ARCC Gap: Hawaii - O'ahu, Maui & the Big Island

During the 70 days, I have learned so much about my self as a leader, how to work and live so close to others, and how to work as a supportive member of the group. Because of this program, I have gained the skills and knowledge to create less waste, garden and weed, and the importance of giving back to the ‘aina (land). I have found the value in traveling, trying new foods, working and meeting others. This semester has changed my life and perspective for the good and I will forever be grateful to this experience and those I shared it with.

Taking a gap year and going to Hawaii through ARCC was one of the best choices I have made. I got to escape my comfort zone and my little bubble back home to learn more about the world around me. On this program we learned about the culture of Hawaii and how to help the people and environment. Along the way we met some amazing people and made new friends that would forever change my POV of life. I recommend to anyone interested in taking a gap year and looking to find a passion to take on in the future to take a gap year and join a program. Doing this will definitely help you make a choice in what you want to study in the future going into college or university. I recommend this course of action to anyone who just graduated high-school who doesn't know what to do.

My ARCC trip pushed me out of my
Comfort zone and helped me become even more of a leader. I was able to meet so many amazing local people and listen to all of their stories and learn about Hawaii’s history through them. Although my group was very small we all got along really well and had a lot of fun. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to travel with less pressure before going to college or figuring out what you want to do. I saw things I never thought I would see — lava, a shark while scuba diving, manta ray snorkel — and I became more confident in myself and my ability to lead and interact with people. Both of my leaders were super inspiring and blended in well with the group. My curiosity and joy of learning were heightened and I am so glad I was able to have this experience and travel before going to college in the Spring. I definitely recommend for anyone taking a full gap year or just a gal semester! A life-changing experience that I will never forget.

I believe this program contains a diverse curriculum that will appeal to everyone no matter your background coming into this program or level of experience. The staff do an exemplary job helping you learn about yourself on the trip and grow as a student, friend, and leader. I learned so much about the vibrant and rich culture in Hawai‘i along with some common phrases and words related to the work we were doing. I believe at time I felt there was too much free time or sometimes not enough, but I believe that as we neared the end of the program we really fleshed out a good schedule that worked for everyone and became a very cohesive group.

It was a great trip overall had so much fun and met the coolest people. The experience was the best one I’ve ever had. The rules were kind of annoying but I understand why they are rules. I recommend this trip to any student that wants a fresh start and a new prospective like I did. I see myself and others in a totally different way than I did before and met really interesting people along the way. I also loved the structure of the program and the challenges that pushed me out of my comfort zone. At times, I did get a little bored and annoyed how structured it was but overall it was good

Overall this was a very memorable and impactful experience that I’ll forever cherish. I was able to meet so many amazing people and learn so many things about Hawaii that I would never have been able to any other way. I think this is a great way to travel because I was able to have very unique experiences and make so many different connections that gave me a new perspective on my life. I think it would be better for future participants if they knew exactly what this trip entails because it was not what i expected. I thought we would be camping most of the time/ backpacking to campsites but instead we were staying in cabins most of the time and we didn’t go on very many hikes. I think the packing list could also be less strict because I ended up not using many of the things I packed and I had to buy a lot of things here.

I had an amazing time on this program! Traveling around the different islands of Hawaii for two months is something I would most likely struggle to accomplish on my own or with a couple friends, making this a perfect program for anyone trying to learn how to travel with a group and on a budget. I got to essentially live with 12 other amazing students while experiencing the culture and fun activities Hawaii has to offer!! This will definitely be a trip that’ll stick with me for the rest of my days.

On the Hawaii ARCC gap semester students can expect to do a lot of farming service. Most of the service done was working on farms. The Hawaiian culture was also a huge focus on the trip. We spent a lot of time with local people who taught us raw and real experiences of native people. We stayed in cabins or group rooms/housing most of the trip and spent a few weeks in tents. The whole time you are with a group which can get hard but you create a very close bond with everyone. All of the days are planned out for you but there is some say in what students want to do during free times.