Carpe Diem Education 2020-2021 Semester and Academic Year Gap Year Program Catalog

seize the journey!

“Through Carpe Diem I was given the space to grow, learn, and feel every experience to the fullest extent without judgment. If I could go back and do it again, I would not change a single thing about my experience.”

—desiree, student

“I left the program with noticeably higher levels of confidence in myself and my plan for my future.”

—joe, student

“Hands down the most meaningful and powerful journey I’ve ever been on.”

—cooper, student

why choose carpe diem?

We’re redefining what it means to embark on an impactful gap year abroad.

experiential education

When you travel with us you’ll develop tangible skills, identify your unique learning style, and develop greater social and emotional intelligence through our learning model of action and reflection.

overseas educators (OEs)

Our Overseas Educators provide mentorship and guidance as you learn more about yourself, people, and the world we inhabit.

latitudes year

With the Latitudes Year program, you’ll start your gap year with a 3-month group program and then participate in a 3-month individualized Focused Volunteer Placement in the location of your choice. You’ll discover new passions, develop a greater sense of independence, and take a deeper dive into cultural immersion and community engagement.

diversity & inclusion

We strive to make the gap year experience available to a diverse population. We offer access and inclusion scholarships, and are one of few gap programs that allow students to apply FAFSA funds as payment. We partner with Carpe Mundi to provide gap year opportunities for low-income, first generation students from the local Portland, OR community.

college credit

Through our partnership with Portland State University, you can use FAFSA and earn up to 18 quarter credits on a semester program or up to 36 quarter credits on the Latitudes Year.

climate commitment

We offer carbon offsetting and are a Certified B Corporation® demonstrating our commitment to people and the planet over profits. We are carefully examining our programs to lessen our environmental impact.

WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN OUR COMMUNITY OF INSPIRED LEARNERS AND EDUCATORS!

WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO CARPE DIEM?

our program components

All of our gap year programs contain the following components:

Community Engagement: Connect with others through shared goals and common purpose.

Cultural Immersion: Be informed by new and unique perspectives.

Service Learning: Collaborate with community partners to do meaningful hands-on work.

Language Study: Develop your language skills through instruction from native speakers.

Student-Directed Travel: Practice your skills as you grow into a savvy international traveler.

Homestay: Build community and participate in local ways of living.

Reflection Retreat: Take time to integrate and contextualize all that you have experienced.

Outdoor Adventure: Get off the beaten path and discover some of the most beautiful places on earth.

Environmental Conservation: Engage in efforts to promote the well being of the local environment.

where will you carpe diem?

PROGRAM LENGTH COUNTRIES THEME HOMESTAY

Latitudes Year Year

Fall semester location + spring semester in country of your choice

LANGUAGE STUDY TRAVEL SKILLS OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

COLLEGE CREDIT, FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIPS

Group semester + independent semester Fall: ✓ Spring: optional Optional ✓ Up to You! ✓

Spain & Morocco Semester Spain & Morocco Human Migration & Language Study ✓

3 weeks Arabic Instruction ✓ Hike the Camino ✓

Central America Semester

Guatemala, Costa Rica & Roatan Sustainability & Spanish Immersion ✓

3-4 weeks Spanish instruction ✓ Hiking & Scuba Diving ✓

South America Semester

Ecuador & Peru Spanish Immersion & Conservation ✓

3-4 weeks Spanish instruction ✓ Machu Picchu Trek ✓

India Semester India Spirituality & Climate Change ✓ Intro to Hindi ✓ Backpack the Himalayas ✓

South Pacific Semester Australia, New Zealand & Fiji Environmental Conservation & Leadership ✓ No language program ✓ Scuba & Outdoor Leadership School ✓

Southeast Asia Semester Thailand, Cambodia & Vietnam Human Rights & Cultural Exchange ✓ Intro to Thai ✓ Europe New Europe program launching in Fall 2020! Updates and more information coming soon!

All of our programs are led by two Overseas Educators and include an orientation, reflection retreat, community-based service learning, environmental conservation, and cultural immersion.

INDIA

CENTRAL AMERICA

Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Roatan

SOUTH AMERICA

Ecuador and Peru

SPAIN & MOROCCO

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam

SOUTH PACIFIC

Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand

latitudes year program

3-MONTH GROUP SEMESTER + FOCUSED VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT (FVP)

With our Latitudes Year program you’ll spend Fall semester traveling with inspired peers on one of our group semester programs. During spring semester you’ll participate in a Focused Volunteer Placement (FVP) in the country of your choice.

Patrick, South America group semester and volunteered on an organic farm in the Galapagos

Emily, India group semester and volunteered with a women’s empowerment organization in Peru

Jacob, South Pacific group semester and volunteered with a social enterprise NGO in Guatemala.

DURING YOUR LATITUDES YEAR YOU WILL…

• Connect with a local culture/community through a Focused Volunteer Placement (FVP).

• Practice and refine your independent travel skills.

• Explore your passions and interests on a deeper level.

“Through classroom lessons, NGO volunteer work, outdoor adventures, sightseeing, and meeting new friends and (host) family, this program provided me with many unique, enriching, and unforgettable experiences.”

—ady, latitudes student

“The change I saw in myself was great, and I have Carpe Diem to thank for that!”

—jack, latitudes student

“Carpe wants you to experience everything that you possibly can in each country.”

—melinda, latitudes student

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND LEADERSHIP

Develop your leadership skills as you spend 10 days at an outdoor leadership school on the South Island of New Zealand. Hike the Abel Tasman trail, find your courage on high ropes courses, and relax around the campfire at the end of the day.

Engage with local Māori communities and discover Indigenous perspectives, social and environmental activism, and gain deeper insight into Maori history, ceremony, and mythology. Discover remote Fijian village life, exploring the intricacies of village social structure, amazing hospitality of host families, and daily life of Fijian villagers.

Work with farmers and scientists and learn more about environmental conservation, regenerative agriculture, and sustainable living.

“Some favorites for my group were attempting to ascend Mt. Doom in New Zealand and hanging out on a secluded island in Fiji.” —maddy, student

HUMAN RIGHTS AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE

Engage in service learning with a local NGO that promotes community empowerment projects in support of refugees, migrant workers, and children .

Engage with Thai culture through rural village homestays, learning basic Thai language, local customs, and the importance of family structures within Thai society.

Trek in the mountainous jungle of Northern Thailand and witness firsthand the realities of hill tribe communities.

“The Meditation retreat in Thailand, the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, and the homestay in Vietnam were the most transforming experiences I’ve ever had.” —patrick, student

spain & morocco

HUMAN MIGRATION AND LANGUAGE STUDY

Study Moroccan Arabic and practice your language skills while living with host families and testing your navigation skills in the labyrinthine souks and medinas (marketplaces).

Discover the unique culture of Andalusia, Spain and learn more about the complexities of migrant populations and immigration enforcement. Take time to reflect during a walking pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago.

Engage with local NGOs that focus on women’s empowerment, youth mobilization, and human rights for migrant populations.

“I was constantly experiencing things that challenged and pushed me to grow, whether I was learning Arabic, haggling with a street vendor, or waiting out a sandstorm in a woven tent.” —cole, student

SUSTAINABILITY AND SPANISH IMMERSION

Learn about sustainability , organic agriculture, and community living while working alongside indigenous Mayan coffee farmers.

Trek through forests, coffee plantations, and cornfields, arriving at Lake Atitlan Reflect and restore as you practice yoga and meditation on the shores of this tranquil crater lake.

Engage in service learning with a sea turtle conservation non-profit organization on the Pacific shores of Costa Rica. Interacting with these animals is truly an amazing experience!

“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.”

—estelle, student

central america

SPANISH IMMERSION AND CONSERVATION

Trek to ancient Incan ruins at Machu Picchu in the breath-taking Peruvian Andes

Gain insight into traditional life through homestays with indigenous families in the cloud forest of Ecuador. Learn about the impacts of large scale resource extraction on local communities and habitats.

Learn how globalization is impacting farming methods on a local and global scale. You’ll visit two coastal communities, spending a week on a family-run organic farm, and one week on a large scale production farm.

“My experience in South America was literally life-changing.” —betsy, student

Develop a deeper awareness of spirituality through service at the Golden Temple (holy site of the Sikh religion); a week of yoga and meditation practice along the banks of the Ganges River ; and discussions with Buddhist monks and teachers.

Be inspired while spending 4 days trekking in the largest mountain chain on earth, the mighty Himalaya

Engage in local communities that are proactively addressing climate change through emphasizing local food systems, protecting endemic forests, water conservation, and eco-architecture.

“This is a program that will stretch you to the limits of what you thought was possible and leave you feeling confident.” —daphne, student

custom education programs

HIGH SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS

Bridge the world of academic curriculum and experiential learning with our Custom Programs. Students will gain a deeper understanding of your course content while enhancing their perspective of what it means to be an engaged global citizen.

We work with high school and college faculty to create dynamic, hands-on learning experiences through our global network of partners and educators.

Past programmatic themes include leadership and global perspectives, ethical and solutions-based journalism, and service-learning.

NEW ZEALAND AND INDIA: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON LEADERSHIP

“Carpe Diem’s philosophy of global education is rooted in the notions of mutual learning and reciprocity, respect, and intentional immersive engagement, which served as a catalyst for growth and development for all of our students. I can’t recommend Carpe Diem enough for partnership in the creation of transformative student learning experiences!” —dr. dave houglum, university of portland

CUBA: CREATING SUSTAINABLE FUTURES IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

“Thanks to working with Carpe Diem, Ecothropic has top-notch risk management protocols, administration infrastructure, and a broader team to call upon. As a result, our internal team can focus on developing curriculums, our in-country relationships, and offering eye-opening and life-changing experiences for our students.”

—britt basel, MS, founder of ecothropic

health, safety, & risk management

1 emergency response

We use a comprehensive emergency response system to effectively address in-field issues, including Carpe Diem HQ staff that are available 24 hours a day when programs are in the field. Each student is provided with an international travel insurance policy, which allows access to medical care and expertise as needed.

4 student orientation

2 risk assessment

Program Directors regularly conduct safety reviews to best understand current regional issues. We utilize the U.S. State Department, OSAC, news reports, and local partners to assess and, if needed, adjust program itineraries.

3 extensive training

Our Overseas Educators participate in an in-depth, scenario-based training that focuses on risk management, conflict resolution, and the health and well-being of students. We require that each OE is Wilderness First Responder certified; a requirement that exceeds industry standards.

5 medical and mental health expertise

Each program begins with an intensive, multi-day orientation conducted by the Overseas Educators. Through experiential activities and group discussions, students learn about risk management, health and safety, cultural awareness, setting goals and intentions, and begin building a positive, cohesive community.

Carpe Diem retains both a medical doctor and a mental health specialist in the case that consultation is needed. These specialists provide expert perspective for Overseas Educators, and support for students who may need additional resources in their learning journey.

GYA accreditation

We are accredited by the Gap Year Association, an independent nonprofit membership association focusing on risk management, pedagogy, and responsibility in travel.

Certified B Corporation®

We envision a global economy that uses business as a force for good™. Carpe Diem scored a remarkable 107 impact rating as a B-Corp™: highlighting our independently verified commitment to humanity through social justice, environmental issues, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

tuition, financial aid, & college credit

1 tuition

Please visit our website for current tuition costs. Program tuition includes all food, accommodations, scheduled program activities, and international travel insurance for the duration of the program. Airfare, visas, and personal spending money are not included.

2 scholarships

Students can apply for our Inclusion and Access scholarships and receive up to $5,000 toward program costs. We aim to support diversity in our student groups. Check out the scholarship page on our website for additional information.

3 financial aid

Those who choose to take PSU credits can apply FAFSA funds toward Carpe Diem program expenses. Check out the financial aid page on our website for more detailed information.

4 college credit

The value of a Carpe Diem program can be enhanced through our partnership with Portland State University. Students can earn up to 18 quarter credits (up to 36 for Latitudes program) while engaging in experientiallybased, international programming. The course work encourages students to reflect on their experiences and to more fully integrate lessons into future goal setting. Credits are documented through an official Portland State University transcript.

voices from the carpe experience

“Our child has grown into a ‘citizen of the world’ and will be forever changed by this time in his life. We cannot wait to see how this experience will shape not only his time in college, but how it will ultimately impact his life journey.”

—craig, parent

“Carpe Diem does an amazing job of providing a safe but challenging platform for self-expansion and discovery. I really believe that I am a stronger person than I was three months ago, and I honestly owe all of that to this program.”

—emma, student

“Do it! Embrace uncertainty and the unknown. Carpe Diem will give you so many amazing, real, and pure experiences. You will come home with a handful of knowledge that you do not get behind the walls of a classroom.”

—audrey, student

“I have grown more than I thought possible, and I will never forget what I’ve learned on this trip.”

—elizabeth, student

“[Our daughter] regards Carpe Diem as the ‘best decision I’ve ever made in my whole life.’ We feel exactly the same about it! If we had other children we would send them ALL to Carpe Diem!”

—sharon, parent