Changed My Life

This gap semester was incredible. I was paired with 11 strangers and 2 amazing leaders that have changed me in ways I can't describe. Many people ask me what my favorite part of the trip is and I literally cannot choose one. Was it the time we hiked 7 hours to the most breathtaking view I've ever seen? Or the time we spent a few days building waterfilters and then implementing them into people's homes in the poorest region of Cambodia? Maybe the time we were night swimming in the Gulf of Thai and we came across bioluminescenct plankton. I have learned so much about the world and its struggles and also how we are overcoming them. I have learned about service and how to stop "othering" people and cultures. I have always felt perfectly safe and ARCC did such a great job pairing students with each other and choosing leaders. I don't recommend you do this course, I urge you to do it. Without a doubt this was the greatest experience of my life. Saying goodbye was the one bad aspect of the trip.