For the most part, our week was relatively quiet. Everyone had Spanish lessons, either in the mornings or the afternoon, depending on skill level, which left half the day to roam free and explore the city of Arequipa. The real height of our trip was the weekend trek the group chose to do, through the Colca Canyon. As we learned, it is one of the largest canyons in the world,… Read More
Hello all! I’m checking in here from Koh Tao, a small island off the coast of Thailand where the sun is hot and the water is blue. I am here working as an intern with the New Heaven Reef Conservation Program which is actively trying to protect and restore the ocean ecosystem around Koh Tao. On an average day I’ll wake up and be at the dive school by 9am.… Read More
It’s crazy to think about where I was one year ago. I was in my second semester of my senior year, frustrated and worried about my future. I had applied to several universities, and was starting to hear back, rejection and acceptance letters, and began to feel like I was being led down a path that didn’t feel right for me. It was my mom who actually suggested that I… Read More
Dear loved ones,
After a beautiful excursion through the pristine wilderness of the Himalayas, we’ve stopped in the rolling hills of Darjeeling for a few days of rest. We’ve found great food, atmosphere, and an amazing abundance of tea in Darjeeling. However, tonight is our last night here and we’ll be moving onwards to Rishikesh for a week long yoga retreat in the morning. There is no stopping the powerful… Read More
Greetings friends, family, and whomever else that is reading this blog!
This afternoon the Shiva group has arrived to Udaipur and was promptly treated to a filling and delicious Thali plate lunch by the wonderful Rishi Ji (I may or may not have fallen into a food coma while creating this post). We just completed our village home stays and teaching English to and all girls’ school. I would say… Read More
Namaste. We have been trekking in the Himalayas, far away from Internet cafes. Here is our hand written blog post from midway through our time in the mountains. We are heading to Darjeeling today, so stay tuned.… Read More
Hello from Phnom Penh! We’ve had another jam-packed week here in Cambodia. Our last few days at PTD in Battambang included a field trip to the Phare Ponleu Selpak Circus, which is run by a nonprofit arts school that helps disadvantaged children. We really enjoyed watching all of the complicated acrobatics. Although we were sad to leave the children and staff members we befriended during our time at PTD, all… Read More
Hello from Matagalpa. We traveled from our student directed travel weekend in Granada on a 3 hour bus ride to Matagalpa. The climate is a lot cooler here than it was in Granada. We have been here for about a week, studying at the spanish school. It is a little bit different because we are not doing one on ones, instead we are with smaller groups based on our level… Read More
Living on the other side of the world… An idea I would never have seen coming a year ago as I put an end to my tenure in high school. To live day in and day out in a different part of the world generates so many positive experiences with so many different incredible people. The worst part of my days are when the majestic wild dolphins living in Koombana… Read More
Our final days of Thailand flew by in a daze of heat and adventure. After and exhausting day of long bus rides and an overnight, 11 hour sleeper train, we finally arrived in Ayutthaya at 5am from Chiang Mai. We then stumbled to our hostel, with the help of three Tuk Tuk’s, confused and tired. After settling in and a quick nap, we started our long day of adventure throughout… Read More
A lot has happened this past week and a half and like a toddler with a tower of Legos, I’m about to break it down for y’all. After a month and some time we’ve finally been through our first desert city here in India which was Jaisalmer and boy did it get hot. We finally got see how a gingerbread man/woman in an oven feels like but aside from the… Read More
After surviving innumerable twists and turns of Otavalos mountainy roads, the group stepped off in the small town of Pucara, comprised of 35 families in total. After being fed a filling meal of rice, beans and meat, it was time for the welcoming ceremony.
Sitting in a row, we watched the villagers speak, welcoming us to the town and inviting us to participate in a set of traditional games. Despite… Read More
Hot dirt brushes along steaming pavement, dogs pant, sweaty children play, the devious sun beats relentlessly down on anything brave enough not to seek shade. I hide out in the relative coolness of the office where the remnants of air conditioning still linger from an earlier meeting. The weeks here in Potrero, Costa Rica seem to have come and gone more quickly than my initial, fleeting hope that it might… Read More
We’ve made it to Fiji! After a few hiccups (missing bags etc.) we finally arrived in Nadi and boy was it HOT! After a brief ride through the streets, and checking in at Bamboo Backpackers, we were eager to find a way to escape the heat. Fortunately for us, there was a pool, right on the beach, and it naturally ended up being where we spent most of our down… Read More
WOW. We are about halfway through now. evryone is having the time of their lives. we just got back from a short stint in playa gigante. our first stop in the country of Nicaragua! it is very hot here much hotter than everywhere we have been so far the stuggles have just brought us together more and helping eachother through homesickness makes us all feel more like family. we are… Read More
Hello World!
Greetings from Kolkata! It is Paulo Alfaro writing on behalf of the India Shanti Group!
For the second straight week I have been appointed Blogger. As always, every week here in beautiful India has been a completely different, challenging, unbelievable, yet fascinating adventure. Since arriving in Kolkota the past Sunday, we have been volunteering for Missionaries of Charity. An non-profit organization established by the great Mother Teresa a… Read More
Last week we were at an amazing eco-hostel and sustainability project called G-22. It was started by architect Alfredo Maul when he returned to his home country of Guatemala from studying and working abroad. It focuses on staying sustainable in an ever-changing urban environment. He uses many innovative practices like composting organic waste and collecting rainwater, even reusing use sink water to wash dishes and flush toilets. Alfredo used many… Read More
Auckland, the City of Sails, heart of New Zealand’s city life, as well as a nice change from the rest of our trip. For the past month, we’ve roamed beaches, milked cows and collected chicken eggs, hiked legendary peaks, mountain biked and trekked (or tramped as the kiwi’s say) through the vast expanse of National park. We’ve learned about permaculture from people who treat it as a lifestyle, as well… Read More
