The entire organization is run by two people, the founder Sharon, who came here out of necessity after simply having too many animals back home in Belgium, and her Hungarian boyfriend András. While the toilet and shower situations are quite nice, the food situation is difficult to say the least, especially as someone who cannot consume pork or gluten, and can only consume lactose with supplementation.

Breakfasts and dinner are essentially just whatever Sharon has in her kitchen, and lunch comes from a local Hungarian kitchen that makes food for school children, with the two options being either standard or vegetarian, with both often including gluten and/or dairy. While I’m quite used to eating the same thing every day, as I meal prep at home, I had a lot of anxiety early on about how much my meals lacked nutrition. I overcame this by simply accepting that there wasn’t much I could do about it, and have since taken to eating fruit whenever I can and having better meals when I go to Pécs on my Fridays off.

Another thing I struggled adapting to was the variance in the people who have come here and left during my time here. At first, it was quite difficult with so many volunteers and students here, all of whom came in groups, and most of whom stuck to those groups. Once it shifted towards individual volunteers, it became easier, but I still had to learn not to judge people too quickly and to find and focus on the interesting aspects of their personalities, instead of the aspects of themselves that may make me annoyed or I may find disinteresting. This has led me to really appreciate the good things about people and helped me become better at talking to people from different backgrounds than mine (French, German, Belgian, Dutch, Hungarian).

Highlights of the Experience: Unforgettable Moments

My first and quickest highlight would definitely be the animals, most specifically being able to get up close and personal with many exotic animals (Emus, Boa Constrictor, and other snakes, Monkeys, Wolfdogs, and Coatis) and witnessing the first few weeks of life of newborn lambs.

My second would definitely be all of the experiences I’ve had on my days off, seeing much of what southwestern Hungary has to offer. Specifically, the Busójárás festival of Mohács, commemorating the end of winter, is one of the three specific Hungarian traditions on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It’s an incredible festival, filled with countless food, clothing, and trinket stands, tons of folk music and dancing, and a massive fire on the last day (we weren’t there for it ). The main attraction, however, is the people dressed up in sheepskins, wearing carved wooden devil masks, who go around causing mischief and making noise.

The story goes that when the Ottomans took over Mohács, the people fled to the swamps, where one day an old man appeared and told them to carve wooden weapons and scary masks and wait for a stormy night when a knight would appear and guide them into battle. When the knight appeared he ordered them to charge into battle, making as much noise as possible. The Ottomans, terrified by the storm, noises, and masks, thought they were being attacked by devils and fled Mohács. This legend is not conjoined with another, older legend, which is that the masks and noises are meant to scare away the remains of winter.

Besides the Busójárás, I’ve also really enjoyed exploring Pécs on my days off, where the Ottoman influence can still be felt in the church that turned into a mosque that turned back into a church that has been restored to a church with mosque architecture and design. Pécs also has my second favorite church I’ve ever seen, after the Vatican, and tons of interesting stone streets, filled with countless gyro and döner vendors from all over the Middle East.

Personal Growth: Learning to Thrive

I think the main way that I’ve grown in my experience here is learning how to handle and maximize a 9-5 standard work schedule and work environment. Although Repzootic is by no means a standard work environment, I think my time here has undoubtedly prepared me for one, as I’ve gained a lot in terms of being efficient and listening to directions, as well as gained the ability to handle working for 8+ hours a day, which is something that I’ve struggled with in the past.

I’ve also grown a lot from seeing Sharon and András work, and hearing their stories about how they got to where they are and the experiences they’ve had working at the zoo. They both work long hours, rarely, if ever, take days off, and essentially have their entire lives based around the zoo. This isn’t something that they can chose to undo, as without them the animals in the zoo would not be able to survive, and instead of just accepting the situation, they’ve learnt to thrive in it.

They are both active and working, all day, every day, rolling with the punches and adapting to whatever situation arises. Despite all of the work that they do they are still always laughing at any conversation, and always willing to help with whatever the students/volunteers need. They also still manage to find free time to do the things they want to do, such as finishing all of the tasks in the zoo very quickly to be able to see a movie, or taking stops on a 40+ hour animal transport to visit family/friends or (ironically) see a local zoo.

Sharon and András have really inspired me to start taking my life into my own hands and push to pursue the things that I want to do in life. My horizons of what I can do in life have been really expanded because of them, and for that growth, I am extremely grateful.

Inspired by Shloimy’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post Adventures in a Small Zoo in Rural Hungary: Shloimy’s Latitudes Year appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Bitsy Bond-Perez, a student from our non-profit partner Carpe Mundi

February 29th: From February 25th to March 3rd we are staying in Protovillage! “A prototype of a resilient rural community.” And by rural they mean that, in the state of Andhra Pradesh we are 25 minutes away from the closest village. We are surrounded by all types of trees and plants in mostly flat farmland. Besides the houses in the village, there are little neighboring homes but no one is right next door. We are however close to Veerabhadra temple. This temple was built in 1538 around 500 years ago. It is a Hindu temple and is carved entirely by a large granite rock! Which took 20 years to complete. There are many remarkable things about the temple that I could go on about; however, my absolute favorite sculpture is the 7 headed serpent. This sculpture is huge (excluding the Statue of Nandi). It is my favorite because of how greatly huge it is, it blew me away. Also, the snakes look like they are smiling and I love that.

We are staying in the village and have had several people staying here with us, people who live here full time and people who are also travelers. A man by the name of Neeraj has been organizing our activities and showing us the way of life in Protovillage. He is also a resident here, along with the many children who stay here! We are staying in a large dorm that we all share. We sleep in bunk beds and a mosquito net protects us at night. It is about 95 degrees every day and cools way down at night. We are ALL sunburnt! The dorm is at the very top of a long set of winding stairs. We have one western toilet and if that’s occupied we of course commit to using the squat toilets. Not as hard to use as you’d imagine and the butt guns get you very clean! We also take cold bucket showers, this isn’t a problem though considering the heat! The showers feel amazing after working in the heat all day. We also hand wash our clothes and leave them to dry, if you’re like me however you wash you and your clothes!

This place somewhat reminds me of living in Estacada, on occasion, we would leave our clothes out to dry, feel our animals’ scraps of food, and grow our fruits and veggies we also had huge mosquitoes but it is also very different. This village is almost completely self-sustaining. They grow all their own foods for humans and animals, we reduce waste as much as possible in all aspects. Just the other day we learned how to compost in large quantities. We limit our shower time to reduce water waste and the squat toilets also reduce water waste! The soap is made of ash since it has many antibiotic properties and can be used to serialize the dishes.

It’s also worth mentioning they have a skate park! In the middle of nowhere, they have a huge skatepark and all the kids are extremely talented skaters. I do not know where they learned to skate but some of them have even won championships with their skating talents. I think Protovillage would be amazing to visit again however I must admit I miss sleeping in a less hot cozier bed with more privacy. To change we have to send the guys out of the room and do a whole rotation and it is a bit complicated and impractical. The animals here are a few cows, dogs, and cats but the worst of all is the size of the bees! The bees put the bees back home in Portland to shame! They need to get their gains on.

We also unfortunately have seen the largest spiders I have ever seen in my life, when you can see them across the field you know they are huge. When we got to the temple there were monkeys! Now I am not fond of monkeys but seeing the babies was very precious and they love bananas and coconut!

The lessons I have learned here in proto are some that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, I have learned much about the world around me and myself. I cannot wait to come back home and share even more with my family and friends. Signing off now!

The post A Day In The Life: Protovillage appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Kailash Biswa and Lucas Barrera, students from our non-profit partner Carpe Mundi

Since we came, we’ve been to a lot of places, seeing new things. Temples, shrines, new land…We visited the moon, the sun, and the earth. While we were flying across Russia, 18 hours, 13,000 Kilometers away…

We’ve been very busy, going from place to place. Chai shops, watermelon stands, and the loud, busy city of Bangalore. A lot of us have been homesick missing our families but we are adapting with everyone here in India. Together with our community here in Andhra Pradesh, we bring growth with everyone we see and beautiful experiences filled with the senses. We all have been learning about each other and growing as people, getting to know about our vibes and social dynamics.

All safe and sound, as we communicate with the wind. As the wind carries our voices through the dusty cloud of India, that has been… A life in different colors, all unique in the spirit that they carry. What made our time memorable this past week, was thinking about how much we love our close ones. We will come back with stories and memories of the life we lived to what it used to be.

The post We’re Getting There appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Kyla Wendel, 2023-24 Latitudes Student

Experiencing the Beauty of Port Douglas

Having been in Queensland my last semester, I thought I was prepared for the sheer beauty that is Port Douglas but I was mistaken. Already a month into my stay and I’m still in awe of my surroundings. The beautiful beaches and the tropical trees that surround them are jaw-dropping. I’ve been able to appreciate the natural beauty here in different ways such as taking in sunsets on the beach, stargazing in the hostel’s pool, and driving through the Daintree Rainforest. While volunteering at the Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas I’ve been working with Australian native animals. Not only have I bonded with several different animals but I’ve also learned a lot about them. Thanks to the keepers at the habitat, I’ve gained many different facts about snakes, crocodiles, birds, kangaroos, and other animals they have in their care. According to the keepers, the crocodiles’ favorite meals are volunteers named Kyla. While at the habitat I’ve done many different kinds of work such as raking, hosing down enclosures, prepping food bowls, and even feeding joeys (baby kangaroos) with a bottle. It’s fun, educational, and fulfilling work.

Navigating Challenges and Embracing Growth

The most challenging part of my trip was the first week of my trip when I was adjusting to everything. Figuring out the ins and outs of the hostel I was living in and the place I was working at was two of my challenges. I hadn’t gotten close with keepers at the habitat yet so it was also hard meeting many new people and navigating new friendships with the people around me. Not only did I have to adjust to my new environment, but I also had to adjust to the extreme heat that the people in Port Douglas are experiencing. The humidity and heat were nothing like what I was used to, being at least 100ºF every day, and it didn’t help that most of the work I did was outdoors. However, I was able to get semi-used to the heat and added things to my routine to prevent myself from overheating. I also now have a community of new friends at the habitat who always make sure that I’m feeling well during a particularly hot day.

Finding Joy in Connections

The best part of my trip has been getting to know the people and the animals I work with. The other volunteers, there are now eight of us, are all amazing. We all work together and live together so we’ve really bonded due to all the time we spend together. We also have the common interests of working with animals and going on adventures so it’s easy for us to get along. We’ve all gone out in town with the keepers a few times and always have a blast. Having people to connect with while we’re all going through our independence journey has made the process a really enjoyable experience. Figuring out who we are on our own and what it’s like to be away from our homes and comfort zones adds a whole new perspective of ourselves. Doing this while we take care of animals who all have amazing personalities has been a dream. Some of the animals are close friends of mine, while others are enemies. Still, getting bitten, pooped on, peed on, and whatever else that may come, it’s all worth it in the end.

Surprising Discoveries and Cultural Insights

What has surprised me about Port Douglas is the small local community they have here. It seems like everyone knows everyone. While staying at the hostel I met and befriended a girl from Canada and then two weeks later she was working at a cafe we went to. A lot of the time we see and talk to people then see them again later in the week. Since it’s such a small area, people living here know each other more often than not. There is also a constant flow of tourists here, which I expected being right by the Great Barrier Reef and all, but I hadn’t realized how international the people visiting would be. It’s refreshing to have so many people from different parts of the world in one place, whether they’re from Scotland, Germany, Canada, the UK, or wherever else, it’s been great seeing how much in common we have despite being from different countries with such different cultures.

Inspired by Kyla’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

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Written by Kora Battleson, 2023-24 Latitudes Student

Experience in Camarones, Ecuador:

My experience this semester in a small town called Camarones (shrimp) along the coast of Ecuador has been incredible. One thing I love about the work I do is every day is different with some sort of surprise.

My week typically begins and ends with a hike through the reserve which usually takes about 4 hours to monitor monkeys. On these days we do our best to find a perfect time slot when the sun is out and there’s no rain (considering the fact it’s rainy season it’s pretty challenging). We do this because the monkeys are more active and vocal when there’s no precipitation, making our research as accurate as we can. We look at the location of the troop, how many there are, the genders and ages, and many more characteristics.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I go to a lovely coffee and chocolate farm that is run by Narcisa and her family. For the first couple of weeks, I have been working on a mural attached to her house. I also pull weeds and assist in any other work to help prepare her coffee beans and cocoa. On Wednesdays, I help out in the nearby town of Tabuga and teach English classes. This was something I wasn’t expecting to do during my semester but it’s one of my favorite things to do, as I love interacting with young kids (I’m usually set up with girls from ages 12 to 15). All these activities have been so fun and I love learning from the people in this community.

Water Quality Project with Julia:

This week Feb 26th- March 1st, a University of Wisconsin Alum named Julia came to visit to learn more about the water quality project here at Ceiba. I was lucky enough to tag along with her and the team: Majo and Dome. We studied riffles (water movement due to rocks), temperature, speed of current, surroundings (has human impact or environmental issues affecting this river?), and macroinvertebrates.

Challenges and Growth:

Many things have positively challenged me during my experience here in Ecuador. One of my biggest challenges that has stood out to me is being comfortable in a new environment. This includes certain amenities like only having access to cold showers, delicious but repetitive food, constantly itching myself due to bug bites, hearing loud noises while I sleep, not knowing if it’s a seed falling from a tree branch, the howling of monkeys, or an ocelot’s footstep crawling on the leaves behind the house. Being at Ceiba has pushed my boundaries that I didn’t think was possible. I usually feel comfortable with being in the outdoors 24/7, I could almost call it my second home, but this place has opened my eyes to a whole new perspective of escaping into the jungle. I have learned many things, such as trusting my instincts more, knowing the difference between bees that fly in your hair and the ones that bite, and the importance of connecting on a deeper level with the people who work and live here.

Highlights of My Journey:

There have been so many highlights along my travels. One of the greatest aspects of Ceiba is the location. We are a 15-minute bus ride from the prettiest beach with delicious seafood. We’re also about a 3-hour bus ride in the opposite direction to one of the cutest towns I have ever seen in Latin America. It’s located inside a cloud forest and is a beautiful town called Mindo with an amazing culture (especially during the carnival season). Mindo has a unique tourist attraction with tasty restaurants, funky jewelry, and awesome outdoor opportunities. One of them is able to fly straight over the jungle into a fairyland of waterfalls. Another highlight from my semester so far is our weekly Uno competitions. These competitions take place on the kitchen table after dinner with our lovely cook, Mary, and fun park ranger, José, with candlelights circling around us to help not confuse the colors green and blue. I personally love this tradition we have started, not only because it’s where my true competitiveness comes out but because I feel like I bond with Mary and José more. Oh and if you might ask… yes, so far I am winning the winning streak (fingers crossed)

Surprises in Ecuadorian Generosity:

Coming into this semester I tried not to place expectations into my head, but something that has surprised me the most about Ecuador is how generous everyone is. This includes people who have helped guide my friend and me back to the reserve, a lovely woman who works at the local yogurt/sweet store nearby who gave my friend and me a free dessert, and Narcisa. When I go to Narcisa’s house she always makes sure I leave feeling stuffed with the most wonderful treats. While I pull weeds or paint her house she hands me food and coffee to keep me energized, allowing me to experience the culture in a delicious way. She introduces me to new types of ways to eat plantains and all the steps to make the most perfect cup of coffee. This generosity spreads through the coast of Ecuador within the community itself. This may be kids helping other kids learn English, fellow neighbors moving a fallen tree off the road, or something as simple as giving a hand to someone while they walk on and off the bus.

Inspired by Kora’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

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Written by Kate Willoughby, 2022-23 Latitudes Student

This semester I volunteered and worked at Kids Saving the Rainforest for 3 months in Costa Rica. Here, I worked in the animal sanctuary with their lovely animals and people that work here. I got the privilege to learn so much about wildlife and all of the animals in Costa Rica. I stayed on the property of Kids Saving the Rainforest in their volunteer center with other amazing volunteers. We stayed about 20 minutes from Quepos and Manuel Antonio which are beautiful towns that I was able to explore outside of work.

Everyday, I worked – I would start my day by waking up and meeting other volunteers and staff to prepare food and animal enclosures for the day. Afterwards, I went to eat breakfast with everyone and came back to work. Throughout the day I would do all sorts of tasks and activities that ranged from painting decorations for the sanctuary, to helping build new and maintain enclosures. It is very hot in Costa Rica’s rainforest which could make you feel a bit tired, but nonetheless, the work was so fun and so rewarding.

I got to work with all sorts of animals I have never seen before coming here, like sloths, squirrel monkeys, and kinkajous. The animals here were in captivity because they have complications that make it not possible for them to be released into the wild. I got to care for them by making sure their enclosures were safe, and providing enrichment, food, and medicine. Seeing these animals happy was honestly so rewarding. The people here care so deeply for the animals and you can feel the love from everyone.

To work here is to be a part of a team. Everyone here is connected with one another in some way and everyone has the same interests in helping these animals. I got to make so many friends from all over the world and also got to really immerse myself in another country. I have so much appreciation and love for this place and had an awesome experience at KSTR.

What was challenging about this semester?

What I would say has challenged me this semester would be the language barrier. Prior to my gap year, I did not speak any Spanish, but after my immersion program in the first semester, I was more prepared to practice in my second semester. I stayed in a Spanish speaking country, while there were people on property who could speak English and help me out, there were still many people I worked with who only really spoke Spanish. It was a bit of a struggle at first as I only really had basic knowledge of the language and sentence structures, but as time went on it is truly amazing how much it improved. I learned so much work-related Spanish and also just how people talk in conversation. Immersion is 100% the easiest way to acquire a new language, when you have to speak the language it improves exponentially. Now I can tell stories and speak very casually in Spanish, I also feel really comfortable speaking the language in public and in transportation. I am not fluent but this challenge was a blessing in disguise.

What were the highlights of your experience?

My highlights of my experience have definitely been being able to see what a difference this organization makes and how helpful this place is. I got to experience a rescue and release for a couple of animals here, and seeing the process from rescue to release is truly amazing. I got to learn so much about this job, what they do here, and how amazing wildlife is. An independent highlight would be that I was able to travel in a foreign country by myself. I found public transportation and got to go to the beach here in Manuel Antonio with friends outside of work. I got to experience work and travel from an independent perspective and it helped me to get to know myself better and grow as a person.

A little gratitude:

What I am most grateful for is the connections I made. I got to know and work with amazing people and have challenges and successes with them. I made really good friends and got to be apart of a community down there. Making lifelong friends with people from all over the globe is such an amazing opportunity that I wouldn’t trade for the world.

Inspired by Kate’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve ou,t your own journey! 

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Written by Leora Wasserman, 2022-23 Latitudes Student

My experience this semester in South Africa gave me the opportunity to gain knowledge, go on adventures, experience challenge, and create connections and memories to last a lifetime!

I began my journey in Johannesburg, with Tefo and Lucas, who were fantastic guides! Over the next couple days, I would learn about the history of South Africa and the apartheid history, by firstly visiting the town of Soweto, Nelson Mandela’s House, and the 1976 Uprisings Museum/Memorial. Visiting the Cradle of Humankind – a paleoanthropological site and museum of humanity, was one of my favorite stops, emphasizing how we are all one species. It was especially beautiful to see this before going to The Apartheid Museum, as well as Constitutional Hill.

I chose to work with the non-profit Dreamcatcher, because I was interested in community development work and passionate in learning more about indigenous cultures. This semester I spent my time interning at Kwikstertjie (or Kwikkies). This was a disability center for adults, and I helped assist them in making crafts, which they sometimes sell. This was a really interesting experience and I loved the community I made there. I also learned about occupational therapy! One of my favorite activities we did was create a kindness rock garden. In the afternoons, I would volunteer at the Dreamcatcher Future Kids after school program, passing out lunch, and tutoring in reading, English literacy, and sometimes math. A couple times after school, Anthea, the founder of Dreamcatcher, pioneered amazing field trips with them, which I really enjoyed partaking in. For example, an animal safari, a Dennis Warner concert on the beach, and a trip to an indigenous museum, tracing the history of the children’s ancestors. Those field trips were unforgettable and so special. Once or twice a week, I would also volunteer at Dreamcatcher’s Back to Front Yard Farming project (BTFYF), where I helped build garden boxes, plant seeds, and eat lots and lots of two-minute noodles! The noodles are very iconic. Karel and Lorraine, as well as the whole BTFYF team, always made me smile and laughs filled our days. Although it sounds like a full week, the days would go by slow, allowing me to enjoy and practice being in the moment. I also learned to be more flexible and patient (go with the flow), with unpredictability or changes.

I got to experience living with two homestay families throughout my trip and both truly felt like family! I enjoyed cooking and eating the delicious meals with them, their cute pets, card games, and excursions, whether it be a walk to the corner store, a wedding, church service, or a mini road trip. The community of Melkhoutfontein, is so friendly and welcoming! I’ve surprisingly learned a lot of Afrikaans. I loved walking in the neighborhood, whether with my homestay family or by myself, and practically everyone you pass says hello like you’ve met before even if you haven’t.

Dreamcather allowed me to go on special trips/volunteer placements as well throughout my stay. One of which was a trip to Montagu, where we volunteered at a Girls at Risk program in a township. This was an incredible experience! Not only did I help them in reading and literacy, but they taught me some Xhosa as well. I was so intrigued by the well-known clicking consonants in the language. I appreciated the group of girls I worked with, we had lots of fun, and it was bittersweet saying good bye. Another venture I got to experience, was volunteering at Wild Rescue NPC, a wildlife sanctuary and nature reserve for 10 days. There, I fed and cared for 28 injured and orphaned tortoises, conserved biodiversity, and grew my fynbos knowledge. My main project was alien invasive species removal of the acacia cyclops which I also used for a PSU report. Gill, Brenda, and Richard were awesome and mentored me! I can’t forget meeting and spending time with Mackenzie, another Carpe Diem student and Dreamcatcher intern alum, who recommended Wild Rescue to me, and became a lifelong friend!

When I looked up what kwikstertjie meant, the meaning was powerful. First of all, it is a wagtail bird, found throughout South Africa and is symbolic of the country and its people. The bird symbolizes rebirth, resilience, and perseverance in the face of adversity. Whether at Kwikkies or other projects I worked with, the people I encountered’s, strength, hope, and kindness despite the hardships they have gone through inspired me. With only a week left in Melkhoutfontein, I will embrace all it has to offer. After, I will do something I haven’t done in my life so far, which is travel independently. I am excited to take on Cape Town solo for a week! And like a kwikstertjie, I will continue on, optimistic for the future ahead.

Inspired by Leora’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

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Written by Chance Sands, 2022-23 Latitudes Student
Chance is volunteering at Give and Surf in Bocas Del Toro, Panama 

It has been such an amazing experience. I have created long lasting friendships with my fellow volunteers and all of the teachers and students. I’ve also made so many memories, whether that be surfing, exploring, or my work at school.

What has been challenging this semester?

Definitely the language barrier. Although over time I found myself getting better and better. So honestly not too challenging at all.

What have been the highlights?

There are so many highlights from this trip. One was definitely my preschool, going to volunteer everyday was a pleasure. The kids are so amazing and intelligent. Another was catching my first wave at Wizards beach. It has been my goal for the longest time.

What has surprised you about Bocas del Toro?

One thing that surprised me about Bocas is how connected the community is. There are lots of tourists here and I thought that the locals wouldn’t recognize our faces. But only after a week, I was already making friends. When Grace one of my volunteer friends got sick, everyone around the island was asking how she was doing. It is little things like that, that I will remember this place for. Bocas is a magical place, and my only wish from this trip is that I could never leave.

Inspired by Chance’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

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Written by Abby McGullam, 2022-23 Latitudes Student 

My semester in South Africa has been a seedbed for personal, cultural, and experiential growth. My program with the nonprofit organization Dreamcatcher South Africa has been well-tailored to my interests, as well as my personal skills, ensuring that my impact in the township of Melkhoutfontein is a passionate and maximized one.

Before truly immersing myself, I learned about the heartbreaking apartheid history of South Africa, studying the walls of museums in Johannesburg and visiting South Africa’s ex-president and anti-apartheid leader, Nelson Mandela’s house. I explored the lasting effects as we drove through townships and the city alike. My favorite museum, however, was the Cradle of Humankind, a historical site hosting information, artifacts, and exhibits on the progression of humankind since its very beginning.

Upon arrival in Melkhoutfontein, my true placement where I would volunteer and live and learn, I was welcomed with an overwhelming amount of love and hospitality from my host family and work colleagues. I got to share my love for math with the children at the local school, helping break the poor education cycle resulting from apartheid, and advancing the students’ skills so that one day they may choose their own careers!

After school, I distribute nutritious lunches to the students, help them with homework, then walk them home and jump in a taxi to explore the coast-town of Stilbaai. My favorite things to do here are go to the gym, try different cafes, and hang out by the beach. When I don’t have my feet in the sand, my hands are in the dirt, working on a sustainable farming project for the community. Weekends are filled with time in Stilbaai, special family events like weddings and baptisms, and lots of travel to different towns where my host-brother referees rugby games (and I shop and take hundreds of pictures of the beautifully diverse landscapes)!

I often was faced with circumstances that required me to adapt. When traveling, it’s important to be able to quickly “improvise, adapt, and overcome”, as the unofficial slogan of the US Marine Corps suggests, with any challenge that may come your way. Although it’s important to me to develop my independence, sometimes it’s best to ask for help. It took some practice, but I learned to use my support system when I needed guidance navigating an obstacle or formulating a plan. Working with a team allowed me to gain new skills for facing challenges, and I am confident that if someone needed me I would know how to help or where to ask for it!

The people I’ve interacted with for the past 3 months are largely responsible for the highlights of my experience in South Africa. It was impossible not to fall in love with the children at school, and watching them learn and engage and get passionate about learning has been absolutely the most rewarding thing. I would teach all the children to love learning 100 times over before I taught y=mx+b, but this experience has led me to learn to do both simultaneously. I got to get creative with my lessons, incorporating games into practice, concepts and exercise into “brain breaks”, and empathy and compassion into every interaction.

One child in particular without parents quickly chose me to play the “mom” role, and I’m not sure she realizes I’ve learned as much from her as she has from me. I was also elated to hear that I have inspired talk of a math club forming at the school, where students can have fun with the topic; the principal asked me just today to send along any math games to get the ball rolling! My family here is truly just that: family. I love cooking with the grandmother, playing rugby with the grandson, making fires in the fireplace with the grandfather (whom I call “Neef”, meaning nephew), and playing Uno, Dominoes, and Old Maid with just about anyone who comes along. We like late-night walks to visit family and friends in the community, and I love that they have always made me feel bonded by blood. I couldn’t mention great people without mentioning the founder of Dreamcatcher South Africa NPC, Anthea Rossouw, who took such great care of me and made sure I got experiences like visiting a game reserve and driving through the mountains in a 1956 Cadillac…and trying carrot cakes, LOTS of different carrot cakes (word has it Ryan’s is still the best)!

I am very excited for my trip to Cape Town as I finish off my placement in South Africa. Cape Town is one of South Africa’s most famous vacation spots, rich with beaches and city life alike. On my way into Cape Town, I will stop by Montagu to donate a table I painted at which the children at risk there can do their homework. Having learned so much about the influence of Nelson Mandela, first through museums and then by experiencing the effects of his work, I am thrilled to be touring Robben Island, the prison where Mandela was held for 18 years for his political action. I took this opportunity to travel solo for the first time, and I hope to try some amazing restaurants, explore local shops, visit the famous Table Mountain, and witness the beautiful beaches that seem absolutely magnetic to tourists (even though it’s almost winter here in the southern hemisphere)! As I say “nag nag, Neef”, meaning night night Nephew, to my host-grandfather for one of the last times, I’m struck with nostalgia for the experiences I have had. Although this next chapter means leaving Melkhoutfontein, which has become home, I know it’s the things I learned and the memories I carry with me that will prepare me for every adventure to come.

Inspired by Abby’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

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Written by Gabrielle D. Bennett, 2022-23 Latitudes Student 

My experiences in the small town of Comalapa have been nothing but incredible. Arriving in Comalapa, I stayed with a local family known for their art. One of my favorite things was walking through the pueblo and spotting different murals done by different family members. My favorite day to go into town is Sunday because of the markets. At the market, you can find anything from amazing street food to art supplies and board games. It was in the Comalapa market that I tried my first tamarindo. Having never had tamarindos before these acidic sweet treats quickly became my favorite fruit. My homestay mom even taught me to make Tamarindo juice. Some of my favorite moments at my homestay include playing the card game, Uno, and football with my homestay siblings and neighbors, cooking with my homestay mom and sister, noticing my Spanish improve, and learning about different cultural and political aspects of Guatemala.

Starting my volunteer work at Long Way Home or more commonly known in Comalapa as the Escuela de Llantas was hard work made enjoyable by the surrounding volunteers and workers. Currently, there are two projects being worked on: the science lab and tire wall. The tire wall was by far the one of the most energy consuming activities I have participated in. That said, compacting tires was made fun by the radio blasting a Guatemalan music and news, making plans to visit workers families to learn how to make atol or tortillas, and cheering each other on as we finish the last few tires of the day.

One of the highlights of my stay in Comalapa was participating in the Green Building Academy. As a student I learned different methods of using earth to structure my building, how to finance a green building project, how to create a water system, and how to build a electrical system. In the mornings, we worked on site to get a hands-on experience of our coursework. For instance, we created a drainage system in the laboratory during water week and a solar panel during the electrical week.

The knowledge, connections, and experiences I’ve received through the Green Building Academy will act as a stepping stone for future community green projects I hope to pursue.

Inspired by Gabrielle’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

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Written by Sam Stiles 2022-23 Latitudes Student 

Sawasdee everyone! My experience in Koh Tao has been enriching in many ways. It is a privilege to be a part of the vital work that New Heaven’s Reef Conservation Program does here. I am so glad to get the experience of protecting the ocean while using my passion for diving! I have also gotten the incredible opportunity to do my training to become a professional DiveMaster here. I have also gotten to expand my perspective by being able to meet all kinds of people from all around the world; and by being totally immersed in a culture that differs greatly from my own.

Carpe Diem: What has challenged you this semester?

A great challenge that I face here is the language barrier. Thai is a difficult language to figure out and there are also many other languages spoken by foreigners from other countries. I’ve had to navigate communicating with people who speak Thai, French, German, Burmese and many other languages.

Carpe Diem: What have been the highlights of your experience?

One big highlight from my time here has been seeing two different whale sharks within a 6-day period. That was an incredible week for those experiences alone! All of the diving here in general has been the highlight of every day for me. All of the food here has been so amazing as well! If you love flavorful and spicy dishes then Thai food is definitely a must!

Carpe Diem: What’s a new skill, tool, or knowledge that you’ve picked up during your semester?

Great question! Being in Koh Tao, both Reef Conservation and my Divemaster training have given me a plethora of diving knowledge and skills that I only dreamed of having before. Something else that also helped with my learning journey was that I have been working with expert divers every day. Talking with these people has taught me a lot of great tips and information that would have taken me years to find out otherwise.

Inspired by Sam’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

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Written by Danica Wolf, 2022-23 Latitudes Student 

Would you believe me if I told you my biggest fear was the ocean? When I signed up for the fall 2022 semester in Southeast Asia, I was not excited about getting my open water certification because I had been terrified of the ocean for years. However, after completing the certification, I found myself utterly calm diving. In fact, I felt more fear at the surface than I did underwater.

With this newfound confidence, I decided to continue my diving journey, which led me to the beautiful town of Bayahibe, Dominican Republic. I have been here for a little over two months, working to obtain my Dive Master Certification at Coral Point Diving. During this time, I have completed my Advanced Open Water Certification, Rescue Course, and Emergency First Responder. I am quickly approaching the finish line of my Dive Master certification, and with each dive, I fall more in love with diving and all the beautiful things the underwater world has to offer us.

Aside from diving, I have enjoyed meeting people from all over the world who share the same passion for diving at Coral Point. It is fascinating how diving can bring people together, even those who might never have met otherwise. I have also made fast friends with my colleagues at Coral Point, and I always get excited when we get to dive together.

Before diving, I never knew much about fish or anything ocean-related, but now, I feel more informed about this crucial thing for the health of the earth. I notice every week that I am getting better and better at my buoyancy or spotting interesting creatures on dives. Just a few days ago I was guiding my first ever dive and I spotted a stone fish. Moreover, I have a newfound passion for saving our oceans and especially coral reefs from being destroyed. It made me realize that if more people knew how beautiful the ocean is, they would try much harder to protect it.

Furthermore, I have had the opportunity to volunteer at Fundación Del Estudios Marinos, where I get to assist in local coral reef restoration and manatee rehabilitation. Just a few weeks ago, I was brought to help them do manatee monitoring with a drone, but I had been told that seeing them does not happen often, maybe every few weeks. But just as we were about to leave from the first sight we saw one, Remi, who they have become familiar with here in Bayahibe. I was so excited and could not believe I saw one. We went out again at around noon to a different location and boom there were two more a mom and its baby swimming around. The volunteer I went with said he could not believe how lucky I was to see this many. For the last two monitorings of the day at around 5 o’clock, I went with a different volunteer, towards the end of the flight she spotted the mom and baby, they had swam from one location to the other and we watched them eat for like ten minutes, it was so cute. I was so excited I got to see them again. Lastly, right as we landed the drone, we spotted Remi again. Once we got back to Fundemar everyone was saying I was some sort of lucky charm and the girl I went with hugged me because she was so excited we got to see them. That day was one of the best days here, not only did I have the privilege to see so many manatees that day I also was able to learn about monitoring them and in the process make stronger connections with the people at Fundemar. This experience has taught me so much about coral and marine conservation, and I am grateful for the chance to contribute to such a vital cause.

Lastly, before coming to the Dominican Republic, I already knew how to speak Spanish, but I needed to improve it, and within a few weeks of being here, I hit major milestones. Being bilingual has allowed me to connect with locals and open up my world to more people. Every day, I see familiar faces on the street or in the supermarket, and I’m beginning to build connections with restaurant owners and shopkeepers. I never realized how nice it is to stop and chat with someone while running errands or going to work. Overall, my time in Bayahibe has been an incredible journey, and I look forward to the experiences and opportunities that lie ahead.

Inspired by Danica’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post Let’s Go Diving: Danica’s Latitudes Year in the Dominican Republic appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Mateo Lombard, 2022-23 Latitudes Student 

My semester started in South India a few hours away from Chennai, at a place called Sadhana Forest. This place is a vegan community that focuses on reforestation and water conservation. At the time I arrived, Sadhana Forest was hosting a huge Vegan Festival that took place over three days. Guests were able to camp out and enjoy many workshops and free meals for the whole weekend. A total of 400 people attend the festival, which blew my mind! I was learning so much and providing my services to ensure all the guests enjoyed their time.

For the next four weeks, I stayed on as a regular volunteer and helped around the community to keep the lovely land in great condition. I met so many different people who have been traveling all over India and the world. As great as it was being a part of a special community such as Sadhana Forest, I wanted to learn and gain experience where I felt I was impacting the planet. Instead, I felt like I was just living in a community.

This time was hard for me because I expected to spend my whole placement at Sadhana forest. I was scrambling and trying to find new ideas of things to do or places to go with my six weeks left. As I was doing research, there were so many other opportunities to embark upon. After a few days of searching, I came up with a plan.

After a month in Sadhana Forest, I would spend a week in Varkala, which is also in southern India. It’s a small beach town that has restaurants and stores on a cliff, with a beach right below. My week there was much needed after living a very rustic lifestyle at Sadhana Forest. While I was in Varkala, I met up with a friend from Sadhana forest who happened to be staying in Varkala, too. We spent most of our days at the beach and playing soccer with the locals. After the week sadly came to end, it was time to adventure on to North India to a place called Dharmshala, where I would volunteer at an institute called Dhamrlaya!

When I arrived in Dharmshala – the moment I got off the plane – the entire atmosphere felt very different. It was quieter and greener and the air felt so much better. After being in heat and surrounded by fast-paced life, it was nice to have a complete flip. When I made it to Dharmalaya, everything about the place felt special. The main building is a natural building – also known as a mud house. Here, I joined two workshops. The first is the Permaculture course, where we have been designing different beds for plants and trying to work with nature by giving back rather than taking. After being part of this course for two weeks, I will then be joining the Carpenter workshop for another two weeks which will be another amazing process.

What has challenged me this semester:

The most difficult part so far during my semester has been doing last-minute decisions and deciding to go somewhere else. For example, my goal was to be in Sadhana Forest for my entire ten weeks. Or at least most of it! But it wasn’t exactly as I had hoped, so deciding to leave and go up north to volunteer was difficult to plan around.

The highlights of my semester thus far:

My highlight so far has been being able to make so many new friends and experiencing so many different things. At Sadhana forest, we had new volunteers coming in almost every day so I was blessed with the opportunity of meeting so many new and amazing people. Also being able to travel quite a good amount and seeing different parts of India has been a blast. There is still so much more to see!

My gratitude:

What I am most grateful for is how fortunate I am to have so many opportunities to do the things I love and to explore so many different aspects of the world. Being in developing country for the first time changed my perspective heavily – and most of the world lives more like this. What has made me grateful is that I can offer my mind and body to places that are trying to change our modern world for the better, so that we all can enjoy a happy healthy future.

Inspired by Mateo’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post Traveling the Wonders of India: Mateo’s Latitudes Year appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Talia, 2022-23 Latitudes Student 

My typical weekday begins with two snoozed alarms, followed by a hasty rush out the door to catch the 59 bus. I arrive at school at 9:35, late as always, with a sheepish grin. During our first break, I walk to the Tienda de Cafe with my friend Anna, for a café con leche and two medialunas. After school I catch the 67 to my internship. The next 4-5 hours consist of composting and gardening, and a small cafecito with my coworkers. I only work on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so on other weekdays I go out to lunch with friends, participate in the school’s activities, or explore Buenos Aires on my own. I have fallen in love with this city, the endless culture, its cafeterias, art museums, architecture, and its people.

The people are truly what makes Buenos Aires unique. They are always dancing, moving, never waiting for the moment to catch up to them. The only moments of peace occur between cups of mate, sipped amidst the current of animated conversation. They are joyful, and filled with gratitude, although the complaints about the heat are never-ending. My favorite moments here have stemmed from the welcoming nature of Porteños, an excited light filling their eyes as they ask “sos extranjera?” We chat about our respective cultures and countries, as I marvel at their free education system and they marvel at my US dollar.

The economic disparities here have taught me the true meaning of privilege. For me, letting the uber driver keep the change at the end of the ride is the same as losing a dollar on the sidewalk, inconsequential. For them, it’s the difference between getting to end work a half hour early to spend time with their family. The fact that I am American is out of my control, a fact that weasels its way uncomfortably into a conversation about a manicure, seven dollars with tip. For the Porteña I was speaking to, that is an expense she can only afford every couple of months, and she is considered well-off. The life I live here is lavish, nightly dinners and lunches out, walking tours, daily coffees, day trips to Uruguay, a lifestyle I can’t afford back home, but I am so grateful to have.

This semester has given skills and confidence that I will take with me for years to come. I have learned how to love my own company, but also how to make friends with just about anyone. I can confidently navigate the spiderweb bus system, go to work in Spanish, and create relationships with complete strangers. I am infinitely grateful for what this city has given me, and for the experiences I have had here.

In Buenos Aires, I feel the freedom to go where life takes me, and to wander a city that always surprises me. I have fallen in love with Latino culture, how there is always someone willing to pay your bus fare when you run out, how there is always a couple in love in a park, how the grand boulevards beckon you to walk through them, how the laughter never ends. I miss the comfort of home, but as this semester comes to an end, I can’t help but begin to miss this city and its energy. I can’t bring Buenos Aires with me, but I can embody the pride and resilience of its people, and share it at home.

Inspired by Talia’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post What Gratitude Feels Like: Talia’s Latitudes Year in Buenos Aires appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Kate Sandoval, 2022-23 Latitudes Student 

Arriving on a beautiful Sunday afternoon (beautiful by the Seattle Washington definition), I settled in the small apartments in Las Rosas to meet my first roommate, Vanessa. Daniela and Misael of Biosean allowed me a couple days of downtime until Nathalie, our third roommate arrived. Vanessa showed me a little intro of the beautiful beaches and led me around to memorize the necessities such as SuperDino in Ten Bell, the Panadería in Venus, how to use the bus, and a little shop that sells the best arepas in Las Galletas.

Tuesday was the start of my first whale watch tour with Biosean. I watched as Misael and Vanessa set up the boat and filled out the data sheet. Leaving the port I looked out towards the sea and saw what had to be the most beautiful view of my life. The sun, peaking through gaps in the clouds, beamed on the calm ocean making it shimmer and shine. Watching this view, I knew immediately that I wanted to experience something like this everyday. Let’s just say that night I told my parents that I decided what I was going to school for. For the rest of that month whale watch tours were the focus of the internship. Waking up at 8am to eat breakfast (whoever comes here next has to try the muesli cereal) and dress in the clothes that I most likely wore the day before. Misael would pick us up at 8:30 and we would get to the port to ready the boat and fill the data sheet waiting for the customers.

The first tour would be at 9am, lasting 2 hrs, the second tour is at 12, lasting another 2 hrs. Then, we would clean the boat and be on our way back to the apartment to figure out what we do next. The other half of the internship was more dive and research focused. See You Diving was our meeting point, which we would normally take the bus to. Then we would have a class, or a dive, or sometimes Alice would pick us up and we would go to a new dive spot. Being on this internship, I get to see the best of both ocean worlds. The surface through whale watch tours where I see Pilot Whales, Spotted Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins, Turtles, Jellyfish, sea birds, flying fish, and the wonderful surprise on the faces of the customers that are enjoying this experience with you. Then there’s the diving. Going underwater and seeing a completely different universe is absolutely amazing! Through the dives in the Canary Islands, I’ve seen so many different species of fish, Bullrays, rays, angel sharks, shrimps, colorful sponges and algae, crustaceans the size of my pinky nail to my forearm, and much much more.

Even better is the opportunity to be taught by Alice from See You Diving about the career of Marine Biology. Not only am I seeing these amazing creatures and marine vegetation, but I am getting in depth lessons into the what, why, how, and where, either through hands-on learning like walks on the beach, and dives, of course, and snorkeling or presentations. Getting a chance to look at the tiniest of living beings to sampling sea grass in Abades writing manuscripts on what we’ve learned. I truly get to experience the Marine Biologist life. Never in my life did I think work could be so fun.

On our off days we go out and explore the island like Los Gigantes, Fuertaventura, La Laguna, Los Abrigos, the flea markets and of course, the mall. I have a serious addiction to earrings and the mall has one store that is always on sale – I will leave there with more than four pairs. I have to say, I don’t know if I would be able to have this much fun without my two roommates. The best things about a Carpe Latitudes Year is knowing you will meet knew people along the way and create lifelong connections. Sharing fun times, getting lost at night in a desert (though not really we were 5 minutes from the city), keeping each other from spending 100 euros, laughs at two in the morning, introducing new music, burning food in the kitchen and watching the sunset. My semester is that much better because of the two people I get to experience it with.

Carpe Diem: What has challenged you about this experience so far? 

Kate: Being able to make the most out of an experience. While here there are so many things to learn from both Biosean and See You Diving that it’s hard to pick up everything. I wish I could record everyday so that I could analyze the video and take notes on things I missed. And it will be the smallest things like how to tie a double figure eight knot for the boat, how to know what the best scuba gear for myself is, why the whales are reacting this way today and not yesterday. I wish I didn’t have the memory of a goldfish because everything I do here is something knew and I learn so many things that I just can’t remember them all.

Carpe Diem: What have been some of the top highlights? 

Kate: I’m glad highlights is plural. First and foremost it’s my first time on the boat with Biosean because I realized my life calling, which is important. The second is the night dive. I thought day diving was cool but, oh my gosh. I saw so many sea urchins and sea cucumbers, two octopi, three cuttlefish – I saw diatoms!! And I love diatoms – shrimps and BIOLUMINESCENT ZOOPLANKTON IT WAS SO COOL!!! Third highlight is hiking a small mountain in Los Cristianos with Nathalie, Vanessa and Alice. The view was breathtaking and it was a great place to just sit and think and relax. The last, but most important, was our goodbye night with Vanessa before she went home, we watched movies and ate snacks, listened to music and laughed until 1am.

Carpe Diem: What has surprised you about this journey? 

Kate: In the couple days that I had been here, the first thing that surprised me was the sociability of the people. Here they will talk out loud not even expecting a response but receiving one anyway. They’ll come up and start talking about how late the bus is or how good the cafe across the street is, honestly about anything and I love it. It makes me feel so at home and connected with the Island. And the food! Tortillas aren’t tortillas anymore, papayas are called something else and, oh my gosh the pastries, I melt.

Carpe Diem: What new skills have you gained throughout the process? 

Kate: Being able to be more comfortable and just make a home wherever I can has helped me develop new skills and cross new boundaries. First of all I learned how to take public transport. It’s not my favorite because you can’t control your time, but it’s fun to take. I’ve learned how to separate need and want either through budget, space, or just saying “for now I don’t need it”, and I know for sure this will come in handy. Planning ahead is another beautiful skill, I have had too many mishaps of taking 5 buses just to get to my destination because I didn’t plan my route and therefore had to refill my card thrice in one day. Last I feel just that much ready to take on the world, live on my own, experience paying taxes and rent (maybe not those actually) and starting jobs, I just love the feeling of being on my own, making my own decisions, learning from mistakes, it’s great! I’m definitely looking forward to start my future now with more confidence about what I want to do with my life and where I want my paths to lead me.

Inspired by Kate’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post When life gives you opportunities, take them! Kate’s Latitudes Year in Spain appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Kelli Parker, 2022-23 Latitudes Student 

This semester was overwhelmingly empowering. I flew halfway across the country by myself and somehow managed to get myself to all the places I needed to be. Just for some context, I’m extremely directionally challenged. Like, extremely. So, just that was an accomplishment for me, but the other great thing was how out of my comfort zone it pushed me. I was forced (willingly) into these situations I didn’t know how to exactly navigate. However, I got through them and gained so much knowledge. I met so many amazing people from all over the world and learned about so many cultures. It’s safe to say I’m officially immune to culture shock. This semester has been a range of emotions, but I’ve learned more about myself and others than I ever have before.

Carpe Diem: What has challenged you about this experience so far? 

Kelli: The challenges in this semester were expected, but still very difficult. The previous group semester was so different because there was a web of people around me that I created such deep connections with and I knew – going into this semester – being completely alone was gonna be the hardest challenge. However, what I didn’t expect was how easy it is to make friends abroad. I made three new friends my first day at my Spanish School. Somehow I had walked all across the city of Málaga by the first week on fun walks with friends. Although there were lonely times, it was always easy to schedule plans with a friend when needed.

Carpe Diem: What have been some of the top highlights? 

Kelli: My highlights for this trip are filled with music, laughter, and dogs mostly. But the city of Málaga is full of music and everywhere you look is completely beautiful in its own unique way. So, just the view with the music is unbelievable. Sometimes it feels like I’m in a movie. Also, being with the children I work with brings me so much joy. Even though, I sometimes don’t always understand what they say, we always have a fun time. The kids are so intelligent and happy – they really remind me not to always take life so seriously. Last, but not least, the Spanish school, OnSpain, was so amazing. I learned so much Spanish and improved greatly. The professors are so great and interactive. The classes are fun and entertaining. I never felt bored of class and it was like having a conversation with friends, but in Spanish!

Carpe Diem: What have you learned about yourself? 

Kelli: Throughout this trip, I have learned a great deal about myself and the world. I realized there are so many more opportunities available that I didn’t know about before. In this realization, I feel more excited for my future and for all the opportunities that are waiting for me. The United States has a way of making you feel like you have to take this one path to success and happiness, but this experience has completely changed that for me. I’m so extremely grateful to have experienced this experience on both semesters I don’t think I could have ever learned or got what I got from this trip any other way. I truly feel a different person more enlightened and self aware. I am undeniably grateful.

Inspired by Kelli’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post Undeniably Grateful: Kelli’s Latitudes Year in Spain appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Peyton Molacek, 2022-23 Latitudes Student 

My first 6 weeks in Koh Tao, Thailand have been full of many, many, many unexpected adventures. I came into this experience thinking I was going to dive everyday and maybe input some data. I never imagined experiencing everything I have so far.

Last week, the other interns and I spent over 6 hours snorkeling in an attempt to find a reported injured sea turtle. Did I expect to find said sea turtle by hour 6? Yes. Did we ever located said sea turtle? No. (That’s a good thing! It means the turtle must have been healthy enough to move locations!) Should I have reapplied sunscreen? YES. Would I go do the whole experience over again? Absolutely.

My experience of the scientific intern side of New Heaven Dive School has been a wild ride. I came here with little to no experience or knowledge in marine biology. Before I thought coral was a plant or a type of rock – turns out coral is an animal! I was so nervous that the other interns would have a major scientific background and I would fall behind.

Luckily, while some interns are completing their PhD and are really insightful about marine biology, others (like me) are here to try something completely out of their comfort zones. I spent my first month going to intensive lectures in the morning and applying that knowledge to our dives in the afternoon. We commonly debrief after the dive and check each other’s data. I’ve learned that conservation diving is almost a complete 180 from “fun diving.” On an everyday dive, I carry a reel to measure the distance, a ruler, my slate to write the data, a dive computer, a compass, and a visibility disk. On a fun dive I jump in the water with me, myself, and I.

My favorite survey to complete is our clam survey. I love giant clams and they are my favorite thing to see in the water. Here on Koh Tao, giant clams are a crucial indicator of coral reef health. Clams contribute to the overall productivity by removing toxins and filtering water as well as providing a safe environment for shrimps, crabs and small fish. At New Heaven Reef Conservation, we have our own clam nursery. By letting the clams start to mature in a nursery in their early stages, we allow them a higher chance of survival once they are transplanted to other coral reefs. We then collect weekly data on where the giant clams are being spotted and how healthy they appear. I even helped repair New Heaven’s giant clam nursery with some wire!

Another unexpected addition to my time here at New Heaven Dive School is the amount of welding or metal weaving I have learned or contributed to in order to build artificial reefs. It is a very complex process that I never expected to be a part of. Currently I am helping Leo (the amazing artificial reef weaver at New Heaven) weave together a meter and a half but two meters artistic structure. Leo’s philosophy is that welding is a old bottleneck that we don’t need to rely on as heavily as we do for artificial reefs. (I was skeptical of this until I tried welding. Turns out: welding is very very very hard. Especially if the power goes out). We plan to build four to five of the metal weaved structures to deploy in later months. I’m even going to build one from start to finish all by myself! I’ve also helped deploy and transplant coral onto coral reefs! It is awesome that I can say that something I made/contributed to is in the ocean.

Carpe Diem: What has challenged you about this experience so far? 

Peyton: To be honest, I’m exhausted, but in the most invigorating way possible. On my plane ride here to Thailand, I had so many doubts. Was I making the right choice? What if I hate it? Will I make friends? I had no idea what I was in for. I will forever be grateful to Kirsty (my idol and the head of New Heaven Conservation). She is the greatest leader and friend anyone could ever know. The amount of international friendships and knowledge I have acquired is crazy to me. I now have friends from all parts of the UK, South Africa, and Australia. Yes there have been some bumps along the way. I may have been locked out of my room in the middle of the night at one point. Don’t worry, Kirsty was there for the rescue! I’ve also fought through travelers stomach issue and lots of sea sickness. I’ve been lost (both on a dive and on land), but eventually found. I’ve been in desperate need of water and electrolytes. I’ve been hangry, confused, and cranky at points. Diving can be very tiring. Even so, I can’t imagine being anywhere else then where I am right now. Like I said earlier: Would I do this whole experience over again? Absolutely.

Carpe Diem: What have been some of the top highlights? 

Peyton: My everyday life outside of water is just as exciting as my life scuba diving. The other night me and the other interns (who I now consider some of my closest friends) went to go see a ladyboy show. We have also seen a fire show, tried Muay Thai classes, attempted to cook some fajitas, played a ton of volleyball, and eaten our weight in fried rice. The small island feel of Koh Tao is something I have never experienced and it is wonderful.

Inspired by Peyton’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post Small Island Adventures: Peyton’s Latitudes Year in Thailand appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Gavin Parker, 2022-23 Latitudes Student 

Kia Ora! My time in New Zealand has been very much an eye opener in many aspects, either that be culturally, environmentally, and learning more about myself as well. While working with Whenua Iti Outdoors, they have helped me see these learning opportunities and have allowed me to see the beauties of this country, taking me on many of their programs and seeing the rolling hills, canyons, talking with local Māori, and venturing the clear blue sea. Taking pictures and video for the marketing department has been a breeze. Most of my time working has felt like an adventure rather than work. Whenua Iti has treated me so well during my time here and I am so grateful to them for letting me have my volunteer placement here. It’s been such a great experience being able to learn, work, and enjoy the country all in one.

Carpe Diem: What has challenged you about this experience so far? 

Gavin: During my time here a few challenges have popped in and out. One being transportation since there is no bus, taxi, or Uber system in the town I’m staying in. So, I’ve had to ride my bike every day and, on occasion, get a ride from a coworker. But more than anything it’s been great getting a good 10 mile ride every day in my day so it’s not too much of a challenge. Also, being able to find things to do in my freetime when I’m not in the office. Though here and there I have a day where I just rest, most of the time I get offers to do things and it’s been getting me outside of my room doing something in the city nearby or out in the wilderness. The other challenge has been budgeting my money and stretching it out for weeks ahead. However, I’ve done well with that though as I rarely eat out and usually make my own food.

Carpe Diem: What have been some of the top highlights? 

Gavin: Since New Zealand is fairly good for outdoor adventures, I’m not going to let up any offers. So, in the first week when they offered to take me rafting, I did not hesitate. Though it was their safety training I enjoyed it very much. Since then, some of my biggest highlights during this trip have ranged from time spent on the beach kayaking and paddle boarding, waka racing at Tahuna beach, canyoning in the Abel Tasman, rock climbing in golden bay, a bit of time mountain biking, and spending time on the programs. It makes me glad that I’m working with an outdoor education organization since they ensure my safety for these outings and give me the opportunities to do such things.

Carpe Diem: What have you learned about yourself so far? 

Gavin: Since the start of the program, I have learned and grown into more of an independent person. I’ve been able to take care of my health both mentally and physically, along with taking care of my responsibilities at Whenua Iti. This trip has given me more insight into adulthood and how I maneuver through challenges that arise. It’s also given me a better viewpoint on culture. Though I’ve traveled to Greece and Italy in my previous semester where culture is really rich, I’ve learned more in New Zealand. I had the chance to talk to some of the Māori kids on one of Whenua Iti’s programs and they gave a better insight to what their culture means to them and talks about the idea of living without it is impossible to think of. Relating this back home in the states we eat to eat, we sleep to sleep, and we swim to swim, for the Māori in New Zealand these things have a deeper meaning. They have introductions (mihis), songs (waiatas), prayers (karakias) that they speak in their native language either for food, start their days, set off to sea, or before they go to sleep. The culture is very rich here and being able to learn from them gave me more of an understanding of what culture is.

Inspired by Gavin’s gap year? Learn more about the Latitudes Year and carve out your own journey! 

The post Hello from Down Under! Gavin’s Latitudes Year Journey in New Zealand appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written by Gabriel Cohen, 2022-23 Latitudes Student 

I didn’t know what to expect when I landed in Buenos Aires on January 26th – it was not only my first time in the city, but also my first time in South America. It was a great first impression; I was greeted with stunning weather, green trees and parks, many football shirts and delicious food. The first few days here I walked around the city going to local marketplaces, restaurants and parks. Still riding high off of their World Cup win in December, I took note of the amount of Argentinian national team shirts I saw in a day (24!).

A few days into my stay, I started taking classes at Expanish, a local Spanish language learning and Argentinian immersion program in the neighborhood Belgrano. The school’s warm atmosphere allowed for both challenging yet enjoyable classes and I immediately met friends who I began to hang out with to explore local neighborhoods. We visited a local market, the Mercado de las Pulgas, an antique market featuring all types of furniture and art, and went to a Boca Juniors football game. As my stay continued, I continued to focus on improving my Spanish and exploring. One really fun experience was taking a day trip to Colonia de Sacramento, in Uruguay! Colonia was truly stunning and the day was one to remember for a long time.

Buenos Aires is beautiful and full of art. This includes both street art, which is found across the city – often featuring Argentinian football players – and art museums which have a wide variety of styles and collections across many periods. Similarly, the city has many amazing restaurants. So far, I’ve gone to many local Argentinian restaurants, with the best steak I’ve had my entire life, as well as restaurants featuring food from all over the world, like Venezuela, Vietnam, and the Middle East.

In my free time, I have gone to a number of music events and concerts such as a free music event for “amor al baile” (love of dance) and a percussion-based musical performance. In addition,  every week I go to Mundo Lingo, which is a meet up where people all over the world come to practice their language skills. It’s a great way to meet new people; everyone puts on the flag of whatever country they are from as well as the flags of the languages they want to speak. While there I’ve met people from Germany, Russia, South Korea, Syria and lots of Brazilians, all of various ages and life experiences! I’ve been able to make plans with some of these people and be able to further learn about many different cultures.

Finally, I also began an internship with an organization called LIFE. I work twice a week on the outskirts of Buenos Aires with underprivileged children. There, I set up games, activities and get to know many different kids. It’s a lot of fun and is a good way to give back to communities here. 

Overall my experience in Buenos Aires has been great so far and I’m excited to continue spending more time here and meeting new people. This month I have tickets to go to Lollapalooza Argentina, where I’ll be able to see Drake and Rosalía and will take a trip south to the region of Patagonia. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to spend my second semester with Carpe Diem here!

The post Gabriel’s Latitudes Year Journey in Buenos Aires appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

In 2022, Carpe Diem Education received awards from GoAborad, GoOverseas, and the BCorp community!

As you know, at Carpe Diem, we provide students an opportunity to explore some of the most fascinating regions on Earth, each offering a unique culturally immersive experience. But to us, our work is about more than travel. It’s about helping students find themselves. It’s about helping future leaders identify the ways they can uniquely contribute. It’s about community, true reciprocal exchange, and forging connections.

In 2022, we were recognized by our alumni and community members through several award cycles, shared below. We’d like to express sincere gratitude to all those who contributed to our awards and who continue to be part of our Carpe Diem community – we hope you’ll agree, there’s no other place like it.

From GoOverseas.com

GoOverseas.com is one of the central locations where students and prospective travelers can peruse 15,000+ programs for studying, living, traveling, teaching, and working abroad. Each year, they identify the top rated programs in specific categories, to help guide students toward the best-fit programs. This year, Carpe Diem was recognized as Top 3 in three categories, Support, Housing, and Value.

From GoAbroad.com

GoAbroad.com offers students a complete listing of international programs. Each year, they list the top rated Gap Programs and we were honored to be named a 2022 Top Rated Gap Organization!

From the B Corporation: Best for the World, Community Category   

B Corp operates under the understanding that communities help businesses flourish, and in 2022, they listed the top B Corp certified organizations who ensure their tie between company and community is meaningful. “These B Corps recognized as Best For The World in the Community impact area believe that success should be shared, and they scored in the top 5% of their size group for their efforts in the community, including charitable giving, investment in diversity, and educational opportunities.” We were listed as one of the top Best for the World in Community!

Again, thank you so much to our alumni and community members – we can’t wait to see what 2023 has in store! 

The post Best in Community, Support, Housing & More: Carpe Diem’s 2022 Awards appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

The post Safely arrived in Hawai’i! appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

The post Safely arrived in Guatemala! appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

The Southeast Asia semester students (our friends at Carpe Mundi) have arrived safely! Although tired from their long journey, they’re excited to get started exploring with their two expert leaders, Soumya and Carol. So thrilled to see this group smiling and ready for adventure!

The post Safely arrived in Southeast Asia! appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Italy and Greece students have arrived in Rome and are making their way to their first accommodation – a farm stay where they’ll participate in orientation with their expert leaders, Mara and Ariana. So excited to see what’s in store for this group of adventurers!

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Central America Semester: “Gettin’ Giddy for Guate!”

Greetings from Portland! Abby and Matt here, your Central America OE’s reporting from a cute corner cafe in Portland! We are wrapping up our preparations for an awesome upcoming 10 weeks! Today we participated in a Carpe Diem scavenger hunt around Portland, and in the process have continued learning about and getting to know one another – for example, Abby learned that Matt is both left handed and colorblind (poor Matt!) and Matt has learned that Abby minored in Spanish and History in college, and is a tea enthusiast!

We are getting super excited for all of the adventures, growth and learning that is about to happen! Abby is most excited to see Lago Atitlan at sunrise, while Matt is most excited to talk more about Guatemalan history and culture! We hope you all have your own unique highlights that you are looking forward to and preparing to experience

We are also getting super excited (and yes,a little bit nervous!) to meet all of you, our students! Soon we will all be getting to know one another in the land of tortillas, chicken buses and volcanoes! Until then, we hope you are finishing up all final preparations and getting hyped yourselves!

Some last-minute tips for packing:

As with many things in life, less is more! Remember that you will have to carry all of your things, so pack light!

It will occasionally be a bit chillier than you are likely anticipating – we will be staying at some altitude after all! A good sweatshirt or jacket will be greatly appreciated.

Don’t forget a journal! We will be doing all sorts of reflective activities and discussions, and we will be encouraging all of you to put some of your thoughts and feelings down onto paper!

Financial stuff – make sure you have a card you can use at an ATM! Cash is king in many places that we will be going, and exchanging dollars can be complicated. Also remember to notify your bank of when/where you will be abroad so that they don’t block your card.

No sleeping bag is required for this trip! You are welcome to bring one if you want, but we will always have access to either beds or rented sleeping bags.

Aloha Semester: E Komo Mai!

Aloha from your Overseas Educators Forrest and Fiona! We look forward to welcoming you to Maui in the coming week. As you descend into Kahului, watch for Mauna Kea and Haleakala mountains.

We shared a few packing tips at our last meeting, but here are a few more:

Forrest: Bring extra batteries and sun protection.

Fiona: Please do not bring any sunscreen containing oxybenzone and octinoxate. Source mineral based zinc sunscreen. Anything that can be purchased at Walgreen’s and Costco can be topped up throughout the semester. Please consider bringing a small gift representative of your home to share with guests, such as small amounts of maple syrup or pieces of art.

Co-leader trivia – did you know that…?

Forrest: I have been a carnie in two countries.

Fiona: I am teaching myself to spin wool.

What excites us for the coming semester?

Forrest: I am super excited to see whales.

Fiona: I have never been to Maui! I look forward to meeting all our hosts.

That’s all for now. Take care, a hui hou.

Italy & Greece Semester: Ciao at tutti! 

Ariana and Mara here reporting from Portland! We’re very excited to meet you all soon and get started on this epic adventure! We’re looking forward to getting to know each of you better and wanted to share a bit about ourselves beforehand.

Here are some fun facts about us, take a guess which one of your leaders each piece of trivia applies to! Answers at the bottom 🙂

1) Who has Greek heritage?
Ariana
Mara
Both

2) Who grew up competitively Irish dancing?
Ariana
Mara
Both

3) Who has previously led programs in Hawai’i and Europe?
Ariana
Mara
Both

4) Who has a degree in theater?
Ariana
Mara
Both

5) Who seeks out live music at every opportunity she has?
Ariana
Mara
Both

6) Who has a cat named Coconut?
Ariana
Mara
Both

ANSWER KEY: 1) Both; 2) Ariana; 3) Both; 4) Mara; 5) Mara; 6) Ariana

Before we see you in NYC we wanted to share a few tips and tricks to help you get ready.

Remember to save some space in your bag and make use of packing cubes when in doubt!

Leave your favorite items at home and bring multi purpose items that you don’t mind getting a little wear and tear over the course of the semester.

If you haven’t already tried out your hiking boots, take them for a walk before the trip! You’ll be glad to have them a little worn in before our trek.

Finally, ensure you have a spare change of clothes and any prescription medications in your carry on bag just in case of any luggage delays when we arrive in Rome!

We’re excited to see you all and can’t wait to share the wonders of Greek and Italian history, culture, and cuisine with you soon!

Southeast Asia Semester (Carpe Mundi): Shining Light on a Gray Day

Carpe Mundi is coming full circle. Soumya and Carol met in 2019 when Carol started at Carpe Mundi full time and Soumya started as an Americorps Vista for the year. Now, they are leading PDXChange’s Pon Lue Cohort to Cambodia and Thailand. A lot has changed between then and now, but their love for Portland, exploration, equity and inclusion has not.

Here are some hot, cold, and tepid tips that they have learned over the years about travel:
Unless you are particular about your body products you can find what you need there except menstrual supplies
Bring half as much and twice as much money
Pack a pair of clothes in your carry on

Also— even if you’ve know each other for a long time, (the pandemic doubles years so it’s been a while) there’s still more to learn about each other. Here’s some things we learned chatting, laughing, and tripping around Mississippi and Albina.

1. Soumya thinks she might be growing a mullet. (she says she IS growing a mullet.)
2. Soumya possesses an intuitive compass and Carol is envious.
3. A true treat for Soumya is French fries and always kombucha.
4. If Soumya trips in front of a property she is likely to buy it. (According to her mom).

1. Carol’s handwriting is eerily similar to Soumya’s sister.
2. Say the word booger to see Carol laugh so hard she cannot really make a sound. Thanks Alberto from the 4th grade.
3. Carol doesn’t like when people talk over each other. Also you can laugh at? With? Around Carol to make her smile.

We are so excited to hear our students jam out and see how they are inspired by the musical stylings of Thai and Cambodian music. We can’t wait to see them soak up the wonder of ancient civilization, beautiful architecture and also become increasingly aware of what it means to care about the climate issues far away from ‘home.’

Also, did we mention we look forward to laughing heartily?

The post Meet your 2023 Overseas Educators! appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

I started my semester on February 21 in Cusco Peru, at Pachananda retreat

center. I started my first few days acclimatizing to over 11,000 feet. I am from New York, so the first culture shock was most definitely the difficulties breathing. For my first week I drank chlorophyll in my water to help oxygenate myself and increase my red blood cell count. Such activities resulting from green water, green mustaches outlining my lips, and green poop, very new to me.

I came to Peru to reinvent myself in the last semester of my gap year program, not only did I find myself here in Cusco I also was able to take a yoga teacher training course to become a certified yoga teacher on the side. Successful semester if you ask me. The picturesque landscape, hikes, and ruins bathing the lands of Peru was reason enough to come here, explore, and make my home for 2 months.

I spent my days wandering the markets following the directions my nose brought me. Intoxicating smells erupted from the local markets, San Pedro Market being my favorite and biggest in Cusco. Heads, hearts, and hooves of animals lined some of the aisles, or ceviche counters in the middle accompanied by juice vendors, other aisles filled with fresh or dried fruits and nuts. The front of the market is full of knick-knacks and souvenirs to catch your eye and draw you in. I found myself going in almost daily to pick out my own mangoes and avocado, mangoes as a daily snack and avocado to make guacamole each night for my dinner. The flavor is absolutely unmatched, I have been too spoiled, and I don’t think I could ever return to mangoes or avocados back at home.

During my stay at Pachananda I took part in a yoga teacher training course, with this I am not only a certified yoga instructor but also learned about my inner self more than I have ever before. For me I learned that I am quite an emotional person where before I wasn’t and I care a lot for others and now know what I want to do, career wise, because of this gap year. The beautiful people I met all joined my journey of personal discovery, each person aiding in a new way, shining light on a new attributes of myself and the world. I am so fortunate for my time in Peru, the food, people, and sights. My dad was even able to visit me which was so spectacular, he stayed with me for a week in my bunk bed. We hiked each day and he even joined in on some of my morning or mid day yoga classes.

I was met with an incredible opportunity to visit Machu Picchu during my stay! Oh my god… Absolutely nothing like it, by far the most incredible place I have ever seen in my life. Such breathtaking scenery met each and every glance, I was almost overwhelmed that I live in a world that has such unmatched beauty just on the surface. Truly a trip of a lifetime, everyone needs to see Machu Picchu at least once in their life and try a guinea pig immediately!

The post Yoga Studies In Peru appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written By Flannery, Latitudes Year ’22 Peru

I started my time in Lobitos with three goals:
1. Become conversational in Spanish
2. Learn to surf a short board
3. Make one good friend

Not only were all three of those accomplished with surprising success, but the community of Lobitos (or as I like to call it, Loveitos) revealed to me hundreds of unexpected gifts.

Working with Waves for Development has been a complete joy. I spent the first month living at the simple and yet charming Wavesland. I would wake up at 6 am, put on my wetsuit, and start walking to ‘La Punta’ for a morning surf. Afterwards I ate a breakfast of eggs and fresh fruit that I cooked for myself. The rest of the morning I had time to read, take Spanish classes, or teach English. At Lunch ‘El equipo de Waves’ would meet at Dona’s for some of the best food in the world. These meals quickly became my favorite. Not only was the fresh fish mouth watering but the table would often start with three of us and end with 10. Regardless of the initial language barrier, the community of Lobitos welcomed me with open arms. In the afternoons there was always time for a short nap but around 3 classes would begin. After classes I often would surf again, eat dinner (also delicious, Peruvain food is unbeatable) and spend time with my friends.

Waves offers a safe place for the Kids of Lobitos to have fun and learn. They have Surf, Skate, Art, English and Music Classes. I primarily focused on assisting with the Surf, Art and English programs. Participating in these workshops was an excellent way to get to know the kids, practice my Spanish and enjoy. The students were quite welcoming and charming and after just a short time I became attached. My favorite class of the week was the Girls Surf Club. It was empowering for me to spend time with such excited and motivated young women and to have a space in such a male dominated sport. The team of Waves is composed of hard working and inspiring people such as Henry. The founder of Waves Lobitos. He is beyond one of the most charismatic people I have ever met. He is hard working, intelligent, fun, artful and motivated. I learned so much and every day getting to work with him was a complete pleasure. His dedication to Waves is unmeasurable and his passion is contagious. I have so much respect for what he does. He has made something beautiful, and surrounds himself with a team of also impressive people. All of whom were so warm and welcoming. The organization is making changes on the ground level to further inspire a bright future for these kids. My experience was incredible and I know the next time I have a chunk of time in Lobitos I will return in some fashion.

Lobitos as a town is quite interesting. It’s small, and has its quirks. Running water and electricity are sometimes hard to come by, and economic distress is prevalent. Meanwhile the community and culture is forceful. After only a few weeks it became impossible to walk to the tienda without running into someone I knew. A friendly “hola, qué tal? Chow” are all greetings I will be taking home with me. I expected my Latitudes semester to be a little lonely but it was quite the opposite. Almost every night there is some form of activity, there is a strong essence of music, art and sport everywhere you go. Murals on old buildings, concerts almost three nights a week, salsa dancing, soccer tournaments. It’s sprinkled throughout the town. I found a home in Kapchay, a cultural center run by a friend named Junior. I met so many interesting people and began to work on music of my own. Surfing every day I met friends in the water that soon gave me tips and tricks on how to improve. And now when I go it’s like a group of friends always there to cheer you on. We celebrate each other’s successes. I played soccer one night with the local girls team but got my butt kicked, and was too scared to return. Despite that I still enjoy watching my friends play. There are not enough words to describe my love for Lobitos. I have never had a happier time in my life. It was sublime. I am now leaving with a heavy heart, I have so much respect and I am forever grateful for this experience.

The post The Waves Of Life In Lobitos appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Hello all! The last 2 months I’ve spent in the Dominican Republic have been a blast. Can’t wait to share with you! I am staying in the quaint ocean town of Bayahibe, and through Carpe Diem have been diving with Coral Point Dive Shop. On a typical day I go on 2-3 dives starting early in the morning, then go home to get ready to go out for dinner and to watch the sunset with my friends. I came to the DR (Dominican Republic) with my Open Water Diver PADI Certification, which is the first PADI level of diving. For the first month and a half I spent my time training to get my Advanced, Rescue and Emergency First Responder Ratings, and now I am a certified Divemaster! It was extremely rewarding to hone a skill, and learn a lot about aquatic life along the way. I got to see some pretty crazy things. Here are a few of my favorites down below:

A grumpy old shark couple sleeping in a cave:

A very sweet and very chunky turtle:

This is a sting ray… Don’t touch these…

In the process of getting my dive ratings, once I finished my Advanced Certification, I was granted the privilege of beginning to volunteer with FUNDEMAR. FUNDEMAR, standing for Fundacion Del Estudios Marinos, or Foundation of Marine Studies, is an NGO facilitating local coral reef restoration and Rehabilitation of manatees that have previously experienced captivity. Along with their main focuses they are national stewards for marine life, and have the largest coral reef restoration organizational outreach around the globe. I am very lucky to have a chance to work with them. While I am here I volunteer there at least once a week. The most common things I do are cleaning the organization’s underwater stag coral gardens and collecting sea grass to feed our manatees. Let me introduce you:

This is Pepe. He likes to hang out in the river up north. He is very sweet and always excited to see our boat because we give him lettuce:

And this is Lupita. She’s so cute. Incredibly friendly and kind to humans. I got this picture a couple weeks ago when some friends and I went snorkeling with her:

After finishing my primary dive certifications I have decided to continue my education. I am now Reef Check Certified, which means I am not only pretty good now at Identifying different species of fish, but I participate in monitoring our local reefs and collecting data for a global scientific database. I just finished my Nitrox certification last week and plan to get Deep, Wreck, and Night Diving certifications. This is me doing a Reef Check dive:

This is me at my favorite dive site: St. George. On this dive I went down to 127 ft!

I have had a pretty incredible time here; so much so that I truly do not want to leave. I end my diving internship in early May and plan to spend the rest of the month traveling the whole island with friends. I am indescribably thankful for the opportunity to become a part of this diving family, for these friends and memories that I’ve made along the way. This is what life’s all about.

Divemaster Graduation:

The post Diving In The Dominican Republic appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

So what have you been doing in South Africa? This is a loaded question that I have been asked more and more recently, so here is a blog to depict what my last 2 months at Dreamcatcher have consisted of. So what is Dreamcatcher? A better question is what isn’t Dreamcatcher. Their mission is “…to actively pursue mutually beneficial, responsible tourism, knowledge -and skills transfer and enterprise projects which benefit the local people in communities in Southern Africa.” (Dreamcatcher check out their website for much more info). In super simple terms they’re creating sustainable tourism and self enterprises that directly benefit the people on the ground and not the corporate guy in some office halfway across the world. So now that we’re all caught up on what Dreamcatcher is I’ll share some pictures of what I’ve been up to since words aren’t my strong suit.

I started my journey in Johannesburg where I was with a wonderful local guide named Tefo. Over the course of 3 days we visited apartheid museums, Mandelas house, a cave (hence the hard hat), an Afrikaans monument (the last photo), and surrounding townships (where I got to eat one of my favorite meals I’ve had while I’ve been here).

After my quick stop in Joburg, where I got a feel for the country I was in and got to take a deeper dive into its history, I headed down to Melkhoutfontein. Situated about 4 miles away from the ocean and along South Africa’s Garden Route this is the place I have called home the last 2 months. I live with my new parents (sorry mom and dad) Lorraine and Karil. We play a lot of dominos, eat a lot of really good food, sit out front and watch the world go by, and laugh a lot. This picture was taken in front of the house a couple weeks ago when they accidentally matched. I love it.

When I am not at home you can most likely find me at Dreamcatcher’s home office. This is where the magic happens. Anthea, Dreamcatcher’s founder, spends her days planning prepping communicating and the whole 9 yards for various projects we’re doing and to keep the organization’s wheels moving. She’ll hop in to hang out with us, lead a yoga session, walk in the garden, or make you a mean cup of tea. The rest of the team does various projects that need working on. Karil, Crishene and I spent the first couple weeks in the garden. The 3 of us had a lot of fun tending to the compost, prepping soil, planting seeds, watering the children, and now we wait for little ones to grow big and strong. We all also pitch in with crafting. Karil and Crishene work mainly with making wood crafts such as coat hangers, kitchen utensils, keychains, and more. A little bonus is that the wood we use is from an invader species called the Acacia Cyclops, so by using these trees we’re actually helping the environment around us and getting to make money from its wood. Circular economy, yay! We’ve also gotten the chance to make mosaics on stepping stones and we’re currently working on crochet and knit dolls.

One of Dreamcatcher’s big new projects is one called Back to Front Yard Farming or B2FYF for short. It will consist of the creation of narrow vertical planters to go in front of the houses in the area and the education on how to grow your own food in them. With this project came the wonderful organization Rainbow Trust (check them out http://rainbowtrust.net.za ) that is very similar to Dreamcatcher in its grassroots efforts. Since both of our teams will be starting B2FYF in their respective towns, we got to spend a week with the Rainbow Trust team in Melkhoutfontein to learn all the ins and outs of this project.

I also got the chance to spend about 2 weeks on a nature reserve called Wild Rescue (https://wildrescue.co.za). While I was here I helped with a wide variety of projects around the farm. We filled a truck bed with rocks to build a nursery floor, collected seeds from indigenous plants, planted baby plants to grow in the nursery, went Acacia Cyclops hunting, stopped some pesky little fires that still hadn’t died from a big fire they had a few weeks ago, collected materials from the cottage that had burned, cut grass to feed the tortoises every morning, used floaties and a saw to cut down invasive species in their dam, searched for scorpions with a uv light at night, went to braais, and most importantly baked many sweets. Charlize was tuned to everything animals and Karla to everything plants, so between them I learned a lot about everything around me. There was never a dull moment there and if you’re ever in South Africa and looking to stay where you can be surrounded by nature I recommend Wild Rescue’s accommodation.

One thing I’ve loved about working at Dreamcatcher is that they want you to see as much as you can during your stay. Because of this I’ve gotten to take trips to George, Riversdale, Hermanus, Cape Town and more. One of the first trips I took was one to Anthea’s friend Willie’s farm. Here he grows indigenous flowers to ship out all over the world to be sold in markets. We got to take a scenic truck ride and had a braai all together. Just recently I got to take a quick stop in Hermanus where the organization Rainbow Trust is based. My friends there took me on a day tour to see it all and we had a lot of photoshoots in the process.

So I hope these pictures and captions are sufficient enough to get a glimpse into what my life has looked like the past 2 months in the beautiful country of South Africa.

The post A Photo Journey – South Africa appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written By Gus, Latitudes Year ’22 Thailand

Hello, My name is Gus. I have been living in Thailand for just over two months as an intern at CORE sea. We work Wednesday through Sunday, so we have Monday and Tuesday as our weekend. A normal work day starts with a group meeting at 9 a.m. in the classroom. Stefan and Vicky (our bosses) brief us on where we are diving and what we are doing during the dive. After setting up our equipment, we are picked up by a longtail boat to go diving at around 10 a.m. The dives are usually about one hour long with a 10-20 minute boat ride there and back. Everyone then meets in the lab to input data from the dive after a one hour lunch break. Once all of the data is on the computer, we are free to do whatever for the rest of the day.

One of the best activities for the afternoons after diving is going to one of the many beaches on Koh Phangan. There are isolated beaches to sleep on or more touristy beaches with cafes and restaurants. Another activity is the night markets. Every Saturday and Sunday, there are different open air night markets across the island. These are great to buy any type of food, clothes, or souvenirs.

One of the best days so far was the very first day we arrived at CORE sea. After all of the paperwork and a tour of the building, we were able to explore the nearby area. It was amazing to see all of the forested mountains and pristine beaches, realizing that this would be our living area for the next few months.

This internship and the people we are working with have been amazing. Now I am deciding whether I want to go back to college or make a living off of scuba diving. I would recommend this internship to anyone wanting to get into diving or anyone just trying to learn more about underwater ecosystems.

The post Working in Paradise appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written By Michaela, Latitudes Year ’22 Ecuador

Bienvenidos!
Un día en la vida a Rio Muchacho

For the last 8 weeks, I have been volunteering at Rio Muchacho- an organic farm and ecolodge located in a small valley north of Canoa, on the west coast of Ecuador. It’s pretty difficult to express how special this place is, if you’ve never had the pleasure to visit. It’s a daily occurrence for me to wake up awestruck by this bio diverse area with so many unique plants and animal species. Upon stepping foot onto this 24 acre property it’s impossible not to notice Dario, one of the Co-Founders (who is always sporting an all white outfit) lending a hand in any of his daily rituals (planting, weeding, harvesting,farming). He truly cares so much for this organic farm that he created, and is highly dedicated to expressing his passion to all visitors and volunteers that visit. When he first started Rio Muchacho, the land hardly had any trees due to the primary usage of the land for cattle. Through his years of permaculture work, he has been able to completely transform this piece of land and bring back so much wildlife and plant diversity as well as create a truly self sustainable farm.

Volunteers come from all over the world and I have spent much of my time with volunteers from Germany. Every day a different volunteer will wake up early before breakfast and help feed the animals and clean their areas. Living and working in a true “farm-to table” environment has been life changing.

Breakfast usually consists of a fruit salad, granola, and something that was baked over the fire. My favorite breakfast by far has been fresh baked bread that is rolled up with chocolate nestled inside. Yum!
Every morning after breakfast we harvest whatever is ready. Some days this could be passion fruit or limes and other days it could be eggplant or cucumbers. There are always plenty of okra and green beans to harvest daily. It is quite amazing just how much is grown here at Rio Muchacho and much of the diversity is attributed to the Humboldt current. Where Rio Muchacho is located, both dry climate and wetter climate plants are able to thrive.

The rest of the morning is spent doing other farm work which may be planting seeds, weeding, or preparing mulch beds.
For lunch we usually have soup, rice, beans, other local vegetarian dishes, and juice. The juice is always made fresh and my favorite has been the passion fruit juice.
After lunch we have time to rest and in the afternoon we do other various projects that usually include painting and organizing.
Everyday after our afternoon work, I try to go for a walk, run, or bike ride which is quite invigorating and the scenery here is beautiful. I usually end up at the yoga platform overlooking the river which is very relaxing and tranquil.
Dinner here is fairly quiet, but we are always able to watch the sunset from the kitchen.
What an amazing reward after a day of hard work!

After dinner, I journal, read, or play the guitar to relax. Things wind down here fairly early after sunset, but I am very appreciative to be able to get to bed early.
Weekends are usually spent in Canoa for me, along with the other volunteers. Canoa is the nearest town and has an amazing beach and a bunch of great restaurants. As much as I enjoy being at Rio Muchacho, it is nice to be able to spend an afternoon relaxing at the beach.

I have also been very involved with Ecotourism here at Rio Muchacho. Some days I spend with the visitors, whether that be giving a tour of the farm, walking to the giant tree or “mirador”, or making chocolate with them.

I have been fortunate enough to engage in Spanish lessons with Professor Belen and practice my Spanish everyday as everyone here at Rio Muchacho speaks mostly Spanish.
I was even able to visit my Professor’s hometown and explore the village of Sombreros of Panama of Picoazá. Yes, Panama Hats are made in Ecuador, not Panama! Who knew?!

I have to admit the adjustment to living on an organic farm with composting toilets, rustic housing, and little to no wifi was no easy task in the beginning. However I soon embraced my new way of life and the once in a lifetime opportunities that lay before me. I have learned invaluable lessons about sustainability and permaculture from Dario and the entire staff here that I plan to take back home with me. I couldn’t be more grateful for this experience and what it has taught me. Rio muchacho is such a special place to me and will always have a place in my heart
I hope to return sometime soon.
Adiós por ahora.
Michaela

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Written By Maya, Latitudes Year ’22 Spain

For the past 2 months I have been able to experience the wonderful lifestyle of living on the beautiful Island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Spain. For my Latitudes semester, I chose to do an internship with Biosean, where they focus on whale watching and marine science.

Almost everyday interns were out on the boat helping collect data and guide whale watching tours. The data collection mainly focused on studying the behaviors of cetaceans in the area and boat traffic in the marine protected area. Almost every tour we would see an animal. The most common animals we saw were short finned pilot whales. They are a residential species to the Canary Islands. I’ve also seen Atlantic spotted dolphins, which will swim right next to the boat, jumping beside you and even sometimes splashing water at you. I’ve also seen many bottlenose dolphins, which are the other residential species. I was lucky enough to see a migratory species, the Bryde’s whale, numerous times.

One day on a tour, we went out, even though it was very windy and the swell was huge, but we got so lucky because we found Bryde’s whales surfing in the swell. Our small boat we were on was surrounded by four 16 meter whales playing in the waves around us. During this tour one of the whales swam right under our boat and the water was clear enough where I was able to see it swimming beneath the boat. It was one of the most incredible days I had on this island.

The tours were also conservation focused, where we always tried our best to pick up any plastics we saw during the tours. We also focused on respecting the distance between us and any animal. Surprisingly enough, the animals get very curious of the boat and chose to approach it. During the tours we also used a hydrophone to be able to listen to echolocation and whistles from the animals. As an intern we had responsibilities to help guide tours, collect data, and also plug the data into spreadsheets.

This internship was also filled with other amazing opportunities, not just whale watching. I had the opportunity to scuba dive multiple times, hike on Mount Teide which is the highest mountain in Spain, surf, snorkel, visit natural swimming pools, and explore different cities around the Island.
During my stay in Tenerife I shared an apartment with 3 other girls. They were from Sweden, Italy, and Germany. We had lots of nights learning about each other’s cultures. I also got to work with other interns from Belgium, France, and Argentina. It was an incredible experience being surrounded by people from all over the world. I got to learn so much from everyone’s different cultures.

This internship also allowed me to have my first real experience being fully independent. I quickly had to adapt to living on my own, cooking for myself, grocery shopping, and exploring new places on my own. It was the perfect situation for me to feel confident in myself before starting university in the Fall. I have completely fallen in love with the island of Tenerife and hope one day I can come back again to visit.

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Written By Ava, Latitudes Year ’22 Nepal

After a long and tiring 48 hour travel expedition, I finally was able to step out of the airport and into the busy and highly energetic city of Kathmandu, Nepal. I was swiftly greeted by Sarala, one of Trek to Teach’s organizers and members. From this moment on, my time in Nepal has been filled with some of the most amazing, exciting, fulfilling, and challenging experiences I’ve ever had. My first week in Kathmandu was crammed with sightseeing, orientations, and adjusting to the 14 hour time difference. As Sarala and others helped me prepare for teaching in the village of Ghandruk, I was also preparing myself for the 5 day trek to Poon Hill, that eventually would end in arriving in Ghandruk. Suman, Trek to Teaches’ trekking guide, helped me find great deals on trekking gear and other odds and ends that I needed (you can get gear for SO cheap in Nepal!!). From Kathmandu, Suman and I took the 8 hour bus ride all the way to Pokhara, which is a wild experience in itself. It is a BUMPY ride with amazing views of countless cities and villages along the way. The next two days in Pokhara was a lovely change of scenery away from the constant busyness of the big city. We were able to get a short practice hike in and some amazing sightseeing around the lake, before we headed up to Nayapul- the beginning of our trek. As we drove up, I finally got my first glimpse of the Himalayas- a feeling and a moment I know I’ll never forget.

The Poon hill trek takes you through the never ending, and ever changing landscapes of rural Nepal. Blisters on my feet formed as we walked hours through winding roads, stone covered villages, jungles, and finally the Himalayan mountain range that surrounds you at the top of Poon Hill.

I was filled with excitement and anticipation for village life as we entered Ghandruk. Since arriving, I’ve been welcomed with open arms and many warm smiles from everyone in the village. Adjusting to this new environment has been challenging but has slowly become a community I feel connected to. Sapana, one of the cooks, and her daughter/my host sister, Sostika, as well as my host mom and dad, have truly embraced me as part of their family despite the challenges that come with having a language barrier.

My days start with breakfast with my host family before school starts at 10:00am. I teach grades Kindergarten- Grade 6, and end my days around 4:00pm. Teaching has been one of the most challenging yet fulfilling learning experiences I’ve ever had, and presents a set of new surprises each and every day. I’ve learned to enjoy the simplicity of everyday life in the village, and often fill my afternoons with short hikes, drinking tea with friends, or trying to learn how to cook with my host family! Although my time teaching in the village is coming to a bittersweet end, I’m excited for the next few weeks I have to explore more of Nepal! Getting the opportunity to meet so many amazing people has opened the doors to being able to plan treks to Annapurna Base Camp as well as Everest Base Camp with new friends. Traveling by myself was daunting in the beginning, but I’ve found the value of the experiences cultivated from truly being pushed out of my comfort zone and finding the independence and adventure that comes with it.

Sincerely,
Ava

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Written By Emma, Latitudes Year ’22 Thailand

Hey! My name is Emma Neuman, and I have been living in an ecovillage in Udon Thani, Thailand, for about a month and a half now, and it has arguably been one of, if not the, most incredible and purposeful experiences in my 18 years of life. I was initially very nervous at the prospect of traveling to a country as well as a continent that I had never been to all on my own. I have traveled internationally before with my family, and practiced a more hands-on approach in my fall semester with Carpe Diem this year, however, it is still a completely different experience when you set out on an unknown world all alone. I would argue this is a highly effective way to get to know yourself that much better, as well as, convince yourself that you are in fact capable of more than you would have thought.

When I set off on my first ‘lone-wolf’ flight across the world, I soon came to understand how empowering it was to fly and travel with only myself, especially as a young woman. I think my first realization was how small interactions and chance encounters make all the difference; starting up a conversation or sharing a moment of travel mishaps with a complete stranger who in all likelihood you will never cross paths with again, carries its own kind of beauty and value. I think it gives me that much more faith in humanity to know that we can all have an effect on each other’s lives and who we are, without needing to be repetitively or permanently in said lives.

After landing in Thailand, I spent my first week down south in Phuket for quarantine purposes. However, during that time, I was still able to enjoy the mesmerizingly clear blue waters and vivid skies along the beach where I was staying. This buffer of time, though it was forced by a global pandemic, gave me the ability to find comfort in solitude and differentiate it from loneliness; learning what I enjoy about myself through my thoughts, hobbies, and perspectives (ex. I quickly learned the value of journaling said thoughts and questions). Not only that, but it also allowed me to get that much more excited about the prospect of community living once I would arrive at the Gaia Ashram Ecovillage, where I would spend my next two months learning about Permaculture and Regenerative Living as an intern.

Humidity is usually not my strong suit, especially because I grew up in Vermont, USA, where I am used to colder temperate weather, so it was partially a relief when I traveled up to North East Thailand to start my education and volunteer journey at Gaia Ashram. Therefore, when I first landed up north, I was greeted by a beautifully calm and spectacularly dry sunset through the rainforest trees of Udon Thani, followed by Tom, one of the founders of Gaia, as well as another Gaia volunteer who had just spent the weekend in Udon Thani. In the forty-five minute drive back to the village, I took in my surroundings, marveling at the highly common use of motorbikes, noticing how the hazy sky bled the sun’s colors further towards the edges of the horizon, and learning that in our truck of three, three different countries were already represented.

In my first week at Gaia, I fell into its energy flow easily and comfortably, because the daily structures are designed to embrace newcomers whilst simultaneously easily phasing out those who are leaving. Our days begin with optional meditation and yoga at the crack of dawn from 5:30am to 7:00am, followed by breakfast at 7:30am, and then our morning meeting at 8:45am, which leads into our morning session until lunch at half past noon. After lunch, we have time for ourselves; a perfect opportunity to read, journal, explore, or go for a swim, until our afternoon sessions start again from 2:30pm to 5 o’clock in the evening. We eventually end our day with optional dance and meditation, and finally dinner at 7:00pm. All of our meals and chores are community based and easily versatile based on our needs, as well as each meal is led with a blessing and practice of gratitude. Each morning we set our intentions for the day and evaluate energy levels, as well as give the opportunity to address any concerns or questions.

What first struck me about Gaia was how easily vulnerable and open anyone could be because there are no expectations to be anyone else other than who you are in this experience; since it is just that, a learning experience. Our days are guided by the wonderful Om and Tom, who facilitate a space of laughter and comfort, as well as perspective, purpose, and honesty through their teachings. I knew going into my internship that I would have the opportunity to explore permaculture and the idea of deep ecology. What I did not expect was the potent amount of self discovery and life perspective I would find and undergo. As a freshly new adult, who is still figuring out who I am, what I want, and how I want to live my life, Gaia coincidentally ended up being precisely what I needed and could benefit from at this time in my life. It has allowed me to discover what I value, how much I genuinely like myself, and soak in incredible experience, which honestly is all I could possibly ask for out of a gap year. Not only have I learned about myself and my natural world, I have also had the opportunity to meet the most extraordinary people, who carry wildly different stories, perspectives, goals, and journeys, yet still bond with you so quickly because of our shared Gaia Experience.

As an intern, I am currently applying myself by creating a promotional booklet/brochure for Gaia Ashram to hand out at their café in order to explain and present in depth all of the practices and mindsets explored here at Gaia, giving me the chance to fully understand multiple different regenerative practices, that range from vermicomposting to agroforestry to water harvesting, as well as apply my artistic value in the diagrams and drawings needed. Additionally, during my research process, I have been able to present my findings and facilitate group understandings of how ecovillage and permaculture principles and ethics are directly applied into the things we volunteers interact with daily.

Outside of my daily routine and internship, I have explored the vibrant markets of Nong Khai, as well as breathtaking national parks alongside fellow Gaia members.

All in all, it is surreal to think I have already been here at Gaia Ashram for six weeks and am leaving in only four. It brilliantly became my own oasis, with people I have grown to love and an environment that will be heartbreaking to leave. Consequently, I highly recommend Gaia Ashram, especially to those who want to learn, self-discover, and rediscover what they want for themselves. Additionally, I would argue it is that much more valuable to come with only you. I hope my snapshots of my life can give you a better understanding of this semester of my life and that you can embark on an adventure similar to mine.

Until next time!

Emma

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Written By Eli, Latitudes Year ’22 Spain

Hola de La Costa Del Sol in beautiful Southern Spain! Soy Eli and I am excited to share with you what life is like in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. I have been living in the wonderful, historic city of Málaga, which is located in the Andalusia region of Spain. Over the last six weeks, I have been studying Spanish, exploring the southwestern corner of Europe, and immersing myself in Spanish culture.
My first few weeks here were spent with a lovely, caring host named Sophie. She is an extremely kind, hospitable, and intelligent woman. She speaks four languages including English, but we tried to speak Spanish as much as possible since I am still in the early stages of learning the language and need all the practice I can get.

One of the first adjustments I had to make here was learning the differences between España Spanish and Latin American Spanish. I had to temporarily abandon some of the words and concepts I learned during my first classes in Guatemala and Costa Rica. Por Ejemplo, in Spain a car is called a coche instead of a carro, which is what I was used to. I also quickly learned that one of my favorite drinks has a different name. One of my first café experiences taught me this. I was planning on ordering a jugo de naranja (orange juice) and while looking at the menu I discovered that juice in Spain was called zuma, not jugo. I also had to incorporate “Vale” into my new Spanish vocabulary. I never heard this word in Central America but it is very common here in España. It is basically the Spanish way of saying “okay.” As far as grammar goes, I also had to incorporate “Vosotros” into my lexicon as in Latin America you use “Ustedes” instead.

There are many more linguistic differences I could discuss, but adjusting to this new dialect was not too difficult. Perhaps the most difficult part of my time here in Málaga was catching a case of Gastroenteritis at the beginning of my stay. I still don’t know if it was caused by some bad ahi tuna or something else, but I do know that spending almost a week in bed with unbearable stomach pain was not a good way to spend my second week abroad. Especially when the only things my stomach could handle were small amounts of bread, chips and Powerade. Luckily Sophie was extremely helpful in getting me to the doctor and translating for me at the reception desk. She was awesome and I am still in contact with her even though I moved out over four weeks ago.

After my two and a half weeks in the homestay, I moved into an apartment across the Rio Guadalmedina in Central Málaga. This area of town quickly became my favorite part of town, as there are lots of restaurants, cafés, shops, and entertainment. It is also very close to Playa de La Farola, my favorite beach in the city. Some days I do not even leave this part of town because everything I need is so close to my apartment. My roommates are extremely nice too and I have quickly become friends with them. They call all different parts of the world home, from Japan to Denmark. I love learning about them and the culture of their home countries.

That brings me to another favorite part of life in Europe, meeting people from all around and discussing each other’s cultures. At OnSpain, my Spanish school, I have met people from all around the world: Brazilians, Moroccans, South Koreans, and many more. Discussions with my classmates make me want to visit, explore and learn more about their country. It is one of the main reasons I love my school. Another reason I love my school is because of my wonderful teachers, Pedro and Andreas. I have only known them for about six weeks but I would already call both of them friends. Pedro teaches me grammar in the morning from 9:30-11:30. Usually grammar class in any language would be boring and dull but Pedro makes it fun with his unique personality and effective teaching style. From 12-1:30 I have Andreas for conversation class. This class is exactly what it sounds like. We basically talk about whoever, whatever, whenever. It may seem like a waste of school time but it is actually an amazing way to practice your Spanish skills and how to apply them to everyday life. This class is where I learn the most vocabulary. We have all sorts of discussions, such as fun ones that have us laughing until tears fill our eyes and serious ones where we discuss real-world problems. It is easy to forget I am in school during this time because the conversation is so natural and Andreas is always interested in what we have to say. Anytime there is a slight stall in the dialogue he asks us “¿qué más? ¿qué más?”

Perhaps my favorite aspect of my school schedule is the fact that we finish at 1:30. My after-school afternoon activities vary widely. Some days I swim in the Mediterranean sea with my classmates, other days I go straight to a Spanish restaurant and enjoy some Tapas. Some days I visit local landmarks such as the Picasso Museum or the Castillo de Gibralfaro, other days I relax in the sun and journal on the terrace at my apartment building. I enjoy exploring the city on foot and it seems like even six weeks in I am still discovering new parts. I love walking down the street where I can watch street performers and admire beautiful street art directly inspired by Málaga native Pablo Picasso. Dinner is usually at 9:30-10:30 in Spain which I thought was absolutely preposterous when I arrived. However, a few weeks in, I was eating at 10 every night without even thinking twice about it.

My weekend activities vary widely as well. I have explored the region by bicycle, going westward 20 km up the coast to the community of Chichles. Biking is one of my favorite activities as I find it very peaceful and refreshing. The following day I biked up north to visit the scenic and picturesque Botanical gardens of Málaga. I was lucky enough to be in Málaga when the annual carnival took place. It is perhaps the biggest festival in Malaga and is a weekend full of concerts, street performances, parades, parties, fashion shows, and celebrations of Spanish heritage and culture. There is arguably no better way to become familiar with Málaga than through the carnival. Confetti flies through the air everywhere and bands of singing men in costumes line the streets telling jokes and performing songs. It is really unlike anything else. Unfortunately, I missed the second weekend of the carnival, but for a great reason. I visited the beautiful city of Lisbon, Portugal. I could write pages of why this city is magical and like no other city, but I will just recommend that you go see it for yourself if you ever have the chance. I also got to see the most western point of Europe on the coast. This previous weekend I had the privilege to visit Caminito del Ray, where I hiked on suspension bridges high above a beautiful teal river.

The following day I was watching monkeys steal apples from a man’s bag on top of the rock of Gibraltar. Both places were absolutely stunning and I am already itching to go back to both. I also caught my second Málaga C.F. game, which was a 0-0 tie. I have only been a fan of the futbol team for about a month and a half now, but it seems like longer. The atmosphere at the games is incredible and the local fans have a burning passion for the game. Even though there were no goals scored in the game on Saturday, I still had a great time waving my Málaga C.F. scarf in the air and cheering on my new favorite sports team with my friends. Some weekend trips I am looking forward to in the future include the Spanish cities of Sevilla, Cadiz, and the African country of Morocco, which is only 80 miles south of Málaga.

I don’t think I could single out one specific favorite part of my time here in the Costa del Sol. It has all been one whole life-changing experience that has sparked interest in many different ideas, cultures, and places. Sometimes when you see your friends in the U.S. almost reaching the halfway point of University, it is easy to overthink and worry that starting college a little bit later will be tough, but in reality, no typical straight-out-of-high-school college experience can replace the people, experiences, and things you encounter on a gap year. Traveling is perhaps the best form of education there is, and I will forever be grateful I took a gap year to this wonderful part of the world.
Signing off from Málaga Spain,
Adios,
Eli

The post La Dulce Vida en Málaga appeared first on International Gap Year Programs | Carpe Diem Education.

Written By Calvin, Latitudes Year ’22 Thailand

Hi! My name is Calvin Koscinski and I’ve been living in Thailand for just over a month. When I first landed in Thailand I was extremely sleep deprived despite spending the last 20 hours sitting on a plane or sitting in an airport. Note to Self: Don’t try to catch up on a whole season of multiple shows when you could be sleeping. However, I didn’t let that get in the way of my first experiences on the island. I was able to meet Amanda, a friend from my first semester, while I was waiting for a flight in Doha. Gus, another friend from my last semester, was delayed a couple days so he met up with me and Amanda when he landed.

Over the course of my first week on the island I completed my Open Water and Advanced Open Water Dive Certifications with Gus and Amanda, got one hell of a sunburn… sorry mom…, and to top it all off I had so much fun walking around trying to find some food. It was definitely some of the best Thai food I’ve had up until the other day, but I’ll get to that later. Once I had completed my dive courses, I packed up my stuff, mainly just clothes, toiletries, and the stuff my mom insisted I take with me, and hopped on a plane to Koh Samui. We spent three days on Koh Samui resting and relaxing after a long week of 10 dives (for comparison I am currently diving five days a week with two days off) and lots of exploring.

After three days of long naps and lots of food, we made our way to Koh Phangan by ferry. Since then I’ve been working with COREsea, a marine conservation and research center based in Chalok Lum, diving 5 times a week to collect data with a variety of methods for a variety of marine life categories. I love collecting giant clam measurements the most because of the fact that you look at an area that is 5×50 meters and all you have to do is look at the crazy different varieties of life that you don’t get to see as much from the surface. It’s such an amazing feeling to float around and see so many different creatures and structures both natural and manmade. Besides diving we also analyze the data that we collect. Some examples are fish population, coral predator counts, and coral cover. When I’m not diving or analyzing data I’m at a beach, playing cards, eating, or sleeping.

The other day Gus, James, and I went to go see a waterfall and ended up not finding it so we went to a beach that had an amazing view. We spent some time swimming and then went for food and found a place that had the best curries I’ve ever had. I tried their green and red curry and they were so good but also way more different than I had expected. The red curry was super sweet while the green had the perfect amount of heat to it so it got more spicy with every bite but not to the point where you would need to wipe your nose after every three bites.

I can’t wait to see what comes next!!
– Calvin

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