Blog

The first time I ever heard of the Galapagos Islands was in the stories that my grandpa always used to tell me. He was a hobby pilot and would go on the craziest trips to the world's most remote places. One of his favorites was always the Galapagos Islands. So for me, it's super exciting to be here and experience these islands for myself. One thing I tried to pay attention to for the past week is the core values that the people living here are upholding in their daily li… Read more

This week really was action-packed and we can’t wait to tell you all about it! We started our second week by waking up the chirping birds and misty clouds that filled the lush jungle in the north of Thailand. We were all very excited to make ourselves busy and our host Apple had plenty planned for us. Within the first 24 hours at the elephant sanctuary, we had met all 3 of the elephants here: Molo, Tong Bai, and Bau Ban. Izzy was the first to step forward to meet a very… Read more

Over the past two weeks, one of the best experiences has been trying all of the different foods Thailand has to offer. We wanted to share with you some of our favorites! Whether you’re traveling through Thailand or just looking for a new recipe to try at home, we have you covered. Check out these delicious dishes!   1. Yum Som-O (Pomelo Salad)Thai pomelo salad, or Yum Som-O, is a fruit-based salad. The main ingredient is pomelo, which is a fruit that looks like a grape… Read more

Presenting the Creature of The Week in Hawaii: Green Sea TurtlesGreen Sea Turtles are found in subtropical and temperate regions of the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans, including the Hawaiian archipelago, where they are called honu locally. They are the largest hard-shelled turtle species in the world, growing upwards of 4 feet from head to tail, and can live to be over 100 years old. Their spawning season ranges from late spring to early summer, where females crawl… Read more

Week 1 Has Flown By!We started our week off with service at a local fishpond with Luka, where the group chopped down invasive plants that could harm the native flora and fauna. We added to our new knowledge with an afternoon chat with a local environmentalist and educator named Treyven. He shared Hawaiian history and legends along with expanding upon our knowledge of the language. Later in the week, we took a bus up almost 14,000 feet to the summit of Mauna Kea. We watc… Read more

It's time to meet your Instructors for the Summer 2022 Semester Programs...   Hawaii Summer Program | Instructors: Laurel & JohnLaurel hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She spent several seasons instructing Pacific Discovery programs in South America, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, and Australia before signing on for three years to run wilderness programs in New Zealand. Laurel now resides on the West Coast of New Zealand and is studying for her Master’s in Social Work.… Read more

Big news for Pacific Discovery! We feel honored to be named a 2022 Innovation Award Finalist by GoAbroad in not one, but two categories! These GoAbroad Innovation Awards put the spotlight on the best in innovation, originality, creativity and exceptional ideas in international education. They acknowledge institutions and organizations moving the field forward, and commend leaders in the community for their efforts to go beyond the conventional. No wonder we are thrille… Read more

Although the end of our trip is edging ever closer and our reunions draw nearer and nearer, this group of explorers continues to take in every beautiful moment. The story picks up during our stay in Baños. We kicked it all off by walking to the local hot springs just under a gorgeous waterfall. At the base of this waterfall was a tribute to the virgin Mary, a partner to the statue topping the opposite side of the ridge. Both of these sites are staples of this primarily c… Read more

This week we are writing from the Natural Reserve in Cerro Alto where we are beginning to wrap up our wonderful program. This past week was still full of adventure that we are so excited to share with you. At the beginning of the week, we were still working on our service project at the Costa Rica Animal Rescue Center. Everyday, we were divided into 4 groups - birds, sloths/deer/pigs, nocturnals, and monkeys. Each group worked with the current volunteers and staff to he… Read more

Pacific Discovery is an organization offering gap semesters and summer programs targeted to students between high school and college. There are a bunch of places you can sign up for such as Hawaii, Thailand, South America and many more all over the world. The purpose of the program is to have hands-on learning experience and to immerse into a new culture by being involved in service work and wilderness exploration. These experiences create an environment to have personal… Read more