Program Reviews

My time with Pacific Discovery in Hawai’i was beyond amazing. Having had a hard time with a brain injury holding me back from the paths I thought I would take, I was looking for something that would not only give me a break from my injury, but rejuvenate my soul. My PD experience did just that! Being surrounded by an amazing group of friends that quickly became family, and two incredible instructors, I found the safety I had been looking for to let go, and enjoy new experiences. I was very excited to get to immerse in the local Hawaiian culture, and found that the program immersed us even more than I could have imagined. I now feel like I know Hawai’i better than my own backyard. It felt really good to connect to a place at such a deep level. When people ask me “how was Hawai’i?”, I sometimes find myself at a loss of words. It can be hard to describe how good it felt to be connected to a new place and new friends in such a unique way. I am forever grateful for my time in Hawai’i with Pacific Discovery and hope to do another program sometime soon!

I was very nervous before attending the program. However, everyone I met in the program was very nice and friendly. We did so many things together and gained lifelong friendships and experiences. Camping is one of my favorite parts. I really glad that I live in the moment during the whole trip, I cherish every moment and memories I shared with the group. Being out in nature every day and hiking with friends while exploring the culture of Hawaii are also my favorite parts of the program. If you're still debating it, just do it.

I highly recommend this trip, the two group leaders I had were absolutely fantastic. I learned and grew more in 4 weeks than I ever thought was possible! This program helped me center my focus for what I wanted to do to make change in the world, and also opened my eyes to another culture. Through the hands on aspects and the immersive learning opportunities I gained prospective and respect of others and learned many valuable lessons that I use in everyday life. The memories I made in the last 4 weeks will forever be part of me.

This program absolutely changed my life. My instructors were spectacular and guided me through so many incredible experiences in Thailand. I can genuinely say this program was everything I hoped for and more. I would recommend this program to any graduating high school student, I feel much more prepared for life and future travel after completing this program. I undoubtedly learned way more in those three months than I did in all of my secondary education. It’s the perfect bridge in between high school and college/life!

Whenever anybody asks me how my semester was in Hawaii, I always tell them that it was one of the most fulfilling and incredible things I have ever done- and I can't think of a statement that better describes my experience with Pacific Discovery. During the 10 weeks I spent in Hawaii, I met people that I will be friends with for the rest of my life, saw things that are indescribably beautiful, laughed uncontrollably, stepped out of my comfort zone, found endless support in times of struggle, discovered my potential, grew as a person, soaked up the sun, pushed myself more and more every single day, danced under the orange sky as the sun was setting, went on some crazy adventures, and created memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

No day is the same on a PD program, but that's a huge part fo what makes it such an amazing experience. The programs are incredibly well thought out, and the detailed itinerary allows students to make the absolute most out of their time on the program. The program is set up in a way that allows students to have the time and space to grow independently, but at the same time, grow their people skills, learn how to collaborate with others effectively, and have an amazing and supportive group around them 24/7. I truly learned something new every day, and grew more than I was ever expecting to.

Looking back on my semester with Pacific Discovery, I can truly see how it changed my life. Everything about my semester was absolutely magical, and I could not recommend Pacific Discovery enough.

this was an amazing experience with the most incredible people! it was absolutely life changing, & i absolutely loved getting to immerse myself into different central american cultures over the span of three months. we got to see incredible sites while eating authentic cuisine as well. it was easily the most fun & adventurous three months of my entire life. it further strengthened my love for traveling & i plan to continue to do so in the future. i loved every activity we did & im so glad i got to make thirteen new best friends along the way.

I was prepared to go to college, prior to the pandemic. After I elected to take a gap year amid the program, I selected Pacific Discovery’s Hawaii/Western US the program for the Spring of 2021. In the words of one of my friends from the program, the trip was “what we never knew we needed.” Throughout the 70 days, we visited Hawaii, Arizona, Utah, & briefly Colorado. Trip highlights included surfing, cliff jumping, peaking Mauna Kea, mountain biking, hiking, paddle board & silk yoga, and rock climbing. Even more memorable than the activities were the service projects & cultural immersion. We learned so much about Hawaiian culture, sustainable agriculture & farming, and being aware of our personal environmental impacts. I particularly enjoyed how much control students have throughout the program. While everyday has structured activities & the instructors take the lead for most aspects of the trip, students have large roles in the decision-making processes. In particular, we meal-planned & cooked together nearly every night which was intimidating at first but soon became some of the most memorable aspects of the trip. In addition, there was a perfect amount of free time or “rest & relaxation” days to both provide days of rest for students, but also provide time for activities that weren’t on the itinerary (such as hiking, paddle boarding, zip-lining, skiing, biking, soaking in hot springs, etc). One of the best aspects of the trip was self-led week. We were given the ability to chose, for six days, what areas to visit, where to stay, what to do, meal planning & everything about the trip. For our self-led week, we were tasked with getting from Sedona, AZ to Moab, UT. For the six days we were able to visit Grand Canyon, Zion, & Durango, CO—some of the best memories of the trip. Pacific Discovery did an excellent job selecting wonderful instructors (shoutout Jon & Lucy), providing meaningful & thought-provoking weekly curriculum regarding life-applicable lessons such as environment, communication, values, humanitarianism, etc, and providing us with service projects & cultural immersion experiences that educated & inspired us (especially in Hawaii). Our group became extremely close with each other & our instructors, and the relationships I’ve created on program are some of the best aspects of this trip. If you’re reading this, and wondering whether or not to take a gap year (and if so take this trip), I would highly encourage you to. Coming from someone who wasn’t planning on taking a gap year, this was by far the highlight of my gap year, and to be honest, one of the highlights and best times of life. Jump in feet first, be prepared to get out of your comfort zone, enjoy life-changing experiences, and mature/grow immensely over the course of the trip.

The pacific discovery program that I attended was so memorable and could not have been better. It was kind of funny how we originally had to where masks when we were first getting to know each other because after the first 5 days when we started taking our masks off it was the same time that we started to bond. It’s almost as if the masks got taken off after we learned about each other. I actually liked doing the hard conservation work out in Hawaii first. Not just because it got it out of the way, but because it provided a great way to bond. The tours of the beaches, volcanoes, and snorkeling sites, as well as the surf camp provided such fun. Camping every now and then also helped us bond. Hawaii was also a great place to traveled since it has its own culture. The west provided a lot of fun as well. The views seen after completing them provided memorable moments. Arches and canyonlands NPs were much more glorious than expected. Self led week was my favorite part not just because we got to pick what to do, but because Zion, the Grand Canyon, and Durango were all so much fun. I’ll definitely ride a bike at Zion again someday and do the same hike. Not just to get a great view bu to remember this trip. It was cool ending it in the cold snow at park city after starting everything in the heat. The core sessions done provided deep thought and help my mind grow. To everyone who looks at this program I would say go for it you will never forget it

I took a Pacific Discovery gap year and it turned my entire year around. My peers in the group are some of the most supportive people I have ever met, and they helped me grow in ways I didn’t even know were possible. My instructors always approached the program with a positive attitude and taught me to have a growth mindset in whatever we do. Each day was a new adventure and I loved the diversity of activities we got to experience. I took up things like surfing, rock climbing, hiking, biking, and so much more during this trip and it felt so rewarding to face my limits head on with the people who I can now call my family.

This program allowed me to push myself to my boundaries to see what I can really do. You’ll find that you can do a lot more than you think you can if you just give it a shot. It’s also a beautiful thing to live with the same people 24/7 for 10 weeks. The deep relationships you build and the things you learn about yourself are life changing. Additionally challenging yourself to try new things and adjust on the fly really allows you to grow for the future. I learned how to cook new meals and be creative on the trip as well!