Blog

The Essential Hawaii Packing List by Avery Barakett (Hawaii Summer Program 2021)Whether you’re the type of person to start packing a month in advance or the night before your trip, here are the items you don’t want to forget. This list has been compiled by previous Pacific Discovery students (who wish you an amazing time in Hawaii)! 1. Sweats - Hawaii has 10 of the world’s 14 climate zones. Drifting in and out of sleep during an hour-long car ride feels like teleportati… Read more

Taking a gap year in the middle of getting your degree can seem a bit daunting. You might be worried it could set you behind compared to your friends and other students. However, the benefits of taking a gap year when you need it most, far outweigh the downsides.  Let’s get into things! We will talk you through the possible gains and the process of asking your college for a deferral, before handing you some expert tips for a seamless transition as you go back to college… Read more

Gap years continue to grow in popularity as more and more young adults decide to take a break right after graduating high school or college, or even during college. A gap year is the perfect opportunity to pursue other interests, learn new skills, gain work experience, travel the world and grow as a person. Are you thinking of taking off for a semester or the full 12 months? Get inspired with these gap year ideas that can expand your horizons and change your life! 1. H… Read more

What am I going to do after high school or college? It’s the question on every school leaver's mind. Maybe some of your friends have talked about taking a gap year, and you’re wondering if you could use a break like this as well. Or you are currently weighing up the pros and cons. We have more than 20 years of experience with gap year students and these are the major benefits they keep raving to us about!   What is a gap year?A gap year is a break from study or work th… Read more

Check out Instructor Sophia's review of the group's first surfing experience: As we pulled into the Surfaris site, the anticipation to go out and surf was felt throughout the group. Leaving the campsites where we slept in tents, it was quite refreshing to sleep in actual beds and have meals cooked for us. The Surfaris site was energy-filled with positive vibes and friendly welcomes, as a result of the incredibly open and fun personalities accompanying us on this journe… Read more

Laura and James met on the New Zealand & Australia Gap Year Semester Program back in 2016 and it changed their lives forever. They talk to us about their program experiences and their new home Alaska.How did you end up in Alaska?Laura was born and raised just outside of Anchorage, Alaska. I was born and raised outside of Toronto, Canada. We developed a tight bond and strong friendship from the program, and we were interested in visiting each other after the program had e… Read more

A story of mangoes, sandcastles and haikus (by Lucy)What is the best way, you may ask, to get young adults to bond with each other? Put them in teams and then tell them they’ll be participating in a competition. The rules of the game are simple: complete the tasks, protect your mango, win the game.  We set our scene on the tropical island of Koh Lanta, Thailand. Think white, sandy beaches and picturesque, azure seas. One bright, clear morning, Tari (our instructor) aske… Read more

Lets see a run down of our highlights of the week from one of our Hawaii Programs! Thank you for sharing Hawaii E! Connor  Who is that up there Is that a dominant manWhat is he doing  Evan I got the chance to go skydiving. It was one of the most insane moments of my life and the 60 seconds of free fall felt like 10. It’s something I’m so happy I did, and I can’t wait to try it again. Grayson  This evening we went to China Falls and we had quite the experience. W… Read more

Matthew and Liv here to give an update on our travels!   We arrived in panajanchel after a long journey hiking through the beautiful mountains and valleys of Guatemala. After a yummy lunch at a local restaurant, we jumped in a boat to head to the yoga retreat! Once everyone arrived, we were very thankful for some warm showers and a nice bed to jump into. The next morning we jumped right into yoga starting at 6:45 am! it felt good to finally stretch out the muscles t… Read more

1. Go local! Working in Mastatal we have learned that it is incredibly important to support local businesses and to keep money within a community. At the ranch in Mastatal, where we lived completely sustainably, the apprentices and folks who work here only buy produce from local businesses and shops. This helps those small businesses and also helps those at the ranch by having a healthy and eco-friendly diet. 2.It doesn’t matter if you speak English or Spanish but here w… Read more