Carpe Diem Education | East Africa Semester: Community Development and Education

Why did you decide to study abroad with Carpe Diem?

Rebecca: After looking into other study abroad programs I knew that Carpe Diem was the one when I read their mission and vision on their website. One of their main philosophies is that volunteering, working side by side with a community, is the best way to bridge the cultural divide, and by doing this you are communicating something that words simply cannot. Before Carpe Diem I spent 3 months volunteering in Ghana, West Africa where I had the opportunity to see many different non profits at work. One of the main things I came away with was the strong feeling that non profits and volunteers must work alongside communities, they must not put themselves on a pedestal and come in with the “I know everything” mentality. When I read that this was one of Carpe Diem’s main philosophies, I knew this was the organization I wanted to go with.

What made this experience unique and special?

Rebecca: What makes Carpe Diem unique is their focus on community and personal development. Carpe’s program is set up so you are never sitting in a classroom for 9 hours a day, they embrace the philosophy that the world is your classroom. We learned about farming in the highlands of southern Tanzania, ocean life on the island of Zanzibar, and rhino poaching in central Uganda, these are things you would never learn inside a four walled classroom. The communities that you work with become your teachers, friends, and mentors and end up teaching you some incredible lessons.

Your group leaders and other students become your family, and push you outside your comfort zone like nobody else can. Outside your comfort zone is where personal growth and development takes place, whether that be teaching in front of a 60 student class, ordering dinner for the group in the local language, or planning transport from point A to point B.

How has this experience impacted your future?

Rebecca: Personally, my experience in East Africa brought me 6 people who I now consider my closest friends and people who inspire and motivate me daily to dream bigger and take leaps of faith. Besides best friends, Carpe Diem East Africa helped solidify my future plans. As mentioned before, I spent 3 months in Ghana the summer before I did Carpe Diem, and knew I was planning to spend my life in Africa working on community development projects, but throughout my time in East Africa we volunteered with amazing organizations, individuals, and communities, and I left knowing this is the field I will spend my entire life in. Since Carpe Diem I’ve been back to Ghana, broke ground on an Education Center I’m building there, developed a non profit, and will be moving there within a year. Carpe Diem set these plans into motion with lots of support, guidance, and encouragement.

What is one piece of advice you'd give future Carpe-Africa students?

Rebecca: One piece of advice I’d give to future Carpe Africa students is to come into the trip with an open mind ready for new experiences and opportunities. The trip will not be like anything you’ve experienced before and you should be open to that. You will be put in situations that will make you uncomfortable and nervous, but you will learn a lot about yourself from those encounters. In my opinion, the East Africa trip is very unique and special because of the environment, communities, destinations, and the extremely welcoming and friendly East African culture.

What position do you currently hold at Carpe Diem and what has been your career path thus far?

Heather: Prior to working with Carpe Diem, I both worked in Environmental Education and led high school summer programs abroad. Currently, I am the Latin America Programs Director at Carpe Diem. I started with Carpe Diem in 2008, as an Overseas Educator traveling with groups of students in a variety of regions. I led 6 semesters as an Overseas Educator, 3 of which were in Latin America. When I first came into the office, it was as the Latitudes Director, where I helped students find independent volunteer placements abroad. After a year, I transitioned to work with the Latin America programs.

What country have you always wanted to visit?

Heather: While I’ve cumulatively spent many years in Central and South America, I’ve not yet been to Spain. That’s currently high on my list, to experience a different perspective on Spanish language and culture. I’d also love to visit Southern India. I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Northern India, but haven’t been to the south and I hear it’s wonderful – and very different than the north.

Why is language learning and cultural immersion important to you?

Heather: It gives a whole new way to experience the world! Speaking another language and living life in ways that are different than my “normal” day to day helps me to be open-minded to other experiences and ways of living. It challenges my assumptions and encourages me to reflect on how I live my life.

How have you changed/grown since working for Carpe Diem?

Heather: I’ve become more flexible and learned to let go of expectations. I’ve learned to see myself as a leader and now work to empower students and co-workers as leaders too. I’ve also been able to find more balance in my life and have found ways to be joyful not only while traveling, but also while working at our office in Portland.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

Heather: I love hearing from students in the years after their experience with Carpe Diem. So many of my former students have gone on to travel, volunteer, work and live abroad, its hard to choose just one. One of the first students I worked with has gone on to a PhD program now and is doing research in Guatemala – where she traveled as a Carpe Diem student. Another student has gone on to join the Peace Corps. Another traveled back to a small community in Thailand to visit his former homestay family and maintain connections, despite a lack of shared language. Its lovely to see hear about the impact these experiences have had on students.