Rooted Life Adventures

09/11/2024

Our Wellness Director, Mickey, shares more about the hikes we do on the New Zealand gap year program.

07/11/2024

📸 Here's some snaps of our gap year students enjoying being playful in the outdoors whilst on our New Zealand program.

Remember, we are currently accepting applications for our Spring 2025 New Zealand program! If you sign up before the end of November, you can save $2000 on your program fees!

05/11/2024

It's hard to disconnect from our phones and the endless apps that preoccupy our lives in, sometimes, meaningless ways. On program we prioritise this, limiting screen time in a supported and encouraging environment.

Because, honestly, who wouldn't prefer this kind of connection? ⛰️💚

02/11/2024

Our students undertake ⭐ 50 volunteer service hours ⭐ on their Rooted Life Adventure gap year program.

Rooted Life Adventures proudly work with the team at Baskets of Blessing Charitable Trust, based right here in Queenstown NZ. Baskets of Blessing is an organisation that provides a platform for coordinating generous donations of products, time and money, delivering unexpected gift baskets and frozen meal/food packs to individuals and families suddenly struggling from unexpected life challenges. Baskets of Blessing now distribute over 500 gift baskets per year and up to 3000 free frozen meals per month.

Our students love volunteering as part of our gap year curriculum. Students feel useful knowing they're supporting the local community; they take their responsibility seriously - stepping up to the job in hand, feeling a great sense of pride and satisfaction with the outcome of their mahi (work).

Baskets of Blessing create customised gift baskets to reinforce that people do care and to offer positive uplifting moments for those who need a little bit of extra TLC. All recipients are nominated anonymously and are actioned without judgement.

This is a terrific organisation and volunteers are always welcome as they rely on community support to provide help for those in need. Thank you to all our enthusiastic students for their hard work and smiley faces, week after week!

01/11/2024

On the shores of Lake Wānaka, our Fall Semester students experienced a Māori Whakatau, a welcome, to connect them with the indigenous Māori culture of New Zealand.

Our students/the visitors, otherwise known as Manuhiri, were welcomed by the Tangata Whenua, the people of the land. In these photos you can see our students partaking in a Hongi, which is the pressing of noses. This is a traditional Māori greeting and is a sign of peace, life and well-being. The Hongi represents a connection between people and the Tangata Whenua. Ka pai / how good!

30/10/2024

Last week, on our Queenstown New Zealand Semester Program, we hosted a Lord of the Rings evening. We collectively put together a wholesome and delicious feast and dressed up as Hobbits! Some of our talented students whipped out the guitar and played along to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack - amongst other tunes. It really was a special night.

New Zealand is, of course, the real Middle-earth, and our students have enjoyed exploring some of the locations that both the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit was filmed. The landscapes of Aotearoa New Zealand are just as picturesque in real life as they are in the movies 💚

20/10/2024

🐝Be a beekeeper for a day with Rooted Life Adventures🐝

We include a beekeeping experience on our New Zealand gap year programs because understanding the role that bees play in biodiversity, on which we all depend for our survival, is incredibly important! We work with a local operator here in Queenstown to increase students' knowledge of pollination in a fun and interactive way!

Over the course of a day, we work with the hives and remove the frames of capped mature honey before being guided through capping, spinning, filtering and packing honey into jars. It's a rewarding, yet sticky (!!), day of fun and learning and our students did a great job of getting the tasks done and asking great questions.

Are you, or your teenager/young adult, looking for a gap year program next year? Consider joining Rooted Life Adventures for our Spring Program in February 2025. Sign up before the end of November and SAVE $2000USD on your tuition fees!

16/10/2024

Outdoors exploration is a key component of our programs, and our students have enjoyed themselves as they've immersed themselves in the great outdoors here in New Zealand!

Tititea / Mt Aspiring National Park is located close to our home in Queenstown, and it is New Zealand's third largest National Park. Mt Aspiring is a spectacular place to explore with its awe-inspiring mountains, dramatic glaciers, picturesque river valleys and crystal-clear alpine lakes - hiking this region allows us to move our bodies, see stunning landscapes and provides us with opportunities to be playful. A winning combination. ☀️

08/10/2024

Did you know that Rooted Life Adventures focus on teaching students' life skills whilst on program? Find out more here 🙌

03/10/2024

According to a recent survey from USA TODAY, 47% of Gen Z say they regret NOT taking a gap year before entering college. Surprised?

This insight comes at a time when more young people are questioning the traditional path to higher education due to rising costs and the uncertain return on investment. Many Gen Zers feel a gap year could have provided them with more clarity about their future goals, professional development, or even mental health benefits before diving into their academic careers.

This article came out day 1 of Gap Year Exploration Month - coincidence? We think not!

29/09/2024

29/09/2024

Getting out in nature is a core component of our curriculum here at RLA, and it's easy to see why it's integral to the wellbeing of our students.

Fresh air, movement and spectacular landscapes paired with candid chats, or moments of reflection, away from our devices and other distractions gives us space to find joy and gives us a clearer head!

Here's some photos of our students exploring Queenstown NZ on our program that's currently on the ground. It's spring here in the Southern Hemisphere and the ideal time of year to hit the trails!

21/09/2024

We are well into week one of our New Zealand semester program! Here are our wonderful new students on the shore of Lake Wakatipu in Tāhuna Queenstown.

27/08/2024

Meet Peter, the latest addition to our strong team here at Rooted Life Adventures! Originally from Southern California, Peter's spent the last five years living in New Zealand and currently calls Queenstown home.

A talented former outdoor educator, raft guide, keen climber and passionate surfer, Peter finds joy and inner peace when he's in nature and has a deep love and appreciation for the outdoors. In recent times Peter has become a qualified horticulturist and has planted thousands and thousands of native plants around the Whakatipu Basin. When he's not working, you'll find Peter in Fiordland National Park, exploring the vast valleys and peaks of the Darran Mountains - he proclaims this is his favourite place in the world. Peter's very active in the community and has been involved in the Queenstown Climbing Club, the Department of Conservation and New Zealand Alpine Club.

We are thrilled to have Peter join us as a Program Instructor on our upcoming fall program in Queenstown, and we know he'll be of great support to all our new students. Peter joins our Wellness Director Mickey and our Executive Director Austin, who will be facilitating the fall program.

Welcome, Peter!

25/08/2024

What adventures do we get up to in Queenstown, New Zealand?