A year worthwhile

My experience with Carpe Diem was life changing. I spent my group semester in East Africa and then returned to Uganda for my latitudes semester. My group semester was spent volunteering at orphanages, learning about local communities, going to yoga and meditation retreats and so much more. Every stop provided new challenges and new learning opportunities that culminated in the most educational, fun, inspiring and transformative semester of my life. I had an amazing group who provided me with so much support along the way and left me with lifelong friends. After 3 months spent in Africa on my group semester I couldn’t imagine spending anywhere else (or going with any mother program) for my independent semester. During group semester I learned so much about traveling and gained so much of my own confidence that I was beyond excited about heading back to Uganda for 3 months. I again was paired with another amazing Carpe student at my site to make even more lasting friendships but the connections I made with my students are incomparable to anything else. I taught at a special needs school in a rural community in the southern highlands and was happier than I could have ever imagined being without running water, or reliable electricity. I got to spend every day with the most amazing kids doing art projects, listening to music and learning so much about happiness. Over the course of my gap year with Carpe I got my scuba certification and have now advanced on and gotten to dive one of the most famous ship wrecks in the world because Carpe gave me the opportunity to get certified. I also have gone on two safaris, rafted the Nile, and met the most amazing and inspiring women from 3 countries in East Africa. I now consider Uganda a lifelong part of me and I will forever be grateful to Carpe for providing me with the opportunity to learn more than ever while outside of a classroom