Program Reviews

This adventure was packed with opportunities for fun and unforgettable experiences. During the semester cultural immersion, community service, and building leadership were central to each leg of the journey. I loved the challenges, like our week backpacking the W-Trek, or organizing an entire week with my peers for the student planned module. Each week was like another world, between the dense Amazon rainforest, and the ashen slope of Cotopaxi volcano. Our instructors were enthusiastic, well traveled, and clearly valued our personal growth and allowed us the room we needed to take charge and learn. Although there were moments where I felt discomfort, perhaps due to unfamiliar circumstances, the powerful moments and once in a life time opportunities created something I would have never been a part of otherwise. Beforehand I didn’t have much interest in travel, but now with expanded horizons, I want to continue to visit and learn from locations around the world.

I had a very memorable and impactful time on my gap semester with ARCC. I made strong connections with many different people through home stays. This was definitely a highlight for me. I also got to participate in awesome activities in amazing places. Backpacking the W trek in Patagonia, surfing and snorkelling into the Galapagos, biking down Cotopaxi, I mean, come on! I also learned a lot about myself, how to achieve my best self, and be surrounded by good people. And I got to do it all in South America! A continent so rich in culture and adventure.

When into this program kind of blind and it turned out to be one of the best trips of my life. My eyes were opened to new food, language, geography but most importantly people. The connections I built on this trip will last for a long time and the memories were priceless. If it’s your first time traveling without your family arcc is a great stepping stone into the world of travel and sets you up with great skills to manage common difficulties that must be faced when abroad. It is also very good if you want to study a new language as well

This was a once in a life time experience that I’m so glad I participated in. I meet amazing people and did amazing things. Everyday there was something different. We got to do things and go on adventures I would have never imagined. There was a mix between fun and educational and helpful. We did a lot of activities that include waterfall guides, relaxing on the beach, zip lining, and more. We also learned a lot about the different countries not used from planned lectures but from the different people we met, as well as did a lot of influential work helping communities.

The Southeast Asia Gap Semester experience was probably the most fun and most important experience I have had in my life so far. Being able to step outside of the normal American life and into the cultures and places of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand was nothing short of amazing and very influential towards me as a person. I personally think that doing things like this, and especially while young, is incredibly important because you are able to be exposed to things that would never even be thought about unless you were there. In fact, on this program I learned many important things that were never even taught in school whether that be about conflicts, the environment, or the depths to the different cultures we were immersed in. Not to mention the people that I got to experience all of this with. I have friends for life because of this program! Overall, I am very thankful that I was able to take part in this program, and I am so happy that I got to meet all of these wonderful people and got to do all of these wonderful things.

This experience was life changing. It definitely had its challenges but the cultural immersion I experienced and the impact I had on others lives from the meaningful volunteer work I will never forget. It was also super fun and I got to learn a lot of new skills such as scuba diving and surfing. Amazing culture and and wildlife. These countries were beautiful and the people were so welcoming. I grew so much and am eternally grateful for this experienced thank you ARCC and my amazing counselors !!

I had an amazing time on this program! Our two leaders (Ryan and Madison) were amazing; both of them were super knowledgeable, fun, and supportive and really helped make the trip so enjoyable. Our group moved locations about every 5 days, and I loved how faced paced it felt. I had some truly incredible experiences in nature, especially in Costa Rica, where we got to hike and sleep in field stations in the rainforest, go on night patrols looking for sea turtles, and raft down and stay in lodges on the side of the Pacuare river. Our time in Panama was less exciting in my opinion and I sometimes felt that we stayed in one place for too long. However, working with Floating Doctors was an amazing experience. Finally, scuba diving in Belize and spearing lion fish was as fun as it sounds and maybe my highlight of the trip.

One important thing to understand about this trip is that it is very structured. You are with the group 24/7 which means you won't have much alone time but will become super close to everyone in your group. ARCC also has a lot of rules that could sometimes feel unnecessarily restricting, although our leaders gave us freedom where they could.

The activities and group experience this trip provides is seriously a once in a lifetime opportunity. Taking the leap and going on this program has been one of the best decisions I've made, and if you're thinking about doing this program I'm telling you right now you'll have an amazing time.

It is hard to articulate just how incredible and formative my experience on the Centro-Caribbean Gap Semester was. The group leaders (Madison and Ryan) were not only prepared and well-informed, but also incredible friends to everyone in the group. Throughout the program, I sharpened my Spanish skills, learned SO much about conservation and the role I can play in the efforts to protect our planet, and made valuable, life-long connections with those around me. This trip truly changed my life, and I couldn’t recommend it any more (especially to those looking to sharpen up their spanish skills!).

This program was such a unique and rewarding experience. Each week was a different place, exploring, adventuring, and doing service. I was expecting to go in with more of a backpacking mindset however most of our stays were in beds, with bathrooms ect… Throughout the trip I saw incredible wildlife, made countless friends and ate delicious food. My instructors were wonderful and extremely knowledgeable about everything we did. I would highly recommend this program for ANYONE especially those taking a gap year.

The East Africa semester was incredible. I was so grateful for the opportunity to experience a culture so vastly different from my own. I was especially excited and passionate about the service work we did, mainly the solar project and the rhino sanctuary. I wish we could have spent more time doing both. I would recommend this ARCC semester to any high school or college student. East Africa was a place I knew little about prior to this semester, and I feel much more well informed on the three countries (Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania) that we spent time in.