Where There Be Dragons

Where There Be Dragons is an incredible organization with instructors that are life-changing mentors and community leaders. (All three of my instructors were, along with every other Dragons instructor that I've met since.) I learned a lifetime's worth of lessons from my South America semester in 2018. I cannot recommend their programs highly enough, for many reasons. Their administrative communications (always a perfect mix of warm and professional) are excellent. Their courses provide daily unique, priceless opportunities for genuine adventures and for real connections with the folks who live in program destinations. The dynamic nature of their course itineraries allow for group-specific travel experiences that feel personally fulfilling to all involved. With a combination of flexibility and solid, supportive structure, my Dragons course allowed me to build the foundational skills I needed to learn to travel on my own. Lastly, the critical cross-cultural questions that Dragons embraces make this gap year organization stand out among others in the field. I traveled with Dragons in the hopes of learning about my role and impact as an American traveler and aspiring global citizen, and the questions that we unearthed during our course have remained important to my life and continue to motivate me today. Two years after my trip, still not a day goes by that my Dragons experience is not present in my life. Where There Be Dragons rocks!!

Incredible organization with high quality programs, amazing leadership, and wonderful ethics and integrity.

This summer I spent the month of July exploring Northern Thailand with Dragons. During my time there I developed a newfound love for Mother Nature and story telling. Participating in this program allowed me to meet and spend time with a group of amazing individuals who I still talk to today. If you can I highly recommend you participate in a Dragons program! I am definitely a new person because of the people and my time spent in Thailand.

Dragons is an incredible community of passionate and inspiring educators and students. Dragons pushes students to engage in deep learning about the world and about themselves. My semester course in Bolivia and Peru was transformational, and I came home with a difference perspective about my priorities and values.nnWhile the communities in which we traveled are central to the experience, Dragons students and instructors really set the organization apart. Instructors are experts in their countries, and comprise a community of activists and change makers who carefully craft each individual program. Students are some of the most inspiring, motivated, and passionate people I have ever met. Overall, Where There Be Dragons is an incredible organization.

I spent a Month in Peru, and was the best month of my life. The instructors made the trip the way it was. I left feeling like I had a second family, and am still in awe of everything that I went through with my group. Visiting with the local people, watching the world cup with them, hiking in the mountains, and watching the stars and sunrises made my trip unforgettable