Blog

Brace yourself for the weird and wonderful creatures of the Land Down Under. 1. Koala Cute, fluffy little sleepyheads. Perhaps not so friendly, because they don’t like to be woken up from their 22 hours of sleep daily. When they do rise and shine, it’s to eat eucalyptus leaves.  The koala has one of the smallest brains in proportion to body weight of any mammal, probably because of its nutrient poor diet. They are also endangered, so lots of environmental activists are… Read more

On our six-week Australia Mini Semester, we road trip all the way from Sydney to Cairns in this quintessential journey Down Under. Our program instructors drive us up the east coast, taking in diverse landscapes and experiences along the way. We will go canyoning in the ancient chasms of the Blue Mountains, hold a koala on Magnetic Island, boat to the Whitsundays, snorkel on the world’s largest barrier reef, and learn to surf in pristine National Parks. Canyoning in t… Read more

Coming to the end of our trip with full hearts and better self awareness. The Great Barrier Reef was our last, but certainly not least, stop through our month long journey up the east coast of Australia. With unknown visions of what waited for us beneath, we eagerly dived into the crisp, blue ocean. The colors, fish, coral, and every little specimen was more beautiful than any of us could ever imagine. Making images through camera lenses and our minds, none of us wanted … Read more

Lucy was inspired by an Onondagan poem to write this piece and create the beautiful illustration... The sun rays pierce the clouds light feeding plants, plants feeding animals natures love, energy, and relationships. As humans, we are given a sacred trust. We have the privilege to take care of the plants and animals. Some humans violate this trust and others worship this trust. As humans we also have a voice. We can give our voice to the animals and plants. We need to p… Read more

3: Byron Bay to Noosa to Fraser ? First we hit the club in Byron bay Didn't need any drinks to dance the night away Heard some reggae then a DJ then we walked on back Feels great in the morning when a hangover you lack Dove with turtles, saw the lighthouse, and we popped some tags Don't need that paper or plastic cuz we got our reusable bags Traveled further up the coast with a pit stop at the zoo Saw a koala in surgery and I fed a kangaroo Then we got back on the r… Read more

Volunteering At the end of this week, we really felt like a part of the Crescent Head, New South Wales community after surfing with dolphins, seeing tonnes of whales and really helping out and engaging in the community. Our main task was weeding lantana so that native plants would be able to grow. Who knew volunteering could have such amazing views?! It was so great to make an impact in the environment, especially when strangers came up to us about it, and thanked us fo… Read more

Amanda rapped these two little masterpieces to us in Bazza and we couldn't help but share ? 1: Blue Mountains to Crescent Head ? We flew over the sea, touched down in Sydney Stayed in a hostel, don't lose the room key We strolled round the city and saw some cool sights What a dope group, so far no fights Hopped on the bus, Bazza is its name to the Blue Mountains where abseiling was the game No we're off to surf camp, ready to shred Follow the rules, no strangers in … Read more

Two perspectives on the first week of our Pacific Discovery trip up the East Coast of Australia, from Sydney to Cairns; After arriving in Sydney and being greeted by our instructors, our journey began as quickly as a leaf being carried away by the wind. Starting off in the city was a nice introduction to Australian culture. Next, the Blue Mountains won our hearts over and showed us the rural side to Australia. Being in the mountains reminded me of a chilly winter back h… Read more

As the wave caresses the bleach blonde sand, it folds over itself, in a continuous cycle, spreading out its love to each minuscule grain. As the blanket slowly dissipates, the sand anticipates what will come next. Boulders, to the left and to the right, act as sound barriers, suppressing the screams and thrashes of the violent water, guiding it on a one way path to shake hands with the shore. The sunset acts simply as a halo, displaying its chemically factored colors … Read more

G'day Pacific Discovery Summer Family! Hoping you've all had a brilliant start to the year, and know that's it's just going to keep getting better! I'm Jess and am very much looking forward to being your program instructor for the Australia Summer Program along with Susy. I'm currently in the northern hemisphere staying with a television presenter in the highlands of Guatemala whilst on a cycling trip through Central America. However, I am really missing vegemite toast,… Read more