Program Reviews

I was part of the East Africa program and traveled for three months. I was also part of the future connect program at pcc and was eligible for the Carpe Mundi sub program. Carpe diem is a great mix of travel, education, and travel education! I learned how to talk in the Swahili at Swahili school, volunteered at a rhino sanctuary and learned about the extinction of rhinos, learned how to rent my own hostel, and how to buy bus tickets in a foreign country! I learned so many valuable things that I will hold with me forever.

Deciding to participate in a Carpe program during my gap year was probably one of the best decisions of my life. It was so amazing to travel in a country by truly getting to know the people who live there and the culture. An authentic, immersive experience is something Carpe prioritizes and everything we did felt very intentional. The home stays were a wonderful experience that helped me improve my Spanish and it was great to get to know locals on a personal level. There was a really well balanced mix of hiking, Spanish school, team-building, exploring, and independent time. Our Overseas Educators were incredibly supportive and helped create a positive, safe environment which I appreciated. I wouldn't trade the weeks I had with Carpe for anything--I gained new perspectives, met amazing people, and developed a greater sense of self confidence. I think that everyone would benefit from a gap year, and especially with a Carpe program!

If I could give this program an 11/10 I would. I've grown as a student, an independent traveler, and a person because of this experience. It's amazing how fast you can pick up a language when you're surrounded by it 24/7, and how fast you become friends with people you've never met when your traveling and living together. I learned so much Spanish and so much about sustainability, but also about the food, culture and history of Guatemala and my own privilege as someone with an American passport.
I only got to experience 5 weeks of my spring CA trip because of the Covid19 pandemic, but I still made friends (Carpe students, my OEs, and locals) and had experiences that I will treasure for the rest of my life. If anything my trip getting cut short made me value my time in Guatemala even more. The team at headquarters and my wonderful OEs handled the stressful and heartbreaking task of getting us on a flight out the country before the borders closed with grace and professionalism. I never felt unsafe and I'm so grateful for them.

It is hard to think it has been ten years since my Carpe Diem semester in Central America because I still remember it so vividly. I went into the program as a second semester freshman in college because I wanted to try something new and I wanted to challenge myself with a different experience. My semester changed my life. I learned a lot about myself and what I was truly capable of. I learned that I liked to be a leader and that is was okay to be uncomfortable in new situations, I learned that my homestays were one of the most unique experiences that I would ever get. At the end of my four months I had friends and experiences that would help me in any situation. The ability to receive college credit was extremely beneficial and was one of my deciding factors. This was one of the most rewarding experiences and I wish I could do it again.

The first thing that comes to mind is how much fun I have had. To be honest I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I signed up and showed up to the airport to go on this adventure. I thought it would be hard and a learning experience. Which it was. It's not easy at times to travel in in a group or in a third world country etc. but they are far outweighed by how much fun it is. The people I talked to, the life long friendships I made my group, the games, the laughs, learning a new language, the places we visited and all the other little things.These are things I things I didn't account for and had no idea the immense effect this trip would have on the rest of my life and the amount of joy they would give me.

I loved the carpe Diem East Africa program! I had a great time there and still look back at my time with so much love! I’ve learned so much about the world around me and myself and everyday I still find myself connecting things in my everyday life to my time in East Africa. I especially love the retreat, it really was an emotional experience for EVERYONE. But we all came out of it so happy and at peace. The trekking was insane with amazing scenery! I couldn’t believe my eyes!! And the scuba diving was wonderful! And of course the safari. Seriously everything was amazing. And volunteering with SNEC was really something. Jonathan was wonderful to work with! I had a few problems that also the stopped me from going on the trip but Jonathan and everyone at Carpe Diem were so wonderful and so helpful! They made sure everything went smoothly and did everything possible for me to go on this trip. I really felt like they were fighting for me which was wonderful!

I come from a town in Colorado where taking a gap year has never really been heard of. I remember sitting through classes during my junior year of high school thinking about how much I didn't want to go to college but had no idea on how to justify that to my family. Then, I found Carpe Diem.
I cannot even begin to explain how profoundly this past semester has impacted my life. I have had some of the most impactful experiences this semester--like in our remote Fijian village, at our yoga/meditation retreat in Australia, and in the Great Barrier Reef. I went into this program with uncertainty, fear, and loss of direction; I have left Carpe as a completely changed individual. I have gained so many new values I now carry into my day-to-day life. I feel exceptionally confident in my abilities as a solo traveler. I have made friends on this program that I still talk to everyday. If you are looking for an exceptional gap year program that will seriously challenge the way you think about the world (and life, for that matter), Carpe Diem is it.

Carpe Diem was incredible!! It was exactly what I needed after graduating high school and being tired of the traditional educational model. I went on the Central America program and I learned so much and had a fantastic time. I loved the home stays, the Spanish lessons, the trek, my instructors and my group. Each came with a few challenges but only the healthy kind and by the end of the trip I wasn’t ready to go home. Being home afterwards I am filled with a sense of gratitude that I got to go and of wonder because I really feel that I became a different, better, braver version of myself during the program. I bonded well with my group and connected to the curriculum and to the places we stayed. I am a little surprised to say that I am a big fan of the no cell phones policy because I felt that it gave me fewer opportunities to be homesick and more opportunities to connect with my group mates. Before the trip I considered myself an introvert and I was worried that I might not get enough time to myself. By the end I didn’t want to be alone because I loved my group so much: best possible outcome. I would highly recommend Carpe Diem to students who are interested in alternative education and in learning about other cultures. I would definitely recommend the Central America program to anyone who is interested in polishing their Spanish if you feel that your high school Spanish classes aren’t doing you justice. Choosing Carpe Diem is one of the best decisions I have ever made and I hope that if you choose Carpe that you’ll feel the same.

My experience in this South America Carpe Diem program was incredible. My Spanish language skills improved drastically, and so did the skills of everyone in the group. We had students who had never spoken Spanish before and by the end of the trip they were conversational! Some themes continue throughout the program such as permaculture, coffee production, and the government, so it’s easy to learn about the subjects from many different perspectives. Our contacts were amazing and I still keep in touch with a few of them. Although this was not the case for everyone in my group, my homestay experiences were not very personal, and at times felt more like a bed and breakfast. I was hoping to build strong connections with my homestay families as I have done in the past, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. Again, other members of my group had different experiences with host families. I am a Latitudes student, and am so excited to begin my volunteer placement soon! I believe that my experiences on this group semester have definitely prepared me to travel more independently.

I had an amazing time on this trip, from seeing so many new places and working with so many cool organizations to meeting people I know I will stay in contact with for life. This program taught me how to question the way I live my life by pushing myself out of my comfort zone and always being open to learning more. Learning Spanish throughout the trip also greatly helped with being able to feel like we were really working with the communities rather than just passing by like tourists. We were able to talk to so many interesting people along the way such as Guatemalan guerrilla fighters which gave us new perspectives on the history and culture we were learning. Homestays were my favorite because all of the families were very welcoming and patient with our many questions and difficulties speaking Spanish. This was a trip I will never forget and I would very highly recommend it to anyone who is thinking about joining!