Be Here Now: Unplugging Abroad

carpediem Portland Headquarters
On all of our Carpe Diem gap year programs, we politely ask that students leave their cell phones, computers, and any other wi-fi devices at home for the duration. “WHAT?!! 3 MONTHS WITHOUT AN iPHONE?!  OMG!  WTF!  LMFAO!” The above response, though imaginary, is not far removed from what we sometimes receive. In the environment of today, “unplugging” is often seen as a radical gesture, something for neo-Luddites or social… Read More

Dylan at Amazoonica, Ecuador

carpediem Latitudes Year
From Dylan S.  So how can I explain the time I've spent in the amazon so far? Hot, sticky, sweaty, smelly, itchy, and wet… But despite everything I own growing a thick layer of mold, I've loved every second of it. I've been volunteering at Amazoonico, an animal rescue center near Tena, Ecuador. I wake up at 6:30 and work 5 days a week until anywhere from 5:00 to 10:30 pm. Mostly feeding… Read More

Buddhist ways of life

carpediem South Pacific- WALKABOUT
Hello everyone! We arrived in Noosa and had three days to just relax on the beach, hit the shops and cafe, as well as check out the National Park.  It was a good time for us all to rejuvenate from our packed stay in Fiji.   We then went to Chenrezing Buddhist Institute in Sunshine Coast Australia.  We've been here for a week learning the Buddhist lifestyle.  We attended a… Read More

Safari, Holistic Living, and Onward Journeys!

carpediem East Africa- NKULA
from Marley and Monica Once upon a time, eleven wazungu went into the wild. These are the things they saw…. lions, tigers, bears oh my! Just kidding about the tigers and bears, but the lions were a thing. Oddly enough, two out of the three times we saw these lions, momma and papa were doing the “downtown shuffle”. In those moments we all felt that we were right inside of… Read More

In Australia!

carpediem South Pacific- HONGI
A week ago we parted from our host families and Rabulu village with tears and heavy hearts but excited for the fun times ahead. This past week was our free travel week, which means that the students decide everything, including the food, how we get around, activities, and even the places we stay. After a challenging search, we agreed to spend the week in the Vatia Beach Resort, in a… Read More

Bula Bula

carpediem South Pacific- HONGI
  Bula! This past week in Rabulu Village was spent getting to know our host families and falling into the pace of village life. Some of us went horseback riding to local swimming holes, while others went fishing and watched the village rugby team play in a local tournament. On Wednesday, we went to the Fiji Water plant to get an inside look at the production process. On Thursday, we… Read More

If being too scared or too “comfortable” is your excuse, it’s also every indication that you need to try

carpediem Latitudes Year
  At the beginning of my trip to Ecuador I thought I would be able to draw countless parallels between the experiences I had last semester in the South Pacific and the experiences I would have in South America. However, I was very wrong. I also thought that I was prepared completely for the adventure I was entering. And literally, I was. I had my backpack, steri pen, Spanish- English… Read More

On What It Means to Be Alive: The Wisdom and Diversity of Humanity

carpediem Portland Headquarters
What does it mean to be alive? All around this vast earth, every human and every culture asks this question. The diversity of languages, religions, traditions, stories, and artwork is an attempt at an answer. Whether traveling across the world or exploring our own backyards, tapping in to the collective wisdom is a vital part of our own journey.     Wade Davis defines the ethnosphere  as “the sum total… Read More

Student Directed Travel!

carpediem South Pacific- WALKABOUT
Bula friends and family,                 This past week has been our free travel! As a group we found a great local hostel in Coral Coast right on the beach.  The hospitality and smiles of the Fijian people has welcomed us into their lives.  The hostel offered many activities to choose when and what we wanted to do.  We took advantage of the day trip to islands where we got to… Read More

Feed Your Wanderlust with These 6 Inspirational Talks

carpediem Portland Headquarters
Daydreaming about adventure? Restless with wanderlust? Wonder what it would be like to sail around the world or curious about indigenous peoples of the Amazon? Us too. Here at Carpe Diem we’re always looking for ways to fuel that desire to explore. That’s why we’d love to introduce you to these TED talks. Fair warning: you might need to clear out your schedule for the rest of the day because… Read More

Surfing through the Waves

carpediem Latitudes Year, Uncategorized
I really hadnt thought to much about what adventures were coming my way, the people I was going to meet, or things I was going to see.  I was pretty open to whatever Peru had to offer and eager to get down there and start my journey.   My backpack is only about half full as I really dont need much, knowing that the majority of my time will be… Read More

On Retreat: Reflecting on Carpe Diem’s Vision

carpediem Portland Headquarters
"Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning." ~Gloria Steinem The Vision I work amongst dreamers. We believe in possibilities, in saying yes, and in all of the infinite potential of this world and of each other. We believe in the extraordinary, and we believe in the power of "what if…" We value growth and transformation, and … Read More

Adventuring in our last week in NZ!

carpediem South Pacific- HONGI
Our group arrived at "Blue Mountain Adventure Center" and the first day we got to canoe across a lake to the island where we camped under a tarp listening to the rain. We learned how not to leave a trace in the outdoors and shared personal stories as the sun went down. The next day we went caving after we canoed back from the island. We all thought it was… Read More

Welcome to our Blog: Reflections from Portland Headquarters

carpediem Portland Headquarters
“I believe everyone should have a broad picture of how the universe operates and our place in it. It is a basic human desire. And it also puts our worries in perspective.” -Stephen Hawking For many years we have proudly hosted student blogs on our website, giving our students a platform to process and share their share their travel experiences with their friends and family back home.  Since our first … Read More

The Family Farm

carpediem South Pacific- HONGI
Howdy Y'all, Hope everyone is doing great back in the States. Here in New Zealand we have been working hard on the Hart Family Farm. So far we have learned all about sustainable farming and how to appreciate where our food comes from. All of the meals that the students have prepared have featured food that came directly from the farm, even the meat! One night we had the opportunity… Read More

Namaste Nepal

carpediem Latitudes Year
Namaste Nepal! I will have successfully completed my third week in Kathmandu as of tomorrow. I have to admit, this isn't quiet what I expected but I can't be more pleased with my placement here with ELI. I am currently living in a volunteer house with five other volunteers with two others just having left this morning. The first couple of days all of us spent our time on tours… Read More

From the Marae

carpediem South Pacific- HONGI
Kia Ora!   We made it from Christchurch to Rapaki, where we've been staying at the Marae! We started our very first day with the Profity ceremony, where we exchanged songs with the Maori people and had a delicious welcome meal. With no time to waste, we got straight to work! We started off working at a local stream conservation where we sickled and weeded out all the dead plants.… Read More

10 Best Photos in FREE FOR ALL from #CDEphotos2014

carpediem #CDEphotos2014
Wrapping up the final week of the 2014 Photo Contest, we celebrate the passion and the expression of the individual with our #FREEFORALL category. This grab bag category has brought forth a range of wonderful photos, memories, and expriences from across the globle. As we conclude this season's photo contest, we want to thank everyone who has shared their photos with our community.  May you continue to capture inspiring moments… Read More