Central America Semester: Sustainability & Spanish Immersion | Carpe Diem Education

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!

This program is great, it gives people a lot of support when they are going through challenges. While I was in Central America, I stayed with two host families, attended Spanish school, did a lot of community service (including building a compost toilet), and immersed myself in the culture. I also explored the nature and wildlife there. I was in Nicaragua for two months, and it was my first time out of the country. Exploring Nicaragua was an experience I will never forget.

All of Carpe Diem’s contacts were well established and fit perfectly together to form an altogether very well rounded, diverse, and unique travel experience. I loved getting to know the Carpe staff and hear about all of their previous trips. The program has some strict rules but they are all put in place for the safety of the students. Really loved my overseas educators, and met a lot of really great people. I would recommend this program to anyone looking to make some lifelong friends and experience some really special stuff.
Overall a really fantastic program!

i had an amazing experience on my trip! i was very nervous at first but then towards the end realized how amazing it was and all the great people and memories i have and met over the course of 3 months. it was very eye opening and empowering! i recommend this trip or any other gap year program to everyone! I did wind up getting hurt on this trip and they brought me to every doctor i needed to understand my injury, then they sent me home and the leaders of the trip were able to let me come back on the trip and finish it out if i was cleared by a doctor! i went through many obsticles and through my trip i was able to face some fears and overcome some of th harder things in my life! Over all the greatest time of my life

An amazing program!! Incredible balance between service, education (Spanish, sustainability, local history/culture), and adventure. Great group dynamics and leaders make sure everyone bonds and had a variety of workshops for us throughout the semester. Got to participate in a variety of leadership roles, and learned a bunch of Spanish after barely knowing any going in. Always felt safe, but you still have to be smart. From scuba diving to camping next to an active volcano, everyday on carpe was an adventure.

Carpe Diem had every aspect of a Gap Year I was looking for. The price is amazing. I was able to take up to 18 credits a semester that were able to be transferred to my university at almost half the cost of a semester in college. Carpe Diem takes their students experience very seriously and adjust the program based on our feedback. This past semester, my group rated one of our activities poorly, and adjusted the schedule accordingly. The basis of the program is that the first semester, students spend with a group of about 10-12 other students and two Overseas Educators, or OE’s. The OE’s were extremely supportive and clearly cared about every person in the group. They gave us freedom to explore cities and surrounding areas when we had time and made sure we were safe in doing so. They taught me so much about international travel and ways to do that safely and in a cost effective manner. They pushed me intellectually and opened my eyes to many perspectives I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. As for the group dynamic, it was great! My group was insanely lucky and we were all very close. I have seen 4 of my friends since then and still keep in close touch with them! The first semester is spent traveling around almost every week. I never felt bored or rushed when we left areas, and I was always excited for the next place we were going. We spent 4 weeks doing Spanish classes and homestays and I learned more in those 4 weeks than I ever did in 3 years of high school Spanish. It is easy to learn in that environment and you don’t have to have any Spanish language skills prior to the trip to go! The Central America trip does a great job tying in learning Spanish with learning about community development and environmental sustainability. The second semester is an independent semester spent volunteering with one organization. My placement was in Roatan, Honduras where I worked to get my divemaster. That experience taught me so much about myself and helped me with my confidence in ways I didn’t think it would. Overall, my year was amazing and worth every penny. I highly recommend this program to anyone looking to take a semester or year abroad.

Traveling throughout Nicaragua and Costa Rica for two months changed my life. I traveled with an all female cohort. It definitely was stressful a lot of the time because of all the hormones but it was one f the best experiences I’ve had. I stayed with host families. One family which I’m still in contact with. Ate soooo many new and amazing foods. Traveled to places I would have never been able to go to if it wasn’t for Carpe Diem. I learned a lot about the Nicaraguan and Costa Rican cultural as well. Being there during Easter was an experience to remember for a life time. I went to church and walked in a procession. Before this trip I had traveled a little before, both in and out of the country. I did have a great time, most of the time that is. There were plenty of ups but also there were some downs. I twisted my ankle pretty bad the second day I was in Nicaragua. And broke my toe about 3 weeks before we left the country. These injuries didn’t stop me from doing much though. I still had lots of fun wether a few things had to be altered or not. This trip though changed my views on many things; other travelers, traveling to Spanish speaking countries, trying new foods, how to communicate better, and change with in myself. Because of the experience I got traveling in Nicaragua and Costa Rica makes me want to go back that much more. I’m already planning out my next adventures there. Thanks Carpe Diem for all that you offer.

I had such an incredible time on my semester with Carpe Diem. Our group did 5 weeks worth of home stays with local families which at first scared the hell out of me, but ended up being one of the most impactful experiences I’ve ever had in my life. Carpe pushes me not just to learn a new language but to put it to use in the most immersive way possible, and I am so happy to have had that experience.