• Track Orangutans and Interview Rangers While

Working alongside a Local NGO

• Learn About Island Life and Coffee Farming

During a Homestay on Lake Toba

• Explore Ubud, Indonesia’s Spiritual Hub,

and Participate in a Traditional Water

Cleansing Ritual

• Surf the Famous Waves of Bali’s Bukit Peninsula

• Join the Farm-to-Table Movement Through an

All-Day Cooking Experience in Bali

• Volunteer in East Bali’s First Community-

Owned Cashew Factory

• Visit Health Centers on a Remote Fijian Island

and Interview Nurses

• Facilitate English Language Exchange in a

Fijian Primary School

• Lend a Hand to a Coral Reef Rehabilitation

Project Alongside Local University Students

• Become SCUBA Certified in the Warm Pacific

Waters off Fiji’s Coast

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Gap pacific islands explores the far reaches of the pacific ocean where we immerse ourselves in the island lifestyles of sumatra, Bali, and fiji. trek deep into the sumatran rainforest to search for the critically endangered

orangutan. assist in restoring age-old Bataknese houses in a rural sumatran village and learn aBout traditional ways of living. visit a Balinese cashew factory and witness how an impoverished village partnered with this social enterprise to great success. learn to surf the waves of Bali’s Bukit peninsula and develop new skills. settle into a fijian Bure for a homestay and Be welcomed By the village chief. gain insight into primary education through facilitating english lessons to eager fijian children and explore health care By visiting nursing stations on some of fiji’s remote islands. we round out the program By gaining our scuBa certifications in fiji’s turquoise waters. reflecting on the experiences had and the friendships forged we conclude our semester excited to share all that we’ve learned and experienced!

SAMPLE ITINERARY

Travel To sumaTra and orienTaTion

Traveling across the world as a group, we land in Medan, Sumatra, and kick off our semester with an

in-country orientation to Indonesian culture and basic language. 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, with 52 languages spoken in Sumatra

alone. During our first few days in Sumatra we learn the basic greetings and cultural forms of respect, and

acclimatize to our new time zone and home. Settling into our group, we get 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 Passion Projects, while coming

together as a traveling community.

BukiT lawanG, oranGuTan Trek and HomesTay

Leaving the bustle of Medan behind we travel into Sumatra’s interior past 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. Our time here is

spent tracking the critically-endangered orangutan with our local hosts, 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 our host, Dharma, we settle into the simple huts of our homestay

families. We spend our time teaching in the local primary school, helping out in the rice fields, and getting

a taste of the rural Sumatran lifestyle. For 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. Having already learned about the

conservation efforts taking place around the Sumatran orangutan, we lend a hand by planting trees in the

developing buffer zone created to protect the orangutans from potential poachers.

DAY 4

DAY 1

DAY 13 lake ToBa HomesTays and coffee farminG

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 helping to renovate the beautiful and unique structures of the Batak homes.

Travel To Bali and surf lessons

Saying farewell to Sumatra, we board a 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.

DAY 22

easT Bali casHew facTory and communiTy immersion

Confident in our fledgling surf skills, we make our way to Bali’s eastern coast where we spend a couple of

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 English language classes, or

learning about sustainable farming practices, 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 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.

DAY 28

Whether working in the coffee fields or painting, hammering or 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.

Travel To nadi, fiji and HiGHlands HikinG

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 day hikes through the lush rainforest of this verdant island. Sleeping in local families’ homes, we soak

up our remote surroundings and learn about the natural habitat around us while practicing our basic Fijian with

our generous hosts.

DAY 47

DAY 40

DAY 55 ovalau HomesTay, scHool immersion and puBlic HealTH

Traveling down from the Highlands to Fiji’s southern coast we board a ferry to Ovalau where we settle into our

home for the next week in the welcoming community of Levuka. 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 our Literacy and Education theme by delivering lesson plans in

English, sports, nutrition and culture to middle and high school students. When not in the classrooms, we have

the opportunity in smaller groups to dive into the Public Health theme by visiting a local hospital. Here we learn

about local health practices and access to health care. In quiet moments, those interested take time to interview

the nurses.

In the afternoons and evenings, we settle into the island lifestyle, joining in games of volleyball, rugby and

badminton, exploring our new surroundings, snorkeling spectacular reefs, learning local songs, or getting to

know our host families.

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

town, learning about the various religions practiced here and improving our bargaining skills in the plentiful

markets. We also spend a much-anticipated day visiting a renowned birthing clinic where we get a taste for

Balinese healthcare. As we reach the halfway point of our semester, we 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!

scuBa cerTificaTion & deparTure

For our last week in Fiji we settle into our bungalows bordering white sand beaches and spend five days exploring

the incredible array of multi-colored fish and corals populating Fiji’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 Passion 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 this semester 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.

DAY 73

DAY 64 marine conservaTion projecTs, siGaToka sand dunes and Zip lininG

Our next section takes us to the small and charming coastal village of Naidiri where we join local organizations

in a number of marine conservation projects ranging from mangrove restoration to coral reef rehabilitation.

Working alongside university students, we see the impact committed individuals have in creating positive change

within their communities. We also have the opportunity to give back to this community through participating

in a beach clean up. In the evenings we join in the local village traditions; if we’re lucky we’ll even get to see our

new friends walk on fire!

Our week in Naidiri complete, we spend a day flying high above the treetops on a zip-line course and visit the

beautiful Sigatoka Sand Dunes.

Each ARCC Gap Semester provides unparalleled access to some of the most incredible people, places, and experiences the

world has to offer. Our contacts and relationships abroad allow us to immerse ourselves in the cultures we visit through

homestays, service work, teaching, and exchange. Going beyond the weekend visit, we take the time to plant our feet in each

location, becoming part of the community at large. Eating, sleeping, and living amongst the local people, we are welcomed

as friends. Working in partnership with area leaders, we pinpoint worthwhile service projects and collaborate with community

members to achieve a common goal. Refurbishing a school, building clean water filters, or working with local NGOs, our hard

work supplements our education, organized around five major themes:

arcc Gap framework and curriculum: five GloBal THemes

Investigates the growing problem of habitat

degradation and loss of resources,

especially the way in which this affects

local human and animal

populations.

Compares education in different countries,

how it translates into real-life settings,

and what is being done to improve

education for local

communities.

Researches how communities make

ends meet in an increasingly globalized

economy, while working to maintain

their unique cultures.

Examines the issue of

displacement, both in terms of

urbanization and movement motivated

by political or environmental concerns.

Explores the often wide gulf between

health care in different countries, as

well as between cities and rural

areas.

FIVE GLOBAL THEMES OF ARCC GAP

pacific islands Gap semesTer service learninG summary locaTion THeme(s) field experience Your once in a lifeTime...

Sumatra

Orangutan Conservation Project• Environment & Conservation

• Work alongside and interview the caretakers of the critically endangered orangutans

• Join forces with a local organization working to de-escalate the human-orangutan conflict through the planting of trees

• Hike deep into the rainforest to glimpse the orangutan in the wild

Interview a Caretaker

about their efforts to protect the endangered orangutan in its struggle for survival

Sumatra

Rice Farming Village & Homestay

• Environment & Conservation

• Urbanization & the Movement of

Peoples

• Learn about the process of rice farming by joining our hosts in the fields

• Live in a homestay for one week and learn about a rural villages’ efforts to keep up in a rapidly modernizing economy

Make a Documentary

featuring a day in the life of a rural Sumatran farmer as experienced by our hosts

Bali

East Bali Cashew Factory

• Microfinance & Economic Growth

• Urbanization & the Movement of

Peoples

• Visit the local cashew factory to learn about social entrepreneurship and economic development

• Work in the factory for a day learning to shell, peel and harvest cashews

Create Your Own Social Enterprise Proposal

based on your time spent in the cashew factory, your interviews, and your week of observation

Bali

Farm to Table Cooking Challenge

• Environment & Conservation

• Public Health

• Experience the farm to table experience by fishing at sunrise with local fishermen, harvesting foods from the gardens, and then cooking over an open fire

• Receive training and then deliver lessons to the community on hygiene and healthy eating

Participate in a Traditional Balinese Feast

including learning the religious significance behind these special occasions

Fiji

English Language Exchange• Literacy & Education

• Plan and deliver elementary level English lessons in pairs at the community center

• Interview the teachers to learn about access to education and teacher training

Be a Teacher

by delivering basic English language lessons to elementary aged students

Fiji

Rural Nursing Stations

• Public Health

• Urbanization & the Movement of

Peoples

• Visit rural nursing stations and learn about traditional Fijian medical practices in comparison to contemporary treatment

Shadow Fijian Nurses

and learn about access to health care on some of Fiji’s most remote islands

“Going on this semester with ARCC has made me appreciate the opportunities I’ve

been given far more than I’d considered. Because of this I’m more driven to succeed

in college as not a lot of people get the chance to receive a college level education.”

peter h., lancaster, pa, university of colorado ‘19

“Sam has always been a positive person, but the semester provided him a new per-

spective on the world that gave him a sense of maturity, calm, strength, and self con-

fidence. He has a greater appreciation for the diversity of the world and was inspired

by the many people he met and their resiliency.”

parent of sam w., san rafael, ca, Brown university ‘21

“I want students to know that you will not regret one bit of the ARCC Semester, and

the times you spend there are life-changing and help your personal growth immense-

ly. The friendships I made will last a lifetime.”

neha g., wesley chapel, fl, nova southeastern ‘22

pacific islands Gap semesTer reviews

wanT To learn more? conTacT THe arcc execuTive direcTor of Gap proGrams:

sopHia weeks | execuTive direcTor of Gap proGrams

Sophia@arccprograms.com415-332-5075 Ext. 231www.arccgap.com

“We are thrilled that she/we chose ARCC! It was a very positive experience. We went

in with high expectations and were not disappointed. ARCC is a very well run, struc-

tured, and safe program. She met great friends, learned a lot and was happy!”

parent of Becca s., glencoe, il, tufts ‘22