Program Reviews

I think a large part of how much I enjoyed this program was because of the people. Not only were my trip leaders incredible human beings who I am fortunate enough to look up to and even call friends, but ARCC also does an excellent job selecting local leaders and families for home stays. Every house I lived in, I felt so loved and welcome. I have done travel programs in the summer with different companies, but I did not feel nearly as immersed in the community then as I did on this trip. It was the first time this trip ran as a Gap Semester, so there were still some kinks being worked out while we were on the trip. Even though things did not always go exactly as planned, I would not change how I spent my semester nor would I hesitate to recommend this program to anyone interested in a truly life changing experience filled with immersion, adventure, and service learning.

After making a pretty last minute decision to take a gap year I found ARCC. I previously went on multiple summer trips with a different organization, but for my gap trip wanted to try something different. After spending 3 months in East Africa with ARCC, I wish I did all my summer trips in the past with them. I heard about them through a gap year consultant and immediately fell in love with the East Africa program. Something about the 3 countries (Uganda,Kenya, Tanzania) popped out at me, and as I read into the trip more I decided this was the company and trip for me. Once I decided to do a trip like this, I explored a couple of other companies before making a decision. once. Something about ARCC just felt so right and I absolutely loved how the trip was set up. When I read about the trip, I liked how there were 5 global themes that you explore throughout the whole trip (public health, education, micro finance, urbanization,conservation) and I liked the incorporation of leadership and the capstone project at the end. Those three things were not included with other programs. In September 2018 I met up with my group of 10 students and 2 leaders who were soon to be my 12 new best friends and family. We embarked on the trip of a lifetime. I know that sounds cheesy, but I don’t really know how else to define the trip that brought me so much. I loved that it was a mix of values and lessons that all contributed to the success of the perfect trip. There was service, adventure, leadership, education, nature, and fun. We lived in each country for a month. We spent our time traveling to village to village and spent about a week in each place. In each place we focused on something new. A new project, a new theme etc. For the first half of the trip we went to many schools and spent copious amounts of time with the kids. Playing with them, teaching them, learning about the school, learning how we could be of service. Every school was different so it never got boring. And the faces of the kids and the things we learned from them and the relationships we met will never be lost. Starting in Uganda we got a big overland truck with no windows and limo type seating and traveled in that with our driver Thiemo. Driving from place to place instead of flying was a really special experience because we saw things you wouldn’t see thousands of feet up. For example kids running after the truck, people selling different things on the side of the road, and how the landscape changes as you progress into a new place. During those road trips we stocked up on snacks connected to the aux cord and looked out the window at the beauty. Some of the best times were spent on that truck. We also got the opportunity to camp for about a month and a half. We would drive in the truck and pull out all of our stuff and tents from the compartments and set up camp. We had cook crews and we all shopped and cooked with and for each other. This added on another component to the trip and I think the camping really brought us together as a group. Sleeping in tents cooking meals together etc. Along with working in schools, we did a solar panel project and a health project. Learning everything you needed to, to wire someone’s house with solar panels and change a dressing on a patient. Everything that happened on the trip we did it together. I had 11 people by my side with everything we did and saw which is really special because you’re not the only person who saw that village or got to experience the amazing people of Tanzania and you can process and talk about everything with 11 other people which is amazing. Along with that we had two amazing leaders Katy and Eric who were also always by our side. Supporting us in anything we needed or did and keeping the trip running smoothly and safely and also sharing lots of laughs with us. The trip had so many special moments some with my group some with the locals. We experienced so much. Met so many people saw so many beautiful sights and made so many connections and memories. After spending 3 months on an ARCC trip I feel so incredibly passionate for the company. I think everything that occurred on the trip is all thanks to ARCC for organizing it so well and keeping everything running so smoothly. I also think ARCC is just so thoughtful they really know where we were at coming on this trip and they met us where we were. They provided so many things during the trip that contributed to the trip on such a high level. For example every week we did a reflection where we were given an
Hour and a prompt to reflect on and that was then followed by a discussion. This helped us to really process and further think about everything we had done or seen which I think is so important. They also included a whole leadership component giving us each an opportunity to be a leader of the group for a week twice during the trip. An opportunity to plan and run under all activities, reflections and experiences for the group. I think I learned a lot from that experience. They also always had games and activities up their sleeves to help us connect more as a group and have loads of fun. I felt so supported and understood and loved and pushed by ARCC. Although this is a self finding trip ARCC helped foster all the relationships and experiences we had which helped a lot. They did so well at preparing us and they were always available to talk to leading up to the trip. They also did a very good job at discussing the arrival home and preparing us for what that can potentially bring. So when I arrived home and was dealing with culture shock and missing the trip and the group at least I was prepared because I knew that was what I was going to feel. We talked about it and processed it before we left. I could go on for days how this trip had so many great parts to it and how it brought me so much joy and new experiences. What it all comes down to is that I highly highly recommend a trip with ARCC If you want a trip that is so well planned and that will change your life. Obviously I am biased to the East Africa gap semester they have many other trips in countries all over the world that all share similar curriculum, experiences, adventures and opportunities. If I could I would do my trip and all the other ones over again. I don’t think I would be as happy, aware, strong, thankful as I am without ARCC.

I miss my trip and my group everyday to me that’s a good sign,

Rosie Morford

At the beginning of the trip I didn't know what to expect, I mean I met my group for the first time at the airport, I mean that first day was really hard leaving your family's and meeting complete strangers is really hard. If I wasn't for our leaders and their games we wouldn't have talked to each other. Our leaders really made our group one of a kind they were still in our age range that it wasn't awkward talking to them. This whole experience wasn't anything I've ever thought about doing. But after spending a couple of weeks with my group we grew much closer than I ever imagined and now not waking up and seeing them everyday is really difficult. But I'm very glad I took this semester because the memories I have of them were life changing.

The east Africa trip was by far one of the coolest experiences I have ever done. For my gap year, I wanted to expand my boundaries and see the world and this trip did just that. The 11 other people on my trip were strangers, friends and then family. We grew closer than I though possible in the short amount of time together. But now looking back, even through the ups and downs, the good and the bad, they were and will always be there for me, no matter what. The east Africa trip showed me how strong I can be and showed me How similar and different the western society and the east African society is. I loved meeting new people and really getting to know them. Many of the people I met, changed my life. Peter changed the way I look at the world, he said, the world needs you more than you think and that if you work hard you can do anything. Constantly now, I wish I could go back. I wish I could be in the open plains of the Savannah, or in the crowds of children singing to us or in the wise embraces of mama from Lewa and Tania. My heart lives in Africa and someday I know I will go back and live every moment to the fullest possible, loving everyone and everything in my path of life.

First off: don’t pack jeans you’ll probably never wear them, despite with the list says. If you do pack two old pairs like I did, you can find somewhere to donate them along the way like I did! I say this first, because I hardly see the point in trying to sell this program, it sells itself! Working with sea turtles, hiking in the Andes, canoeing in Lake Titicaca, walking through Machu Pichu, the entire experience was incredible. ARCC prioritizes ethical, safe, and learning-based travel. Your money not only sends you on the trip of a lifetime, but also goes to help communities build meeting places in Ecuador and sends young women in Perú to school. Every experience, with the right attitude, could be framed to one of learnings and laughter. The leaders will care for you and look after you; they will do everything they can to help you succeed and stay healthy! There is a huge component that’s up to you: your attitude. You have to want to go on this trip, embrace living in close quarters with a group, and understand that the rules are for your safety. If you can understand and embrace all that, you will enjoy and laugh at every moment. Even the moments you don’t enjoy, you’ll still be able to laugh at the next day. I can’t recommend it enough. Perfect for people like me who plan to go to college in the spring, anyone who would like to go multiple places during their gap year, or spend a semester working and one traveling. It’s the only semester-long program I found in my research, but then again, I didn’t have to look much further since I already knew I found the perfect one from the descriptions and reviews. I wasn’t let down in the slightest.

This was the most unique and awesome experience I've had so far. Every day I was doing something I had never done before. This experience is something I won't forget for a wile. Just the experience of getting to do something new every single day and getting to interact, and also help people, there is nothing quite like it. Before going on the trip I initially had my doughts about what the experience was going to be like, or if I really was committed enough to spend three months away from everything and everyone I knew. But those doughts were nothing compared to all the knowledge and different experiences and friends that I gained. This trip helped shape the way I see the world and gave me new perspective on what is important. I would really recomend this experience to someone who is thinking about doing it because it is really worth it. If you want to have

This trip was the best 3 months of my life! I traveled with a group of people that I will be friends with forever. I learned so much about the places we were traveling through the people we met and the course reader our instructors put together. I learned a lot about myself and grew as a leader. I love that we did a variety of activities, never staying in one place for more than a week and living out of a backpack. We did some of everything: volunteered, saw tourist attractions, hiked, rafted, surfed, spoke Spanish, learned about the culture, worked on our leadership skills, and shopped, just to name a few. My leaders are incredible people who taught me so much and helped me with anything I needed throughout the semester. I'm so excited to be able to do another ARCC trip in the spring!

My time with ARCC in South America was an experience that I will never forget the rest of my life. I learned so many valuable things during my time abroad and so many traveling tips I had never heard before. My favorite part of the trip was the deep cultural exchanges and practicing my Spanish with all of the local communities. Also, I loved how my leaders , JP and Kaitlyn , discussed with our group major issues that were going on around the countries we traveled through. I also loved my group tremendously and I beliebe there was just the right number of students. Also, I loved the number of students in my group very much. The number of us was just right and I grew to know everyone so well and they became like family to me. I learned to many life lessons on this trip that I will forever cherish.

Never in my life would I have thought I would have the oppertunity to go on this trip. During my time, I gained many life strategies, new passions, and friendships. I learned about new cultures and languages. I helped paint a mural at a school in San Isidro, Costa Rica. I became a turtle midwife at 3 AM on the coast. I spent time sleeping in a school and building a community center in Minas Chupa, Ecuador. I snorkled with sea lions and turtles in the Galapagos. I lived at an orphanage in Peru, and helped clean guinea pig cages. I hiked for 7 hours through the Peruvian Andes to get to where we were staying for a week. I discovered my love for the mountains. I discovered to live comfortably with less. I realized my privilege even more from home stays. I learned that I was strong, and could overcome bronchitis while in high elevation. I learned that life is more about adventure.
Overall, it was a super valuable experience.

Never in my life would I have thought I would have the oppertunity to go on this trip. During my time, I gained many life strategies, new passions, and friendships. I learned about new cultures and languages. I helped paint a mural at a school in San Isidro, Costa Rica. I became a turtle midwife at 3 AM on the coast. I spent time sleeping in a school and building a community center in Minas Chupa, Ecuador. I snorkled with sea lions and turtles in the Galapagos. I lived at an orphanage in Peru, and helped clean guinea pig cages. I hiked for 7 hours through the Peruvian Andes to get to where we were staying for a week. I discovered my love for the mountains. I discovered to live comfortably with less. I realized my privilege even more from home stays. I learned that I was strong, and could overcome bronchitis while in high elevation. I learned that life is more about adventure.
Overall, it was a super valuable experience.