On the Ground Highlights and Experiences | Spotlight: Hawaii Mini Semester

Join us on our Hawaii Mini Semester Program for all things surfing and sustainable living. The volcanic island chain of Hawaii is a traveler's dream. The Big Island is rich in culture and community and this program is all about diving in to understand local issues, all while having an epic time along the way. Our endless to-do list includes stargazing from the summit of Mauna Kea, walking on a moonscape of black lava in Volcanoes National Park, roaming a green sand beac… Read more

Category Hawaii
Departure Spring 2023

The Hawaii Mini Jigsaw Puzzle

Hawaii Minimester Jigsaw Puzzle: 500 Pieces Difficulty Level: Hard This box contains: 10 students, 2 instructors, and 1 van Recommended: Ages 18+ Caution: Reference and instructions not included Our Hawaii Minimester is comparable to a jigsaw puzzle as each person, place, and memory represents an individual puzzle piece. As our program draws to a close, I’d like to take a moment to look back on the past month on all of our different puzzle pieces that have created o… Read more

Category Hawaii
Departure Fall 2022

Once in a lifetime

Aloha everyone! O’ Reeve Warner kou inoea. I’m from Calgary Alberta Canada. I’m currently writing this to you as I sit beneath the stars in Volcanoes National Park. We just got back from seeing the red glow of a volcano with people who were once strangers, who are now the people I would consider my family. I graduated from high school in 2021 in the middle of a pandemic. I felt extremely lost after high school and wondered if I had made the right decision by deciding to … Read more

Category Hawaii
Departure Fall 2022

Four Weeks of Impactful Moments

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

Category Hawaii
Departure Fall 2022

Creature of The Week

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

Category Hawaii
Departure Summer 2022

The Start of Our Hawaii Summer Adventure!

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

Category Hawaii
Departure Summer 2022

A Look Back at Hawaii ‘22

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

Category Hawaii
Departure Spring 2022

Highlights on the Halfway Point of Hawaii Mini

Just a few days ago marked the halfway point in our Hawaii Mini Semester adventure! We have been in Hawaii for a little over three weeks now, and I already have so many memories that I will cherish forever. Here are just a couple of my many highlights.  Camping on the beach under the stars at Ho’okena beach park in Kona was beautiful and definitely out of some people's stretch zone but a serene and humbling experience as well. During that week we got to attend surf camp… Read more

Category Hawaii
Departure Spring 2022

The Start of Hawaii Mini's Adventure!

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

Category Hawaii
Departure Spring 2022

Learning About Hawaiian History and Plants on the Big Island

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

Category Hawaii
Departure Spring 2022