What inspired you to travel abroad?
When I was in high school, I never seriously considered taking time off from school. I started college at Chapman University in the fall of 2018. Unfortunately, my semester did not go as planned. I was unhappy with my major, did not make many friends, and was overwhelmed. I knew I wanted to transfer schools, but I wouldn't be able to start again until the fall semester. I decided to take a gap semester because I felt was lacking purpose in college. I wanted to travel and expand my world as much as possible. I knew that traveling and volunteering would help me feel as if I was making a difference, and allow me to have a better start at university in the fall.
Why did you choose ARCC Programs?
ARCC Programs is one of the last gap year organizations I found. I planned my gap year very last minute, so many of my initial options fell through. I knew I wanted a program that would combine cultural immersion, volunteer work, education, and adventure. There was truly no other program that matched my criteria the way ARCC did. The administration was accommodating and the sense of family was real.
Climbing mountains and getting to know wonderful people!
What was your favorite part of your program?
I chose my program because of the sheer amount of places we would see. I traveled through countless cities in five countries (including layovers) and encountered so many unique villages. In Indonesia, I learned the language and was able to communicate with the locals. They were encouraging and helped me better my linguistics. In Fiji, I immediately felt valued and welcomed by the people.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
The key ingredients to a great gap year or semester come from within. First of all, when gapping, one has to be open-minded to whatever happens. Accidents, snafus, and misunderstandings are commonplace. Travelers who have the best experiences are those who are willing to learn and are cognizant of the uniqueness of their surroundings. The best memories I have of my trip were not the planned out moments, but the joy I found in being spontaneous.
How did the local program staff support you throughout ARCC Gap Semester: Pacific Islands (Fiji, Sumatra, Bali)?
Meeting our guides in each new place was always strange at first, but the more you get to know someone from another country, you realize that what we have in common far outweighs our differences. Our guides became our family. Every night, we played music and sang songs, and every day, we taught each other new things about our home towns. Many of the people you meet when traveling will never have the opportunity to travel to your home town, so your interaction is the closest thing they will ever get to see the world.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I wish I had been more honest with my feelings and myself. I remember being petty and holding grudges or arguing about silly things with my gap group. of course, after two or three months of travel, everybody gets tired of one another at some point, but we didn't think of how hard it would be to eventually say goodbye.
Describe what a typical day abroad looked like.
Honesty and self-reflection were instrumental in my group. Days began and ended with group meals in which we would reflect, talk, or play games. This set up a foundation for the day ahead and often made a difference in attitude. Normally, our activities began after breakfast. These sometimes included volunteer work, adventuring, hiking, or teaching. By lunchtime, we would take a break, and return to our activity by mid-afternoon. In many countries outside of America, schedules are much more relaxed. If it was hot and we took breaks from our work or goof off, and both were perfectly acceptable. By early evening, we would have our own time, and we would come together to chat or learn from our guide books.
A gap year isn't just about the places you travel to, it's about the people you experience it with that teach you a lot about yourself.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
I enjoyed waking up early, before the rest of my group, to have time to sit outside and think. I often took walks, checked my emails, or called home. As an introvert, I was worried that I wouldn't get enough alone time. I was actually surprised by how much I controlled my own time. I also felt that I did not need as much alone time as I thought. I was content spending downtime talking to my friends, helping cook meals, or even getting to know the locals. I also kept a well-annotated journal. Although it was tedious, I feel beyond grateful that I've been able to preserve these beyond valuable memories.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
After a week of homestays, we typically had a night or two in a hotel. This pattern of cultural immersion followed by time in a hotel or inn helped make homestays more enjoyable. The families we stayed with did not speak any English, and communicating was tough. Even though I taught myself rudimentary Bahasa (The language of Indonesia) I still had difficulty. When we stayed in towns, we were usually able to treat ourselves to western food, and more adventurous activities. If we did not have a balance between cultural immersion and city time, the value may have been lost.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
A semester or a year is slow enough to not spend every moment trying to do something new but quick enough to force you to make the most of your time.
Would you recommend ARCC Programs to others? Why?
I believe ARCC’s programs are well organized, have wonderful itineraries, and un-matched. I believe that you should travel with ARCC if you are naturally curious, looking to find clarity in any aspect of your life, are a team player, and are willing to work hard. However, I don't think a gap semester is necessary for absolutely everybody. I've definitely met people who have taken gap travel time for the wrong reason. Because of this, they did not have an eye-opening experience and they did not learn to respect the culture. If you're looking forward to a gap semester just to post pictures of yourself on Instagram, keep searching.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
I feel much more focused and ready to begin at a new university. Having seen such unique and seldom traveled to destinations, I've developed a much broader sense of how massive and complex the world is. However, my eyes are much more opened to the problems and challenges of our international world, including climate change, poverty, education, and hunger. Being aware and active in these issues helps to make you a well-rounded person and a global citizen.
Taking a gap year means educating yourself about what exists in the world around you.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
Every day, I think about how much I miss my trip, and how I want to plan another exotic travel. In some ways, this is a blessing. However, I can not stay focused on the past forever. I certainly cherish my time abroad and wish I was back there, but I have to keep moving forward. As excited as I am for the next opportunity to travel, I also can't spend every minute focused on my next big adventure. The hardest part of returning from a gap semester is learning not to live in the past or future but in the moment.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Tourism is a major industry in many foreign companies, and by visiting new places, you are helping that economy. One rule that ARCC refers to is that travel is not about others making you comfortable, but about you making locals comfortable through following customs and cultures. The most meaningful travel to me is when I connect with locals and make friends. I feel that the best way to do this is to leave the beaten path and make your own adventure.
