The most enlightening three months of my life

The semester I spent in East Africa was one like no other. Not only did I meet a tremendous group of people, I also met myself. I chose to do a gap semester following high school and before college, during a trying time when I found myself questioning decisions made and my future. Carpe Diem created an itinerary aligning with my passions and field of interest, public health. The time I spent with my peers completing projects and truly immersing ourselves in the community (hello spending three weeks camping in the bush and on safari right away!) solidified the path I wanted to take professionally. While that direction changed a bit over the years, the memories and experiences I took away from my semester stay with me and have played a role in shaping the person I am today. The primary focus for these semesters is cultural immersion and connecting with the community via volunteer projects. This was true indeed but of course we had some play. Even then, we did activities that I would have never dreamed of doing, like white water rafting in the Nile. Carpe Diem gave me the opportunity of a lifetime and I will cherish the people and memories I made along the way.