Pacific Discovery
Vitals
- GYA Accredited Since:
2014
- COVID-19 Plans: In-person only
- Enrolling:
Yes - App Deadline:
- Next Available Departure? Sep, 2024
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Mission Statement:
Our Mission is to make the world a better place by providing extraordinary learning adventures that assist students in gaining the skills, confidence and insight to realize their potential in an increasingly global society; developing empathy for other cultures; furthering understanding of international issues; and heightening appreciation for the earth's wilderness and diversity.
- Level of Independence/Supervision (mouse-over for definition):
12345
Attachments
Program Locations
Typical Itinerary
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | |
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W e e k 1 |
HAWAII Day 1 - 4. Our days will be spent hiking the local tracks for panoramic views, exploring the town and its exotic fruits and veggies, and getting to know our fellow participants. | Day 5 - 7. Surf Camp We’ll spend 3 days learning the basics, so that we can feel comfortable in the water. | Day 8 - 11. Sustainable Farming We will have the chance to participate in seeding, planting, and maintaining this beautiful space while learning about the various initiatives the farm is undertaking to promote sustainability. | Day 12 - 16. Cultural Immersion & Volcano National Park It’s time to fully embrace one of the oldest Hawaiian traditions, the Imu, a form of underground oven. We’ll spend a full day harvesting, collecting and preparing produce to create our own imu. | Day 21 - 26. Fishpond Restoration We’ll be working alongside experts learning about the marine ecosystem and how to protect and encourage sea life in these beautiful pockets of the ocean that surround Hilo. | Day 27 - 30. Program Wrap On one of our last afternoons, we’ll get to take a local charter boat out to snorkel in special places, maybe catch a manta ray eating dinner, and definitely catch the sunset! | |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | |
|
W e e k 2 |
NEPAL & TIBET Week 1. Kathmandu, Nepal Arrival and Orientation A comprehensive program orientation commences, before we go on a fantastic 3-day yoga and meditation retreat. | Week 2-3. We experience the birthplace of Tibetan Buddhism and its ancient cultural heart in Lhasa. Afterwards, we take an incredible road trip as we traverse the Friendship Highway to Nepal. | Week 4-5. We go on an incredible journey trekking the Annapurna Circuit through the rugged Himalayas. | Week 6. We spend several days in Pokhara exploring the sights, doing a cycling daytrip, and learning about issues facing disadvantaged women in Nepal. | Week 7-8. We will be homestaying in the homes of local families, immersing ourselves in Nepali culture and language, and assisting the community on a development project they’ve initiated. | Week 9. We embark on a 6-day rafting journey down the lower Kali Gandaki River. Keep an eye out for traditional villages, waterfalls, deep gorges and cultural temples along the way. | Week 10. We visit Royal Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before returning to Kathmandu. |
On the program we have two goals for our students:
1. Learning about the people, culture, religion,history, environments and issues of the region the program travels through. Then relating these experiences to bigger picture concepts of globalization, human rights, environment, sustainability and ethics.
2. Providing a framework for students to learn about themselves, to push their boundaries, question their assumptions, to stimulate problem solving and inquiry skills, and to gain leadership and group skills.
Each of our programs incorporate the following six core program components. These six interdependent components, provide immense opportunity for students to learn about themselves, to push their boundaries, question their assumptions, to stimulate problem solving and inquiry skills.
1. Educational focus
2. Service learning and volunteer and community service projects
3. Cultural immersion
4. Ethical travel and sustainability
5. Outdoors and wilderness exploration
6. Personal and leadership development
Peer Reviews
Program Details
- Program Starts: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
- Program Duration: Less than 2 months, Semester, Yearlong
- Program Cost: Varies by Program
- Program Financial Aid: Yes
- Other Financial Aid Details:
Scholarships available
Program Learning Outcomes
- Education: Our programs are experiential education programs, meaning that learning is hands-on and tangible. For example, students will learn about a country’s history and culture by immersing themselves in it, meeting local people, hearing life stories
- Service Learning: Service-learning elements built into our programs allow participants to really immerse themselves in a place and share an experience with local people, bridging the gap that often exists between visitor and host.
- Cultural Immersion: We immerse participants in the local culture. Participants learn empathy for other cultures and build bridges of shared understanding.
- Ethical Travel & Sustainability: Our goal is that students will learn how to plan; how to keep safe; what to take; and how to be comfortable and find what you need in an unfamiliar place.
- Outdoors & Wilderness Exploration: We use the wilderness as a medium to take participants outside their comfort zones and challenge them. Personal growth and self-confidence increases through overcoming obstacles presented during the program.
- Personal & Leadership Development: Participants step out of their comfort zone and challenge themselves physically, culturally and mentally. We encourage students to gain confidence in their abilities and provide a supportive environment for growth.
Our programs are an overland journey of discovery, where participants are immersed in a facilitated learning environment.
Core educational components >>>
The educational core of the program is multi-faceted and comprises three main areas of learning.
Outer Journey
Students Learn about the people, culture, religion, history, environments and issues of the region the program travels through. They then relate these experiences to bigger picture concepts of globalization, human rights, environment, sustainability, and ethics.
Inner Journey
We provide an environment for students to learn about themselves, to push their boundaries, question their assumptions, and to develop problem solving and inquiry skills. Our programs are as much a journey of personal development as they are a physical journey, and participants are regularly encouraged to reflect and think about their values, goals, leadership and future application of their program experience.
Group learning
Having the shared perspective of the group creates a much richer learning environment as participants are exposed to a variety of perspectives. Additionally, traveling in an intentional small-group environment leads to the necessity of developing great group skills. Group skills are of critical importance in today's workplaces and changemaking efforts. Students learn cooperation, leadership, conflict resolution, and consensus building, all leading to a deepened knowledge of self and heightened emotional intelligence (EQ).
Education >>>
Pacific Discovery takes experiential education to a whole new level, blending the personal development experiential philosophy pioneered by the likes of Outward Bound; the wilderness appreciation goals of organizations like NOLS; best practices in international service learning; a strong grounding in environmental and social responsibility; and a local/global education curriculum, to create a dynamic and transformational overland journey of discovery.
Instrumental in this is a core curriculum that parallels the students journey on the program, to complement the and support the inner journey of self-exploration, outer discovery of the world and shared group experience.
Staff Training and Certification
Our Program Instructors are inspiring people with extensive experience in the regions we visit, who share a deep respect for the people and cultures, a fascination with local history, and an in-depth understanding of contemporary issues and politics.
They are people in whom you can trust, who remain objective and supportive even in challenging circumstances, and who take a genuine interest in your well-being and safety. They implicitly understand the importance of balancing the needs of individuals with group objectives, facilitating healthy group dynamics, inspiring a genuine appreciation for the areas visited, and an awareness of minimum impact travel ethics.
Pacific Discovery Program Instructors are generally aged 25 - 35, with an average age of 28. All are Wilderness First Responder (WFR) first aid certified, and they are trained in experiential education facilitation, group leadership and risk assessment/management.