Arrival Day

Everyone arrived safely in Los Angeles. The plane was boarded and the group is in flight to Tahiti to begin the adventure (with the one exception of Jessica and Gillian....who will join the group in a couple of hours. It's a great group with students coming from North Carolina, California, New Jersey, New York, Mexico, Virginia, Alabama, Florida, and Wisconsin!! We are looking forward to a phenomenal summer!

-Joseph

Clear Water

Our time here on the island of Mo'orea in French Polynesia has been spectacular! The warm, colorful waters of the South Pacific have treated us well, and so have our generous and hospitable Tahitian hosts. After only a week, it feels like we have all connected and possess a strong group dynamic. The diving has been phenomenal, and the entire group has expressed their love for SCUBA. Devan, Jessica and Angeline all agree that the opportunity to become SCUBA-certified has been the highlight so far. Jon, Piero and Drayton loved being able to swim with the many lemon sharks and black-tipped reef sharks (the safe kind!) that we've been seeing underwater on our dives. Another amazing experience was when we stopped between dives at a shallow cove called Stingray City, where we could stand in the water while dozens of stingrays approached us and allowed us to touch their soft underbellies!! Zach, Matt and Baker were all particularly excited about this. Tyler enjoyed the opportunity to mesh with local islanders, while Travis said he enjoyed the bonding within our group at night, when we play games and share many laughs. Sarah loves the campfires on the beach at night, and Corinne has been dazzling us with her ukulele skills, playing with Kenny in the evenings. Allain and Chelsea really liked all the soccer and ultimate Frisbee games we play during our free time. We are quite the energetic bunch! Douglas said she had the most fun at our Fourth of July extravaganza, where we had a big bonfire and feasted on local dishes. Our hosts contributed their culinary skills and introduced us to some Tahitian specialties with fresh fish and breadfruit. Overall, Mo'orea has brought us nothing but hospitality and great experiences and has given us the true island feel! We are sad to leave here, but look forward to our surfing adventure and the island of Tahiti!

-Paul

Sweet Tahiti

Hello again from sunny Tahiti! After a fond farewell from our gracious Tahitian hosts on Mo'orea, we boarded the ferry to return to the island of Tahiti. Life is a little more fast-paced here, but we settled into a quiet lodge right near the beach and are adjusting just fine. We've had two action-packed days of surfing the pristine waters of Tahiti, with our own professional instructors, Pascal and his son. They are both members of the Tahitian National Surf Team, and have been all over the world in competitions. It was a fabulous day to be in the water here on the east coast of the island, with plenty of sunshine heating us up on the black sand beaches of this island paradise. Angeline, Jessica and Corrine showed impressive perseverance in their quest to ride their first wave, while our California boys Jon, Zach, Travis, Matt and Baker showed their experience in taming the Tahitian ocean! We saw Chelsea, Devan and Tyler riding like pros, while Piero, Drayton, Allain, Douglas and Sarah learned the ropes and surfed their first waves! Many of them showed endless energy and enthusiasm, staying in the water and giving it their best all day. We've had great weather and an amazing time hanging at the beach and learning to ride the waves, and we'll continue to ride the good vibes all the way to New Zealand! So now we'll say au revoir and head there tomorrow.

-Barnett

New Zealand Farmstay

We arrived in Auckland, New Zealand safely and made our way across the picturesque rolling hills north to a beautiful farm in Kaihu! As we've grown accustomed to, we arrived to a very warm welcome from our Kiwi family Michael, Jenny and Pierre. We settled in and sat down to a delicious traditional New Zealand meal prepared by Jenny. With full bellies and warm beds beckoning, we all slept soundly after our day of traveling. Today brought all kinds of excitement as we explored the Waipoa Forest Grove of the ancient Kauri trees. We were dwarfed by the 1200-year-old Tane Mahuta tree, towering 150 feet above our heads! After walking through the lush forest to the sweet melodies of native birds, admiring the giant relics of another time, we made our way to Manganui Bluff, where we hiked up to see the longest beach in New Zealand! Douglas, Chelsea, Corinne, Allain, and Sarah led the pack with boundless enthusiasm, while Matt, Zach, Tyler, Devan, Angeline, and Drayton kept the group laughing and spirits high throughout the trip. We arrived back at the farm to another amazing home-cooked lamb roast, special for Piero's birthday celebration! Our nightly entertainment included music selection by Jessica, Baker, Travis and Jon, and much laughter and fun. We have all become a part of this incredibly hospitable and generous New Zealand family, and learned so much about their culture and beautiful lands. We head further North tomorrow to get ready to sail in the picturesque Bay of Islands, but we have made great memories in our time on the farm!

-Jessica

Bay of Islands

Hello again family and friends! We've just finished another amazing adventure here in New Zealand, sailing in the Bay of Islands! The weather was phenomenal for winter in New Zealand, and we felt lucky to be out there experiencing such beauty in peace and quiet without the bustle of the tourist season. We sailed aboard two separate ships called slupes, some aboard "She's a Lady" with captain Glen, and the others aboard "Honfleur" with captain Richard. They were both very charismatic and wonderful gents. Corinne's favorite part of the trip was getting to know Glen and listening to his stories. Although the winds were calm during our trip, and we only hoisted sail for a few brief periods, Piero and Angeline loved learning the fundamentals of sailing and how it all works. Perhaps the tradewinds of Fiji will favor us more! The sea and the landscape around us during the trip was absolutely breathtaking. Scattered islands jut from the sea with remote, pristine beaches, rolling green hills, unique plant life, and impressive rock formations. Jon and Allain showed great appreciation for our surroundings, as did Douglas, who says this has been her favorite section of the trip so far. During our excursions to these islands, there were opportunities to take gorgeous hikes, or walks, as they call them here. Devan, Jessica, and Sarah were quite fond of these walks and the panoramic views they offered, along with slip-sliding in the mud! Drayton loved to roll down the hills that were covered in soft, thick blankets of grass. While at sea, we saw lots of marine life, such as penguins and seals, and dolphins that seemed to dance around our boats. Chelsea and Matt showed lots of excitement to see them all. In the evenings, we had our own private island to ourselves. We had hot meals and good chats to bring us closer together still. We played games like charades and had water balloon wars, all of which Tyler, Travis, and Zach absolutely loved. There were also funny moments that Baker loved, like the freestyle rhyming battles that took place with a human beat box in the background. It's been an outstanding adventure that will be hard to rival, but we'll go tomorrow to see what Fiji has to offer! Talk to you again soon!

-Sally

SCUBA diving and Fijian exploring

Scuba diving in tropical paradise once again! The tropical air of Fiji was a warm welcome from the chilly New Zealand visit. We met our native Fijian scuba instructors, and they greeted us with a "Bula!" the common phrase for hello and welcome in Fijian! We did four dives in two days with these local gents and they showed us some amazing marine life in the offshore reefs of Viti Levu, the Fiji mainland. We all embarked on the dive boat to cruise out to our dive sites. Baker really liked the boat ride on choppy seas as we cruised out of the lagoon, with great views of the island Beqa in the near distance. Once we arrived at the sites, donned our gear and plunged into the sparkling tropical waters, we were dazzled by a plethora of colorful and varied coral species, and tons of different fish! Sarah, Angeline and Piero all expressed excitement about seeing so many different beautiful colors and marine life. Tyler saw a sea turtle, Chelsea and Devan were lucky enough to spot an octopus, and Allain found a moray eel! In other exciting news, Corinne was finally able to equalize the pressure underwater while diving and finished her scuba certification! Now the entire group is certified and diving like professionals in one of the world's best dive sites! We all dove to a really cool sunken shipwreck, which Corinne, Drayton and Jessica said was their favorite dive. We got to explore all around the ship and check out all the fun fish and corals that now live inside! Jon loved how his newly acquired advanced diver certification allowed him (and others) the freedom to explore around underwater. Travis loved chatting with our local dive instructors who taught us a little about rugby, a major Fijian sport and pastime. During our free time, we played games of rugby, football and volleyball, which our sports fanatics, Matt and Zach, especially enjoyed. We also ventured to the Arts Village, a small community center near our lodging with many cool local boutiques, where the group got to see some local handicrafts and other Fijian craftworks. Devan and Douglas especially enjoyed this little shopping excursion and all the local jewelry. It's been a great couple of days, and more fun awaits, as we head into a local village to help out with some community projects. We're expecting a great cultural experience, starting with a welcoming ceremony tonight! We'll keep you updated!

-Jane

Paradise - Truly!

Our three days in our Fijian village has been our favorite part of the trip.  The village helps to keep sections of the reef protected from poachers and illegal shark-finners. In return, since the village has no source of income, groups like us help them out. We also lend our hands to get the wheels in motion on their projects. The villagers are extremely grateful to have us there and they show it! They are good-hearted and genuine people, and we feel refreshed and privileged to have been in their presence. We helped paint their church, which Corinne and Sarah especially loved. We also helped to extend a concrete footpath through the village. It felt good to work and sweat beneath the tropical sun alongside such kind, happy folks. They really tried to get to know us, and us them. This was what Matt, Zach and Drayton loved most. In between work periods, we played with the local children and youths. Alain loved to play rugby, and Travis and Douglas were always surrounded by groups of excited, adorable children. Tyler loved giving the kids "horsey rides" on his back. On our second day, a few of the local boys took us on a jungle trek to the three-tiered waterfall behind the village. Baker loved traipsing through the knee-deep mud throughout the hike, and Piero, Chelsea and Devan loved swimming at the waterfalls. It was a hidden paradise only imagined in our dreams until now. Being deep in the jungle and led by a group of locals shouting through the thick vegetation in Fijian tongue, we were quite euphoric: we felt like we were getting the true island experience. Jon loved all the tricks the boys showed us while in the bush, like using medicinal and edible plants, or how to harvest sugarcane and coconuts. When it was time to say goodbye, there was a big party—called a lovo—where everyone wears sulus (sarongs). They cooked us a big feast of native foods, sang songs, and we all drank kava (a local Fijian drink, made from a powdered root). Angeline and Jessica truly appreciated these ceremonies and customs. The villagers told us we are now a part of the family; their village is now our village. We are welcome back anytime.

-Jon

Sailing, Games, and Seafood

We've returned from our sailing adventure to the Yasawas and Mamanuca Islands, and what a grand time it was! The weather was beautiful and the conditions were perfect for sailing, so we pulled anchor and headed out to sea. Piero, Angeline and Jon were ecstatic that we actually got to sail full-tilt this time, feeling the pull of the wind and the lean of the boat, salt spray splashing up on deck. Our first night we pulled into our resort, a beautiful spot on a private island. We played loads of beach volleyball with locals and other travelers. Chelsea, Matt and Drayton really got into the action. Some of us slept on land and some on the boat. Sarah loved to sleep on the boat, letting it rock her to sleep. The second day we sailed to another island, trolling for fish along the way. Tyler and Alain loved pulling in the tunas and snappers that got hooked. Good eating too! We reached Waya, an island where the villagers are of close relation to Samoans. Our co-captain Joseph (also known as Coconut, and also Zach and Travis's favorite part of the trip) is the son of a Samoan chief; he has close ties with this island and the villagers. He showed us lots of cool tricks like how to climb a coconut tree (although none of us tried), harvest coconuts and how to weave with the leaves. At night, we went into the village where they put on a show for us. Dressed in native attire, they danced and performed, and sang old songs in choir-like harmony. It was beautiful. Jessica and Devan were enchanted. Later on, our Fijian captain Charles would play guitar and sing, and the local boys would gather around and sing in harmony with him. Corinne loved to sit and listen while they sang the rest of us to sleep. Throughout the trip, our ship cook, Anna, prepared delicious meals for us, which Baker was quite fond of. She had a great personality as well and established a winning rapport with the group. Douglas really enjoyed the experience of seeing these different islands and getting to know our wonderful crew, as did the rest of us. It was sad to return to the main island and say goodbye. But we had a lovely final banquet where we exchanged memories and laughs. Although it was a happy occasion there was a touch of sadness, as it began to dawn on us all that we will be split apart soon. We have become so close; we will really miss each other! But we know our loving families and friends are waiting for us, so we are on our way home.

-Jessica