Fiji, Australia & New Zealand
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Please take a moment to view our newest page with You Tube videos of past FANZ groups.
Fiji
Orientation and Community Service:
Arriving in Nadi, jump right into orientation: get to know your new family, share your intentions for your next 12 weeks, review the itinerary and whip out the maps of all the places you will go. Get your feet wet, literally, snorkeling in the crystal blue waters and get your feet wet, figuratively, by learning more of the Fijian customs, all that influences their culture, and how to navigate as an international traveler.
Over the next 2 weeks the group will be enveloped by a local village, living with your homestay family, sharing meals and cultures, and working side by side on a community development project. Past projects have included building roads, building low-cost housing, refinishing school buildings, for Fijian families on this Pacific Island. This is an excellent introduction to Fijian culture and with some free time on the weekends, your group may decide to take in the Fiji passion of Rugby, hike to beautiful waterfalls or zip line through the tropical forest.
New Zealand
Outdoor Ed. School:
Moving on to continue your travels in New Zealand, you'll spend 5 days at an outdoor leadership school. Take ownership of your personal development by choosing to trek, or kayak, testing your outdoor navigation skills, conquering a ropes course all while learning team building concepts and developing your personal leadership style. The group will also have the opportunity to scale Mt. Ngauruhoe, aka Mt. Doom for all of you Lord of the Rings fans or do a full-day trek on the North Island through the Tangariro Crossing and what is fabled to be one of the most beautiful parts of New Zealand.
Organic Farming & Conservation Work:
Throughout Aotearoa, you will learn the importance and vitality of agriculture in this majestic part of the world. Here, the group may split up to live in two different intentional organic communities experiencing a true Kiwi lifestyle. In exchange for room and board, we have earned our keep by shearing sheep, making sausages, planting indigenous trees, and learning the principles of organic farming. Projects and farms vary by semester and need of our local hosts.
In addition, we work with the NZ Conservation Trust on one of their many worthwhile environmental projects. This is also our chance to share meals and conversation with a local Maori community while learning their history, traditions, and culture.
'Free' Travel:
Put your traveling skills to the test as the group designs and implements their week of free travel. Work with a budget and each other to explore the great outdoors that is New Zealand. Perhaps your group will explore the beauty of the South Island by tramping through the Southern Alps, kayaking through Milford Sound or journeying to Queenstown, the adventure capital of NZ! If your free travel lands on the North Island, never fear for plenty adventure awaits there too! Maybe you will canoe down the Whanganui River, dip in the thermal pools of Roturua, or summit the most climbed peak of Mt. Taranaki. The options are endless in the "land of the long white cloud."Australia
Outback Conservation Project and Aboriginal Culture:
The group will arrive by plane in Sydney and have a few days to explore the city, taking in the famed Opera House or exploring the Sydney Harbour. Then we travel to the Outback to participate in rugged outdoor conservation work in the surrounding countryside. Get a glimpse of a country hard hit by climate change and continue your learning as we dig to the roots of what environmental conservation is all about.
The group will spend some time experiencing different aspects of Aboriginal culture - hearing tales of the Dreamtime (traditional stories about the Ancestors) as well as exploring sacred sites of the Aboriginals in Australia's Red Centre.
As we travel up the Stuart Highway, you'll understand why most Australians inhabit the coastline.Spiritual Programme:
Our spiritual retreat is intended to allow you time to reflect on the deeper connections you have made this semester and to integrate all that you have learned. We will spend the next week learning different spiritual practices: either meditating at a peaceful Buddhist monastery, stretching ourselves at a yoga ashram in the mountains, or exploring auryvedic principles and teachings at an integrative retreat center.
Great Barrier Reef - SCUBA:
The Grand Finale of your semester ends with 5 incredible days learning to SCUBA dive on the Great Barrier Reef. From sea turtles to reef sharks to the Maori Rass, this underwater world leads you to your PADI Basic Open Water Certification.Program Details
Program Dates:
Fall 2010: September 15 - December 8, 2010
Spring 2011: February 9 - May 4, 2011
Group Size:
A maximum of 12 students and two adult leaders
Eligibility:
Ages 17 and Up
Academic Credit:
Up to 18 credits available
Language Requirement:
None
Starting & Ending:
Los Angeles, California. Our travel agent will price the best deals and notify participants.
Admissions:
No deadline - applications accepted on a rolling basis until start date.
Program Fee:
$9,900 Program fee includes all food, accommodations, and scheduled program activities for the duration of the program. International airfare, health insurance, spending money, and an overnight train in Australia (which is in lieu of another flight) are extra. International airfare we estimate will cost between $2400 and $2800. For information on Financial Aid click here.
Program Policies:
For a detailed description of our Program Expectations and Rules, please click this link. These are the rules that we expect of all of our students for their overall safety and to provide the best possible program.
Carpe Diem's study abroad programs in Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia are primarily attended by gap year and college students. Traveling to the South Pacific gives students an opportunity to explore one of the most beautiful regions of the world, as they take the time to learn more about themselves. This study abroad program gives students a thorough understanding and appreciation of South Pacific indigenous culture, and provides them with countless opportunities to get in touch with nature.
Spending part of your gap year in Australia and the South Pacific is the perfect opportunity to explore the world as you work towards college credit. Up to 18 college credits are available for this exciting Carpe Diem journey, helping incorporate "time on" into your time off. Almost all of our students come back from their overseas studies feeling refreshed and renewed, with a newfound purpose for their education and greater direction for their lives.
Study abroad in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji and have the time of your life! Please contact us for further information.
The above video is of a Maori Haka dance that a recent student group was priveleged to learn - a warrior's dance similar to a Hawaiian Haka. For more videos please visit our You Tube page.
