Program Reviews

My leaders were wonderful at executing a well planned trip. Kat and Kyle were always there to support me in any and every way. They also kept a positive attitude. I met great people and had awesome experiences. The service was rewarding, and I met some really cool people. I had a lot of fun at the activities such as surfing, scuba diving, and hiking. The free time we had was also great. It gave me time to refuel and get to know everyone. This was a great opportunity that I am so glad I got to be a part of.

I am so happy i chose the ARCC Hawaii Gap Year Trip. I was not ready for college and needed to grow more as a person and wanted to have new experiences traveling. This trip was amazing for that. We did really cool things like scuba, manta ray snorkels, and hikes to volcanoes. Those were some highlights for me, but we also did a fair amount of service during the trip. It felt like a lot at times, but looking back it taught me to push myself in ways i hadn’t before. I have met the most amazing people on this program and had the best leaders i hope to always stay in contact with them.

This trip was a very formative experience for me. I gained a lot of experience with farm work, backpacking, and learned a lot of Spanish. I was able to meet a lot of very interesting people who work for the projects that the trip entails and made a lot of friends within my group. The trip is a mix of camping and hostel stays, but it’s more hostel stays than camping. Another thing you should know is that it’s more of an experiential learning trip than an adventure trip. Apart from Torres Del Paine, Futaleufú rafting, and Peruvian ruin exploration, most of the trip is spent doing experiential learning (not to say that it’s a bad thing.)

Be prepared to learn about yourself, especially the bad stuff. You aren’t alone but you don’t have your family with you like at home. Make sure you are mature enough, you don’t want to go out there and then have to depend on so many people around you. You should be independent. And if you aren’t, you will learn how to be. Have an open mind and know that you aren’t going on a luxurious vacation. You are going to travel and learn more than you know, have an open mind to the world around you and respect the locals.

I have had an overall positive experience with ARCC. I however think that there needs to be most rest days incorporated. I also think that the sleeping accommodations could be better. I have enjoyed this time traveling to countries that I probably would've not been too with this group. I have also made some great relationships during this time that hopefully will last a lifetime. I think that chile could be taken out or shortened but Peru has been the time of my life and I have enjoyed learning about the culture.

Arcc was an amazing experience and gave me time to reflect on the things I needed and to meet great people. Fully submerging in the experience and sitting in the challenges made me grow as an individual and I wouldn’t change anything. Moving forward I feel more grounded with myself and more capable of becoming a well rounded adult. This trip was nothing less than incredible and I recommend for people who don’t have stable ground or are craving for more in life. And of course beautiful views. :))

I was very reluctant to go on this trip, and was so nervous about being far away from home, meeting new people, not speaking the native language, and having to deal with COVID. I told myself I needed to step out of my comfort zone - and I most DEFINITELY did. We went all over Costa Rica (spent the most time there), Panama, and Belize (we didnt go to Cuba because of COVID and bad politics at the time in the country) and moved around every 3-5 days by bus. There were definitely some loooong travel days (be prepared for 5-12 hr bus rides and complicated flights). But we were in the mountains, on the beach, and everything in between. One of my favorite things in Costa Rica was working with baby sea turtles. Then in Panama we went to a privet resort, were in Panama City and also provided basic health care to a rural community. In Belize we went scuba diving and got certified (one of my favorite parts - wish we spent more than 10 days there)! I spoke 0 (literally) Spanish but by the end of the program I had completed a 1 week homestay and language school with a local and could order my food in Spanish. I had awesome instructors (shoutout Laura and Carl) and a great group of people. The group was so so close only a week in and were basically siblings by the end. If you are reading this, this is your sign!

TIPS/THINGS TO KNOW:
- bring extra money for snacks because the meals can get very redundant
- bring a sweatshirt because in the mountains it can get cold
- filter ALL your water (would not recommend a SteriPen)
- accommodations have a very wide range
- pack lightly (very hard but you have too) because your bag gets really heavy fast
- journal every day to remember all the cool stuff you do :)

I had an amazing time on this program. What I love about ARCC is that they create an environment in which learning is fun. To me, learning is more than just facts, it’s emerging yourself and engaging with different communities; it’s learning more about yourself as a person and how you interact with the people around you. It was difficult being away from home for so long, but it made me more confident in my independence and provided a great transition into my life as a young adult. I grew so much as a leader, and I couldn’t have done that as successfully without going on this trip.

This is an experience you will keep forever. No one else can understand how special it is. The places you see are absolutely worth it and beautiful. The people you will meet will become your best friends. Even if it can be scary do it! It will the best 70 days of your life. It will be hard yes. The hikes, sleeping outside, the weather, being with the same 14 people for 70 days but you make the best memories out of it. Only those people will understand it. You will grow and be the best version of yourself. You will the happiest when you go home after this crazy trip. But also really sad to leave your new friends. I 100% recommend it.

This semester has been really meaningful. I have learned so much and grown immensely. It has been really cool to be in such a tight knit community. We have done such a variety of activities which is something very unique to find in a gap semester. Also the leaders are amazing! I would recomend this semester for someone looking for a challenge, yet with support the whole time. I feel much more prepared for future endeavors and have gained an immense amount of confidence. I always felt very safe !