Travel Study: Pacific Challenge

During the mid-semester break students are invited to sign-up for a trip of a lifetime and fly across the world to explore New Zealand and Australia. This travel study changes the lives of students and leaves them with the sweet taste of wanderlust.   Let’s take a peek at some of our readers’ perspectives!

Kendra Kravik:“Traveling somewhere new with 17 new people is a lot to handle. You eat, sleep, and breathe together for four weeks straight. But I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. Luckily, for me, one of those 17 people would become my best friend. Caitlin Bartels and I became best friends instantly. We hiked 9 miles in Abel Tasmen, we went seal watching on Christmas in Kaikoura, we hiked in Mt. Cook National Park, we brought in New Year’s in Queenstown, we luged in Queenstown, we conquered Sydney in a day, and we surfed in Byron Bay together. I absolutely loved traveling throughout New Zealand and Australia, but having my best friend traveling with me made the trip so much better and the memories last much longer.”  

 Haley Wolf:“This photo was taken on the Pacific Challenge Getaway trip this past Christmas break. It was at the top of the Mueller Hut Hike at Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park in New Zealand. The hut we climbed to was 1,800 meters up and took us about 5 hours to complete. The hike was one of the most challenging things I have done in my life, but as you can see, the view was worth every second of it! Pictures just can’t do it justice.”

Katie Gottstein:

Wine Tour in Nelson, NZ

Christmas Eve in Kaikoura, NZ

Hiking Mt. Cook, NZ

A ferry ride to Sydney, Australia

Worlds Largest swing Queenstown, NZ 

Allie Rockholt:“This is me jumping out of a plane at 13,000 ft. in Abel Tasman, New Zealand. It was my first time skydiving and I can promise you I will do it again. It was such a thrilling experience.”

“Heading up on a chairlift with Maddy Leonard in Queenstown, New Zealand to luge down a mountain. There were about 40 of us racing down the tracks, with a beautiful view in front of us. It was a blast.”

“This picture was taken at the end of a two hour hike in Hooker valley in Mt. Cook, New Zealand. The water is pure glacier water and provided us with a cold spot to dip our feet in and a beautiful view to look at. It was one of my favorite hikes there.”