Where There Be Dragons

Where There Be Dragons

Why choose Where There Be Dragons?

Dragons has offered immersive and responsible Gap Year and Summer Abroad programs in Asia, Latin America, and Africa for over 30 years. Engaging as travelers, not tourists, programs give students the rare opportunity to genuinely experience the places they travel and meaningfully connect across cultures. Each small-group program is custom-crafted by expert instructors and combines 9-hands on program components such as homestay, trekking, and language learning. With Dragons, students gain new perspectives, knowledge, and skills needed to be more active and resilient participants in the world.

Scholarships

Where There Be Dragons Financial Aid & 529 Funds

Where There Be Dragons offers need-based financial aid to students that demonstrate reasonable financial need and are excited to engage with communities around the world.

Diversity & Inclusion

Unfortunately, discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, and skin tone exists in different forms all over the world. In some destinations, especially rural or ethnically homogenous areas, people may not have had much exposure to racial diversity. As such, people with certain physical characteristics may experience unwanted attention. Most commonly, this might include staring, insensitive comments, people taking your photo (with or without asking), or attempts to touch your skin or hair. Black students traveling in parts of Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and North Africa have often reported higher levels of unwanted attention than their peers. White students traveling in parts of Asia and Africa have also reported receiving unwanted attention. Students are encouraged to communicate with staff if they feel their personal boundaries are being violated or if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable in any situation. We encourage you to believe your peers if/when they share experiences like this with you.
Social, cultural, religious, political, and legal attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community vary around the world. According to the Global Acceptance Index, average levels of acceptance for LGBTQ+ people around the world have been increasing since 1981. However, many countries where Dragons operates programs may have social discrimination or even laws against being LGBTQ+. We have safely supported LGBTQ+ students in all of our program areas, and provide specific cultural and geographic advice to help students stay safe on course.

In some cases, students may be advised not to speak about their sexual orientations and/or gender identities with local contacts (such as homestay families, ISP mentors, language teachers, and guest speakers) due to safety concerns. Likewise, transgender and non-binary students may have to choose to present outwardly as male or female in certain contexts during the program. In other cases, “coming out” to some or all host community members may be a safe choice.
For students with neuro-differences (such as dyslexia, ADHD, ASD, TS, and dyspraxia), it is important to be aware that neurodiversity is likely viewed differently abroad than at home. People might not be familiar with labels or terms that are very common where you come from. If you struggle with lots of external stimuli, you should be prepared that you will be in some environments that are louder and busier than what you are used to.
If you are a student with a physical disability, you might encounter challenges around accessibility than you have at home. Many of the places we travel at Dragons don’t have building codes or other regulations in place to support people with visual, hearing, or mobility impairments. You may need accommodations or support that you don’t usually require in your life at home.

Impact

Dragons defines responsible travel as travel that is culturally conscious, environmentally responsible, and focused on developing meaningful connections and mutual respect in the communities to which we travel. Over the course of Dragons 25+ year history, we have cultivated long-standing relationships with respected community leaders, academics, social entrepreneurs and professionals involved in environmental and cultural preservation. In the more than 20 countries in which Dragons has operated, we have steadfastly adhered to minimum impact travel, an accurate and informed understanding of place, and the realization of maximum benefit for the communities we visit.
Dragons believes that we need to shift the way we think of volunteer travel. Instead of focusing on “service work”—on the idea that short-term volunteers can contribute to communities abroad—we advocate a paradigm shift: we choose, instead, to focus on “learning service.”

Learning Service is a holistic experience that combines an intimate and authentic engagement with the local community, the study of effective development, and the contribution to an established community-driven project. It is the process of living, working alongside, and humbly absorbing the culture of those being served while coordinating closely with project managers to understand the trajectory of the project, from inception to completion and beyond. It is an acknowledgment that often it is the volunteer who stands to gain as much or more from the work. And it is a commitment to making contributions that create positive impacts in the communities coupled with the humility to always listen and learn first.

Reviews

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Juliet
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Where There be Dragons Nepal semester

The Dragons Nepal program changed my life in so many ways. From gaining new skills, to making new connections, to seeing from new perspectives, every day during the semester was full of growth. The connections that dragons has in Nepal create opportunities that you wouldn't be able to find anywhere else, such as learning from local artisans and world-renowned artists, becoming truly immersed in the culture through homestays and participation in community events, extensive language study, trekking, and more! This program has inspired me and taught me so much about the world as well as myself and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in taking a gap year.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
During Tihar, a Nepali holiday, my homestay family had a wide variety of different dishes perpared for the ceremony, mainly many cuts of meat. One of the most notable was a fried buffalo brain- I tried it, and I definitely wouldn't call it my favorite thing in the world.
Pros
  • Making lasting connections with the group, instructors, and people in the community
  • learning skills such as communication, leadership, and independence
  • beautiful views!
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Sam
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Perspective Expanding Experience

I loved my time with Dragons. The instructors were kind, fun, and incredibly knowlegeable about Nepal. I loved my group and feel that I made some of my closest friendships on the trip despite the relatively short timespan of two and a half months. Both of my homestay families were wonderful and I learned a great deal from both of them, creating strong and meaningful connections. The program allowed me to be challenged and have a great adventure while being supported and safe throughout. Thank you Dragons!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would absolutely still have gone to the monastery in Patan, meditating with two elderly monks most afternoons. That said, if I could change one thing about the trip I would have worn long sleeves while doing this, as it likely would have prevented me from getting Dengue Fever. Advice to all going to Nepal: be very mindful of mosquitoes when at low to medium elevations!
Pros
  • Wonderfully kind and supportive group and instructors
  • Time to explore on my own
  • The ability to customize my experience to suit my interests
Cons
  • None!
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Dora
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing Experience

Going on this semester trip was life changing in so many ways. My group traveled around Morocco and Spain and we spent the whole time learning so much about the history of where we were, how it all tied together, and immersing ourselves in new cultures. The instructors were so knowledgeable and their passion for sharing fun facts, helping us meet new people, and making sure we were able to learn all we wanted truly made this trip invaluable. We got to experience history by walking through ruins and palaces, and the whole atmosphere encouraged learning and immersing ourselves in the experience.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
I tried so many new foods, but the craziest had to be black pudding. I hadn’t even heard of it before this trip, and while I won’t be eating it every day, I tried it and can say I liked it!
Pros
  • Cool guest speakers
  • No phones so no social media!
  • Homestay opportunities in many different places
Cons
  • Travelers stomach 🤢
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Beau
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The monkey comes out of the sleeve

It was one of the best experiences of my life, thank you so much. Had an amazing time. The instructors were very interesting, and smart and helped us a lot with our growth during the program. The people we met were so special and I really want to come back and visit everybody. The group was so fun, I made friends for life and I recommend this program to everyone who wants to do something different and challenging. You will have the best time of your life.

What was your funniest moment?
Karaoke with the group
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Anna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A meaningful 3 months

My Nepal gap semester program with Dragons was one of the most memorable and special experiences of my life. The various activities organized by instructors, such as creating and sharing life maps, ensured that everyone in the group got to really know each other and get comfortable with everyone. This really helped foster a strong group dynamic.

Throughout my course, I was surprised at the amount of freedom/free time that we as students were given. Whether it was in the quiet village or the big bustling city setting, there was time to explore, shop, and perhaps most importantly, practice our language skills with locals.

I think the Nepal gap semester program offers a well-rounded and rich experience. From getting to plan a part of the trip to living with families in rural and urban settings and trekking with a whole crew of porters\cooks under the watchful gaze of the Himalayas, this program has something for everyone. I couldn’t recommend it more!!

Programs

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I chose this program because Dragons wasn’t a typical abroad company. They go off the beaten path, they have great resources in-country, and they explore in a way that embodies ethical travel and respecting the local community. Dragons also emphasize traveling with an open mind and open heart, something that I value most while going abroad.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Dragons were so great with assisting me. They organized a general layout of the itinerary, along with providing students with packing lists and vivid directions as to how to acquire insurance, visas, passports etc. Dragons also provided medication, which is something that can be a huge challenge for travelers. They were fully equipped with any and all medication needed by the students in-country.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

I guarantee that there will be times when traveling with Dragons where you will feel out of your comfort zone. I’m not talking dangerous situations, I’m talking adapting to challenging situations that haven't been presented to you yet. Embrace this opportunity, don’t shy away from it. I believe people learn the most from situations that involve pushing yourself slightly more than you're used to. Be sure to welcome these experiences.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

One of the many beauties of Dragons is that the itineraries are subject to change given the availability of opportunities on course. For example, if the Dalai Lama is near a Dragons group, they may try and see him as opposed to doing another scheduled activity. The amount of flexibility within each program really separates Dragons from the rest. In terms of what an average day/week may look like, it really may be a multitude of things. Or we could wake up in a homestay, help our families with daily activities, meet with our groups for ISPs, and then have a very open afternoon. It all depends.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I have never been that good at picking up foreign languages. Whether it’s in a classroom or abroad, I always felt I was one step behind everybody else. However the language lessons on Dragons courses are so unbelievably amazing. It’s focused on oral pronunciation, so it’s actually useful for when we speak to locals or our homestay families. Dragons also provides students with a respectable amount of words and phrases to focus on, so our skills are developed but the students aren’t overwhelmed with the amount presented to them. I also realized I picked it up much faster than I realized because when you are living in homes that speak the language, you get much better at the language much faster. I looked forward to every language lesson we had!

How much freedom did the students have on designing the daily itinerary?

Lots! Feedback and student input are a largely emphasized among the Dragons community, so students had lots of influence when it came to molding the itinerary. Also, throughout the course of the program, there were roles assigned to each student, and one of the roles was a leader position. Leaders were in charge of various things, but one of them was partially designing the day's itinerary.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Hilary LeBlanc

Job Title
Admissions Associate and Field Instructor
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Hilary has worked for Dragons since 2016. She is lucky enough to be able to split her time between the Admissions Department in the Boulder office, and the field as a Summer Instructor in India and Rwanda.

What is your favorite travel memory?

I think that one of my favorite memories was during our rural homestay last summer in Sitong, a small community in West Bengal. Our students were helping out one morning planting rice in a nearby paddy. It ultimately turned into a mud fight with the local kids. Afterwards, everyone went down to the river to rinse off, swim, and enjoy a picnic lunch together. For everyone involved, it felt like a day of just pure genuine fun!

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

I think that beyond specific stories from return students about something they experienced on a program, I love hearing about what students do with their lives upon completion of a Dragons course.

Dragons helps students learn more about themselves, and has the capacity to inspire new passions, and provide trajectory in a direction that a student might not have previously imagined.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I have always been intrigued by our course in Indonesia. All of our programs travel to places radically different than what most of our students have ever experienced, but this is one that has always stood out to me. Perhaps it is the fact that I lived in Colorado where water is scarce, and many of the communities we spent time with in Indonesia lead lives that are so intimately tied to the ocean.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

There are a number of things that make Dragons unique, but what I feel most proud of is our community of instructors. Dragons hires instructors who are true experts in the countries in which they run programs, and they are passionate about sharing that with students.

Every season, each instructor team carefully crafts an itinerary that follows a certain theme or emphasis but is also totally unique. Rather than the office drafting up an itinerary, contracting out to providers in country, and handing all these plans over to instructors, we allow instructors to use their own local knowledge, contacts, and resources to design the itinerary.

They are bringing students to communities where they themselves have lived and worked. This allows students access to places they might otherwise not be able to go to or even know existed. It’s a fair amount of work but the result is truly transformative for students.

Professional Associations

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