Pacific Discovery

The most memorable 4 weeks of my life! New Zealand was incredible - I had such an amazing time. Being taught about the beautiful country by so many passionate residents was brilliant. It really provided a true insight into life. The Voluntary aspect of the tour was fantastic and really provided a sense of achievement in helping out! The travelling and adventure aspects of the programme was also fantastic - eye-opening and great fun! Programme is run by such a fantastic company, so friendly, organised and really work hard to provide a fantastic experience.

This review is long over-due, as I participated in the 2010 New Zealand summer program. I had the absolute best time of my life with Pacific Discovery. I went on the trip expecting a bit of hiking and some amazing scenery (which I did in fact enjoy), however what I did not expect was to gain so much more global curiosity and self assurance. Throughout my time spent in New Zealand, PC provided the perfect setting for me to push myself, to try new things (um, hello - skydiving?!), and to really explore. I not only decided to extend my stay after the trip ended, but I also returned back to classes with a more vivid drive to learn about the world - a quality that was surely enhanced by Pacific Discovery and their outstanding program.

When I first went to New Zealand to start my 9 week trip with Pacific Discovery, I was very nervous and unsure of how I would handle myself in such a new environment. However, I was immediately welcomed into the Pacific Discovery family and started experiencing so many incredible adventures that there wasn't even time to feel uncomfortable. My group became so close and our group leaders made every day an awesome experience. We had the freedom to do our own thing when we wanted to, but also had constant group activities that were fascinating, exhilarating, hilarious, or really peaceful... activities that ranged from skydiving to playing card games to silently floating down a beautiful river. Before the trip, I had considered myself a bookish and not very athletic person- I was open to trying new experiences, but I thought I was naturally not very good at being sporty. During our third week in New Zealand, we went rock climbing, and I really believed I wouldn't be able to do it. However, I kept trying, and ended up having the most amazing time that day. Rock climbing is still one of my favorite experiences of the whole trip. My trip with Pacific Discovery taught me that I can be any kind of person that I want to be. I tried almost every new experience that I came across during the trip, and they all turned out to be amazing and successful. My favorite memories from the trip were some of the activities that were initially the most frightening to me (my overall favorite experience was abseiling down a 30-meter waterfall in the Blue Mountains, Australia!). The trip helped me understand that even when situations seem challenging or impossible for me to overcome, it is completely possible for me to make it through them and even have a great experience while doing so! Overall, I am so thankful that I had the amazing opportunity to take a trip with Pacific Discovery. They provided me with incredible experiences, constant support and positivity, and an incomparable understanding of the wonderful countries that are New Zealand and Australia. I loved being part of the Pacific Discovery family and I hope that I will be able to visit them again at some point in the future! Academics: I learned so much fascinating information about New Zealand and Australia during my trip. Being able to visit museums and actual historical landmarks in those countries was truly a blessing, and Pacific Discovery did an amazing job facilitating those activities for our group. Program Administration: The entire Pacific Discovery staff are some of the kindest people I have ever met. I was extremely fortunate to be able to meet Scotty and Rachel and their unbelievably sweet son Kahu. Scotty spent the beginning of the trip traveling with our group, and he definitely helped me feel more welcomed and comfortable starting such a new experience in my life. We were also able to visit the entire family at their home. They were constantly so hospitable, kind, and positive that it was impossible to feel nervous or uncomfortable! Our group leaders, Holly and Dan, were also positive and supportive during the entire trip, and always fun to be around. I am so thankful that I got to meet the incredible Pacific Discovery administration during my trip; they are all simply such wonderful and inspirational people.