Final Adventures in East Africa: Scuba, Creative Solutions, and Farewells

This week marked the final hoorah for this group and as we bid farewell to Stonetown (exiting with a hole or two in our flowy pant pockets) we headed off for our final projected at Creative Solutions. Guided by the animated Haji and Mbaruq, we experimented with recycled wine bottles in constructing everything from drinking glasses to windchimes. Despite the excessive heat and ruthless mosquitos, we emerged from that oven with a kaleidoscope of freshly baked mosaics and murals, both showcasing the Carpe spirit of course.


With tired eyes and butterflies we left early Wednesday morning to Matemwe for our first day of SCUBA certification. Four score and seven years after instructional videos, quizzes, and pool practice (trying to perfect our Angelina "Jolips" as Thomas would put it), we were qualified for most of our first ever open water dives on Thursday. The English language cannot do that first taste of utter weightlessness and defying all laws of nature justice, but it's safe to say that many of us found it to be nothing short of blissfully epic.
We spent one more short day learning the final skills and then we were ready to complete the final dives and officially earn our certificates. Returning to the same reef as the first dive, we descended to the maximum 60 feet, with the exception of Megan and Adrienne, who braved the 90 foot dive and underwater narcotics (nitrogen, that is). The highlight of the day was swimming with a pod of dolphins.
While we are all still riding the SCUBA high and are looking forward to reuniting with loved ones at home, it is important to reflect on how far we've come.
Twelve weeks ago, nine wide-eyed girls embarked on the journey of a lifetime.Whether we were trying to escape from a life back home or seeking out new adventures, we each possessed a desire to discover "what makes us come alive." Fast-forward to this final day in Zanzibar and we still can't present a definitive answer to that question, however, we are damn sure of our destiny is to kick some ass and take some names. What started as a small flame has grown into a blazing wildfire fueled by experiences completely unique to this group and the ethereal East Africa. None of us were prepared for the bond that formed between nine complete strangers, all braving a foreign world both physically and mentally.
At times the road got bumpy (literally), but here we are; a motley crew of world citizens and bad-ass chicks ready to grab life by the "kenege" and inspire communities all over. So, here's to the 40-hour train rides, countless mosquito bites, impromptu dance parties, rambunctious children, pineapple pools, simultaneous demon exorcising under the pale moonlight on safari, and every other defining moment on this trip. It was through these memories that we were thrown into fits of ceaseless laughter or forced to support each other in the outer limits of our comfort zones. And it was through each other that we learned and grew and evolved hand-in-hand, through thick and thin, unconditionally.
Here's to you, Nkula 2015. Ya dun good, kid. Rhino up!

We just heard from Megan and David, our fearless Nkula Overseas Eduators.  The group is about to board their flight from Dar es Salaam and onward as the Spring 2015 East Africa semester comes to a close. It's been such a privilege and honor to see this group grow and thrive over the past few months – we wish them Safari Njema (safe journeys) as they embark on the next leg of their grand life adventures. 


Last Moments and Returning Home from India

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche said in one of his talks that the people of India have no common sense; they only have wisdom. As the last days of our time in India slip by, I can't help but think about that, and try to drink in all the last little bits of wisdom, utter lack of common sense, and everything else that makes India, India.

We spent a few days in a meditation retreat at the Deer Park Institute, which is owned by the rinpoche, a Bhutanese Mahayana Buddhist Lama, writer, movie director, and just a super cool guy. Our five days of watching documentaries, practicing Tibetan meditation, hanging out with some friendly monks (one admitted to me that he used to be addicted to Candy Crush, which I really cannot get over), and generally obsessing about the amazing library full of exciting books by Thich Nhat Hanh and Osho and His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Ram Dass were really some I won't forget. Many nights, we stayed up late with pillow talk about emptiness and impermanence and karma and souls.

Now we're in Mcleod Ganj, eating momo's, hanging with our host families, volunteering, shopping, hiking, really just getting as much as we can out of last week in this crazy place. We're all praying for the people of Nepal, as well. I feel so lucky and grateful to be safe and want to send love to everyone at home, friends and family of all of us here.

We've received word that the mighty Shanti group has checked in to their flights New Delhi.  They've been a fantastic group and it been a great semester.  We are wishing them all traveling mercies on their respective journeys home.

Here's a retrospective picture the the handsome group from their time at Dev Bala farm.

Karma Buddies and War Stories in Hanoi

Xin Chao SEASIA blog readers (moms) and friends alike!
I’m reporting on behalf of Old Greg/Audreezey and crew. This week Audrey, in a last-ditch effort to showcase her PlayWorks skills, initiated a game of Karma Buddies, in which we each draw a buddy from a hat and stealthily make that person feel awesome during the week (without that person knowing its you). It has been fun to share the love with each other and I should clarify – I love Audrey and her many games. On Tuesday we bid adieu to the sandy beaches, greek platters, and ice cream we eagerly sought in Nha Trang, opting for a more culturally intimate experience with the northern Vietnamese. Nevertheless, with PADI certificates in hand, we boarded our 1.5hr flight to Hanoi, relieved to not have been stopped for mechanic failure or public protests. Traveling has never felt so seamless.

Hanoi is a bustling city of millions of motorbikes, taxis, women squatting on the roadside selling fruit, street vendors, enticing aromas, and shameful “no thank-you’s” to to occasional walking human markets. We were lucky enough to Skype call with an intelligible professor Tom, who was able to clear up our many unanswered questions about the Vietnam war. We also listened to an inspiring speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1967 in NYC: "Beyond Vietnam." His words are more poignant than ever as we stand in the same land of war he adamantly protested. He causes us to reflect on our own constant wars back home today. I high recommend a listen to anyone. In Hanoi, we spent two full days exploring, tripping over vietnamese, showering our Karma Buddies in pollen-dusted flowers and candy, and exchanging the best shops and eateries with one another. We saw one of the infamous water puppet shows, a spectacular scene of fire-breathing dragons accompanied by traditional vietnamese musicians. We found a new favorite dish, a traditional vietnamese dish called bang cuon, which is hot and fresh soft rice paper rolled up with minced chicken (or pork) and mushroom, garnished with freshly chopped herbs all to be dipped in a warm savory broth. We also visited two museums: the Ethnology museum and Fine Arts museum to cue us in on the cultures in the North.

Hanoi, a buzzing place dense with culture, colors, sights, smells, people, can at times be overwhelming. I know I felt sensory overload, so I was excited to board our kush overnight train to the village of Sapa. About 2/3 of Vietnam’s indigenous people live in this northern region, and from the moment we stepped into the fresh, wet foggy air, we found ourselves in a completely different world than we had ever experienced. Sapa, set among authentic Hmong and Dao villages in the far eastern tail of the Himalayas, feels more like a pseudo-European ski town, without the snow or pretentious mountain lodges. Swarms of Hmong women, with their traditional garb, hairstyles, and jewelry, walk the streets striking conversation with us in perfect english. Although they want to sell us their hand-made crafts, we thoroughly and genuinely enjoy talking to them; they are incredibly kind, beautiful, and give us a laugh. My favorite comment was called to Greg by a young girl: “Yo teachah, buy from ME!” Their slang is impeccable, we simply cannot be unimpressed. Sapa is a fairytale town etched into the side of a mountain, overlooking rolling valleys of green rice terraces. I have never witnessed air so clean, earth so fertile, and land so vibrantly colorful. Being a mountain town, Sapa is significantly colder than the rest of Vietnam, so we found ourselves shopping in the villages’ dozens of outdoor gear stores. We had a kick discussing prices and tactics to determine counterfeit products; hey, we’re serious about our knock-off North Face coats. Best of all, we made a few local friends! The first is Huu, a small, organic tea shop owner who loves to chat, and La, a 20yr-old Hmong business owner who treks over an hour and a half from her village to sell her hand-made, 100% hemp products in her tasteful boutique in Cat Cat village. On Sunday, we began our 4-day trek through the rice terraces and villages with our guide Pen, and about thirteen other Hmong women to accompany us for 2 hours to their village. We encountered slippery mud-slides, rivers and streams, water buffalo blocking the path, playing children, wild puppies, as well as ducks, chickens, and the most breathtakingly beautiful views we have ever seen. Pen was open to share her culture with us, she even dressed up Raisa, Sophie, and Iris like real Hmong girls! She also shaved and cut fresh sugarcane for us to chew on. We enjoyed delicious foods at the home stays, such as rice with veggies, crepes, fried bananas, and french fries (our favorite!). We were quite silly to forget our sunscreen, but luckily none of us got too sunburned, thanks to Emily’s ingenuity to put mud on her face. It has been wonderful; I can speak for the group and say we are so excited to have learned more about the complex and incredibly intriguing yet beautiful Hmong culture on this trek. I was not quite ready to leave them but alas, this is travel. This next week, we are traveling to Cat Ba island for further group activities, such as boat tours and kayaking – our buddy Sam will fill you in on the rest.

To end, I want to acknowledge that a very special Sabai member turned 20 this week, and we had a blast celebrating her with family dinner, improv games, and Mafia. Our team wouldn’t be the same without you – we love you Iris!

We've received word that the intrepid Southeast Asia group has safely checked in for their flight homeward from Hanoi.Traveling mercies to you all.  You've been an amazing group.

White Sand Beaches, Spice Tour, and Cooking in Zanzibar

The transportation gods of Tanzania continue to frown upon us (but don't fret – it gave us tons of good karma for better adventures later on in our SDT!) . Our decision to take the train from Mbeya to Dar backfired when the 24 hour ride turned into 40. We sat for hours on end in uncomfortable seats. In the typical Tanzanian fashion, one seat does not mean one person, and families were piled into rows of two seats, the aisles full of sleeping bodies. On the bright side, we saved money on accommodation and feel like we can tackle any transportation issue that comes our way. We've officially earned our "traveler's" stripes!

After the ferry ride to Zanzibar, we finally arrived at our little slice of paradise. Our first chunk of Student Direct Travel was spent on the south of the island near Paje. We walked along beautiful white sand beaches, swam in the warm clear Indian Ocean, and ate (TONS OF) delicious food. We even befriended a crazy local named Captain Joe who invited us to a beach BBQ; we were treated to a seafood feast fit for a king (or many queens). Captain Joe entertained us with singing and dancing and even let us name his new restaurant (Keep your eyes peeled for Cafe Carpe Diem the next time you're in Zanzibar). The lazy days provided us with much needed relaxation after the stress of the transportation earlier in the week. 

We then traded in the calm beaches and rasta vibe of Paje for the narrow and crowded cobblestone alleyways of Stonetown. We all enjoyed getting lost in the labyrinth of buildings, shopping around, talking to locals, and eating more amazing Swahili food. We quickly picked up on the clear differences between the cultures on Zanzibar and the Mainland. For one, Zanzibar is 99% Muslim. In an effort of solidarity, many of the girls covered their hair with head scarves. Many received positive comments from local men and women on their conservative dress. We also had the opportunity to travel around Stonetown independently; it was interesting to observe how locals interact with us when we are solo versus when we are in a group. We dedicated a cup of Masala Chai to intentional personal reflecting on our past 3 months.

We put our activities budget to use through a spice tour and cooking lesson with Mama Shara. We learned how different spices are grown and harvested and followed our farm tour by making a traditional Zanzibarian meal. Later on in the day we had a Natural Beauty Workshop at a local spa – we made our own coconut oil, a clove body scrub, and even adorned our hands and feet with henna, all while learning the different traditional uses and aromatic qualities of the exotic spices. For our last activity, we took a boat ride to a nearby island to check out a giant tortoise sanctuary and learn more about the sinister side to Zanzibar's unique Swahili culture. Zanzibar has been colonized by African, Portuguese, and Omani empires in its history, and previously served as a bustling trade hub for African slaves.

Our SDT has been a great opportunity to put our learned skills to the test (and our patience). We have loved exploring this amazing island and learning more about the local people. We wrapped up SDT with a family style meal where we indulged in Mediterranean food and shared memories and inside jokes from the past three months. We can't believe that our time in East Africa is coming to an end, but are so pumped for our  last volunteer project at Creative Solutions Zanzibar and, of course, living the life aquatic at SCUBAAAAAAAAAAAAA DUBA! We'll write more post-PADI certification. 

Much love and Zanzibarian pizza!

Chocolate, Spanish Classes, and Building Playgrounds in Ollantaytambo

We have just finished our week of home-stays in the beautiful town of Incan ruins, Ollantaytambo.

For the first half of the week we took Spanish classes at a nearby Spanish school from 9 am to 1 pm each day. Classes would consist of a few hours of Spanish practice and grammar in the classroom and then a few hours of exploring ruins, nearby markets, and the town with our Spanish teachers. On one of my walks through the market with my teacher I tried a prickly pear (tuna in Spanish) for the first time and it was so delicious! Our three days with the Awamaki school were definitely a good way to end our Spanish classes.

On Thursday and Friday during the morning we stopped with our Spanish classes and instead volunteered at a nearby school by helping to build a playground. Kuska School is a small school for kids ages 6-11 that is based on an alternative teaching system. The school does have a curriculum, but instead of having individual class periods, they just work on interdisciplinary projects that in turn incorporate the different academic subjects. Between the progressive pedagogy and the happy faces of both the students and the teachers, I couldn't help but wish I were a student at the Kuska School. Not to mention, it was in the middle of a farm and surrounded by gorgeous mountains. The two days that we volunteered there flew by; the students were eager to help us with the building of the playground and they were so ecstatic to see the final product by the end of Friday. After all the hole digging and log scrapping, it was so satisfying to see the smiles on the kids´ faces as they swung on the swings and climbed the monkey bars.

Although we were very busy in the morning, we definitely found ways to entertain ourselves at the chocolate store in town during the afternoons. I think we all realized the extent of our sugar problem during this past week… We would go to the chocolate store AT LEAST once a day, filling up with chocolate in all different forms: hot chocolate (Mayan AND European), chocolate croissants, iced hot chocolate, you name it. We probably also exhausted their free sample supply…

On Saturday the group used the activity money to enter the town's ruins. I think we all agreed that seeing the Incan ruins was probably one of the most interesting parts of the trip.

As we say good bye to our week in Ollantaytambo with our bellies full of chocolate and our cameras full of photos of ruins, we prepare for the final stretch that we have been waiting for for 3 months, Machu Picchu!

Scuba Diving in Nha Trang, Vietnam

This week started out with some gardening in Ho Chi Minh City. We visited four different gardens across the city and spent the day planting herbs, making tea, and trying mystery fruits. We closed off our gardening sesh with a rap battle led by Sam and Audrizzy. Our new friend Vie even spit some rhymes of her own.


The next morning we set off on our next adventure through Nam'. The plan was to take a ten hour bus ride to Nha Trang to start our scuba certification class. By this point in the trip, ten hour bus rides were nothing to us, so we weren't to worried about our day of travel. When we got on our bus it seemed too good to be true. We had a private bus with air conditioning , room for us and all of our stuff, and seats that reclined into beds. It was too nice and had worked out much too easily. It turned out that it was too good to be true. After abut 6 hours on the bus we stopped at a remote bus station in the middle of the Sahara desert. What was suppose to be a ten minute stop,soon turned into an hour, then two. Traffic began to back up on the road we had been on and we finally found out why we were stuck here. Apparently the town was protesting a nuclear power plant and was blocking the roads. On finding this out, many of us wanted to go join the protest, but weren't allowed to because it was seen as risky behavior.Instead we started up an ongoing card game of president which lasted for about 4 hours. Finally, around 12 that night , our bus slowly got moving. We woke up the next morning in Nha Trang, took some espresso shots and powered through our scuba class.


After getting a good nights sleep and learning about everything that could possibly go wrong while scuba diving, we took our exam, which we all passed. Audrey, who had been freaking out over the course of our class, passed with the highest grade, a 98%. That afternoon, we finally got our fins wet in the pool learning some basic scuba diving skills. While the rest of the group was getting certified for their 18m certification, Joe, Hannah, and Ole' Greg were getting certified for their deep water advanced certification.


The next morning we all got to try out our scuba skills in the ocean for the first time. We spent a few hours under the sea learning some last minute skills and swimming with the colorful fish of Debbies Beach and Seahorse Bay. The following day we got to spend scuba diving and snorkeling in the crystal clear waters of Madonna Bay. We ended the day with red faces and smiles. Also, a few possible cases of the bends . We all survived our scuba experience and are now certified divers. We are now spending our last day relaxing in Nha Trang and catching a few last rays before we head to Hanoi.

Project WOO and Bona Fide Permaculture Farming: Updates from Central America

So finally, we made it to the ocean. The group was overjoyed, and understandably so, given that our only contact with large bodies of water has been Lake Atitlan. Our contact organization is Project Woo, an organization focused on community-driven development and regulating the effects of Volunteerism. We started off our week by helping some local fisherman haul in their fish nets. Unfortunately there were only eight or so fish in the net, so haul may not be the right verb. Regardless, the rest of the week went swimmingly (pardon the pun). We baked pastries, learned how to surf, and spent a morning running activities for the local children at the beach. An early morning hike up The Giant´s Foot provided a great view of the beach… and of Ben´s phenomenal dance moves. We finished off the week with some Nacatamales and toasted cheese-bagel-donut-thingies that all the Carpe students helped make. Our next stop is Project Bona Fide, located on the island of Ometepe, situated in the middle of Lake Nicaragua.

we spent the week and a half after Project WOO at Bona Fide permaculture farm, on Isla Ometepe. It's a volcanic island made up of two volcanoes, hence the two boulders. And they were some niiiiiiice boulders!

A typical day at Bona Fide consisted of getting up at six, starting work at seven, eating breakfast at eight, and doing three more hours of work from nine until noon. In addition, we sometimes had activities or kitchen duty in the afternoons, which made for long days and curiously early bedtimes.

Bona Fide is a permaculture farm, which means quite a few things. Basically, permaculture is a way of life (not just an agriculture method) that maximizes efficiency and minimizes waste. For example, instead of toilets we did our business in compost latrines. The solid waste was used as fertilizer, and the liquid waste was used as a nitrogen-rich way to water the plants. The farm was definitely difficult to get used to. In some locations, there were so many bugs that you had to cover your nose to keep from inhaling any. It was difficult to keep clean, simply because nothing was truly inside and nature got all over you whether you liked it or not. But after a stressful first few days, we came to like it.

The most major activity that we did over that week and a half was the seed exchange, which Bona Fide had been planning for weeks. They are partnered with a local organization called Project Mano Amiga, which is an agricultural and health education center for the community. Once a year, Bona Fide puts on a community-wide faire that raises awareness about the new agricultural practices that take place on the farm as well as expose the community to new foods and ways of preparing food. It was a small affair–just a couple of booths and a piñata for the kids–but it was a labor of love on everyone's part.

As a farewell, we prepared pizza for all the farm's volunteers, which numbered about thirty people. It was a true hippie party, with crazy dancing and singalongs and all-natural pizza. I even enjoyed washing dishes! That was probably a onetime thing, though. Even now, group members are starting to think about returning to Bona Fide. I'd do it just for the sunsets.

A Magical and Rejuvenating Stay along the Ganges in India

Hey there!

Wow, our most recent adventures have been truly one of kind. Sorry, to eveyone out there that has been looking forward to our latest post, we haven't had the chance to catch up on group orientated activities lately; such as blogging because we where staying at the beautiful Phool Chatti Ashram in Rishikesh. Last week was such a terrific and benificial experience for us all. A soul cleansing, spell enchanting stay that was much needed and had been something we were in all need of after our second stay in Delhi whether we knew it at the time or not. The ashram is a small paradise nestled between large mountainous hills and it overlooks the scared Ganges river. Setting the perfect atmosphere for personal growth and deep reflection time. Our days spent there were some of the most structured so far on our journey. Each morning we were met with a budding sunrise of warm colors and powdery clouds. The mornings consisted of us beginning with a silent meditation, chanting, yogic cleansing practices and finally followed by Hatha yoga. Thereafter, we would grab our plates up to silent breakfast (all meals and activities before lunch where carried in silence. And I have to say it really added a special element to meal time). Breakfast was my favorite meal, nothing better than fresh tropical fruit salad and hot homemade honey porridge in the morning! I ask you ”please sir may I have some more”? Our afternoons were filled with daily chores and nice soothing walks along crisp clear rivers,creeks, and waterfalls. We often found ourselves becoming one with the nature around us and looked forward to exploring more of the beautiful sites. After lunch and 2 hours of free time we would spend our evenings conversing over lectures, grabbing our yoga mats for one more round and commencing the evening affairs with Pooja. Finally, to end our long days we would finish with Kirtan (musical melodies of flutes, violins, drums and chantings). Lastly, before venturing off to join our dreams we went to evening guided meditations. As days went by it began to feel routine and we began to make friendships. Some of the highlights were: dunking ourselves into the fridged mother Ganges as a way of rejuvenating our bodies, minds and souls; basking in the warm sun like children do hours on end and swimming in the Him river; bundling up tight next to each other; playing music and acting out skits next a large bonfire as we sipped cups of chai. But personaly the most enjoyable moment was on the final day of our stay; we did a Fire Ceremony which involved reciting a chant 108 times and throwing a mix of special woods into a small flame. It was a perfect way to end our stay. We left feeling our healthiest, strongest and clearist in minds that we have felt in a long time.

Our time there was well spent and we all experienced feelings that we have never felt before. But like always the time came when we had to hit the road. We decided to extend our stay in Rishikesh as we felt that there was just so much we had yet to see and do still. We didn't waste anytime and before we knew it we rafting class 3 rapids and riding the bull!!!! Let's just say Lindsay rides in style, guys. We left with smiles on our faces as we chased after our departing train to Dharamasala. What an adrenaline rush that was!

Today Shanti left the Dev Bala family farm in outer Dharamsala, where we stayed for five rejuvenating days. Dev Bala sits right on the foothills of the Himalayas, which means you can stand in the garden, gazing out over luscious semi-tropical fields and farms in the valley, and turn your head to look at the snowcapped peaks right above you. The family at the farm grows what seemed like everything imaginable to us–bananas, papayas, cherries, starfruit, spinach, pumpkin, squash, coriander, turmeric, ginger, hibiscus, roses, peonies, the list goes on and on. They made us homemade bread and fresh curd and buffalo butter every day as well. Some of our activities this week included lovely walks through the surrounding wheat fields, a bumpy open top jeep ride to a hot springs IN A TEMPLE, a visit to a nunnery, playing frisbee, meeting a Tibetan activist and watching a documentary about Tibet, lots of reading in the garden, extended breaks for chai, and doing henna with our host sister, Priyanka.

Today we're dealing with Indian bureaucracy trying to get travel permits and shaky internet connection before we continue to Bir.

In good spirits and health, sending lots of love for everyone at home, 

Shanti Group