India 2020: This program was poorly run, and a waste of time. We are sorry to have chosen it for our daughter, out of all the gap programs available nationwide. We could have, just as easily, chosen a program that was educational, immersive and memorable, but unfortunately, we went with Carpe Diem.
To begin, the flight itineraries were unnecessarily long and out of the way, with layovers extending 8 or more hours, and many unnecessary stopovers. The students were made to roam around empty airports; planes weren’t there, nor were gates assigned.
Next, sickness in the group was rampant. All the students got scabies, but Carpe Diem didn’t inform parents until five days after. Our daughter was scratched by a cat that the group leader was playing with, and had to be treated with shots for rabies and tetanus (which she already had).
The homestay parent in Kochi stole money and electronics from the students.
Probably the scariest thing about Carpe Diem is the forced child labor, disguised as sustainability, at several camps.
At the project, our daughter was forced to collect human feces for compost. She was forced to dig up invasive tree species, despite her allergies and asthma. All of this before they were allowed to eat breakfast, then after again. Food was sparse. The projects is an artificial forest, grown in a desert, and populated by Europeans and Israelis, not Indians. How is this an immersive Indian camp? It is unsustainable, but the Carpe Diem students were charged with sustaining it. They were sunburned, underfed, exhausted, overheated, and ridiculed for their American way of life.
The next project was much the same: forced labor without enough food, in scorching heat.
What did they learn at these camps, from their leaders and other campers? That they personally are responsible for climate change; that non-vegetarian eaters are burning up the planet with methane; that global markets are a source of evil and oppression. Was there an opposing narrative offered, to provide critical thinking and objectiveness? Unfortunately, no.
Our daughter’s personality is to be positive. She is also a very hard worker, which is how she graduated early from high school in order to do a gap semester. So, she decided to rise above the confusion, scrutiny, and divisiveness of the India Carpe Diem program, and give her best effort, therefore learning strength of character in spite of the silly leaders and the ridiculous itinerary.
She learned that many people (non Indian) on this trip who proclaim to be conservationists and live sustainable, peaceful, cooperative lives are in actuality some of the most judgmental, closed minded, uneducated, and downright mean people. This is what Carpe Diem gave her. All the way from the director, to the group leader, to the residents, the message was one of discrimination, haughtiness, fringe behavior, and unearned superiority.
Our daughter went all the way to India, and didn’t learn about India. I would recommend choosing a different India gap program. Don’t choose Carpe Diem.
Gary Holt
Highlands Ranch CO
USA
Response from provider
We are sorry to hear that you feel this way about your experience with Carpe Diem. As an organization, we are committed to the safety of our students first and foremost and to provide the best experience possible. We welcome feedback in order to learn from challenging situations in order to continually improve our organization and practices for future students. <br/><br/>Our semester programs begin with a multi-day orientation facilitated by our Overseas Educators (OEs). During orientation, our OEs review policies and expectations related to health and safety, group culture, responsible travel, the program itinerary, and community engagement. Whether food/waterborne, insect bites or traveler’s diarrhea, illness is oftentimes part of the international travel experience. Our OEs are Wilderness First Responders and are well trained in risk management practices related to illness or incidents that occur in the field. <br/><br/>We have a vetting process for all homestay families that host Carpe Diem students. Our OEs and Program Directors are responsive to all students' concerns surrounding their homestay experiences. As a result, we are no longer working with the homestay family referenced in this review. <br/><br/>The educational model of our programs is based on experiential education; hands-on learning. In line with the India program theme, Spirituality & Climate Change, the Spring ‘20 student group was deeply involved in hands-on sustainability initiatives with our program partners. During a portion of the program, students participated in physical tasks designed to bring the community together in a common goal and to foster a sense of teamwork and group/community cohesion through shared effort and experience. Students typically participate in hands-on work for 4.5-6 hours per day, with ample time for breaks to ensure access to rest, food, proper hydration, application of sunscreen, etc.<br/><br/>We are committed to the health and safety of our students and to provide the best international experience possible. We are open to scheduling a time to discuss your experience with Carpe Diem further. If you would like to schedule a conversation, please contact Anne Koenning, Executive Director of Enrollment & Operations at [email protected]
