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Central America Semester | Carpe Diem Education Gap Year logo

Central America Semester | Carpe Diem Education Gap Year

by: Carpe Diem Education

9.19 (26)Verified

Venture through Guatemala and Costa Rica, exploring lush tropical rainforests, towering volcanoes, steep-sided mountains, and extended coastlines. Embrace the spirit of "pura vida" and learn from the unique crossover of individuals who call these nations home. Living alongside indigenous communities and their contemporaries, delve into opportunities to explore social justice, sustainability, and t...

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Program Highlights

Support sustainability efforts: Work with a small NGO on environmental justice, tree planting, and bringing back native species.

Improve your Spanish: Engage in immersive language classes and put your knowledge to the test during homestays within the community.

Enjoy outdoor adventure: Hike, raft, trek, and even earn your Scuba Certification while exploring the natural beauty of the region.

Live and learn: Stay on a family farm in Costa Rica, learning from your hosts about permaculture and traditional chocolate.

Build it yourself: In a community-directed project, work with natural builders to support their efforts to construct with recycled materials.

Quick Details

Locations
  • Costa Rica
  • Antigua, Guatemala
Availability
Year(s) OfferedYear RoundGap Year Timing:
  • Post High School
  • During College
  • During High School
Age Requirement:Varies
Types & Subjects:
  • Experiential Learning
  • Language Immersion
  • Spanish
  • Study Abroad
  • Volunteering
  • See more
Guidelines:
  • American
  • Canadian
  • All Nationalities
See all program details

Recognitions

GoAbroad Innovation Awards 2024 Finalist - Innovation in Alumni EngagementGoAbroad Innovation Awards 2024 Finalist -	Volunteer Abroad ProgramInnovative Study Abroad Program 2023 FinalistTop Rated Gap Year Provider 2022

Program Reviews

Hear what past participants have to say about the programs

Overall Rating

9.22

Total Reviews

26

An unforgettable ride

by: Léa Gervais - CanadaProgram: Central America Semester | Carpe Diem Education Gap Year
9

Guatemala and Costa Rica give you a different perspective of the world. The richness of the culture and history really makes a mark on you. The different organizations we got to work with gave us so much information on nature, community, responsibility, and more. I recommend carpe diem for all of its opportunities.

Experience it all in Guatemala and Costa Rica!

by: Addie Laden - United StatesProgram: Central America Semester | Carpe Diem Education Gap Year
9

This was an amazing program for me as someone who wants to start traveling internationally but wasn’t really sure how. The pre planned itinerary really let me experience this fully but the student directed travel week also let me put what I had learned into practice. I really experienced so much in this program from a multi day trek to chilling leisurely by the beach. We went scuba diving at the beautiful Drake Bay, had 4 weeks of Spanish classes in two different locations at beautiful outdoor s...

It was a once in a lifetime trip

by: Dylan Ages - CanadaProgram: Central America Semester | Carpe Diem Education Gap Year
9

I am really grateful to have been on this trip. This has impacted my life on so many ways and it has given me a perspective on the world that I didn’t have before going. The activities were unbelievable and if you want to grow a different perspective on the world you should go on this trip.

Program Details

Learn all the nitty gritty details you need to know

Locations

  • Costa Rica
  • Antigua, Guatemala

Types & Subjects

  • Experiential Learning
  • Language Immersion
  • Spanish
  • Study Abroad

Availability

Years Offered: Year Round

Gap Year Timing:
  • During College
  • During High School
  • Post High School

Age Requirement

Age Requirement Varies

Guidelines

  • American
  • Canadian
  • All Nationalities

Program Cost Includes

  • Tuition & Fees
  • Accommodation / Housing for Program Duration
  • All Program Activity Costs
  • Weekday Meals (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Accommodation Options

  • Group living
  • Guest House
  • Home-stays
  • Other

Qualifications & Experience

  • Some high school, no diploma
  • High school graduate, diploma or the equivalent (for example: GED)
  • Some college credit, no degree

Application Procedures

  • Phone/Video Interview
  • Online Application
  • Physical Exam/Health Records

Frequently Asked Questions

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