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We have spent the last two weeks forming a “little” family of thirteen on this trip. We imagine if we sat down to list all the people who have been part of our journey so far, the number would be far greater. Perhaps we will do that one day......Read More
A few days ago, we visited the Genocide Museum in the heart of Phnom Penh. The museum is housed within a former Khmer Rouge “Security Center,” S-21. As we entered into the museum, shaded by large trees that did nothing to betray the horrors that......Read More
Dear family and loved ones, Through July 11 to the 14, we stayed at the Shwe Nadi, where we experienced our first learning service. During our stay, the team was given the choice to part take in three activities, planting bamboo trees, adobe brick......Read More
Like all people on the Mandarin intensive program I have a desire to learn Chinese. I am fascinated by the writing, the language, and the culture. However, unlike everyone on this trip, I don’t speak Mandarin. Besides a middle school level......Read More
Hi! I am reporting live from Cochabamba, where I was able to spend my day exploring the big city. But this post is not about Cochabamba. Rather it is about a place called Tiquipaya and the wonderful people I have waiting for me there – my......Read More
(To Li Li) Dear Outside World, We the Dragons, on the last night at Bagan, came to write to you about our exciting adventure. This one-week experience is understood by many of us as unparalleled. Magnificent pagodas as the epitome of the 11th......Read More
To my many Yak followers, Thus far, my experience in Guatemala has been one filled with amazing highlights featuring new friends, a loving host family, and dedicated instructors. On June 28, our group hit the ground running with a delicious dinner......Read More
Don Miguel angel “Gato”, the former cooperative president of Nuevo Horizonte, has given us a detailed introduction explaining the various projects and the daily life here. But what does it mean to live in a such self-sufficient “utopic”......Read More
The Hills of Betafo Imerina: The ancestral lands of the Merina people that is situated in the high plateau of central Madagascar Betafo: The name of a small town near Antsirabe whose name means ‘place of many roofs’ Vakinakaratra: The region......Read More
Today’s classroom: The ancient, marvelous pagodas of Old Bagan. I consider it a rare and treasured opportunity to work as an instructor this summer and am humbled you are trusting me with your loved ones on this adventure. It’s the path less......Read More
Arli’s Reflections: As I sat here writing the yak, I couldn’t help but feel the urge to dance around to the beat of the dreams and go back to the night before we left Dene. The sense of acceptance and sharing of culture from one person to......Read More
Surrounded by the buzzing motorcycles of night-time Battambang, we stood before a small, but appealing selection of ice cream. Although the land we stood on profoundly lacked familiarity, the flavors reminded us of our lives thousands of miles away.......Read More
Inhale. Exhale. I can barely contain my rapture as I step out of the bus onto the white-lined pavement. Our guide Tiger la tells us that this is the highest elevation most of us have ever been, 3000 meters. I breathe in the cleanest air in the world......Read More
Our journey to the west has begun! Xi’an, the first capital of China and terminus of the Silk Road was a perfect spot to start our adventure but we are excited to get out of the big city and get more off the beaten path. Our next stop is Tianshui,......Read More
Today we visited Apopo, an NGO that uses a certain breed of rats to detect and eventually clear land mines throughout Cambodia. Following the conflicts of the country’s past (bombings and wars), there are still an immense amount of land mines that......Read More
