U.S. Gap Orientation

We begin our semester with a Gap orientation in the U.S. After a welcome BBQ with all ARCC Gap students, we settle into our group, getting to know one another and our instructors. Together we map out our itinerary and set individual and group goals for the program. We introduce our curriculum and brainstorm ideas for our individual Capstone Projects while coming together as a traveling community.

Travel to Medan and Indonesian Orientation

We fly together to Medan, Sumatra where we jump into our orientation to Indonesian culture, customs, and languages. With more than 261 million people, Indonesia is the world’s 4th most populous country and is made up of over 17,000 islands. Indonesia is home to hundreds of different ethnic, linguistic and cultural groups; 52 languages spoken in Sumatra alone. For our first few days in Sumatra, we learn the basic greetings, cultural forms of respect, and acclimatize to our new time zone and home.

Bukit Lawang, Orangutan Trek and Homestay

Leaving the bustle of Medan behind we travel into Sumatra’s interior through endless palm forests to the small village of Bukit Lawang located along the Bohorok River. Bordering Gunung Leuser National Park, this community sprouted in the 1970s with the creation of the orangutan rehabilitation center. During our time here we spend a day tracking the critically endangered orangutan with our local host, rafting down the playful rapids of the Bohorok River, and continuing to form as a traveling community at our eco-lodge home base.

After acclimatizing to our surroundings, we embark on our first homestay of the semester in the neighboring rice farming community. Welcomed by Dharma, our kind host, we settle into the simple stilted homes of our host families and spend the week teaching in the local primary school, helping out in the rice fields, and getting a feel for the rural Sumatran lifestyle. Our last two days in the village we pack smaller bags and make our way to the riverside for two nights of camping in rustic river huts. After learning a lot about the conservation efforts taking place around the critically endangered orangutan we lend a hand by planting trees in the developing buffer zone, created to protect the orangutans from potential poachers.

Lake Toba Homestay

Leaving the rainforest behind, we head south to the crater of Lake Toba, the largest lake in Southeast Asia and one of the deepest in the world. On Lake Toba we have an opportunity to experience another tribe within Sumatra, the Batak people, and spend a week learning about life in two distinct villages, one in the highlands and one along the lake. In the highlands we learn the art of coffee farming, spending our days harvesting, roasting, and finally tasting Sumatra’s world-renowned coffee.

Our second homestay has us alternating between building and installing clean water filters under the direction of the village chief and helping to renovate the beautiful and unique structures of the Batak homes. Whether working in the coffee fields or painting, hammering, and cementing, our days in these remote villages provide an opportunity to see a very different side of Sumatra.

Rounding out our time in Sumatra we kayak on the lake, visit some of Indonesia’s most spectacular waterfalls, pick up last minute souvenirs, and reflect on our experiences thus far as we eagerly anticipate all that awaits us in Bali.

Surf Lessons

Saying farewell to Sumatra, we board our flight to Denpasar, Bali. Settling into our small hotel in Padang Padang in the Southern peninsula, we jump right into our surf lessons on Bali’s famous waves. For the next few days we improve our surf skills, relax along Bali’s white-sand beaches, and note the differences between Sumatra and Bali, two unique Indonesian islands.

East Bali Study

After a short flight to Bali, we make our way to Bali’s Eastern coast where we spend a couple weeks learning about the successes and challenges of a local non-profit social enterprise that is dedicated to creating income-earning opportunities for this poverty-stricken rural community. Whether it’s through job opportunities at the community-run factory, providing youth and adult education classes, or teaching locals sustainable farming, we have an opportunity to see first-hand the incredible impact this organization is having in East Bali. We spend our time here helping out in the cashew factory as we try our hands at peeling and packaging cashews, volunteering in the local pre-school by teaching lessons on environmental sustainability, getting our hands dirty building a playground, and participating in an all-day cooking experience starting with a pre-dawn fishing trip and ending with a traditional Balinese feast. When not working, we explore our stunning surroundings through hikes to local waterfalls, impromptu games of volleyball, afternoon beach visits, and more.

Ubud Explorations and Student Planned Module

Saying goodbye to our friends in East Bali, we make our way to Ubud, the spiritual center and heart of Bali. Surrounded by terraced rice fields and ancient monuments, we spend the next few days exploring this beautiful city, learning about the various religions practiced here, trying our hand in a Balinese cooking class, and practicing our bargaining skills in the endless markets. Halfway through our semester, we also catch up on sleep and put the final touches on our upcoming Student Planned Module.

For the next four days we head off on our Student Planned Module. These days are totally planned by the students, with basic parameters put in place and a budget with which to work. We can’t wait to hear what the group will do!

Travel to Fiji, Nadi and Trekking in the Headlands

Leaving Indonesia behind, we travel by plane to Fiji where we jump right into our Fijian orientation in the coastal city of Nadi. The basics learned, we say goodbye to the coast for now and head into Fiji’s highlands where we embark on a four-day trek through the lush rainforest of this verdant island. Sleeping in bungalows along the way, we soak up our remote surroundings, learn about the natural habitat, and practice skills such as Leave No Trace, navigation by map and compass, and other important wilderness skills.

Island Village Stay

With dirt under our nails and pride in our accomplishment, we take our hiking boots off and make our way to Viti Levu’s Southern coast, where we catch a short ferry to the tropical island of Beqa. Here we are welcomed into our first Fijian homestay in a small village surrounded by turquoise waters. During our week on Beqa we finish the construction of a new kindergarten building and participate in a coral reef restoration project. In our free time, we get to know our wonderful homestay hosts, learn to fish the local way, and join friendly impromptu matches of Fiji’s favorite sport, rugby.

Homestay, Teaching and Public Health

Our two weeks on Ovalau are spent in a homestay within a small, welcoming community. We soak up the opportunity to learn about the distinct culture of this island and the history Fiji shares with the island country of Tonga. During the days we pair up with a groupmate and jump into the education theme, where we deliver lesson plans in English, sports, nutrition, and culture to middle and high school students. In the afternoons and evenings, we settle into the island lifestyle, joining in games of volleyball, rugby, and badminton, exploring our new surroundings, learning local songs, or getting to know our new families.

Our next section on this beautiful island takes us into the public health theme where we break into small groups and spend time shadowing nurses in the rural nursing stations and the local hospital. Given that nursing stations in rural parts of Fiji are often run by one nurse alone, there is ample opportunity to lend a hand to support these hard-working nurses, while simultaneously learning about health care within remote regions of Fiji.

We round out our time on Ovalau in and around the water, snorkeling spectacular reefs, swimming on beautiful white-sand beaches and soaking up endless sunsets.

SCUBA Certification and Departure

For our last week in Fiji we spend five days exploring the incredible array of multi-colored fish and corals populating Beqa’s world-renowned reefs through our PADI dive certification course. Those new to diving will have the chance to earn their Open Water Diver certifications, while experienced divers can earn their Advanced Diver certifications.

During the evenings, we take in our final Fijian sunsets, present our Capstone Projects and debrief all that we have learned, the many friends that we have made, and the passions we have ignited over the past three months. There is no doubt that our experiences over these three months have prepared us for the steps that await us. As we savor our last week together, we are excited to return home to share our newly-gained insights and knowledge from our myriad experiences in Sumatra, Bali, and Fiji.

(All students wishing to SCUBA dive must pass a thorough diving physical and cannot have used an inhaler or suffered from asthma in the past three years.

*Please note that the order of the countries and of the projects is subject to change depending on your group assignment.

Below you will find several Group Journal excerpts, written by ARCC students during their Gap Semester with ARCC: