After 2 bus rides, a taxi ride, a ferry, and a van ride, the group successfully left Matagulpa, and arrived at the Bona Fide permaculture farm on the island of Omatepe, located in Lake Nicaragua. We’ve spent the past week getting up bright and early, and tasking ourselves with a variety of jobs such as hauling firewood and rice husks, weeding the gardens, and trailblazing with machetes. We’ve adjusted to… Read More
After an epic (and highly successful!) travel day we arrived on the island of Ometepe, which will be our home for the next two weeks. Sunday morning started early when we met at the bus terminal in Matagalpa and, under the direction of our student travel leader, we purchased tickets to Managua and piled onto the bus, while our packs were secured to the roof of the repurposed yellow school… Read More
This week we took on the challenge of diving head first into our first homestay experience in Matagalpa, Nicaragua and successfully completed a week of Spanish classes at Colibri Escuela de Español. Spanish, sleep, and eat isn´t all we did though, we were priviledged to participate in various activities that gave us the full cultural experience of this incredible town. We had a full week of challenging, fun, and new… Read More
This is the first blog of many but the only one by me… We arrived at the spanish school on Sunday and it was amazing!! The first thing that we all noticed was all the amazing scenery and all the green. Coming from the city with all the noise to just nothing but silence for the most part. The only exceptions are all the dogs and roosters that constanly keep… Read More
We have finished orientation (wow, that was fast) and the group really seems to like one another. Here are some snapshots of the highlights from our orientation: walking to a lake on the edge of town at sunset for the culmination of our first day; dance-bathing in the rain as an afternoon shower moved through town; exploring our new surroundings during a scavenger hunt; and having ample opportunity to connect… Read More
After a night of travel, we’ve received word that the QUETZAL crew has arrived in Nicaragua. They were picked up from the airport in a lovely Nicaraguan bus, and just arrived at their hostel in Masaya, where they are sitting down for brunch! They are tired, but happy to be there. They are looking forward to some food, some rest, and then to dive into orientation. Stay tuned for more… Read More
From all over the USA, the Central America QUETZAL students have made it safely to LAX and are together as a group for the first time! They are checked in for their flight to Nicaragua, and are getting ready to head through security and begin their journey together. Everyone is excited, and happy to finally meet one another. We wish them much learning, laughter, joy and adventure over the next… Read More
Here we come Central America!!!
We are so excited to finally meet as a whole group and adventure southward. With just a few days left until you leave remember to: 1) breathe 2) take time to yourself and envision what you hope to gain from your semester and, most importantly 3) enjoy some good ice cream or sweet treats to reward yourself for choosing to challenge yourself and grow during… Read More
To Our Dear Quetzal Queens,
Another day has dawned and the sun is shining once more on the glittering ocean. Coffee has been consumed, balingas — ahem, excuse me, baleadas — have been eaten, and all is well here in Roatan…. But it’s not the same without you! As great as this little golden island in the Caribbean is, it’s safe to say: WE MISS YOU!
By now, you are… Read More
A belated post from the yoga farm:
!Buenos Dias familia y amigos!
It’s been another amazing week here in Guatemala. This last Saturday (11/21), we arrived at the Mystical Yoga Farm for a week of reflection, relaxation, and what we like to call, “hippie training”. At a location only accessible by small boat, or “lancha”, this farm settled on the shore of Lago Atitlan can be described as nothing if… Read More
This week we started out on a treacherous trek through cloud forest about an hour outside of Xela. After about 10 minutes of walking the wind picked up and the mist begin. The trails became very slick as we began to climb the steep hills ahead of us. Even though we were assured that the trail was flat by our guide, we quickly figured out that wasn’t what we should… Read More
!Hola muchachos! This week the Quetzal Queens and Kevin nested in Quetzaltenango; we finally made it home! Well, maybe not, but the time is flying by.
Our homestay families here were awesome. Everyone enjoyed some thrilling nights with their fams watching classic movies dubbed into Spanish with fun new names like, “Que Paso Ayer?”, “Los x hombres”, “Alecia en el lugar de los Maravillosas”, etc. Pop those into a translator… Read More
Wow! Week 7 already??!!
This week we stayed in a small rural community near Xela, Guatemala. We stayed at the school called Escuela de la Montaña! Though we lived at the school, we ate our meals with families in the community. Most of the meals included lots of tortillas, beans, vegetables, and sometimes pasta. I think everyone avaraged about 15 tortillas per day at least! All the families made them… Read More
Hola familias y amigos!
WOW what a week it’s been! We arrived safely in Guatemala City on Tuesday and were greeted at the airport by our two new hosts, Alfredo and Ricard, who picked us up in their incredible yellow VW van. They took us to a three-story building in the heart of the city, the home of their organization G-22. The first floor was the hostel area, where we… Read More
Hola, loved ones! After our brief return to civilization in San Juan Del Sur, we jumped off the grid again on the beautifully untouched coast of Costa Rica, where we spent a week at a sea turtle conservation and research center. When we arrived, we stood in silence as our jaws dropped at a nearly 360 degree view of untouched coastal wilderness. Palm trees sagging with coconuts scattered the beaches… Read More
The ocean.. what a treat she was to us. After making a trip on a ferry midst a thunderstorm from Ometepe to hopping on a bus to San Juan del Sur, Nica, the gentle waves of the Pacific were beaconing us. We arrived at Casa del Oro, a sweet set up of a hostal, Mitch (from Bona Fide) from Bona Fide manages. Settling in, our tummy growls navigated us to… Read More
Una semana luego… (in Spongebob tone)
Talk about the great outdoors this week! And when I say “great,” I MEAN it. This island and everything on it is truly MAGICAL. Not only are all of our meals completely fresh and natural, but literally the whole system of the Bona Fide farm and our way of living is all natural. First off (well, there really is no “first” because it’s a… Read More
