Program Reviews

I will always look back on my gap year with Winterline as one of the best years of my life. I learned so many new and helpful skills, learned things about myself and grew so much as an individual, and made friends that will last a lifetime. My favorite part of Winterline and something that is so unique about it compared to other gap years is the skills aspect of the program. I was able to learn and experience things, such as getting my SCUBA certification and learning how to surf- a sport I've wanted to try since I was a little kid, that I would not have had the opportunity to otherwise. One of the most important parts of learning these skill to me was not actually mastering whatever the craft itself was, but the sense of accomplishment and self-confidence I got from trying all these new things. By the end of the program, because of all the new experiences and challenges I'd persevered through, I knew I am capable of doing anything I set my mind to. A big part of the self-growth I had during this gap year was the support from my friends and Field Advisors. The friendships that come from an experience like a Winterline gap year are so unique they're incomparable to other friendships. My group learned a lot about each other because we lived together 24/7 for 9 months, and because we were so far from home, we quickly become each other's support system. Winterline is not only a fun experience but also a great way to learn a lot and grow a lot as an individual.

This experience gave me the oppoiurtunity to test my limits not only as a young person, but as an amputee. I would never have tried some of the things I’ve done; I would have been too scared. Which also means I would have never known my true capabilities. I wouldn’t have gained this new found confidence in myself. This program is truly for everyone who has the interest in travel. It’s something that I gained so much from and wouldn’t change for the world.

This was such an amazing program and will forever be one of the best years of my life. I am so grateful to have gone on this adventure and if you’re wondering what program to do for a gap year, winterline is by far the best option. The friends and memories I’ve made mean so much and I’m so lucky to have Beene with people who let me grow and let themselves grow. We all came back a little different and a little stronger. Winterline fostered such a strong community and I’ve never had a group of friends who know me as well as the my cohort.

Going on this program nearly changed my life. I grew up traveling with my family and thought that I was going into this program already quite cultured; little did I know I knew NOTHING. This program taught me how to be a global citizen, how to communicate and be patient with other, but most importantly, it taught me the importance of humanity. Winterline helped me explore new hobbies, learn new languages, and explore places I never dreamed of exploring. There are a million reasons why this program impacted my life, between the people I’ve met and places I’ve roamed, but I think what stands out the most is the support I got from total strangers. The people on my trip (including my field advisors) ended up becoming a whole new family for me. I will never forget biking 25 miles through the major temples of Cambodia or jumping waterfalls in the middle of the belizian juggles. The memories are endless and I have nothing but appreciation and love when looking back on this expierence. Saying I missed Winterline would be a complete understatement.

My gap year with Winterline was the best year of my life. I made incredible lifelong connections, saw incredible places in the world, and I went on an introspective journey and learned much more about who I am and what I want out of life. It was also a really challenging year, but because of the challenges I faced, it was more rewarding. If you have the opportunity to go on Winterline, you owe it to yourself. It is the best decision I've made in my life!

When I decided to take a gap year, I knew I wanted to travel. I wanted to learn useful things, while being fully engaged and immersed in new cultures and different conversations. Now that the year is over, I'm happy to say I did all of this and more. With Winterline, we created a community, little nomadic family. We met incredible, inspiring and hard working people along the way that thought us so much about the world we live in and even ourselves. I learned things that go beyond useful information and practical skills. Responsibility, independence, confidence, just to list a very few. Right now, I'm still processing how much I've grown as an individual and my place in this world. I still have no words to label what I've learned; but I know that in 10, 20, 40 years I will still be learning from the experience and the moments that challenged me the most. Now, when I say a year "on" instead of "off" I mean it. We did something new and exciting everyday, we motivated ourselves everyday. Learning it's not only about sitting in a classroom, it's about experiences. It's about going out there and being adventurous too! Winterline was the best decision I've made in my life, and now that I'm in university, I see how Winterline has made me into a better person and student :)

Honestly, going on Winterline was the best decision I've ever made. I was looking for something that no other program offered. I wanted to travel to many countries and learn something, and that's what Winterline offered. If you're thinking about doing it, I would recommend it. It may seem like a lot, and it is, but it's worth it. Traveling for nine months can feel challenging and overwhelming at times, but it's very rewarding. I learned a lot about myself and the world when traveling to all those countries.

I decided to go on this trip because I wasn't ready for college, in the sense that I was done with school. I didn't want to dive into for more years of traditional classroom education. I had been in school all my life, and I wanted a break but I still wanted to learn something. I didn't want to take time off, I just wanted to experience something different. I felt like I needed to travel the world and experience living on my own before going to college. Going on this trip was a great decision because I felt ready to go back to school after it. During the traveling, I learned how differently people live around the world and how their history and culture came to be. This made me want to learn more. This made me motivated and excited to go to college to actually study. I didn't know what I wanted to study and what I wanted to do with my life before the program, after, I felt like I was heading on a good direction. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do, but I new what interested me the most and what are I wanted to study.

Okay where to begin...

First off, if you're reading these reviews as a potential student you're already hooked. You're the type of person who asks for more than the monotonous routine of every day life. You have that something inside of you that won't be satisfied aimlessly walking along the beaten path. That voice is what brought you here in the first place- and you need to listen to it. If it needs some further convincing, scroll down and read what everyone else has written on the program. It couldn't be more true.

If you're coming here as a parent looking for validation from a program that seems too new and unknown to be sending your kid on then good for you- you're already doing way more research than my parents did when I signed up. That job was left to me. To even give myself a chance to come on this program I had to go full on CIA/MI6/ISI (insert your govt. intelligence agency here) back check on every bit of information Winterline threw out there to present to my parents. I can save you countless hours of creepy internet stalking, awkwardly worded emails to alleged partners, and a few misdailed phone calls by assuring you that it checks out.

Or you can go ahead and do all this yourself anyway. It's real fun.

But before you embark I would recommend you start by contacting any Winterline admin to speak with them directly. I think it will be incredibly easy for you to see how invested they all are in your child's experience and safety. It certainly was for me- and they've backed that up every step of the way.

But back to the person who is actually going to do this thing.

At the end of the day, any one who comes on this program will leave a completely changed person. You will gain whole new perspectives on the world around you. You will expose yourself to sets of skills that you never thought you would find yourself attempting. You will learn how to coexist and thrive with people of drastically different backgrounds and beliefs than you. And you will always remember how glad you were that when you looked at Winterline's gap year program, you decided to throw yourself from your comfort zone

and just do it.

Okay. Maybe I have a horrible sense of humor.
It’s weird. I’ve been meaning to write this review forever. But you see, if you were a part of Winterline, you’d understand completely why I keep putting this off. I mean, how are you supposed to put something so indescribably monumental into a few words. If you’re reading this because you’re wondering if Winterline is right for you, then let me just be the over-enthusiast (the kind I used to scorn before) says, “Go and sign up right now.”

Winterline was a truly amazing time-nine months of travelling, and I was bound to have some pretty interesting stories. I could tell you about the time we went bungee jumping, cooked thai food, got scuba certified, had a wine-tasting class and so many other cool things. ( You probably already know that from the website.) But there is so much more that goes on when you’re out in the world with fifteen other individuals. You discover how much you love your old hobbies, find new passions, connect with people you would never hang out with, laugh, sometimes cry, and grow. You’ll find out that there are certain things that you will never do again,like feeding hungry pigs. And you’ll find other moments that will leave you speechless such as sunsets in Monteverde or the ridiculously delicious food in Vermont or the pride you feel after you build an actual tiny house.

I know that going on this trip was one of the best things I’ve ever done. I’ve always been wary of volunteer trips or other programs that seem to push every cliché my way but this trip was different. It wasn’t all sunshine. It was rough at times, hilarious at times, challenging, fun... and genuine. I have a ton of photos, a few more stamps on my passport but the most valuable thing from this trip is that I have some great stories. So…Yeah. I know a lot of times, we put emphasis on learning, growing, self-discovery and you’ll have that, it’ll be different for each individual in this trip, but I can assure you one thing, it’ll be fun. Do this program because yes, it’s pretty great on resumes, expands your cultural horizons and teaches you skills but mostly do it for the experience. You’ll go to college, you’ll get jobs but those nine months will be something that you’ll keep for the rest of your life. Because years from now, you can say, “Hey, remember that time in Spain?” and nothing else and still you’ll have fourteen and a half or so friends who’ll laugh with you and say, “Yep”.
(P.S I’m sorry this turned out to be less of a review and more of a go-join-Winterline blurb but it's midnight and I refuse to rewrite this.)

Personally, I believe many students out of high school are too young to know what they want to do with their lives. I know I was. I recall constantly being asked what will you study or what is your major? There is this unspoken pressure to choose something concrete. It can feel like you are expected to choose one thing and purse it. Well, what if we don’t now what that “thing” is or better yet, who we are. 

Winterline opened my eyes and gave me the opportunity to explore a world I didn't know existed. They provided me with an array of skills to experience and absorb. I was able to meet impactful people every place I traveled and they became part of my journey and my personal growth. You go into Winterline with no label. People take you for who you are. Therefore, it invites you to become more real with yourself and others.

Every person in my Winterline family taught me something. In addition, I learned more about myself. The many skills I was exposed to gave me a better insight into what I liked and what I did not. I feel better prepared for life and college. Not to mention after living with 17 others I know I can live with any type of roommate at college. I was fortunate enough to have 17 people become my friends, my confidants, and my family for the past nine months. Now anything is possible.

I learn by doing and not by sitting in a classroom being lectured. Winterline gets your hands dirty.  Whether it's cutting down sugar canes in Costa Rica, constructing a robot in Austria or building a tiny house in Vermont. Every experience is unique and has a different message which can be applied to your every day life. I was invited to see so many perspectives and open my eyes to opportunities I may have never known or considered before. 

I was fortunate to travel the world, make new best friends, experience different cultures, be exposed to the world, and know myself  better to  pursue college and beyond. I am grateful for a program like Winterline.