Program Reviews

I had the most amazing time on this trip. I saw incredible things from the bustling streets of Taipei to black sand beaches on the coast of Yilan to the beautiful mountainous landscape behind my host family house. I met amazing people and will remember this trip for the rest of my life. I ate amazing food. For bubble tea lovers, it’s everywhere. Taiwan is clean, beautiful, and calming. The people are very nice to foreign travelers and the culture as a whole is just perfect. My instructors were amazing and my group buddies were so nice. These trips help you make so many new friends and at the same time, you get to learn more about the world around you. You understand a culture that is vastly different but at the same time, parallel to your own. It’s an amazing experience that will make you never want to leave.

I just got home from 2 weeks in Guatemala. It was a great trip with some really fun kids. We did 4-hours of Spanish classes almost every day, which was definitely more than I was expecting. But I learned a lot in a short time. I expected more hiking but there was only a pretty easy day-hike up a waterfall- my favorite day. The homestays were great & the towns we visited were really cool. I really liked when we got to meet some rappers in Xela. The bus ride to Lake Atitlan was not easy & I wish I’d taken dramamine. Mostly the people made it a really awesome trip and we had a lot of fun.

The Dragons Indonesia summer program was an incredibly valuable experience on multiple levels. The instructors were so helpful and supportive throughout the month and I learned a large amount from them. I appreciate how they supported our group in pushing us to try new things and challenge our own perspectives in a positive way. My group was amazing and I definitely made friendships that I will continue to nurture in the future. For me, the homestays were truly the most amazing experience. Throughout the month I had two homestays. I learned so much from each family and the connections that I made with them will be something that I cherish forever. One thing that I love about Dragons is the importance of really being immersed in the culture. I experienced this through language classes every morning, group discussions, my ISP, and so much more. I had the opportunity to do martial arts (Silat) for my ISP and it was amazing! The skills and lessons I learned in Indonesia I will definitely take with me into the future!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!!

My experiences in the Nepal semester with Where There Be Dragons were truly life changing. Where There Be Dragons is an incredibly thoughtful organization that cultivates educational and community building trips. The program components give students the tools to be successful travelers and the instructors encourage independence at every turn. I would wholeheartedly recommend the Nepal program for any student seeking to embark on a gap semester. Dragons has strong connections throughout Nepal and the program features a diverse set of experiences including trekking, homestays, Buddhist studies, and language learning. I had a wonderful instructor team and all of the individuals I met who were connected to Dragons are amazing. If you are seeking to grow as an individual, leader, and global citizen through travel, this program is the perfect fit!

My semester in Guatemala (ended a week ago!) was truly the most transformative time in my life. Not only did my Spanish become almost fluent, but I learned so much about Guatemalan history and culture and about myself. The home stays were perfectly coordinated and matched to build deep relationships, and all of the activities were thoughtfully chosen and executed to bring the best and most profound experience. I cannot say enough about Dragons! It was definitely exhausting and difficult, but worth every second of it. The instructors were super supportive but also let me have my own experience - dragons teaches you how to teach yourself! There’s a lot of independence and self initiative needed to get the most out of a dragons experience, so come ready to put in the work to really enjoy your time.