Friends and family, We are delighted to welcome the start of the Andes Leadership Semester. It is starting in the true spirit of traveling with cancelled flights and rerouted journeys. Matt, Jamie, Emma, Anja and Andrew have all just arrived!! Here......Read More

Greetings, Hi everyone! My name is Will and I am from Worcester, MA, a city that Boston is about 40 minutes east of. I am finishing up my fake gap year with there be dragons and HMI after doing a program with just HMI last semester in Colorado,......Read More

Hi, my name is Matt Barranco and I’m from Princeton, New Jersey. I am a terrible procrastinator, like this post I get things done right under the wire. I’m an avid explorer, I just returned home from a month long mostly solo cross......Read More

Buen día a todxs from Santiago, I’m sure many of you all are experiencing some last minute jitters (both nervous and excited) prior to your departure as you finalize your packing and as the realizations associated with this gap semester begin......Read More

Hey everyone, I’m Jamie Hackney and I’m really excited to meet all of you and explore South America. I live outside of Boston and am currently on a gap year. I just got home from a NOLS backcountry ski trip in the Tetons where I was......Read More

Hey everyone, my name is Dimitri and I’m from Hanover. Hanover is a very small town in the middle of New Hampshire and seeing the world has always been an interest of mine. I’m an alumni of HMI Semester 36, and am thrilled to be back in......Read More

Hello, my name is Andrew Blackburn and I live outside of Boston. I am currently taking a gap year before I go to Vassar College. Last semester I did an 80 day NOLS course in the Pacific Northwest which gave me a lot of experience in the outdoors. I......Read More

Hola todxs, We recently received a question about how to manage a menstrual cycle while in S. America and while on expedition and I thought that it was such a good question that I thought I’d make my response public to each of you. It seems......Read More

Hi my name is Joey. I’m very excited to meet everyone and explore the mountains and culture of the Andes. I have not been truly hiking since I went to summer camp, around 3 years ago, so I am extremely happy to be able to have this opportunity to......Read More

Hi everyone, My name is Brett. I am so excited to get to meet each and every one of you on our adventure. A little about myself: I love the outdoors. Some of my favorite activities include hiking, white water rafting, surfing, playing sports like......Read More

Hello! I’m Emma and the first thing that you’ll notice about me is that I’m ridiculously tall (6 feet to be exact) so don’t be surprised when you first see me!     Two summers ago, I tackled a short hiking trip in the White Mountains of......Read More

My name is Sean and I’m super excited to meet you guys in Chile.  I’m not the best at talking about myself, so I appreciate HMI for challenging me this early into the course.  I’d describe myself as a person that is outgoing and......Read More

¿Como va? Me llamo Maddy 🙂 I don’t really know when I decided this, but for as long as I can remember Patagonia has been on my bucket list. Probably even before I knew that Patagonia was not, in fact, a country—and probably before I knew......Read More

Hi Everyone! I’m Anja (anne-yuh?). I am creative, ambiverted, practical and curious. My experience of moving back and forth between England and America growing up helped to guide me in realising the values that I find most important in life,......Read More

Hola todxs, Below you will find some commonly asked questions in regard to packing. Remember to refer back to the comprehensive packing/gear list that you all received. Below you will find the attachment to the gear list as well. If you have any......Read More