Program Reviews

My gap year in Bolivia opened my mind up to different ways of being and living in this world. I met so many wonderful people and was exposed to many new things. While my time there was sometimes challenging, it allowed me to step out of my comfort zone. The lessons I learned about myself and my values still shape who I am today. I also had the opportunity to learn more about Bolivian history and culture as well as reflect on United States history and culture, especially as it relates to South America.

I took this trip (2.5 month semester program) between graduating high school and starting college to explore and discover a different way of life away from the American standard. What I did not realize about this trip is that it provided me a place and space (with our fabulous group and instructors) to dive into the essence of myself and rediscover the passions I'd lost in the busyness of school. I was always slightly homesick for most of the trip but once I came home I experienced reverse culture shock which was fascinating to me. I was able to see my own family life, culture, and old habits in a new light. I look back on my trip very fondly, even if it was challenging at times. The instructor team was absolutely stacked. You could tell that this wasn't just a job for them but a passion and a lifestyle. This was easily seen in their relationships with students and their knowledge and dedication to their environment and work. From my impression the Where There Be Dragons program was very well connected and close with communities in which we stayed or explored in. There seemed to be authentic relationships between our instructors, the overall program, and locals. We had extensive briefing on Nepali culture, customs, and language as a group before we went out in the open. We also had classes whilst in our city homestay that were taught by guest speakers, the instructor team, our even fellow peers that ranged from gentrification, food privilege, Honey hunting in Nepal, Learning Service (voluntourism), What Happens to Our trash, Compost, etc.. Our group of 13 students and 3 instructors still keep in touch over a WhatsApp group chat sharing memories from the trip.

Words of advice:
-Journal everyday, even little things. It is so worth it and will be so fun to share with loved ones back home
-Bring a lot of hiking socks (5-8 pairs)
-don't get wrapped up in checking your personal email--it definitely makes you more homesick
-bring the vitamins they recommend and just take them everyday as a precaution
-leave behind pre conceived notions of yourself and "who you are". Challenge your beliefs!
-bring a big travel duffel to store your pack in (one kid's backpack broke through TSA)

Cons:
-not a racially diverse group of students
-the food was toooooooo good but a tad hard on my tummy with all the rice (big bloat)

The Where There Be Dragons trip to Nepal is incredible. The instructors were highly qualified, adaptive, and most importantly, knowledgeable and passionate about Nepali culture. They were able to share once in a lifetime experiences with us through their extensive knowledge of Nepal and vast network of connections throughout the area. The other participants on the trip were very kind, but also gritty and ready to take on challenges. The trip attracted a very diverse and interesting group of people that I am so grateful to have shared this experience with. There were some challenges on the trip related to living conditions and food, but all the participants were prepared and the instructors supported us through any hardship. Overall, it was a truly a positively life changing experience.

This experience was one of the most unique experiences I've ever had. I had such an amazing time that I dont even think that if I went back, it would be the same. Regardless of which program suits you, you will, no doubt, receive amazing instructors and meet new people that you wont forget for the rest of you life. And where ever you choose to go, WTBD will make sure that you get the most unique experiences that place has to offer. On these programs, you get to look back into the history and understand why the ground you're standing on is the way it is today. When I went to MachuPicchu, I learned that this mountain we call "Big Mountain" in the local language, doesnt actually have a name. I highly recommend going on a program with WTBD, it will be an experience of a lifetime.

My experience in Bolivia was amazing and completely changed my life. I met some of the most incredible people and learned so much about the bolivian culture from the homestays and getting the opportunity to be fully immersed in their traditions. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone who seeks an adventure but also a learning experience. I would especially recommend this trip to anyone who wants to be pushed outside their comfort zone and explore different aspects of the world that might aid them in their personal growth.

I decided to take a gap year after graduation. It has been a dream of mine to travel the world meaningfully. I did the summer program, and this was the perfect first step for me! It got me out of my comfort zone, find my chains of expectations and break them, and allowed me to learn more about myself than I had for most of my life. I got to see amazing views, and meet amazing people, while doing the things that I love. I would 100% recommend this organization for those who have a heart for adventure!

The Where There Be Dragons summer program in Senegal was the opportunity of a lifetime to really experience another culture with no filters. Students were really allowed to interact and BE in the culture, rather than just looking at it or learning about it from afar. I'll never forget sitting on a mat under the stars with my homestay family, learning simple words in Pulaar, eating grilled corn, looking at a sky full of thousands of stars, and the last evening with them when we danced late into the night under the full moon.

On my Dragons gap semester, I was sexually harassed by another student on the program. I came forward about my experience, but nothing was done. I was very traumatized by the incident and reached out again in tears but still nothing was done for the remainder of the program. The student was not talked to, sent home or required to room alone. I followed up with Dragons after to inquire about why nothing was done and the current (writing this in 2025) South Asia Program Coordinator's response was something along the lines of: serious situations like these can be difficult to talk about so we didn't want to bring it up to you. If they knew how serious it was, why was nothing done? I then reached out directly to the current Executive Director of Dragons who was not able to acknowledge that the sexual harassment was seriously mishandled/not handled at all. He gave a long explanation about how they have an improved understanding of co-gender dynamics which doesn't apply to this situation since the perpetrator was also a woman. I suspect that is the reason the situation had no response. I do feel that they mean well, but lack either the education to respond to sexual misconduct appropriately or a good communication system between headquarters and the in-country staff. Either way, their deficiencies resulted in my suffering.

I decided to spend a semester of my gap year with Dragons because I wanted to challenge myself. It certainly was a challenge, but it was so worth it.
Varanasi is a beautiful, colorful city, unlike any place I had ever seen before. There is so much to explore. I loved sharing meals with my homestay family.
After a fast-paced six weeks in bustling Varanasi, Ladakh offered me much-needed peace and space to reflect. I hope to one day return to the Himalayas.
In India, I encountered for the first time various physical and mental limitations, and worked through the difficult process of figuring out which of those limitations I need to accept and which ones need to be challenged. I made incredible bonds with people I never would have met otherwise. I learned that I am capable of so much more than I thought possible.

My experience with Dragons played an integral role in defining my values and determining the person I am today. The Dragons community is also one of the best I've ever been a part of. There were of course ups and down, but what I was exposed to and learned about myself and the world have changed the way I see everything since. Being part of a small traveling community of ten students and three instructors was also perhaps the most beautiful thing I've ever been a part of. Not only did the programming push and challenge me, but so did my peers. Every semester is a bit different, so I can't speak to specifics, but certain conversations with locals I'm sure to remember for a long while. Our theme was "Resistir es Bella," To Resist is Beautiful. The program did a great job balancing fun + goofiness with intense conversations about the reality of injustice in our world. The program turned my worldview upside down and inside out, and I am absolutely better because of it, as well as more at peace with my place in it, and more sure of who I want to be.