Blog

Starting this blog off right by sharing that we successfully completed our 3 day kayaking journey! That covered 25km of Costa Rican, clear crisp and sunny coastline! During this trip we saw a variety of wildlife including monkeys and some very social dolphins that came right up to the kayaks. We were led by our leaders who were up for the challenge, Nathan and Allie. When we stepped into our first campsite we knew it was special. We all enjoyed jumping off the dock, esp… Read more

We’ve just surpassed the one-week milestone in our Hawaii Mini Semester trip, here’s how it went! We began our adventure in the beautiful town of Pahala staying at a Sugar Cane Plantation, full of rich history and scenic views. Natalie and Liz, our instructors, laid out the laws of the land, risk management, and the importance of communication during orientation over the next two days. In between orientation sessions we got the chance to really get to know each other an… Read more

We’ve just hit the one-week mark of our Costa Rica journey, and we’re living that “pura vida” life. Our first stop was a beautiful lodge in San Miguel, aptly named Epic Adventure. In between orientation sessions, we found time to get to know each other, as well as the lush rainforest around us. Nathan and Jordan led multiple hikes down the mountain to a beautiful river, where Freddy was always enthusiastic to go for a quick swim. We also made time for a few impromptu soc… Read more

When we first signed up for this trip, we all discussed the things we were most excited for. Machu Picchu, the Galápagos Islands, and rafting the Amazon were some of the group’s most anticipated activities. However, if you asked our group what our most memorable experience was thus far, I’m confident most would answer our stay with the Llama Pack Project. Our experience began with a grueling hike to Cancha Cancha, a rural village located high in the Andes mountains. As … Read more

This past week has been full of so many adventures! After our Volcan Pacaya hike last week, we stepped it up and climb Volcan Acatenango. This 8 hour hike took us up to an elevation of 11,480 feet (or 3500 meters). We felt like we were on top of the world. The best part? We were right next to the neighboring active volcano, Fuego. From our campsite, we watched as Fuego erupted every half hour. Fuego would alert us of an eruption with a sound similar to thunder, then a br… Read more

Throughout this past month we have had some of the best experiences of our lives. Here are our top 10 most epic moments of the trip so far.  10. The cenotes in TulumOne of my favorite parts of Tulum was getting to experience the various cenotes in the area. A cenote is a cave-like formation, typically with freshwater, where we got to enjoy activities like cliff-jumping and swimming. These formations were also sacred to the ancient Mayan populations, which made the exper… Read more

If you remember anything about growing up, you probably remember that nearly everyone has always encouraged you to go to college... and not stop going until you get the perfect job.  It's no secret that to get a higher-paying, professional full-time career, you usually need a degree higher than a bachelor's degree. However, that's not always the case. There are plenty of different paths to take after graduating college that do not mean you're steering away from a succes… Read more

Our First week in HawaiiTaught by the knowledgeable Rosa, this week we learned about Hawaiian plants and their connections to Hawaii’s rich culture and history. Underneath a traditional Pili grass roof Rosa spoke about the importance of taking care of the environment and the many ways in which Hawaii is being affected by tourism, deforestation, government abuse, COVID, and climate change. Outside, shaded by a Kukui tree amidst the Kohanaiki gardens, Rosa told stories ab… Read more

We Did It Again!The awards just keep on coming this year! Just a week after being voted as the #1 Gap Year Provider of 2021 by GoAbroad students, we got voted as one of the Top Gap Year Providers for Fun and Safety by students on Go Overseas!    We are stoked to be recognized for all of our hard work in 2021. Given that there are hundreds of great programs out there, this is an incredible accomplishment. So thank you to all of our amazing students, hardworking team and… Read more

It's time to meet your Instructors for the Spring 2022 Mini Semester Programs!   Hawaii Mini Semester Program | Instructors: Liz & Natalie Hailing from the great state of Colorado, Liz is stoked to be instructing for Pacific Discovery again. Her early years consisted of playing in the dirt on the softball field, taking her playing to Lehigh University and then in Germany. Playing professionally was a great joy and exploring new places continued calling. That bug took he… Read more