Our Winter Experience helps you build the skills that matter the most. Spend 10 weeks in San Francisco working with a coach and 5 weeks abroad focused on service learning.
Live in San Francisco in our dorms, work in our co-working space in downtown SoMa, and explore the city by the bay. During this time you'll work with coaches and peers to help you gain a better sense of who you are and where you want to go, while developing the skills to get there. You'll also connect with our network of professional advisors who will help you prepare for what's next.
San Francisco
Work with a coach. Narrow your focus. Gain new skills.
Skills and habits to help to you find confidence, clarity and direction.
Learn by doing. Work on projects that you want to work on to help narrow down your interests.
Learn the skills they don't teach in school, such as time management, public speaking, and managing your finances.
Meet professionals who can help you learn more about your career aspirations.
Have a coach with you every step of the way to help you build on your strengths and identify areas of improvement.
Continue your Winter Experience by setting out to one of our international destinations to work on a service learning project and immerse yourself in a new culture. Choose one of five exciting countries to spend your Explore phase: Tanzania, Mexico, Peru, Indonesia, or India.
Tanzania, Peru, India, Mexico, or Indonesia
Live in a volunteer house with peers, and work on a volunteer project to help the local community.
About other cultures, peoples and places.
Mérida is the starting point for a series of journeys into Yucatán and its archaeological treasures. It’s also a thriving town with plenty of good eats, bustling markets, music, dance, peaceful streets, and parks. Mérida offers a small, safe community setting with a wide range of volunteer projects available. This location is great if you already know some Spanish and are looking to improve your language ability.
Perched in the misty highlands beneath the Himalayas, Dharamsala is a market town, lush farmland, and spiritual retreat all in one. The area is influenced by Tibetan Buddhism; the Dalai Lama resides in the next town over. In contrast to the bustle and crowds of most Indian cities, Dharamsala serves as a serene retreat where you can meditate, practice yoga, and make a difference in the community while exploring northern India.
Sitting in the shadow of Africa's tallest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, Moshi is a small, clean, and vibrant market town. Tanzania's natural beauty is easily accessible from Moshi; you can go on safaris, visit nearby national parks, go mountain climbing, or check out the local hot springs and waterfalls. The city itself is low-key and provides a safe environment to volunteer with locals from the Maasai and Chagga tribes.
Bali is a tropical island paradise with white sand beaches, rice paddies, coral reefs, lush jungle, and volcanic mountains. You’ll stay in a small remote fishing village where you’ll interact with the local community and culture daily through your volunteer activities. In your free time, you can make the most of the warm weather, friendly locals, and laid-back lifestyle by exploring ancient temples, taking a yoga class, or hiking waterfalls.
Huanchaco is a quaint and relaxed beach town on the coast of northern Peru with a history dating back to the original Peruvian civilizations. Once the home to indigenous fishermen, it is now a World Surfing Reserve known for its traditional reed fishing boats, long calm waves for surfing, and ceviche. The surrounding area is still in need of much development and you can assist in a variety of volunteer projects.
Perched in the misty highlands beneath the Himalayas, Dharamsala is a market town, lush farmland, and spiritual retreat all in one. The area is influenced by Tibetan Buddhism; the Dalai Lama resides in the next town over. In contrast to the bustle and crowds of most Indian cities, Dharamsala serves as a serene retreat where fellows can meditate, practice yoga, and make a difference in the community while exploring northern India.
Looking to take a full gap? Check out our Year Experience that starts in September.
YEAR Experience