CHINA
MANADO
BORNEO
INDONESIA
LUWUK
TA N A TO R A JA
MOROWALI KENDARI
MAKASSAR
C O M M U N I T Y, C U LT U R E & C O N S E R VA T I O N
WA K ATO B I
3-Month Gap Year Program
INDONESIA UBUD, BALI
84
DAYS
AUSTRALIA DESCRIPTION
Experience the majesty of the most diverse archipelago on Earth: live with a remote jungle tribe, spearfish with sea nomads, and discuss conservation initiatives with local experts.
DATES
AGES
Sept 15 – Dec 6 February 7 – May 1
17 – 22 17 – 22
PROGRAM COMPONENT EMPHASIS
RUGGED TRAVEL
SPANNING FROM MALAYSIA TO AUSTRALIA, WITH OVER 17,000
endangered mangrove ecosystems, and look at various
EQUATORIAL ISLANDS, Indonesia hosts the world’s highest level of biodiversity and
paradigms of environmental conservation.
one of the richest cultural tapestries on earth. Our program begins in Yogyakarta, on
FOCUS OF INQUIRY
source of nutmeg and cloves. Featuring dramatic
been for centuries. With our Program House as a base, students engage in arts study,
volcanic formations draped in luxuriant vegetation and
language instruction, and topical discussions on the course’s themes of cultural and
uninhabited islands wrapped in white sand beaches,
religious diversity, creative expression, ecology and environmental protection, all while
the Bandas boasts the world’s most biodiverse marine
living with carefully selected home-stay families.
environment and much of our stay is spent studying coral reef ecology and learning about the area’s rich marine life. We return to Yogyakarta to wrap up a course that is rugged and
coffee production, hike spectacular volcanoes, explore topics in spiritual plurality and
comprehensive, and that introduces students to the most significant ecological, cultural
develop a deeper understanding of traditional farming.
and geo-political conversations of our time.
We then travel to the southeastern archipelago of Wakatobi, an extraordinary National Marine Park and home to the Bajau people (otherwise known as “sea nomads”). Staying in the stilted bamboo huts of Sampela, students learn about Bajau culture, practices, and religion. We snorkel world-class coral reefs, learn from
“Each place we went to and family I stayed with showed me something about life. Swimming with dolphins in the Bandas. Spear fishing in Sampela. Playing soccer in Langa. Playing gamelan in Java. There were so many impactful and enjoyable activities.”
host fathers how to fish with spears and nets, attend indigenous ceremonies, visit W W W.W H E R E T H E R E B E D R A G O N S . C O M
W I L L I A M D U FA U LT
GA P Y E AR S EM E STE R
a small group of 10 volcanic islands famous as a
dance and shadow puppetry are dutifully studied and expertly performed as they have
From Java, we head east to the island of Flores where students live in the pastoral
COMPARATIVE RELIGION
Heading east we travel to the mysterious Bandas,
the island of Java. In this center for arts and culture, ritual crafts of gamelan, Javanese
village of Langa. Here students stay with generous home-stay families, learn about
DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
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