Dear friends and families, After crossing the border from Thailand at Nakhon Phanom, we have arrived in our Lao homestay on the island of Ban Dohn Don in the middle of the Mekong River (between Thailand and Laos). We are thrilled to be here and plan......Read More
Hi all! Just an update to let friends & families know that the group has arrived safely in the Thai city of Nakhon Phanom. Tomorrow we will cross the border into Laos and begin our homestay on the island of Ban Dohn Don....Read More
Family and friends, We have left Tamui Village this morning. The student group sang a song to the community (see below). Our Dragons crew and villagers exchanged their gratitude towards one another. It was a heartfelt and tearful farewell but we......Read More
I run into the forest, to do what must be done Giving back to Mother Earth An explosion from my buns We were only on a simple hike And all the sudden, I heard a grumble Through the trees, I tripped and stumbled To find a place where I could sit My......Read More
I opened my eyes to sublime rhythms of the earths sky with sunsets of sugary orange and honeycomb reflected upon each pond. There sat the blazing lotus flower, so pure, so calm. I sat alone and watched the flower, my eyes began to tear. It is right......Read More
Here are some photos from our sunrise bike ride to Angkor Wat! The sun rises above Angkor Wat. Friends pose in front of the temple. Wall relief on the side of the main temple. Four faces to represent metta karuna, mudita, and upeka. Hidden temple in......Read More
We are now in Ban Ta Mui village, right on the banks of the Mekong River across from Laos! We arrived this morning, and after lunch we shared tea with local villagers and heard from them about this village’s history and the environmental issues......Read More
I have always loved learning languages. Growing up in a bilingual household and attending international schools, I appreciate that languages can help bring distant communities together and bridge the gap between cultures. I knew that this program......Read More
Here are some reflections on our first homestay on the island of Koh K’Sach Tonlea, Cambodia. Responses were shared anonymously by each student and we viewed them gallery-style. I will always remember… My host mother calling me......Read More
As we leave the Thai border to head towards Ubon, Gai’s hometown, I reflect on my month in Cambodia. These past few weeks have challenged me in ways I have never been before–I explored a whole lot in both a physical and a metaphorical......Read More
Dear friends & families of the Mekong semester, Dragons courses always travel with “flexible itineraries” meaning that we can take advantage of opportunities & experiences that come up along our route. This semester, we were......Read More
Hello friends & families! The Mekong group departed Siem Reap early this morning and crossed the Cambodia-Thai border at a small land border crossing called Osmach. Crossing was smooth and quick. This afternoon, we arrived in the Thai city of......Read More
Here are some more photos from our visit to PEPY....Read More
On March 1, students visited a local nonprofit organization called PEPY, which empowers youth from rural areas to seek out higher education. We spent time with the students, who are similar ages to our students, in the morning, chatting &......Read More
Here are some photos from the first homestay! Beautiful pagoda by the water Swimming and singing songs from the “Mamma Mia” soundtrack Breaking out our swim shirts! My homestay house...Read More
When we left the Cambodian island village of Koh K’Sach Tonlea that we spent two weeks in, I started to think about what unconditional love means, and what it looks like in a culture starkly different than my own. When I think of unconditional......Read More
