Blog

Kia Ora!It’s been one month since we all have been in the land of the long white cloud, Aotearoa, New Zealand. During this time we have been to the North and South Island. As a group we have decided  to share some insights from our travels in the form of Emojis. Have a read below to find out what we have been up to.  Lily: We’ve learned to really enjoy camping. Even though it’s been in the rain, the cold and sometimes the sun, we still have worked through it together an… Read more

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” - Ferris Bueller    I’ve been thinking about this a lot quote for the past four weeks. Waking up in the morning, realizing that yet another day has passed by in the blink of an eye.  We are somehow already almost halfway through, causing the group to already begin talking about how sad it will be at the end. How we will all probably cry and hug each other like they do in … Read more

Aloha everyone! Let’s start with an introduction. My name is Jess Hall, and I’m from Virginia. After spending high school cycling competitively, I decided to take my first semester off from starting college and embark on this adventure, which has ultimately been one of the best choices I’ve ever made. At this point, I’m just under a month into my time here in Hawaii, and it’s been a life changing experience. If I were to tell you about every impactful moment that I’ve h… Read more

We're Going To India and Nepal!India… It’s like no other, unique by its architectural wonders, history, bustling bazaars, and spiritual traditions. All of this makes it the perfect addition to our tried and tested Nepal Program. Arriving here after peaceful Nepal feels like a blasting force of sounds, smells and colors, but in the best way possible. So without further ado, we present to you the new India & Nepal Program! It's the perfect combination of culture, nature an… Read more

The first time I felt truly overwhelmed with the beauty of the mountains of Peru was the first night at the Llama Pack Project, when the whole group stopped for a moment to take in the beauty of the sunset, setting its face behind the darkening terraces. As the sun faded away, the constellations of the Milky Way slowly appeared to us, so close it was as if we could reach out to the heavens and touch each star. The mountains and the night sky merged into one at that mome… Read more

The Southeast Asia program is full of big, momentous moments; touching an elephant for the first time, meditating with Buddhist monks, trekking through the jungle in Laos. But equally important are the small moments. Moments that make us remember how grateful we are to be here and reflect on the importance of staying present. Our group wanted to share some of those small moments that made a big difference.   Alana: One of my favorite memories so far was the big thunder… Read more

We have had quite the first week down here in New Zealand. While we would love to fill you in on all of it, we thought it would be best to share one of the highlights from earlier this week.   The other night, we all went kiwi hunting. If you don’t know what a kiwi is, or think it’s the fruit (or apparently the native people), it’s not. A kiwi is type of endangered bird native to New Zealand. They are what we described as a mix between a gopher, a chicken, a chipmunk, … Read more

Did you know that the average high school student spends about one-sixth of their total waking hours in the classroom? That's one-sixth of your life spent walking the same hallways, inhaling the same cafeteria smells, and staring longingly out the window at the same scenery. If you aren't eager to chuck your mortarboard into the air and step right into another institution for four years, we can't blame you! The world is much bigger than campus, and this moment might be … Read more

It's time to meet your Instructors for the Fall 2022 Programs! Our Program Instructors are inspiring people, who share a deep respect for the people and cultures, a fascination with local history, and an in-depth understanding of contemporary issues and politics. They are people in whom you can trust, who remain objective and supportive even in challenging circumstances, and who take a genuine interest in your well-being and safety. Basically they're a bunch of epic hum… Read more

A gap year done right can bring insight and maturity. It can add valuable credits to your resume and make you a more alluring candidate to admission counselors. More and more students fresh out of high school who have taken a gap year, apply to college afterward instead. If you decided to go that route and are now wondering how to apply to college after a gap year, you're in good company! Let's take a look at applying to college after a gap year and planning your colle… Read more