Program Photos
Central America : Indigenous Community, Culture, and Spanish
Location: Costa Rica: Monteverde, Nicoya Peninsula, Quepos and 3 other cities; Guatemala: Antigua, Chichicastenango, El Peten and 7 other cities; Honduras: Bay Islands, La Ceiba; Nicaragua: Granada, Rural Areas, San Juan del Sur
Program Duration: 3-6 months (includes high school academic semester abroad)
Typical Duration of Program: 3-6 months
Dates: Fall and Spring
Carpe Diem Education
http://www.carpediemeducation.org
PO Box 17427 Portland, OR 97217 United States
Call Us
Phone: 503-285-1800
Fax: 866-903-1077
Description
In Guatemala and Nicaragua, study Spanish, live with home stay families, and teach at local community schools with your new language skills. Then volunteer at a sustainable arts center and live in an eco-lodge as you learn about permaculture and alternative building techniques, enriching your experience as you embrace local cuisine, folklore, and indigenous culture. As you learn first-hand about these storied cultures and their place in our collective history, dive into individual placements that take you deeper into the Central American way of life and your own personal interests.
Next, complement your personal journey with trekking through the Guatemalan Highlands, sea turtle conservation in Costa Rica, and a mindfulness retreat to explore your inner self. Bringing closure to your Central American adventure, get your SCUBA certification off the coast of Roatan and celebrate your own dynamic culture and community, the one you form with your Carpe Diem group. This program is for those seeking a profound cultural immersion in the community-centered Mayan cultures of Central America and powerful service learning opportunities that challenge as well as inspire. College credit and financial aid (FAFSA) is available through PSU.
Highlights
* Trek in the remote Guatemalan highlands
* Learn Spanish and work side-by-side with local communities
* Work with save endangered sea turtles
* Live with indigenous and remote communities
* Get SCUBA certified on the second largest barrier reef in the world
* Study sustainable building
* Be introduced to spiritual practices based on the earth's harmony
* Learn how to travel independently and safely
* Develop your leadership skills
* Group sizes no larger than 12 students and 2 leaders* University credit available through Portland State University
* FAFSA and Federal Financial Aid availability
Degree Level
Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)
Qualifications
Most students come with some background in Spanish, and while helpful, this is not necessary.
Type of Programs
- Adventure Travel
- Community Service / Volunteerism
- Cultural Exploration
- High School Study Abroad
- Language Immersion
- Student Tours
Languages
- Spanish
- English
Cost in US$:
8,900
Cost Include Description:
Portland State University College Credit is an additional USD 900.
Credit Available
yes
Volunteer Types
- Agriculture
- Animal Welfare
- Appropriate Technology
- Arts
- Building Maintenance
- Building/construction Projects
- Childcare/children
- Community Centers
- Community Development
- Community Health
- Community Organizing
- Conflict Resolution
- Consciousness-raising
- Conservation
- Cooking
- Culture
- Eco-tourism
- Education
- English Teaching
- Environment
- Festivals
- Global Warming
- Grassroots Organization
- Health
- Health Education
- Housing
- Human Rights
- Indigenous Issues
- Infrastructure Planning
- Labor Issues
- Natural Resources
- Organic Farming
- Organizational Development
- Parks
- Peace
- Planting
- Playgrounds
- Population Issues
- Primary Education
- Public Education
- Recreation
- Reforestation
- Marine Conservation
- Self Help
- Social Services, Social Work
- Solar & Hydro Projects
- Tourism
- Trail Building
- Tree Planting
- Volunteer Management
- Volunteering
- Water
- Wildlife Surveying
- Women
- Writing
- Youth
- Youth Development
- Adult Education
- Anthropology
- Archaeology
- Digging
- Economic Development
- Elderly
- Energy
- Family Planning
- Fixing Fences
- Food
- Gardening
- Gender Issues
- Geology
- Health Care
- Handicapped
- Historic Preservation
- Home Visit
- Homelessness
- Hospital
- Income-generation
- Journalism
- Literacy
- Medicine
- Micro-enterprise
- Microcredit
- Minority Groups
- Music
- Nutrition
- Orphans
- Painting
- Popular Education
- Public Policy
- Refugee Relief
- Relief
- Renovation
- Repairs
- Research
- Restoration
- Sanitation
- Secondary Education
- Seniors
- Small Business Development
- Sports
- Street Kids
- Teaching
- Translation
- Tutor
Typical Volunteer
The vast majority of our students are recent high school graduates from all over the USA whom for any variety of reasons foresee the benefit of having a focused, structured, and transformative experience in the "real world" before going off to college. All of our Carpe Diems programs are fully accredited by Portland State University so most students opt to spend their first semester of college earning credits with us, while experiencing life outside of our all to often "cultural bubble" for their first time. Other students come to us who have already spent some time at a university and either found the experience lacking in some way or are desirous of a structured study abroad program. Though the majority of our students are 18 and in their "Gap Year" we often work with sophomores and juniors in college as well.Age Range
17 - 23This Program is open to
American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African, Worldwide Participant.
Typical Living Arrangements
- Dormitory
- Group living
- Home-stays
- Independent living
- Other
- Guest House
Participants Travel
in Groups
Application Process Involves
- Essay
- Online Application plus Application Assessment
- Phone/Video Interview
Typically The Application Process Time is
2 business daysPost Services Include
- Alumni Network
- Exit Debriefing Abroad
- Job and Internship Network
- Re-Entry Debriefing at Home
Carpe Diem Education's Mission Statement
Inspiring growth and transformation through experiential education, community, and intercultural exchange.
Year Founded
1997
