Pacific Discovery

It was my freshman year of college, at a university that was my last choice of eight, and I was super unhappy. I hadn’t made a lot of friends, my roommates weren’t the best, and I had no idea what I wanted to major in. I reached a breaking point at the end of the spring semester, and through tears I started looking up the process of transferring to a school in Colorado. I had my transfer application filled out and ready to turn in when I realized that leaving my university in Western Pennsylvania was only going to solve part of my problems. What I really needed was a break; a break from school, and a break from real life, and a chance to get out and explore. So, I began the long search for a travel opportunity, and I spent two weeks obsessing over what to do and where to go.

What inspired you to travel abroad?

I was working in Central Australia as a bushwalking guide, taking adult clients on 14-day expeditions through the remote West Macdonnell Ranges, on what is known as the Larapinta Trail. It was awesome work, but I was craving something that allowed me to work with younger people in the context of service work and adventurous travel. My mum actually put me onto Pacific Discovery, they were advertising for new leaders on a NZ website. I took one look at the job description and sent in an application immediately! A month later I was having coffee with Rachel and Scott at Pacific Discovery HQ in Nelson, NZ, and it has been all go since then.

What inspired you to travel abroad?

I lead the semester, summer, and high school programs in Southeast Asia, specifically in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.